2. Feng Shui Principles
Yin Yang balance
Yin – Dead Yang – Living
Directional energy
Chi
Elements
Block wind and hoard water
3. The biggest factor in Feng Shui is to provide people with positive chi; chi is in
everything and is an electromagnetic flow that permeates all things.
Feng Shui literally just means wind and water. Water is something that sustains life
while wind is the force that distributes the water. Typically, you want to block out
outside forces with mountains and hoard the water it contains.
4. There are two types of chi at work in an environment, which is yin and yang.
Yin chi is suppose to have favorable conditions for the dead, this being things like cold
and darkness. The Chinese believed that if you didn’t take care of the ancestors, later
generations would suffer.
Yang chi is the one used by people looking for chi optimization in a house or home,
usually characterized by light and warmth.
5. This is a bagua, a tool
used in Feng Shui
that measures what
energies effect what;
depending on the
direction it is facing,
it can either stimulate
Chi or destroy it.
Certain flowers or things may contribute to the stimulation
of chi in certain areas of a garden.
6. These are example of how the elements interact. I would say that it is up to the person
if you really want to follow these rules.
However, try to balance the directional energies with something that compliments it,
like red flowers in the south of the garden.
7. Jingshan park walkway
• A path that curves is best in Feng Shui because
Chi can travel smoothly along the path. More so,
this also simulates a river and a natural energy
flow.
8. Imperial Garden in the Forbidden City
It is good to be around a body of water because it’s believed that water can
bring in more fortune and life through its trapped chi. This is a real pivotal rule
and it is what most residents of China think about when they are building
towns in a certain area.
9. Other tips
• Avoid edges. You want the environment to be
natural and rounded. If you can imagine, chi
just tends to crash into things if that is the
case.
• The whole point of Feng Shui is balance.
Stimulate the places that are lacking and try to
balance out the things that have too much chi.
Clutter is bad because it blocks flow.
10. Common Misconceptions
• Regularly, Feng Shui is used as a device for poor people
to bring in more fortune to their everyday lives. There
has been a big popularity in Feng Shui in the United
States and people take this as a real trend. The
problem is would be that the principles guiding their
beliefs seem almost too structured. Remember, there is
some science to Feng Shui, but in reality, the practice is
best used, not as a meticulous guidebook, but rather,
rearranging natural elements in a surrounding for an
optimal effect. If you structure something too much
with money, is it really a natural environment
anymore?
12. Some architectural rules…
• Rule of 9 (and five): Number used in construction of the
whole Forbidden City. There are so many places in the palace
that use this number for it’s measurements or idea; nine
represents the emperor. Five springs up because it’s
significant of the five elements and other concepts.
• The color yellow: The Chinese believe to be made out of
yellow earth. Yellow represents the earth itself. Used in
imperial roof decoration where yellow glaze is used solely by
palatial structures.
• Earth is represented by a square
• Axial symmetry: The Forbidden city’s palatial structures are on
a north and south axis.
13. Hall of Supreme
Harmony
One of the largest
wooden structures within
China. It has basically
been treated as the court
of affairs for the state.
During the Ming dynasty,
this was used by the
emperor, but not so much
during other dynasties.
The terrace has three layers and three sets of stairs. The
elevated platform is a sign of status in Chinese architecture,
with it’s height being 26 feet. A thing to note about this
building is that it has curved roofing, a unique trademark for
traditional Chinese architecture.
14. Dragon Throne
•
There are actually three thrones in adjacent palaces. The best and most popular one is, of
course, in the Hall of Supreme harmony. Take a look and see how many rules apply here.
While there being a lot of things to note, the Chinese love to conceptualize certain symbols
and most all of the embellishments to the palace have meaning.
15. Xuanyuan mirror
Located in the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the Xuanyuan mirror. The mirror is actually
made out of glass and is coated with mercury so that it reflects the color of the light
around it. (Shea) This is supposed to represent the five phases; also, it represents the
first emperor. This is above, being projected out of a mouth of a dragon to the Dragon
Throne which serves to “legitimize” the emperor. It’s said that if the emperor wasn’t
worthy, the ball in the middle would kill him. (Shea)
16. Female
Imperial Guardian
Lions
Male
These lions are suppose to signify protection of the things that they’re
guarding under their paws, they’re the king of the beasts. The female lion
holds a baby, representing protection for life and the people inside the
building, while the male lion holds a pearl from the imperial treasury, which
means that it protects their fortune.
This plays on the Chinese Philosophy of Yin and Yang and it is quite a neat
addition to a residence or a business.
17. The figurines on the
roofs of the
Forbidden City
The figure on the end riding
a chicken is suppose to
remind the emperor to
follow his duty.
The dragon represents protection against fire, and the other animals, all
different and distinct, are mainly a protection against harmful forces to
the building.
The figure below, which sort of looks like a goblin, is called Chiwen, a
hornless dragon known to be one of the nine sons of the dragon king.
18. Works Cited
Steinhardt, Nancy Shatzman. Chinese Architecture. New Haven: Yale UP, 2002. Print.
Menen, Rajendar. Benefits of Vaastu & Feng Shui: [the Art of Attracting Health, Wealth and
Happiness]. Delhi: Pustak Mahal, 2004. Print.
Shea, Marilyn. "The Palace Museum 故宫博物院." Forbidden City Palace Museum 故宫博物
院 Beijing. N.p., 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
Google Images
Jingshan Park Walkway. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., 11 Nov. 2007. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
Imperial Garden. Digital image. North Garden Hotel. N.p., 19 Aug. 2007. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
Forbidden City. Digital image. Beijing-Forbidden City. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
Dragon Throne. Digital image. Tims Adventure. N.p., 2 Oct. 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.
Dou, David. Xuanyuan Mirror. Digital image. Forbidden City Wiz David. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
Nov. 2013.
Chang, Allen T. Male Guardian Lion. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., 31 May 2005. Web. 27
Nov. 27.
Smith, Zoe B. Female Guardian Lion. Digital image. Inspiration Asia. N.p., 12 Dec. 2010. Web.
27 Nov. 2013.
