We often hear terms like “Qi deficiency” (气虚), “tonifying Qi” (补气), “nourishing both Qi and blood” (气血双补), and even “Yuan Qi” (元气) and “Wei Qi” (卫气). These familiar yet unfamiliar terms are all related to “Qi”.
So, what exactly is Qi?
Our ancestors placed great importance on studying the invisible energy that cannot be seen by the naked eye, and summarized their findings, with “Qi” being one of them.
Ancient people believed that the generation, development, and movement of all things in the universe are produced by the movement and transformation of Qi.
The unity of heaven and humanity suggests that the natural world is a vast universe, while the human body is a small universe. Human life activities and growth are also influenced by Qi, and the functional activities of the five organs and six bowels are nourished by Qi.
In summary, this invisible “Qi” significantly impacts our lives, making it very important and powerful, which is why Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) often emphasizes “Qi”.
To understand this “Qi”, we must answer the following three fundamental questions!
Where does Qi come from?
Where does Qi go?
What does Qi do?
—— Where does Qi come from? ——
Qi comes from three sources
First source:
Congenital essence (先天的精气) is given by parents, stored in the kidneys, and is very important and limited. Frequent late nights, misuse of antibiotics, and hormones can deplete this congenital essence, so it is essential to be cautious.
Second source:
Postnatal essence from food (后天的水谷精气), especially from the “Five Grains” (五谷). Remember that the traditional character for Qi (氣) contains the character for rice (米), which is why TCM emphasizes that “the Five Grains nourish” (五谷为养) our essence and spirit. Not eating the Five Grains can lead to Qi deficiency.
In simple terms, eating daily allows food to be transformed by the spleen and stomach into Qi, which continuously nourishes our bodies. Therefore, children born with insufficient congenital essence need not worry; as long as they eat well and maintain a balanced diet, they can gradually become stronger.
Third source:
Inhalation of “pure Qi” (清气) from nature through the lungs. Fresh air from nature is particularly important for us, as it contains clear Yang Qi (清阳之气) that nourishes life.
Ensuring air circulation in rooms, avoiding places with heavy turbid air, and spending more time in nature are crucial, especially for young children.
There is a flow of Qi constantly moving within the body, and depending on where Qi goes, it performs different functions. We categorize Qi into different types.
Classification of Qi
Yuan Qi (元气)
Is the transformation of congenital essence, stored in the kidneys, but must rely on postnatal essence for nourishment. In simple terms, we need to eat daily to supplement postnatal essence, so that congenital essence can be utilized; without food, one will starve, rendering even abundant congenital essence useless.
What does Yuan Qi do?
Yuan Qi is distributed throughout the body via the meridians (经脉) through the San Jiao (三焦), nourishing the organs internally and the skin and muscles externally, stimulating the functional vitality of the five organs and six bowels, serving as the source of life activities.
Thus, children with sufficient Yuan Qi have stronger vitality and resistance, making it very important for parents planning for a second or third child to prepare adequately.
Zong Qi (宗气)
Is formed by the combination of “pure Qi” inhaled from the lungs and “water and grain Qi” transformed from food, accumulating in the chest.
What does Zong Qi do?
1. It promotes lung respiration and movement; our voice and the strength of our breath are related to Zong Qi. Insufficient Zong Qi can lead to a weak voice, while abundant Zong Qi results in a strong and powerful voice.
2. It circulates through the heart meridian, promoting the heart’s control over blood circulation. All activities related to Qi and blood movement, temperature regulation of limbs, and daily activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, and moving are associated with Zong Qi.
Ying Qi (营气)
Mainly derived from the refined essence of food, the gentle and pure part travels with the blood in the vessels (血中之气) and is called Ying Qi.
What does Ying Qi do?
Ying Qi can generate blood and nourish the entire body. It circulates continuously day and night throughout the body, nourishing the five organs and six bowels, and all parts of the body.
Wei Qi (卫气)
Is Yang in nature and is also known as “Wei Yang” (卫阳). Its origin is from the refined essence of food transformed by the spleen and stomach, and its distribution relies on the lungs’ dispersing function.
What does Wei Qi do?
Wei Qi is characterized by its vigorous, smooth, and rapid movement, circulating outside the vessels, reaching the skin and muscles externally, and the five organs and six bowels internally. It has the functions of warming the organs, protecting the skin, resisting external pathogens, controlling the opening and closing of sweat pores, and regulating body temperature. Strong Wei Qi leads to strong resistance, making children less prone to illness.
Once we have a certain understanding of “Qi”, we can gain deeper insights into the functioning of the human body. The knowledge of TCM becomes increasingly profound; while the first reading may seem dry, reviewing it multiple times reveals its simplicity.
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