PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

CIA-STARGATE

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This document outlines the CIA's observations and findings regarding parapsychological research in the People's Republic of China. It notes a lack of good reporting on parapsychological phenomena, which inhibits in-depth analysis. The report highlights a significant difference in the approach of the East and West to parapsychology, with the East being more supportive and ahead in achieving credible results. The Chinese research on parapsychology goes under several names, including Enhanced Human Body Functions and Somatic Science. Somatic Science examines paranormal capabilities, traditional Chinese medicine, and Qigong, a system of breathing exercises believed to be a source of physical and psychic energy. The approach of Somatic Science is to apply systems theory to study the human body's interactions with the environment and identify different functional states, including the paranormal state. The research aims to determine and enhance the mechanism of achieving these functional states. The report also mentions claims of the existence of the paranormal functional state, the ability to enter it at will, and the concept of remote viewing. A statement from Qian Xuelin, who led the effort to develop the application of system science to parapsychological research, suggests that research in somatic science may lead to a new scientific revolution. The document also includes a chronology of the development of parapsychological research in China, with a particular focus on increasing support and interest from military and government institutions.

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Body:  Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
 IN
 THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
 OF
 CHINA
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
 - LACK OF GOOD REPORTING ON PARAPSYCHOLOGIC
 PHENOMENA INHIBITS IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS
 AVAILABLE REPORTS OFTEN PRESENTED IN
 A SKEPTICAL LIGHT
 ? SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN APPROACH OF EAST
 AND WEST TO PARAPSYCHOLOGY
 - WEST IS MORE SKEPTICAL AND LESS
 SUPPORTIVE OF RESEARCH
 - EAST GENERALLY AHEAD OF WEST IN
 ACHIEVING CREDIBLE RESULTS
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 OBSERVATIONS
 ? CHINESE RESEARCH GOES UNDER SEVERAL NAMES,
 MOST COMMONLY
 - ENHANCED HUMAN BODY FUNCTIONS
 - SOMATIC SCIENCE
 ? SOMATIC SCIENCE EXAMINES THREE INTER-RELATED AREAS
 - PARANORMAL CAPABILITIES
 - TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
 - QIGONG
 - A SYSTEM OF BREATHING EXERCISES AND BREATH
 CONTROL BELIEVED TO BE A SOURCE OF BOTH
 PHYSICAL AND PSYCHIC ENERGY
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 APPROACH OF SOMATIC SCIENCE
 ? APPLIES SYSTEMS THEORY TO STUDY OF HUMAN BODY AND
 ENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTIONS
 ? HOLDS THAT THE BODY CAN ASSUME DIFFERENT "FUNCTIONAL
 STATES", ONE OF WHICH IS THE PARANORMAL STATE"
 ? APPLIES MULTIDIMENSIONAL DATA ANALYSIS METHODS TO
 DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS FUNCTIONAL STATES AND IDENTIFY
 THE "NORMAL STATE"
 ? SEEKS TO DETERMINE AND ENHANCE THE MECHANISM BY
 WHICH DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL STATES ARE ACHIEVED AND
 THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
 - STUDIES OF QIGONG MASTERS IN THE "QIGONG FUNCTIONAL
 STATE" IS A KEY RESEARCH TOPIC
 ? GREAT ATTENTION GIVEN TO SCIENTIFIC CREDIBILITY AND
 REPRODUCIBILITY OF EXPERIMENTS
 wm~
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 RESEARCH CLAIMS
 ? THE EXISTANCE OF THE "PARANORMAL FUNCTIONAL STATE"
 THE ABILITY OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO ENTER THE
 PARANORMAL FUNCTIONAL STATE AT WILL
 ? CERTAIN OBJECTS, WHEN ACTED ON BY PERSONS WITH
 PARANORMAL ABILITIES, CAN BE PUT INTO A PARANORMAL
 STATE
 ? THE EXISTANCE OF 'REMOTE VIEWING"
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 STATEMENT BY QIAN XUELIN
 ? LED EFFORT TO DEVELOP
 APPLICATION OF SYSTEM
 SCIENCE TO STUDY OF
 PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL
 PHENOMENA
 ? "'RESEARCH IN SOMATIC
 SCIENCE MAY LEAD TO A
 NEW SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
 IN THE 21ST CENTURY...
 THAT MAY BE A GREATER REVOLUTION THAN THOSE OF
 QUANTUM PHYSICS AND THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY
 IN THE 20TH CENTURY."
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 CHRONOLOGY
 1979 - 1982
 ? EARLY INDICATION OF INTEREST
 ? INFORMAL, LOOSELY CONTROLLED DEMONSTRATIONS
 ? CONFLICTS NOTED (ACTIVITIES, IDEOLOGY)
 ? MILITARY INTEREST SHOWN
 1983 - 1987
 ? TIGHTENING OF RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS
 ? EXPANSION OF HIGH LEVEL SUPPORT
 ? DEDICATED CONFERENCES
 1988 -PRESENT
 ? NATIONAL LEVEL RESEARCH CENTERS, COMMITTEES
 ? CONTINUED MILITARY INTEREST
 ? CENTRAL COMMITTEE APPROVAL
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260006-0