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Feng Shui

Feng Shui is used in China to promote health, happiness, and abundance. Since ancient times, Chinese have practiced this art to balance their lives at home and at work. Supporters believe that by carefully arranging furnishings and other items, people can lead harmonious lives. Feng Shui in the home can cause happiness and harmony.

Feng shui looks at all areas of a person's life–their health, relationships with friends and family, career, and knowledge. Any problems are believed to be caused by energy blockages. By identifying them, they can be cured. This will help mind and body live in harmony, enjoying a balanced life.

Supporters offer a few feng shui tips. Fountains and other forms of flowing water are useful in feng shui. Straight lines should be avoided, replaced instead by curves. Natural materials are also superior to man-made materials. Entrances should be aligned to take advantage of the best view.

Feng shui has its roots in a reverence for nature. All things are one, and nature must be balanced if Harmony is to follow. To the Chinese, balance was everything–the yin-yang symbol is, at its heart, a symbol of balance and harmony.

Early practitioners of feng shui were most likely trying only to take advantage of the warmth of the sun. Many houses, some dating back 6000 years, are oriented to absorb the sun of a winter afternoon. A grave dating back to the same era orients mosaics of the constellations accurately, along the north-south axis. Other cities and tombs followed similar rules, with directions determined by astronomy, not a compass.

Classical feng shui is still common in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. However,some educated Chinese see feng shui as peasant superstition. For several decades, it has been illegal in the PeopleÕs Republic of China. During the cultural Revolution, most of China's culture was destroyed. Feng shui was no exception.

Feng shui was introduced to Western civilization in the 1960s. It is used by businesses to increase sales and boost morale. Homeowners turn to feng shui to bring harmony and peace to their homes.

Feng shui has now been embraced by architects, designers, and Hollywood stars. Its influence can be seen on new buildings around the globe, a rebellion against the rigid concrete and glass forms of traditional office environments. The Getty Center in Los Angeles is an excellent example of how feng shui has influenced style in America.

The Getty Center, seen from the Central Garden.

A building in Hong Kong with a hollow middle hole, maximizing on fengshui benefits.

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