Glossary

Origins in the Nei Jing

The Six Qi (六氣, Liu Qi), also translated as the Six Cosmic Qi, the Six Exogenous Qi, the Six Pathogenic Factors, the Six Climactic Factors, and known in Chinese as the Six Changes (六化, Liu Hua), Six Excesses (六淫, Liu Yin) or the Six Extremes (六極, Liu Ji) are environmental factors associated with each of the Six Divisions introduced in the Su Wen Ch. 68, where it states that:

1. Taiyang is governed by Cold Qi; 寒氣 Han Qi
2. Shaoyang is governed by Fire Qi; 火氣 Huo Qi
3. Yangming is governed by Dry Qi; 燥氣 Zao Qi
4. Taiyin is governed by Damp Qi; 濕氣 Shi Qi
5. Shaoyin is governed by Heat Qi; 熱氣 Re Qi
6. Jueyin is governed by Wind Qi; 風氣 Feng Qi

Associations with the Yi Jing

These appear to be related to the interaction of the Yi Jing trigrams according to the directions and channels associated with them to represent how external influences can affect the body. Since the Six Divisions each consist of two Channels that occupy different spacial directions and therefore trigrams, one has to be chosen as the primary representative of each direction. Of the cardinal directions, the hand Yin channels represent the Yin divisions (Taiyin in the west by the Lung and Shaoyin in the south by the Heart), and the foot Yang channels represent the Yang divisions (Taiyang in the north by the Bladder and Shaoyang in the east by the Gall Bladder). The Yangming is then represented in the northwest by its hand channel (Large Intestine) as the Yang Metal pair of the Lung in the west, and Jueyin is represented in the southeast, also by its hand channel which appears to have been common in ancient texts where the Pericardium and San Jiao were like Wind because they "have a name but no form" (Nan Jing ch. 38). Since Shaoyang is already in the east, Jueyin must be located in the southeast. With these Divisions assigned to these directions and trigrams, it emerges that:

1. Taiyang, represented by the Bladder channel in the north, is governed by ☵ Kan, Water, and therefore Cold, the most Yin yet unyielding force of nature.
2. Shaoyang, represented by the Gall Bladder channel in the east, is governed by ☳ Zhen, Thunder, and therefore Fire, that springs suddenly from a spark.
3. Yangming, represented by the Large Intestine channel in the northwest, is governed by ☰ Qian, Heaven, pure Yang which creates Dryness, in the way intense sun will create a desert.
4. Taiyin, represented by the Lung channel in the west, is governed by ☱ Dui, Lake, and therefore Dampness.
5. Shaoyin, represented by the Heart channel in the south, is governed by ☲ Li, Fire, and therefore Heat.
6. Jueyin, represented by the Pericardium channel in the southeast, is governed by ☴ Xun, Wind, and therefore Wind Qi.

The northeast and southwest directions do not have any extremes associated with them. This is because they are associated with the Earth trigrams (☷ Kun, Earth, and ☶ Gen, Mountain) which represent the central balance of the Five Phase system and therefore do not have any extremes associated with them.

Later Developments

Originally these were simply the Qi associated with each division and period of the year and so bore the neutral name the Six Qi. When in harmony they presented no problem but when they were observed in a patient they could indicate which division was involved and the opposing pair that could balance it. As medicine became more focused on external pathogens, they became known as the Six Yin or Six Excesses and were considered to be the bearers of disease.

Over time, Heat and Fire were used to refer to different grades of the same energy so the heat of Shaoyin has become known today as Summerheat, 暑 Shu. As Shaoyin pivots between Water and Fire, it is considered to be when Dampness and Heat have equal dominance, creating the heavy humidity of a summer's day with no breeze. This may be exacerbated by attempts to cool down with cold foods that weaken the Spleen creating Internal Damp and cold showers that close the pores leaving the Heat trapped in the Exterior. With the addition of Summerheat to the Six Qi, they now take on three opposing pairs based on their Yin-Yang relationships with Heat-Cold, Dampness-Dryness and Wind-Summerheat.

Modern Philosophical Interpretations

Jeffrey Yuen's students provide a more philosophical approach inspired by Daoism and analysing the characters as a generic response to change, 易 Yi (as in the 易經 Yi Jing) that can occur of the physical or psychological level.

• Wind, 風 Feng, is change itself, said in the Su Wen Ch. 3 to be "the origin of the one hundred diseases". As a response to change it represents being swept away without conscious intention resulting in erratic movement. The "Eight Winds" (八風) is also a Buddhist term used to refer to the worldly forces that perturb our hearts and must be overcome to achieve enlightenment (Soka Gakkai, 2002). They are presented as four opposing pairs of favourable and adverse conditions: prosperity and decline; honour and disgrace; praise and censure; pleasure and suffering. This provides another philosophical interpretation of Wind being external forces that cause emotional disturbance, and aligns with the notion of it being the Qi of Jueyin, the Liver and Pericardium.
• Cold, 寒 Han, represents a man surrounded by straw in his hut, suggesting a withdrawal, erecting barriers and closing oneself off. It has definitions that include "deserted, miserable, fear and dread."
• Heat, 熱 Re, conversely represents an over-eagerness to move towards change reflected in its usage in modern terms like "madly in love" (熱戀 Relian) or "envy" (眼熱 Yanre). Fire, 火 Huo, is an extreme Heat, especially reserved for anger or rage which is still a movement towards in order to attack something but can apply to other intense movements towards change.
• Dampness, 濕 Shi, imples a slowing of movement and therefore a response of hesitation and becoming stuck.
• Summerheat, 暑 Shu, is a combination of Dampness and Heat whereby the person alternates between Heat-desire and Damp-hesitation, resulting in an indecisive response.
• Dryness, 燥 Zao, is a consequence of prolonged pathological response, depleting our inner resources (Yin), exhausting our patience and manifesting in its definitions of "restless, anxious or quick-tempered," expressed in its use in terms like "boring" (枯燥 Kuzao), "dull" (乾燥, Ganzao) or "impatient" (急燥Jizao).

Therefore the climatic factors represent a principle that may be a bodily or a psychological response and can take place at the automatic level (衛, Wei) of the Sinews, the conscious level (營, Ying) of the Primary Channels or deep unconscious level (源, Yuan) of the Extraordinary Vessels, as well as the Luo and Divergents which connect them.

For a more detailed explanation of the Six Qi in Daoist Chinese medicine, see Magidoff (2000).