Table of Contents
Definition and Origin of Feng Shui
Feng ShuiFeng Shui, also known as "Kanyu", as the name suggests, is derived from the two natural elements of "wind" and "water". It is a traditional environmental philosophy originated from ancient China. It generally refers to the observation of air flow, water potential, terrain and other factors in the natural environment, integrating natural observation, astronomical calendar, geographical environment, humanistic philosophy and metaphysical thought. Its core is to explore the interactive relationship between humans and the natural environment, and to choose or adjust the human living environment by adjusting the spatial layout, orientation configuration and energy flow (that is, the movement of "qi"). In order to achieve a balanced state of "harmony between man and nature", and then to reconcile yin and yang, balance the aura, and thus promote health, wealth, career and interpersonal relationships.
The term "feng shui" was first seen in "The Book of Burial" written by Guo Pu in the Jin Dynasty: "Qi disperses with the wind and stops with the water. The ancients gathered it so that it would not disperse, and moved it so that it would stop, so it was called feng shui." This passage explains the influence of "wind" and "water" on "qi", and became the basis of Feng Shui theory in later generations. It emphasizes that "Qi" is the core of cosmic energy and needs to be gathered and guided through the regulation of wind and water. Feng Shui is not only used in burial site selection (yin house), but is also widely used in architectural planning, home furnishings (yang house) and even urban design, becoming a deeply influential life wisdom in Chinese culture.
The historical development of Feng Shui
1. Pre-Qin Period: Nature Worship and Divination
The prototype of Feng Shui appeared in "The Book of Changes" and "The Book of History". The Book of Changes emphasizes the balance of yin and yang and the interaction of the five elements, providing a philosophical basis for feng shui; the Book of History records observations on terrain and rivers, showing an early systematic understanding of the environment. The ancients observed the direction of mountains and rivers, and the movement of the sun, moon and stars. They believed that the natural environment contained mysterious powers, and sought ways to communicate with heaven and earth through divination (such as tortoise shells and yarrow). The "divination" ceremony of the Shang and Zhou dynasties was a divination activity for choosing the location of a city or palace, and can be seen as the prototype of Feng Shui.
2. Han Dynasty: Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the Interaction between Heaven and Man
With the rise of Taoism, Feng Shui began to combine with Taoist thought, emphasizing the flow of "qi" and the order of the universe. The geomancy (another name for feng shui) in the Han Dynasty was mainly used for the selection of cemetery sites. It was believed that the feng shui of a cemetery would affect the fortune of future generations.
The Han Dynasty was a critical period for the systematization of Feng Shui theory. Dong Zhongshu proposed the idea of "harmony between heaven and man", linking natural phenomena with human destiny; at the same time, the Yin-Yang theory (a cosmic view of unity of opposites) and the Five Elements theory (the mutual generation and restraint of gold, wood, water, fire and earth) were systematically integrated to form the basic framework of Feng Shui analysis. At this time, works such as "Feng Shui Jin Kui" and "Palace House Terrain" already contained discussions on the auspiciousness of directions and the selection of terrain.
3. Tang and Song Dynasties: Differentiation of Schools and Maturity of Theory
During the Tang and Song dynasties, Feng Shui theory gradually matured and formed two major schools: the "Shape School" (also known as the Luantou School) and the "Qi School". The Xingfa school focuses on topography, such as the shape of mountains, rivers, while the Liqi school emphasizes the calculation of direction, time and the eight trigrams. Scholars such as Li Chunfeng in the Tang Dynasty and Chen Tuan in the Song Dynasty made great contributions to the development of Feng Shui theory.
Yang Yunsong (also known as "Yang Gong") of the Tang Dynasty was revered as the master of Feng Shui. He combined the theories of the Shape School (focusing on the shape of mountains and rivers) and the Qi School (focusing on the direction and numbers), laying the foundation for the two major Feng Shui trends in later generations. Compass technology and the application of I Ching hexagrams were popular in the Song Dynasty. Feng Shui was further integrated with Neo-Confucianism, and classic documents such as Questions and Answers on the Book of Burials and New Book of Geography emerged.
4. Ming and Qing Dynasties: Popularization and Practical Application
Feng Shui has entered the public domain, and its application scope has expanded from cemeteries to residential, village and urban planning. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a large number of Feng Shui monographs appeared, such as "Geographical Notes for Humankind" and "Water Dragon Sutra", which systematized the practical methods of Feng Shui.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Feng Shui spread from the court aristocracy to the common people and became an everyday practice for ordinary people when building houses and relocating graves. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a large number of Feng Shui monographs appeared, such as "What a Son of Man Should Know about Geography", "Water Dragon Sutra", "Ten Books on Yang Houses", "Five Secrets of Geography" and other popular works, which systematized the practical methods of Feng Shui. Feng Shui knowledge is widely spread through oral transmission and apprenticeship. At the same time, the introduction of Western scientific ideas also triggered a debate on the rationality of Feng Shui, prompting some theories to shift towards combining empirical research with environmental science.
The core theory of Feng Shui
The theoretical basis of Feng Shui integrates Taoism, Confucianism, the Book of Changes and the theory of the Five Elements, forming a unique view of the universe and philosophy of space. Here are some core concepts of Feng Shui:
1. Qi: the flow of energy
"Qi" is the core concept of Feng Shui and is considered to be the life energy of all things in the universe. Feng Shui believes that the flow of Qi is affected by the environment, and the ideal Feng Shui pattern should "gather Qi" rather than "disperse Qi". For example, a terrain with mountains behind and water in front is believed to gather vitality and promote the health and fortune of the residents.
In practice, Feng Shui masters will determine the flow path of Qi by observing the terrain, building orientation, etc. For example, the design of doors and windows should avoid "straight rush" (such as the door facing the window) to prevent air flow from being lost too quickly. In addition, the placement of furniture in the room also needs to take the circulation of air into consideration, such as avoiding the head of the bed facing the door to prevent the aura from interfering with sleep.
2. Balance of Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang are the core concepts of Chinese philosophy, and Feng Shui also emphasizes the balance of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang not only refer to physical properties such as light, cold and warm, but also include characteristics such as movement and stillness, openness and closedness of space. For example, a yang house (a residence) should have sufficient yang energy and good lighting; a yin house (a cemetery) needs stable yin energy and a quiet environment. Yin and Yang represent opposing and complementary forces (such as day and night, warm and cold, movement and stillness). Feng Shui emphasizes the harmony of yin and yang in the space. For example, the living room should be bright (yang) and the bedroom should be soft (yin) to meet different functional needs.
In house design, Feng Shui masters adjust the space according to the principles of Yin and Yang. For example, the living room, as a positive space, should be bright and spacious; the bedroom, as a negative space, needs to be quiet and warm. The balance of yin and yang not only affects the physical and mental health of the residents, but is also believed to harmonize family relationships.
3. The Five Elements
The Feng Shui master will make corresponding adjustments based on the resident's eight characters (year, month, day and time of birth) and the five elements of the house. For example, if the resident’s fate lacks water, the Feng Shui master may recommend placing a fish tank in the north to replenish the water element.
The Five Elements (gold, wood, water, fire, and earth) are an important tool in Feng Shui, used to analyze the relationship between the environment and humans. Each direction, color, material, etc. corresponds to a specific five-element attribute. For example:
- The East is associated with wood, so green or wooden furniture is suitable;
- The south is associated with fire, so it is best to use red or light for lighting;
- The west is associated with metal, so it is suitable to use white or metal decorations;
- The north is associated with water, so blue or water scenes are suitable;
- The center belongs to earth, so it is suitable to use yellow or ceramics.
The Five Elements Theory classifies all things into five elements: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. There is a relationship of "mutual generation" (such as wood generates fire) and "mutual restraint" (such as gold restrains wood) between the five elements. Feng shui masters often resolve conflicts among the five elements by adjusting colors, materials or furnishings. For example: The kitchen belongs to fire, so you can place earth-colored pottery (fire produces earth) to balance the fire.
4. Bagua and Directions
The eight trigrams in the Book of Changes (Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui) correspond to eight directions and natural phenomena, giving rise to the "Nine Palace Flying Stars" and "Eight House Mirror" systems of fortune and misfortune. For example, the "wealth position" is often located diagonally opposite the front door, so it should be kept bright and clean to attract wealth. The Qian hexagram represents the northwest and symbolizes authority; the Kan hexagram represents the north and symbolizes wisdom.
In Feng Shui practice, the Bagua is often used to determine the orientation and functional areas of a house. For example, the Gen Gua in the northeast is considered the "ghost gate" and is not suitable as the main entrance; the Li Gua in the south represents light and is suitable for use as a living room or office area. Feng shui masters also use a compass (feng shui compass) to measure the precise orientation of the house to ensure that the layout complies with the principles of the Bagua.
5. Situation and Qi
Feng Shui is divided into the Form School and the Qi School, each of which has its own emphasis in theory and practice:
Form School: Focus on the observation of topography and emphasize the influence of "shape" on the aura. For example, the ideal Feng Shui layout should be "Azure Dragon on the left, White Tiger on the right, Vermillion Bird in front, and Black Tortoise behind", that is, there is flowing water on the left (Azure Dragon), a road on the right (White Tiger), an open space in front (Vermillion Bird), and a mountain behind (Black Tortoise).
- dragon: The direction of the mountain range symbolizes the source of energy.
- hole: A gathering point suitable for construction.
- sand: Hills or buildings around the cave site, used to block wind and gather energy.
- water: Rivers or roads, symbolizing the flow of wealth.
- Towards: Coordination of building orientation and location.
Qi-regulating School：Focus on the calculation of time, direction and eight characters, and emphasize the flow law of "qi". The Li Qi school will analyze the auspicious and inauspicious directions of a house in different time periods based on theories such as the Fei Xing school and the Xuan Kong Da Gua. Combining astronomical calendar and Xuan Kong Feixing, the direction is accurately measured through a compass to calculate the temporal and spatial changes of the aura.
Practical Application of Feng Shui
1. Feng Shui of Yangzhai (living environment)
Site selection is the first step in Feng Shui, and applies to residences, cemeteries, commercial buildings, etc. An ideal Feng Shui site should have the following characteristics:
Site Selection: It is best to have your back to the mountain and face the water. In modern times, it can be interpreted as having a mountain to lean on behind (a sense of security) and a bright space in front (a broad view). There is a mountain or highland behind to support oneself, which can be interpreted in modern times as having a backer (sense of security) and a bright water flow or open land (broad vision) in front, symbolizing stability and wealth.
Containing wind and gathering energy: The terrain should avoid facing strong winds directly and should be surrounded by winds, such as having hills or buildings on both sides for protection.
Gentle terrain: Avoid terrain that is too steep or low-lying to prevent unstable aura or water accumulation.
door: Avoid facing elevators, stairs or straight corridors to avoid "through hall evil" (air flowing straight in and out).
living room: It should be spacious and bright, and the sofa against the wall symbolizes having a backer.
bedroom: Avoid beams above the head of the bed and do not place the mirror facing the bed (to avoid being startled).
Kitchen and toilet：The kitchen belongs to fire, and it should not be adjacent to the toilet, which belongs to water, to prevent "water and fire conflict".
2. Business Feng Shui
The orientation of a house should be determined according to the terrain and the Bagua. For example, a house facing south has good lighting, which meets the yang energy requirements of a yang house.
door: The front door is the entrance to the aura and should avoid facing an elevator, sharp corners or roads (called "road rush"). If it cannot be changed, you can use a screen or plants to resolve it.
Space partition: The living room should be located in the center or south of the house, symbolizing the active atmosphere of the family; the bedroom should be located in the east or north to promote rest and health.
Store location: Following the principle of "Green Dragon on the left and White Tiger on the right", the building on the left should be higher than the one on the right to attract customers.
checkout counter: Set it in the "wealth position" and keep it clean to gather wealth.
office: The supervisor’s seat should be at the back of the room to have a comprehensive understanding of the overall situation; employees should avoid sitting with their backs to the door to reduce anxiety.
3. Interior layout
Indoor Feng Shui focuses on furniture placement, color matching and the selection of decorations:
- bed: The head of the bed should not face the door or window to avoid direct airflow; the space under the bed should be kept clean to avoid clutter that affects the aura.
- desk: There should be something to lean on behind (such as a wall) and an open space in front, which symbolizes the stability of career and room for development.
- Mirror: Mirrors should not be placed directly facing the bed or the door to avoid reflecting the aura or causing anxiety.
- Plants and water features: Green plants symbolize vitality and are suitable to be placed in the east; fish tanks or flowing water devices symbolize wealth and are suitable to be placed in the north.
In Hong Kong, many families place Feng Shui ornaments such as Pixiu, gourds or crystal balls indoors to enhance the aura or dispel evil spirits.
Daily Adjustment
Feng Shui is not a one-time solution and needs to be adjusted according to time and environmental changes. For example, the Feixing School's "Annual Flying Stars" theory believes that the auspicious and inauspicious directions of each year will change with the changes in the Nine Palace Flying Stars. Feng Shui masters will recommend adjusting the position of furniture or adding items to resolve bad luck in certain years, such as placing metal objects in bad locations to ward off evil.
In addition, daily cleaning and maintenance are also part of Feng Shui. Keeping the house tidy, repairing broken furniture, and avoiding clutter will all help the circulation and stability of the aura.
The Science of Feng Shui
Modern Applications
- Residential: Many people will consult a Feng Shui master when buying or renting a house to ensure that the orientation and layout of the house meet their needs. For example, luxury housing projects in Hong Kong often use "feng shui design" as a selling point.
- Business：Companies will consider Feng Shui factors when choosing a location and decorating their offices. For example, the design of the HSBC headquarters building is said to incorporate feng shui principles, such as the lion statue in front of the gate to protect the house.
- Urban Plan: Although modern urban planning is based on science, the influence of Feng Shui still exists. For example, the site selection and design of Hong Kong government buildings once sparked controversy over feng shui, demonstrating the public's concern about feng shui.
Environmental Science Perspective
- Ventilation and lighting: A house facing south is warm in winter and cool in summer.
- Traffic flow planning: Avoid furniture from hindering walking, which is ergonomic.
- Psychological hints: A neat and orderly space can reduce anxiety and improve efficiency.
The evolution of Feng Shui in contemporary society
- Technology Integration: The compass is combined with GPS positioning, and the mobile phone APP can quickly analyze the location of the house.
- Impact of globalization: A Feng Shui craze swept across Europe and the United States, with brands such as IKEA launching furniture that complies with Feng Shui principles.
- Environmental Feng Shui: Emphasize green architecture and energy-saving design, in line with the concept of sustainable development.
Feng Shui as a cultural heritage and art of living
Feng Shui combines the ancient people's awe of nature, pursuit of harmony, and exploration of the unknown. Although its theory is mixed with metaphysical elements, its core spirit - creating a comfortable and balanced living environment - is still worth learning from for modern people. Whether viewed as traditional wisdom or folk belief, Feng Shui is deeply rooted in the genes of Chinese culture and has become a unique philosophy that connects the past and the future.
