《金锁玉关》

After primordial chaos first opened, the five directions—east, west, south, north, and center—were established. Heaven and earth, and the sun and moon, move according to the order of the Three Bonds, and the stars in the sky are arranged in fixed positions. Heaven is clear and earth is turbid, and from this the principle of Yin-Yang takes form.

Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning are all regarded as insubstantial Qi (vital energy); hills and waters each have corresponding configurations of good or ill fortune. Qian is Heaven and Kun is Earth, and from this the high and the low are distinguished. When the ground is ordered in keeping with its contours, the flow of Qi can circulate and gather.

The years are further reckoned by the Jiazi cycle, linking the movements of heaven and earth with the pairing of male and female. The four seasons and the eight nodes divide day and night, and the Nine Palaces meet the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and join with Tiangang. Although the transformations of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) turn now in sequence and now in reverse, they never in the end depart from the Five Phases. The various spirit influences and the auspicious and inauspicious stellar generals each have their own positions and functions, and the degree of good fortune of different directions also differs according to year, month, day, and hour.

A mountain in the Qian quarter and water in the Gen quarter are said to favor a flourishing of the household. Level, full ground in the Xun quarter is said to be greatly auspicious. If in the Li quarter an incoming dragon—a mountain form extending toward the site—faces the grave, tradition holds that later generations will produce literary talent, that family property and population will prosper year by year, and that descendants may rise to eminence and enter official service. A road before the gate that winds and bends is thought to bring glory through successive generations; a road to the northwest that is open and raised high is also called auspicious ground. When the surroundings are level, regular, and open, the place is like a blessed land.

A dwelling or a grave that is high in front and low behind is thought unlikely to endure; high behind and low in front, it favors fields and property. Low in the east and high in the west is called an inauspicious lay of the land. If water flows east, toward the Zhen quarter, and the configuration does not accord, then even though the water finally drains away and does not strike directly, it is still thought to scatter the people of the household. High in the east and low in the west is called marsh land; tradition holds that later generations will be worthy, the family wealthy and honored, and the descendants able to become pillars of the state.

A pond behind a dwelling is thought to bring poverty and a lack of heirs, and may also invite abdominal illness. If water rushes straight at the front of the house, shooting like an arrow, it is thought to draw sickness and calamity; if it breaks through a particular direction, it is further said to lead descendants into improper conduct. Although water that flows far away does no direct harm, a pond behind the house is still thought gradually to damage the family’s fortune. Drawing water from the Xun quarter is thought unlikely to last; even wealth and rank for a time are inauspicious. A foul hollow behind the main hall is called severed ground. If two streams strike from the northeast, they are especially hard to guard against; even wealth and rank cannot endure, and injury is said to come after fifteen years.

High behind and low in front is called the highest good fortune. When the Renzi quarter receives vigorous Qi, it is said to increase cattle and sheep, accumulate wealth, and make the family estate prosper. A place with hills behind, foul water in front, and winding ground that leads toward the Yangtze is also thought to favor incoming wealth and additional sons, thriving livestock, and long fortune and long life for descendants. Where the four sides are low and the center is high, and water scatters in all directions, the site is regarded as dangerous; even if the surrounding form seems like dragons and tigers standing guard, the property may, it is thought, be lost after twenty-four years.

Stones toppled before the gate are thought readily to invite thieves and troubles. Where the surroundings are high and broad and the center is sunken, the place is called a “pool of hell”; the family, it is said, declines, with Yin flourishing and Yang waning. A house narrow in front and wide behind is thought to favor a thriving estate, abundant fields and gardens, and flourishing descendants; wide in front and narrow behind, it is thought to bring household poverty, the selling off of all the land, and the possibility that descendants will go far from home.

Where the quarters of Wind and Thunder are high and broad, and the quarters of Heaven and Marsh are low and level, there will, it is said, be grain in store and a smooth livelihood; when one goes out, people and carts lend aid, and later generations may hold office. Terrain that extends on one side and draws in on the other is thought favorable. An incoming dragon in the Gen quarter is said to bring a flourishing of people and wealth, harmony in the house, eminent descendants, and herds of cattle and sheep, with the family fortune growing stronger after about forty years. A spacious Zi–Wu axis is said to broaden the mind and to bring salary and wealth year by year; if official affairs can also turn auspicious, one may have ample clothing and food and a peaceful heart throughout life. Even when the family estate is already abundant, descendants are said to continue without end.

When the Black Tortoise of the north—in traditional feng shui, the mountain form representing the north—rises high, and the Vermilion Bird of the south—the terrain representing the south—lies low, when the road before the gate coils like nine dragons, and the Azure Dragon of the east answers the White Tiger of the west, the pattern ought to symbolize both blessing and longevity complete. Yet the scripture (Jing) also says that an image of solitude may be mixed within it.

When streams on both sides strike inward toward the middle, and the front is high while the rear is narrow, this is thought readily to invite misfortune, scattering people, damaging property, and drawing lawsuits; theft and improper conduct among the women of the household may also appear. An isolated village scoured by water, the water coming and the water going—the shifts of good and ill fortune there are truly not easy to judge.

The Golden Lock and Jade Gate (Jin Suo Yu Guan) says that ordinary people do not grasp the subtleties of feng shui configurations: a vigorous mountain form can help a household’s numbers to flourish, while abundant water can bring wealth. High mountains behind, like the Black Tortoise (Xuanwu, one of the Four Symbols of feng shui, referring to the mountain form behind a residence or grave), together with water that flows east and loops back to gather, are regarded as an auspicious pattern. A road passing through the southwest (the Kun position) is also said to favor entry into official service or the making of a pillar of the state. When mountains and waters complement one another and encircle the site like a belt, this symbolizes enduring blessing and long life, with talented people appearing in succession; if the dragon vein (longmai, the extending line of mountain forms in feng shui) settles precisely into a node, descendants may be expected to excel generation after generation.

The scripture further sets out the auspicious and inauspicious qualities of directions and water: where the mountain-and-water pattern in positions such as Chen and Mao is fitting, or where water on the Bing and Ding sides bends and faces the house or grave, these are all held to bring wealth and rank. If the west is high and the east low, the south lies open, and a foul pool stands behind, this is thought to bring discord within the family, disordered relations between men and women, and the bitter loneliness of widows. Where the ground is broad and level and the surroundings are even, one need not cling to the directions of mountains and waters in choosing a site and building a house; this is said to let the family estate prosper and all affairs go smoothly. By contrast, ditches or rivers behind the house, open surroundings exposed to the wind, or a house built on a high ridge are considered unfavorable to descendants and may cause the family’s fortunes to decline.

Places where plants grow thick and their colors are bright are called a dragon’s lair (longxue, terrain that feng shui holds can gather auspicious Qi), suitable for building a house and settling in peace. Green hills several zhang high behind the house, a pond in front, and abundant water to the southeast can, according to the scripture, aid a smooth official career and the flourishing of the family estate. Opening a road before a grave is regarded as inauspicious and may send descendants far away and leave the household poor; low-lying land where water gathers from all sides is likewise unfit for building a house or making camp.

The scripture also links mountain forms and watercourses with animal images, naming patterns such as “dragon coiling and tiger encircling,” “golden rooster embracing an egg,” and “ox-herding land.” For example, green hills encircling the site, mountain forms on left and right protecting one another, a high rise behind, and a stream through the middle are said to suit a burial ground and to bring intelligent descendants together with ample fields and livestock. Level ground with three high mounds like peaks, matched with mountain ranges and roads in the corresponding directions, is likewise called “golden-rooster-embracing-an-egg land,” a sign of wealth, rank, and prominence. A mountain form behind the house like an armchair, with the surroundings storing wind and gathering Qi, or mountain forms on left and right joined together and water bending as it enters a river, is considered suitable for a house and favorable to the family estate and the reputation of later generations.

If the mountain form is long and narrow, a ditch lies before the grave, a mound stands behind the house, and roads pass to the east and west, the scripture calls this “ox-herding land” and holds that it will make descendants overbearing and bring many misfortunes upon the household. Drum-shaped ground is said to suit a grave; even without conspicuous mountains and waters, it can still make the family estate prosper. Finally, the scripture states that if a burial ground is high behind and low in front, and the surrounding pattern is fitting, fields and gardens, livestock, and population can all flourish; if shrines and temples stand to the east and west, later generations will also possess broad tracts of farmland.

Golden Lock and Jade Gate (Three) is chiefly concerned with what is auspicious or inauspicious in choosing sites for Yin-Yang dwellings. From terrain features such as the water mouth, the form of the mountains, orientation, and shelter on all sides, the text infers the rise or decline of the residents, or of the descendants of the person buried there. These statements belong to the terminology and ideas of traditional feng shui.

The scripture says that a house site should avoid water that flows against it and strikes it, and especially a current that rushes straight in like an arrow; otherwise it is held to bring decline upon later generations. In building a house or setting up a camp, one should not turn one’s back on the Yang, for an excess of Yin Qi (vital energy) is thought to affect the family’s fortune. A house should also not face east or west; adverse water met on the west, from the directions of Kun and Shen, is said to be particularly unfavorable. Facing north is likewise thought to bring decline to the household and unrest among its members. By contrast, facing southeast and receiving the sunlight is said to give a flourishing aspect. Pines planted behind the house and willows in front, with some enclosure all around, are taken to mean peace in the home and the prosperity of descendants.

The text calls certain configurations of mountains and water “Four Images land,” “Phoenix land,” “Turtle land,” and “Lion land,” and describes the shape and orientation of each. Where, for example, peaks and streams are fittingly arranged, ditches encircle the site like a turtle’s feet, or hills shelter the rear while the water in front bends, all are regarded as favorable situations for a house or tomb, foretelling wealth and rank, thriving fields and property, and distinguished descendants. If, conversely, water near the house or tomb surges and strikes, the mountains offer no protection, or ditches and roads charge straight at the gate, this is thought to bring unrest to the household and loss of property and people.

The scripture further stresses that the opening of doors, the digging of wells, and drainage within the courtyard must attend to orientation, and it mentions numerological feng shui methods such as the Tiangang formula and the Nine Palaces and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). In siting a house or choosing a tomb, one cannot look only at level ground or at hills; terrain, orientation, the month, and the flow of water must be judged together. In selecting a grave one should note the height of the burial ground, the distant mountains, and the incoming water, and one must not bury at random between other families’ ancestral graves, lest this be thought to disturb the order of both families’ yin dwellings.

The ending repeatedly urges careful discernment of the terrain and cautious choice of site, calling this art a secretly transmitted oral formula. If one does not understand its rules and acts rashly, the result may be poverty, the ruin of the family, or the scattering of its members. The scripture’s inferences of good and ill fortune are traditional feng shui interpretations of terrain and orientation.

On the Sha of the One White Direction: The One White direction belongs to the Kan trigram of the Later Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams), and its bearings include Ren, Zi, and Gui. Here “sha” refers to hills, earthen forms, and similar terrain within a feng shui configuration.

Sha in the Ren direction is said to bring distinguished rank in military office. If the peaks are graceful and towering, status is all the more marked; the household’s comings and goings proceed smoothly, and its fame may spread far. If water in the Bing direction further answers it, descendants may also stand out for literary talent.

Sha in the Zi direction is said to indicate a prosperous household that accumulates wealth. If the landform resembles the shape associated with the Pojun (Broken Army) star, the family estate may be raised by a widow. If water in the Wu direction, whether distant or near, answers it, one need not mind even if reputation is not conspicuous.

Sha in the Gui direction is said to suggest that a woman may head the household, with family fortune flourishing in the Upper Yuan (Shangyuan); whether the case concerns men or women, the men of the house may also fear their wives. If the water forms in the Ding direction, distant or near, are elegant, both population and property will prosper. If the sha is shaped like a gourd, short men in the household will be constrained by their wives. Should the sha in the various bearings of the Kan trigram take a shuttle shape, then whether for a yin dwelling (burial ground) or a yang dwelling (residence), so long as the configuration embraces the site, one must heed its bearing and avoid sha forms that press close and bear down upon the palace position. If a stream or river lies between the sha and the dwelling site, it is not held to be inauspicious.

If the terrain resembles a broken form of the character zhong (中), it is called “cold wind piercing through” (han tou feng), and is said to deplete both people and wealth, so that family fortune can hardly flourish. If there is no answering water in the Li direction, the household may be lonely and hard-pressed, yet not to the point of poverty.

The Two Black sector corresponds to the Kun trigram in the Later Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams), and its bearings include Wei, Kun, and Shen.

Where the Wei, Kun, and Shen directions have cinnabar—red sandy soil or mountain forms—it is said to bring wealth. Yet if a person behaves improperly, that wealth may also come by levying military taxes or by banditry, so that he becomes notorious and his ill fame spreads far and wide. If the mountain forms are graceful and elegant, and water from the Chou direction reflects before the eye, one may also acquire fields and property, and life in the household will be peaceful, content, and harmonious. Mountains in the Kun direction that rise layer upon layer are regarded as an auspicious sign of prosperity in the Upper Epoch. The women of the house manage domestic affairs, drink wine, and talk of farming; the daughters are fair of face; the family estate flourishes; and blessings endure for a long time.

If water from the Gen direction shines upon the site, it may bring abundant wealth. The mountain forms, however, must not be broken or disordered like military banners, nor may there be inauspicious configurations such as “seven branches” or “flying slant.” Where there is sand in the Shen direction, tradition holds that the women are beautiful, with round faces and long legs; if the sand forms are also graceful, the women are diligent and discerning. If water from the Yin direction further reflects upon them, the women will also possess a graceful bearing like figures in a painting.

When the sand forms of the Kun direction are intact, encircling and sheltering the site like a golden rampart, stable and fit to dwell in, this is held to favor the flourishing of household members and of wealth, so that the family is affluent and its reserves ample. If water from the Gen direction also reflects upon it, blessings, emolument, and longevity may all be enjoyed together. If the overall configuration is broad and open, the men of the house may serve as upright and incorrupt officials, and the wives will be virtuous, capable, and well regarded.

Sanbi (Three Green) corresponds to the Zhen trigram of the Later Heaven Bagua (Houtian Bagua), occupying the three directions of Jia, Mao, and Yi.

If the Jia direction has a mountain form that runs on continuously, like horses one after another, it is called the “Jia Dragon Palace.” The scripture says that this configuration brings good fortune in periods of upper and middling fortune; if, in addition, the waters of the Geng and You directions rise and fall, the family’s fortunes will proceed smoothly and blessings will continue without cease. If lake waters surge as though joining the sky, the scripture describes the scene upon the water with the phrase “geese crossing and wild geese reflected,” regarding this as the terrain and water configuration that correspond to it.

Where the Mao direction has shansha (a feng shui term for the surrounding mountain forms or high ground), it is said to enable people to grow wealthy and may also bring substantial property. The scripture states that the eldest son will become renowned in all directions, yet he may also be fond of going out in search of pleasure. If the mountain form arches upward like a desk or table, it symbolizes a distinguished and awe-inspiring reputation; if it resembles a chicken’s claw, the household is thought likely to produce soldiers or thieves. If water in the You direction answers it, the scripture says the household may bear many daughters.

The shansha of the Yi direction is regarded as favorable to literary talent, and the household will produce scholars; if the mountains rise in a facing posture and their form is prominently displayed, this also symbolizes someone holding office and winning fame. If the mountain form resembles the hu tablet once held by officials, or a writing brush, it is regarded as favorable to a literary reputation. If, in addition, water from the Xin direction shines upon it, this especially symbolizes worthy and virtuous women in the household.

The shansha of the Zhen direction as a whole, according to the scripture, can cause both civil and military undertakings in the household to flourish; if it is further matched with the waters of the Qian and Dui directions, it is all the more auspicious. If the mountain form resembles the configuration corresponding to the Tanlang star (Greedy Wolf), it is held to make people intelligent and handsome, with an outstanding bearing.

The Four Green direction refers to the position of the Xun trigram in the Later Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams), specifically comprising the three bearings of Chen, Xun, and Si.

Where there is sha in the Chen direction—sha, in feng shui, denoting a rise in the terrain or a prominent landform—it may bring wealth, yet the household is liable to take in people of poor character. The means of gaining wealth are improper, even to the point of disregarding reputation. The six kin are also hard pressed to offer help, and when relatives meet they are as strangers to one another. If the form of the sha is broken and askew, there may further be the danger of unexpected mishaps.

Where there is sha in the Xun direction, the woman of the house is praised by others, and the neighbors likewise acknowledge her. If the form of the sha resembles the Greedy Wolf star—a type of mountain form in feng shui configuration—both men and women may gain illustrious reputations. If, in addition, water in the Qian direction corresponds to it, there is prospect of flourishing in the Upper Yuan, one of the temporal cycles among the Three Cycles of feng shui.

Where there is sha in the Si direction, it favors success in letters and official renown, and the middle son of the household may become famous. If the form of the sha is like a red snake coiled about, members of the household may serve as upright and incorrupt officials. If the form is like a gourd, accomplished sons and younger generations may emerge; if it is like a sharp peak, wealth will be abundant and reputation will travel far.

When the configuration of sha in the Xun direction is intact, it can bring benefit through both the Upper Yuan and the Middle Yuan. Those who reside here may find the household auspicious and happy. If, further, water in the Qian and Wu directions corresponds to it, both fathers and sons may be worthy, virtuous, and well known; holding office, they will be upright and will not seize the wealth of the common people.

The Six White sector (the Qian palace in feng shui orientation) belongs to the Qian trigram of the Later Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams), and its bearings include Xu, Qian, and Hai.

Where there is sha (hills or high ground) in the Xu direction, it is called the “Great Star” and is held to bring the disturbance of fire. If the form of the sha is broken, it is also thought to be fulfilled in the loss of a spouse; if its shape resembles a door opening outward the wrong way, it is thought to make the sons of the household unwilling to serve in the army. If water corresponds in the Chen direction and the current comes against the flow, it is thought to make a person act out of order and rush about in all directions. Sha in the Qian direction is held to harm the father and cause young children to weep in grief; if the form of the sha resembles “Pojun” (a baleful configuration), it is thought to invite an unnatural death. If the form of the sha resembles a “single swollen road” (a phrase in the source used to describe a kind of landform), it is thought that someone will go in secret to the Xun direction and commit adultery with the mother. If the water in the Xun direction resembles a ladle or a well, it is thought that the disgrace of a father-in-law sharing a bed with his daughter-in-law will occur.

Where there is sha in the Hai direction, rising high like the sky, it is thought that the household will bear a child who cries at night; if it reaches a height of ten zhang, it is thought that although wealth may be gained, it will be hard to keep for long. If square-shaped water corresponds in the Si direction, it is thought that a monk will enter the inner chambers, that the husband will marry a bald-headed person, and that reputation will suffer as a result.

If the Qian direction as a whole has sha, it is thought that the family’s fortune will decline in middle age, and that the father will be unsettled in mind and disordered in what he does. If there is also water in both the Chen and Xun directions, illicit affairs are thought to arise. Descendants may die young or the line may come to an end, and this is attributed to the form of the sha sloping and flying outward.

The Seven Red direction refers to the position of the Dui trigram in the Later Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams), comprising the three bearings of Geng, You, and Xin. According to this feng shui formula, sha in the Geng position—hills, earthen ridges, and similar landforms—is regarded as inauspicious and may invite misfortune, drawing a person into lawsuits. If water in the Jia position stands opposite it, this is thought to affect the eldest son and make it difficult for him to continue the family line. Should the terrain resemble a falling blade, it may also stir up disputes and hinder the prosperity of the household.

If straight, hard sha appears in the You position, the formula holds that it may bring a poor reputation, illegitimate children, and other family troubles; deafness, muteness, or illnesses too shameful to mention may also occur, the eldest son may find it hard to carry on the line, and the household is often filled with sorrow. If water in the Mao position faces it, this is believed to dissipate wealth and even affect descendants.

Sha in the Xin position is said to readily give rise to lung diseases such as consumption, which are difficult to cure; if the sha is shaped like a sharp knife, it may also correspond to liver disease. If water from the Yi position further answers it, the younger members of the household are thought to be frail and sickly, unsteady as if swaying in the wind.

When the sha form in the Dui position is pronounced, it is considered likely to cause women difficulty in childbirth, and also to foster gossip, family resentment, and similar problems; lawsuits and disputes continue without cease, and people’s hearts are not sufficiently kind. If water moreover comes from the Chen or Xun directions, the formula holds that it will make people cunning and deceitful.

The Eight White direction corresponds to the Gen trigram of the Later Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams), and its bearing lies in the area of Chou, Gen, and Yin. The Jing (scripture/classic) assesses good and ill fortune by feng shui landform: the “five sands” are a type of sand form in the Gen direction (hills, earth and rock, and similar terrain). If the shape resembles a trailing knife, it is thought to readily attract thieves and lawsuits or denunciations, and may also be connected with occupations of the butcher’s kind; the household may have few male heirs, with unending disputes over property.

Where there is sand in the Gen direction, the scripture holds that it may be unfavorable to offspring and to the fetus, and may also make young children difficult to raise, so that the household is unsettled. If the sand form resembles seven branching forks, it is thought that the lesser house (the smaller branch within the clan) will decline and die out first. When water from the Kun direction shines straight upon the site, it is said to easily give rise to abdominal illness, and even to the death of women.

If there is sand in the Yin direction, the scripture holds that monks, Daoists, or physicians may appear; if the sand form is triangular, one may encounter people who are dissolute and unrestrained. There may also appear a person with six fingers, or someone minded to study the arts of the Dao (the Way). When the sand forms of the Gen direction are complete, the inauspicious signs will show themselves within the “three cycles” (Sanyuan, the three periods of which feng shui terminology speaks); if the sand forms are crooked and irregular, they readily attract disputes and strife, and those of poor households may go begging from place to place and incur others’ disdain. Water of the Wei and Kun directions shining in opposition is likewise held to make it difficult for husband and wife to be reunited.

The Nine Purple direction corresponds to the Li trigram of the Later Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams), and its positions are Bing, Wu, and Ding. If the Bing position has sha—in feng shui, higher surrounding landforms or buildings—its force is weak and unfavorable, and it may affect the second son’s ability to have children; if the form is high and pointed, it is also held to bring misfortunes such as vomiting blood. Set against the water configuration of the Ren direction, this is said to mean that the second branch, the line of the second son, will die out first.

If the Wu position has sha, the verse formula says that the men of the household will be impoverished and may also meet with sudden disaster; if the shape is triangular, it is further said to injure the eyes and even bring on heart pain and similar troubles, together with talk of disordered relations between men and women. If water is also seen at the Zi position, vomiting blood and a sallow complexion are said to follow.

Sha at the Ding position is taken to govern illness, so that people cannot do without the medicine stove year after year; if the shape resembles a long spear, elders in particular may meet with sudden calamity; if the form looks like a body leaning forward to climb and claw, death under the guns of soldiers or bandits is said to be possible. If the Gui direction holds clear, stored water, the verse formula says the household will produce widows. If sha is spread across the high ground, the Upper Epoch—one period within the Three Cycles and Nine Periods of feng shui—will ruin the family.

Expressions such as “extinguish the second and also the first” and “extinguish the second and also the eldest” mean that the corresponding branches of a family may decline and die out; “four and nine crossed in combination, the five facial features are irregular” infers a person’s appearance from a pairing of directions. If the water configurations of Ren, Zi, and Gui all appear together, the family estate is judged to be cut off.

Whether for a yin residence (a burial site) or a yang residence (a dwelling), sha in the Li direction is to be avoided; a stove or a road in the Li direction is likewise held to be unfavorable and should be moved or altered.

When primal chaos first opened, the five directions were established from it; Qian and Kun, together with the sun and moon, were set in place, forming the guiding order by which heaven and earth move. The constellations are arrayed around the circuit of heaven; heaven is clear and earth turbid, and Yin-Yang each follows its own pattern. Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning all belong to insubstantial Qi (vital energy); within the forms of hills and waters there are places fit for settlement. Qian is heaven and Kun is earth: high and low are distinguished, their principles are followed, and the Qi of heaven and earth is received.

The sixty-year cycle is set in order and circulates through heaven and earth, and Yin-Yang is then matched with male and female. The four seasons and eight nodes distinguish day and night, and the Nine Palaces and the Bagua join with Tiangang. The Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) turn in cyclical calculation, with Earth at the center. Between heaven and earth there are one hundred and twenty kinds of divine baleful influences and ninety-four auspicious and inauspicious spirit-generals, and from these one judges which years, months, and directions are favorable, and which days and hours are auspicious.

A Qian mountain with Gen water is held to favor the flourishing of descendants; if the land in the Xun direction is level and full, there is great good fortune and prosperity. If the incoming dragon—in feng shui, the landform extending from a mountain range—settles in the Li direction, a baleful general will be encountered. The scripture (Jing) further says that from these divine baleful influences one may determine favorable years, months, and directions, as well as auspicious days and hours.

Qian mountains and Gen water—Qian and Gen being directional positions of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), roughly the northwest and the northeast—are said to make a household’s numbers flourish. If the ground in the Xun quarter (the southeast) is open and level, the family’s fortunes prosper. When the Li quarter (the south) has a “coming dragon” (a feng shui term for terrain formed by mountain ranges extending toward the site) near a burial ground, later generations are said to produce, age after age, people skilled in letters. Fields and population increase year by year, and the sons of the house can hold office and assist in government. If the road before the gate bends and circles around, glory is enjoyed for generations and the family estate remains prosperous for a long time.

Where the roads and terrain of the northwest are open and the lie of the land spreads out freely, the place is called auspicious and flourishing. Households living there grow prosperous and well supplied. When the ground all around is level and properly formed, it is like a blessed land.

If the front is high and the rear is low, the family estate is hard to keep for long; if the rear is high and the front is low, fields and property are extensive. Low in the east and high in the west is called unfavorable terrain, and water flowing toward the Zhen palace (the eastern position among the Bagua) is likewise unsuitable. Water leaving in this way does not necessarily do harm, yet it is said to send members of the household far away.

Terrain high in the east and low in the west is called marsh land, and later generations are said to produce worthy and capable people. If this form of the ground stays stable and unchanged, the household can attain wealth and rank, and descendants become people fit to bear great responsibility.

A pond behind the residence is said to leave the family poor, may lead to having no sons, and brings illnesses of the abdomen and stomach. If water strikes straight at the front of the house, like five arrows shot toward it, this is held to cause consumption and calamity. If the force of the water surges and strikes, there is also a saying that the household may still be wealthy and honored, and that descendants can become pillars of the family.

A pond behind the residence is said to impoverish the household and make heirs hard to obtain, and may also bring on abdominal and gastrointestinal disease. Water rushing straight ahead forms what is called the “wound of five arrows,” said to bring consumption and disaster. If the current breaks through two directional positions, descendants may be dissolute and lack judgment in what they do. Even if the water’s departure causes no harm, the pond behind the residence will still, little by little, bring adverse effects.

Taking water from the Xun quarter (the southeast) is said to make family fortune hard to sustain; even wealth and rank for a time are not counted auspicious. A low hollow behind the hall where foul water collects is called extinct ground. If the northeast has two lines of onrushing, shooting force, they are especially hard to guard against. Even if wealth and rank come for a while because of this, they are hard to keep for long; it is said that after fifteen years there will certainly be injury or loss.

High behind and low in front is considered terrain of the highest grade. When the Ren and Zi positions (the north) have a vigorous, imposing force, the household’s cattle and sheep thrive; goods and storehouses are ample, wealth, rank, and splendor follow, and the family’s fortune is bright.

With hills behind, a depression in front, and a watercourse winding its way toward the Yangtze, the site is said to draw wealth and add to the household, make cattle and sheep flourish, and give descendants blessings and long life for generations.

Low all around and raised in the center, with water scattering to all four sides, is as unfavorable as a knife. Even if the surrounding ground looks as though dragons and tigers were circling it, it is said that after twenty-four years one will still meet the loss of family property or the decline of the estate.

Stones before the gate, with a look of having fallen or of being about to topple, are said to invite thieves and leave the household worried and unsettled. Lawsuits and quarrels arise year after year, and the “spirit arrows” shot from concealment—a feng shui term for unfavorable landforms or objects held to create a rushing, baleful force—are hard to guard against.

Where the ground is high and broad all around and low and sunken in the very center, the terrain is called a “Hell Pool.” If the surroundings of a residence form the pattern known as “the household gate becoming dragon and tiger,” after twenty-four years someone in the family may scatter and be left without support.

If stones lie toppled in the dust before the gate, thieves may come to the door, bringing worry and unease. The household is also prone, year after year, to lawsuits and verbal disputes, as though hidden arrows were hard to guard against.

Where the ground is high and broad all around and low and sunken in the very center, the terrain is called a “Hell Pool.” Family property easily declines and is hard to make prosper. Yin Qi (vital energy) is excessive and Yang Qi is insufficient, and affairs gradually go downhill.

A residence narrow in front and broad behind is regarded as an auspicious pattern: the family line prospers and grows wealthy and eminent; descendants flourish, official careers proceed smoothly, the fields are rich, and grain, mulberry, and hemp are plentiful.

A residence broad in front and narrow behind easily leaves the household poor, even to the point of selling off all its fields, and descendants may go far from home. The scripture (Jing) calls this pattern a “large mouth” and holds that it brings baleful misfortune.

When the Wind position and the Thunder position are high and broad, and the Heaven position and the Lake position are low and level, the household will have grain and business will flourish. Travel by carriage and horse is convenient, and later generations may enter official service.

A residence that extends on the left and draws in on the right is a better pattern. If the Gen direction (the northeast) has an incoming dragon—a terrestrial vein along which the mountain form extends toward the site—it can bring population and wealth. Family members live in harmony, and descendants may rise to eminence; pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses gather in herds, and after forty years the family’s fortune gradually prospers.

When the Zi–Wu orientations (north and south) are broad and ample, hearts in the household are open and harmonious, official salaries increase year by year, and sources of wealth widen. Even matters involving the authorities meet with good fortune and turn auspicious. Descendants may become eminent; clothing and food are abundant throughout life, family property flourishes, and later generations continue without end.

Where the Dark Warrior direction (the north) is high and the Vermilion Bird direction (the south) is low, and several landforms before the gate are called “Nine Dragons Ground,” the Azure Dragon in the east and the White Tiger in the west originally symbolize the completeness of both blessing and longevity, yet they may also bring loneliness and lack of ease.

When water on both sides rushes toward the middle, and the residence is high in front and narrow behind, disaster is easily invited. Family members scatter and wealth drains away; lawsuits may also be incurred, some people may turn to theft, and women may conduct themselves improperly.

Water flowing toward a solitary village, coming and going back and forth—the subtlety in this is truly hard to fathom. People of the world do not understand the principle: where the mountain force is vigorous, the population flourishes; where the water force is vigorous, wealth flourishes.

Three mountains encircle the site, the Dark Warrior direction rises with lofty presence, and the water flows east and then returns before the hall; a road rushes in from the Kun direction (the southwest) and passes through. With such a pattern, if one cannot be enfeoffed as a marquis or appointed chancellor, one can still become a pillar of the realm.

Behind the house rises a green hill several zhang high, and before it a pond ripples with water. Water in the southeast flows steadily away, and those who live here may hope to rise step by step and attain office and distinction. If the departing water and the approaching mountains are both well disposed, blessing and long life may both be complete. When the waters encircle the house like a golden belt about the waist, the family will produce worthy and capable people. If one further obtains a well-aligned incoming dragon and an auspicious site—in feng shui, the approach of the mountain range and a place suitable for building a house or for burial—descendants may excel generation after generation.

Where the Chen and Mao directions are lush and green, and the far end of the Shen direction has steps; where the waters in the Qian direction are vast and the Kan direction has a mound, the meaning is that fortune and longevity are both complete. Curving water in the Bing and Ding directions faces the house site as if coming forward with hands clasped in greeting. Those who live here may wear green robes and ivory ornaments and go to the palace to have audience with the sovereign.

The configuration of the You direction signifies that descendants will stand out generation after generation.

Where the Chen and Mao directions are lush and green, and the far end of the Shen direction has steps; where the waters in the Qian direction are vast and the Kan direction has a mound, the meaning is that fortune and longevity are both complete. Curving water in the Bing and Ding directions faces the house site as if coming forward with hands clasped in greeting. Those who live here may wear green robes and ivory ornaments and go to the palace to have audience with the sovereign.

The You direction is high and the Mao direction is low; the Wu direction is broad, yet behind the house lies a pool of foul water. This readily leads to disorder in relations between men and women, a loss of proper order between elders and juniors in the household, and lonely, bitter widowhood for the women.

Where the land is broad and level on every side, it is suitable for choosing a site and building a house. One need not be bound by the coming and going of mountain forms and watercourses; the family estate can flourish, and all affairs will be abundant.

Behind the house there should be no ditches or rivers; otherwise descendants may scatter and wander. The women of the household are easily afflicted by eye disease, and may also lack clothing and food, living in lonely hardship.

Where grasses and trees are vividly green and grow vigorously, a house built among them will win people’s praise. Such a place is called “dragon-lair ground”—in feng shui, an auspicious site held suitable for building or burial. To establish a residence here portends glory and prosperity.

When all affairs in the household go smoothly and the family fortunes flourish, the neighboring fields to left and right may also be bought into the family. If one does not believe this, one may dig three or four chi into the ground and look: the soil of this plot is fertile, narrow in front and broad behind, open and splendid. (Here the original wording, “轻肥前狭后萱华,” is not very clear; the reading follows the general sense of the context.)

If a road is opened in front of a grave, it is most inauspicious, and descendants may drift to distant places. Even if they remain for a time, they will fall into poverty and decline, and after twenty years the family fortunes will be ruined.

The terrain is shaped like a steamed bun, low-lying all around, with water gathering from every side into a long stream. A high ridge is not suitable for building a house; even if one forces a dwelling there, one may sink into poverty and decline, and after twenty years the family fortunes will be ruined.

The terrain is shaped like a steamed bun, low-lying all around, with water gathering from every side into a long stream; one should not build a house upon a high ridge. Wind from all eight directions will scatter the people of the household and bring the lineage to decline and extinction. If the wrong place is chosen, one’s fortunes will be poor.

Green hills reflected in flowing water—such terrain is rarely seen in the world. The mountains coil like a dragon, and the configuration is fitting. Behind the house, the direction called Xuanwu—a feng shui term, usually the north or the rear of the dwelling—should have a high peak. If a plot can be chosen there as a grave site, later generations will mostly be intelligent and quick-witted, with abundant fields, cattle and horses, and wealth. Auspicious Qi (vital energy) arises on both sides of this place, and within twenty years one may hope for distinction and success.

When the Rooster and Mao quarters face one another and meet in contending conjunction, the configuration is the very best. Dig three feet down, and the dragon pond will come into view. If one does not believe this, one may examine the dragon bones on the left and right: narrow in front and broad behind, like armor plates and scales. This place is suitable for building a residence and setting up a camp. It can bring wealth and honor, and it will also produce distinguished sons who succeed in the examinations. How could an ordinary practitioner of Fengshui (geomancy) understand the subtlety within? Purple Qi (vital energy) flourishes and can spread far in all four directions.

Burying a grave along the ridge, following its natural slope, forms the configuration called “Flying Serpent Patterned Ground” (Tengshe Wendi) and will leave later generations poor. The family’s fields will be sold off entirely, and they will have no choice but to wander to other regions; people in the household will also be dull-witted and lame, with dim and failing eyesight.

In front of the grave, two ditches resemble the heads of bracken ferns, and behind the camp there is a curving earthen mound. If roads traveled by people run along the east and west sides, later generations will be overbearing and hot-tempered, lacking gentle Qi. This place is called “Ox-Herding Ground” (Muniu Di). Year after year it is prone to baleful events and misfortune. If one does not believe this, dig it open and look carefully: inside there will be a pair of stones.

On level ground stand three earthen mounds, their form like mountain peaks. When, in addition, the Zhen and Mao directions correspond with the incoming dragon, with a ridge to the north and a road to the west, the plot in the middle is suitable for a grave set against the mounds. This configuration is called “Golden Rooster Embracing the Egg” (Jinji Baodan Di). It is said to make later generations wealthy and honored and to bring forth outstanding talents. If one does not believe this, dig three feet down and see whether bronze vessels and bronze fragments lie within.

Behind the residence, the terrain of the household rises like a mountain peak and is also shaped like an armchair. This place is suitable for building a residence and setting up a camp. It can bring wealth and honor, worthy and able descendants, and even honors bestowed by the court. Terrain of this kind can block the wind and gather Qi. It is truly marvelous: purple Qi surges up and drifts toward the four directions.

Dense trees encircle the ridge, and a bend of flowing water leads toward the Yangtze River. On the east and west, the forms of the Azure Dragon (Qinglong) and the White Tiger (Baihu) join one another, and establishing a camp on the sloping ground is a sign of great good fortune. The configuration of lotus pond and lotus-root land is not easily recognized. Later generations stand out like orchids and cassia and enjoy a distinguished reputation. If one does not believe this, dig more deeply and look with care: the vine roots will be more than nine feet long.

Terrain shaped like a drum is a most unusual configuration, suitable as a grave site or a camp. There is no need to seek mountain forms or flowing water elsewhere; the line can still prosper and flourish, and all affairs will proceed smoothly.

When the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu—the backing hill behind a grave or a residence) is high and the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque—the ground in front) is low, if a person blessed with good fortune is buried here, fields, gardens, and livestock can all thrive.

Terrain shaped like a drum is a most unusual configuration, suitable as a grave site or a camp. There is no need to seek mountain forms or flowing water elsewhere; the line can still prosper and flourish, and all affairs will proceed smoothly.

Xuanwu (the backing mountain or water configuration in the north) stands relatively high, while Zhuque (the terrain in the south) lies relatively low. If a person of good fortune is buried here, farmland, livestock, and population will all flourish, and descendants may also rise to eminent rank.

Here there is neither mountain nor water in front or behind; why, then, can one still enjoy glory and wealth, health and long life? Dig down three or four chi, and a mass of Yang Qi (vital energy)—in feng shui teaching, the energy that symbolizes vitality—will appear.

If a hillock rises on a level plain and one establishes a camp and builds a residence upon it, this is an auspicious and flourishing configuration. If spirit halls and temples stand to the east and the west, descendants will possess broad farmlands.

One must especially avoid water that rushes in against the flow and strikes the residence straight on like an arrow; according to this teaching, it harms descendants and brings the family estate to ruin. In building a residence and establishing a camp, do not turn the back to the yang, for that causes Yin Qi to become excessive and throws Yin-Yang out of balance. Even if wealth and rank come for a time, they will be hard to maintain later, and the household will often have women keeping solitary watch over empty rooms.

In building a house and establishing a camp, do not face east, because water oriented to the east will flow away. There may be no calamity for the present, but within thirty years misfortune will come after all.

In building a residence and establishing a camp, do not face west, and above all avoid the contrary-water configuration in the Kun and Shen directions (the southwestern quarter); such a situation is said to be very hard to remedy. Even if wealth and rank come for a time, they will not last, and in the end the family may scatter and the estate decline.

A residence of this kind of configuration will meet with misfortune within thirty years.

In building a residence and establishing a camp, do not face west; the contrary-water configuration in the Kun and Shen directions is the hardest to remedy. Even if wealth and rank come for a time, they will not endure, and in the end the family may disperse and the estate fall into ruin.

In siting a residence and establishing a camp, do not face north. Facing north is held to bring the weeping of ghosts and spirits in the house, leave the young short of clothing and food, damage the family’s property, and even cause people to die and the house to be destroyed.

Building a residence and establishing a camp so that it faces southeast symbolizes the myriad things greeting the morning sun, full of vigorous life. Plant pines behind the residence and willows in front, and enclose the surroundings for protection, and the household within will be at peace. The family will be safe and harmonious, and the feng shui configuration left by the ancestors can also make descendants flourish. If the mountains and waters stand in “Lingguan wang” (a feng shui term for directions regarded as vigorous and favorable), blessings will keep increasing.

On the Qinglong side (the left side of the residence, the east), the mountain range at the Yi position rises high; water gathers in the Bing and Ding directions; the Geng and Xin directions show a snake-shaped landform; the Ren and Gui directions have layered high mountains; and a tomb is sited in the Wu and Ji directions. Such a layout is said to bring forth generals, ministers, and heroes among later generations. This place is called Sixiang di, the Land of the Four Configurations (an auspicious site formed by combining the terrain of the four quarters with the directional positions), and it is the most suitable for establishing a camp and building a residence.

The southeast is open and broad and may serve as an elevated terrace; water channels facing this place in the Gen and Qian directions (the northeast and the northwest) are the most suitable. If a tomb is sited on the curving terrain to the west, it is said to bring forth generals, ministers, and heroes among later generations. This place is called the Land of the Four Configurations, and it is the most suitable for establishing a camp and building a residence.

The terrain to the southeast is open and broad, well suited to form peaks and terraces. An orientation toward a water harbor is most fitting for the northeast and for the Qian direction (the northwest). The marshes to the west wind and encircle the site, drawing near the Li direction (the south); whether one builds a residence or raises a tomb, the place is appropriate.

This ground is called “Phoenix Land.” Its scenery is like the morning sun of spring, and it remains graceful through all four seasons. When a person of good fortune is buried here, descendants will stand eminent for generations and wear the purple robes of office.

In the Bing direction (south by east) there are ditches and channels; in the Ding direction (the south) there is flowing water. In the Xin-You direction (the west) the Azure Dragon is stirred into motion, and boats pass back and forth. The channels all around resemble the four feet of a turtle, and so the site is called “Turtle Land,” suitable for raising towers and halls. Whether for dwelling or for burial, it is said to make descendants flourish, fields and estates ample, and cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses gather in herds, so that the family fortune becomes glorious and the line may even produce a marquis.

Xuanwu—the northern backing mountain in feng shui—rises high, and the hills gather around it. Where there is water and a reservoir, wealth can be accumulated. The meeting of mountain and water is a place of the highest auspiciousness, and the flowing water bends as it comes and goes. This is called “Lion Land.” It is said that descendants will be able to hold the hu tablet—the ceremonial tablet carried when attending court—enter the court, and attain high rank.

When a dwelling is built facing the southeast, one must look carefully at where the water runs and how the mountains lie. Water in the courtyard should drain out along the natural slope, and wells and springs should be placed in the Mao direction (the east). In setting doors one must not go against the “Tiangang formula”—here, the mnemonic for choosing orientations and fixing gates—or the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh positions may bring great disaster. Another account holds that the gate of wealth is best set toward the fourth, sixth, and seventh directions, which can make the household harmonious, the children filial, and the father at ease.

The wall before the main hall should not stand askew, or it will strike straight at the gate and hall like a wind-arrow. If the patterns of Heaven and the features of Earth run counter to each other, Yin-Yang orientations must be judged according to the Nine Palaces and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams).

In pitching a camp or establishing a house one need not taboo any direction, whether the ground is level or hilly, nor heed Guo Pu’s Tiangang formula. Build in this way, and the family’s fortunes will prosper. If the terrain runs on unbroken and uneven, misfortune will follow, the household will decline, and its people will suffer harm. If the subtle formula of the northeast is not known, one cannot understand the principles of Yin-Yang of which Guo Pu spoke.

It is said here that a place where an imperial son is born is rich in auspicious joy, yet this must not be allowed to become known, lest the secrets of Heaven leak out. In pitching camp and establishing a dwelling one need not engage a master, nor weigh whether the hills are high or low; one should still choose a favorable year, orientation, and month—so why speak of subtle Yin-Yang formulas or the methods of feng shui masters? If family wealth fails and people come to harm, one simply says that the times are adverse and fate is unkind.

If this secretly transmitted oral formula is circulated without due care, it may be misunderstood and misused. The Golden Lock and Jade Gate (Jinsuo Yuguan)—a geomantic method that judges the good or ill fortune of dwellings and burial sites according to Yin-Yang, orientation, landforms, and the configuration of water—must therefore be explained layer by layer, correcting omissions in earlier accounts. Only by recognizing the patterns of heaven and the features of earth can one grasp the principles regarded as precious within it. This art is not easy to learn; it must be studied until familiar and firmly committed to memory, and it must not be treated lightly.

This is a secret formula transmitted among the immortals, to be carefully pondered and applied with caution. The formula claims that if the configuration of a family dwelling or a burial site is unsuitable, hardship in the household’s fortunes may last for thirteen years, and may even bring the ruin of the family and harm to its members.

Green hills that stand exposed are a rare landform; a dragon-shaped mountain range matched with a tiger-shaped ridge is regarded as suitable for burial. If there is a pond like the moon in front of the grave, yet disordered hills like arrows lie to the southwest, and if the ground behind turns back in the form of the Greedy Wolf star (Tanlang, a star in geomantic terminology denoting a type of mountain shape), while the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu, the mountain configuration behind the grave) rises high, the formula holds that the place favors the eminence of civil officials and military commanders. One who understands this subtlety may choose a spot at the center of such terrain for a burial site; it is said to make descendants intelligent and worthy, their official careers smooth, and even to enable later generations to take office at court. “Phoenix Pool” (Fenghuangchi) is an ancient term for the central organs of the court or for offices of high rank.

When purple Qi (vital energy) appears from all four directions, the site is suitable for building a residence or establishing the main house. If the ground to left and right is level and smooth, without forms that clash or shoot toward the site, and if behind there is likewise no mountain configuration charging straight like an arrow, the place is held to favor the flourishing of fields and gardens and the prosperity of descendants.

Even in flat, open places without ridges, the burial ground must be carefully surveyed and a suitable position sought. The formula says that the grave should be chosen on higher ground, and that the surrounding trees, flowers, grasses, and watercourses should also be fitting; one must further observe the alignment of distant mountains and of incoming water, so that mountain forms and water forms answer one another. One then examines the terrain in all eight directions, taking Wu and Ji (wuji, directional terms of the Five Phases [Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water] that indicate the center) as the reference, and determines the mountain orientation according to Zi and Wu (ziwu, the north–south axis).

If a burial site lies above a water configuration of waves roaring like thunder, it is always inauspicious; wind that strikes and assails the site is likewise held to bring madness, paralysis, and lonely suffering. The formula further says that this will cause the household to decline, the family estate to become hard to maintain, and the descendants to scatter. Unless a geomancer of established reputation is invited to choose another burial site, poverty and misfortune will follow.

For a burial at a river mouth where three streams meet, the currents to left and right must correspond to each other. If the geomancer does not understand the principle involved, the formula claims that a person of eminence may still appear within thirty years.

If another grave is placed in the middle of a burial ground without knowing which family the original grave belongs to—especially if the dead are interred in another family’s ancestral grave—the formula holds that neither household will have peace, and that both the living and the dead will be affected. If the bereaved family does not lose members on this account, then it is said that not long after the burial the geomancer who chose the site will also die. The final line says once again that within thirty years a person of eminence will appear.

In the middle of a burial ground another grave has been interred, yet no one knows which family it belongs to. If someone is buried among another family’s ancestral graves, tradition holds that the descendants of both families will find no peace. Should the bereaved family not lose any of its members on this account, it may still happen that, not long after the burial, a master in charge of funerals or of reading feng shui meets with death.

A tomb caught between two families, one in front and one behind, may bring harm to passersby going by on either side. Such a layout leaves the household poor for at most thirteen years, after which the family may be ruined and its members lost.

A grave built too high in front of a tomb is inauspicious; it is said to scatter sons and grandsons. Alas, the feng shui master lacks a discerning eye and sets the geomantic positions of the two families so that they clash with each other.

If behind a residence there are ditches or rivers, with living water flowing through in winding curves, there arises a configuration in which the firm and the yielding complement each other; if water also rushes in front, it signifies wealth, rank, and splendor enduring without end.

If the front of a residence is open and leads onto a great road, it is said that noble sons will be born, even rising to the station of princes and marquises. If there is a pond behind the residence, one may be wealthy and honored for the moment, yet the layout is inauspicious: it is said readily to produce frivolous and dissolute heirs, and within thirty years the family’s fortunes decline.

A residence must attend to its orientation, and behind it there should be Xuanwu (one of the Four Symbols of feng shui, referring to the backing hill or protective screen behind a dwelling) to serve as a guard. With trees sheltering the front and support behind, the layout is auspicious, and wealth, rank, and landed property come readily of themselves. If the front has no shelter, Zhuque (one of the Four Symbols of feng shui, referring to the front of a dwelling) appears isolated and weak; if the rear garden lacks a screen, Xuanwu is likewise empty. When both front and rear are sheltered, the household is more secure, and the family estate may be expected to prosper.

A residence must attend to its orientation, with Xuanwu guarding the rear. With trees sheltering the front and something to rely on behind, the layout is auspicious, and wealth, rank, and landed property come readily of themselves. Without shelter in front, Zhuque appears isolated and weak; without a screen in the rear garden, Xuanwu appears empty. With shelter both before and behind, the household is comparatively secure, and the family estate readily becomes ample.

Digging a pond behind a residence is most unsuitable; it is said to scatter sons and grandsons, bring calamity, ruin the family fortunes, and even cost lives. A feng shui master should be engaged as early as possible to choose another site and relocate.

When primordial chaos first opened, the five directions (east, south, west, north, and center) were established between heaven and earth, and Qian and Kun, together with the sun and moon, set their guiding order on this basis. The constellations of heaven are arrayed according to the bearings of the full celestial circuit; heaven is clear and earth is turbid, and from this the order of Yin-Yang takes form. Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning all belong to vacuous Qi (vital energy); the forms of hills and waters may then be consulted in seeking a suitable feng shui layout. Heaven as Qian and earth as Kun are distinguished as high and low, arranged in keeping with proper principle, and drawn into the corresponding configuration of Qi.

The jiazi (the system for reckoning years and days formed from the heavenly stems and earthly branches) is set in order and circulates between heaven and earth; matched with male and female, it forms marital pairings. The four seasons and eight nodes divide day and night; the Nine Palaces and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) link with Tiangang, and feng shui layouts are arranged according to these bearings and sequences of time. Five… arranged in keeping with proper principle, and drawn into the corresponding configuration of Qi.

By the Jiazi method of year-counting (the method of pairing the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to record years in a repeating cycle), the movements of Heaven and Earth are calculated and matched with the two categories of male and female and of Yin-Yang, forming the corresponding combinations. Day and night are then divided according to the four seasons and the eight nodal periods, and the Nine Palaces and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) are set in correspondence with Tiangang (a term of stellar observation). All affairs are reckoned from the transformations of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water): Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth each have their directions and relations. There are also one hundred and twenty kinds of shensha (the auspicious and inauspicious stellar deities spoken of in the divinatory arts) and ninety-four auspicious and inauspicious commanding spirits. Which directions are favorable in a given year and month, which days are auspicious, and which hours are suitable must all be calculated.

When Qian mountain (the mountain form of the northwest) is paired with Gen water (the water form of the northeast), it is said to favor the flourishing of the household; if the land in the Xun direction (the southeast) is level and open, the outcome is greatly auspicious and prosperous. If a mountain range extending from the Li direction (the south) draws near the burial ground, tradition holds that descendants will, generation after generation, produce persons of literary talent. Fields and population increase year by year, and within the family there are those who wear purple robes and gold belts at the waist, assisting the imperial court.

If the road before the gate bends and winds, later generations, according to this account, enjoy honor in every age, and the family estate prospers for a long time.

Where the road to the northwest rises with lofty force, the place is called an auspicious estate: every household thrives, and wealthy families are many; the terrain all around is level and open, like a pleasant land fit for dwelling.

Terrain high in front and low behind can hardly flourish for long; high behind and low in front favors the extensive laying out of fields and estates. Low to the east and high to the west is called “adverse ground”; when water flows toward the Zhen palace (the eastern direction), the two are out of harmony. Even if the water’s outflow presents no obvious obstruction, it is said to cause members of the household to move far away.

High to the east and low to the west is called marsh land, and later generations are said to produce worthy and virtuous persons. Even if the lie of the land remains firm and unchanged, wealth, rank, and prosperity can still be attained, and descendants will become pillars of talent.

If the residence stands on low ground while the west is high, this too is called “adverse ground”; water flowing toward the Zhen palace is out of harmony. Even if the outflow is unobstructed, it is said to cause members of the household to move far away.

High to the east and low to the west is called marsh land, and later generations are said to produce worthy and virtuous persons. Even if the lie of the land remains firm and unchanged, wealth, rank, and prosperity can still be attained, and descendants will become pillars of talent.

A pond behind the residence is said to bring poverty and a failure of offspring to thrive, and it may also give rise to abdominal illness. If water strikes straight at the gate, like five arrows shot head-on, it is held to bring toil, injury, and calamity. If the force of the water breaks through two directions, tradition holds that later generations will be licentious and will lose all judgment in their conduct. Even if the water flows out without obstruction, the pond behind the residence will gradually bring harm.

Drawing water from the Xun direction (the southeast) is said to make lasting prosperity difficult; even wealth and rank for a time are not counted auspicious. Foul, damp, low-lying ground behind the house is regarded as extinct ground; if two courses of water strike straight from the northeast, they are especially hard to guard against. Even if wealth and rank come for a while, they cannot endure, and within fifteen years there will certainly be injury.

High behind and low in front is a terrain of the highest auspiciousness. When Renzi (the Renzi direction among the stems and branches) is vigorous, cattle and sheep may be added to the household; goods and stores are ample, with wealth, rank, and glory, auspiciousness and flourishing.

Behind are hills, and in front is a pool, the water winding its way toward the Yangtze River. Such terrain is regarded as favorable to an increase of property, a flourishing growth of the family, and abundant cattle and sheep, so that descendants enjoy blessing and long life generation after generation.

Low ground all around, with the center rising high and grass and trees growing thickly, is regarded as a landform of wealth, honor, prosperity, and great good fortune.

Behind are hills, and in front is a pool, the water winding its way toward the Yangtze River. Such terrain is regarded as favorable to an increase of property, a flourishing growth of the family, and abundant cattle and sheep, so that descendants enjoy blessing and long life generation after generation.

Low ground all around and a high center, yet with water scattering and flowing off on every side, is viewed as a dangerous landform, like a knife that kills. Even if the surroundings appear to be guarded by dragon and tiger (longhu, a feng shui term for landforms that embrace the site on the left and right), loss and ruin will still come after twenty-four years.

Stones lying fallen and dust heaped up before the gate portend thieves at the door and sorrow and unrest in the home. Lawsuits and quarrels continue year after year, and in secret come harms that are hard to guard against.

High and broad all around, with a low-lying center: this landform is called the “Hell Pool.” Living here, the family’s fortunes decline and prosperity is hard to attain. Yin Qi (vital energy) is strong and Yang Qi is weak, and the affairs of the household gradually go downhill.

A landform narrow in front and broad behind is worthy of praise. It portends a flourishing family fortune, wealth and high station, thriving descendants, the chance of official appointment, ample fields, and luxuriant mulberry and hemp.

A landform broad in front and narrow behind means the household will certainly be poor, and its fields will gradually be sold off entirely. Descendants leave home and flee to other regions, because the entrance of the landform is too wide and it offends a baleful influence (xiongsha).

Where the Wind and Thunder directions stand high and open and the Heaven and Lake directions lie low, this portends plentiful grain and thriving trade. On going out, one is accompanied by carriage and horse, and descendants hold office generation after generation.

Extension on the left and contraction on the right is the configuration most suited to selling off all one’s fields.

(This sentence is translated literally from the original; its sense does not agree with the auspicious and inauspicious judgments stated in the surrounding context.)

Where the Wind and Thunder directions stand high and open and the Heaven and Lake directions lie low, this portends plentiful grain and thriving trade. On going out, one is accompanied by carriage and horse, and descendants hold office generation after generation.

Extension on the left and contraction on the right is the best configuration. When the Gen direction (the northeast) has an incoming dragon (lailong; in feng shui, the mountain landform that extends toward the site), this portends good fortune in population and wealth. Family members conduct themselves with propriety and live in harmony and ease; later generations may rise to eminence and hold office. Pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses gather in herds, and after forty years the family’s fortune gradually prospers.

Where the Zi–Wu directions (north and south) are broad and ample, this portends generous hearts, with official stipend added year by year and wealth coming in widely. Even in dealings with the authorities, misfortune turns to good fortune. Throughout life, food and clothing are plentiful and a smile is often worn. Even when the fields prosper and the household is wealthy and honored, later generations can still carry on the family estate.

Where the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu, the northern feng shui direction) rises high and the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque, the southern feng shui direction) lies low and level, and before the gate several bands of land coil like nine dragons, with the Azure Dragon (Qinglong) to the east and the White Tiger (Baihu) to the west—referring respectively to the protective landforms on either side—this might in itself symbolize blessing and longevity both complete, yet it is also said that one will suffer loneliness or misfortune.

Water rushing in from both sides toward the middle, with the ground high in front and narrow behind, is a terrain thought to invite calamity. It scatters people and brings loss of property, and lawsuits arise easily; someone in the household may also act overbearingly or without proper restraint.

Water flowing toward an isolated village, coming and going—the subtlety of this is truly hard to fathom. People of the world do not understand the principle: a vigorous mountain form favors the flourishing of the family line, while vigorous water favors wealth and fortune.

When three tiers of mountain rise high like Xuanwu (in feng shui, the mountain form that symbolizes the north and guards the rear of a dwelling), the water flows east and then circles back to gather before the hall. A road runs toward the Kun direction (the southwest) and opens passage to and fro. Those who live in such a place, even if they do not hold the rank of duke or marquis, can still become pillars of the realm.

Green hills several zhang high stand behind the dwelling, and the pond in front surges in waves; water rolls on in the southeast. According to this teaching, the residents may hope to rise step by step and become officials of the court.

When incoming water, outgoing water, and the mountain forms are properly matched, this is held to bring blessing and long life. Water encircling the dwelling like a golden belt about the waist foretells that worthy and capable persons will appear. If one can choose a coming dragon (the terrain formed as a mountain range extends) that faces the acupoint (the site feng shui regards as suitable for building a dwelling) directly, descendants through the generations may stand out from the ordinary.

Where the Chen and Mao directions (east-southeast and due east) are lush and green, and the Shen direction (west-southwest) is level; where the water is strong in the Qian direction (the northwest) and the ground is high in the Kan direction (due north), one may enjoy both blessing and longevity. If in the Bing and Ding directions (the south) a bending stream turns toward and embraces the dwelling, this foretells that members of the family will wear green robes and carry ivory tablets when they have an audience with the emperor.

If the You direction (due west) is high and the Mao direction (due east) is low, the Wu direction (due south) is open, and a foul pond lies behind the dwelling, this is thought to disorder relations between men and women in the household, erase the distinction of high and low, and leave the widows of the inner chambers lonely and desolate.

If the terrain is broad and level on every side, one may choose a suitable place to build a dwelling and settle. Whatever the direction from which the mountains come and the direction in which the water departs, someone in the household may wear a green robe and carry an ivory tablet to have an audience with the emperor.

If the You direction is high and the Mao direction is low, the Wu direction is open, and a foul pond lies behind the dwelling, this is thought to throw relations between men and women in the household into disorder and overturn the order of high and low, leaving widows lonely and wretched. If the terrain is broad and flat all around and a dwelling is built at whatever site one chooses, the family may prosper and every affair proceed smoothly.

Ditches and streams should not press close behind the dwelling; otherwise descendants will drift and wander in every direction. Women of the family may suffer harm such as diseases of the eyes, and fall into want of clothing and food, lonely and with nowhere to turn for support.

If the grass and trees are fresh and bright and of good color, and a dwelling is built in the middle, it will win the praise of all. Such a place is called dragon-lair ground (a site that feng shui regards as suitable for building a dwelling and for gathering Qi (vital energy)); to camp and build a house there brings glory and honor.

Built in this manner, every affair in the household goes smoothly and the family fortune flourishes; the neighboring fields to the left and right will gradually be purchased, enlarging the estate. If one does not believe this, one may dig three or four chi deep and will find the soil light and fertile, narrow in front and broad behind, its form open and unconstricted.

If a road runs across in front of a grave, it is regarded as the most inauspicious of all: the descendants may drift to distant places; even if they remain at home, they will be poor and hard-pressed, and after twenty years the family estate will fall into ruin.

Where the ground swells like a steamed bun, lying low all around, with water gathering from every side into a long stream, such a place is unfit for burial. On a high ridge, too, it is hard to find a secure footing, and one should not build a house or make camp there. The scripture (Jing) says that winds from all eight directions will scatter the family’s fortune and bring the line of descendants to decline and extinction; if this terrain is misread, one will mistakenly suppose that it is merely a run of bad luck.

A stream threading between green hills is a rare lay of the land; the mountains coil like a dragon and stand guard like a tiger, each suited to the other. When the Black Tortoise of the north (Xuanwu, one of the Four Symbols of feng shui, referring to the northern mountain form or the backing hill) rises high like a peak, with a level plot before it, the place is fit for a grave. The scripture holds that such a pattern can make later generations clever and quick-witted, and that the household’s fields, oxen, horses, and other wealth will be abundant. If auspicious Qi (vital energy) is present on both sides, distinction may come within twenty years.

The place where the Rooster and Mao contend is said to be terrain of the finest kind. Dig down three chi, and one will meet the so-called “dragon pond” (Longtang, a feng shui term for a landform or water hollow believed to be linked with the dragon vein). The scripture further says that dragon bones lie to left and right, and that the ground is narrow in front and broad behind, layered like scales of armor. If a house is built or a camp made here, wealth and rank will follow, and among the descendants there will be those who win honors in the examinations. An ordinary feng shui master may not understand the subtlety of it; the auspicious Qi of this place will carry far in every direction.

If burial follows a ridge, and the grave is narrow in front and broad behind, shaped like armor scales, the scripture considers the site fit for building a house and making camp: it can bring wealth and rank, and among the descendants there will be those who pass the examinations and attain official honors. An ordinary feng shui master may not grasp the mystery within, and the auspicious Qi will show itself abroad in all directions.

If one buries along a ridge, yet the site lies in what is called the “literary ground” of the Soaring Snake (Tengshe, a terrain configuration in feng shui), the descendants will be poor, their fields will be sold off entirely, and they will wander to other regions. The scripture then uses phrases such as “benumbed legs and dimmed eyes” to describe the hardship and frailty they may suffer.

If two ditches lie in front of the grave, their heads like the head of a bracken fern, and behind the grave there is a curving earthen mound, with footpaths again on the east and west, the scripture holds that this will make the descendants overbearing and hot-tempered, lacking in gentleness. This terrain is called “ox-herding ground,” and it is said to draw in baleful misfortune year after year. The scripture also says that if one digs it open and looks carefully, a pair of pebbles will be found inside.

On level ground stand three earthen mounds, formed like peaks, and answering both to the positions of Zhen and Mao (the east) and to the incoming dragon (Lailong, which in feng shui means the thrust of Qi where the mountain range extends toward the site); there is a ridge to the north and a road to the west, and a plot in the middle can serve as the backing hill of a grave. The scripture calls this pattern “the land of the golden rooster brooding on its egg,” and holds that it can bring wealth and rank to later generations and produce outstanding persons; dig three chi deep, and copper, it is said, will be found.

If the ground behind a house rises high, like a mountain peak and also like an armchair, one may build a dwelling there and settle. The scripture holds that such terrain brings wealth and rank, making descendants worthy and successive generations illustrious. It can also block the wind and gather Qi (vital energy), so that auspicious Qi spreads in all directions.

Where trees grow thick on a hill and a bend of flowing water nearby leads toward the Yangtze, and where the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger on the east and west sides (in feng shui, the protective configurations flanking a dwelling site) join one another, building a house on the slope is an auspicious site. Lotus ponds and lotus-root fields are not easily noticed, and descendants will stand out like orchids and cassia. If one does not believe this, dig deep and look: the vine roots may grow to more than nine chi.

Terrain shaped like a drum is a very unusual configuration and may be used as a burial ground. It need not have mountains or flowing water, yet the family can still prosper and flourish; only the principle behind this is not easy for people to perceive. Descendants will stand out like orchids and cassia; if one does not believe this, dig deep and look: the vine roots may grow to more than nine chi.

Terrain shaped like a drum is a very unusual configuration and may be used as a burial ground. It need not have mountains or flowing water, yet the family can still prosper and flourish, and all affairs will proceed smoothly.

When the Black Tortoise (in feng shui, the configuration behind a dwelling site) is high and the Vermilion Bird (the configuration in front of the site) is low, if a person of good fortune is buried there, fields, livestock, and the people of the household will all thrive, and later descendants may wear purple robes and hold eminent rank.

If there are neither mountains nor waters before or behind the dwelling site, why can one still enjoy glory, wealth, and rank, with both blessing and longevity complete? The scripture says that if one does not believe this, one may dig down three or four chi and will see a mass of Yang Qi shining with brilliance.

On a level plain there is a hill, and building a dwelling and settling on that hill is auspicious. If spirit halls or temples stand to the east and west, descendants will possess broad fields.

Yet one must avoid a current that flows against the site, for it rushes straight at the dwelling like an arrow, harming later generations and causing the family estate to decline.

When building a dwelling and settling, do not avoid facing the sun. If one deliberately turns away from the Yang, Yin Qi will fall out of harmony. Even if wealth and rank come for a time, they will later be hard to preserve, and the household will often have a lonely, suffering woman keeping an empty room alone.

When erecting a house and establishing a dwelling, do not face east, for if water flows away toward the east, the force of the water will disperse. Although there is no calamity at present, within thirty years misfortune will still be drawn in.

When building a dwelling and settling, do not face west, and especially avoid contrary water in the Kun and Shen directions (the southwest). Such a configuration is hard to remedy. Even if wealth and rank come for a time, they cannot last; in the end family members will scatter and the family estate will fall into ruin.

When building a dwelling and settling, do not face north; otherwise the scripture holds that it will cause the ghosts and spirits of the household to weep. The clothing of the young will all be damaged, family wealth will be exhausted, and people will be injured or die, until at last only a ruined house remains.

If a residence or encampment faces southeast, it is like all things greeting the morning sun, full of vigorous life. Yet if pines are planted behind, willows in front, the surroundings are enclosed, and the courtyard within faces north, it is said that the household’s ghosts and spirits will weep in grief, the family’s young will come to harm, wealth will scatter, the household’s numbers will suffer, and the buildings will fall into ruin.

When a residence or encampment faces southeast, with pines behind and willows in front, the surroundings enclosed, and the layout within the courtyard stable and secure, the household can enjoy peace and harmony. If the mountain forms and watercourses left by the ancestors—the terrain and flowing water spoken of in feng shui—are well disposed, descendants will flourish; and if mountains and waters further combine in a way favorable to official fortune, blessings will keep increasing.

If a lofty peak rises at the Yi position of the Azure Dragon (Qinglong) direction—the left side of a dwelling, corresponding to the east in feng shui—and tidal water answers in the Bing and Ding directions; if the Geng and Xin directions show terrain like a snake, and peaks rise in layered ranks in the Ren and Gui directions; and if a single tomb is placed in the Wu and Ji directions, this foretells that generals, ministers, and heroes will appear among the descendants. Such terrain is called “land of the Four Images.” It is suited to pitching camp and building a residence, and its feng shui configuration is excellent.

The southeast, being open and broad, is suited to forming terrain like a flight of steps; it is still better if waterways in the Gen and Qian directions of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams)—the northeast and the northwest—turn toward this place. Water from the west bends and circles around into the southern quarter, and the site is fitting both for building a residence and for burial. Such a place is called “phoenix land.” It faces the sun and is bright, and in all four seasons the scenery is open, expansive, and wonderfully fine. When a person of good fortune is buried there, descendants are eminent for generations, clad in purple robes that signify high office and ample emolument.

Where there are ditches in the Bing direction and flowing water in the Ding direction, and the Xin and You directions favor the movement of water on the Azure Dragon side, with ditches all around like the four feet of a tortoise, the configuration is called “tortoise land,” suited to building storied houses for dwelling. Whether for residence or for burial, it is held to make descendants prosper and fields and property abundant, with herds of cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses, the family honored and wealthy, and even someone rising to the rank of a feudal lord.

If high ground embraces the Black Tortoise (Xuanwu) direction—the rear of a dwelling, corresponding to the north in feng shui—and there is water round about together with a place for storing it, this signifies surplus wealth in the household. The meeting of mountains and waters is a superior configuration, with currents winding to and fro. Such a place is called “lion land.” It is said that descendants can enter office, holding the court tablet and paying homage to the ruler.

When building a residence that faces southeast, one must carefully observe the direction of the water and the lie of the mountains. Water within the courtyard should flow out with the slope; wells and spring mouths should be set in the Mao direction (the east). Gates should be opened according to the “Tiangang method” (Tiangang jue), an art concerned with directions and the choice of gates; otherwise the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh positions may bring great calamity. If the wealth gate is placed in the fourth, sixth, or seventh position, the household can be harmonious, the children filial, and the father at ease.

If a wall stands at an oblique angle before the front of the main house, do not let the wind shoot straight through the gate and hall like an arrow. Such a layout runs counter to the configuration of heaven and earth, and good or ill fortune should be judged according to the Nine Palaces and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), the traditional system of orientation and Yin-Yang reckoning.

When siting a camp and building a house, one need not treat any direction as taboo, whether on level ground or on a hill; without heeding the mantic arts of Guo Pu, the Tiangang formulas, and the like, one can still make the family prosper. If the lie of the land is handled improperly, calamity will be invited, the family will decline, and its members will come to harm. The knack of the Gen quarter (the northeast) is not necessarily known to people; only when one understands the principle within does one realize that the school of Guo Pu attends closely to Yin-Yang orientations.

This place is said to bring abundant good fortune to imperial princes, but it must not be made known to others, lest the secrets of Heaven leak out. A site for building that is well chosen can make the family prosper; if the terrain and layout are unsuitable, misfortune will follow, the household will fall into ruin, and its people will suffer loss. The knack of the Gen quarter is not easily known; only by understanding it does one grasp the Yin-Yang principles of which Guo Pu spoke.

When siting a camp and building a house, there is no need to engage a feng shui master, nor to worry whether the hills stand high or low; one must still see whether the year, the orientation, and the month are favorable—so why speak of marvelous Yin-Yang formulas and of feng shui masters? If the family’s wealth is ruined and its members are injured, people simply say that the times are unlucky and destiny is low.

This book transmits the true marvelous secrets of Heaven. Fearing that later generations would misunderstand and calculate amiss, it solemnly explains again and again the Jinsuo Yuguan (Golden Lock and Jade Pass), the mantic art of judging the good or ill fortune of a dwelling by orientation and terrain. Some feng shui masters do not apply themselves and cannot investigate with care. Only one who understands the patterns of heaven and earth knows that the subtle principles within are worth a thousand pieces of gold. The Jinsuo Yuguan is not easy to master; it should be read until familiar and firmly remembered, and must not be slighted.

This is an oral formula secretly transmitted by the immortals; it must be pondered with care and treated with caution. The poverty of a household lasts no more than thirteen years; if one does not understand the knack within, the family will decline and its members will also suffer loss.

Here is a geomantic treasure rarely met with in the world: the mountains coil like a dragon and crouch like a tiger, each suited to the other. In front lies a pool shaped like the moon, while the hills to the southwest resemble a heap of scattered arrows. Facing the city walls, with the mountain forms turning back behind, the site takes on the configuration of the Tanlang star (an auspicious star in the forms of feng shui); behind, Xuanwu (the Black Tortoise—in feng shui, the image of the north and of the mountain at one’s back) rises high, presiding over the emergence of civil ministers and military generals. If a feng shui master understands the mystery within, he will use the ground at the center as a burial site. It is said that later generations will produce many who are intelligent and worthy, with smooth official careers, and that descendants may even enter the court to hold office.

Where purple Qi (vital energy) rises from all four directions is the best place to site a camp and build a house. If the house ground is level and steady to left and right, with nothing thrusting or shooting against it, and if no arrow-shaped sharp point strikes from behind, then fields and gardens will flourish and descendants will prosper.

When assessing feng shui on flat, open ground without hills, one should, in examining a burial site, seek a suitable position according to the lie of the land. One must see whether the grave rises high, and also attend to whether the surrounding watercourses run long and far. Only by knowing how to observe distant mountain forms and the course of the water can one judge whether the configuration of mountains and waters is well matched. One must further survey the bearings of all eight directions round about, and then, according to the zi-wu axis (the north-south direction) and other orientations, determine the facing of the terrain.

If a grave lies where water easily collects in thunderstorms, it is generally held to be unsuitable; if it is constantly assailed by the wind, it is said to bring such adverse consequences as madness, paralysis, and lonely misery. The scripture (Jing) further says that this will cause the family’s fortunes to decline, the household to find no stability, and the descendants to scatter and depart. If one does not separately engage a person of understanding to choose a new site and rebury, the family will fall into poverty.

If a grave stands at the mouth where three streams meet, with the water correspondingly encircling it from left and right, this is said to be a good configuration. The scripture holds that if the feng shui master understands the principle involved, some thirty years after the burial a person of eminence will appear in the family.

To place another grave in the midst of a burial ground without knowing which family the original grave belongs to may bring ill fortune. If one mistakenly buries within another family’s ancestral graves, the scripture says that neither household will find peace. If the bereaved family does not on this account lose one of its members, then not long after the burial the feng shui master who directed the matter may also come to grief.

If the front and back of a grave face directly upon another family’s graves, and passersby moreover pass along both sides, the scripture holds that this will bring injury. Such a household will at most remain in poverty for thirteen years, after which the family may be ruined and its people perish.

If behind a dwelling there is a ditch or river, with living water flowing and encircling it from left and right, the water’s force balancing the firm and the yielding, and if water also passes in front, the scripture considers this a favorable configuration that can bring lasting wealth and rank.

If the ground behind a dwelling is open and leads onto a great road, it is said that a son of eminence will be born. A pond behind the house is held to be inauspicious: even if wealth and rank come for a time, prodigal sons may appear, and within thirty years the family fortunes will decline.

A dwelling must attend carefully to its orientation; the Xuanwu at the rear (in feng shui, the direction and mountain form representing the back of the residence) should be protected by mountain peaks. The scripture says that if there are willows in front and shelter behind, the household will enjoy much good fortune, with ample means and landed property. If there is nothing to screen the front, the Zhuque (in feng shui, the direction and surroundings representing the front of the residence) appears solitary and weak; if there is nothing to rely on behind, the Xuanwu likewise appears empty and void. If the dwelling is sheltered both before and behind, the home will be secure and the family estate comparatively abundant.

To dig a pond behind a residence is considered unsuitable; it is said to scatter the descendants, visit calamity upon the household, and even harm its members. One should therefore, as early as possible, engage someone who understands feng shui to choose another site or to relocate.