INTRODUCTION TO FENG - SHUI
Literal translation of Feng - Shui (pronounced as Fung
shway)
means ‘WIND and WATER' but this vast science is not
really limited within this literal meaning, since for any type of plant growth
or human growth wind and water play an important role. But wind and water are
not the only elements that signify Feng — Shui or stand out as the lone
attributes or peculiar features of this science.
Feng — Shui is the art of placing buildings and objects
in relation to energy flows, to heighten positive energies and minimize the
negative ones. It is based on the interaction of Yin and Yang, the female and
male forces along with Chinese astrology and the five elements. The purpose of
Feng — Shui is to enable you to organize your home so that the Chi energy, the
all-pervading life force, is accentuated by the precise positioning of your
house, furniture, decorations and other objects Feng — Shui is an ancient art
and science developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of
knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure
health and good fortune for people inhabiting it.
Feng means wind
and Shui means water. In Chinese culture wind and water are associated with
good health, thus good Feng — Shui came to mean good fortune, while bad Feng -
Shui means bad luck, or misfortune. Feng — Shui is based on the Taoist vision
and understanding of nature. particularly on the idea that the land is alive
and filled with Chi, or energy.
Ancient Chinese believed that there was order and balance
in the universe and people can achieve good fortune if they perform certain
actions. It was presumed that if we live in harmony with winds and waters of
the Earth we could gain prosperity and good luck. The concept of living in
harmony with environment is an established practice of the Chinese and Eastern
countries though it is a novel concept for the West.
HISTORY OF FENG — SHUI
Archeological finds from China, dating as far back as6000
B.C., demonstrate how ancient this art really is. Images of a Green Dragon and
White Tiger found in these graves, tell us that some type of practice similar
to the “Form School" Feng — Shui was in use even then.
As one of the corner stone philosophies of Feng - Shui,
the Eight Trigram system, incorporating yin-yang theories, was devised by Fu
Shi around 4500 8.0. The legend tells us that Fu Shi had a vision of a turtle
rising from the waters of the Yellow River with an intricate pattern on its
shell; he later interpreted this as the eight trigrams. It is not known when
Feng — Shui was introduced to the world though it is believed to have started
about 5000 years ago.
As an organized body of knowledge Feng — Shui was
practiced since Tang Dynasty, where we can find early recordings about
employing Feng - Shui masters in selecting auspicious sites, as well as about
Feng — Shui texts being required reading for imperial exams (court of Emperor
Hi Tsang, 888 AD.)
One of the famous Feng - Shui names recorded in the
history of Feng — Shui is Master Yang Yun Sang, who left a legacy of many
classical Feng — Shui texts and is considered the founder of the landscape
school of Feng — Shui. Throughout his writing, Master Yang emphasized the
importance of selecting an auspicious site that has dragon's energy, or dragons
breathe, thus the careful examination of the shape of land formations -
mountains, hills, valleys, as well as water formations and specifics.
The vital energy, or Chi, contained in specific earth
locations was described as finding the dragon and its lair, and natural
formation where symbolic of animal shapes and energies, such as green dragon,
white tiger, etc.
EMERGENCE OF FENG - SHUI
in Feng — Shui direction is always considered an
important factor which enables one to conclude that this great science was also
practiced in prehistoric days also. Hence it can be concluded that imperial palaces
and Governmental buildings, built over 3000 years ago were built on the
principles of Feng — Shui. Further the beautiful city of Canton was also built
about this time where principles of this art were incorporated and given a
practical shape. Canton is situated at the head of Chu Chiang (Pearl River)
Delta and is covered by hills being 90 miles away from the sea. According to
Feng - Shui water should be in frontal portion of the house and not behind. In
accordance with this principle the Golden River flowed through the first
courtyard.
The Chinese relied upon Feng — Shui to design and build
cities, homes and bury their dead bodies‘ In large cities like Singapore, Hong
Kong, Taiwan and many other cities Feng — Shui is part and parcel of Chinese
life. it is no wonder that business persons consult Feng — Shui masters to
choose locations for their offices and for building a house that could shower
health and prosperity on the inmates. Those, who can afford to choose a burial
site for burying the dead, also consult the Feng — Shui masters about a
suitable ground, so that the locations could prove beneficial to their coming
generations. Now Feng — Shui is not confined within a selected number of cities
of the East even the Westerners have been fenced by its salient features. It is
however, still a reality that Feng - Shui lovers and practitioners know that it
has been originated from Taoism and there is an affinity between Taoism and
Feng — Shui. Hong Kong is an excellent example of blend of traditional and modern
Chinese cultures. The people of Hong Kong also represent a mixed culture where
modern and tradition ridden people live their own life-they know the impatience
of Feng — Shui in spite of glare of modernity.
Progress and development of Feng — Shui is a story of
contribution from many legendary masters. During the next centuries deviational
art emerged as branch of knowledge and its proponents were called by the name
of Feng - Shui which means the exponent or the practitioner of the knowledge
who practices deviational arts that is the esoteric techniques. in the broader
sense Feng — Shui practitioners practiced the art of longevity healing magic
and divination .But by the 6th century such practitioners exerted much
influence in social political judicial systems and Feng — Shui got absorbed
into Taoist philosophy and practice./
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