What is Feng Shui

The ancient art of feng shui has been practiced in China for thousand of years. Feng shui is not a miracle cure but rather a metaphysical science and also an art. As a science, feng shui encompassed a wide study of geography, geology, topography, astronomy, astrology, mathematics and the flow of cosmic energy (qi). In short, Feng shui is a form of physiognomy which is the art of assessing the physical features and qi of a property to determine its effects on the occupants in terms of compatibility, career, personal luck, health, family relationships and the general well being.

In Chinese terminology, Feng literally means wind and Shui means water, which is the interacting qi of heaven and earth. Both air and water are the most basic essentials to ensure the survival of mankind. To show the origin of feng shui’s link between water and wealth, cities around the world (such as Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Amsterdam) which are strategically located along the coastlines would generally enjoy good entrepot trade which in turn brings prosperity. In China, traditional buildings (like the Forbidden City in Beijing) was designed according to feng shui principles such as shapes, layout, symmetry, dimensions, height, interior decor, landscaping, orientation, weather, yin yang and the five elements. Scientifically, the north south orientation of the buildings was aligned to the stars in order to harness the cosmic energies from the universe and to protect against the harsh winter wind from the north. These buildings will also avoid the placement of doors and windows on the north wall.
The fundamental philosophy of feng shui is based on the principles of I-Ching 64 hexagrams, the cycles of the 5 elements, the balancing of Yin Yang, the eight trigrams of the Bagua and the theories of Luo shu and He Tu. In Form School of feng shui, a house with good feng shui should be situated on elevated ground and be embraced by a U shaped formation from the surrounding hills and mountains. This form of landscape formation is symbolically represented by the four celestial animals namely, with the black tortoise hill at the back of the house to symbolized support, a higher green dragon hill on the left, a lower white tiger hill on the right and the red phoenix
hill in front. In addition, the house must be facing a meandering river to ensure that the nourishing qi is able to accumulate in front of the house, ensuring good fortunes and prosperity for the occupants. During hot seasons, the river will provide a cooling effect and act as a source of water supply in case there is a fire in the house. Basically, the embracing formation and the green vegetation of the surrounding landscapes will act as a form of protection from strong winds, landslides and floods.

However, in modernized cities where mountains and rivers is not a common sight, tall buildings symbolized mountains and roads are viewed as rivers, which in feng shui will have a significant effect on our mind, actions, spirits and fate.

The term Qi in Chinese refers to a life energy that is ever present and circulating in our environment. Ideally, a perfect feng shui model requires blessing and harmony from the trinity forces of heaven, earth and human qi. From heaven, there is the cosmic energy from the stars, the air, the weather, the four seasons and the forces of yin yang. On earth, qi flows through the undulating contours of the mountains, rivers, underground springs, vegetation, buildings and magnetic field that shaped the topography of the land. Lastly, the human qi refers to the cultural, social, educational and family background of a person, which tends to shape one’s character, actions, habits, health and aura. In other words, feng shui is the art of harnessing auspicious qi from these three realms to bring about beneficial effects such as the enhancement of one’s luck, fate and aid in the achievement of personal goals.

In ancient China, the Emperor would consult his imperial advisors regarding political, military and personal issues such as:

· the building of imperial palaces, burial sites and temples
· the building of new cities and public infrastructures
· selecting of auspicious dates for worshipping rituals to seek blessing from heaven for a good harvest and for peace of the kingdom
· the waging of war and the directional movement of troops

In those days, these highly knowledgeable advisors were experts in astronomy, astrology, feng shui, traditional Chinese medicine, mathematics, military strategies and Chinese philosophy. They would observe the astrological movement of the Big Dipper to predict future events. By using the I-Ching divination they were also able to foretell omens and hence, avoid impending disasters.

Till today, it is still very difficult to unveil the hidden secrets and meanings behind the ancient feng shui texts that have been written by great masters. This is because in olden times, the practices and application of feng shui were confined to the Emperors and the imperial officials. In order to prevent the unethical practices of feng shui, much of the feng shui secrets and theories were written in the form of poems with no punctuation to mislead or confused the reader. As a result, most of the closely guarded feng shui techniques were passed down through oral transmission from the Master to their immediate families.

Today, a feng shui master is like the doctor of the environment. During a feng shui audit, the master will conduct a detailed study of the external environment, the orientation, the layout of the house as well as the destiny analysis of the occupants. Subsequently, the master would recommend measures to correct any disharmony or imbalances in our living and working environment.

According to Chinese belief, the success of a person depends on 5 main factors:
· destiny
· luck
· feng shui
· charitable deeds
· education

It is very common for us to blame it on our fate and luck when things are not going our way. In the book “Changing destiny Liao Fan’s four lessons” written by Mr. Yuan Liao Fan, a prominent high ranking officer who lived in the 16th century Ming dynasty, Liao Fan mentioned that our destiny is not predestined and can be changed through the cultivation and practice of good virtues. In Buddhism, a person who engages in unethical and harmful acts will ultimately suffer the consequences of their own karma. There is also a popular saying that a person who enjoys good fortunes and karma will live in a house with good feng shui.

Very often, most people tend to focus only on the feng shui of the house and overlook the physical feng shui of oneself. A person with good physical feng shui has strong human qi. These are confident people who possessed strong interpersonal skills, which enable them to create new opportunities from their networking, in return enable them to obtain support from important people. To take a holistic approach, it is equally important to create a good feng shui for the house and also for oneself.

In conclusion, I hoped that this article would help to evict some of the common misconceptions about feng shui, especially for people who are skeptical and regards feng shui as a form of superstition. Last but not least, feng shui is a science and not a miracle cure for all our problems.

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