"The Perspective of Viewing Diseases Through Qi (氣)"

The Concept of Qi (氣) and Its Role in Healing

If we define disease as an abnormal change in the human body and treatment as the response to such a condition, then the act of treating disease likely began with the very emergence of humankind. One of the methods that emerged through countless generations of experiential knowledge is traditional Korean medicine (Hanbang). It is worth discussing here because it treats Qi (氣) as a relatively intuitive and image-based way to communicate bodily states.

For Koreans, the mention of a hanuiwon (Korean traditional medical clinic), acupuncture, or moxibustion often immediately evokes the idea of Qi. There may be no easier entry point to explaining Qi than through these familiar concepts.

Our ancestors not only deeply understood Qi but also integrated it into the foundation of their philosophical thinking. They lived with a constant awareness of it, to the extent that traces of this understanding are still evident in our spirituality, customs, and language. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, we continue to use expressions and practices rooted in Qi today. It is arguably one of the greatest cultural heritages of the Korean people. However, because Qi is based in the realm of the spirit or consciousness, it is often dismissed by the framework of modern materialist science. As a result, it struggles to gain full acceptance.

Fortunately, as traditional Korean medicine gains more recognition within the context of modern science, the understanding of Qi has gradually improved. Nevertheless, it is still often regarded as pseudoscientific or overly spiritual.

The study of Qi and its influence on the human body has long been a focus in Korean medicine. From a modern scientific perspective, one of the earliest notable studies may be the 1961 research paper by North Korean traditional medicine scholar Kim Bong-Han, titled “On the Reality of Meridians”. In this work, he reported for the first time the discovery of meridians and acupoints—the channels through which Qi is said to flow—within the living body. While up to five papers were published on the subject, the specific reagents used to locate acupoints were never fully disclosed. Research mainly focused on the biological aspects of the Qi circulation system.

More details on these studies can be found in the book The Great Discovery of Meridians, published in Korean in 2001 by Ilwol Seogak, which is a translation of the original Japanese publication. Unfortunately, further research has been difficult to access due to the closed nature of North Korean society.

While the existence of Qi is now somewhat recognized, its true essence has yet to be defined within the bounds of modern science. As a result, most current studies focus on its medical applications rather than on exploring its fundamental nature. Qi is thought to belong to the domain of quantum mechanics. Therefore, researching the mechanisms through which it operates in the human body requires both a scientific foundation and a basic awareness of Qi. However, the prevailing tendency in academia to draw a sharp line between scientific and traditional approaches has made this integration a distant goal.

A deeper inquiry into the true nature of Qi will be left for another time.

In Qi studies (Qihak, 氣學), disease is viewed as a state in which cells have been abnormally altered due to various causes. Treatment, therefore, involves applying Qi to these abnormal cells in order to restore them to a normal state. Although some limitations remain, most diseases can be addressed using this method without significant difficulty. Since those unfamiliar with modern scientific research methods have no way to incorporate phenomena outside of current scientific frameworks into institutional discourse, Qi-based healing still lies outside the mainstream. Nevertheless, Qi exists. And healing through Qi is being substantiated as a simple, safe, and low-cost method.