Jing



Jing (勁; spelled Jīng or Jīn also known as Nei Jin or Fa Jin, meaning "power" or "energy") are options for directing one's energy, both internally and externally. According to Bumi, they correspond to tactics and strategies in battle.

Known Types
According to Bumi, there are, at least technically, 85 distinct types of jing, although only the main three have been named thus far:
 * Positive Jing, corresponding to advancing or attacking.
 * Negative Jing, corresponding to retreating or evading.
 * Neutral Jing, corresponding to waiting and listening, or, as Bumi described it, doing nothing.

Positive Jing


Positive Jing is mostly exercised in Firebending and complements the aggressive tactics of Firebenders during combat. Firebenders will prefer preemptive strikes, to attack first and to come at their opponents with full force and overwhelming sheer power. These positive jing attributes are also found in the attitudes and the willful natures that are common amongst the people of the Fire Nation.

Negative Jing
Negative Jing is mostly exercised in Airbending, echoing the Air Nomads' pacifistic lifestyle and their philosophy that all life is sacred, and that fighting is only used as a last resort, if and only if conflict cannot be avoided. Airbenders are more mobile fighters compared to Earthbenders, and possess a highly dynamic fighting style. A comment made by Bumi highlights that in combat, to "avoid and evade" is a typical Airbender tactic.

In the case of Waterbending, common maneuvers involve following the moon and the ocean's example of "push and pull". As such, Waterbenders will alternate between and maintain a balance of both positive and negative jing in combat, to allow for them to turn defense into offense as they use their opponents' force against them while conserving their own. The Waterbenders' fighting style of turning their opponents' force against them is based on how the moon reflects light rather than gives off its own.

Neutral Jing


Neutral Jing is stated to be the key to Earthbending. Fundamentally, neutral jing will involve listening, (though seemingly doing nothing) and waiting for the right moment to strike. When in combat, Earthbenders are more stationary combatants compared to Airbenders, usually waiting for their opponent to come to them, while standing their ground and meeting their opponents' attacks head-on, before delivering a deadly strike of their own. Neutral jing forms the basis of true Earthbending, and is the concept used by the first Earthbenders, the Badgermoles. The idea is also fundamental in Seismic Sense, a perceptive fighting style used by select benders, specifically Toph.

As highlighted, someone who has mastered neutral jing is someone who waits and listens before striking. Bumi relies on neutral jing while Earthbending, to the extent that he refuses to flee Omashu even when Aang comes to his rescue. His desire to wait for an opportune moment to strike was initially baffling to his soldiers and to Aang, although Aang later accepted Bumi's decision. Bumi eventually freed himself during the Day of Black Sun, which he recognized as the right moment to strike, seeing as how his captors were defenseless without Firebending.

Quotes
Discussion about the concept of jing between Avatar Aang and King Bumi:

"Aang: I don't understand. Why didn't you free yourself? Why did you surrender when Omashu was invaded? What's the matter with you, Bumi!? King Bumi: Listen to me, Aang. There are options in fighting, called jing. It's a choice of how you direct your energy . . . Aang: I know! There's positive jing when you're attacking, and negative jing when you're retreating! King Bumi: . . . and neutral jing when you do nothing! Aang: There are three jings? King Bumi: Well, technically, there are eighty five. But, let's just focus on the third. Neutral jing is the key to Earthbending. It involves listening and waiting for the right moment to strike. Aang: (with dawning understanding) That's why you surrendered, isn't it? King Bumi: Yes, and it's why I can't leave now. Aang: I guess I need to find someone else to teach me Earthbending. King Bumi: Your teacher will be someone who has mastered neutral jing. You need to find someone who waits and listens before striking. (Momo jumps onto Aang shoulder and chitters) Aang: Hey, Momo! King Bumi: Momo's mastered a few jings himself!"

Trivia

 * Knowledge of Jing seems to have been well known or was at least common knowledge prior to the War, as Aang and Bumi seem to understand its ideas with relative ease, while many Earthbenders fail to exhibit knowledge of the concept.
 * The concept of Jing, while it can be reflected as the differences of options open to a person in battle, actually also corresponds to all aspects of a person's life and not just on the battlefield.
 * A parallel to the series' concept of Jing would be the "Fight or Flight" response in psychology; certain personality types are more inclined to act in accordance to a particular Jing.