氣(chi) , in the west, was only known or translated as energy. Unfortunately, the character was abide by the sole definition restricting to move forward for other explanations. If the character was traced back to its root, then, its multi-definition may be more versatile to be used in other fields. Its usage in the meaning of the character in the Chinese society is not very clear. The most common meaning in an ordinary daily life, it means 'air.' When a TCM practitioner says your chi is low, then, that is where the confusion starts. It didn't mean as air for sure but most people took it as chi without clarity. Unfortunately, when a chi kung master use the term to explain what it is, most people would think of it as the chi term in TCM.
Despite to the simplified Characters, there are three basic characters for chi in the Chinese language which are 气(Chi), 炁(chi) and 氣(chi).
气(chi) is the ancient character for air.
炁(chi) is an ancient character with the meaning as the primordial substance which is the basic essence of all matters. The essential chi comprised of the yin-yang chi as a whole. In order for matter to be formed, the yin-chi(yin substance) and yang-chi(yang substance) must react together and become a harmonized chi.
氣(chi) is a character with multi-definition. Its meaning depends how and where was used and applied in different fields. This character was used, in the modern time, almost anywhere without an explicit definition. That's why it was so confusing around the world.
To a Taoist with the notion of preserving life, 炁(chi) is the energy source within the human body. After breathing and taking the nourishment, it becomes 氣(chi) as human energy or body strength.
氣(chi) in TCM(Traditional Chinese Medicine), it means the functional activities of the organs. For example, when the TCM practitioner says that the liver chi was clogged, it simply means that the functional activities of the liver has come to a halt. When the liver chi was low, it was said to be that the liver is malfunction or not functioning to its full capacity.
氣(chi) in Chi Kung, the character by itself means 'air.' When compound with 功(Kung), chi means breathing; and Chi Kung means the ultimate method of breathing to be practiced or cultivated to its perfection. By the way, the tremendous energy in the human body resulted from Chi Kung was by the biochemical reaction of the functional activities of the organs. In western term, the bio-energy was known as adenosine triphosophate(ATP). In this case, the bio-energy can be referred as the chi-energy in the body.
Nowadays, the modern Chinese are trying distinguish the two characters by defining 炁(chi) as energy and 氣(chi) as air or gaseous substance.
Those who practice Chi Kung resulted with a tremendous body energy from the breathing exercise. However, they did not realize that they were cultivating their breathing skill to develop energy within the body. Instead, they thought that Chi Kung was a method to cultivate the external energy from the universe.
If you are interested, do this exercise will help you to prevent hypertension.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iguwo9rFBOs&feature=channel_page
Please see the result of the body coordination from practicing the above exercise for only 3.5 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKqttj_rV9g&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
James S. Lee is a retired engineer and a practitioner of Tai Chi and Chi Kung for more than thirty years. Since Chi Kung has a great effect on the human body, he is searching for a possible scientific explanation of Chi Kung with Western science. He feels that the old Chinese concept about Chi Kung is very ambiguous. Therefore, there must be another way to explain it for a better understanding. Email: jlee1680@aol.com