So What is Feng Shui ? – Study Abroad in China

So what is the meaning of Feng Shui? Most westerners have heard of the term Feng Shui, but do they know what it stands for? Study abroad in China students surely do. Feng Shui directly translates to Wind and Water in English. For a practitioner or enthusiast, there is a lot of significance in the words Wind and Water as it represents the Chinese metaphysical study that looks at the how the surroundings affect mankind – positive or negatively.

Feng Shui's definition implies that the nearby naturally occurring surrounding features - especially large ones - such as mountains and waterways somehow affect mankind. Feng Shui is not limited to everything natural however, as it also includes elements of man-made structures such as buildings, roads, cemeteries, even lamp posts, etc. Feng Shui belief comes from ancient texts which states that when there is form, there is 'qi'. The qi is generated by the shape, size, location, and distance between natural features and artificial structures. Qi effects mankind and can be both good and bad.

Study abroad in China students will learn that this effect is referred to as 'Xing Fa'. This knowledge was first taught during the Song dynasty, and is best exemplified by the San He School, popularly called, Form School. Study abroad in China students that have deep interest in Feng Shui should familiarize themselves with the teachings of the Form School. The teachings from the ancient text can get very detailed. It states that not only is there qi in the absence of form, there is also qi from cosmic energy that comes from out of space. These are forces created by planetary movements.

The San Yuan School is based on this belief that the quality of these energies changes with time and influence the quality of dwelling. This is the reason why many buildings can be associated with good Feng Shui which turned bad and then goes again with the passage of time. Furthermore, Study abroad in China students will come across the Xuan Kong Fei Xing (Flying Star) system which is a good example of how things are calculated. From this complicated calculation Feng Shui can be characterized by the complete study of how surroundings can affect mankind. It is not just limited to nearby surrounding forms but also invisible energies that originate from the cosmos (out of space).

For study abroad in China students who have complete interest in Feng Shui, then things can even more in-depth. Advance students of Feng Shui know that there is an intrinsic and undeniable relationship between Feng Shui and a person's natal chart (or astrology).What this means is, somehow at birth, an energy signature is imbued into use that determines how the different directions and sectors will affect us. Yes, talk about in-depth. This is best exemplified by the Eight Mansions Personal Gua system where each of us have 4 good and 4 bad directions and sectors based on our year of birth. Things can get highly customized as elements are taken from the year, month, day and hour of birth. With these advanced personalized elements, practitioners can state with decent accuracy how the different directions and sectors will affect a person's career, wealth, health, travel and relationships.

All study abroad in China students will have a different reading, unless of course you were born in the same year, month, day, and time. This is best illustrated by the ancient Feng Shui saying, "Three persons living in the same house walk a different path". This is another reason why it is not possible to optimize the Feng Shui of a house for every occupant. Therefore if one wants to build a house based on the rules of Feng Shui, usually the house is determined by the Feng Shui of the head of the house. A complete practitioner will also consider the unseen cosmic forces as well as take the person's astrology into consideration