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Concept of Qi

The Chinese (those who believe in Traditional Chinese Medicine) believe COVID-19 is caused by an imbalance of qi in the lungs. So what exactly is this qi? It has become a popular concept in the New Age movement, but it isn't very clear what it signifies, so I decided to dig a little deeper into it. Turns out, it is the fundamental basis of ancient Chinese medicine.

Ancient Chinese medicine is based on the simple (in theory) principle that every system needs to be in harmony for health, well being and sustainability. When this harmony is broken, an imbalance is created in one direction and that leads to illness, disease, and many other sufferings. But it is more complicated than that- a system is not just a person, but everything that is interconnected and interdependent. That includes a family, community, environment… and the entire world. The harmony is created by two equal and opposite forces or elements: yin and yang.

Qi (pronounced "chee") is the vital energy that guides all processes. In a human body, an imbalance of qi- blockage, deficiency or excess of qi- results in illness. A healthy qi maintains normal operation of the body. TCM is therefore all about restoring the balance of qi through herbs, acupuncture and exercise.

Chinese character for Qi

In humans, qi is derived from two sources: one is innate and inherited from parents and the other is derived from external sources such as air, food and water. The innate qi is stored in the kidney, and it mixes with the food essence derived from the spleen and the air in the lungs to form the normal qi of the body. To maintain a healthy qi, it is therefore essential to have fresh air, healthy diet and good exercise.

Sources of Qi


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