A Brief History of Feng Shui

Feng Shui (pronounced as "fung schway") literally translated means "wind and water." It is an ancient Chinese art and science of placement and arranging objects and space within the environment so as to achieve harmony and balance. The object is promote and nurture the flow of good Chi (pronounced "chee",) which is a Chinese word similar to "energy" in English.

Feng Shui is not simply a decorating style. In fact, it is a discipline with rules and guidelines that can be adapted to fit with many different decorating styles. Truly it is a belief system which combines many different religious, geographical, astrological, mathematical, and philosophical ideas, as well as aesthetic values.

The origins of the term Feng Shui have been said to come from the Jin Dynasty (265-420.) In the Burial Book written by Guo Pu, Chi rides the wind and stops at the boundary created by the water. Ancient Chinese believed in manipulating the Chi so that it was directed with purpose and not wasted. Since this art and science was based on the wind and water, the term Feng Shui was born.

Today, it is a widely held belief that all Feng Shui books were burned during the Qin dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC.) One of the most authoritative works on the subject was written by Huang Shi Gong and given to Zhang Liang during the latter part of the Qin dynasty. Later, in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907,) Yang Yun Song and his disciples wrote several books on the subject. Those particular works are the most authoritative work used by all Feng Shui schools. Unfortunately, the books were very cryptic and used knowledge largely passed down through the oral tradition.

Feng Shui is also believed to be intuitive and derivable from our own common sense and our sense of what is natural in our environment. Eitel, a German Missionary in China in the latter half of the 19th century, wrote in his work, Feng-Shui, Or, The Rudiments Of Natural Science In China(1873), that the origin of Feng Shui is a belief system that is unique to the writings of Chu His and other writers from the Song dynasty (1126-1278.) Chu His is more well known for influencing Confucianism, and while his writings and commentaries may have become the foundation for Feng Shui, Feng Shui's roots truly go back as far as original Chinese Philosophy.

By the mid 19th century, Feng Shui had become such a part of life that the Chinese government published all the materials necessary for use in the practice of Feng Shui. In fact, as English speaking settlers came to China in the mid 19th century, they had a difficult time adapting to the way of Feng Shui. Much like modern day contractors have to conform to building codes and other community rules and regulations, the English settlers had difficulties in construction and renovation because their design ideas did not conform to the Feng Shui principles, and were therefore rejected.

Further early introduction of Feng Shui to westerners did not go well either. When foreigners wanted to purchase land, and those foreigners were not welcome, they would be directed to land that did not lend itself to good Feng Shui. Early western writings on the subject of Feng Shui were equally as unkind. In 1885, one author wrote that "if any one wishes to see what a howling wilderness of erratic dogmatism the human mind can arrive, when speculation usurps the place of science, and theories are reverenced equally with facts, let him endeavour to fathom even the elementary principles of that abyss of insane vagaries, the science of Feng-Shui."

Over the last few decades, many English books have been published on the topic of Feng Shui. They usually focus on interior design, decorating, architecture, or landscape design. Reception from English audiences has often been skeptical, particularly towards the use of crystals, wind chimes, fountains, and mirrored balls. Claims that Feng Shui can improve one's life, finances, and relationships are dismissed by some as mythology and new age mysticism. Still, others in the west have adapted Feng Shui to their own lives and report overwhelming positive benefits.

Charles Chang is a Feng Shui enthusiast and author. He enjoys helping others with feng shui tips through his articles and website.

Simple Feng Shui Bedroom Tips

A bedroom is supposed to be a sanctuary, a place where we can go to recharge tired batteries and rest. Unfortunately, for many people, the bedroom has bad Feng Shui and does not provide the rest, relaxation, and recharging that it should. The bedroom is also supposed to be a place of romance and connection with a special someone. Good Feng Shui can help to light the fires of romance, and make the bedroom more than just a place to hang your clothes.

The good news is, it's easy to map your bedroom according to good Feng Shui principles. You can create peace, tranquility, harmony, and romance in your bedroom. Here are some good Feng Shui tips to help in your bedroom.

The first step is to draw an outline of your bedroom on a piece of paper. Make the room roughly square, it doesn't have to be perfect. The main entrance to the room should be on the lower line of the square that you have drawn.

Next, draw three rows of three squares each, dividing the square into nine equal pieces.

Starting with the lowest row, you have the area of Knowledge in the left corner, the area of Career in the center, and the area of Help People and Travel on the right side. These three squares describe the area when you first walk into the bedroom.

The middle row of square describe the center of your bedroom. The left side is Family and Health, the center is considered the Tao, or Center, and the right hand square is the Creativity and Children section.

The top row of squares are, from left to right, the Wealth sector, Fame and Reputation in the center, and Relationships and Romance on the right.

So now, looking at your layout on the paper, it should be divided like this:

Wealth | Fame/Reputation | Relationships/Romance

Family/Health | Tao | Creativity/Children

Knowledge | Career | Helpful People/Travel

So now that you have your room organized, let's look at some objects that could be placed in those sectors to create the desired effect.

In the Knowledge sector, place some bookshelves or a bookcase. Fill it with books and other tools of self-improvement such as DVDs or audio books.

In the Career Sector, mirrors will help to reflect positive Chi, or energy and keep it flowing through your career. Water related items also help good Chi to pool in that area, increasing the opportunities in your career. If you have any pictures or objects that help to define your career goals, place them in this sector as well.

In the Helpful People and Travel sector put pictures of people who can or have helped you. Also place pictures of places you would like to visit, or places you have been and enjoyed.

The Family and Health sector is the best place to keep family heirlooms and photos. Keep plants in this area as well and make sure they thrive. Anything dead or dried is considered very bad Feng Shui, so make sure Flowers are fresh and do not display dried floral arrangements.

The Creativity and Children sector is the best place for your art supplies, any artwork you have done or are working on, and your computer, if you have one in your bedroom. Generally it is considered bad Feng Shui to have working materials in your bedroom, but if you must, this is the place.

In the Wealth sector is the place to keep your money, jewelry, or other things valuable. If you have fish, you should keep them here as they are thought to bring prosperity in this sector. The colors red, purple, and gold are also used to increase prosperity in the wealth sector.

Keep any Awards you might have in the Fame and Reputation sector. Candles are also good here along with plants, and the colors red, orange, or purple.

Finally, in the Relationships and Romance sector, place round or oval mirrors to keep the good Chi flowing. Pictures of loved ones are good here, along with the color pink. Feng Shui believes that pairs of ducks are good because ducks mate for life. If you don't like ducks, any paired objects like candlesticks or small statues will help create good Feng Shui in this area of your life.

Since our bedroom is such a reflection of who we are and what we value, it is important to start your journey to good Feng Shui here. In time, with some of these Feng Shui bedroom tips in place, you will see improvements in the areas where you are looking for help.

Charles Chang is a Feng Shui enthusiast and author. He enjoys helping others with feng shui through his articles and website.

Unclutter Your Life For Good Feng Shui

So many things in Feng Shui come from ancient ways and rules that might not seem obvious at first. Ironically enough, some of the earliest writings about Feng Shui, almost 2000 years ago, spoke of Feng Shui as being derivable and stemming from things that were almost common sense. Perhaps to the ancient Chinese, for whom Feng Shui had been a tradition for 1000 years already, it was common sense. For us in the west, however, we need a little help.

One thing nearly all of us need is a way to "unclutter" our environment. Clutter interrupts the flow of Chi, or energy, and symbolizes the way our lives will be on edge just as our home is. While Feng Shui does not have many hard and fast rules for "uncluttering" your life, there are some common sense steps to take before good Feng Shui can happen.

We all have stuff that we don't really use or need. For some reason, we just can't seem to part with it. Often times, we get rid of the easy stuff in a matter of minutes, but then we just can't seem to make up our minds on what of the other stuff stays or goes.

We all have our excuses, "..but it's so nice," or "..that was really expensive," "..I barely got any use out of that," "..hopefully I'll wear that again someday," or my favorite, "..I'll feel so guilty if I throw this out."

For every item that you can't decide what to do with, make a note of what excuse you are using to hang on to it. Listen to the voice in your head that tells you to keep it, and make a note of why.

As you start to do this, you should start to get a clear picture of just exactly what it is that is keeping you tied to certain things. You may find that, for example, you have no trouble throwing away greeting cards from last Christmas, but it would take a crow bar to pry that pair of pants out of your hand that you haven't been able to wear in three or more years.

It doesn't mean that you are heartless when it comes to the greeting cards, it means that you are comfortable and secure in the knowledge that your friends and family love you. It also means that you are probably not so comfortable with your body image and are having trouble accepting the fact that you simply can't fit into those pants anymore.

Plenty of other people, on the other hand, might have no trouble throwing out those clothes, but cringe at the thought of throwing away postcards that are 20 years old. I can feel the guilt and inner struggle now as the mind says "it's only paper, there is no reason to keep this," while the heart weighs a ton at the prospect of "throwing away" all those friends and family members. The problem is not the postcards, it's where our own personal insecurities lie.

So many of the reasons we hold on to clutter have to do with memories of past events, or the hope of usefulness in the future. Holding on to things gives us a sense of hope, or a sense of reminiscing. Both of these make it harder to live in the now. If you fill your closet with clothes that are too small, you remind yourself every day that you are not the size you want to be, and that you are not happy with where you are now. You remind yourself that you still have hope for losing that weight and being skinnier some day. Every day, as you reach for an article of clothing that is not one of the "goal" items, you get a small sense of failure.

Imagine the toll these little message put on you day after day. You wouldn't look in the mirror and tell yourself that you are a failure every day, would you? I certainly hope not. The message here, though, is closely related if not the same. When you hold on to things that represent what you wish for, and are unhappy about presently, it brings bad energy to your self every day. When your closet contains clothes that fit your body, your life, and your personality, every wardrobe choice becomes a positive step towards a good outlook on the day, and on your life.

It is difficult sometimes to make the decision to be clutter free, and sometimes even more difficult to make that decision a reality. At every item you can't seem to let go of, listen to the voice in your head and learn to discover the real reasons why you hold on to things that seem to have no use or purpose. Learn to let go of these things and enjoy the here and now. The good energy will begin to flow better, and the path to good Feng Shui will have begun.

Charles Chang is a Feng Shui enthusiast and author. He enjoys helping others with feng shui through his articles and website.