Chapter 34 Section 14 Theory of Vitality

In addition to the theory of yin-yang and five elements described above, there is also the theory of vitality among the natural views that have had a great influence on traditional science. The theory of vitality originated in the Warring States period. First, some people proposed the material "qi" as the origin of all things in the world. Then Xunzi developed the theory of qi, believing that water, fire, plants, animals and people are all composed of qi, but all different stages of development.In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Wang Chong (A.D. 27-about 97) inherited and developed this theory of qi, systematizing and theorizing the theory of qi.Wang Chong's exposition on the theory of vitality is recorded in his book "Lunheng".

Wang Chong said, "Heaven and earth are the nature that contains Qi" ("Lunheng Tantian"), and "Heaven and earth combine Qi, and all things are self-generated" ("Lunheng Nature").That is to say, vitality is the origin of the universe, and everything in the world is naturally composed of vitality, and the movement and changes of all things in the world are also caused by the aggregation and dispersion of vitality.Thus, Wang Chong denied the existence of a willful sky, and further denied the superstition of ghosts and gods.Starting from the theory of vitality, Wang Chong tried to explain various natural phenomena.For example, regarding the formation of clouds and rain, Wang Chong said that it is due to the earth's air steaming upwards and "freezing" when it is cold.He also pointed out that clouds, fog, dew, frost, rain, snow and other phenomena are all different manifestations of water in air under different conditions.Regarding the cause of thunder and lightning, Wang Chong proposed that it was caused by "strife and spurts" of "stimulation of the sun" and cloud and rain.As for the change of life and death of people, Wang Chong believes that this is also the result of the effect of qi.He said: "The qi of yin and yang is condensed into a person, and at the end of the year, when one dies, one becomes qi again" ("Lunheng Lun Death").These explanations seem to have a lot of unscientific aspects now, but they were a great scientific insight at the time.

The theory of vitality has a profound influence on later generations, and people in successive dynasties have inherited and developed this theory, making it an important scientific theory and scientific thought in history.However, in history, this theory has always remained at the stage of speculative understanding, but could not be deepened and improved into a real scientific theory.