Qi Types Qì jī 氣機 Pathology

Functions: 1) Source (or original) qì: [原氣 yuán qì] The coordinated activity of Qi in the organs 1. Qì deficiency [qì xū] insufficiency of qì in any
1) Activity - transformed from jīng before-heaven qì. organ
2) Transformation - associated with KD or mìng mén - Qì falling: [qì xiàn] spleen or center qì
3) Transportation - Fn: falling
4) Containment ▪ Basis of all physiological activity, activating the functions 2. Qì stagnation: [qì zhì] decrease in the normal
5) Raising of all the organs movement of qì due to the obstructive effect
6) Defense ▪ Facilitates transformation of qì and blood (Example: of excessive emotions, external injury, evil qì,
7) Warming gathering qì to true qì). static blood, or qì deficiency. Distention,
▪ Distributed by the triple burner to the whole body. fullness or pain.
▪ Available to influence at the 原穴 source points - Qì constraint (depression or stagnation):
[qì yù 氣郁] binding constraint of liver qì,
2) Center qì: [中氣 zhōng qì] spleen-stomach qì, middle jiao qi, due to emotional causes.
- Fn: 3. Qì counterflow (rebellion): [qì nì] Improperly
▪ SP fn, raising clear qì ; SP fn, descending turbid qì. ascending qì of the liver, lungs or stomach
Qi in Health vs Disease ▪ Context: ability to digest and make qì, raise qì. Metabolism
- Right qì [正氣 zhèng qì] :
sum of all healthy qì + other health-promoting substances in 3) Gathering qì [宗氣 zōng qì]
the body - grain qì + great qì. It gathers in the chest. Semi-refined qi
- Evil qì [邪氣 xié qì]: - Fn:
Qì can cause disease: ‘pathogenic factors.’ Mostly from the ▪ ancestor of true qì.
weather. Evils can also arise internally. ▪ nourishes HT & LU
▪ helps LU govern qì, control respiration, speech, and the
strength of the voice
▪ helps HT govern blood, vessels, pulse and promote
circulation to the extremities
Raw materials for the body, post-heaven qì:
1) Grain (or food) qì: [穀氣 gǔ qì]
4) True qì: [真氣 zhēn qì]
- not yet usable by the body (like crude oil).
- gathering qì is transformed by source qì into true qì,
- SP qi extracted from food in ST. sent up to chest to help form
refined&usable form.
gathering qì and to the heart to help form blood.
- Context: the manufacture of qì.
- 4.1) Construction (or nutritive) qì: [營氣 yíng qì]
2) Great (or air) qì: [大氣 dà qì]
▪ Fn: nourishes the organs, and the whole body
- qì from air, taken into the lungs
▪ located within the channels and vessels.
- helps to form gathering qì.
▪ It forms blood and flows with the blood.
▪ It is yīn and refined compared to defense qì.
▪ It is what we work with in acupuncture.
- 4.2) Defense (or protective) qì: [衛氣 wèi qì]
▪ coarser, more yáng, slippery, and aggressive.
▪ located outside the channels and vessels.
▪ Fn:
- against external evils. It opens & closes interstices
and controls sweating. It is dispersed to body surface
by Lu qi.
- warms the surface of the body. Food Air Ying Qi
‘moves in the yáng’ during the daytime: It flows in
skin & flesh with body fluids. At night, it ‘moves in
the yīn:’ It goes into organs, leaving us more Gu Qi + Da Qi Zong Qi Zhen Qi
vulnerable to external attack. (SP/ST) (LU) (Chest) + Yuan Qi (Chest)
- Wei qi = army troops guarding the borders of a country. (KD)
- Ying qi = support personnel who feed and supply the troops. Wei Qi
+ Fluid + Red Pigment Blood
5) Channel qì: [經絡氣]: Qi flows in the channels (LU) (HT) (around HT)
6) Organ qì: [臟腑氣]: Qì is used by each organ
 Blood Body Fluid
Function 1) Nourishes the body (1st) 1) Moistening (1st)
2) Moistens. Example: blood moistens the eyes, sinews, skin, and hair. 2) Nourishing
3) The material foundation for spirit.
- Heart blood houses, nourishes, and anchors Shen
- It also anchors the ethereal soul (hún) and qì.
4) Nèi Jīng: If LIV is supplied with blood, we can see. If the feet are supplied with blood, we can walk.
If the hands are supplied with blood, we can grasp.
Relationships w/ Heart: 津 jīn: liquids. Thinner. Moistens and nourishes the skin, muscles, sweat, tears, saliva, mucus.
organs - governs the blood and vessels 液 yè: humor. Thicker. Moistens and nourishes the brain, marrow, joints, sense orifices.
- blood is made around the heart.
Spleen:
- helps produce blood
- spleen qì holds blood in the vessels.
Liver:
- stores blood during rest (in activity, blood goes to the flesh),
- LIV supplies blood to the uterus → menstruation
- LIV blood nourishes the eyes, sinews, and nails.
Relationships w/ Qi - Qì and Blood: Inseparable, in the channels and vessels. Qì
- Qì generates blood - transforms and transports fluids,
o Qì moves blood. “When qì moves, blood follows.” “If qì stagnates, blood congeals.” - holds body fluids in, produces body fluids.
o Qì holds the blood in the vessels. Qì is the commander of blood. Body fluids
- Blood nourishes qì. - nourish and anchor qì.
o It is also the material basis to keep qì and spirit from floating away.
o Blood is the mother (=nourish and anchor) of qì.
Relationships w/ Bl both are yīn ; they nourish each other
Relationship w/ They can transform into each other. Jing Blood
Jing Post heaven Jing production: Qi Blood Jing
Substantial,
condensed

Pathology 1) Blood deficiency (xuè xū): insufficiency. 1) Damage to fluids ( jīn yè sǔn shāng):
- Blood dryness (xuè zào): blood deficiency manifesting in signs of dryness. Quality problem - reduction of fluids by the heat or fire,
2) Blood stasis (xuè yū): impairment or cessation of the normal free flow of blood .e.g. clotting, mass, enlarge organ. - as a result of enduring illness, excessive loss of blood, excessive urination, or overuse of herbs that promote urination
T – purple, P – bl stasis characteristic or sweating.
3) Blood heat (xuè rè): having heat and blood signs, mostly occurring in externally contracted heat (febrile) diseases, 2) Fluid accumulation: edema, phlegm, rheum
though possible in diseases due to lifestyle.
4) Blood cold (xuè hán): cold congeals, inhibiting movement of blood, causing stasis.
Fluid Metabolism
Post Heaven Blood 1) Stomach is the source of fluids, the sea of water and
Gathering qi + Fluids + Red pigment Blood grains.
(SP) (LU) (HT) (around Chest) 2) SP/ST are in charge of T&T of fluids
SP : sends the clear to LU
Menstrual Blood ST: allows the turbid pass downward
Jing Blood 3) lungs are the upper source of water. They disperse
(KD)
clear fluids outward to the skin and flesh. They descend the
turbid fluids toward KD and UB.
4) Turbid of ST is passed on to S.Int. S.Int. separates
the clear from the turbid. Clear → Urine(UB); Turbid ->
Stool(L.Int.)
5) UB excretes the turbid as urine. L.Int excretes the
turbid as stool. A small amount of clear is reabsorbed and
recycled into the body.
6) Kidney yáng gives the needed fire to San Jiao, SP, S.Int,
and UB.
Without this heat and movement, fluids would stagnate and
grow cold