明中期是理的哲学、心的哲学、气的哲学相转换的时代。理学、心学、气学中虽然都有气论，但是他们的理论源头与传承脉络并不全然相同，这就导致他们虽然同样重视“气”，但其气论思想的言说方式、论证逻辑、理论关怀、立论要旨呈现出差异性。理学中的气论是朱子学内部理气结构逻辑发展的结果。朱子学理气对举、形而上下二分的结构引发出理论上的困难，朱子的门人弟子与明初朱子学者都尝试在朱子原有理论框架的基础之上进行调整与修补，但是理论突破的真正发生还是要等到明中期朱子学者罗钦顺的出现。罗钦顺提出“理气一物”，倡导“就气认理”，这些论述表明朱子学内部发展出的气论思想脉络已经隐然成形且日趋成熟。 在以湛甘泉、王阳明为代表的心学气论中，程明道圆融、一本的思想体系被特别重视与突显。在这种模式之下，道与阴阳、理与气、气与性之间被吸紧，甘泉、阳明顺此发展，由此显现出心学中的气论思想脉络。湛甘泉重视一气流行下的自然延伸和扩展，通过“气”所带来的普遍性及其所具有的贯通、感通特质说明“随处体认天理”为什么是可能且有效的。在阳明的思想体系之中，气论与心学互相配合，“恶”的来源问题、良知实体化的问题、他晚年讲万物一体精神境界的问题等都可以从气论出发进行理解。王廷相与吴廷翰被认为是最为典型的气学学者，这种气学论述通常被追溯至北宋横渠处。对横渠之学有主动继承意识且论述较为完备的是王廷相，他重点发挥横渠的“太虚即气”之说，并在此基础上展开对心性关系、人性善恶等问题的反思与批判。与此相比，吴廷翰对横渠之学的态度是比较复杂的。他认为“太虚言道，不若太极”，他有把“太虚”理解成太虚神体的倾向，对于“太虚即气”的说法也多有反思。张横渠、王廷相、吴廷翰三人都具有强烈的气学倾向，就吴廷翰的思想定位而言：与张横渠相比，他是更彻底的一元论立场；与王廷相相比，他具有更浓厚的朱子学风格。从理—气结构、心—气结构到太虚与气、太极与气的关系，同样的“气”概念在不同的义理结构中时常呈现出不同的面向，承担着不一样的理论功能。正是这些不同之处表现了理学、心学、气学各异的气论形态，这也彰显了气论思想所可能具有的丰富多元的义理面向。

The mid-Ming Dynasty is an era when the philosophy of Reason, the philosophy of Mind, and the philosophy of Qi were transformed into each other. Although theories of Qi are found in the philosophy of Reason, the philosophy of Mind and the philosophy of Qi, their theoretical origins and the lineage of transmission are not all the same, which leads to differences in the way they speak, the logic of argumentation, theoretical concerns and the thrust of their theories of Qi, although they also attach importance to Qi.The theory of Qi is the result of the logical development of the structure of Reason and Qi within Zhuzi school. Zhuzi‘s disciples and early Ming scholars attempted to adjust and repair Zhuzi‘s original theoretical framework, but the real breakthrough in theory had to wait for the emergence of Luo Qinshun, a Zhuzi scholar in the mid-Ming Dynasty. Luo Qinshun put forward the idea that Reason and Qi are one thing and advocated the recognition of Reason in terms of Qi, which indicated that the thought of Qi developed within Zhuzi‘s school had already taken shape and was becoming more mature.In the theory of Qi represented by Zhan Ganquan and Wang Yangming, the thought system of Cheng Mingdao‘s is particularly valued and highlighted. Under this theory,the Tao and YinYang, Reason and Qi,Qi and the human nature are sucked tightly between them.Zhan Ganquan and Wang Yangming follow this development. Zhan Ganquan emphasizes the natural extension and expansion of the Qi, and explains why it is possible and effective to recognize the Reason everywhere through the universality of Qi and its penetrating and perceptive qualities.In Wang Yangming‘s thought,the theory of Qi and the theory of Mind are complement each other.And the question of the origin of the evil, the question of the materialization of conscience, and the question of the spiritual realm of the oneness of all things that he spoke of in his later years can all be understood from the theory of Qi.Wang Tingxiang and Wu Tinghan are considered the most typical scholars of the theory of Qi,which is usually traced back to Zhang Hengqu in the Northern Song Dynasty.Wang Tingxiang is the one who has actively inherited Zhang Hengqu‘s school and is more complete in his exposition, focusing on the statement that Taixu is Qi.And on this basis, reflecting on and criticizing issues such as the relationship between the mind and the human nature, and the goodness and the evil of human nature.In contrast, Wu Tinghan‘s attitude toward Zhang Hengqu‘s teachings was more complex. He believed that Taixu is not as good as Taiji, and he had a tendency to interpret Taixu as Taixu‘s divine body, and reflected on the statement that Taixu is Qi. Zhang Hengqu, Wang Tingxiang, and Wu Tinghan all had a strong tendency toward the theory of Qi,but in terms of Wu Tinghan‘s ideological orientation, he was more thoroughly monistic than Zhang Hengqu, and he had a stronger Zhuzi style than Wang Tingxiang.The same concept of Qi presents different orientations and assumes different theoretical functions in different theoretical structures from the structure of Reason-Qi and Mind-Qi to the relationship between Taixu and Qi and Taiji and Qi.It is these differences that manifest the different forms of Qi which also reveal the richness and diversity of possible theoretical orientations of the theory of Qi.