This material resides on an Indiana State University server and is maintained by Will Barratt.
Please forward any problems and comments to him.
Feng Shui is not an Asian student! In its simplest form, feng shui is the
ancient Chinese art of arranging one's surroundings or environment to achieve
harmony and balance. Feng shui (pronounced fung-shway), however, has been
defined in numerous ways. Rossbach (1987) in her book Interior Design with
Feng Shui defines the concept as "the Chinese art of placement, of balancing, and
enhancing the environment." In his 1991 book The Feng Shui Handbook: A
practical guide to Chinese geomancy and environmental harmony, Walters
(1991) states "There is no single meaning of the expression 'Feng Shui . ' . . . it
can be translated as 'environment' ... More usually refers to the 'feel' of a place."
The notion is that the location, site, and orientation of buildings as well as the
interior design and placement of furniture are important to achieving harmony,
prosperity and good health. The aim or the practice of feng shui is to create a
positive relationship between human beings and their environment, both natural
and man-built. What would it be like for feng shui to come to the campus
environment?
Background
Feng shui has been practiced in China since the fourth century B.C. and
has appeared in several versions. Its roots go deeply into Chinese thought,
Taoism, Buddhism, and the yin-yang theory of balance, superstition, and common
sense (Rossback, 1987). The most popular version is the Black Hat sect and its
spokesperson Professor Thomas Yun Lin of the University of California-Berkeley
frequently is called upon for consultation. Historically, the feng shui advisor
focused on grave sites, but current feng shui activity centers on buildings,
workplaces, and homes. The most active center for feng shui is Hong Kong.
Many of the major buildings in Hong Kong have not gone up without the help of
a feng shui advisor. The use of a feng shui consultation in the United States is
growing in popularity and cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Phoenix, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, all have active consultants.
| When Solectron, a maker of computer circut-boards in Milpitas, California, decided to build a new headquarters, the June 1991 ground breaking included a feng shui blessing. The price of Solectron's shares has
since tripled.
Sandra Kirsch Fortune Magazine, August 10, 1992 |
Feng shui has become an important part of the modern real estate activity
in Southern California and world wide (Baen & Kium, 1992; Frost, 1993). This
activity appears to be based on the increasing number of Asian homebuyers as
well as the increased attractiveness of homes that are built with feng shui
principles in mind, for example, replacing typical straight walks with curved ones
and turning rectangular front yards into rounded ones (Kirsch, 1992).
Several studies indicate the belief in feng shui continues to be strong for
many residents of Hong Kong (Emmons, 1992) and the prospects for greater
acceptance in the United States is predicted on the basis that its age-old principles
fit well with New Age tenets (Yoffe, 1991). The increased interest in
multicultural awareness among many Americans will also fuel additional interest
in feng shui. Finally, as noted by Walters (1991), "Feng shui ...now attracting
growing interest in the West. At its heart is a deep sensitivity to the natural order
that makes it especially relevant to our environmentally-conscious times." (Back
cover).
Principles of Feng Shui
The basic goal of feng shui is to place buildings rooms, and furniture in a
position that enables ch'i (energy, or cosmic breath) to flow and establish a
harmonious link between persons and their environment. Ch'i is often translated
to mean "favorable currents" or "good influence."
"Unfavorable currents" or "bad influence" is called "sha." The basic
principles of feng shui relate to how to use the natural environment and arrange
the physical environment to enhance ch'i and reduce sha. It is generally accepted
that the beneficial currents, ch'i, "waft slowly, in gentle undulating curves," while
the unfavorable sha, "travels in harsh straight lines," (Walters, 1991).
In addition to the basic principle of ch'i, feng shui is also guided by the
principle of five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water (Walters, 1991).
The pattern of the relationships among these five elements also determines the
degree of harmony to be expected. The elements have either a creative or
destructive relationship to each other. For example, water enhances the harmony
of an earth (stone) building.
Not only is the relationship among the elements important, but the
relationship between the elements and personality type (person-environment fit)
is also important. Personality type in feng shui is determined by a feng shui
horoscope which calculates a number using birth dates. The results of the
calculation helps to determine a person's fit to the elements . For example if a
person's personal element is "wood" then they would find a wood environment
like a oak paneled room excellent for a study, lounge or office. A hard earth
surface like brick or concrete would not make a good office or study for this same
person.
Feng shui uses these principles (ch'i and sha) and (the five elements) to bring harmony and good fortune. If locations and arrangements are made without attention to these principles, then a destructive ecological relationship exists.
| Using feng shui "stopped a spate of canary deeaths . . .I had called my pet store and asked how long canaries are supposed to live, and they said nine or ten years. I was having to buy new birds every couple of months. So we moved tehm (at the advice of a feng shui consultant) and they're really happy and no one's died."
Nancy Plevin New Mexican, Sante Fe, NM October 21, 1994 |
Feng Shui Guidelines
The following is a list of feng shui advice gleaned from the resource references (page 4):
"Avoid dead areas, (ch'i gets trapped), ...avoid windows at the ends of the room and long corridors where rear door is visible from the front entrance". (Ch'i moves through too rapidly) (Walters, 1991 p . 151).
". . .if there is no exit for the ch'i, they will be unable to leave; the same door or window cannot admit ch'i and let them leave at the same time. For example, a room without windows and only one door...ch'i dies... only suitable for storerooms and cupboards. (Walters, 1991 p.38)
"If you work with your back to the door...This will psychologically harm you. (Rossback, 1987 p. xii).
"...three or more doors or windows are aligned in a row, they will funnel ch'i too quickly. (Rossback, 1987 p. 12).
"An entrance area should be light and expansive, warm and welcoming." (Rossback, 1987 p. 85).
"Windows that slide up and down, never opening more than halfway, only let in half as much ch'i as their size" (Rossback, 1987 p. 91).
"Trees generally improve feng shui. They can protect shield, and balance a site. A tree behind a house spells good fortune." (The Feng Shui Decoder, 1993).
"Roads, dead end and aiming at a building like an arrow are unfortunate." (The Feng Shui Decoder, 1993).
"Bedrooms-a wide view is favorable. Bed should be diagonally opposite door." (The Feng Shui Decoder, 1993).
"Corners, projecting are inauspicious." (The Feng .Shui Decoder, 1993).
"A door situated at the end of a long hallway endangers residents' health; again, intestinal problems may rise from fast ch'i flow, which ricochets off the way, giving residents an explosive feeling, affecting their nerves and their digestion, and making them easy to upset." (Rossback, 1987 p. 89).
"Authority generally emanates from the corner office farthest from the entrance." (Rossback, 1987 p. 115).
" . . .the house or building should face south or the back of the house should face north. " (Baen & Kium, 1992 p. 19)
"Water represents wealth, and because the pond holds water the property owners firmly control their wealth and stature." (Baen & Kium, 1992, p. 20).
Ways of Altering and Improving Ch'i
l. Mirrors reflect bad sha and circulate good ch'i. Mirrors are often referred to as the "aspirin" of feng shui
2. Crystals balance and disperse ch'i
3. Lights (bright) are symbolic of the sun and can bring balance
4. Chimes and bells connect with wind and bring ch'i into the building
5. Flowers and plants are symbolic of nature and connect with the idea of beauty, growth, and vitality. Very good in poorly shaped rooms.
6. Fish bowls bring elements of water into a room. Important when there is no view of water.
7.Bamboo flutes
8.Heavy objects: stones or statues
9.Moving objects: mobile, fountains
(Feng Shui Decoder, 1993; Rossbach, 1987)
Applications to the College and University Setting
If feng shui comes to college, what are the implications or what aspects of
the campus environment should be examined by the principles and guidelines of
feng shui?
Housing: Much of college and university housing design is counter to the
principles and guidelines of feng shui. Many of the structures include long halls
with doors facing each other. Often little attention is given to the site or building
orientation and students spend much more time than necessary without sunlight.
Housing officials may want to check the halls with bad sha to see if the illness
and vandalism rate is high for these buildings.
Offices: How many faculty offices have no exit for ch'i? Windowless
offices are not supportive of faculty productivity and comfort. How many offices
are so small that proper location of the desk is impossible? According to feng
shui, the desk should be catercorner to the door-position of maximum control,
concentration and authority (Walters, 1992).
Classrooms How many classrooms would meet the principles and
guidelines of feng shui? How many windowless classrooms are there on campus?
How many desks are bolted down in straight lines?
Campus Landscape: How many undulating paths are there on campus? Is the master plan laid out in a uniform grid pattern with excessive straight lines and harsh angles? Sha travels in straight lines! What are the campus water features? Observers of student behavior have often noted that the presence of water in campus photographs attracts prospective students. A campus water feature may indeed hold good fortune and wealth.
| "Because of the angle that the college building is facing (right across from the cemetary), the reachers were receiving no promotions." They moved and they were promoted.
Emmons (1992) |
Conclusion
Feng shui is a complex topic. This short introduction did not attempt to provide a comprehensive understanding of feng shui or an exhaustive list of principles and rules. The subject is far too complex. For Westerners, particularly those in academic settings, feng shui may be too "unscientific" and too much like a "terrestrial equivalent of astrology" (Walters, 1991). But, as noted by Baen and Kium (1992) some understanding of the implications of this concept will add to a Westerner's competitive edge. What if feng shui came to our college and university campuses? Perhaps a campus designed with feng shui principles and guidelines may just be a better place to learn and work. Most of us would welcome a little more sunlight, a few more meandering paths, a little water here and there, more trees and the sounds of a wind chime or two.
Resource References: Feng Shui
Baen, J. & Wei Kium Teoh (1992). Feng-shui in world property markets. Real
Estate Review, 22(3), 17-20.
Buck, J. (1994, November). Phooey Feng Shui. House and Garden.
Dunn, A. (1994, September 22). Ancient Chinese craft reshaping building design
and sales in U. S. The New York Times, V 144 p A1(N).
Emmons, C. (1994). Hong Kong's Feng Shui: Popular magic in a modern urban
setting. Journal of Popular Culture, 26(1), p. 39-50.
Feng shui Decoder. (1993). Melbourne, Australia: Dynamo House Publishers.
Frost, D. (1993). Asian homebuyers seek wind and water: Housing preferences.
American Demographics, 15(6), p. 23-36.
Kirsch, S. (1992, August). Wind and water as business builder. Fortune, 126, 12.
Lengdon, P. (1991, November). Lucky houses: Home builders in southern
California are learning to heed the Chinese art of feng shui. The Atlantic, 286,
146- 152.
Plevin, N. (1994, October 21). Feng shui. The New Mexican. pp. C-2
Rossback, S. (1987). Interior Design with feng shui. New York: Penguin Group.
Walters, D. (1991). The feng shui handbook: A practical guide to Chinese
geomancy and environmental harmony. San Francisco, CA: The Aquarian Press.
Yoffe, E. (1991, December). Ancient art - modern fad Newsweek, 118 (26), 42.
This material resides on an Indiana State University server and is maintained by
Will Barratt.
Please forward any problems and comments to him.