It is known as Original Qi or Yuan Qi and is closely related to Jing since it is nothing more than Essence in the form of Qi.
It comes from the inheritance of our parents, from Kidney Jing. Jing would be the essence (yin) and Yuan Qi would be the energy (Yang).
The fire of the Kidney (Ming Men) warms the essence (Jing) and converts it into energy. This resulting energy is Yuan Qi.
- There exists Yuan Yin (Original Yin) and Yuan Yang (Original Yang).
- Yuan Qi is the foundation of all Yin and Yang energies of the body.
- It depends, like Jing, on the nourishment of Post-Heaven Qi
It serves for the formation and development of organs: There will be Yuan Qi of the Lungs, of the Spleen, of the Liver, etc.
Functions
Motive Force:
- It is the force that drives organic movement.
- It circulates through all the Jing Luo and throughout the body.
- Yuan Qi is the union between essence and Qi: essence (slow changes and long-lasting) and Qi (changes day to day).
Root of the Kidney
Root of the functional activity of the Kidney:
- Its residence is between both kidneys below the umbilicus.
- Ming Men, point GV-4 and CV-4; gives heat that serves for the development of all body functions.
Transformation
Facilitates the transformation of Qi.
- Gathering Qi is transformed into True Qi thanks to Yuan Qi, in this way the Kidneys participate in the production of Qi.
- Food-Qi is transformed into Blood in the Heart thanks to Yuan Qi.
See: Theory of the Transformations of Qi
Conductor
The Triple Burner helps Yuan Qi to divide.
- Yuan Qi, being the organic motive force and being located in the space between both kidneys, is the root of the 12 channels.
- Triple Burner helps it divide to perform different organic functions; It traverses the three Burners and passes through the 5 Yin organs (Zang organs) and the 6 Yang organs (Fu organs) and their channels.
- Yuan Qi resides in the yuan points
Points of Original Qi
Yuan Qi resides between the kidneys, emerges through the Gate of Life (Ming Men), passes through the Triple Burner and its three cavities dividing and taking different forms or manifestations to enter the internal organs, pass to the 12 channels and emerge through the yuan points or source points.
See: yuan points