What Is Qigong?

Breaking Down the Word “Qigong”

The word Qigong (气功) is made of two characters: Qi (气) and Gong (功).

Qi

In classical Chinese philosophy, Qi is the fundamental “substance” and “energy” that animates the universe. In traditional Chinese, the character for qi is 氣, composed of qì 气 (“air” or “vapor”) above and mǐ 米 (“grain” or “seed,” from which all things grow) below, suggesting that qi is both the breath we take in, and the essence drawn from nourishment.

A lesser common character for qi is 炁, in which the lower part displays small four strokes at the bottom representing “fire”. Emphasizing qi as the prenatal, pre-material “energy”. The spark before form.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), qi flows through a network of meridians in the body (strings or channels through which energy flows), nourishing organs and tissues. When qi moves freely, vitality and emotional stability flourish; when blocked or depleted, illness, fatigue, and imbalance can arise.

Gong

Gong means merit and skill, a culmination of cultivation through time and effort. It implies steady, intentional practice and mastery. It is something that cannot be rushed. As the saying goes: “Ten years of practice for one minute on stage.” Whether in martial arts, meditation, or music, true skill is built through patience and consistent dedication.

The character for gōng, 功 is composed of two parts, which perfectly illustrates its meaning. The first part is gōng 工, which means “work” or “labor.” It represents the effort and discipline required to cultivate skill. The second part is lì 力, which means “strength” or “power.” And it represents the effect or ability generated.

Combined, Gong 功 literally means the “power that comes from work” or the “ability generated through labor.”

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Teacher Maria Cui, 2019 Qigong Seminar

The Origins of Qigong

While Qigong’s roots stretch back thousands of years, the word itself is relatively modern.

In its earliest forms, these practices had no formal name. Some were described simply as “dance.” The Lüshi Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü, 3rd century BCE, late Warring States period) records:

When the muscles and bones became stiff, people created dances to stretch and guide the body.

— Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü, 3rd century BCE, late Warring States period

During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BCE) and the Warring States period (475-221 BCE), many of these methods were collectively known as Daoyin Anqiao (“guiding and stretching, pressing and lifting”).

The Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, compiled between the 4th and 2nd centuries BCE) describes:

In Zhuangzi (late 4th century BCE), we read:

Blowing and breathing, exhaling the stale and drawing in the fresh; stretching like a bear, twisting like a bird — these are simply to preserve life. This is the way of those who practice Daoyin and nourish the body, as loved by long-lived sages such as Pengzu.

— Zhuangzi, late 4th century BCE

Archaeological Evidence

From the Mawangdui Han tombs (168 BCE, Western Han dynasty) two treasures were unearthed. The first being the silk text Quegu Shiqi Pian (“On Avoiding Grain and Inhaling Qi”, or more simply, “on fasting and absorbing Qi”), which outlines fasting and breathing techniques, and the second being the Daoyin Tu (“Guiding and Stretching Chart”) — the oldest known illustrated Qigong manual, with 44 drawings showing how ancient people used these methods for health and healing.

The Daoyin Tu

A Modern Name for an Ancient Practice

The earliest appearance of the term “Qigong” is in the Ling Jian Zi, Taoist cultivation methods, attributed to the Jin dynasty (266–420 CE) Daoist Xu Xun — though likely written later, perhaps in the Sui (581–618 CE) or Tang (618–907 CE) dynasties.

By the late 20th century, especially during the “Qigong Boom” of the 1970s, the name became a unifying term for a wide range of traditional methods.

Qigong is more than a set of exercises. It is a dialogue between your breath, your body, and your mind. It is a way of attuning yourself to the deeper rhythms of life — within and around you — so that energy flows freely, health is supported, and the mind rests in clarity.

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