Special Terms used in Feng Shui
Feng Shui uses special terms taken from Chinese astronomy (Bird, Tortoise, Dragon and Tiger) to represent the four directions-front, back, right, and left respectively. In ordinary terms, the four 'celestial' animals are associated with the four compass points and the four seasons as follows:
Dragon Spring East
Bird Summer South
Tiger Autumn West
Tortoise Winter North
For comparison, here is a reminder of the Feng Shui use of the terms:
Dragon right
Bird front
Tiger left
Toroise back
When the front of a site faces the South, then the four Feng Shui terms correspond with the four compass directions. But for the reasons that will become clear later, the two sets of terms are not interchangeable. To appreciate the difference between the Feng Shui terms and the conventional use of the points of the compass, consider the ways that Feng Shui applies the terms to the four sides of a building. For a building or apartment, the BIRD side is the one that has the entrance; the TORTOISE is the opposite side, which should be the back of the building. Then, if one stands in the building and looks at the front, or bird side, the DRAGON site will be on one's left, and the TIGER on one's right.
In a house of conventional design, if the entrance faces south, and the back door faces north, the Four Directions-North, East, South, and West - will be represented by the Tortoise, Dragon, Bird, and Tiger respectively.
Facing Walls
Internal and external walls are called by the direction they face. In the diagram at right, the entrance is represented by the Bird, as is also the interior facing wall, B. But the exterior wall, A, belongs to the Tortoise. Similarly, external wall F and internal wall D face the Dragon, while external wall C and internal wall E face the Tiger. Thus, while an architect or a builder may refer, for example, to walls E and F as the east wall, in Feng Shui terms, E is Tiger-facing, and F Dragon-facing.
When the Feng Shui of a locality is being assessed, the four animal names may be applied to the four points of the compass. As each animal has its own appropriate colour, the four directions can be said to be:
North Black Tortoise
East Green Dragon
South Red Bird
West White Tiger
It is interesting to note that many modern Chinese Feng Shui practitioners, particularly in Hong Kong and South China, have dropped the term 'Tortoise' and use instead the word 'Warrior'. Both terms, Warrior and Tortoise, have been in use since the first century at least, and it is not clear when, or why, the Warrior became an alternative to the Tortoise. The Tortoise, however, in Taoism and Bon Buddhism, is the symbol of the universe, and is probably the more authentic term.
Feng Shui theory declares that the very best possible site for a building is one where the four symbols - Dragon, Bird, Tiger, and Tortoise - are readily distinguishable in the shapes of the surrounding scenery. If all four symbols are not apparent, it is regarded as fortunate if just three of them can be discerned; if not three, then the Dragon on its own; and if not the Dragon, then merely the Tiger will serve to establish the presence of the four emblems. Above all, for good Feng Shui, the symbol of the Dragon should be visible, and the geomancer's first priority, in examining the site, is to see what distant hill or promontory can be said to fulfil the role of the Dragon.
The Dragon and the Tiger always co-exist and are inseparable, just as a magnet must have a scuth and a north pole. If there is a Dragon, there will be a spot called the Tiger, even though it may not be visible. Similarly, if the landscape is very plain, and it is not possible to see the Dragon, but there is a hill in the west which serves as the Tiger, then by default the Dragon must also be present, even it not evident.
The Ideal Setting
The ideal setting is one in which there are two hills, one to the east of the location, the other to the west. The Dragon always being superior to the Tiger, the eastern hill, representing the Dragon, will
be slightly higher, more prominent, and more rugged than the western hill. When one hill continues behind the other, this is considered to be even more beneficial and is said to represent the Dragon and Tiger in an embrace.
The North can be represented by more distant and higher mountains, although suitably positioned conifers are also regarded as symbolic of the Black Tortoise. The southern aspect should be open, indeed it is even better if there is a depression on the southern aspect. Chinese houses and temples built according to Feng Shui criteria will have a sunken courtyard or pool in front of the building to emphasize this principle. Father in this distance, however, it should ideally be possible to identify a rock, or some other feature which represents the Feng Shui Red Bird. It will not, notice, be a dominant object, such as a tree or pole, which might overshadow the building, as this would be a sign of bad Feng Shui, as will be seen later.
The function of a hill or other feature of the skyline as a Dragon or Tiger only holds for its observation from a particular location. Thus, any promontory is likely to be both a Dragon and a Tiger, being a Dragon when seen from a point to the west of it, but a Tiger when seen from a vantage point on its easern side. Whether it is effective as a Dragon or Tiger will depend on the hill which forms its partner.
In the first diagram, (a) and (c) are small hills, (b) a much larger hill. From a site between (a) and (b), (a) will be seen as the Tiger, and (b) as the Dragon; the latter being dominant, the Dragon will be more powerful than the Tiger, which is good Feng Shui. But from a vantage point between the hills (b) and (c), the larger hill, (b) will be regarded as the Tiger, which is not as satisfactory.
In the second diagram, (c) is the largest of the three hills. Thus, from the first site, the Dragon and the Tiger will be in their most appropriate places. From the second site, however, the vantage point regards hill (b) as the Tiger, but the third hill (c), dominating (b), will be the Dragon, which is much more satisfactory.
Dragon qualities
Chinese Feng Shui practitioners claim that the more a hill or skyline resembles an actual Dragon, the greater are the beneficial influences of the Feng Shui. Thus, the expert geomancer looks not merely for a hill on the eastern side of the location, but makes every effort to discern the Dragon's limbs and features in the physical terrain. A raised head, for example, is extremely fortunate. Groves of trees might be said to be its eyebrows, and gulleys its veins. But most fortunate of all is the existence of a pool or stream under the dragon's mouth, as this is said to represent the classic image of the 'Dragon salivating pearls' - a sure sign that whoever builds in such a favourable spot will acquire riches and wealth.
It is regarded as being very hazardous to build, construct, or in any way cut across features that the geomancer declares to be parts of a Dragon's body. Trees that outline its form are 'Feng Shui' trees and must not be cut down. The worst calamities, however, befall those who slice across the Dragon's veins, for this kills the Dragon and bring calamities upon the household of whoever has acted so intrepidly. The basis for this firmly established belief can be traced back to the fact that the veins of the Dragon are usually formed over the centuries by being the channels for excess water at times of great flooding. Though they may become streams only once every score or so, they have carved over the ages and are silent indicators of where future flooding may occur. Houses, fields, or roads constructed in these places, which can be deceptively verdant and scenic, have their foundations laid as precariously as on shifting sands. In a similar way, many of the other apparently groundless maxims of Feng Shui are actually based on sound commonsense.
Review
The Four Directions, (forwards, backwards, left, and right) are symbolized by four emblems:
Tortoise
Tiger Dragon
Bird
*The four emblems may equate to the four points of the compass, but only when orientation of a building is south facing.
*The Dragon-direction is the most important of the Four Directions.
Feng Shui Pagodas representing the geomantic Dragon and Tiger, near Kaohsiung
* The Dragon and Tiger are mutually existent; if there is a Dragon there must be a Tiger, even if not apparent, and vice versa.
*If the Dragon and the Tiger are discernible, it is best for the Dragon to dominate the Tiger.
* It is favourable when the Dragon or Tiger wraps round the other: this is said to be the 'Dragon and Tiger' in an embrace.
* It is considered to be very favourable when the features of the Dragon are discernible in the scenery.
* It is considered unfavourable to carry out any works that destroy the discernible features of the Dragon.
Ecercise* Visit various localities, nothing hills that might be regarded as Dragon or Tiger hills.
* Decide which would be the most favourable place to build within the area.
No comments:
Post a Comment