What is Qi and why is it such a big deal?
Qi is often described loosely as “energy” or “vital force” that flows in the body. This is helpful in a simplistic way but does not paint the full picture. Qi is indeed one of the 5 vital substances in the human body according to Chinese philosophy and medicine.
These 5 vital substances are Qi (Energy/vital force), Xue (Blood), Essence (Jing), Jin-Ye (Body Fluids) and Shen (Mind). These exist in varying degrees of materiality where some are dense and physical, and others are more rarefied or non-material.
Qi is both material and rarefied!
The Chinese character for Qi exhibits the complexity of this substance perfectly. [See below] Interestingly, Chinese Medicine intrinsically comprehends rich ideograms or characters that contain multiple levels of meaning and interpretation that support an ancient living medicine existing thousands of years old and still evolving today.
The top part of the Character is qi/Air: immaterial portion = vapor, gas, steam
The bottom par of the Character is Mi/Rice: material portion = uncooked rice/grain
Qi is certainly an actual substance that can be palpated and flows in the channel system (Jingluo) or warp and weft of the human body, but it is also immaterial substance like vapor or steam with more energetic and subtle qualities.
More importantly, Qi is a relationship. One might say Qi is a dynamic and interactive relationship of yin and yang in the body that occurs in varying degrees according to various influences. Our unique constitutions have a pre-natal aspect given to us by our parents and a post-natal aspect that nurtured by our lifestyle, the food we eat, the air we breathe and our mental-emotional state. Everything in the Universe exists in relative portions of yin and yang.
In the Tao Te Ching, Verse 42, the perennial Taoist medical and philosophical Classic by Lao Tze, translated by Ralph Alan Dale states:
“The Great Integrity expresses One.
One manifests as two.
Two is transformed into three.
And Three generates all the myriad entities of the universe.
Every entity always returns to yin after engaging yang.
The fusion of these two polar opposites
Births the Vital Energy (“Qi”) that sustains harmony and life.”
———————————————————————————————————————————
0—> 1—-> 2—–> 3——> 10,000
This equation is often used in medical school to describe the above paragraph.
0 = the Void or Wuwei where all potentialities exist and emerge
1 = Yuan Qi or Original yinyang that exist as one
2 = the separation of yin and yang and Jeffrey Yuen says reflects the internal (ying) and external (wei) of the all bodies.
3 = Qi or the interactive relationship of everything in existence.
10,000 represents the infinite manifestations and possibilities that emerge from this Divine interactive relationship of Qi.