In the Sinosphere and Chinese philosophy, qi ( ; ) is a vital force traditionally believed to be a part of all living entities. Literally meaning 'vapor', 'air', 'gas', or 'breath', the word qi is polysemous, often translated as 'vital energy', 'vital force', 'material energy', or simply 'energy'. Qi is also a concept in traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese martial arts. The attempt to cultivate and balance qi is called qigong.
AI overview
Qi is a vital force traditionally believed in Chinese philosophy and medicine to be present in all living things, literally meaning "breath" or "air." The concept matters because it underlies traditional Chinese healing practices and martial arts, where people practice techniques called qigong to cultivate and balance this energy.
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Key facts
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- ㄑㄧˋ
- Chinese.title
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Article
22 sectionsContents
- Linguistic aspects
- Pronunciation and etymology
- Characters
- Meanings
- English borrowing
- Concept
- Philosophical roots
- Role in traditional Chinese medicine
- Scientific view
- Practices involving qi
- Feng shui
- Reiki
- Qigong
- Martial arts
- Acupuncture and moxibustion
- Taoist sexual practices
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Works cited
- Further reading
- External links
In the Sinosphere and Chinese philosophy, qi ( ; ) is a vital force traditionally believed to be a part of all living entities. Literally meaning 'vapor', 'air', 'gas', or 'breath', the word qi is polysemous, often translated as 'vital energy', 'vital force', 'material energy', or simply 'energy'. Qi is also a concept in traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese martial arts. The attempt to cultivate and balance qi is called qigong.
Believers in qi describe it as a vital force, with one's good health requiring its flow to be unimpeded. Originally prescientific, today it is a pseudoscientific concept, i.e. not corresponding to the concept of energy as used in the physical sciences.