Ji 幾 – Incipience

The art of the great practitioner lies in the ability to grasp these passages, to perceive the imperceptible beginning of a disorder and to anticipate its possible development by correctly understanding the smallest signs. Then one can make a subtle diagnosis and treat it before the disease becomes deeply entrenched.

Ji 幾 – Incipience, the Infinitesimally Small

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With English Auto-generated Subtitles

1:30 hours 
On-Demand Video

Complete Text Handout

Certificate On Completion
CEU/CPD/PDAs

By taking this course, you will

  • Enhance the practitioner’s awareness during the clinical exam and the establishment of the diagnosis.
  • Highlight the importance of apprehending a disorder at its beginning and paying attention to the smallest sign or symptom.
  • Help to prevent the progress of the patient’s disease.

Course Overview

As the contemporary Chinese philosopher Zhang Dainian says: «Although ‘transformation’ can be distinguished from ’change’ by the degree of variation, the Great Commentary had a further term for speaking of the initial tendency to change that is even more minute than ‘transformation’. The term in question is ’incipience’ (beginning) or ‘impetus’. »

Ji 幾 is always the almost imperceptible beginning of movements of the mind or body that determines the direction of the course of events. In the Book of Changes (Yijing), the pervasive beginning is a profound insight into the changes of everything, it is the first emergence of good fortune.

The sages scrutinise incipience to start any action; thus, they manage the affairs of the world accurately and their behavior is perfect. Incipience is the critical point where the direction toward good or evil is determined. Those penetrating incipience see whence all phenomena and events come and foresee their developments; they know the real causes of the change of things. Ji 幾, incipience, is the transition from the formless, which is hidden and not yet manifest, to form; that which has already begun to become a certain thing, a phenomenon, an event.

The art of the great practitioner lies in the ability to grasp these passages, to perceive the imperceptible beginning of a disorder and to anticipate its possible development by correctly understanding the smallest signs. Then one can make a subtle diagnosis and treat it before the disease becomes deeply entrenched.

Course Outline

  • Analysis and meaning of the character JI 幾. 
  • Ji, incipience, as the subtle beginning of an evolving condition, already containing its potential development
  • Ji, incipience, is the crucial point for the right interpretation and the correct decision.
  • An understanding of Ji, incipience, as the prerequisite to taking action and moving in the good direction.

Learn More
1.5 Hours | Group 1


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By registering for this course, I agree to abide by the NCCAOM PDA Course Participant Attestation.

I understand that the information in this course presented by the Provider and/or Instructor(s) is for educational purposes only and should only be applied with appropriate clinical judgment and used by a trained and licensed
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About the Teacher

Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallée

Senior sinlogist Elisabeth Rochat de laVallée has been studying and translating the classics of Chinese Medicine and philosophy for over 40 years. She continues teaching worldwide.

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Course Includes

  • Course Credits

    AACMA Image AACMA1.5 CPD's
    ACI Image ACICertificate
    AGTCM Image AGTCMCertificate
    NCCAOM Image NCCAOM1.5 CEU's
    Fachverband Image TCM FACHVERBAND1.5 Hours

    For further infomation see the course description

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