Chi:: The Asian Concept of Internal Energy

The Asian concept of 気 ("chi" in Chinese, "ki" in Japanese) is much discussed in realms such as Tai Chi, acupuncture, martial arts, and so on. Usually, "chi" is described in supernatural terms: as a force that cannot be measured by modern science, but that Asians firmly believe to exist. The truth is somewhat less, and somewhat more, than this.

The kanji used for "chi" represents breath, but not so much in a physical sense - in Japanese, 息 (iki) is used for breath, which is "nose" above "heart," implying regular physical breathing - but in a figurative sense. In fact, let's get Biblical for a moment and think of "the breath of life." It is in this sense that "breath" represents vigor, or vital force.

Thus, the first problem with describing chi as "real" is that the entire concept is a metaphor to begin with.

Beyond this, the "flow" of chi is a figurative representation of how different muscular and skeletal systems of the human body are interconnected. Take, for instance, body building; a body builder can place special emphasis on certain muscle groups to make himself or herself appear particularly muscular. A martial artist, however, is chiefly concerned with using different parts of the body together. A single punch obtains its power from a balanced standing position, the twisting of the hips and, to some degree, the chest, and is channeled through the shoulder, arm, and fist, finally reaching the attacker's target.

In this case, we might say that the chi flows from the foot, up the legs, up the hips, into the torso, through the shoulder, down the arm, into the fist, and out towards the opponent's body. This becomes a mental representation of the energy of the punch from its origin to its final completion.

There is nothing supernatural about a punch. There is, however, something profound about the inter-connectedness of the human body. A martial artist must train all segments of his body, else he will simply pull or rip something and damage himself before he ever lays a finger on an opponent.

Chi as a real, but scientifically unmeasurable force with supernatural power belongs in the realm of martial arts movies. Chi as a representation of wholesome interconnectedness, something that is quite real and tangible, but difficult to quantify, is a valuable and worthy concept in these cluttered, hyper-technical times.

Article first published as Chi: The Asian Concept of Internal Energy on Technorati.