FENG SHUI IS EXPERIENCING A RESURGENCE IN MAINLAND CHINA! 

AN INTERESTING ARTICLE FROM MAY 17, 2007.

Officials Embrace Feng Shui Amid Job Worries

Thu 2007 May 17, 11:51 AM ET

BEIJING (Reuters) - Some Chinese Communist officials have turned to once-outlawed feng shui masters to get a better chance of promotion amid nationwide job reshuffles, a newspaper said Thursday.

They paid handsome fees to the masters, who help choose offices facing auspicious directions, reposition furniture or place talismans to ward off "evil spirits" from competitors, the Southern Weekend newspaper said.

Local governments at different levels in China began a round of leadership reshuffles late last year marked by sweeping retirements and reappointments.

"I've received more than 30 clients in the past six months," the newspaper quoted a feng shui master in Hangzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang as saying.

One senior Zhejiang official moved his ancestors' tombs thousands of miles to the foot of the famed Tian Shan mountain in the northwestern region of Xinjiang in an attempt to improve his career prospects, the newspaper said.

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese knowledge of geomancy with a basic premise that one's environment profoundly influences life. It was banned as a superstition after the Communist Party took power in 1949 and is still questioned by many.

Uncertainties about promotions or demotions in a closed political system where connections are vital fuel anxiety among Chinese officials, who in turn resort to such practices as feng shui, the Southern Weekend said.

With confidentiality in mind, the officials hire only non-local feng shui masters, who stand to make up to 100,000 yuan ($13,000) a year from a single client, it said. The average income of China's urban residents was about 10,000 yuan in 2006.

The revival of the popularity of feng shui comes at a time when the Communist Party's "revolutionary theories" can no longer explain today's reality, said Wang Changjiang, a professor at the Central Party School.

China is now Communist in name only after three decades of market reforms which along with breakneck growth have brought income disparities, widespread corruption and an ideological vacuum.

A court in southern China, tainted by a corruption scandal, has denied a report that it hired a Hong Kong feng shui master to help purge bad luck from the court building.

A newspaper reported this week that the Shenzhen court had renovated its buildings under the master's instructions after three judges were prosecuted for taking bribes.

Classical Feng Shui

Classical Feng Shui, also known as traditional Feng Shui, is based on methodologies and formulas that have been used by the Chinese for thousands of years.  It is a blend of the Form School and Compass School approaches to Feng Shui. 

A practitioner of classical Feng Shui uses the Lopan, a traditional compass richly loaded with information.  This is because the ancient formulas tell us that a building's chi patterns - the ways in which energy flows through a building - can be determined, in part, by examining the structure's precise positioning on the earth.

Cures and enhancements used in classical Feng Shui  are primarily based on wu xing, or five element theory.  This ancient Chinese system enables everything in our world, including the energy in a building, to be classified in terms of five basic elements.  Through an understanding of how the elements interplay with each other, wu xing can be used to enhance the presence of positive energy and to diminish the impact of negative energy.

Classical Feng Shui, correctly applied, can often enable a skilled practitioner to understand why the occupants of a home or business are experiencing that which they are going through.  Enhancements can then be recommended which are intended to help the occupants progress from where they are in life, to where they want to go.

A Brief Introduction to Feng Shui

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art and science of living in harmony with the environment. The principles of Feng Shui, which literally means "wind and water", have evolved in Asia over thousands of years. Feng Shui is partly rooted in the philosophy of Taoism and the I Ching, the Chinese "Book of Changes". What began as a method of analyzing topography to determine the best site on which to establish a home, business or gravesite, has developed into a multifaceted practice which applies ancient wisdom to modern life. Feng Shui, as practiced in the west today, is founded on the same principles that have been found effective for thousands of years in Asia. The goal is to create an environment which will maximize the comfort of the occupants and position them optimally for the attainment of personal and group goals.

There is a network of powerful energy lines flowing around and through our physical environment at all times. This energy, or chi, can be hostile and destructive, or it can be channeled in a very positive and helpful way. When properly harnessed, the flow of chi can bring harmony and tangible benefits. Improvements in the Feng Shui of a space will often result in smoother flow and improved circumstances in the lives of the occupants. Similar to the use of acupuncture to correct imbalances in the flow of chi through the human body, feng shui can optimize the flow of chi through the home or work environment. In recent years, Feng Shui has gained popularity outside of Asia and various "schools" or methodologies have developed. Classical, or traditional, Chinese compass school Feng Shui originated in China over 3,000 years ago.

The tools and formulas used in authentic classical Feng Shui make it possible to manipulate energy in the home or workplace so that the occupant's lives and business actually flow better.  Feng Shui can influence all areas of life including romance, marriage, family, children, creativity, career, wealth, education, health, public recognition, fame, and spirituality.

Feng shui can be extremely complex, taking into consideration landscape features, the positioning of a structure, the usage of each room, the placement of furniture, the directions in which each individual sleeps or works, usage of color, shapes, and materials. This can be further analyzed to determine how the energy flow will change over time, taking into consideration the birth dates of the occupants and of the building itself. It can even prescribe the best and worst days to make recommended changes. Feng Shui must be applied with precision to get good results. Careless or incorrect Feng Shui can cause as much harm as good. 

There are several safe and simple changes that anyone can make on their own which will generally begin to improve the Feng Shui of an environment. Here are some basic steps to take: 

1. Clear out clutter! This can clear the path to positive change. Removing the physical debris does wonders for emotional clearing and reducing confusion. The pile often starts because of guilt and other negative emotions. Negative emotions are powerful blockages. But just as we place obstacles in our paths, we can remove them.

2. Make your front door truly welcoming. The entrance to your home or workplace is an important connection to the outside world. It should be well lit and attractive. In the case of a business, signage should be adequate and clear. Nothing should block or crowd the entrance.

3. Avoid rushing chi! Arrange furniture so that there is a comfortable MEANDERING pathway through each room.

4. Deflect "poison arrows". Sharp angles such as corners of furniture are considered to be "poison arrows". Sharp angles such as corners of furniture send out "shar chi", or negative energy, which can potentially be harmful. These angles should not be directed at seating or sleeping areas. "Poison arrows" can, in some cases, be "disarmed" by placing a plant or wind chime at the offending corner.

5. Eliminate negative vibes! That painting or knick-knack that everyone admires but you secretly can't stand? Sell it, give it away, or throw it away! Same for a photo that gives you a sad feeling each time you pass - if you must keep it, better to place it in a drawer. Your environment should contribute to your happiness and comfort.

6. Make the bedroom a restful place. Consider relocating the TV or computer elsewhere. Fountains and other water features do not belong here either. Bedroom mirrors should never be located where they can reflect the bed.

7. Keep the toilet lid down! The toilet is a drain on positive chi and should be kept closed when not in use. It is generally best to keep the bathroom door closed also.

8. Pets and plants can be helpful! Pets stimulate positive chi. They should be well cared for and happy and should always have a place of their own, such as a doggy bed. Plants should be well tended and healthy. Dried flowers, bonsai, and plants with sharply pointed leaves should not be used.

Most people will find that these simple steps alone make a perceptible improvement in the feel of their environment. The next step is a thorough Feng Shui analysis of the home or workplace. Correctly done, environmental energy which was previously an obstacle will actually be utilized to support and promote the goals and well-being of the occupants. For this it is highly advisable to employ the services of a professional Feng Shui practitioner.