Like other traditional regimens, ba duan jin has evolved with the times and has different versions. No one knows exactly when, how or by whom the qigong exercise was created.

But some believe the Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidarma Chadili, who came to China in the early fifth century, invented sports methods such as ba duan jin and yi jin jing (sinew-transforming exercise).

Still some consider Tang Dynasty (618-907) Taoist master Zhong Liquan to be the chief exponent. Others attribute this qigong exercise to Song Dynasty (960-1279) military marshal Yue Fei.