Qi Flashcards
What are the Vital Substances?
- fundamental substances which maintain the normal vital activities of the human body
- basic constituents of which the human body is comprised
- basic constituents for maintaining the body’s life processes
- Qi, Blood, Body Fluids, Essence, (Mind/Spirit:Shen)
Qi in Philosophy
That which makes up all phenomena in the universe
- material and immaterial
- energy, matter
- process, movement, circulation
- etc.
Qi in Medicine
What are the 2 Fundamental Ideas?
- Qi is the most fundamental substance comprising the human being.
- humans, like the 10,000 things are products of heaven and earth - Qi is the most fundamental substance which maintains the body’s activities/functions of the human body
- humans absorb and digest qi from heaven and earth and this nourishes the five viscera (when the 5 viscera are harmonious they generate qi, blood, body fluids, and the shen is generated)
- includes physical body as well as jing shen (essence-spirit; thoughts, feelings, emotions)
Qi Production (2 parts)
- Principle sources of Qi in humans
- Pre-heaven (Original/Primary/Source Qi) – qi inherited from parents’ reproductive essence and stored in the Kidneys
- Post-heaven (Water and Grain Qi) – qi acquired from food via Spleen and Stomach; (Clear Qi) – qi acquired from air via Lung - Relationships b/w organs and production of Qi
Qi Production (2 parts)
Second Part: relationships b/w organs and production of Qi: A,B,C
A. Lung is the commander of Qi
- Lung inhales clear Qi and exhales turbid Qi
- clear Qi mixes with Grain Qi in chest/Lung and creates Zong Qi
- Zong Qi drives respiration and powers the Heart to move Qi and Blood through the vessels to the entire body
B. Spleen and Stomach are source of generation and transformation of Qi and Blood
- stomach receives food, Spleen transforms food and extracts the essence which it sends to the Lung
C. Kidneys store the essence-qi
- includes both pre and post heaven essence-qi
- post heaven essence supports organ functions and is mostly consumed by organs. The portion that remains is stored in the Kidneys
- provides the basis for the Yuan Qi
Movement of Qi
What is the Qi mechanism?
What are the fundamental movements of Qi?
- “Qi Mechanism”: the movement of Qi
- the body’s qi is perpetually moving and there is no place in the body where it does not reach
- when it stops moving life ceases - Fundamental movements of Qi:
- ascending, descending, entering, exiting
- the organs, channels, and collaterals, qi, blood, fluids, nutritive and defensive, yin and yang, all depend on these movements for their inter-relations and for maintaining their normal physiological functions
What are the 6 functions of Qi?
- pushing/moving/transporting
- warming
- defending
- holding/controlling
- transforming
- nourishing
Qi functions: Push/Move/Transport
vigorous substance; stimulates and promotes:
- growth and development
- functions of the organs, tissues, channels, etc
- production and circulation of blood (“when qi moves, blood moves”)
- production, circulation, excretion of body fluids (“when qi moves, water moves”)
Functions of Qi: Warming
Qi generates heat and warms the body
- maintains body’s temperature
- warmth promotes/helps maintain function of organs and channels; metabolism and circulation of blood and fluids
Functions of Qi: Defending
Defends the body against invasion of external pathogenic factors
- helps prevent illness
- helps remove pathogenic factors that have already entered the body – helps prevent illness and helps promote recovery from illness
Functions of Qi: Hold/control/contain
Qi holds, controls, contains the various fluids
- holds blood in the vessels
- holds sweat, urine, salivam gastro-intestinal secretions; controls amount of secretion and excretion and guards against loss of fluids
- holds the essence and prevents abnormal secretion
**holds fetus in place
Functions of Qi: Transformation
Various transformations that result from movement of Qi
- metabolism and inter-transformation of essence, qi, blood, body fluids
- food and drink transformed (energy and nutrition extracted, dregs eliminated from body, made into qi, blood, fluids, essence, etc.)
Functions of Qi: Nourishing
Spleen and Stomach transform and transport food and drink, and transform and generate food-essence-qi aka Nutritive Qi
- Nutritive Qi circulates with the blood in the vessels to nourish entire body
What are the 6 main types of Qi in the body?
- Yuan Qi (Original Qi)
- Zong Qi (Gathering Qi)
- Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi)
- Wei Qi (Defensive Qi)
- Zang Fu zhi Qi (bowel and visceral)
- Jing Luo zhi Qi (channel and network)
What are the 3 “more” types of Qi in the body?
- Zhen Qi (True Qi)
- Zheng Qi (Upright Qi)
- Zhong Qi (Middle/Center Qi)
