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The History of Feng Shui
Feng Shui is an
element of the Mysteries of
China, but ultimately, it’s transcendent; its
inspirational sources are the archetypes of the noumenal realm and its
medium is the Tao – the Way of Heaven: the principle of wholeness, and
rhythmic balance through cyclic change. Feng Shui acts as the interface
between the invisible noumenal realm – ‘Kan’ (Heaven),, and the
phenomenal realm – ‘Yu’ (Earth). Previously, Feng Shui was called 'KanYu'
– ‘between Heaven and Earth’.
In pre-dynastic times, the antecedent of Feng Shui was Xiangdi. This
practice helped the Chinese determine the most appropriate site for
settlement and the location of shrines, temples, and fertile lands.
The two most seminal elements of
Feng Shui, however, are the “River Chart”, and
the “Lo Writing”. The “River Chart” (Ho T'u) was a diagram borne from
the Yellow River on the back of a dragon-horse during the reign of the
legendary Fu Hsi. Of whom it is said:
"He looked up and contemplated the forms exhibited in the sky (the
constellations), and he looked down contemplating the processes taking
place on the earth. He contemplated the patterns of the various habitats
and places."
The “Lo Writing” (Lo Shu) also emerging from a river - the Lo River,
inscribed on the shell of a tortoise. Referred to as the “Ba Gua” or
“magic square”, it’s an arrangement of numbers reflecting the
cosmological order of the seasons, directions, and 8 trigrams.
Integral to this was the Five Element Theory, having its origins in the
dynamics of yin, and yang, it depicts their evolution into five
fundamental powers, agents, and phases of change: wood, fire, earth,
metal, and water. The exposition of which was outlined in the Nei Ching,
a medical compilation c. 400BC.
From the 11th century BC to 246 BC, divination, and astrology were
practiced using oracle bones, and also for determining solar and lunar
eclipses. Zhan Bu elucidated the mechanics of water movement, and that
of underground streams.
From 475 to 221 BC, the I Ching began to exert a significant influence
on Feng Shui. The Form (regulating the Qi), or Mountain Top School
focused on landscapes, studying topographical features, soil quality,
and watercourses. It located the the Feng Shui or power spots, and
mapped the dragon pathways or energy lines of the Earth.
Contemporaneously, Taoism and Confucianism, especially the concept of
the ‘superior man’ (chün-tzu), began to profoundly influence Feng Shui,
introducing the concept of decisive intervention in terrestrial events
inspired by the archetypes of heaven.
The next phase of Feng Shui evolution was inspired by Guo Pu's the 'Book
of Burial (276 -324), and Form School principles of siting became well
established in Chinese literature.
Between 960 – 1279 AD, Feng Shui bifurcated into two major schools -the
Form and Compass Schools. The Compass School (Regulating the form of
energy), used a form of Ba Gua compass to dowse the Feng Shui of the
environment. During the Song Dynasty, the Book of Yin Yang Celestial
Poles was written by a Feng Shui master, Wu Jin–Luan, who persuaded Yang
Yun-Sung to establish one of the first formal schools of Feng Shui in
Take Jingo Province.
These are the major elements in Feng Shui’s development.
About the Author:
Independent Author in Thailand |
 
Feng Shui Your Life
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