The concept of the Chinese medicine of Qi
By Dara
August 30th, 2023
The concept of the Chinese medicine of Qi
To solve the disease, we need to understand the Tao. Still, the Tao is tough to explain and understand, and the closest thing to the Tao is what I will share today - Qi.
The Qi in the human body, which cannot be seen or touched, is the entry point for all diseases in Chinese medicine.
I use the word "all" to refer to all illnesses. From the time we learned about Yin and Yang, we already know that all diseases in the body are caused by imbalance. What exactly is inequality?
It all boils down to the imbalance of "Qi."
So, what is Qi? Where is Qi?
Qi is invisible and untouchable in the human body, but it exists.
It is challenging to explain qi clearly to everyone. People who usually focus more on their bodies will have a sense of qi.
The five Zang organs and the six Fu organs of the human body exercise normal physiological functions and need a suitable internal body environment.
This internal environment is " Qi（气）, Blood（血）, and Body Fluid（津液 Jinye）."
So, those who want the five internal organs to work correctly should ensure their working environment is typical.
TCM treatment mainly improves these Qi, Blood, and Fluids; improving the working environment of the internal organs can help the organs back to balance.
As we all know, blood is very well understood in modern medicine and is better understood by the general public.
Fluid is the body's water, and we all know better.
Only this "Qi" is invisible to modern medicine. The scientists did not recognize the existence of Qi. But Chinese often use these words: awful temper (脾气大）, full of vital energy（元气满满）, deficiency of the vital-Qi（正气不足）, I am angry（我生气了 ）, You don't look well today（你今天起色不好）, lack of Yang Qi (阳气不足）, even Qigong（气功）, Qi field（气场）, etc. These words all mention Qi, indicating that we must use "Qi" for many life phenomena to explain clearly.
What exactly is the Qi in that person's body?
The "Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine" said: Man comes to life through the qi of heaven and earth. He matures according to the laws of the four seasons.
It probably means that the qi of heaven and earth forms man, and man is the product of the qi of heaven and earth.
This concept is complicated; we zoom in on the human body, zooming in on the universe of heaven and earth. The Qi of the human body put into heaven and earth is the Qi of nature. The Qi is in motion, has different forms, and can change.
For example, the Qi in spring is soft and has vitality; the Qi in summer is hot and exciting; the Qi in autumn is incredible and sad; The Qi in winter is cold and lifeless.
Water is in the air; through the air change, the air can rise as clouds or fall as fog, rain, or snow, and ice can form.
Air is a carrier; invisible energy can be spread in the air, transmit signals, spread sound, transmit chromatography, and all this invisible energy, so we can also understand the air as an energy field.
The Qi in the body is also an energy field; it is also in motion and can change into different forms, the signal transmission between the internal organs. The cooperation is also done through the Qi.
In the theoretical system of TCM, we turn to the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine; Qi is mentioned more than 3,000 times, accounting for 2% of the entire text. If you understand Qi, you can realize TCM to treat diseases.
Everyone widely accepts acupuncture. A silver needle stuck into the body can instantly make the patient painless; why?
The pain is due to pressure difference, a physical phenomenon caused by too much gas pressure.
By sticking this Chinese medicine needle on the points of meridians, use the needle to change the state of Qi to release the pressure away, and the pain problem can disappear on the spot.
How is Qi generated in the body?
There is a proverb in TCM: essence transforms into qi, and qi transforms into the spirit (精化气，气化神）.
These are, in fact, the three hierarchical states of energy in the body.
The lowest level is the material level, called "Essence."
Essence can be transformed into "Qi," which is very important.
People practised the GongFu(练功)to transform the material "Essence" into functional "Qi" in ancient times. So, you see people sitting quietly; he is not sitting silently; he is not moving outside; the qi in his body is moving, refining the essence and transforming the qi.
So, we know that an essential source of Qi is from "Essence."
Kidney essence, through Qi transformation, can be transformed into kidney qi. What kidney qi is refers to the function of the kidneys.
The second source of Qi is food. Through gasification, the water and grain essence in food becomes water and grain essence.
If you find it hard to understand, imagine yourself as a plant. The nutrients that plants need come from fertilizers. The nutrients in the fertilizers are transformed and absorbed into nutrients by the plants. This process also converts the tangible material level into the invisible Qi level.
The third source of Qi is from the air, through the lungs' breathing; what is inhaled is air, and what is exhaled is carbon dioxide, a type of turbid gas. The body inhales transparent gas into the body, allowing oxygen to become a carrier of material essence.
The above is the source of Qi in the body. We know that Qi is related to the lungs, spleen, stomach, and kidney.
So, the next time someone says you have insufficient qi, you can think, is it that the lungs do not generate enough qi? Or is it that the spleen and stomach cannot turn nutrients into nutrients? Or can the kidney essence not be transformed into kidney qi?
Where is the Qi?
Qi in the body, everywhere.
Let's talk one by one from the body's surface to the inside.
The Qi on the body's surface is called Wei Qi(卫气）, which defends the body. This Qi layer is visible to the naked eye, as I have seen.
In a hot environment, find a dark place, look from the dark to the light, and find a specific angle; you can see a layer of Qi on the skin's surface like a white mist about as thick as a coin. That layer of Qi is the Wei Qi.
What is the use of this layer of gas?
It is to defend the human body from the attack of external evil qi（邪气）. Suppose a person has a deficiency of the guard qi. In that case, the evil qi will quickly enter the body through the skin, and the person will easily catch a cold.
Further in is the Meridian qi（ 经气）, commonly known as Qi in the Meridians. Meridians are the gaps between human tissues. Before muscles and muscles, there are gaps between bones and tendons. Meridians follow this gap. The path formed by meridians is Meridian.
What is the use of this meridian qi?
The meridian qi is connected to the internal organs. Changing the state of the meridian qi or unblocking the meridian qi through some methods can change the state of the internal organs. Bringing back balance in an unbalanced condition is the core principle of acupuncture for healing.
Is blood the only thing that flows in the veins? TCM believes that there is still Qi in the blood vessels. Why?
First, Yin and Yang tell us that there are Yin and Yang's two sides to everything: blood is Yin and Qi is Yang, and blood flow in the blood vessels must rely on Qi to push. Otherwise, the blood will not run independently, so there must be Qi in the blood vessels.
Second, how does the blood come? It also requires the action of Qi. Because Yin and Yang also have mutual roots, blood is not created out of the air; it is born from material essence by the action of Qi. Since Qi transforms blood, there must be Qi in the blood vessels.
The qi in the blood vessels is called Ying qi(营气）in TCM, which means nutrition. The Qi in the blood vessels mainly provides nutritional energy to the whole body.
The abdominal cavity is further divided into Zong Qi(宗气） and Yuan Qi (元气）by function. It is also divided by location, with the Qi above Zong Qi and the Qi below the navel called Yuan Qi.
Zong Qi, the Qi in the chest, is determined by the acquired nature and is mainly related to the lungs and spleen.
Yuan Qi, the Original Qi in the kidneys, is determined by the innate kidneys, is produced by the kidney essence, and is equivalent to kidney Qi.
Suppose you see someone who speaks in a breathless voice and breathes with weakness. In that case, it is a typical person with insufficient Zong Qi.
Yuan Qi is the fundamental of the whole body's Qi. Full of Yuan Qi means sufficient energy and vitality. Good vitality can be reflected in children. When people reach adulthood and old age, their vital energy gradually declines, and their mental state declines.
What does Qi do?
The body's Qi has many roles to play.
Qi has a warming(温煦）effect; it keeps the body temperature constant. It is as if the atmosphere can keep the earth in an acceptable temperature range.
Why does Qi have a warming effect? Because Qi is a carrier and has energy in it.
Qi has a propelling (推动）effect, and the Qi in the blood vessels pushes the blood forward. Why can Qi push the blood forward? Because Qi has energy.
Qi has a defending (防御) effect; the Wei Qi at the surface can prevent the outside evil Qi from coming in. Why does qi have a defensive impact? It has energy.
Qi has a fixating(固摄) effect. When a cut is made on the hand, the blood stops flowing after a while; modern medicine says that the blood clotting factor makes the blood clot, but where does the blood clotting factor come from? When blood flows out of the body, the body will self-regulate and make the blood flow slower in the affected area through the change of Qi. Then, the blood will stop hovering.
Qi has a Qi-transforming (气化) effect. Qi can turn water into water vapour and make water vapour back into water; it can turn substances into substance essence and refine gas. These are all due to gasification.
The normal state of Qi in the human body
This picture is made by Mr. Huang Yuan Yu explained that the ascending and descending of Qi in the body should follow this general principle.
First, the heart is above; the kidney is below; the heart is Yang; the kidney is Yin; the heart is fire; the kidney is water. They have to establish channels for communication. Let the heart and fire fall, and let the kidney water rise so that the water and fire blend together so that the heart and kidney can communicate.
Then, looking at the left side, the Qi of the liver and spleen should rise, and the river rises with the spleen.
What is it that rises? It is the clear air.
Then look at the right side; the Qi of the gall bladder and stomach should be lowered, and the gall bladder and stomach should be lowered.
What is it that comes down? It is turbidity.
The lungs are like a canopy that envelops the entire atmosphere.
There is much to learn here, so let's start with a basic concept this time. In the future, when we talk about regulating specific diseases, we need to use this Qi Ascending-Descending chart every time.
Abnormal state of Qi in the human body
We need to know more about what is abnormal instead of normal.
The abnormal state of Qi in the body is divided into these categories.
1 . Qi stagnation (气滞).
It means the blockage of Qi.
In TCM, there is a certificate called "liver depression and qi stagnation (肝郁气滞)," which means that after the stagnation of liver Qi, this liver Qi is blocked.
When the Qi does not flow smoothly, it is blocked and manifests as bloating.
When Qi is blocked in the chest, the chest is swollen, caused by Liver Qi stagnation.
The Qi is blocked in the stomach; the stomach is bloated, and the stomach Qi is not smooth.
Qi is blocked in the large intestine; the stool will not pass; this is the internal Qi blockage.
Qi is blocked in the meridians of the extremities, and the hands and legs are swollen; this is the meridian Qi blockage.
When the Qi is blocked in the uterus, the menstrual blood will also be blocked, and the menstruation will not come smoothly. You will feel a feeling of cramping when you have your period.
There are many more; not to list them all, let's discuss them later.
2. Qi rebellion (气逆)
It means that the qi has reversed; the Qi has increased too much.
Then why did the Qi rise too much?
Either the liver and spleen qi rise too much, or the gallbladder and stomach can't descend, so the qi keeps reversing on top.
What are the consequences of the Qi rebellion? It manifests itself in the upper part of the person. For example, the head is swollen and painful because the Qi keeps rising and cannot descend. The Qi generates a lot of pressure and squeezes your head so that the head will be swollen and painful.
3. Qi trapping (气陷)
It means yes: the gas is trapped.
We often hear about stomach prolapse and uterine prolapse. TCM believes that it is the cause of Qi trapping.
Then why is it trapped? The root cause is that the "underlying" has been hollowed out, resulting from qi deficiency over time.
What should I do? On the one hand, it is necessary to make up for the Qi in the middle coke(中焦), and on the other hand, it is necessary to raise the qi. This is the idea of TCM treatment.
4. Qi stripping (气脱)
The literal meaning of Qi shedding is that Qi keeps running out of the body and is about to break away from the body.
This condition is mostly in critically ill patients, manifesting as profuse sweating, haemorrhage, or uncontrolled slippage of the large intestine.
Ginseng and Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum can be life-saving in this case.
Above are the contents shared with you about the concept of the Chinese medicine of Qi.
We know what Qi is, how it comes, what it does in the body, what standard Qi looks like, and what it looks like.
Today's sharing is one of the lessons I think will be most helpful. Thanks for the reading.
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