Feng Shui

Classic Loupan

People usually don’t like change, but there is a welcomed change among us called Feng Shui (pronounced fung shway). This ancient Chinese art and science of creating balanced and harmonious environments is now becoming almost a household word with even Donald Trump talking about the use of Feng Shui for his towers. Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and books abound with this latest and hottest new technology. But how "new" is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui has been around for 3,000 years. It’s first text mention is reported to be 220 BC. It is, however, relatively new to non-Chinese speaking Americans. So, let us explore what Feng Shui is.

Feng Shui teaches us how to create harmony and balance around us. Literally translated from Chinese, Feng Shui, means wind and water. It could be said very simply that Feng Shui is the art and science of capturing chi with water and moving it with wind. As we delve a little deeper into Feng Shui we can see the oneness and interconnectedness of all things on all levels and dimensions. As we begin to grasp this concept then we find that it is possible to look at our environment with larger eyes. We can see if entrance is constricted and dark or open and light; if the colors inside are dark and not very balanced, or light and complementary; if the wall is too close to the entrance as we walk in and it is compressing our energy field, or if it is open and expanding. We might also notice the earth, metal, fire, water, or wood energies are depleting our Chi on one side but on the other side of the room we sense that the same energies are much more supportive. As we continue on our discovery into this space we tune in to the electronic pollution emanating from the electric power line and transformer just outside the wall and it makes us feel somewhat irritated. Additionally we are now conscious of the quality of the air. We can also determine the atmosphere, whether happy events have occurred here or perhaps there is some energy around that makes us feel like there was an argument in the house recently. A lot of this awareness is intuitive and some of it comes from some training we have received. Feng Shui gives us clear distinctions to determine the causes of these energies and how to use this information to arrange our environment in more harmonious ways.

Over time different schools of Feng Shui have been developed. Although the basic principles remain the same, each school has a slightly different approach to the subject.

Form School: Focuses mainly on the physical landscape, the shapes, sizes, watercourses, water views, and the relationship between the physical landscape and the buildings. Here you will find information about the four animals and how they relate to the directions, "secret" arrows, and the best placement of a house, town, office, etc.

Black Hat Sect: In 1986 Professor Lin Yun developed a hybrid of Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism and Feng Shui simplified for Western tastes. This system has a huge following in the US. Rather than using the traditional magnetic compass to determine directions, each house or room is judged from the position of its door.

Intuitive Feng Shui: Individual practitioners may be more perceptive than others may, but Feng Shui changes must be based on the rules and not just a ‘feeling’. Feng Shui follows very definite guidelines that have been developed over thousands of years. Intuition is a great asset, but cannot be relied on entirely for accuracy in this case (just as it cannot be relied on entirely for accuracy in the case of mathematics, geometry, or physics).

Traditional Chinese Compass School Feng Shui: This system has been being developed for approximately 3,000 years. It uses the Eight Trigrams of the I-Ching, the eight-sided pa kua symbol, and the luoshu magic square that is used to divide the building into nine sectors. In this system the life aspirations are located according to direction. Included in this system you will find the Xuan Kong (Flying Star) system which is the most sophisticated system in Feng Shui along with the Eight House System. There are many Feng Shui secrets to be uncovered in this school, such as the Castle Gate, Secret Door practices, Divine Dragons, Wang Shan Wang Shui, Shang Shan, Xian Shui, Shang Shan Xia Shui, and many others. The effectiveness of this school makes it well worth our time and energy to learn. The practices have been so well thought out (over 3,000 years) that we can utilize them with much less effort than is imagined.

The Luoshu or Magic Square

There exists mathematic patterns in nature (the macrocosmic) that we (the microcosmic) conform to. An example of this is known as the Fibonacci Sequence (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21...). This is a sequence of numbers in which each number in the series is the sum of the two previous numbers. For example, 3 + 5 = 8; 5 + 8 = 13, and so forth to infinity. You can find the Fibonacci Sequence on many flowers. The number of petals is a Fibonacci number: buttercups 5; lily and iris, 3; daisies, 8,13, 21, 34, 55 or 89. We all have Fibonacci fingers: 2 hands, each of which has 5 fingers broken up into 3 parts of 2 knuckles. In fact, please know that Feng Shui's fundamental principles correspond to the numbers of the Fibonacci Sequence: Yin and Yang (2), the Luoshu (3), Five Phases (5), and Eight Trigrams (8). To sum up, the Fibonacci Sequence, the Golden Ratio and Pi are examples of mathematical patterns found in nature and our bodies. They have influenced art, architecture, and music.

The ancient Chinese recognised these patterns in nature and recorded their findings in the Zhouyi. Now, what's the Zhouyi you ask? During the Han dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) scholars set about collecting the great texts of their culture. Before the Han dynasty the Yijing (I Ching/Book of Changes) was known as the Zhouyi, a oracle of all cosmic and human conditions. Commentaries called the Ten Wings were attached to the Zhouyi and the new compilation was called the Yijing. The origin of the Zhouyi remains a mystery. Modern scholars believe it was most likely an accumulative text written by many people. Although the mythical sage-king Fuxi, King Wen (the founder of the Zhou dynasty) and his son the Duke of Zhou are often credited with writing the Zhouyi, there is no proof.

Anyway, the ancients recorded their observations of nature symbolically in the form of solid (yang) and broken (yin) lines. However, in 1980, a scholar named Zhang Zhengland discovered that the lines of the trigrams and hexagrams were actually not part of the Zhouyi. Oracle bones and bronze sacrificial containers dating from 1500 - 1000 BC record trigrams and hexagrams in numeric form, proving that originally, the Zhouyi/Yijing was based on numerological divination. Zhengland theorized that over time the odd numbers became the solid yang lines; even numbers, the broken yin lines as we now know them.

The classical system of Flying Star (or The Nine Floating Stars) is a mathematical system. There are two specific mathematical diagrams of the universe. One is the Hetu or Yellow River Map. This is a pattern of black (yin) and white (yang) dots purportedly found on a dragon-horse emerging from the Yellow River. The Hetu symbolises the ideal, perfect, and sedentary world.

The Luoshu, also known as the Luo River Writing, is a pattern of black (yin) and white (yang) dots said to be found inscribed on a turtle's shell. The Luoshu correlates to the After Heaven Sequence of trigrams (conceivable as early as the Han dynasty 206 BC - AD 22) denoting motion, transformation, and interaction of natural and human qi. Now, we all know these two diagrams couldn't have appeared on the backs of animals. The fact is, their origins are unknown.

Just like the Hetu, the Luoshu's dots correspond to a number. Numerically, the pattern is thus:

The Luoshu is also known as the Magic Square of Three. This is because three numbers add up to 15 along any diagonal, vertical, or horizontal line. In the early Warring States period (475 - 221 BC), the principle of the five phases, the 8 trigrams, and the Luoshu correlated into one system. We call this the pa gua (a nine-celled grid).

Like the After Heaven trigram sequence, the Luoshu diagram moves, symbolizing a world of constant transformation. Although the nine-celled pa gua is square, it is inherently cyclic. First, connect the two pairs of odd (yang) numbers 1 and 9, and 3 and 7. Then, draw a line through the cells 6 and 1, 8 and 3, 4 and 9, and 2 and 7. The end result should look like a counterclockwise swastika (not to be confused with the clockwise symbol used by Hitler's Third Reich.)

The swastika moves in a counterclockwise fashion because it expresses future time. The clockwise movement expresses passing time. Richard Wilhelm in his preface to the I Ching (1950) explains it this way: "The usual clockwise movement, cumulative and expanding as time goes one, determines the events that are passing; an opposite, backward movement, folding up and contracting as time goes, through which the seeds of the future take form. To know this movement is to know the future. In figurative terms, if we understand how a tree is contracted into a seed, we understand the future unfolding of the seed into a tree."

Feng Shui is concerned with predicting the probability of future events. Please know the Chinese are concerned with acausal probabilities, chance happenings and coincidences that are connected by seemingly unrelated events. They believe human events are not necessarily caused by natural phenomena, only connected in an acausal relationship. Countless hours through countless centuries were spend correlating acausal events between the macrocosmic world and our well-being (again, the microcosmic). Numbers became a method of recording and predicting.

(By the way, this acausal theory is called synchronicity, a word coined by Carl Jung.)

Each number of the pa gua reflects a certain kind of chi. It's important to understand (following the law of yin and yang) that no number can be favorable all the time. Rather, its favourability is cyclic. That said, in Flying Star, one moves the numbers around the pa gua in a specific sequence. Numbers and time go hand-in-hand. The 20-year cycle your home 'was born into', the annual year, and you're home's trigram are all significant. The number configuration within each cell can help predict likely events. These events can either be discouraged or encouraged by the placement of one of the five phases. Remember, the five phases, the luoshu numbers, directions, and trigrams were correlated. So, for example, South is associated with the Li trigram, the color red, and the number 9.

The Luo Shu Square with its 3 x 3 grid or nine sectors is used in Compass School Feng Shui called The Flying Star Theory (Xuan Kong Fei Xing). The Luo Shu Square helps the Feng Shui practitioner to analyze a site, a house, a flat (apartment) and/or an office space or building. It is used to unlock the time dimension of Feng Shui and allows the practitioner to accurately know when is the best time to make changes to the site, the home or the interior decoration.

The previously mentioned 20-year cycle can be explained as thus:-

The Chinese Lunar calendar consists of a 180 year cycle (9 periods of 20 years). One Lunar cycle comprises: -

Each cycle is divided into 3 groups: Upper, Middle and Lower. Each group comprise 3 periods. Each period is 20 years.

We are now under the Period 7 of the lower period (Year 1984 to Year 2003).

We will be entering PERIOD 8 in the year 2004.

Each of the 9 periods have a number each and in this period (Year 1984 to Year 2003), the reigning number is 7. This number is said to be auspicious and considered to bring luck and good fortune if one includes the number 7 to i.e. telephone number, car number or house number etc..

Yin and Yang

The twin concepts of Yin and Yang are peculiar to ancient Chinese cosmology. Yin and Yang are symbolized by the sun and the moon. They are the two opposing forces active in the universe.

Yin is said to exist in Yang and Yang exists in Yin. This changing combination of negative and positive, dark and light, cold and hot which keeps the world spinning creates Qi or the life giving force of the universe.

Below: A 17th century Chinese painting showing the 3 deities:

(from left) Longevity (in yellow) dress, Prosperity (in blue) and Luck (in brown) looking at a scroll of the yinyang symbol.

The female principle of yin is associated with the earth, with the North and cold. Originally, Yin means `shady side' which is the side of a mountain which is not facing the sun. The word is also used to mean the dark, cold room in which ice was stored in summer. Yang is related to Heaven, South, the Emperor, the dragon and all uneven numbers are yang-numbers.

The Five Elements

The core of Chinese sciences of the Universe: Feng Shui, the Chinese Astrology and various other Divinity methods revolves around the understanding of the importance of the Five Elements. These elements are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal and are considered the building blocks of life.

According to ancient Chinese, these Five Elements are interactive, shape and stimulate our daily life.

It is important to understand that there is a natural order in which leads to harmony, prosperity and happiness.

The productive sequence is as follows: Water nourish plants and trees: producing Wood, Wood makes Fire which burnt into ashes to form Earth, Earth is the source of Metal. Metal can be condensed to water or can be melted into liquid i.e. `Water'. Therefore this process is known as the productive sequence.

There is also a destructive sequence, which is the cause of bad events and calamities.

This is a result of an imbalance or a disturbance to the natural order. This is where: Water puts out Fire; Fire melts Metal; Metal breaks Wood; Wood (roots of plants) penetrates the Earth; and Earth is absorbed Water.

In some cases, Feng Shui experts will advice you to place a neutralizing element to avoid such harmful effects.

The Ten Heavenly Stems

The Five Elements : Water, Earth, Fire, Wood and Metal and their relationships with the TEN Heavenly Stems: -

The Ten Heavenly Stems reflect the plane of Heaven on the Chinese compass. This Ten Heavenly stems by combining with the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals (Earthly Branch) forms the basis of the Chinese Calendar System. The relationship between the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches are as follows:-

The table below shows how each Heavenly Stem is combined with an Earthly Branch. For Example: 1954 to 1983 belongs to the Middle Period :-

The Dragon's Breath

Imagine you are in a room and all the windows are closed. Do you find the room `stuffy' and the air stale? Prolong stay may result in ill health for the occupants.

Chinese belief that there are energy forces in the earth and there must be an equal balance between Yang (positive) and Yin (negative) in order to achieve good chi or cosmic breath. The discovery of magnetic forces on the earth also lead to the invention of the compass.

Chi around us promote growth, health, vitality. Feng Shui is all about the art of detecting and utilizing this cosmic breath for perfect health, harmony, wealth and happiness for the occupants.

Two important points to note:-

1. Adverse or bad chi flows in a straight line. This can be corrected with the use of the "Pakua" or a Trigram with a reflective mirror in the middle.

2. Good chi does not flow in a straight line but rather it is advantages to allow it to circulate within a building to avoid `stale air'. Straight paths should be avoided at all costs as good chi cannot be retained in such a situation.

This has been a very brief and simplistic introduction to a vast subject. To attempt to cover everything would be to fill up thousands of pages and this is not the place. The interested reader is encouraged to read further and study deeper.