| What is Feng Shui? The principles of Feng Shui are | | | | referred to as the White Tiger Bai-hu.On the |
| based on philosophy, natural science, Chinese | | | | opposite side to your left should be another low hill a |
| metaphysics and the art of encouraging positive and | | | | little higher than the White Tiger but lower than the |
| beneficial influences. It is the ancient Chinese practice | | | | Black turtle, which is the Azure or Green Dragon |
| of channeling these positive and invisible influences | | | | Qin-long. The perfect orientation should of course be |
| and energies by a variety of different avenues or | | | | with the Red Phoenix to the South, the Turtle to the |
| means through mediums such as attraction, | | | | North, the White Tiger to the West and the Azure |
| alignment, direction, association and location in order | | | | Dragon to the East of the property. However, in |
| to promote and enhance the harmony and well-being | | | | practice it is very rare that it is ever possible to |
| of our surrounding environment.By doing this we | | | | achieve this configuration, unless you are fortunate |
| hope to make our surrounding environment so | | | | enough to be designing your own homeWhen the |
| supportive of our attitudes, aspirations and | | | | form of the land or the arrangement of the building is |
| opportunities as to make real changes for the | | | | such that we cannot face South, we should still try |
| better.Today in the modern West land is in short | | | | to maintain the configuration of the Four Celestial |
| supply, it is expensive, it is in many cases tired or has | | | | Animal based the properties facing direction. That |
| been overworked or polluted in some way. Town | | | | means the Red Phoenix is to the front as you look |
| and country planning, and building regulations, roads, | | | | out from your front door or facing direction. This |
| utilities as well as the need for services, schools, | | | | configuration is very useful when planning landscape |
| education, medical care and employment | | | | areas like the garden to create the right form, by |
| opportunities all dictate where and how we should | | | | symbolically adding a row of bamboo such |
| live.All these factors and more are adding daily to the | | | | Semiarundaria Fastuos to symbolize the Azure |
| growing number of problems and restrictions that | | | | Dragon or placing a water feature or pond in the |
| people in the modern West are faced with; impinging | | | | front of the property and a rockery or row of |
| on any effort by an individual to apply the principles | | | | Fargesia nitida at the back to symbolize the |
| of Feng Shui and improve their surrounding | | | | protection of the Black TurtleThe Form represented |
| environment and their lot in general.However no | | | | by the Four Celestial Animals or Protectors is some |
| matter how small an area we have to work with we | | | | times referred to as the Armchair Form, and you can |
| can use grasses and bamboos to create a space for | | | | imagine why and how conducive the concept of the |
| solitude a sacred space or just a space to sit and | | | | armchair configuration is when we are considering the |
| relax listening to the gentle movement and music of | | | | protective Form of the Celestial Animals in and |
| ten thousand leaves murmuring a lullaby in the | | | | around the exterior of the property.To be simplistic |
| gentlest of breezesIn China the common practice of | | | | and recap in layman's terms. When you stand looking |
| Feng Shui corresponds to the Chinese cosmology of | | | | out of your facing direction, which is probably your |
| correlative thinking. The ancient Chinese believe that | | | | main entrance. The tortoise is behind you the Red |
| the good Qi. 'The stuff of life', 'The Dragons Breath' | | | | Phoenix straight in font of you, the White Tiger is on |
| the Sheng comes from the South. China is situated | | | | your right and the Green/Azure Dragon is on your |
| mostly in the temperate zones and therefore when | | | | left.Of course it is not necessary to use plants and |
| facing South at midday anywhere in China you are | | | | grass to symbolise the Celestial protectors and |
| facing towards the sun and its benevolent warmth | | | | reproduce the form. A rockery or fence (preferably |
| and light. At your back will be the cold mountains and | | | | blue) will make an admirable black tortoise at the rear. |
| winds of the Northern Steppes and the invading | | | | Any hedge apart from Golden Privet or Purple Beach |
| hoards. It is considered that a house that faces | | | | is perfect to symbolise the Green Dragon and a |
| South is very auspicious and that is why on the | | | | white picket fence or any silver leafed shrubs or |
| Chinese geomantic compass the South is always at | | | | plants can represent the White Tiger. The red |
| the top.In Ancient China, heaven was divided into the | | | | phoenix could be represented by a statue of a red |
| four celestial quadrants of the Four Celestial Animals | | | | bird, a tub of bright red Pelagoniums, or even a red |
| or Protectors. These quadrants protectively surround | | | | painted gate. The options are endless when you give |
| the central region of the heavenly palace. The | | | | it some thought. One of the most delightful thing |
| Chinese consider that an ideal site for a house is in a | | | | about Feng Shui is that when it is right it looks rights |
| location protected by all the Four Celestial animals. | | | | and you know and feel it is right. In fact if you think |
| When considering a location there should be; most | | | | about it we practice the principals of Feng Shui most |
| importantly, protection from cold wind at the back of | | | | days of our lives without even realising it. It comes |
| the property provided by a crescent of hills.These | | | | naturally. Its known as good taste.Peter Corbett. Is a |
| hills represent the Black Turtle Xuan-wu. In front of | | | | collector of rare grasses and ornamental bamboos |
| the property,the land should slope gently away, and | | | | and written several articles on the subject. Peter |
| if there is a meandering stream or river at the front | | | | advices and assists his wife Heather who runs the |
| then this would be considered most auspicious. The | | | | Pot and Grass Company Nursery mail order company |
| Red Phoenix represents this front area. This area in | | | | specialising in bamboos and grasses. Peter has a keen |
| front of the facing direction is also known as the | | | | interest in Chinese metaphysics and has lived and |
| Ming Tang, The Bright Hallway. As you stand looking | | | | travelled extensively through SE Asia and mainland |
| out from the properties facing direction, with the | | | | China. Peter has written a book on Feng Shui "Qi |
| Black Turtle Xuan-wu behind you, and the Red | | | | Concepts for energy engineering" which is available |
| Phoenix Zhu-que in front of you, there should be | | | | for purchase from the Pot and Grass company online |
| ideally to your right a low undulating hill which is | | | | store or available as a free down load to customers. |