Feng Shui
The world of Feng Shui is explored in this website. The history and background of Feng Shui is explained in 9 points.
It is generally believed that Qin fire had all Feng Shui books burned. The most reliable work is "Qing Nang Jing" given by Huang Shi Gong to Zhang Liang during the late Qin Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Yang Yun Song and his disciples wrote several books that are regarded as the most authoritative work by all Feng Shui schools. Although these books were written in cryptic language and knowledge primarily passed down through the oral tradition, but it was also believed to be instinctive and comes from common sense and feelings of what is natural to us.
The essentials of Feng Shui are two basic principles that all matter and energy in the universe, namely yin and yang. These forces are opposites, but are not in opposition. Rather they are balancing and need each other to exist and prosper.
The bagua (or pa kua) of the Yi Ching (Book of Changes) is an octagonal diagram used in Feng Shui analysis. Each direction on the octagon (north, northeast, etc.) is related with certain important aspects. By mapping the bagua onto a home, village, cemetery, etc., information is given about the correct orientation and position of objects. The eight parts (directions) of the bagua elements:
From the North the qi is nurturing and mysterious. It is associated to the element of water, which is diplomatic, intuitive and compliant.
From the South the qi is invigorating and lucky. It is associated to the element of fire, which is dynamic, restless and energetic.
From the East the qi is protective, kind and competitive. It is associated to the element of wood, which is warm, generous, and seeks to grow.
From the West the qi is unpredictable and disruptive. It is associated to the element of metal, which is unyielding, forceful and self-reliant.
In the Center lies the element of earth, which is at home with all the directions, and seeks to harmonize them. The element earth is patient, stable and prudent.
a) The Form school
This is the origin of Feng Shui and what is called Form School Feng Shui. It addresses the energies of the roads, rivers, mountains and placement of structures in relationship to them. Its presumption is based upon the forces of Mother Nature. Typically you will find that Form School is utilized by both the Black Hat School and the Compass school.
b) The Compass school
Compass School has its roots in the study of the 28 Constellations along the path of the sun. Ancient Chinese believed that everything in Heaven had a related part on Earth. The 28 Constellation ring is one of the most important rings of the luopan. The 24 mountains ring is another essential ring. It is an elaboration of the Ba Gua dividing each of the eight directions into 3 parts known as Heaven Dragon, Earth Dragon and Man Dragon.
Black Sect Feng Shui relies less on directional energies, horoscopes, and astrology, and instead focuses on the internal orientation and organization of the space.
Flying Star school is the traditional Chinese Feng Shui and is based on numerology, a spiritual science, based upon the growth of the inner eye to perceive the spiritual essence of space, time, and form.
The effect of proper Feng Shui on the living is thought to carry over to the afterlife. In traditional Feng Shui belief, the Feng Shui of cemeteries affects the state of the dead spirits. The straight lines and sharp corners should not point at a gravesite or at the cemetery generally, a smooth or gradual landscape is preferable to rocky or otherwise sharp terrain. Waterways should be visible from the gravesite, but not loose rocks or boulders, which can be hidden by trees or bamboo.
In recent decades many Feng Shui books have been published in English, often focusing on interior design, architecture, interior decorating, and landscape design. Other audiences reject Feng Shui's justification for its rules (movement of various energies, etc.), but believe that some of its more practical rules (such as not working with one's back to a door) are very useful. There is also no scientific evidence as of today that Feng Shui exists. The fact that it has worked for some does not mean it will work for everyone.
It is unclear what relationship these Western interpretations of Feng Shui have to the Eastern tradition. Many traditional Feng Shui practitioners in Asia regard Western adaptations as inauthentic.
Interior design is the process of shaping the experience of interior space, through the manipulation of occupying space as well as surface treatment. Not to be confused with interior decoration, interior design draws on aspects of environmental psychology, architecture, product design and furniture design in addition to traditional decoration. Interior design is a creative practice that analyzes programmatic information, establishes a conceptual direction, refines the design direction, and produces graphic communication and construction documents. In some jurisdictions, interior designers must be licensed to practice.