Fengshui

Feng shui literally means wind and water, which are invisible currents of Qi (energy in Chinese language). This typical Chinese phenomenon is a mix of practical folklore, ancient mysticism, and superstitions as well as time-tested principles. The principle of feng shui is to maintain a balanced and harmonious flow of good energy, and prevent or scatter the bad one.

Wah Sang Wong, associate professor at the Deartment of Architecture at HKU, said there are mainly two aspects of feng shui. One is form, which is the physical form of buildings and environments. The other is the calculation, which is based on the form, orientation and time.

You can listen to Prof. Wong's explanation here:

Concerning time, Michael Chiang, an architect who is interested in feng shui and designing a shopping mall based on the theory, said the calculation of time in feng shui is even more advanced than science, which happens in a three-dimentional space.

The objective of feng shui is to locate and orient elements such as dwellings, possessions, land and landscaping, etc. so as to be attuned with the flow of Qi. Location is considered to be of far greater significance than orientation. This is in line with modern thinking, where the three principles of buying a piece of property are location, location and location.

Fundamental ideas of Fengshui

Ying and Yang

They are two basic forces of the universe which are opposites but not in opposition. Instead, they are complementary and need each other to exist and flourish.

Five Elements

Five elements are wood, fire, earth, water and metal. According to Michael Chiang, they can generate each other in a certain way.

• When wood is burnt, it generates fire.
• After fire is put out, the ash looks like earth.
• Earth can generate metal because the minerals come from the earth.
• Metal can generate water, which is a little hard to understand. According to Yi Jing, the ancient Chinese philosophy book, said, morning dews on metal things generate water.
• Water can generate wood because all plants depend on water to grow.

According to the theory, the five elements – wood, earth, metal, water and fire conquer each other.

• Wood conquers earth because it prevents earth from moving as the tree’s root does to the soil.
• Earth conquers water like what dams do to floods.
• Water conquers fire because people can put out a fire by water.
• Fire conquers metal as it melts the metal.
• Metal conquers wood as axes made of metal can chop the trees down.
  

The bagua - directions and elements

The "bagua" literally means eight trigrams. It is an octagonal diagram used in feng shui analysis. Each direction on the octagon (north, northeast, etc.) is associated with certain significant aspects. Feng shui masters usually use the diagram to examine a place or to solve a feng shui problem.

The eight trigrams are:

• Heaven - The Creative principle which contains the potential for all of manifestation.
• Earth - The Receptive principle which contains the potential for physical manifestation.
• Fire - The Clinging principle which contains the potential for achievement, clarity, and vitality.
• Water - The Abysmal principle which contains the potential for adaptability, mystery, and danger.
• Thunder - The Arousing principle which contains the initial impulse for all new things.
• Lake - The Joyous principle which embodies rewards and endings.
• Mountain - The Stillness principle which contains the potential for serenity and internal power.
• Wind - The Penetrating principle which contains the power to achieve without effort.
  

Feng shui do’s and don’ts in Daily Life

Do:

• Room (originally the door side of the room) facing south
• Depth of the enclosure is greater than its width
• Living room in the center
• Master bedroom at the head of the living area
• Kitchen in the east or southeast
• Road to east
• House built on a slight rising slope as an idiom "rising step by step (to be officer)"
• Stream or ditch flanking two sides of a house with same direction

Don't:

• House at a T-junction
• A tree in front of the house
• Small building overshadowed by a tall building
• River or stream cutting across the site
• High boundary walls
• Alignment of main door with subunit door
• Staircase facing the main door
• A tree growing through the roof
• House over a well
• A building is much higher than its surrounding, as a Chinese idiom, "high tree may suffer wind".
• The wall of courtyard too near to the house
• Bed punctually facing the door
• Directly linear corridor
• House facing the slaughter, police bureau, or hospital
  

(Attributed to Traditional fengshui and environmental design by Qiuli Xue & David P.Y. Lung. Hong Kong : [s.n.], 1989.)

In the video, Michael Chiang also used an example to explain how feng shui and daily life interact with each other. He said our house is like our body, and different part functions differently. See it here:

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