Qi (Chi): A Practical Interpretation (30)

The Chinese medical theories are mainly adopted from the works of philosophers, poets, and scholars who were not herbalists. In trying to interpret the theories, most people tend to commingle them with the empirical knowledge of herbs, resulting in confusion and less objectivity. For a review, please see two of my videos: Chinese Herbal Knowledge and Medical Theories.

To make the medical theories more useful, I wish to show you a practical way to interpret each of them in separate videos. This method will result in a better theoretical foundation for herbal treatment and disease prevention. It will also enhance the objectivity and practicality of Chinese medicine.

Central to the Chinese method of treatment and prevention is the concept of Qi (Chi). Without Qi, nothing lives and there will be no need for treatment or prevention. The word Qi "氣" means "air", and much more. When you think about air, many other things come to mind regarding your physical and mental wellbeing.

What do we mean by Qi?
• Qi is invisible and mobile. It does not have a form and exists everywhere.
• Qi is part of nature, an energy force that is powerful, good, and healing.
• Qi is the medium where all living things sustain and maintain balance.
• Qi is present in all living things. When Qi leaves, life will end. When Qi is blocked, illness will occur.
• Qi has a spiritual component too. It's about justice, fairness, honor, and conscience as presented in the well-known Chinese poem 正氣歌.
• Qi can only be felt, harnessed, or enhanced. How? By means of healthy food, exercise, medicinal herbs, and last but not least, good deeds.
• For every person, Qi is always there if you want to benefit from it.

Everyday examples of the presence of Qi:
• Sunlight, air, night/day and seasonal changes, cosmic phenomena.
• Forces of nature such as wind, waves, thunder, lightning, earthquake.
• The power and adaptability of all living things to survive.
• Immunity from disease and fertility to reproduce in all living things.
• The prospects of individual empowerment and improvement.
• Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Kung Fu are exercises aiming to harness and enhance the Qi in the body.

Please go to www.herbsandtea.com for further information.
Raw herbs and herbal capsules can be tailor-made for your conditions.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Chinese
• medicine
• herb
• prescription
• formula
• product
• natural
• alternative
• healing
• herbalist
• practical
• interpretation
• Qi

[buzzaw77]

Could you explain a little bit about what Qi Stagnation is please? Also when you add herbs to your formulas to 'Enhance Qi Circulation' are these herbs being used to prevent Qi Stagnation?

[askjohnfung]

See my video on Qi. Qi is just a concept, not something real that you can see. Basically, it means energy.

When you enhance energy circulation in your body, does it necessarily prevents energy stagnation? Yes!

Your obsession with names and words prevents you from applying your common sense. Different words may mean basically the same thing if you know how to connect them with your reasoning.

[buzzaw77]

It sounds like all illness/disharmony in the body can be considered a Stagnation of Qi. After all if the Qi was functioning correctly there would be no disease, so it must be blocked, deviated or malfunctioning in some way. Or am I wrong again?

[askjohnfung]

Yes, you're wrong again. You're in a perpetual mental confusion. You may say every illness is due to Qi stagnation. However, it does not help you practically to fix the real problem.

You're not living in this practical world. You're living in a world where things are defined by words, labels, and false reasoning. Get practical please.

[buzzaw77]

So the aim of Chinese Medicine then is to take a person with bad Qi and change things with herbs so that their Qi becomes good. Does that mean that there is some sort of Qi in the herbs themselves?

[askjohnfung]

Yes.

Please view my video on Qi. Qi is everywhere because this world is alive. It's just a thinking. Nobody can prove that Qi physically exists, just like nobody can prove that soul exists. But believing in that can improve your attitude and way of life. Why not? Be practical, not theoretical.

[dealmaker007]

Well thank you for uploading this video Mr. John Fung I found it helpful. I will check out more of your videos!

[buzzaw77]

I completely agree, it's not practical at all! It doesn't help you choose any herbs because by the reasoning I've used above all herbs must move Qi in some way. There is no practicality to it.

[askjohnfung]

Correct. It's just one more description of the body. Do not read too much into it.

If you have bad luck today, you can say you have bad Qi. Just one more description. No big deal.

[buzzaw77]

Is it correct to say that a person who is physically weak and ill has 'bad Qi', and on the other hand someone strong and vital has 'good Qi'?