Qi, Blood and Body Fluid

Qi, blood and body fluid are fundamental substances in the human body to sustain normal vital activities. Their existence and function, especially those of qi, are generally manifest in the functional activities of various tissues and organs. Qi, blood and body fluid, together with the zang-fu organs and the channels and collaterals, constitute the theoretical basis of human physiology in traditional Chinese medicine.

I. QI

II. BLOOD

III. BODY FLUID

I. QI

Qi is involved in various aspects in physiology, pathology and clinical treatment. Generally speaking, the word qi connotes both substance and function. For instance, clean qi, waste qi and qi from essence of food are material qi; the qi of the heart, liver, spleen, kidney and stomach and the qi of channels and collaterals are functional qi. Substance and function are two different concepts, but they are closely related and cannot be entirely separated. This is because each function must be based on a certain substance, while a certain form of substance is bound to demonstrate a corresponding function.

Qualifiers of the substance qi in the human body vary with its distribution, source and function.