NCCAOM Terminologies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'Xie Qi' refer to in TCM?
- Correct or healthy Qi
- Pathogenic or evil Qi (Correct answer)
- Ancestral Qi stored in the Kidneys
- Nutritive Qi flowing in channels
Correct answer: Pathogenic or evil Qi
Xie Qi means pathogenic or evil Qi — any factor that disturbs the body's normal function and causes disease.
Question 2: In TCM, 'Bi syndrome' describes which condition?
- Deficient Qi causing fatigue
- Obstruction of Qi and Blood causing pain, numbness, and heaviness (Correct answer)
- Internal Wind causing tremors and spasms
- Collapse of Yang energy
Correct answer: Obstruction of Qi and Blood causing pain, numbness, and heaviness
Bi syndrome refers to painful obstruction caused by Wind, Cold, or Dampness blocking the flow of Qi and Blood.
Question 3: The term 'Ba Gang' in Chinese medicine refers to:
- Eight extra meridians
- Eight diagnostic principles (Yin/Yang, Interior/Exterior, Cold/Heat, Deficiency/Excess) (Correct answer)
- Eight command acupuncture points
- Eight classical herbal formulas
Correct answer: Eight diagnostic principles (Yin/Yang, Interior/Exterior, Cold/Heat, Deficiency/Excess)
Ba Gang (Eight Principles) is the foundational diagnostic framework organizing patterns into four pairs of opposites.
Question 4: What does 'Shi' mean in the context of the Eight Principles?
- Deficiency
- Cold
- Excess or fullness (Correct answer)
- Interior
Correct answer: Excess or fullness
Shi denotes an excess or full condition where a pathogenic factor is present and the body's Zheng Qi is still relatively strong.
Question 5: The term 'Wei Qi' describes which type of Qi?
- Nutritive Qi that flows inside the channels
- Defensive Qi that circulates outside the channels to protect the body (Correct answer)
- Ancestral Qi stored in the Kidneys
- Pectoral Qi accumulated in the chest
Correct answer: Defensive Qi that circulates outside the channels to protect the body
Wei Qi is the body's defensive energy that circulates on the exterior to warm the muscles and skin and resist pathogenic invasion.
Question 6: In the Eight Principles, 'Biao' refers to:
- The interior or root aspect of disease
- The root cause requiring long-term treatment
- The exterior or branch manifestation of disease (Correct answer)
- The heat quality of a condition
Correct answer: The exterior or branch manifestation of disease
Biao means 'branch' or 'exterior,' indicating symptoms or manifestations rather than the underlying root cause.
Question 7: What does 'Xu' indicate in TCM pathology?
- An excess condition
- A deficiency condition (Correct answer)
- An exterior condition
- A heat condition
Correct answer: A deficiency condition
Xu denotes deficiency, indicating that the body's vital substances or organ functions are insufficient.
NCCAOM Terminologies 2
What does the term 'Xie Qi' refer to in TCM?