The four kinds of Chi to be cultivated in Qigong

[ChiDragon]

氣 Chi or Qi is the most confusing term to be comprehended. What is Chi and Qigong? Unfortunately, the first thing come into people's mind is Energy. In my mind, chi is always deal with breathing. Therefore, Qigong is the practice of breathing. To others, Qigong is the cultivation of energy. However, I am finally realized that we are only got it half right. So to speak.

I had looked more closely and investigated what chi is all about. According to the Taoist definition, Chi is one of the treasures in the internal alchemy to acquire neidan. It is clear to me now that there four kinds of Chi in the body. So, we are talking about Qigong is not just the cultivation of breathing nor energy.

There are four kind of chi existed in the body. They are 元氣, 宗氣, 營氣, 衛氣. All the terms has a character 氣 on them. The first to do is to ignore the chi character. It is because they a compound character. In this case, the chi character is only a classifier for a substance.
元氣(Yuan chi) : is the prenatal micro-unit that makes up the structure of the human body

宗氣(Zong chi) : is the air breathed from space

營氣(Ying Chi) : is the nourishment from the food that is flowing in the blood

衛氣(Wei Chi) : is the immune system to protect the body from pathogens that might attack the body internally.

The cultivate Chi Qong, it would be involved and include the four kinds of chi. Therefore, the cultivation of 宗氣(Zong chi) is by improving the breathing habit to enhance the respiratory system. To cultivate 營氣(Ying Chi) is by eating the right food to nourish the human body.

The 元氣(Yuan chi) and 衛氣(Wei Chi) cannot be cultivated by external means. Hence, by the cultivation of 宗氣(Zong chi) and 營氣(Ying Chi) will take care the 元氣(Yuan chi) and 衛氣(Wei Chi) internally.

Eating food is the easiest to cultivate for nourishment . However, Qigong is the most difficult to cultivate. Especially, people with breathing problems. It require lots of effort and practice to improve bad breathing habits.  Indeed, Qigong can change and improve any bad breathing habit. Finally, the breathing is still plays the major part in the cultivation of Qigong.


 

Edited September 19 by ChiDragon

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

From “Chinese Massage Manual” by Sarah Pritchard 

 

Edited September 19 by -ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-

[salaam123]

If you do standing qigong correctly, you will cultivate a thick liquid inside your body. I guess it comes from the earth. This is called Huang. You can even cultivate it by sitting in a chair using the internet. If your bodymechanics are correct, you may feel something even in one day.

Any thoughts?

[ChiDragon]

On 9/18/2024 at 11:15 PM, -ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ- said:

From “Chinese Massage Manual” by Sarah Pritchard 

 

In TCM, the esoteric chi(氣) often means the function of a system or something else. By the definition of deficient chi(氣虛), it simply means the function of an organ or the area that is associated with organ is malfunction. Thus deficient chi(氣虛) doesn't means that the chi was lack of. People are most often thought something was missing when the term was mentioned. This term is very esoteric. Hence, it was difficult for people to interpret it and comprehension. 

When a herbalist said 腎氣虛, the direction translation would be the "deficient chi of the kidney". Actually, the interpretation should be treated as the " kidney is malfunction." Even Chinese natives think of the same way, it was properly how it was transposed to the west. 

Edited October 3 by ChiDragon

[ChiDragon]

The interpretation of stagnation of liver chi.
It simply means that the liver is malfunction. It cannot carry out its normal duty for the next organ to function properly. The biological process stops. Thus it was to be said that is the stagnation of the liver chi.

This thinking is hard for people to convert to the indirect interpretation. Sorry to say, people are just stuck with direct translation without the proper interpretation.

[Iskote]

Actually, there are differences between the way 'qi' is described and classified and utilized in traditional Chinese medicine systems and also in other various cultivation practices/systems, such as in some daoist or buddhist traditions, and in martial arts, etc. Even within daoism and buddhism, there may be notable differences between how different schools and groups view and express concepts such as qi, etc. Also, qi may also be classified in further ways by some, such as sky (universe/heaven) qi, Earth qi, qi from planets, moon qi, qi from streams and rivers and lakes, qi from mountains, qi from trees and plants, sick/turbid qi, healthy qi, yin qi, yang qi, etc., etc.   

 

In modern times, especially in the West,  we like to try to pin things down to very exact definitions and classifications, but from what I have observed, historically in China, etc., they seem to have used such terms and concepts much more loosely and fluidly and symbolically. Trying to pin things down to very exact classifications and very exact meanings etc. IMO is an exercise in futility, given the wide range of views and approaches from various different traditions. This may not sit well at all with people who want to try to put everything in neat little boxes, but many of these terms and concepts originate from a different time when thinking and the way of looking at things was quite a bit different than in modern times. Using loosely defined and fluid terminology and much symbolism seems to have been in common practice back then.  IMO, trying to determine exact definitions based on literal meanings of Chinese characters and that sort of thing is almost certain to take you way off track. What's important is the end results. Are you getting benefits from a certain approach and certain practices? If so, good. If not, look for something else that may be more suitable to you and your needs and wants. Don't get hung up on trying to determine exact terms and definitions and concepts, as IMO that is not going to be very productive and such rigid thinking may only hold you back in the long run. "Internal experience" is not conducive to rigid terms and concepts (linear analytical thinking, if you will). Inner experience can be very difficult to put into exact words and exact rigid concepts, and trying to do so can actually be a hindrance IMO. Use terms and concepts to get a loose or general idea, but the actual experience and end results are what is important. If looking at things a certain way at the current time is helpful to you, then, good. If not, then look for a more suitable way to look at things at this moment in time. That's my current point of view, anyway.  

[ChiDragon]

40 minutes ago, Iskote said:

Actually, there are differences between the way 'qi' is described and classified and utilized in traditional Chinese medicine systems and also in other various cultivation practices/systems, such as in some daoist or buddhist traditions, and in martial arts, etc. Even within daoism and buddhism, there may be notable differences between how different schools and groups view and express concepts such as qi, etc. Also, qi may also be classified in further ways by some, such as sky (universe/heaven) qi, Earth qi, qi from planets, moon qi, qi from streams and rivers and lakes, qi from mountains, qi from trees and plants, sick/turbid qi, healthy qi, yin qi, yang qi, etc., etc.   

Yes, the characters 炁 and 氣 were not used very loosely. However, how Chinese thinking works is by the interpretation of the character within context other than its individual definition.

 

1 hour ago, Iskote said:

In modern times, especially in the West,  we like to try to pin things down to very exact definitions and classifications, but from what I have observed, historically in China, etc., they seem to have used such terms and concepts much more loosely and fluidly and symbolically. Trying to pin things down to very exact classifications and very exact meanings etc. IMO is an exercise in futility, given the wide range of views and approaches from various different traditions. 

The characters in the Chines language are very flexible. Almost all characters can be used as a verb or noun depends on context. I am sorry for the westerners. As soon they saw the character chi, it was assumed as 'energy'. As result, everything was misinterpreted completely.