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