Feng Shui: Ancient Chinese Art – Origins, Cultural Impact

1. The Basic Concept of Feng Shui

Feng Shui is a unique concept in traditional Chinese culture with a long history and rich meaning. Also known as "Kanyu," "bu zhai," "xiang zhai," or "xiang di," it's a time-honored tradition deeply rooted in Chinese daily life and beliefs.

Ancient Chinese people took Feng Shui seriously when building homes or selecting burial sites. They believed the landscape, water flow, and wind direction could influence a family's fortune. That's why they stressed picking a "good spot" to bring peace and prosperity to future generations. Over time, feng shui became an ancient Chinese practice and cultural tradition that still continues today.

At its core, Feng Shui is a theory for choosing living environments. After years of historical development and cultural integration, it has become a complex and evolving concept.

In ancient times, feng shui aimed to create an ideal natural place by "blocking wind and gathering water."  Wind and water were key elements in this process. In ancient times, people regarded the earth as a living entity. They believed that how wind and water moved in a place could impact the luck and health of the people who lived there – and even their kids and grandkids.

This made site selection extremely important. Back then, the main goal was to bring harmony and balance to everything—people and nature, people and their homes, and homes and nature. People used to think this balance could ward off misfortune and bring good health, prosperity, and career success.

2. The Historical Origins of Feng Shui

Ancient Chinese people used natural factors. They looked at wind direction, flow of energy and flow of chi to choose where to settle. To survive and have families, early humans found good places in the mountains and rivers. This shows their knowledge of geomancy. They favored caves, basins, and marginal areas, locations with spatial characteristics similar to later feng shui ideals.

During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, many people moved and built new structures. This led to the creation of organized methods and official roles for these tasks. These methods are like later feng shui practices. They help in choosing homes and predicting events. Some examples are Tuhui, Tuyi, Tugui, and Tuhua.

In the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Yin-Yangists used the ideas of yin and yang. They also studied how the Five Elements and the bagua map to explain the world and understand seasonal changes.

At the end of the Warring States period, Zou Yan combined Yin and Yang theories with the Five Elements. He created the Yin-Yang and Five Elements School. He also introduced the idea of the Great Nine Provinces and the Five Virtues. These ideas greatly influenced thinking during the Qin and Han dynasties.

Since the Qin and Han dynasties, feng shui has included ideas of blessing and protection from disasters. It has become a popular folk custom. Guo Pu's "Book of Burial" from the Jin Dynasty was the first to define feng shui. Since then, feng shui has gradually developed into various schools. During the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, people refined two types of affairs. People described these in the Book of Zhou. They formed the "Situation School" and the "Qi School."

The Situation School focuses on the imagery of mountains and rivers. It is mainly used for choosing addresses and terrain. The Qi School looks at time sequences. It includes factors like Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the Chinese Zodiac. These help determine the layout of indoor and outdoor spaces. 

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the imperial examination system promoted the popularization of  Confucian ideas and the development of feng shui practitioners. Many masters emerged, further promoting the professionalization of feng shui. The Song Dynasty saw the peak of feng shui development. The systems of the Form and Qi schools were well-established and widely circulated among literati. Zhu Xi's view that "small ways are also principles" elevated feng shui's status in Scholarly circles. 

During the Yuan Dynasty, feng shui's development was suppressed by non-Han rule. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, feng shui practices grew popular among the royal court and the public. Many schools of thought developed, mainly within the Form and Qi schools. As science and technology advanced, feng shui theories changed too. Books like " Geographic Notes for the Son of Man" and "The Five Secrets of Geography" were published.

After the 1860s, the Western influence Movement brought new ideas and challenged feng shui. British missionary Etter wrote "Feng Shui: The Sacred Landscape Science of Ancient China." He looked at feng shui theory through a modern scientific lens. However, it was not without flaws and superstition. 

After the May Fourth Movement, people saw it as superstitious. The Beiyang government banned it in all of society. Feng Shui is important in Chinese history. It had a big influence on many parts of ancient life, and it still matters today.

3. The Importance of Feng Shui in China

(I) Cultural Heritage

Feng shui is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. It focuses on ideas like "harmony between people and nature" and "collecting energy and wind." Passed down through thousands of years, it has become an integral part of Chinese thinking. 

Many ancient buildings, like the Forbidden City in Beijing, show the principles of feng shui. They reflect a desire for symmetry, order, and harmony with nature. The old villages of Huizhou follow a "mountain around water" design. This design uses natural landscapes to create a peaceful living space. It shows the spatial order shaped by feng shui. 

Even today, the cultural heritage of Feng Shui continues to thrive. Designers modeled the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong after bamboo joints to symbolize steady progress. The Shanghai Tower has a spiral shape, echoing the "dragon" concept in feng shui. These outdoor and interior designs show how feng shui culture blends into and evolves within modern architecture.

(II) Folk Beliefs

Feng Shui is closely intertwined with folk beliefs, permeating numerous rituals, including festivals, weddings, and funerals. During the Spring Festival, people stick the "Fu" character as a feng shui tradition to bring good luck. 

When starting a business, they pick lucky dates based on directions and elements for prosperity. Statistics indicate that approximately 145 million Chinese individuals hold beliefs in feng shui. Each year, 362 million consult fortune-tellers or feng shui experts. 

(III) Building-related Construction

Feng Shui theory plays a key role in the construction of traditional Chinese architecture. People apply feng shui tips when choosing sites and planning palaces, temples, houses, living rooms, and villages.

Traditional buildings usually prefer to be built with mountains at the back, water at the front, and facing south. The mountain provides shelter from winter winds, while the water provides access to water and a good view. Facing south facilitates light and warmth, aligning with human physical and living needs. 

Take Fujian Tulou as an example. Its design , interior layout, pieces of furniture, and how it fits the environment all follow feng shui principles. It suits big family living and makes a safe, harmonious, and close - knit home environment. 

People are also including feng shui concepts in modern architecture. Some residential communities focus on combining landscape water systems with building designs. This creates a nice living environment and improves residents' quality of life.

(IV) Social and Psychological Aspects

When dealing with life's uncertainties, like job choices or investment risks, feng shui gives people peace of mind. 

Young people seek guidance through horoscopes, tarot cards, and other forms of "modern feng shui." The Weibo topic "Keep Away from Mercury Retrograde" gets over 1 billion views each year. It shows how people want to find guidance to avoid bad luck and feel more at ease. 

Some practice of feng shui resonate with modern science. For example, feng shui's emphasis on lighting and ventilation aligns with the green design concepts of modern architecture. Good lighting promotes the regulation of the human body's circadian rhythm, while high-quality air circulation enhances living comfort.

Feng shui is a big part of Chinese culture, with thousands of years of history. Today, some question it using science, but its core ideas—respecting nature and seeking harmony—are still worth studying. We can learn from these values to help modern life and cultural growth.