History of Feng Shui

Feng shui is an ancient practice first developed some 6,000 years ago by the Neolithic Chinese. Classical (or traditional) feng shui is a system based on keen observation of how heavenly (time) and earthly (interior and exterior space) forces and how the qi (chi) of each interact and affect your health, wealth and relationships. Feng shui is a practice of balancing these forces. With balance comes the likelihood of better health, wealth, and relationships.

We know the Chinese have been practicing feng shui for some time because of a gravesite unearthed in Henan province in 1988. The body faced north and it was flanked on both sides with depictions of a dragon (on the east) and tiger (on the west) outlined in shells. In the center of the body lay an illustration of the Big Dipper. For reasons unknown, these ancient peoples oriented their graves around the revolution of the Big Dipper.

The creatures represented in the grave are actually macro-constellations. Known as the Four Celestial Palaces, the four macro-constellations are the Crimson Bird (south), the Azure (or Green) Dragon (east), the White Tiger (west) and the Black Turtle (north). Composed of seven constellations each, the macro-constellations comprise the 28 constellations of the Chinese zodiac.

Somehow, the Four Celestial Palaces came down to earth to represent landforms. The key word here is “form.” Form School Feng Shui (a category of Classical Feng Shui) studies how landforms (mountain ranges, watercourses, and the shape of the terrain) affect your livelihood and health. In fact, the Form School (Xingfa in Chinese) is the first and oldest school of feng shui, formally dating back to the late Han era (C.E. 190-220) Zangjing (Classic of Burial) by Qing Wuzi.