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Feng Shui by Carol Jackson: carol.jackson@turner.com No-o-o it is not a curse word, it is the "Chinese way to health, wealth and happiness". This ancient Chinese art of placement is a practical approach to environmental planning; used both for outside as well as inside environments. Today, more and more feng shui is being used by interior designers worldwide as a tool for creating the perfect living environment. The following is taken from the book titled "FENG SHUI" written by Man-Ho Kwok, a professional feng shui master, with Joanne O'Brien. "Have you ever walked into a strange house and immediately felt at home or sat in a garden where everything seems to be at peace? Or perhaps you have entered a room at home and felt uneasy but could not explain why? What may appear to be a mystery to us can be explained through the art of feng shui, the ancient Chinese system of creating harmonious surroundings which bring happiness, prosperity and good health. The forces of the earth and the heavens may be balanced in one location but in turmoil in another. Without realizing, you may have blocked the smooth flow of ch'i, the life-giving energy the Chinese believe flows through our bodies and our surroundings, by the unfortunate positioning of a table or bed. At the heart of feng shui is the desire to acknowledge the power of the natural world and to live in harmony with it. The [Chinese] characters literally mean wind/water and refer to the dynamic shaping effect of these elements upon the landscape. Feng Shui also represents the power of the natural environment, which is alive with hidden forces. By clashing with the natural order, the Tao, you disturb the balance of yin and yang, the two fundamental forces of the universe. The process by which yin and yang are generated is captured in the following description, in which the Tao is referred to as the Great Ultimate, written by the Confucian philosopher Chou Tun-yi in the eleventh century AD: The Great
Ultimate through movement generates yang. When its activity reaches its
limit, it becomes tranquil. Thtough tranquility the Great Ultimate generates
the yin. Then tranquility reaches its limits, activity begins again. Thus
movement and tranquility alternate and become the root of each other,
giving rise to the distinction of yin and yang, and these two modes are
thus established. By the transformation of yang and its union with yin,
the five agents of water, fire, wood, metal and earch arise. When these
five material forces (ch'i) are distributed in harmonious order, the four
seasons run their course. The Chinese believe there is a dynamic interaction between these two forces which creates and sustains all life. Yin is feminine, cool and watery; it is the force in the moon, air and water. Yang is masculine, heavy and hot; it is the force in the earth and the sun, in thunder and in fire. Yin and yang exist in everything in different proportions that are continually changing. The natural interaction of yin and yang should also be maintained on a personal level. Our nature and health relfect the movement of yin and yang within us; in turn this is affected by the objects with which we surround ourselves, the areas in which we choose to live, and the degree to which we physically alter our natural environment. The scale of problems that could arise varies widely. On an ecological level, the widespread cutting of trees or redirection of watercourses could result in floods or drought. On a personal level, problems could range from rising damp in the home to sleepless nights, or from career problems to minor illnesses." In summary, although color, texture and scale all play very important roles in the art of interior design, the proper placement (feng shui) of furnishings and accessories is most important for an environment that not only please the eye, but also the spirit. There will be emore to come in subsequent articles.
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