Feng
shui (pronounced fehng-shway in Chinese Mandarin) is an ancient
Chinese system of aesthetics believed to utilize the Laws of both
heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life
by receiving positive Qi. The original designation for the discipline
is Kan Yu (pinyin: kanyú; literally: Tao of heaven and
earth).
The
words "feng shui" literally translate as "wind-water"
in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the following
passage of the Zhangshu (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu of the Jin
Dynasty:
Qi
rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering
water.
Traditional
Feng Shui practice always requires an extremely accurate Chinese
compass, or Luo Pan, in order to determine the directions in finding
any auspicious sector in a desired location. Traditional Feng
Shui also requires the calculation of a locations' life force
energy or "Qi Level", as well as the numerical significance
of a person including their birth-date, birth-hour, animal sign,
and personal Gua number. In addition to this, the individual's
destiny is calculated using Ba Zi or Chinese Star Astrology, where
good luck stars and bad luck stars are based, and a Feng Shui
audit is concluded.
Many
western enthusiasts have incorrectly interpreted Feng Shui as
a form of geomancy that is only based on furniture arranging and
wide display of Buddhist amulets---a practice that is heavily
discouraged and resented by professional Asian Feng Shui masters.