The concept of qi is widely used in Huangdi Neijing, the earliest classic medical work of traditional Chinese medicine. Some people think that it is the cornerstone of philosophy and medical theory in Neijing. It should be said that Neijing developed the essence theory of ancient materialism, thus forming a more systematic theory of qi. From the emergence of human life and the composition of the body, various physiological functions, pathological changes, mental activities and so on. The theory that no gas is needed is expounded. For example, Su Wenbao's Theory of Quan Ming Xing said: "People are born with the spirit of heaven and earth." "The day when heaven and earth are in harmony." Six dirty elephants said: "Qi is harmonious, body fluid is complementary, and God is spontaneous." "Ling Shu Jue Qi pian" more specifically pointed out that "burning for qi, proclaiming the taste of five grains, fumigating the skin, nourishing the body, moistening the hair, and irrigation is like fog and dew".
To sum up, the concept of qi has two meanings. One refers to the subtle substances that constitute the human body and maintain human life activities. That is, qi is a substance smaller than essence and stronger in sports ability. For example, Shui Gu Qi and Breathing Qi have different names because of their different sources and distribution parts, such as primordial qi, ancestral qi, nourishing qi and defending qi. Second, it refers to the functional activities of the viscera, such as the qi of the five internal organs, the qi of the six internal organs and the qi of the meridians. Essence shows its existence through the functional activities of zang-fu organs.
Essence and qi are the material basis of human life activities, and they can be transformed into each other, so Chinese medicine believes that "essence can transform qi, and qi can produce essence."
Qi plays a very important role in life activities. The growth, development, aging, death and the occurrence and development of diseases of human body are all related to the rise and fall of qi and the changes of movement. "Eight Difficult Classics" said: "Anger is the root of human beings, and if it is eradicated, the stems and leaves will wither."
To summarize the physiological functions of qi, it can include the following six aspects:
1. Dynamic function of Qi: The growth and development of human body, the physiological activities of viscera and meridians, the circulation of blood and the transport of body fluids all depend on the stimulation and promotion of Qi. If qi deficiency leads to lack of motivation, people's growth and development will be slow, the functions of viscera and meridians will decline, or blood circulation will be poor, or water and liquid will not dissolve, body fluid will not disperse, and phlegm and dampness will be endogenous. The motive force of this kind of machinery is considered by Chinese medicine to be the function of qi.
2. Warm effect of qi: The body temperature of human body is relatively constant and will not change obviously because of the change of external temperature. Maintaining a relatively constant body temperature depends on the relative balance between heat production and heat dissipation. This kind of keeping body temperature constant is also the function of qi. Specifically, this is maintained by the warm effect of Yang Qi. "Twenty-two Difficult Classics" says: "Qi governs temperature." Lingshu Ben Zang Pian says: "He who defends qi warms the meat, ……" refers to the warming effect of qi. If the yang is insufficient and the warming effect of qi decreases, there will be symptoms of yang deficiency such as chills and cold skin.
3. The defensive function of Qi: In human life activities, there are countless factors that endanger human body, and they often exist, such as microorganisms, parasites and various unfavorable factors in the surrounding environment. Even the factors that maintain normal life activities, such as sunshine, air, water, etc. In some cases, it will be harmful to human body due to abnormal changes. But in most cases, the human body's defense function can effectively prevent infringement, or intercept and contain these unfavorable factors in the body, thus ensuring human health. This function of preventing invasion and maintaining health is also considered by Chinese medicine as the function of qi. For example, qi can protect the muscle surface and resist the invasion of external evils. Su Wen, Legacy and Acupoint Theory says: "No evil can be done, including righteousness". The "evil" mentioned here is a factor that harms the human body, and "healthy qi" is the body's defense function. In addition, if pathogens have invaded the body, qi can fight against them, or exorcise them, or encircle them, thus restoring their health. Therefore, the chapter "Soul Pivot Stabs True Evil" says: "Deficiency and evil are also deeper than the body, with knots and qi returning; There is a knot, which goes deep into the bone, and the gas is due to the bone. " The "Qi returning to its place" and "Qi returning to the bone" mentioned here all mean that healthy qi accumulates in the place where evil spirits invade, and plays its role in resisting and eliminating foreign evils. The common clinical evidence that healthy qi is full of pathogenic factors shows that healthy qi plays an important role in resisting the invasion of pathogenic factors.
4. The fixation of qi mainly refers to the control and regulation of qi on abdominal organs, some substances in the body and some metabolites. It can be manifested in many aspects, such as: the position of qi energy fixing the viscera is relatively stable, and once qi deficiency weakens the fixation, the position of the viscera will move down. Its pathological mechanism is "stagnation of middle qi", such as prolapse of uterus, stomach, kidney and other organs and proctoptosis. In addition, it is also manifested in: qi can control blood so that blood does not overflow from blood vessels; Bushen essence will not cause leakage; Control the excretion of sweat and urine. If qi deficiency is not solid, uncontrolled blood will overflow the pulse, leading to bleeding syndrome, while sperm instability will lead to nocturnal emission, nocturnal emission and premature ejaculation; Sweat and urine are out of control, leading to spontaneous sweating or urinary incontinence. .
5. The gasification of qi refers to the transformation of substances that constitute the human body, such as essence, qi, blood and body fluid. These are all the results of the change of qi movement. In fact, it is the physiological and biochemical process of metabolism in the body, that is, the process of material transformation and energy transformation. In this complicated process, Chinese medicine believes that qi is at work. Bing Wang's annotation "On Su Wenyin and Yang Yingxiang" said: "It is refined in gasification and mild in taste, so it is long." This refers to the mutual transformation of essence and qi, thus maintaining the growth and changes of the human body. Sometimes, the concept of "qi" in Chinese medicine is limited to bladder urination, that is, "Su Wen Ling Lan's Secret Code" says: "Bladder, the official of the state, body fluid is stored, and qi can be released."
6. The nutritional function of qi mainly refers to the nutrient-rich substance in Shui Gu-"Qi Ying", that is, Shui Gu's subtle qi, which can run in blood vessels, become a part of blood and reach the whole body, and play its nutritional role. Therefore, On Su Wenbi said: "The camper, the essence of Shui Gu, is in harmony with the five internal organs and sprinkled on the six internal organs, so it can enter the pulse, so it goes up and down with the pulse, penetrates the five internal organs and collaterals the six internal organs."
The functions of the above six aspects are different, but they all cooperate and complement each other.