20.500.12556/RUL-177965 Vital breath and the order of existence sublating the Chinese binary category of Li and Qi This chapter explores the concept of breath (Qi 氣) in Chinese philosophy, emphasizing its intrinsic link to the relational order of the cosmos (Li 理). In this context, breath serves as a metaphor for the vital force Qi, the energy that animates all living beings. The concept of Qi transcends the physical act of breathing, representing an invisible yet pervasive energy that flows through all existence and connects individuals to the universe. The rhythmic pulsation of Qi, embodying both breath and vital energy, mirrors the natural cycles of existence— day and night, the seasons, and the interplay of life and death. However, Qi does not exist in isolation but is intimately tied to Li, the structural principle that governs and patterns the universe. In ancient Chinese philosophy, Qi initially referred to a standalone concept, denoting vapor, air, and the universal breath that sustains and permeates all forms of organic existence. Over time, it gradually became part of a binary conceptual pair as Chinese thought deepened its focus on the dynamic interaction between breath and body, substantiality and pattern, energy and structure. This shift affirmed that the vitality of breath (Qi) and cosmic order (Li) are mutually dependent and inseparable in the continuous unfolding of existence. 2 J. S. Rošker Just as human breath cannot manifest without the lungs to give it form and direction, Qi requires Li to shape its flow and coherence. By applying the so-called method of (post)comparative philosophical sublation, this chapter will illuminate the dialectical model of correlative complementarity, which underlies the integration of both concepts, revealing their tight interconnection and mutual interdependence. Vital breath Structure of existence Cosmic pattern Li Qi Sublation vitalni dih struktura bivanja kozmični vzorec Li Qi sublacija true false false Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Neznano 2026-01-14 13:57:28 2026-01-14 13:57:35 2026-01-15 04:21:36 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Str. 1-19 0000-00-00 PostprintKoncna Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2026-01-07 2027-01-07 1 10.1007/978-3-031-75780-8_43-1 264663299 264320003 Vital_Breath_and_the_Order_of_Existence.pdf Vital_Breath_and_the_Order_of_Existence.pdf 1 064C6357B2C652BE0567D889C0D729A6 7fc17adc30ca9d3f24ee5d66908c37c79ca1171767d087dda5ee9f0d76565918 5e38fe7c-f14a-11f0-bf92-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=225430 https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-3-031-75780-8_43-1 1 9099a25f-f148-11f0-bf92-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=225429 Filozofska fakulteta 0 0 0