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Qi Basics

This document discusses key concepts in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) related to qi (chi), including: 1) Qi is the vital energy or life force that flows through meridians in the body and is essential for health. It has no direct translation but can be thought of as energy, breath, or spirit. 2) There are three treasures - shen, qi, and jing - that are stored in three dantians in the body and relate to spirit, energy, and essence. 3) Qi comes from air, food, water, and exercise and is transformed and transported through the body by organs like the lungs and spleen to carry out functions like protection, containment, movement

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Robertson668
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50 views

Qi Basics

This document discusses key concepts in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) related to qi (chi), including: 1) Qi is the vital energy or life force that flows through meridians in the body and is essential for health. It has no direct translation but can be thought of as energy, breath, or spirit. 2) There are three treasures - shen, qi, and jing - that are stored in three dantians in the body and relate to spirit, energy, and essence. 3) Qi comes from air, food, water, and exercise and is transformed and transported through the body by organs like the lungs and spleen to carry out functions like protection, containment, movement

Uploaded by

Robertson668
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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By John Robertson © Finger at the Moon Publishing

'If the Qi circulates


from the center to the
extremities one will remain
in perfect health.'
Huà Tuó 華佗 (110-207)
The Three Treasures - Sānbǎo 三寶
Chinese TCM Western
Shén 神 Spirit Consciousness
Qì 氣 Energy Energy
Jīng 精 Essence Structure

These are stored in the:


☯ Upper Dan Tián - Shàng Dantián 上丹田
☯ Middle Dan Tián - Zhōng Dantián 中丹田
☯ Lower Dan Tián - Xià Dantián 下丹田
Essence - Jīng 精
Jīng is most often translated as essence.

It is what aids in the condensation of energy into matter.


It is the thing around which Qì organizes itself to create matter.

In organisms it would be the DNA.


In crystalline structures it would be whatever organizes
their shape, and gives them unique characteristics.

One way to think about Jīng in the human body is the western concept
of constitution, the fundamental 'strength' that a person has.
Spirit - Shén 神

Shén is often translated as 'spirit'; and is


most commonly used to express aspects of
mental and emotional health, and cognition.

In Qìgōng practitioners attempt to control


the Mind - Xīn Shén 心神 (the emotional mind)
by use of Yì 意 (intention).
Five Substances - Zhòngyào Wùzhí
The Five Substances - Zhòngyào Wùzhí 五重要物质 are:
• Essence - Jīng 精
• Energy - Qì 氣
• Spirit - Shén 神
• Blood - Xuè 血
• Fluids - Jīn Yě 金也
Blood - Xuè 血 & Fluids - Jīn Yě 津液
• Blood - Xuè 血 & Fluids – Jīn Yè 津液 are both liquids

• Both nourish and moisturize.

• Fluids constantly seep into the blood vessels and become a


component of Blood.

• Blood extravagates out of the blood vessels and turns into Fluids.
So What is Qì?
Originally, it referred to the steam
or vapor coming from boiling rice.

There is no adequate English translation for Qì.

Nor is there any all-encompassing, equivalent concept


in Western thought or science.

It has been rendered variously as energy, vital energy, pure energy,


force, material force, spirit, vapor, air, etc…
So Qì is…..
The character represents the nourishing vapor
or the moistening mist, both of which encompass
the atmosphere, furnishing the bodies of all
creatures and becoming the source of life.

Qì is the idea that the body is pervaded by subtle material


and mobile influences that cause physiological functions
and maintain the health and vitality of an individual.
So Qì is…..
2
This equation expresses the fact that mass
and energy are the same physical entity and
can be changed into each other. So:

2
Other names for Qì….
Korean & Japanese: ki
Hindu: prana
Egyptian: ka
Greek: pneuma
Hebrew: ruah
Inuit: inua, sila
Norse: seid
Druidry: awen
Polynesian: mana
And of course…..

Star Wars: the force


The Character Qì 氣
Some Types of Qì
• Air Qì - Kōng Qì 空氣
• Food Qì - Gǔ Qì 谷氣
• Gathering Qì - Zōng Qì 宗氣
• True Qì - Zhēn Qì 真氣
• Original Qì - Yuán Qì 原氣
• Nutritive Qì - Yíng Qì 营氣
• Guardian Qì - Wèi Qì 衛氣
Where does Qì come from?
Original Qì - Yuán Qì 原氣 is inherited from our parents
at conception. It is known as the ‘innate vital substance’.
Qì 氣 is further derived from nature:
• The air we breathe
• The water we drink
• The food we eat
• The exercise we take
The Creation of Qì
Air Lungs Yuán Qì Water
Spleen Stomach
& Food

Kōng Qì Zōng Qì Gǔ Qì

Zhēn Qì

Yíng Qì Wèi Qì
The Functions of Qì
Transformation
Qì 氣 transforms one thing to another:
• Original Qì - Yuán Qì 原氣 facilitates transformation.
• Air to Kōng Qì 空氣
• Water & food to Gǔ Qì 谷氣.
• Indigestible food into urine and excrement.
• Qì inter-transforms one substance to another.
The Functions of Qì
Transportation
Qì 氣 provides the power to move things:
• Spleen Qì transports Food Qì.
• Lung Qì transports Wèi Qì 衛氣 to the skin.
• Lung Qì transports Fluids to the skin.
• Spleen and Heart Qì moves blood.
• Kidney Qì transports Qì upward.
The Functions of Qì
Containment & Holding
Qì 氣 provides the power to hold things closed:
• Kidney & Bladder Qì hold urine in the bladder.
• Qì holds organs within the body.

Qì 氣 provides the power to contain things:


• Spleen Qì holds blood in the vessels.
• Lung Qì holds sweat in the body.
The Functions of Qì
Raising
Qì 氣 provides upward motion or holding to counter
the force of gravity
• Spleen Qì raises the organs.
• Spleen Qì holds the organs in place.
• Spleen Qì raises blood in the body.
(Counter orthostatic hypotension)
The Functions of Qì
Protection
Qì 氣 provides protection to the body:
• Guardian Qì - Wèi Qì 衛氣 protects against external
pathogenic influences, against Evil Qì - Xié Qì 邪氣.

• Correct Qì - Zhèng Qì 正氣 protects against internal


pathogenic influences, against Evil Qì - Xié Qì 邪氣.
The Functions of Qì

Warming
Qì 氣 warms the body:
• Guardian Qì - Wèi Qì 衛氣 helps maintain body temperature.
Nutritive Qì - Yíng Qì 营氣
Nutritive Qì - Yíng Qì 营氣 and Guardian Qì
- Wèi Qì 衛氣 flow around the body through
channels - Jīngluò 經絡, that correspond to
the organ systems.

Nutritive Qì - Yíng Qì 营氣 flows to nourish the


functions and organs of the body.

Guardian Energy - Wèi Qì 衛氣


flows to protect the body.

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