Concept
Qi
Overview
In the Sinosphere and Chinese philosophy, qi ( CHEE; simplified Chinese: 气; traditional Chinese: 氣; pinyin: qì) 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.
Chinese gods and immortals, especially anthropomorphic gods, are sometimes thought to have qi and be a reflection of the microcosm of qi in humans, both having qi that can concentrate in certain body parts.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
There also exists in the Universe a certain force which controls the whole, which sets in motion the chief and principal parts, and gives them the motive power for governing the rest. Without that force, the existence of this sphere, with its principal and secondary parts, would be impossible. It is the source of the existence of the Universe in all its parts. That force is God; blessed be His name!
Moses Maimonides, The guide for the perplexed
States what Qi is.
First is the body, which is gross matter, with gross force. Force cannot exist without matter. It can only manifest itself through matter, so the grosser forces work through the body and those very forces become finer; the very force which is working in a gross form works in a fine form and becomes thought. There is no real difference between them, simply one is the gross and the other the fine manifestation of the…
Swami Vivekananda, Jnâna Yoga, Part II
States what Qi is.
But in the sense of common people, not all the Universe is called Body, but only such parts thereof as they can discern by the sense of Feeling, to resist their force, or by the sense of their Eyes, to hinder them from a farther prospect. Therefore in the common language of men, Aire, and Aeriall Substances, use not to be taken for Bodies, but (as often as men are sensible of their effects) are called Wind, or…
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
States what Qi is.
Philosophers who discussed Qi
Related ideas
- Li (neo-Confucianism)
- Jixia Academy
- Yin and yang
- Japanese language
- Korean language
- Vitalism
- Dong Zhongshu
- Anthropomorphism
- Feng shui
- Zhuangzi (book)
- Mozi
- Geomancy
- Mencius
- Meditation
- Qigong
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Pseudoscience
- Q
- Prana
- Traditional Chinese characters
- Huangdi Neijing
- Analects
- Syncretism
- Taoism
Place in the tradition
Part of Chinese philosophy.