The art of Feng Shui was originally called Kan Yu, sometimes translated as the study of the heavens and earth. Kan Yu emerged as a study aimed at determining ideal burial spots so that the descendants of the dead could enjoy good fortune and avoid misfortune. Later, the principles of Kan Yu came to be applied to living areas and peoples' homes.
The term Feng Shui replaced the term "Kan Yu" for this study fairly recently, towards the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). As far as is known today, the term was first used in the Zang Shu (Book of Burial), written by Guo Pu around 300 CE. The passage of the Zang Shu which gave Kan Yu its new name states that:
Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water. The ancients collected it to prevent its dissipation, and guided it to assure its retention. Thus it was called fengshui.
There are two main systems used in classical Feng Shui today. They are called Luan Tou and Li Qi.
Luan Tou, literally translated as "mountain head", mainly focuses on careful observation of the appearance of external land formations. The shape and appearance of features like mountains, waterways and roads allow the trained practitioner to evaluate the quality of the Qi in the area.
Li Qi mainly focuses on the use of formulae to calculate the quality of natural features, location and effects of Qi around a site. The flow of Qi and the effects of direction, time, numerology and the birth dates of the residents are all considered.
The two systems overlap and complement one another. Furthermore, both systems incorporate the study of landforms and time. The main distinction is that of emphasis. Li Qi places more of an emphasis on time, and Luan Tou places more emphasis on landforms.
There are two major schools of thought in classical Feng Shui, both of which incorporate both Li Qi and Luan Tou. They are called San He ("three combinations") and San Yuan ("three cycles").
San He is the older school, and it focuses mainly on the landforms in the environment (thus, it leans more heavily toward the Luan Tou system). By understanding how natural forces influence Qi, it aims to allow practitioners to find an optimal location from which to tap into the Qi of the environment. The idea is that by using superior landforms and house structures, the beneficial Qi will outlast any temporary unfavorable influences caused by the passage of time. Formulas used in the San He system include:
San Yuan utilizes mathematical and numerical logic derived from the Yi Jing ("Classic of Changes") to perform time-based calculations on the activity of Qi. It is more biased toward the Li Qi system. Practitioners of San Yuan take a dynamic approach to updating their Feng Shui in order to stay in sync with the qualities of Qi at a particular time. The following Feng Shui techniques are a part of the San Yuan school:
There is some overlap between these systems, and most modern Feng Shui masters use both systems to some degree. The question of which school you should use when performing Feng Shui is best answered by figuring out what you hope to accomplish, and the scale of the application. Large-scale developments are more suited to the San He approach. Using this form of Feng Shui will allow a property to prosper in the long term. An example of applications best suited to San He include shopping malls and hotels.
For quick results and short-term effects, it is best to use the San Yuan school. This means using approaches like Eight Mansion or Flying Star Feng Shui. This especially applies to offices, apartments or homes that are rented for relatively short-term occupation.
Feng Shui is not interior design. Nor should it be called "The Art of Placement". It is not a system that relies on buying good-luck objects like three-legged toads or five-element pagodas, and it doesn't have anything to do with living in harmony with nature.
Authentic Feng Shui does not dictate what colors you paint your house or the materials you choose for your flooring. It also doesn't determine the style of furniture you should place in your home or office.
Classical Feng Shui is a study of the physiognomy of the external environment. This means that Feng Shui practitioners evaluate the the flow of Qi and its effects upon an area's occupants based on the observation of appearances and through using formulas and calculations that are related to this appearance. By calculating the qualities of Qi in a site, the residents can tap into that energy to further their life goals.
Qi is created by the interaction between mountains and hills with water formations. This refers to real mountains and real water. Man-made objects do not create Qi. Large man-made objects can influence the flow of Qi, but decorative items do not emit Qi in and of themselves.
To summarize, Feng Shui is a field of knowledge that enables practitioners to perform an accurate analysis of the Qi within an area and how that Qi will affect the residents. Because Qi is cyclical in nature, skilled Feng Shui practitioners can even predict outcomes based on the calculations they perform. This is not a psychic or intuitive approach; it is based on calculation methods that have stood the test of time.
In a similar vein, Feng Shui is not a religion. It does not rely on any kind of superstitious belief or mythology. Sometimes you will see words like "Heaven" used in relation to Feng Shui, but this refers to the sky and outer space, not any kind of religious setting. There is no need to have any kind of faith in Feng Shui in order to feel its effects. Although the skillful application of Feng Shui is certainly an art, Feng Shui is more like science than religion.
Classical Feng Shui considers four factors in its application:
The most important of these factors is the external environment. The natural layout of mountains, hills, water formations and surrounding buildings and roads determines the quality of Qi that affects a particular area. Studying the external environment allows us to evaluate the way Qi flows into a property, and lets us know what kind of Qi is available to tap into.
Building shapes and layouts are also an important factor to consider. Tapping into good Qi in the external environment is an important first step in having good Feng Shui, but it is equally important to utilize the Qi within a property in the appropriate way, and to ensure that it can flow throughout a building in an appropriate way.
Feng Shui will have different effects upon different occupants in a property, which is why the residents must be one of the primary factors.
Finally, change is reflected by the passage of time, and no property will enjoy permanent good or bad fortune. Thus, time must be considered when evaluating the Feng Shui of a property.
According to Chinese metaphysics, our lives are influenced by three main factors, referred to as the Cosmic Trinity.
The three forces that make up the Cosmic Trinity have more or less equal impacts upon our lives. Thus, the proper application of Feng Shui can help you control about 33% of the influences on your life! Coupled with taking responsibility for the choices you make and the people you associate with, you can control up to 2/3 of the influences that govern your fate.
