Metal then evolves naturally into water. Consequently, water is strengthened by metal at the same time as the metal is weakened. In the same way, water leads on to wood (trees and plants). Here the wood is strengthened and the water weakened. Finally, we can burn wood to create fire, weakening wood and strengthening fire. This is also known as the Early Heaven or Fu Hsi (or sometimes Wu of Hsia) arrangement.

There is also a cycle of destruction that shows which elements overpower others: Earth overpowers water; Water puts out fire; Fire melts metal; Metal destroys wood; Wood draws from earth. For instance, fire dominates metal, because the heat of the fire can melt it. This is a negative situation that creates an imbalance. The metal destroys wood. The wood destroys earth and the earth overpowers water. Finally, water quenches fire. This is also known as the Latter Heaven or King Wen arrangement.

Finally, there is also a cycle of reduction: Water corrodes metal; Wood draws from water; Fire burns wood; Earth puts fire; Metal is formed from the earth. This cycle is used to correct any imbalances caused by the destruction cycle. We know from the cycle of destruction that metal overpowers or destroys wood. In the cycle of reduction water is placed between metal and wood and serves to neutralize the potentially destructive effects. Likewise, fire overpowers metal in the cycle of destruction. In the reducing cycle, earth is placed between them as earth puts out fire and reduces the overpowering effects.

Following the cycle of birth allows difficulties to be resolved peacefully. The cycle of destruction does the opposite and always creates problems. The reducing cycle neutralizes the effects of the cycle of destruction.

Your personal element is determined from your year of birth. The next most important element comes from your time of birth. Once you know these two elements you can see if they harmonize together, are neutral, or try to destroy each other. For instance, David was born at 4:50 P.M. Consequently, the element for my hour of birth is water. He was born in 1946, a fire year. Fire and water are destructive, as water quenches fire. He can counteract this destructive effect by using wood (as wood is between fire and water in the reduction cycle).

Problems can sometimes arise when someone has the same element for the year and the hour. This creates an overabundance of the energy that can work against the person’s best interests. In practice, when this happens a much deeper investigation is made to determine the person’s elements for the birth month and day.

Many Asians deliberately choose their children’s names using the five elements feeling that this will give them an added edge in life. For instance, if someone is born in a fire year, the parents will choose a name that incorporates wood, as wood creates fire.

In feng shui we want the interior of your home to be as beneficial to you as possible, so we try and harmonize your personal element into your surroundings. For instance, I was born in a fire year, so I would benefit from having plenty of wooden or green objects, such as plants, around me. This is because wood creates fire. By the same token, I should avoid black objects and too much water, as in the destruction cycle, water destroys fire.

All of this gets complicated when more than one person lives in the same house. In this case, the elements of the head of the house should be used in all of the main rooms, while the bedrooms and other individual rooms should reflect the element of their occupants.

Finally, to achieve peace, wealth, happiness, and contentment with feng shui, we need to find a place containing abundant ch’i, a good balance of yin and yang, and a harmonious balance with our personal element.

In our horoscopes we have most or all of the five elements. The quantity of each element determines our personalities and degree of success in life. It takes a highly skilled astrologer to successfully balance and interpret the effects of these five elements in our horoscopes.

Wood

Wood is creative and innovative. If we have a large amount of this element in our charts, we will express ourselves creatively in some way. Wood can be pliant and bending (willow) or strong and unyielding (oak). Wood is sociable and community minded. Wood also represents the color green, the season spring, and the direction east. Wood also represents birth and early childhood. In the eastern part of the Forbidden City in Beijing the buildings were covered with green tiles, because they housed the young princes.

Fire

Fire gives energy and enthusiasm, but can also be a sign of danger. When too much fire is present, it can be destructive. Fire warms and cheers, but it can also burn and destroy. Fire is the element of the natural leader. Fire represents red, summer, and south. Fire represents the growing years before puberty.

Earth

Earth gives stability and also relates to real estate and legacies. Earth is patient, just, honest, and methodical. However, it can also be smothering and demanding. Earth represents the color yellow, the center, and the teenage years.

Metal

Metal (also frequently referred to as “gold”) indicates harvest, business, and success. This is usually financial success. On the negative side, metal can also indicate a sword or a knife and be destructive and violent. The color is usually white, but can also be gold. It symbolizes autumn and west. Metal represents the adult years. In the palace at Beijing, the empress had her quarters in the western wing and the walls were painted white.

Water

Water indicates travel, communication, and learning. It also relates to literature, the arts, and the media. Water can be both gentle (soft rainfall) and violent (a hurricane). Water nourishes all living things, but can also gradually wear away the hardest rock. It represents the color black, winter, and north. Water represents the final years, old age.

Because ch‘i brings happiness, prosperity, and longevity, it is avidly sought after. The Chinese believe that ch‘i enters new life at the moment of conception. Ch‘i is the life force inside all living things, and can be found in its perfection whenever something is done perfectly. For instance, an artist creating a magnificent portrait, or a boxer hitting a perfect punch, are both creating ch‘i.

Conversely, when someone is feeling ill or lethargic they are said to be lacking in ch‘i energy. We need beneficial ch‘i to be active and healthy. Someone who is always enthusiastic and ready to tackle new projects is full of ch‘i. In this instance, ch‘i would flow upwards through the body creating an aura effect around the top of the head. This aura can grow and diminish, depending on the vitality and health of the person. Ch‘i can be increased by meditation, good relationships with others, a healthy lifestyle, and good feng shui.

In feng shui we are looking for places where ch‘i accumulates or forms as this is the perfect place to live happy, prosperous, successful lives. Ch‘i is easily scattered by strong winds. Consequently, windy sites are not good from a feng shui point of view. However, when ch‘i is bounded by water, beneficial Si usually accumulates. This is why the people of Hong Kong regard their harbour as the source of their wealth. The exits from the harbour are also small, allowing the wealth to be held inside. (Many people are concerned that the massive reclamations that are taking place in Hong Kong harbour today will adversely affect the levels of ch‘i and take away or reduce the colony’s wealth.)6

However, not all water is beneficial. If it flows too fast it will take the wealth away. If it flows in a straight line it will also carry away the ch‘i energy. The water ideally needs to be slow-moving and meandering.

It is important to choose a site where ch‘i energy can build up and accumulate, or alternatively, where new ch‘i is constantly created. These places will always be beneficial. A site surrounded by slow-moving water and rolling hills to dissipate the winds is ideal.

In feng shui mythology, the first time ch‘i moved it created yang (the male principle). When it rested, yin the female principle) was created. After creating male and female, ch‘i went on to createthe entire universe. The theories of yin and yang are vitally important in feng shui.

The other important elements in feng shui are the eight trigrams that were found on the back of the tortoise shell, and the five elements of fire, earth, wood, water, and metal.

Yin and yang are normally pictured inside a circle creating the Taichi symbol of completeness. The yin, the yang, and the circle are the three elements of the symbol that become one. Taichi means the “supreme, the ultimate” and derives from the two words tai and chi. Tai means the greatest, and chi means the utmost.

The etymology of the words yin and yang is interesting. Yin signifies the shy, northern side of a hill, while yang signifies the sunny, southern side.

Yin and yang together make up Tao, the way. Everything in the universe is made up of yin and yang energies. They constantly interact with each other.

Yang is active, masculine, dominating, and positive. It is full of power and energy. Yin is receptive, feminine, yielding, and negative. It supports, nurtures, and sustains. Yang is day, and yin is night. There are many other examples to represent yin and yang, such as heaven and earth, night and day, black and white, female and male. One cannot exist without the other. For instance, without night there is no day, and without death there is no life. The Chinese delight in collecting opposites to represent yin and yang energies.? Although the Chinese enjoy doing this, they are also aware that it can be overdone. “Yin yi tou, Yang yo tou” (“one face in yin and one face in yang,” which means to hide one’s real intention) and “Yin yang guai qi” (“strange yin-yang airs,” which means to act strangely) are also popular Chinese sayings.

The ancient sages never tried to fully explain the concept of yin and yang, preferring to allude to it in poetic words. After all, ch’i energy is the life force and it created the duality of yin and yang. It simply is. Neither yin nor yang can be evil or good. are.

In feng shui, hills, mountains, and other raised areas represent yang energy. Valleys, rivers, and streams represent yin. Earth that is completely flat is said to contain too much yin. An extremely hilly landscape with no water or plants would be described as being too yang. Gently rolling countryside represents a good balance of yin and yang.

We can achieve balance of yin and yang using feng shui. For instance, we could introduce plants, rocks, and buildings to a flat landscape. We would need to be careful doing this as small trees grow into bigger trees, and this can ultimately affect the feng shui of the immediate area.

The concept of yin and yang applies even in death. A yin house is for the dead while a yang house is for the living. Because ancestor worship is an important part of Chinese life, it is not surprising that feng shui is involved even after someone has died. It is believed that the correct placement of the grave has an important influence on the success of the descendants.

For instance, the Chinese believe that the astonishing success of Sun Yat-Sen at the turn of the century was caused by the perfect feng shui placement of his mother’s grave. Chiang Kai-shek’s success was also attributed to the placement of his mother’s grave. His downfall began when the communists dug up the grave.

As a result, there is a whole branch of feng shui related to determining not only the best burial place, but also the most propitious day in which to conduct the funeral. Ideally, a burial ground should be undulating, as this relates to the body of a dragon. The dragon symbolizes the Superior Being. Flat ground symbolizes a “false dragon,” while undulating ground represents a “real dragon.”

If possible, the burial ground should face south. The Chinese believe that the dead need air to breathe, and south- facing ground provides the “breath of cosmic life,” which is very favorable. The Chinese believe that a lack of this cosmic breath would adversely affect the fortune of the person’s descendants, making selection of a suitable grave site exceptionally important.

Finally, the tomb has to be oriented in the right direction. This is determined from the birth date of the person being buried. By consulting a luo-pan, or geomantic compass, the correct direction is determined.

The graves must be well looked after to ensure that good fortune remains with the descendants. On All Saints Day the descendants visit the graves of their ancestors and clean them thoroughly. It is a bad sign if the grave changes color A blackening of the grave is a portent of disaster, and white indicates a time of mourning for the family. Usually, a red powder is placed on the grave stones to try to avoid the possibility of whitening or blackening.

The Taoist symbol of the universe is the yin-yang surrounded by the eight trigrams. This symbol, known as the pa–kua, is extremely popular in the Far East, and can be found in temples, palaces, shops, and houses.

Today, most people live in cities, rather than in the countryside. If you are searching for a home in a suburban area, become familiar with the shapes of the hills around you, and look for potential dragons and other shapes. While you are doing this, also look at any streams, rivers, harbours, or other waterways. Make sure that they are gently moving and are not stagnant.

Check the vegetation in the area. If it looks lush and healthy it means there is good drainage and sufficient water and sunlight. This is a sign of good ch‘i.

Ensure that your property gets sufficient sunlight. In China people like to have their houses facing south to allow as much sun as possible to warm the house.

Look also at the roads. Are they straight or gently curving? Avoid locations where the roads create shars. Also avoid situations that are windswept as strong winds carry away beneficial ch‘i.

If your piece of land slopes, the back of your house should be higher than the front. This allows the ch‘i to flow gently down towards the front of the house. Naturally, if the slope is too steep, the ch‘i will disappear down the hill.

Avoid hilltops, unless a nearby higher range of hills provides shelter and protection. If this is the case, ensure that your front door does not face the larger hills. In fact, if possible, have your front door on the opposite side of the house, as it is always better to have the higher hills behind you.

The shape of your plot of land is also extremely important. The ideal site from a feng shui point of view is either square or rectangular. Triangular and L-shaped sites are much more difficult to deal with, but feng shui remedies are available.

The house should be sited on the property so that the front and back yards are similar in size. This creates balance and harmony, essential requirements for good ch‘i. Bad luck can come if either the back or front garden is extremely large compared to the other.

If you have bought the land and are about to build, you can ensure that all the feng shui aspects are taken care of before you start. This is easy if the section is square or oblong in shape. If the shape is unusual, it can be made to look more regular by the use of outside lights on top of poles. This is a common remedy in Taiwan. Ponds and waterfalls add to the ch‘i, as do musical wind chimes. Imaginative use of boulders and rock gardens can simulate dragons, increasing feng shui and making life more pleasant for the occupants. Good landscaping of the gardens can do a great deal to improve the feng shui of a property. This can also hide negative influences, such as power or telephone poles.

The entrance to the house is also important. The driveway should be curved or meandering. A straight driveway heading directly to the front door is very bad as it creates a shar of negative ch‘i. Driveways should also not be narrower at the street end as this has the effect of limiting money. If you have a driveway like this, a light on each side of the driveway will eliminate most of the negative effects. Driveways should not be too narrow or wide compared to the house, but should balance and harmonize the home. Driveways should not slope downwards away from the house as money and good luck will flow away. If you have a driveway like this, ensure that your front door faces away from it. This removes the effect of this shar.

Gardens and shrubs planted alongside the driveway are very beneficial and serve to bring ch‘i energy into the house.

Walls and fences can do much more than merely delineate the boundaries of a property. They can be used to hide or block shars. If you have a stagnant stream next to your property, a wall will conceal it from your view and eliminate the harmful negative ch‘i. Brick walls need plants and shrubs near them to provide the right balance of yin and yang.

Fences should be chosen with care. Wrought iron fences with spikes or arrows should be avoided. If any of these point towards the house they become negative shars, sending daggers towards you. Downward-pointing arrows indicate downward movement, which eliminates forward progress and could lead to disaster.

The living rooms should be larger than the bedrooms. The reason for this is that bedrooms contain yin (female) energy and the living rooms yang (male). In feng shui, even in these days of equality, the male should always be the more dominant one.

The living room should not be on a higher level than the dining room or kitchen. This is because it is the room used for entertaining visitors. If the living room is higher, the ch‘i from the house will flow to the visitors rather than the people who live in the house. Single-level floors create and contain much more ch‘i than split-level floors.

The front door is of extreme importance and the wrong placement can destroy all the other beneficial aspects of the house. The door should be in correct proportion to the rest of the house to create the correct balance of yin and yang. It should not be attacked by shars, such as roof angles from nearby houses or a steep driveway heading directly towards it. Poison arrows such as these can be eliminated by planting shrubs or plants, or erecting a screen to conceal the shar.

The front door should be wide and open into a bright, cheerful-looking room. This can be a separate entrance hall, but it should offer a view of the interior of the house. The entrance should be as open as possible to allow beneficial ch‘i to enter easily. Dark or narrow entrances deter ch‘i and make the house gloomy and unappealing. This can be averted by installing lights and a large mirror. The front door should not face a window directly, as it is believed that open windows allow the good energies to escape before they have been around the entire house.

The house must contain a back door. It is dangerous to live in a house with just the one entrance and exit. Ch‘i tends to stagnate in this situation and stifles wealth, health, and happiness.

The inside doors should all be of a similar size. Three or more doors in a straight line are considered bad as the arrangement allows the ch‘i to come in and then go straight out again. This is especially critical if one of these is the front or back door. Ideally, one of these doors should be blocked off. If this is not possible, a screen placed in front of one of the doors will force the ch‘i to flow around it. Another remedy is to place mirrors on some of the doors.

The layout of the house should be designed to allow ch‘i to flow effortlessly throughout the house. Straight lines promote negative ch‘i, so doorways, arches, and other openings should never be placed in a straight line.

The interior of the house should be bright and well lit. Dark rooms allow the ch‘i to become stagnant. This is why gloomy-looking houses often have a strange feeling to them. Chandeliers are favored by feng shui masters as they not only provide an abundance of light, but also contain crystal to amplify the light and enervate the ch‘i.

Dark-colored ceilings create bad ch‘i as they symbolize a dark cloud overhead. This portends bad fortune as it does not allow the ch‘i to circulate freely.

Anything made of wood should have the grain in a vertical direction. It is very bad feng shui to have the grain going in another direction as it takes away wealth. Conversely, prosperity is increased when the wood is in the same direction it was when growing as a tree.

Desks and beds need to be placed against a wall. The occupants lose power and authority if their desks and beds are in the center of the room. If they are standing by themselves in the center of the room they are said to be “floating” and in the “coffin position.” This tradition goes back to the days when the Chinese placed the coffins of their deceased relatives in the center of the temple yard while waiting for a suitable burial site to be chosen.

I had a striking example of this with the eleven-year-old son of a friend. He had placed his desk in the middle of his bedroom in imitation of his father’s desk at work. Ever since doing this his school work had suffered and his parents were concerned. I suggested that they move the desk back to its original position, and immediately the boy’s school work improved. Incidentally, the father was so impressed that he changed the position of his own desk at work and within three months received a promotion.

Beams

Exposed beams create negative ch‘i. They impede financial progress and create stress and tension. Sleeping under an exposed beam is especially bad and can lead to headaches, dishonesty, and bad luck. For these reasons it is also very bad feng shui to site a desk or chair directly below an exposed beam.

Stairs

Whenever possible, staircases should curve gently and open onto a wide hall. The stairs themselves should be wide and rounded. Spiral staircases are very bad, particularly if sited near the center of the house. It is also bad feng shui to have stairs opening onto and facing the front door. This allows ch‘i to escape out the door.

Staircases should be solid. Those made from individual steps allow money to escape. Staircases should always be well lit to allow the ch‘i to flow smoothly.

Toilets

The Chinese are naturally modest and prefer their toilets to be concealed. Consequently, toilets must not directly face front doors, dining rooms, living rooms, or offices. A toilet facing a front door is believed to flush away all of the ch‘I that enters the home. The same thing occurs even when the toilet is at the end of a long hallway with doors in between. The doors to toilets and bathrooms should be kept closed.

Kitchens

The kitchen should be as close to the dining room as possible. Family problems can arise if these two rooms are far apart. The kitchen should be light and airy. As this is where the food is prepared, ch‘i should be allowed to flow in as unimpeded a manner as possible. Windows, fresh air, color, and light all encourage beneficial ch‘i.

The position of the stove is extremely important as it is related to the health and prosperity of the occupants. Ideally, it should face towards the center of the house as this will increase the family’s prosperity. If it faces towards the front door the family’s health and financial well-being will suffer.

Dining Rooms

Dining rooms should be spacious. Round tables are preferable to square or oblong ones. A large mirror that can reflect the food on the table is very beneficial, as in effect, it doubles the amount of food available. This helps create feelings of wealth and abundance. Illustrations of food on the walls also symbolize abundance.

Bedrooms

It is common in many Western homes for the bedrooms to be placed in a line along a passage. This creates negative ch‘i for two reasons. The long hallway, being a straight line, creates negative ch‘i. Many doors opening onto the passage create antagonism and frustration.

Frequently, the dining room is an alcove or corner of the living room. This is fine, as it is important for the dining area to receive plenty of ch’i energy. However, the dining table should not point towards the front door, even if it is situated diagonally across the room from the front door.

The dining table should be square, oblong, oval, round, or pa-kua shaped. It is even better if the square and oblong tables have rounded corners. Round tables are favored as this allows everyone sitting at the table to converse easily with everyone else. This enhances the ch’i energies of the room.

The most favored tables are made from wood or wood and metal. Glass or marble-topped tables should be avoided.

The dining table should not be placed under an exposed beam, nor should it face a staircase or toilet door.

Additional furniture, such as side tables, dresser, and sideboard are welcome as long as they do not make the room feel cramped. It is important for the room to feel spacious, to enhance the feelings of abundance and well-being.

Mirrors serve to symbolically double the amount of food being offered and are very welcome in this room. They can also serve to make a small dining room appear larger.

Chinese families like to have intricately carved furniture in this room. A common motif is the dragon and pearl. Frequently, figures of the three Taoist gods of prosperity, happiness, and longevity are displayed in this room.

You are considered fortunate if you have a room to act as a study in your home. This is because the study provides a quiet place to sit and work or to simply relax. Your study should reflect you and your personality. The furniture should be comfortable and the room should contain sufficient lighting.

Pictures on the wall, especially ones showing mountains, lakes, and rivers, are believed to increase creativity and provide inspiration.

The Toilet

Toilets should be as inconspicuous as possible. They should not be placed in significant areas of the house, such as the wealth, fame, or career sectors. Symbolically, a toilet in these positions “flushes” away every opportunity.

The toilet should be situated on the side of the house, rather than in a central position. The negative ch’i from a centrally located toilet spreads throughout the house.

Toilets should not be too large. It is preferable to have the toilet as a separate room to the bathroom. If they are combined, separate the two with a half wall. This means it will not be seen by other users of the bathroom and the negative ch’i energy is dissipated. Also, it provides the users with a degree of privacy.

The Bathroom

Both the toilet and bathroom are places where water (money) is used. As a result these rooms symbolize the occupants’ financial position. Consequently, it is important that they be positioned with great care.

The bathroom should not be visible from the front door, or be in the wealth location. It should be well ventilated, well lit, and kept thoroughly clean. It should be decorated with delicate colors to maintain domestic harmony.

Mirrors are beneficial, and usually necessary, in the bathroom. Avoid mirrored walls made from numerous square tiles. These form a netting type effect that constricts the money flow.

For a man, you subtract the last two digits of his year of birth from 100, and then divide by nine. We ignore the answer, but use the remainder to determine the person‘s trigram. If there is no remainder the person is always a Li.

For a woman, you subtract four from the last two digits of the year of birth and then divide by nine. Again if there is no remainder, she is a Li person.

• If the remainder is a one, the person is a K’an.
• If the remainder is two, the person is a K’un.
• If the remainder is three, the person is a Chen.
• If the remainder is four, the person is a Sun.
• If the remainder is five, the person will be a K’un if male, and a Ken if female.
• If the remainder is six, the person is a Chien.
• If the remainder is seven, the person is a Tui.
• If the remainder is eight, the person is a Ken.
• If there is no remainder, the person is a Li.

The Trigram of Your Home

Once you have determined your personal trigram, you can determine the trigram to which your home relates. This depends on which direction the back of your home faces. (In feng shui this is known as the direction in which the back sits.) For example, a Li home faces the north and has its back sitting to the south. A Ken home faces southwest, and its back sits to the northeast.

The East and West Four Houses

The trigrams can be combined into two groups: the East Four Houses (Li, K’an, Chen, and Sun) and the West Four Houses (Chien, K’un, Ken, and Tui). The trigrams in the East Four Houses group belong to three of the five elements: fire, water, and wood. This is because water gives birth to wood, which then gives birth to fire, making these three elements a highly compatible, harmonious grouping. Likewise, the trigrams of the West Four Houses group belong to the elements earth and metal, which is also harmonious since earth gives birth to metal.

You are most likely to be happy in a home that belongs to the same grouping as you. For instance, if you are a Chien person, you will be happiest living in a Chien home. However, you would also be very happy living in a K’un, Ken, or Tui home as they all belong to the West Four Houses group. You would also be most successful living in a home that had a front door that opened to the west.

Likewise, someone from the East Four Houses group would be happiest in a home with the front door facing towards the east. In fact, it is believed that if you are living in a home that is facing the wrong direction for you, you are risking bad luck, ill health, and financial and marital difficulties.

Now we come to a difficult question. The average home usually has a number of people living in it. What happens ii two of them come from the East Four Houses group and another belongs to the West Four Houses? In practice, the home is assessed by comparing its trigram with that of the (major breadwinner. Individual rooms can be arranged according to the primary people using them.

It is considered very fortunate if a husband and wife belong to the same group of houses. This is because the same directions and positions in the home will be perfect for both (This is just one factor in determining compatibility with Chinese astrology. To determine compatibility properly complete astrological charts need to be constructed.)

1 The Prime location is good. The position shown here is always the same as the direction the house sits towards. It is also known as Fu Wei (meaning “good life”). This is the area where (5e back of the home is sited, and it is suitable for beds and doors. It is believed that if your bedroom is situated in this area you will have more male descendants than female ones. (Even today, this is considered beneficial in the East.) Feng shui remedies, such as an aquarium, in this area protect you from bad luck.,

2 The Health location is good. It is also known as Tien Yi (meaning “celestial doctor”). This area brings vitality and good health. It also provides you with good friends. It is a good position for the master bedroom, dining room, and doors. This location should be stimulated to help anyone suffering from a long-lasting illness or Poor health.

3 The Longevity location is good. It is also known as Nien Yi (which means “a long life with many rich descendants”). This area brings peace, harmony, and good health. It is a good location for the bedrooms of elderly people and the dining room. This area of the home should be stimulated when the family is not in accord, as this will help to eliminate disagreements and marital difficulties.

4 The pros pert location is often called Sheng Chi (meaning “generating good ch’i”). This is the most auspicious location in the home. It represents progress, promotion, financial success, and vitality. It is a good location for the front door, the kitchen door, e study, or a desk where accounts and financial matters are taken care of, and anything else related to health and/or prosperity. When this area is stimulated, financial matters will improve. In fact, in feng shui it is believed that if this location is looked after you will ultimately become wealthy.

The direction indicated by your Sheng Chi is your most fortunate direction. If you can orient the most important things of your life in this direction, while at the same time avoiding shars, your success is assured. You can do this by having your bed pointing in this direction, having your front door opening onto it, and traveling to work or business in this direction.

5 The Death location has an unfortunate name and is related to accidents, illness, and other misfortunes. It is also known as Chueh Ming (which means “total catastrophe”). It is a good place for the toilet. (All of the negative locations are good positions for the toilet as the bad ch’i can be “flushed” away.) This is the worst location in the home, and your front door should never face this direction. It is believed that if your front door does face this direction your family will suffer ill health and you will risk losing all your money and good reputation.

6 The Disaster location is related to disputes, arguments, legal problems, and anger. It is frequently known as Ho Hai (which means “accidents and danger”). It is suitable as a storeroom, pantry, or toilet. Your bed should not be aligned in this direction as you will constantly suffer small mishaps if it does.

7 The Six Shar location relates to procrastination, loss, and scandals. It is also known as Lui Shar (meaning “six deaths”). This could lead to legal problems and ill- health. It is a good location for the kitchen or toilet.

8 The Five Ghosts location relates to fire, theft, and financial difficulties. It is also known as Wu Kuei (meaning “five ghosts”). Like the Disaster location it is suitable for use as a storeroom or toilet. If your front door faces in this direction you could suffer from fire and theft.³

Remember to sit facing one of your four favorable directions when doing anything important, such as signing papers, making decisions, studying, or negotiating. The Chinese are famous for their interest in gambling, and many of them make sure that they sit in the Prosperity direction when placing bets. Fortunately, there is an easy way of determining good locations. If your home belongs to the East Four Houses group all four of the east directions would be good locations for you. Likewise, if your home belongs to the West Four Houses group all of the west four directions would be beneficial for you.

For instance, if you live in a Li home, which is one that faces north, and has the back towards the south (referred to as “sitting south“), the directions and locations that are positive for you are south, north, east, and southeast. These are the directions to which the backs of all four members of the East Four Houses group sit.) Likewise, if you live in a West Four House, the positive locations and directions are northwest, southwest, northeast, and west.