Listen to this articlejīngqì 精气
Vital Energy
最精致细微的“气”。对“精气”较为详细的解释，最早见于《管子》。在《管子·内业》等篇的讨论中，“精气”指“气”中最精致细微的部分，是“道”的具体呈现。一切有形之物及人类都是由“精气”构成的。此外，人的生命、精神、智慧也被看作是“精气”作用的结果。
Vital energy refers to the finest and most subtle energy. The earliest detailed explanation of vital energy is found in Guanzi. According to the book, the finest and most subtle energy is a concrete manifestation of Dao. All things with shapes and all human beings are made up of vital energy; one’s life, sense, and intelligence are also believed to derive from vital energy.
引例 Citations：
◎凡物之精，此则为生。下生五谷，上为列星。流于天地之间，谓之鬼神；藏于胸中，谓之圣人。（《管子·内业》）
（大凡事物所包含的“精气”，是事物得以生成的依据。在地生成五谷，在天生成众星。“精气”流转在天地之间，便称作鬼神；藏纳于胸中，便成为圣人的智慧。）
Everything is generated by its vital energy. Vital energy produces crops on the earth and forms stars in the sky. When vital energy comes between heaven and earth, it creates ghosts and spirits; when it goes into the heart of a human being, a sage is created. (Guanzi)
◎人之所以生者，精气也，死而精气灭。（王充《论衡·论死》）
（人之所以能够生存，依赖于精气，人死而精气消亡。）
People depend on vital energy for survival. When they die, their vital energy vanishes. (Wang Chong: A Comparative Study of Different Schools of Learning)
