First of all "false" does not mean fake, but is used to denote "that is not the actual dantien itself", which rests precisely at the body's center. I have no doubt that other structures contribute to its degree of development, openness or capacity for regulating energy, they are however not "the thing itself", but its supporting structures, just as Robert describes the supporting structures of for example the base chakra in "Energy Work". Like the hip joints, etc.

As for practices that require using the actual Dantien, this distinction Daoist Qigong is an important one. The distinction between "real" and "false" has been made as the confusion of both seems to be common and encountered by a good deal of students of that path as they progress in inner perception.

"Real" and "false" are arbitrary labels. As both structures have different properties - the "false" one strobes, while the "real" one seems to be of a wholly different capacity - I can understand the discernment. A practice like Embryonic Breathing for example, which "builds fire in the cauldron" (improves the energy storage capacity of the Dantien by energy intake practice) requires the distinction. While regular strobes in the "false" Dantien would allow some energy to go to the real Dantien IMO, the intended effect of directly arousing the Lower Dantien and working with its energy and the breath would be diminished. Also only the usage of the "real" Dantien allows working with the energies of the Central Channel, etc. Else all the wrong meridians/channels/vessels would get worked, which could be detrimental at worst or useless or have a different outcome at best when following this school of Daoist energy work / alchemy of the Neo-Daoist traditions of China.

I must admit however I find those teachings unhelpful. I feel all of the energy body must be dealt with as intuition indicates. The body knows what to do when, or better: something within us knows what to deal within our energy bodies and when. There is a natural order. I'd rather follow Lao-Tse's notion of restoring a natural flow by learning what is there instead of creating certain flows according to someone's template of development (a more Neo-Daoist concept that has evolved within the last millenium). If the natural order is followed, it does not matter which structure is called what. As the mind becomes aware of the flows and blocks of the body, what needs to be done and where reveals itself and needs no labels. The mind moves from the outer to the inner and restores what it finds as the capacity to feel returns.

Oliver