What is Classical Feng Shui?

By Elizabeth Moran and Master Val Biktashev, 2004

Classical feng shui studies how TIME and SPACE affects your health, wealth, and relations with others. The practice has its roots in ancient China. As early as 6,000 years ago the Neolithic Chinese were practicing some sort of astrological/astronomical feng shui. We know this because of a gravesite unearthed in Henan province. The body faced north and it was flanked on both sides with depictions of a dragon (on the east) and tiger (on the west) outlined in shells. In the center of the body lay an illustration of the Big Dipper. For reasons unknown, these ancient peoples oriented their graves around the revolution of the Big Dipper.

The creatures represented in the grave are actually macro-constellations. Known as the Four Celestial Palaces, the four macro-constellations are the crimson bird (south), the azure dragon (east), the white tiger (west) and the black turtle (north). Composed of seven constellations each, the macro-constellations comprise the 28 constellations of the Chinese zodiac.

Somehow, the Four Celestial Palaces came down to earth to represent

landforms. The key word here is ‘form.' Form School feng shui (a category of Classical Feng Shui) studies how landforms (mountain ranges, watercourses, and the shape of the terrain) affect your livelihood and health. In fact, Form School ( Xingfa , in Chinese) is the first and oldest school of feng shui. Formally dating to the late Han era's (C.E. 190-220) Zangjing ( Classic of Burial ) by Qing

Wuzi, the text describes how to locate the most auspicious place in which to bury

the dead. The Chinese believed that if their forebears were properly propitiated, then they would aid the living. They would bestow good weather to improve crop yield, for instance. On the other hand, if the ancestors were not properly honored, then they might send harsh weather and disease.

Besides finding a favorable burial site, locating a favorable site on which to build a settlement was also an important concern. In fact, feng shui masters were paid handsomely to find an area where qi was carried by the wind (feng) and accumulated in water (shui). Specifically, these learned masters were looking for the dragon's lair ( long xue , in Chinese), the place on the geophysical terrain where qi converges. In the modern world, buildings and roadways are synonymous with mountain ranges and watercourses. While we won't dwell on this here, understand that Form School feng shui is all about studying external SPACE.

In addition to studying the affects of your surrounding environment, Classical Feng Shui studies how TIME influences the quality of your living space. In fact, TIME and SPACE are two sides of a coin. One cannot exist without the other. For example, your body (your own personal SPACE) changes over TIME. Everyone and everything moves through ceaseless cycles of birth, growth, decay, and death. Nothing can escape this fate.

The TIME your home was born into and the TIME you were born are important factors in a Classical Feng Shui analysis. The Chinese believe the first breath you take at birth marks your innate destiny. In the same way, when the foundation is set and the roof is affixed, your home is born. It, too, has a core personality. But, remember, despite our inherent personality, we still change! So, an inherently good home will encounter TIMES of misfortune. Likewise, we go through lucky and unlucky TIMES.

In Classical Feng Shui several methods are used to measure how TIME and SPACE affect a building. Perhaps the most sophisticated and popular method is Flying Star ( Xuankong Feixing ) developed sometime during the Tang dynasty (618-907 C.E.) and no later than the Song dynasty (960-1279 C.E.). Basically, the method uses the magnetic orientation (SPACE) of your house and the year it was built (TIME) to yield a numeric qi map. The numbers or “stars” are interpreted, with the objective of remedying negative predictions and enhancing positive ones. Other methods of Classical Feng Shui are Three Harmonies ( Sanhe ), Mystical Doors ( Qi Men ), and Eight House/Eight Mansions/The East-West System ( Yigua ).

In short, Classical Feng Shui studies TIME and SPACE. Specifically, Classical Feng Shui analyzes the environment, buildings, and people, and how the qi of each interacts over time. It is a complex, yet fascinating study that takes years to fully comprehend and master. Learning Classical feng shui requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to peel away the many misconceptions plaguing the tradition in order to uncover the truth. With the dedication of like-minded people, feng shui will soon be recognized as a legitimate form of therapy on a par with acupuncture and acupressure.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Feng shui master Val Biktashev travels worldwide providing feng shui for individuals and businesses. Several articles have been written about his work in local, national, and internationally distributed newspapers and magazines. Also, Val is regularly featured on television, including being the feature subject on the CBS news magazine program , Sunday Morning . He is the co-author of the highly acclaimed book , The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui . Reviewed as "an American masterpiece that tops the lot" by Feng Shui For Modern Living Magazine , the book consistently ranks among the top ten feng shui books (out of 709 entries) on amazon. At the First Annual World Classical Feng Shui conference in Germany, Val was a feature speaker. He can be contacted at GlobalFengShui@aol.com or at 323-810-8180. He lives in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth Moran has studied feng shui and Chinese astrology with a number of classical masters. She is a highly sought lecturer and teacher of feng shui. In 2002, Elizabeth was a feature speaker at the First Annual World Classical Feng Shui Conference in Cologne, Germany. She is co-author of the best-selling books, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui (Alpha Books, 2002) and The Complete Idiot's Guide to the I Ching (2001). You may contact her at GlobalFengShui@aol.com. Elizabeth lives in Los Angeles with her husband, feng shui master Val Biktashev.