Feng shui...

Feng Shui, Chinese art of arranging an environment. Feng shui (pronounced fung shway) works on the principle that people should be in harmony with nature and their surroundings. The words feng shui mean “wind and water” in Mandarin Chinese. Wind, or cosmic energy, and water are considered two essential aspects of nature.


Feng shui originated in China about 3,000 years ago. It is based on the philosophy of the I Ching (Book of Changes), an ancient Chinese text. Feng shui was first used in China to determine the best position for burial sites. The belief was that positioning the graves of ancestors well would bring prosperity and good fortune to their descendants.
From gravesites, feng shui was gradually extended to villages and other spaces. It can be used, for example, in arranging a home, garden, room, office, or restaurant. Since the 1970s feng shui has been adopted in the West along with other practices based upon ancient Chinese philosophy. These related practices include macrobiotics, acupuncture, t’ai chi, and shiatsu.
Interest in feng shui has grown in the United States since the 1980s, particularly in relation to the home (see House). Feng shui can be used in positioning furniture in rooms and in choosing furnishings, colors, lighting, textures, and shapes for each room. By applying feng shui to such decisions, it is said, people can maximize the room’s positive energy, minimize its negative energy, and thereby improve the well-being of the room’s occupants.


A basic principle of feng shui is that invisible energy known as chi flows through the environment. Harnessing this energy properly is a key part of feng shui. Chi flows best when it meanders through a space. If chi flows too quickly—along a straight path, for example—it can be a destabilizing force. If chi flows too slowly—perhaps blocked by clutter—it stagnates. Either way, the benefits of chi are lost.
Although most chi is considered positive and auspicious, some chi is negative and unlucky. The goal of feng shui is to keep positive chi running smoothly and freely, and to deflect or repel negative chi. If this result is achieved, the occupants of a space should achieve balance and harmony.
Clutter and sharp angles can create negative chi. Clearing space by removing clutter is thought to improve the flow of positive energy. Sharp angles can be softened by placing a plant or reflecting object in front of them.

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2006. © 1993-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.