Notice the appearance of the word in respiration. In the Chinese medical system, each organ has an associated, specific type of energy, or Qi. When organs are discussed in the Chinese system, the organ's energetic characteristics are emphasized. The interactions of different organ energies are considered. This leads to a concept of health and illness in which the complexities of the body and mind can be viewed in unity.
Chinese medicine emphasizes energy while Western medicine considers structure and function.
Clearly, these two systems complement each other. Many people are intrigued by the ideas of Yin and Yang, and ask about what they mean. Stated briefly, there are many types of vital energy, or Qi. Yin and Yang stand for opposite qualities of the same energy - water and steam, heads and tails of a coin, positive and negative poles of a magnet. Sometimes, when we speak of an imbalance, an upset of Yin and Yang may be inferred.