chi - qi - ch'i - The Skeptic's Dictionary

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head><title>chi - qi - ch'i - The Skeptic's Dictionary - Skepdic.com</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="_style/style.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="_style/printstyle.css" media="print"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="s1.ico"> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.0"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>  <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=ra-5487a05a7e027f30" async="async"></script> </head> <body><br /> <div class="container"> <div class="header"> <div class="logo"> <img src="_images/logo_01.png" alt="The Skeptic's Dictionary" width="270" height="60" border="0" />           <br /> by <a href="http://skepdic.com/refuge/bio.html">Robert Todd Carroll</a> * est. 1994 </div> <div class="slogan"> <img src="_images/slogan_01.gif" alt="A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions" width="362" height="30" /> </div> </div> <div class="menu"> <ul> <li></li><li><a href="http://skepdic.com/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/news/">Newsletter</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/feedback.html">Feedback</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/faq.html">FAQ & Interviews</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/tour.html">Site Map</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="middle"> <div class="left"> <h2>Topical Indexes</h2> <ul class="nav_1"> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/tialtmed.html">Alternatives to Medicine</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/ticriticalthinking.html">Critical 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href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#I">i</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#J">j</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#K">k</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#L">l</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#M">m</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#N">n</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#O">o</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#P">p</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#Q">q</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#R">r</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#S">s</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#T">t</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#U">u</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#V">v</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#W">w</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#X">x</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#Y">y</a></li> <li><a href="http://skepdic.com/contents.html#Z">z</a></li> </ul> <webContent><h1>chi (ch'i  or qi)</h1> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><i>Ch'i</i> or <em>qi</em> (pronounced "chee" and henceforth spelled "<em>chi</em>") is the Chinese word used to describe "the natural energy of the Universe." This energy, though called "natural," is spiritual or supernatural, and is part of a metaphysical, not an empirical, belief system. New Agers often refer to this energy as<i> subtle energy</i>.<i> </i> <em>Chi</em> is thought to permeate all things,<em> </em>including the human body where it allegedly flows along <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meridian_%28Chinese_medicine%29">meridians</a> that are unobservable by even our most powerful machinery. Such metaphysical systems are generally referred to as types of  <a href="vitalism.html"><em>vitalism</em></a>. One of the key concepts related to <em>chi </em>is the concept of <em>harmony</em>. Trouble, whether in the universe or in the body, is a function of disharmony, of things being out of balance and in need of restoration toequilibrium.</font></p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3">Proponents claim to prove the existence and power of <em>chi</em> by healing people with <a href="acupunc.html">acupuncture</a>, <a href="http://skepdic.com/thoughtfield.html">acupressure</a>, <a href="http://www.dentalwatch.org/questionable/toothcharts.html">meridian dentistry</a>, or <a href="chikung.html">chi kung</a> (qi gong), by doing magic tricks such as breaking a chopstick with the edge of a piece of paper or resuscitating a "dead" fly, or by martial arts stunts like breaking a brick with a bare hand or foot. When examined under controlled conditions, however, the seemingly paranormal or supernatural feats of masters of <em>chi</em> turn out to be quite ordinary feats of <a href="http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html">magic, deception, or natural powers.</a></font></p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><em>Vitalism</em> is a popular philosophy in many cultures. Thus, <em>chi</em> has many counterparts: <a href="prana.html">prana</a> (India and <a href="tt.html">therapeutic touch</a>), <a href="reiki.html">ki</a> (Japan); Wilhelm Reich's <a href="orgone.html">orgone</a>, Mesmer's <a href="mesmer.html">animal magnetism</a>, <a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/bergson/">Bergson's</a> <em>茅lan vital</em> (vital force), to name just a few. The concept is very popular among New Age thinking, where it generally goes by the name of <em>energy</em>, though the concept bears no resemblance to the concept as used by physicists.</font></p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3">To find out more about what believers think about chi, look at any of the advertisements on the Internet for chi products. You may be surprised at what miracles people think are possible with a few grunts and groans, and the waving of hands through the air.</font></p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><strong>See also</strong> <a href="energy.html">energy</a>, <a href="iching.html">I Ching</a>, <a href="fengshui.html">feng shui</a>, <a href="koro.html">koro</a>, and <a href="yinyang.html">yin/yang</a>. </font></p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3">But before moving on, check out this video of a student of martial arts master George Dillman as he demonstrates his control over chi with the so-called "no punch knockout" on a non-believer.</font></p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p align="left"> <font size="3"> <object width="425" height="355"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JM_qg5d1YGI&rel=1"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JM_qg5d1YGI&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> </font> </p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><b>See also</b> <a href="yellowbamboo.html">Yellow Bamboo</a>.</font></p> <hr align="left" noshade width="25%"> <p><font face="Arial" size="3"><b><a HREF="comments/chicom.html">reader comments</a></b> </font> </p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><b>further reading </b> </font> </p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><b>books and articles </b> </font> </p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><a href="http://www.csicop.org/si/show/china_chi_and_chicanery_examining_traditional_chinese_medicine_and_chi_theo">Huston, Peter. "China, Chi, and Chicanery - Examining Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chi Theory," <i>Skeptical Inquirer</i>, Sept/Oct 1995.</a></font></p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0674216458/roberttoddcarrolA/">Livingston, James D.<em> Driving Force: The Natural Magic of Magnets</em> (Harvard University Press, 1997).</a></font></p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0312151195/roberttoddcarrolA/"> <font size="3">Randi, James. <em>An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural </em>(N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, 1995).</font></a></font><font size="3"> </font> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><b> websites</b> </font> </p> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><a href="http://skepdic.com/essays/energyhealing.htm">Energy Healing: Looking in All the Wrong Places</a> by Robert Todd Carroll</font> <p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><a HREF="http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html">"Acupuncture, Qigong, and "Chinese Medicine"</a> by Stephen Barrett, M.D.</font><p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><a href="http://www.ncahf.org/nl/1996/11-12.html">Debunking Vitalism</a></font><p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial" size="3"><a href="http://www.csicop.org/sb/show/energy_fields_of_life">Reality Check: The Energy Fields of Life </a>by Victor Stenger</font><p style="text-align: left"> <b><font face="Arial" size="3">news stories</font></b><p style="text-align: left"><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3271947.stm"> <font size="3">Asian Aids 'ignorance' warning by Alice Donald </font></a> <p></webContent>Last updated 05-Nov-2015 </p> </div> </div> <div class="right"> <div class="right_it"> <div class="search"> <form method="get" action="http://www.google.com/custom" target="_top"> <input type="hidden" name="domains" value="skepdic.com" /> <input type="text" name="q" maxlength="255" value="" size="20" /> <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" /> <br /> <div class="search_2"> <input type="radio" name="sitesearch" value="" /> Web     <input type="radio" name="sitesearch" value="skepdic.com" checked="checked" /> Skepdic.com <br /> <img src="_images/logo_google.gif" alt="Google" width="48" height="19" /> </div> <input type="hidden" name="client" value="pub-3542920166946725" /> <input type="hidden" name="forid" value="1" /> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1" /> <input type="hidden" name="oe" value="ISO-8859-1" /> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="GALT:#008000;GL:1;DIV:#336699;VLC:663399;AH:center;BGC:FFFFFF;LBGC:336699;ALC:0000FF;LC:0000FF;T:000000;GFNT:0000FF;GIMP:0000FF;FORID:1;" /> <input type="hidden" name="hl" value="en" /> </form> </div> <p align="right"><a href="http://skepdic.com/authorpage.html"><strong>Books by R. 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