The Nine Body Constitutions
In the 1970s, researcher Wang Qi (王琦) led a decades-long survey of tens of thousands of people across China and distilled TCM's individual differences into nine body constitutions (九種體質). The framework is now taught in Chinese medical schools and used in public-health education: it sorts people into one balanced type and eight imbalanced types, each with its own traditional dietary and lifestyle guidance. The idea is simple — two people eat the same meal and one thrives while the other bloats, because their constitutions differ.
Balanced (平和質)
The reference type: energetic, adaptable, sleeps well. Profiles of all nine are being added.
Qi Deficiency (氣虛質)
Low stamina, easy fatigue, shortness of breath on exertion, frequent colds. The most common imbalanced type in Wang Qi's data.
Yang Deficiency (陽虛質)
Always cold hands and feet, prefers warm drinks, low energy in the morning. Guide coming soon.
Yin Deficiency (陰虛質)
Warm palms and soles, dry mouth at night, light sleeper. Guide coming soon.
Phlegm-Dampness (痰濕質)
Heavy, sticky, sluggish feeling; the classical \"dampness\" body type, traditionally managed through diet. Guide coming soon.
Dampness-Heat (濕熱質)
Oily skin, bitter taste, sticky stools in the classical idiom. Guide coming soon.
Blood Stasis (血瘀質)
Easily bruised, dull fixed discomfort in the classical description. Guide coming soon.
Qi Stagnation (氣鬱質)
Tension, sighing, mood-sensitive digestion. Guide coming soon.
Inherited Sensitivity (特稟質)
The allergic, reactive type in TCM terms. Guide coming soon.
Why this framework matters
Unlike one-size-fits-all wellness advice, the constitution model starts from a question TCM has asked for two millennia: who is eating this food, and in what state? The Huangdi Neijing already insists that diet must fit the person (因人制宜). Modern research on the constitutions is ongoing at institutions such as the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences; we present the traditional framework and flag where evidence is still emerging.