There is some debate when it comes to the origins and history of feng shui. However, what is clear is that its history spans at least 3,000 years. In fact, this concept may even have been utilized as long as 6,000 years ago.
Feng shui is quite a complicated discipline, a geomancy with an incredibly long history tightly interwoven with Chinese astrology and metaphysics. Some scholars have also argued that feng shui symbols can be found in Taoism and Buddhism, suggesting that its history is bound up with that of these ancient belief systems.
Feng shui and the Chinese compass
For centuries, the Chinese believed that there were invisible forces at work all around us. Later, they understood that these invisible forces corresponded with the magnetic forces of the Earth.
This realization led to one of the greatest inventions in human history: the magnetic compass, or 罗盘 (luópán), also called the “feng shui compass.”
Although initially used as a tool for divination, the Chinese magnetic compass was later adopted for navigation by the Song Dynasty during the 11th century. Today, the traditional Luopan is still used by feng shui practitioners to determine the best location of objects.
Feng shui in tomb location
Some of the earliest references to feng shui can be traced back to the Zhou dynasty (1122 BCE), when it was used for determining ideal locations for burial sites. This practice is still used today, with practionisers using the Chinese compass to find the best location for a person’s grave.
Many people believe that choosing the right position for one’s grave can bring blessings for one’s posterity. Choosing a poor location, however, can bring misfortune on future generations.
Auspicious locations were thought to be those with good Qi flow. One of the general principles used to choose such an auspicious location in feng shui is “lean against mountains and face waters,” so many tombs are built on or near mountains overlooking water.
The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and the Sun Yatsen Mausoleum, both located in Nanjing, are good examples of tombs built according to traditional feng shui principles.
Feng shui in construction
Feng shui was and still is used to determine the ideal location of buildings and other sites, such as gardens, as well as their layout. Those planning a construction project should first take into consideration the location of the land, the area surrounding it and the direction that each proposed structure and its windows face.
Feng shui places great importance on symmetry in architecture. A good example of this use of the concept can be seen in the construction of The Forbidden City.
In accordance with feng shui principles, The Forbidden City was built on a main axis running from north to south, with the main front entrance facing south which was deemed an auspicious direction by the feng shui masters at the time. All buildings within the city were also symmetrically arranged on either side of the axis in order to create a harmonious flow of Qi.
Feng shui principles have also traditionally been used to design outdoor spaces in China. The classical Chinese gardens in Suzhou are very good examples of the application of feng shui concepts in landscaping.
Source: https://studycli.org/chinese-culture/what-is-feng-shui/
