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1. Pseudoscience Paper

2. Among the gross variety of pseudoscience topics, feng shui is, probably, one of the
most hotly disputed. To the West, the teaching of feng shui came from China and is
translated as “wind-water” in English (Stevens, 2012). In its essence, feng shui is the
attempt to apply the laws of astronomy and geography to accumulate positive qi, which
is believed to have positive impact on one’s life. The concept of feng shui was described
by Guo Pin in ancient Chinese “Book of Burial”: “Qi rides the winds and scatters, but is
retained when encountering water” (in Stevens, p. 2).
In Europe and America, feng shui has quickly become a fashion. Westerners enjoy the
idea of interior items that are drawn in particular order and “provide solutions to
shortcomings in prosperity, health, relationships, and career” (Quicksand, 2012). While
the majority is absorbed in the study of basic feng shui, the “thinking minority” claims it
to be a “superstitious nonsense” and a joy for “spiritually bankrupt” (Salazar, 1999). In
fact, one can distinguish two polar opinions on the teaching. The viewpoint of feng shui
opponents can be formulated the following way: “Feng shui is a belief, and believers will
see what they want” (Salazar, 1999). While the teaching’s advocates will, obviously,
state that there is “too quick to assume that 5,000-year-old cultures as developed as
those in Asia are poor, benighted pagan heathens with only superstition to guide them”
(Salazar, 2012). In fact, the truth lies somewhere in between, and one should explore
the history and key-concepts of feng shui before making loud statements.

3. The ardent opponents of feng shui note that some people pay excessive attention to
the location of their dwellings. They are more likely to overpay, rather than buy a house
in a “bad” location. In his review, van den Hemel (2012) notes that the dwellings, that
have big trees in front or behind them, are sold 10 per cent more expensive, than similar
housings without “lucky” greenery. In fact, such business transactions can be
understood as excesses in feng shui teaching’s perception, especially, when taking into
consideration its historical roots.
In ancient China, feng shui appeared as a proto-religion practice. It can be traced
back to 770 B.C. – 475 B.C., which is considered to be the teaching’s heyday
(Schnippering, 2012). Feng shui was based on the Yin/Yang theory of overall balance.
For a long time, the knowledge of feng shui had been jealously guarded by Chinese
emperors and pundits. Initially, feng shui was applied to find a proper place for building.
When choosing such a place, the adherents of the teaching used their wide knowledge
of geology, geography, and biology. In fact, they did nothing more, than modern
designer-builders do. Besides, Chinese were not the only ones who used astronomical,
geographical, and geological knowledge when constructing shrines, tombs, and
dwellings. The same information was utilized, for instance by ancient Egyptians or
Mayas. The accuracy of their calculations is the subject of modern scientists’ continued
admiration.

4. Feng shui, as one knows it today, is a result of the teaching’s long evolution, in which
true doctrine and superstitions have become inseparable: “A naturalistic belief, it was
originally used to find an auspicious dwelling place for a shrine or a tomb. However,
over the centuries it... has become distorted and degraded into a gross superstition”
(Dukes, p. 834).
American by birth, Michael Schnippering studied feng shui from Master Sang, whose
ancestors were zealous guardians of the teaching. Having studied the…