Feng Shui and Architecture

Feng Shui and Architecture



In conjunction with the recently concluded Asia Pacific Geomancy Conference 2007 in KL, we are publishing a series of articles from the book The Power of Geomancy by David Koh. This is the second in the series.

A few decades ago, one would not have linked Feng Shui with architecture, let alone any profession. The passage of time has wrought many changes; one of the more notable of which is the awareness of an inter-relationship between Feng Shui and the science of geomancy with that of architecture.


David Koh
In the past, when one mentions the need to consult the experts in the building industry, what immediately come to mind would be the architects, contractors, engineers, electricians, and interior designers and so on with the architect heading the list. Why is this so? The fact is the initial concept or idea will come from him. The architect must understand the client's needs and translate this into an aesthetically pleasing design, which is functional and meets the client's needs.

Similarly, Feng Shui is a very complex subject and in the past, this knowledge was only available to a selected few; members of the Imperial family or Court, ministers, generals, doctors, astronomers, mathematicians, or master builders.

To apply feng shui correctly, one must understand the individual, his inherent strengths, his limitations and his needs and try to answer these needs within the limited parameters.

To see the relationship, one must have a basic understanding of the fundamental principles of I-CHING, which is the foundation of Feng Shui. A rough translation of the words Feng Shui means wind and water. Hence, Feng Shui includes the study of nature and the movement of life forms.

All life forms and matter contain energy in one form or another. In the I-CHING context, energy is categorised firstly into Cosmic Energy; secondly, Earth's Living Energy and thirdly, Energy formed from the fusion of the first two forms, which is known as Energy in Humans and Space.

1. COSMIC ENERGY

Cosmic energy comes from celestial bodies such as the sun, the moon, the major planets and the constellations. These energies are complex and can be in the form of radio waves, light energy ranging from quasar to supernova, solar energy in the form of light and heat and so on. A scientist views the universe as matter comprising the visible atomic matter to the invisible.

The energy from these sources affects us in many ways, some of which we are aware of and others we have yet to discover.

For example, we know that the sun brings life-sustaining heat and light to us, and earth's tilt on its axis, together with its movements around the sun, determines the season. The moon's gravitational pull affects the oceans, and it varies with its position relative to the Earth, and this in turn affects the tides.

2 EARTH'S LIVING ENERGY

Earth's living energy includes Earth's magnetic fields, gravitational pull, seismic waves and geological forces. This may result in the formation of mountains and valleys and other such natural structures.

3 ENERGY IN HUMANS AND SPACE

The fusion of the first two forms of energy is believed to be responsible for the creation of mankind, giving rise to the third form of energy - that of humans and the space around them.

Humans themselves are energy forms. A psychic or a telepath merely has a more highly developed mental energy enabling him to do what you and I cannot. Chemicals react differently with the atmosphere resulting in combustion, which is another form of energy caused by man. Our air-conditioners and heaters also result in changes in temperature and even to a small extent cause climatic changes through the greenhouse effect.

There are endless sources of energies. The interaction between all these energies forms the very complex environment in which we live today. A minor disturbance in the balance could well lead to a catastrophic change in the environment.

For the purpose of this subject, we shall dwell on the third form of energy, which is the energy found in humans and space.

4. HUMANS AND SPACE

In architecture, one would design structures with minimal negative environmental impact or maximum energy efficiency. Sir Henry Wotten, author of the Vitruvius theory of Architecture, propounds that a building has to be structurally sound at the particular space and time, serve its purpose and satisfy both viewer and user.

In the organisation of space, an architect would consider ventilation, proportions, lighting - both natural and artificial, soundproofing, its functionality and the inhabitants who occupy it.

Similarly, Feng Shui also considers the above factors but approaches it differently. It is important for us to know that most of the ancient Chinese culture revolves around the I-CHING, which governs all aspects of the Chinese way of life, from as far back as 6,000 years ago.

Like all cultures and civilisations, the architecture of that era is found on the tombs for the Dead, very much like the Pyramids and Sphinx in ancient Egypt, places of worship for their Gods as well as dwellings for the Living. The application of Feng Shui principles can be seen from the early Pan Po village situated at Xi-An to the comparatively more recent Forbidden City in Beijing.

Of course, in the early days when men were still wanderers and gatherers, there was no formal system of Feng Shui.

However, the essence of Feng Shui was so strongly ingrained in them, that their way of life was governed by these principles, as it was second nature to them. Like all sciences, Feng Shui is applicable whether one is aware of it or not.

For example, a child may not understand gravity but it still exists and apples still drop from trees to the ground. Feng Shui is a scientific technique for reconciling human nature with the limitations imposed on it by settlement.

Having recognised that the dwelling or form is a reflection of the underlying energy pattern, it is possible for the individual to select the best sites to locate his house. The ancient people were very sensitive and performed this simple act of selection instinctively.

Naturally, the emperors and leaders of that time held the power to acquire the choice locations or best sites. Others would have to accept less ideal locations and this led to the need for Feng Shui practitioners whose skills included an in-depth understanding of the flow of energy forces.

VIEWED FROM THE FENG SHUI PERSPECTIVE

GEOLOGICAL FORCES

Energy from the Feng Shui perspective includes geological forces such as the earth's movements. Plate Tectonics Theory divides the Earth's lithosphere into a number of large moveable plates and several smaller ones. Over centuries of evolution, the face of Earth as viewed from space may be very different from what it is now.

For example, the Indian continent is moving northwards and is contributing to the fact that Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, is growing by 25mm per year and is moving in a north-easterly direction at a rate of 25cm every year.

This major shift in the earth mass is both physically visible and measurable. From the example, it is obvious that there is a tremendous geological force that is being exerted at all times.

In every upward surge there is a resultant downward push according to Newton. The Law of Gravity, as we know it, will cause a mass like a mountain to exert its weight downwards and sideways in a movement called seismic wave.

a) By way of these seismic waves and other geological forces, natural landscapes are formed. In geological terms, these are caused by Elastic waves, namely the P wave, S wave, Love wave and Rayleigh wave.

b) These formations are further influenced by other forces such as the wind and waves and result in other new formations. As a result of gravitational and levitation principles, these masses exert their weight downwards and sideways. The energy or force exerted on the surrounding areas will spread out until it exhausts itself or it loses its rigidity. Any non-rigid medium, sea, lake, river or vacuum in its path will result in the immediate cessation in the transfer of the energy or force.

It is very much like a builder using soundproof material to block the transfer of sound from one area to another by introducing a different medium in the path of the sound.

It is obvious that certain mediums are better at stopping energy waves or diluting them. The energy will go around the medium of non-rigid matter and therefore in the case of the coastal areas, result in the formation of uneven beach fronts or even sand dunes.

It is not difficult to conclude that the smaller and shallower river is only able to stop the lesser energy from passing through.

It is also noted that the taller the mass, the stronger the forces therein. The forces that transfer and travel will create undulating earth formation. This is similar to cracking a whip or flipping a long rope at one end. You will notice that the force applied will result in a wave-like pattern which tapers off as it gets further from the origin. The further away from the source of the energy or force, the gentler the energy becomes as it dissipates.

Conversely, if the non-rigid barrier is introduced closer to the source, the force will be stopped when it is still highly charged with energy.

At this point, the energy is so strong that it forms the nutrients and life force for plants, which will be lush and green. But in the case of buildings and houses, these energies may be tapped through the piling, pillars, floors and walls of the building since the medium through which the energy is transferred is similarly rigid.

The detailed study of these forces is very complex and it suffices to say that this force is usually what is referred to in Feng Shui terms as "dragon".

Anything that is between 100 and 1,000 feet is classified as force, for example, the force of the lie of the mountain. From 0 to 100 feet, it is called the "form" or "shape" and anything at sea level or 0 ft is referred to as the "location".

Similar to water, energy flows from higher to lower levels and continue until it is stopped by a barrier. However, in the case of energy, the barrier takes the guise of a non-rigid form. The energy will then be conserved and can be tapped. Since the ancients believed that the earth itself exerts a subtle energy system or life force or "chi", it explains the existence of certain ancient structures like the Stonehenge in Wiltshire, which is reputed to wield strange powers till this date.

From the Feng Shui perspective, the interruption of the dragon by the force will result in the formation of forms or shapes. These forms or shapes can be identified by their similarity to certain animals.

The four (4) main forms or shapes are: A Turtle B Phoenix C Dragon D Tiger

From their studies, Feng Shui practitioners can plot the energy point and are able to locate structures such as houses, temples, place of business in auspicious places, which are those with positive or "Living Chi".

Similarly, in architecture, the architect designs the building to blend well with the natural surrounding landscape. Where such natural features do not exist, they are created artificially, to enhance the structure or building.

A geomancer, by applying his knowledge, would identify the invisible meridian of energy, which may be manifested into forms mentioned earlier, and design the structure to tap into such energy. These designs are intended to harmonise and blend with the natural environment and form part of nature.

Anything that interferes or does not blend with the forms and shapes so created by the forces and their subtle energy are considered destructive and bad for the individual housed in the structure.

This is very important, especially when we are selecting a site for a township, housing scheme, factory and office block.

BASIC STEPS IN FENG SHUI TOWARDS GREATER HARMONY There are four basic steps in Feng Shui and they are the process of Identification, Selection, Matching and Ignition

From the Feng Shui perspective, it is very important to identify the subject in order to best place the subject. Just like in architecture, you must know your client in order to determine his needs and preference. In Feng Shui, every one in a macro sense, like an atom, is a different energy force.

Every energy force has its own characteristics, strength and weakness. They are classified by Trigrams into eight categories and these are expressed in terms of five elements. They are then further subdivided into another 12 classifications, each represented by an animal symbol. This is very contusing and at this point, it suffices to know that there is a scientific way of identifying each individual.

Similarly, in Feng Shui, any given space like a house is divided into eight entrances. Each entrance will have a different energy force.

Why do we say this? Let us go back to the very basic science lesson that we had long ago. We know the earth has two magnetic poles and the pull of the earth's magnetic forces is strongest at the poles. We also know that like poles repel and unlike poles attract. Hence a house with a north entrance or a south entrance will face or induce different energy.

A living entity, be it in the form of a human or an animal, is the conduit through which the energy enters or exits the premises. Hence it is often said that an abandoned property is decaying or lifeless and this has given rise to all sorts of speculation of malevolent forces.

Similarly, we also know that the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. The morning sun has germicidal properties conducive for growth and the afternoon sun radiates strong light and heat that is destructive to some life forms.

Since Earth spins from west to east, we can conclude that the door at the east will bring in a different energy compared to that of the west. In Feng Shui, it is believed that every degree variation in orientation will have slightly different energy.

The detailed reading during identification process will allow us to know the subject's requirements and consequently assist in the selection of the best orientation or location of a door. We can even predict what will be encountered at a different door if he continues to stay in a building with an entrance unsuited to him.

Similarly, we also know that after the first two steps, we need to ensure that the construction, orientation and arrangement of internal components must be designed and placed in a manner that will create harmony. This step is called matching. The design is to match the subject and his family who occupy the house.

Lastly, we have the process of ignition, which is a form of test to determine the accuracy of our calibration. If done correctly, predicted events will subsequently take place after the ignition process. The Feng Shui master prior to the ignition process will foretell the events.

From the above, you can see that Feng Shui encompasses a wide array of subject matter. There are both general and specific principles and rules to follow. At this stage of our understanding of Feng Shui, we are only at the tip of the iceberg. It will take time to have an in-depth understanding of Geomancy and the science of Feng Shui calibration as it encompasses many inter-related sciences, such as the study of cosmic forces, earth forces, physics, chemistry, biology and human behaviour.

There are also some common beliefs in Feng Shui which are meshed with those of certain religious practices which are non-Feng Shui. The common ones to avoid are listed below.

• Building a house which faces a mountain • Building a house near a mountain with the front door facing the East • Building a house on the acute convex side of a river or a road • Building a house with the front and back door in direct alignment • Building near high-tension cables • Building a house which faces a road junction • Building at a dead-end road • Building with main door facing a lamp-post or a tall obstruction • Building with main door facing the outlet of a monsoon drain • Overhead beam • Low ceilings and nautilus point

Of course, there are also some nonsensical practices in Feng Shui such as the hanging of Pakua and mirrors at the door, having a door angled in a certain position or hanging of wind chimes and paintings or flutes.

To conclude, practices in Feng Shui are very similar to that of architecture. They are both logical and precise. It requires an understanding of nature's forces and harnessing of these positive living forces to enrich the individual's life.