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Qi and Its Function

Basic details about Qi (Chi)

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162 views25 pages

Qi and Its Function

Basic details about Qi (Chi)

Uploaded by

jssk3d
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Concept of Qi in TCM

from a Transcultural Perspective


--Dr. ZHANG Chunyue
Department of Humanities, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Eigner
Department of Medical Anthropology, Medical University of Vienna

Contents:
1. Brief introduction of TCM (Traditional Chinese
Medicine)

2. The concept of Qi

3. Cases

4. More details of qi exercises



1. Brief introduction of TCM
(Traditional Chinese Medicine)

(1) Background generating TCM theories
(2) Characteristics of TCM theories
(3) Basic terms
Background generating TCM theories
1. Zhouyi (Chou yi; Chou I; I; I Ching, I Jing)
2. Huang and Lao Philosophy: framework
Daoism
3. Agriculture society
nature,
climate,
geography

Basic Characteristics of TCM
theories
Mathematic idea showed in word, not in
symbol:
relationship among five element theory
reasoning from factual clinical experience
Connotation extension of concepts
narrow sense, wide sense
Can be repeated, while hard to descript
clearly


Introduction of TCM Terms
1. qi one
2. yin and yang two
qi and xue (the blood)
3. five elements three
metal (jin), earth (tu), fire (huo-kidney yang)
fire (huo-heart qi), wood (mu), water (shui-
kidney yin)
shown in the pulse manifestation
4. pathogenic factors:
Wind, fire, summer-heat, dampness, dry, cold
5. Eight principles in Diagnoses
(pathogenesis)
(1) yin and yang
(2) the interior and exterior
(3) cold and heat
(4) excess and deficiency



6. Five zang and six fu
Five zang: xin, gan, pi, fei, shen.
heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney: the related
structure and function of the five organs and
brain, pancreas, gall bladder,

7. Diagnostic concepts

,
,.
,.
,.


The first inquiry: cold and heat
Cold: feeling cold, aversion to cold, aversion to wind
Heat: fever, feeling heat, aversion to heat, preference to cold
The second inquiry: sweating
spontaneous sweating in an adaptable temperature, night
sweating,
experience of profuse perspiration
without perspiration


The third question: sensation of the head and body
headache, heaviness feeling of the head or body,
general pain of the body, itching, any swollen
parts of the head and body
The fourth question: function of the excretory
system
regularity of bowel movements and urination
color, soft or hard, diarrhea, dripping, pain


The fifth asking: diet and thirst
regular diet,
always feeling hungry, preference to sweet
foods, sour foods, and so on
poor appetite
The sixth asking: sensation of the chest and
abdomen
pain, stress, swollen



The seventh question: ability of hearing
deafness, poor hearing ability gradually or
suddenly
The eighth question: thirsty feeling
always thirst, without feeling of thirst,
The feeling of thirst cannot be relieved
after drinking water.


,.
The ninth question: history of diseases
The tenth question: causes of diseases
And the history of taking medication and
treated by the other therapies
,.
Period asking for women
Contagious diseases for children

Concept of Qi
The ancient Chinese people believed qi was the
most fundamental entity making up the world.
They thought everything in the universe resulted
from the movement and change of qi. The Chinese
character for "qi" is the same word used for air or
gas, and it is thought to have the same properties
as these substances. Qi can be interpreted as the
"life energy" or "life force," . Sometimes, it is
known as the "vital energy" of the body.

qi:
air: , the heaven qi
gas: , , the gaseous state of some
basic elements
Field: full of
magnetic

(1) Qi is the vital substance constituting the human
body.
(2) Qi refers to the physiological functions of
organs and meridians.
In fact, it may be difficult to find one equivalent
English word or phrase that completely describes
the nature of qi. Most often, qi is best defined
according to its functions and properties.

A normal healthy person: a person with
abundant (healthy) qi and good spirit
the body and mind medicine
the psychosomatic medicine
Meridian qi, liver qi, stomach qi


The origin of qi

Two main sources:
(1) inherited from parents
"innate vital substance
prenatal qi, innate qi, inherited qi
(2)derived from essential substances in nature such as the
air the body breathe, food and water
postnatal qi, acquired vital energies, acquired qi


The kidney first sends the innate vital substance upwards
where it combines with food essence derived from the
spleen. It further mixes with the fresh air from the lungs
where it finally forms into qi of the body.

By understanding how qi is formed, TCM has identified
two important factors necessary for maintaining health. By
eating a healthy diet and breathing fresh air, the body
extracts their most valuable essences and uses them to help
form the vital energy. Following these simple principles
are the first steps towards creating a healthy balance in the
body.

review
Case analysis
[email protected]
[email protected]

Qi exercises:
details
quotation
Bibliography

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