Feng shui
Feng Shui Luopan Compass
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese:	風水
Simplified Chinese:	风水
Literal meaning:	wind-water
Filipino name
Tagalog:	pungsoy
Japanese name
Kanji:	風水
Hiragana:	ふうすい
Korean name
Hangul:	풍수
Hanja:	風水
Thai name
Thai:	ฮวงจุ้ย (Huang Jui)
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese:	Phong thủy

Feng shui (traditional Chinese: 風水; simplified Chinese: 风水; pinyin: fēng shuǐ; pronounced /ˌfʌŋˈʃweɪ/ fung-shway or sometimes /ˌfʌŋˈʃwiː/ fung-shwee in English) is an ancient Chinese practice believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy) and earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive Qi. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use In traditional Chinese culture, qi (zh [[wikt氣 氣]] Pinyin qì, Wade-Giles ch'i Jyutping ^[1] The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu (traditional Chinese: 堪輿; simplified Chinese: 堪舆; pinyin: kānyú; literally: heaven and earth)^[2]. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use

The words 'feng shui' literally translate as "wind-water"in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the following passage of the Zhangshu (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu of the Jin Dynasty:^[3]

Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water. Guo Pu ( 276–324 Courtesy name Jingchun (景纯 born in Yuncheng Shanxi, was a noted natural historian and also a versatile and prolific writer The Jìn Dynasty ( 265 – 420) one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties ^[3]

Many modern enthusiasts claim that feng shui is the practice of arranging objects (such as furniture) to help people achieve their goals. More traditionally, feng shui is important in choosing a place to live and finding a burial site, along with agricultural planning.

Proponents claim that feng shui has an effect on health, wealth and personal relationships. Critics consider it a pseudoscience, even sorcery. Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers

Contents 1 Archaeology 2 Early Instruments and Techniques 3 Foundation theories 3.1 Qi (ch'i) 3.2 Polarity 3.3 Bagua (eight symbols) 3.4 School 3.5 Modern techniques 4 Modern developments 4.1 Feng Shui compasses and geomagnetism 5 Criticism 6 Current research 7 References 8 Further reading 8.1 Academic Works 8.2 New Age Variants 9 See also

Archaeology

Currently Yangshao and Hongshan cultures provide the earliest evidence for Feng Shui. The Yangshao culture ( was a Neolithic culture that existed extensively along the central Yellow River in China. The Hongshan culture ( was a Neolithic culture in northeastern China. Until the invention of the magnetic compass, apparently Feng Shui relied on astronomy to find correlations between humans and the universe. Astronomy in China has a very long history Oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty ( 2nd millennium BC) record eclipses and novae ^[4]

In 4000 BCE the doors of Banpo dwellings were aligned to the asterism Yingshi just after the winter solstice -- this sited the homes for solar gain. Banpo (半坡 is an archaeological site first discovered in 1953 and located in the Yellow River Valley just east of Xi'an, China. Solar gain (also known as solar heat gain or passive solar gain) refers to the increase in Temperature in a space object or structure that results from ^[5] During the Zhou era, Yingshi was known as Ding and used to indicate the appropriate time to build a capital city, according to the Shijing. Shi Jing ( translated variously as the Classic of Poetry, the Book of Songs or the Book of Odes, is the earliest The late Yangshao site at Dadiwan (c. The Dadiwan culture ( Chinese: 大地灣文化 5800 - 5400 BC) was a Neolithic culture found primarily in Gansu and western Shaanxi 3500-3000 BCE) includes a palace-like building (F901) at the center. The building faces south and borders a large plaza. It is on a north-south axis with another building that apparently housed communal activities. The complex may have been used by regional communities. ^[6]

A grave at Puyang (c. Puyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province China. 3000 BCE) that contains mosaics of the Dragon and Tiger asterisms and Beidou (the Big Dipper, Ladle or Bushel) is oriented along a north-south axis. Dippers are members of the genus Cinclus in the Bird family Cinclidae ^[7] The presence of both round and square shapes in the Puyang tomb, at Hongshan culture ceremonial centers and the late Longshan settlement at Lutaigang,^[8] suggests that gaitian cosmography (heaven-round, earth-square) was present in Chinese society long before it appeared in the Zhou Bi Suan Jing. The Hongshan culture ( was a Neolithic culture in northeastern China. ^[9]

Cosmography that bears a striking resemblance to modern Feng Shui devices and formulas was found on a jade unearthed at Hanshan and dated around 3000 BCE. The design is linked by archaeologist Li Xueqin to the liuren astrolabe, zhinan zhen, and Luopan. The astrolabe is a historical Astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers, Navigators Luopan is a Chinese magnetic compass also known as a Feng Shui Compass. ^[10]

Beginning with palatial structures at Erlitou,^[11] all capital cities of China followed rules of Feng Shui for their design and layout. The Erlitou culture (simplified Chinese 二里头文化 traditional Chinese 二里頭文化 Pinyin: èrlǐtóu wénhuà ( 2100 BC to 1800 BC or 1500 These rules were codified during the Zhou era in the Kaogong ji (traditional Chinese: 考工記; simplified Chinese: 考工记; "Manual of Crafts"). Rules for builders were codified in the carpenter's manual Lu ban jing (traditional Chinese: 魯班經; simplified Chinese: 鲁班经; "Lu ban's manuscript"). Graves and tombs also followed rules of Feng Shui, from Puyang to Mawangdui and beyond. Mawangdui ( is an archaeological site located in Changsha, China. From the earliest records, it seems that the rules for the structures of the graves and dwellings were the same.

Early Instruments and Techniques

The history of feng shui covers 3,500+ years^[12] before the invention of the magnetic compass. Its origins are in astronomy. ^[13] Some current techniques can be traced to Neolithic China,^[14] while others were added later (most notably the Han dynasty, the Tang, the Song, and the Ming). The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led ^[15]

The astronomical history of Feng Shui is evident in the development of instruments and techniques. According to the Zhouli the original Feng Shui instrument may have been a gnomon. The gnomon is the part of a Sundial that casts the Shadow. Gnomon (γνώμων is an Ancient Greek word meaning "indicator" "one who Chinese used circumpolar stars to determine the north-south axis of settlements. This technique explains why Shang palaces at Xiaotun lie 10° east of due north. Yinxu ( is the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty ( 1766 BC - 1050 BC) In some cases, as Paul Wheatley observed,^[16] they bisected the angle between the directions of the rising and setting sun to find north. This technique provided the more precise alignments of the Shang walls at Yanshi and Zhengzhou. Yanshi ( is a County-level city administered by the Prefecture-level city of Luoyang in western Henan province, People's Republic Zhengzhou ( formerly called Zhengxian is a Prefecture-level city, and the capital of Henan province, People's Republic of China.

The oldest examples of instruments used for feng shui are liuren astrolabes. The astrolabe is a historical Astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers, Navigators These consist of a lacquered, two-sided board with astronomical sightlines. Liuren astrolabes have been unearthed from tombs that date between 278 BCE and 209 BCE. They show the cord-hook diagram and some models include the magic square of three. In Recreational mathematics, a magic square of order n is an arrangement of n ² numbers usually distinct Integers in a square, such They were commonly used to chart the motion of Taiyi through the nine palaces. ^[17] The markings are virtually unchanged from the astrolabe to the first magnetic compasses. ^[18]

The magnetic compass was invented for Feng Shui^[19] and has been in use since its invention. Traditional Feng Shui instrumentation consists of the Luopan or the earlier south-pointing spoon (zhinan zhen) -- though a conventional compass could suffice if one understood the differences. Luopan is a Chinese magnetic compass also known as a Feng Shui Compass. A Feng Shui ruler (a later invention) may also be employed.

Foundation theories

The goal of feng shui as practiced today is to situate the human built environment on spots with good qi. The "perfect spot" is a location and an axis in time. Some areas are not suitable for human settlement and should be left in their natural state.

Qi (ch'i)

Qi is a difficult word to translate and is usually left untranslated. In traditional Chinese culture, qi (zh [[wikt氣 氣]] Pinyin qì, Wade-Giles ch'i Jyutping Literally the word means "air". In martial arts qi refers to internal or physical energy.

In New Age interpretations of Feng Shui, "qi" typically is synonymous with "energy" (usually interpreted as willpower and initiative). A more traditional explanation of qi as it relates to Feng Shui would consider a holistic understanding of local microclimates, the orientation of the structure, its age, and its interaction with the surrounding environment from the slope of the land to the vegetation and soil quality. A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the Climate differs from the surrounding area

One use for a Luopan is to detect the flow of qi. Luopan is a Chinese magnetic compass also known as a Feng Shui Compass. It could be said that feng shui assesses the quality of the local environment and the effects of space weather -- that is, feng shui is qimancy, or qi divination. Space weather is the concept of changing environmental conditions in Outer space. Divination (from Latin divinare "to be inspired by a god" related to Divine, Diva and Deus) is the attempt of ascertaining ^[20]

Professor Max Knoll suggested in a 1951 lecture that qi is a form of solar radiation. Max Knoll ( 17 July 1897 &ndash 6 November 1969) was a German Electrical engineer. Radiation, as in Physics, is Energy in the form of waves or moving Subatomic particles emitted by an atom or other body as it changes from a higher energy ^[21] Compasses reflect local geomagnetism which includes geomagnetically induced currents caused by space weather. Earth 's magnetic field (and the surface magnetic field) is approximately a Magnetic dipole, with one pole near the North pole (see Geomagnetically induced currents (GIC affecting the normal operation of long technological conductor systems are a manifestation at ground level of Space weather ^[22]

Beliefs from the Axial Age, feng shui among them, hold that the heavens influence life on Earth. German Philosopher Karl Jaspers coined the term the axial age ( Achsenzeit in the German language original to describe the period This seems preposterous to many people, yet space weather exists and can have profound effects on technology (GPS, power grids, pipelines, communication and navigation systems, surveys), and the internal orienting faculties of birds and other creatures. Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth Electric power transmission, a process in the delivery of Electricity to consumers is the bulk transfer of electrical power ^[23][24][25] There is some evidence that suicide rates in Kirovsk, Russia, fluctuate along with the geomagnetic field. Kirovsk may refer to Kirovsk Leningrad Oblast, a town in Leningrad Oblast Russia Kirovsk Murmansk Oblast, a town in Murmansk Oblast Russia ^[26] Atmospheric scientists have suggested that space weather creates fluctuations in market prices. ^[27][28]

Polarity

Polarity is expressed in feng shui as Yin and Yang Theory. In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin and yang ( is used to describe how seemingly opposing forces are bound together intertwined and interdependent in the Polarity expressed through yin and yang is similar to a bipolar magnetic field. That is, it is of two parts: one creating an exertion and one receiving the exertion. Yang acting and yin receiving could be considered an early understanding of chirality. The development of Yin Yang Theory and its corollary, Five Phase Theory (Five Element Theory), have also been linked with astronomical observations of sunspots. ^[29]

The so-called "elements" of feng shui (water, wood, fire, earth/soil, metal) are made of yin and yang in precise amounts (Greater wood has less yin than lesser wood, but not as much yin as water, and so forth). Earth is a buffer, or an equilibrium achieved when the polarities cancel each other. This explains why feng shui is said to be about balance.

Bagua (eight symbols)

Two diagrams known as bagua (or pa kua) loom large in feng shui, and both predate their mentions in the Yijing or I Ching. The Bagua ( are eight diagrams used in Taoist Cosmology to represent a range of interrelated concepts The I Ching ( Wade-Giles) or “Yì Jīng” ( Pinyin) also called “Classic of Changes” or “Book of Changes” is one of the oldest of the The I Ching ( Wade-Giles) or “Yì Jīng” ( Pinyin) also called “Classic of Changes” or “Book of Changes” is one of the oldest of the The Lo (River) Chart (Luoshu, or Later Heaven Sequence) and the River Chart (Hetu, or Early Heaven Sequence) are linked to astronomical events of the sixth millennium BCE, and with the Turtle Calendar from the time of Yao. ^[30] The Turtle Calendar of Yao (found in the Yaodian section of the Shangshu or 'Book of Documents') dates to 2300 BCE, plus or minus 250 years. ^[31]

It seems clear from many sources that time, in the form of astronomy and calendars, is at the heart of feng shui.

In Yaodian, the cardinal directions are determined by the marker-stars of the mega-constellations known as the Four Celestial Animals.

East: the Bluegreen Dragon (Spring equinox) --- Niao (Bird), α Hydrae

South: the Red Bird (Summer solstice) --- Huo (Fire), α Scorpionis

West: the White Tiger (Autumn equinox) --- Xu (Emptiness, Void), α Aquarii, β Aquarii

North: the Dark (Mysterious) Turtle (Winter solstice) --- Mao (Hair), η Tauri (the Pleiades)

The bagua diagrams are also linked with the sifang (four directions) method of divination used during the Shang dynasty. For the programming language see Alphard (programming language. Antares (α Scorpii / Alpha Scorpii is a Red supergiant Star in the Milky Way Galaxy and the sixteenth brightest star Alpha Aquarii ( Alpha Aqr / α Aquarii / α Aqr) which also has the traditional name Sadalmelik, is the second-brightest (β Aqr / β Aquarii is the brightest star in the Constellation Aquarius. The Pleiades (ˈpliːədiːz or /ˈplaɪədiːz/ also known as M 45, the '''Seven Sisters''', Seven Stars, SED, Matariki ^[32] The sifang is much older, however. It was used at Niuheliang, and figured large in Hongshan culture's astronomy. And it is this area of China that is linked to Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor, who allegedly invented the south-pointing spoon. ^[33]

School

A school or stream is a set of techniques or methods. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders The term should not be confused with an actual school -- there are many masters who run schools.

Some claim^[34] that authentic masters impart their genuine knowledge only to selected students, such as relatives.

Modern techniques

Classical feng shui is typically associated with the following techniques. This is not a complete list; it is merely a list of the most common techniques. ^[35]

• Bagua (relationship of the five phases or wuxing)
• Five phases (wuxing relationships)
• Xuan Kong (time and space methods)
• Xuan Kong Fei Xing (Flying Stars methods of time and directions)
• Xuan Kong Da Gua ("Secret Decree" or 64 gua relationships)
• Xuan Kong Shui Fa (time and space water methods)
• Zi Bai (Purple-White Flying Stars methods)
• Ba Zhai (Eight Mansions)
• San Yuan Dragon Gate Eight Formation
• Major & Minor Wandering Stars
• San He Luan Dou (24 Mountains, Mountain-Water relationships)
• San He Shui Fa (water methods)
• Qimen Dunjia (Eight Doors and Nine Stars methods)
• Zi wei dou shu (Purple King, 24-star astrology)

Modern developments

One of the grievances mentioned when the anti-Western Boxer Rebellion erupted was that Westerners were violating the basic principles of Feng Shui in their construction of railroads and other conspicuous public structures throughout China. The Bagua ( are eight diagrams used in Taoist Cosmology to represent a range of interrelated concepts In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing ( or the Five Phases, usually translated as five elements, Zi Wei Dou Shu is a form of Fortune-telling in Chinese culture. The Boxer Rebellion, or Boxer Movement, was an uprising by members of the Chinese Society of Right and Harmonious Fists against foreign influence At the time, Westerners had little idea of, or interest in, such Chinese traditions. Since Richard Nixon journeyed to The People's Republic of China in 1972, feng shui has become somewhat of an industry. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES

It has been reinvented by New Age entrepreneurs for Western consumption. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome Feng shui speaks to the profound role of magic, mystery, and order in American life. ^[36] The following list does not exhaust the modern varieties.

Black Sect -- also called Black Sect Tantric Buddhist, or BTB Feng Shui)^[37] -- incorporated as a US church in 1984, with temples in California and New York. Black Sect Tantric Buddhism is a New religious movement established in California in 1986 California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous It was invented in the early 1980s by Thomas Lin Yun Rinpoche, who came to the US from Taiwan. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia.

The history of feng shui used by the church doesn't match documentary or archaeological evidence, or what is known of the history of Tantrism in China. ^[38] It relies on "transcendental" methods, the concept of clutter as metaphor for life circumstances, and the use of affirmations or intentions (what some deride as "happy talk")^[39] to achieve results. Metaphor (from the Greek: μεταφορά - metaphora, meaning "transfer" is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects The BTB bagua was developed by Lin Yun. The Bagua ( are eight diagrams used in Taoist Cosmology to represent a range of interrelated concepts Each of the eight sectors that were once aligned to compass points now represent a particular area of one's life.

Shen Dao -- invented in the late 1970s by Harrison G. Kyng -- found a home in the UK. Kyng's invention uses Five Element Theory for medical purposes along with building assessment, and is supposed to help someone achieve greater physical and environmental benefits. The compass that Kyng developed incorporates many New Age concepts, including the idea of harmonics.

Feng Shui compasses and geomagnetism

An overview of claims is offered below.

Claim: The stability of Magnetic North is critical for the accuracy of divining your fortune with a compass. In physics the convention is that the end of a dipole magnet where the magnetic field flows out is the "north" pole of the magnet, and the "south" pole of the magnet is where the field flows in. Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. The geomagnetic field flows out of the geographic South Pole, and runs back into the geographic North Pole -- so geomagnetic north is actually at the geographic South Pole. Earth 's magnetic field (and the surface magnetic field) is approximately a Magnetic dipole, with one pole near the North pole (see The convention is to call the pole in Canada the North Magnetic Pole. The Earth's North Magnetic Pole is the wandering point on the Earth's surface at which the Earth's magnetic field points vertically downwards (i "The Chinese always place south at the top of the compass but North is still magnetic North. " ^[40] The fact that all geomagnetic poles wander has not prevented compasses from being useful. ^[41] For example, compasses are installed in cars,^[42] ships,^[43] and oil rigs. ^[44]

All Chinese compasses point to geographic south (thus the literal translations "pointing-south needle" and "pointing-south spoon"). A Luopan is used to determine the orientation of structures or the angle of something in relation to a structure. Luopan is a Chinese magnetic compass also known as a Feng Shui Compass.

Claim: Magnetic North and True North (the Earth’s axis) are not the same. A Luopan compensates for this. On a Luopan the Human Plate Central Needle was added during the Tang dynasty to measure declination and this has been updated as necessary. In Astronomy, declination (abbrev dec or δ) is one of the two coordinates of the Equatorial coordinate system, the other being either During the southern Song dynasty the Heaven Plate Seam Needle was added for magnetic deviation and also updated as necessary. Magnetic deviation is the error induced in a Compass by local Magnetic fields which must be allowed for along with Magnetic declination, if The Earth Plate Correct Needle indicates current geomagnetic conditions.

As Joseph Needham remarked in a lecture, "When speaking of magnetism and of the magnetic compass … in China people were worrying about the nature of the declination (why the needle does not usually point exactly to the north) before Europeans had even heard about the polarity. " Declination was discovered, says Needham, because "geomancers had been attending most carefully to the positions of their needles. ”

Claim: The solar wind vibrates the magnetic pole, moving magnetic north. If you use magnetic north to determine where to put your furniture, the degrees are not critical, the overall direction is. However, if you use magnetic north to find a site location the reading will not be accurate. The convention is to call the pole in Canada the North Magnetic Pole. The Earth's North Magnetic Pole is the wandering point on the Earth's surface at which the Earth's magnetic field points vertically downwards (i

The solar wind (a stream of hydrogen and helium nuclei) fluctuates during the Sun's rotation, with high-and low-speed streams creating high-pressure and low-pressure fronts that contribute to space weather, which sometimes hits the Earth's magnetic field to produce storms in the Earth's magnetosphere. The solar wind is a Stream of charged particles&mdasha plasma &mdashthat are ejected from the upper atmosphere of the Sun. Hydrogen (ˈhaɪdrədʒən is the Chemical element with Atomic number 1 Helium ( He) is a colorless odorless tasteless non-toxic Inert Monatomic Chemical A magnetosphere' is a highly magnetized region around and possessed by an Astronomical object. ^[45] Space weather fronts are like weather fronts on Earth. Space weather fronts generate interplanetary 'weather' such as aurora and magnetic storms, which can interrupt radio and satellite communications. ^[46] Space weather has led to better early warning mechanisms,^[47] not to abandonment of affected technologies.

The Geological Survey of Canada Geomagnetism Where is the North Magnetic Pole?has now determined that the location of the North magnetic pole is now moving more than 40 km per year. The Geological Survey of Canada Geomagetism Daily Movement of the North Magnetic Polehas also determined that the North magnetic pole is in constant motion on any give day and may be displaced by as much as 80km or more. Geomagnetic storms are responsible for these constantly occurring fluctuations in the location of the North Magnetic Pole. A geomagnetic storm or solar storm is a temporary disturbance of the Earth 's Magnetosphere caused by a disturbance in Space weather. ^[48]

A magnetic compass is comprised of a magnetized needle balanced on a pivot point. Now matter where you are the magnetic need will point to the current location of the North Magnetic Pole. How Compasses Work This answers the question asked by so many students, “Why do I get different compass readings from the same location?

Criticism

Victorian-era commentators on feng shui were generally ethnocentric, and as such skeptical and derogatory of what they knew of feng shui. ^[49]

In 1896 at a meeting of the Educational Association of China, Rev. P. W. Pitcher railed at the "rottenness of the whole scheme of Chinese architecture," and urged fellow missionaries "to erect unabashedly Western edifices of several stories and with towering spires in order to destroy nonsense about fung-shuy. " ^[50]

Some modern Christians have a similar opinion of feng shui. ^[51]

It is entirely inconsistent with Christianity to believe that harmony and balance result from the manipulation and channeling of nonphysical forces or energies, or that such can be done by means of the proper placement of physical objects. Such techniques, in fact, belong to the world of sorcery. ^[52]

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, feng shui has been officially deemed as a "feudalistic superstitious practice" and a "social evil" according to the state's atheistic Communist ideology and discouraged or even outright banned at times ^[53][54].

Persecution was the most severe during the Cultural Revolution, when feng shui was classified as a custom under the so-called Four Olds to be wiped out. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China that manifested into The Four Olds or the Four Old Things ( were Old Customs Old Culture Old Habits and Old Ideas Feng shui practitioners were beaten and abused by Red Guards and their works burned. After the death of Mao Zedong and the end of the Cultural Revolution, the official attitude became more tolerant but restrictions on feng shui practice are still in place in today's China. Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led It is illegal in the PRC today to register feng shui consultation as a business and similarly advertising feng shui practice is banned, and there have been frequent crackdowns on feng shui practitioners on the grounds of "promoting feudalistic superstitions" such as one in Qingdao in early 2006 when the city's business and industrial administration office shut down an art gallery converted into a feng shui practice ^[55]. Communist officials who had consulted feng shui were sacked and expelled from the Communist Party ^[56].

Partly because of the Cultural Revolution, in today's PRC less than one-third of the population believe in feng shui, and the proportion of believers among young urban PRC Chinese is said to be much less than 5% ^[57]. Among all the ethnic Chinese communities the PRC has the least number of feng shui believers in proportion to the general population. Learning feng shui is considered taboo in today's China. ^[58] Nevertheless, it is reported that feng shui has gained adherents among Communist Party officials according to a BBC Chinese news commentary in 2006. ^[59], and since the beginning of Chinese economic reforms the number of feng shui practitioners are increasing. A number of Chinese academics permitted to research on the subject of feng shui are anthropologists or architects by trade, studying the history of feng shui or historical feng shui theories behind the design of heritage buildings, such as Cao Dafeng, the Vice-President of Fudan University^[60], and Liu Shenghuan of Tongji University. Fudan University ( located in Shanghai, China, is one of the oldest most prestigious and most selective universities in the People's Republic Tongji University ( Simplified Chinese: 同济大学 Traditional Chinese: 同濟大學 Pinyin: Tóngjì Dàxué colloquially known as

Feng Shui practitioners have been skeptical of claims and methods in the "cultural supermarket. "^[61] Mark Johnson^[62] made a telling point:

This present state of affairs is ludicrous and confusing. Do we really believe that mirrors and flutes are going to change people's tendencies in any lasting and meaningful way? . . . There is a lot of investigation that needs to be done or we will all go down the tubes because of our inability to match our exaggerated claims with lasting changes.

A travelogue-type article from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry explained feng shui initially as "a commonsense alignment of structures to conform to the shape of the land, an idea shared by any sensible architect in a land fraught with typhoons and torrential rains. " However, after reading two books (one by field researcher Ole Bruun), the writer's conclusion was that feng shui "is more of a mystical belief in cosmic harmony. "^[63]

Penn & Teller did an episode of their television show Bullshit! that featured several Feng Shui practitioners in the US, and was highly critical of the inconsistent (and frequently odd) advice. Penn & Teller ( Penn Fraser Jillette and Teller) are Las Vegas headliners whose act is an amalgam of illusion and Comedy. In the show, the entertainers argue that if Feng Shui is a science (as some claim), it should feature a consistent method. ^[64]

People have reacted skeptically towards the alleged benefits of crystals, wind chimes, table fountains, and mirrored balls, etc. In Materials science, a crystal is a Solid in which the constituent Atoms Molecules or Ions are packed in a regularly ordered repeating Wind chimes or Aeolian chimes are often hollow or solid metal glass or wooden tubes which are usually hung outside of a building and are intended to be played by the A disco ball, mirror ball, glitter ball, or ball mirror is a roughly spherical object that reflects light directed at it in many directions , on one's life, finances, and relationships. Often, these claims are dismissed as New Age, pseudoscience, relying on the placebo effect, or even outright fraud. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the Placebo is a substance or procedure a patient accepts as medicine or therapy but which has no specific therapeutic activity

Current research

A growing body of research exists on the traditional forms of feng shui used and taught in Asia. Taipei 101 ( POJ: Tai-pak yat-leng-yat is a 101-floor Landmark Skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia.

Landscape ecologists find traditional feng shui an interesting study. ^[65] In many cases, the only remaining patches of old forest in Asia are "feng shui woods," which strongly suggests the "healthy homes,"^[66] sustainability^[67] and environmental components of ancient feng shui techniques should not be easily dismissed. ^[68][69]

Environmental scientists and landscape architects have researched traditional feng shui and its methodologies. ^[70][71]

Architectural schools study the principles as they applied to ancient vernacular architecture^[72][73][74].

Geographers have analyzed the techniques and methods to help locate historical sites in Victoria, Canada,^[75] and archaeological sites in the American Southwest, concluding that ancient Native Americans considered astronomy and landscape features. ^[76]

Whether it is data on comparisons to scientific models, or the design and siting of buildings,^[77] graduate and undergraduate students have been accumulating solid evidence on what researchers call the "exclusive Chinese cultural achievement and experience in architecture"^[78] that is feng shui.

References

Further reading

Academic Works

• Ole Bruun. “Fengshui and the Chinese Perception of Nature,” in Asian Perceptions of Nature: A Critical Approach, eds. Ole Bruun and Arne Kalland (Surrey: Curzon, 1995) 173–88
• Ole Bruun. Fengshui in China: Geomantic Divination between State Orthodoxy and Popular Religion. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2003.
• Ole Bruun. An Introduction to Feng Shui. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
• Yoon, Hong-key. Culture of Fengshui in Korea: An Exploration of East Asian Geomancy, Lexington Books, 2006.

New Age Variants

• Wu, Baolin, Lighting the Eye of the Dragon: Inner Secrets of Taoist Feng Shui, St. Martin's Press, 2000.
• Bender, Tom, "Building with the Breath of Life: Working with Chi Energy in Our Homes and Communities" Fire River Press, 2000.
• Bender, Tom, "The Physics of Qi". DVD. Fire River Press, 2007.

See also

• Aesthetics
• Chinese spiritual world concepts
• Environmental psychology
• Environmental metaphysics
• Interior design
• Kau Cim
• Physiognomy
• Vastu Shastra
• Yantra

Aesthetics or esthetics ( also spelled æsthetics) is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values sometimes called Chinese spiritual world concepts are cultural practices or methods found in Chinese culture. Environmental psychology is an interdisciplinary field focused on the interplay between humans and their surroundings Environmental metaphysics is the study of environments and their impact on people and animals Interior design is a practice concerned with anything that is found inside a space - walls windows doors finishes textures light furnishings and furniture Kau Cim is a Fortune telling practice that originated in China in which the querent requests answers from a sacred oracle lot Physiognomy ( Gk physis, nature and gnomon, judge interpreter is the assessment of a person's character or personality from their outer appearance especially Vaastu Shastra deals with various aspects of Designing and Building living environments that are in harmony with the physical and metaphysical Yantra are 'instruments' or more simply 'symbols' usually used to focus the mind

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