Qi

Qi
Qi
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	氣
Simplified Chinese	气
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	qì
Bopomofo	ㄑㄧˋ
Gwoyeu Romatzyh	chih
Wade–Giles	ch'i4
Tongyong Pinyin	cì
IPA	[tɕʰî]
Wu
Romanization	qi
Hakka
Romanization	hi
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping	hei3
IPA	[hei˧]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ	khì
Eastern Min
Fuzhou BUC	ké
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese	khjì
Old Chinese
Baxter–Sagart (2014)	*C.qʰəp-s
Burmese name
Burmese	အသက်
IPA	/ă.t̪ɛʔ/
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	khí
Hán-Nôm	氣
Thai name
Thai	ลมปราณ
RTGS	lompran
Korean name
Hangul	기
Hanja	氣
Revised Romanization
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization	gi
McCune–Reischauer	ki
Mongolian name
Mongolian Cyrillic	хийг
Mongolian script	ᠬᠡᠢ ᠶᠢ
SASM/GNC
Transcriptions
SASM/GNC	khiig
Japanese name
Kyūjitai	氣
Shinjitai	気
Romanization
Transcriptions
Romanization	ki
Malay name
Malay	chi (چي)
Indonesian name
Indonesian	chi
Filipino name
Tagalog	gi
Lao name
Lao	ຊີວິດ
Khmer name
Khmer	ឈី
Tetum name
Tetum	qi

In traditional Chinese culture and the East Asian cultural sphere, qi or ch'i^[1] in Wade–Giles romanization (/ˈtʃiː/ CHEE qì^ⓘ) or chi, is believed to be a vital force forming part of any living entity. Literally meaning "vapor", "air", or "breath",^[2] the word qi is a polysemous word often translated as "vital energy", "vital force", "material energy", or simply as "energy".^[3] Qi is a mythical 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, the flow of which must be unimpeded for health. Qi is a pseudoscientific, unverified concept,^[4]^{[failed verification]}^[5] and is unrelated to the concept of energy used in science^[6]^[7]^[8] (vital force itself being an abandoned scientific notion).^[9]

The Chinese Gods, 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.^[10]

^ "Qi". Encyclopedia Britannica. 22 August 2023.
^ "Vapor": Cheng 2003, p. 615; "air": Cheng 2003, p. 615; "breath": Barrett 1991, p. 296, Lloyd, Zhao & Dong 2018, pp. 92, 138.
^ "Vital energy": Lloyd & Sivin 2002, p. 9, Cheng 2003, p. 615, Liu 2015, pp. 258, 267, 270, 349, 402, 474, Wang, Bao & Guan 2020; "vital force": Cheng 2003, p. 615, Liu 2015, pp. 205, 216, 422, 485; "material energy": Perkins 2013, p. 404; "energy": Lloyd, Zhao & Dong 2018, pp. 13, 138.
^ Lee, M. S.; Pittler, M. H.; Ernst, E. (1 June 2008). "Effects of reiki in clinical practice: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials". International Journal of Clinical Practice. 62 (6): 947–54. doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2008.01729.x. ISSN 1742-1241. PMID 18410352. S2CID 25832830.
^ Dunning, Brian. "Skeptoid #411: Your Body's Alleged Energy Fields". Skeptoid. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
^ Shermer, Michael (July 2005). "Full of Holes: the curious case of acupuncture". Scientific American. 293 (2): 30. Bibcode:2005SciAm.293b..30S. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0805-30. PMID 16053133.
^ Stenger, Victor J. (June 1998). "Reality Check: the energy fields of life". Skeptical Briefs. Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007. "Despite complete scientific rejection, the concept of a special biological fields within living things remains deeply engraved in human thinking. It is now working its way into modern health care systems, as non-scientific alternative therapies become increasingly popular. From acupuncture to homeopathy and therapeutic touch, the claim is made that healing can be brought about by the proper adjustment of a person's or animal's 'bioenergetic fields.'"
^ "Traditional Medicine and Pseudoscience in China: A Report of the Second CSICOP Delegation (Part 2)". CSICOP. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
^ Williams, Elizabeth Ann (2003). A Cultural History of Medical Vitalism in Enlightenment Montpellier. Ashgate. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7546-0881-3.
^ Salamone, Frank A. (2004). Levinson, David (ed.). Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals. New York: Routledge. p. 225. ISBN 0-415-94180-6.

[1] "Qi". Encyclopedia Britannica. 22 August 2023.

[2] "Vapor": Cheng 2003, p. 615; "air": Cheng 2003, p. 615; "breath": Barrett 1991, p. 296, Lloyd, Zhao & Dong 2018, pp. 92, 138.

[3] "Vital energy": Lloyd & Sivin 2002, p. 9, Cheng 2003, p. 615, Liu 2015, pp. 258, 267, 270, 349, 402, 474, Wang, Bao & Guan 2020; "vital force": Cheng 2003, p. 615, Liu 2015, pp. 205, 216, 422, 485; "material energy": Perkins 2013, p. 404; "energy": Lloyd, Zhao & Dong 2018, pp. 13, 138.

[Lee_SR-4] Lee, M. S.; Pittler, M. H.; Ernst, E. (1 June 2008). "Effects of reiki in clinical practice: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials". International Journal of Clinical Practice. 62 (6): 947–54. doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2008.01729.x. ISSN 1742-1241. PMID 18410352. S2CID 25832830.

[Dunning-5] Dunning, Brian. "Skeptoid #411: Your Body's Alleged Energy Fields". Skeptoid. Retrieved 3 September 2016.

[acu_SA_2005-6] Shermer, Michael (July 2005). "Full of Holes: the curious case of acupuncture". Scientific American. 293 (2): 30. Bibcode:2005SciAm.293b..30S. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0805-30. PMID 16053133.

[Acu_CSI-7] Stenger, Victor J. (June 1998). "Reality Check: the energy fields of life". Skeptical Briefs. Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007. "Despite complete scientific rejection, the concept of a special biological fields within living things remains deeply engraved in human thinking. It is now working its way into modern health care systems, as non-scientific alternative therapies become increasingly popular. From acupuncture to homeopathy and therapeutic touch, the claim is made that healing can be brought about by the proper adjustment of a person's or animal's 'bioenergetic fields.'"

[TCM_CSI_2-8] "Traditional Medicine and Pseudoscience in China: A Report of the Second CSICOP Delegation (Part 2)". CSICOP. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009.

[Williams2003-9] Williams, Elizabeth Ann (2003). A Cultural History of Medical Vitalism in Enlightenment Montpellier. Ashgate. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7546-0881-3.

[:03-10] Salamone, Frank A. (2004). Levinson, David (ed.). Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals. New York: Routledge. p. 225. ISBN 0-415-94180-6.

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