What is the Qi？

Qi (vital energy), a philosophical concept in ancient China, refers to the primordial substance that generates and constitutes all things in heaven and earth. The character "Yuan" (元) is synonymous with "Yuan" (原), meaning "origin" or "beginning," signifying the fundamental source of all things in the universe.  

In the history of ancient Chinese philosophy, the theory of Qi was a conceptual framework for understanding nature. Its origins can be traced back to the "Tao" (the Way) proposed by Laozi, the founder of Taoism. The embryonic form of this theory emerged as the "Jingqi (pneuma) theory" during the Warring States period, evolving into Wang Chong’s "Natural Theory of Qi" in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Zhang Zai’s ontological theory of Qi as the fundamental substance in the Northern Song Dynasty.  

The theory of Qi posits that Qi is the basic substance constituting the world, explaining phenomena such as the generation, development, change, and demise of all things in the universe through the movement and transformation of Qi. This naive materialist philosophical thought holds a pivotal position in the history of ancient Chinese philosophy and has exerted profound influence on the development of natural sciences.