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This ancient art, centres around the following principals :
- I Ching
- Five Elements
- Lo Shu Square
- Pakua (Eight Trigrams)
-Chí or Qi (Cosmic Breath)
The Chinese believe that everything originates from emptiness (Wu Ch'i). From Wu Ch'i, Ying (negative forces) and Yang (positive forces) are created. These two opposing forces are known as the Tai Ch'i. Through its the cyclic movements, Eight Trigrams (Pakua) are formed. This is as simple as I can put it. The study of I Ching is very complex and will require separate readings to scrap the surface of this arduous concept.
You can easily reconcile this theory with the simple Physics Law that hypothesise that "Energy cannot be created nor destroyed", it merely transforms from one form to another. In FengShui, the Ch'i can be viewed as a form of cosmic energy that perpetuate the very universe that we live in.
In studying FengShui, it would be thoroughly incomplete without understanding the Five Elements of nature. These are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. Without fail, we are in constant contact with anyone of these elements everyday. How we interact with them and among themselves in our immediate environment will result in positive or negative energies being emitted.
 The Productive Cycle
Water nourishes plants (Wood)
Wood makes Fire
Fire burns into ashes (Earth)
Metal melts into liquuid (Water)
This productive cycle leads to social/family harmony, prosperity, and good health. Follow this closely.
 The Destructive Cycle
Water puts out Fire
Fire melts Metal
Metal breaks Wood
Wood (roots of plants) penetrates the Earth
Earth is absorbed by Water
In this situation, very bad Feng Shui is happening. If your dwellings consist of elements placed in this order, even if it's only a suspicion, I strongly advice seeking professional Feng Shui Master to take a closer look.
According to ancient Chinese legends, a giant tortoise surfaced from the River Luo in central China around 4,000 years ago. The ancients found a pattern on a tortise shell (see picture atop). There were circular dots of numbers that were arranged in a three by three nine grid pattern on it's shell.
The pattern of numbers in any given direction - horizontal, vertical or diagonal add up to a total of 15 (see middle picture above). This is equal to the 15 days in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese solar year.
The Eight Types of Houses Theory makes use of both the Pa Kua and the Luo Shu Grid to do a Feng Shui audit of a home. It is also called by several other names e.g. The Eight House Theory, The Eight Trigram Theory or The PakuaLuoshu Formula. I shall touch on this under Schools module.
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The Pakua (Eight Trigrams)
Traditional Ba-Gua feng shui mirrors hung outside homes and businesses all over Asia to ward off any evil influences. They are the basic Feng Shui solution for protection.
The lines forming these trigrams are either whole (male) or broken (female). Each trigram consists of three male or female lines; and combined in various combinations; the trigram symbolises heaven, earth, water, fire dampness, wind thunder or mountains.
The trigrams can be superimposed upon each other, and in this way 8 x 8 = 64 hexagrams are obtained.
These 64 hexagrams provide the essential text of the Chinese oracle-book. The 64 hexagrams covers all human conditions and occasions - a kind of inspired formula for interpreting events in the world.
According to a legend, the system of trigrams and hexagrams was developed by Zhou-gong, the relative and political adviser of the first Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty (from c. 1050 BC). The trigrams are often to be found on the garments of Toaist priests and on the walls, ceiling and beams of Chinese temples.
Originally, the Trigram was considered a symbolic representation of the Family nucleus e.g. made up of the Father, Mother, Elder Son, Middle Son, Younger Son, Elder Daughter, Middle Daughter and Younger daughter. This is still true. In fact, the Trigram is more than this. If you look at the table below, the Trigram also represents the time and seasons. For example: K'an represents Winter, Ken = Late Winter, Chen = Spring etc...
   
   
The Chinese Ancient Alamanc or Tung Shu says that "bad Feng Shui can be created by others who did not plan properly around you. However, this can be rectified by the use of the Eight Trigram mirrors similar to the pakua shown above. The mirror will reflect back the adverse properties of bad planning.
Used in conjunction with the LUO SHU Square, you can determine your good and bad directions. This method of FengShui is known as the Luoshu Pakua Theory.
This is a traditional instrument with loads of history behind its creation. Do not be fooled by its simple outlook( actually, the genuine ones are not at all simple).
A word of caution : DO NOT PLAY WITH THIS TOOL. It is meant to ward off evil or Sha Ch'i (negative cosmic energy). If you point the Pakua in your good direction, you will be reflecting away your good fortunes. Take extreme care in using it.
Also known as the Cosmic or Dragon's Breath, manifests itself in good (Sheng Ch'i) or bad (Sha Ch'i) forms. It is generally believed that the Dragon's Breath moves along certain contours of our natural landscape. As such, our modern buildings have inevitably inhibited its flow. In fact, many of our office buildings 'splice' this Cosmic energy and transformed it into Sha Ch'i. See these examples :
Unfavourable
Favourable
 BANK OF CHINA in Hong Kong (SAR)
A knife in the Heart of the past colonial rulers?
The most important point about the triangle of the Bank of China is that it is facing the Hong Kong Governors building, which represented the political, financial and economic power of Hong Kong. By doing this, the Bank of China aimed to destroy the centre of Hong Kong's power. However, in an attempt to defend himself, the ex-Governor employed the services of a Feng Shui Master and grew trees between his residence and the Bank of China. At a basic level of Feng Shui this makes sense as it provides a physical barrier against the Sha Ch'i directed against them.
Unfortunately that Feng Shui Master forgot that different symbols represent different elements. The pointed Bank of China represents Fire . By planting trees (Wood), the Fire was fanned. That weakened the ex-Governor's residents even more.
And for your further information, a rectangle represents wood; a square represents Earth and a triangle represents fire.
In the practice of Feng Shui, one hopes to garner as much Sheng Ch'i and avoid or neutralise Sha Ch'i. If you can consistently align yourself in the Sheng Ch'i direction, such as your sleeping position, route to work, your sitting position in the office, etc, you will enjoy prosperity and good health.
One way to determine your direction of Sheng Ch'i is to use the Luoshu Pakua or Eight House Theory.
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