The Feng Shui Dictionary

Reading up on Feng Shui you will come across the one or other Chinese term. Some of these have more general meanings, others are specific to Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology. Below you will find a list of the most common ones:
 

General Feng Shui terms

(in alphabetical order)

 

An jian	secret arrow
Ba Gua	The Eight trigrams (learn more about: Yijing)
Ba kong wang	Eight void (evil) lines - trigram divisions affecting facings
Bai Hu	One of the four celestial animals: White Tiger sits in the western palace
Bei dou xing	Big dipper
Bi he	mutual harmony (no effect)
Chu gua	Out of the trigram
Di	earth
Di li	Water, river, watercourse, body of water
Di pan	Earth plate
Dui	Part of the 8 Guas: Lake or marsh
Feng Shui	wind water
Feng shui jia / Kan yu jia	traditional name for Feng Shui practitioner
Fu xi	the Legendary Emperor Fu Xi
Gen	Part of the 8 Guas: Mountain
He tu	River He Pattern (learn more about: Chinese Numerology)
Hou tian ba gua	Later heaven sequence of eight trigrams
Huo	The Five Elements: Fire
Jiang pan	A special San yuan luopan from Master Jiang Dahong
Jin	The Five Elements: Metal
Kan	Part of the 8 Guas: Water
Kan yu	traditional name for Feng Shui (learn more about: other Feng Shui names)
Ke	The Five Elements: controlling cycle
Kong feng	Junction between the 24 mountains
Kun	Part of the 8 Guas: Earth
Li	Part of the 8 Guas: Fire
Liu sha	six killings
Long mai	the dragon vain
Luo jing pan	Luopan (Feng Shui Compass) (often also Lopan)
Luo shu	the Magic Square  (learn more about Chinese Numerology)
Ming tang	Bright hall - Space in front of the site, usually the entrance area
Mu	The Five Elements: Wood
Nei pan	the inside circle of the Luopan compass
Nian shen fang wei	Positions of the year gods
Qi xian	Line between trigrams on luopan
Qian	money
Qian	Part of the 8 Guas: Heaven
Qing Long	One of the four celestial animals:  Green Dragon sits in the eastern palace
Ren	human being
San Cai	the three entities: Heaven, Earth and Human Being
San cai	The Three Entities - Heaven, Earth and Human Being
San he luo jing pan	Three Harmonies Luopan
San yuan luo jing pan	3 cycle compass
Sha	detrimental (negative)
Sha qi	detrimental qi
Shan	Mountain, mountain ridge
Shan gu	Mountain valley
Shan long	Mountain dragon
Shan shui	Mountains and waters
Sheng	The Five Elements: nourishing cycle
Shi pan pan	Han dynasty divination plate
Shui	water
Shui	The Five Elements: Water
Shui long	Water dragon
Si kong wang	Void (evil) lines
Si ling shou	the Four Celestial Animals (learn more about: the Four Animals)
Si nan	the original form of the luopan based on the big dipper, the needle was a spoon
Tai yang	the sun (regarded as yang)
Tai yi jiu gong pan	Tai yi nine palace luopan
Tai yin	the moon (regarded as yin)
Tian	heaven
Tian pan	Heaven plate
Tian qi	the center of the Loupan, also called Heaven's pool
Tian xin shi dao	Heaven center cross line
Tong shu	"The Book of Everything": The chinese almanac and farmer's calendar
Tu	The Five Elements: Earth
Wai ba gua	Outer bagua
Wai pan	Outer plate - the square base
Wan	ten thousand
Wu	The Five Elements: when ke cycle is not strong enough the other element will insult or bully back
Wu xing	The Five Phases or Five Elements (learn more about: the Five Elements)
Xia chuan	Directionof the water flow
Xia gua tu	Chart of lower trigrams
Xia shui	Below water
Xian tian ba gua	Pre heaven sequence of eight trigrams
Xiang	Facing direction of a house or a tomb
Xiang dui	Opposite, to oppose, face to face, relative
Xiang hua	The Five Elements:  mutual change
Xiang ke	The Five Elements:  mutual destruction
Xiang sheng	The Five Elements: mutual nourishing
Xiang zhi	The Five Elements:  mutual control
Xie	To leak out, drain, vent, scatter, disperse, dissipate, reveal
Xing	Form or formation in regards to mountain appearances and water patterns
Xiong mei	part of the five basic relationships: siblings (sister and brothers)
Xu shui	empty or virtual water
Xuan wu	One of the four celestial animals: Black Tortoise sits in the northern palace
Xun	Part of the 8 Guas: Wind
Zhen	Part of the 8 Guas: Thunder
Zheng zhen di pan	Correct needle of the earth plate on luo pan
Zhu Que	One of the four celestial animals: Red Bird sits in the southern palace (often translated as Phoenix)
Zong he luo jing pan	Combined luopan usually called zonghe compass: a combination of the sanhe and sanyuan luopan
Zuo	Sitting direction of a house or a tomb

 

Feng Shui Schools

(in alphabetical order)
 

Ba gua pai	Eight trigrams school or system of Feng Shui
Ba zhai pai	Eight Houses School Feng Shui (learn more here: Feng Shui Bazhai)
Dian nan pai	Part of the Six Flying Stars School of Feng Shui: Dian Nan School or System
Fan gua pai	Changing Gua school or system of Feng Shui
Guan dong pai	Part of the Six Flying Stars School of Feng Shui: Guandong School
Li qi	Numerology; patterns of qi (learn more about: Chinese Numerology)
Li qi pai	Compass school (learn more here: Feng Shui Compass School)
Li xi pai	Form school (learn more here: Feng Shui Form School)
Qi men dun jia pai	Qimen Dunjia School / System of Feng Shui
San he pai	Three Harmonies School of Feng Shui
Shang yu pai	Part of the Six Flying Stars School of Feng Shui: Shangyu School
Shu fang pai	The intensive study school of "yijing" (also spelled: I Ching / I Ging) (learn more about: Yijing)
Su zhou pai	Part of the Six Flying Stars School of Feng Shui: Suzhou School
Wu chang pai	Part of the Six Flying Stars School of Feng Shui: Wuchang School
Wu xing pai	The Five Elements or Five Phases school of feng Shui
Xiang chu pai	Part of the Six Flying Stars School of Feng Shui: Xiang Chu School
Xiang shu pai	Symbol and Number School
Xuan kong	The Mysterious Void school of Feng Shui (refers to the 60-year cycle)
Xuan kong da gua pai	Mysterious Void Wind and Water School of Great Divinatory Symbols
Xuan Kong Fei Pai	Flying Stars School of Feng Shui (learn more here: Flying Stars Feng Shui)
Xuan kong liu pai gai shuo	Six Flying Stars School or System of Feng Shui
Yuan kong	60 year time and space period School of Feng Shui
Zi wei dou shu pai	Shu Fang School of Feng Shui

 

Special terms associated with Flying Stars Feng Shui (Xuan Kong Fei Xing)

(in alphabetical order)

 

Fei xing	Flying stars
Ai xing tu	Chart of neighbouring stars
Ba bai - zuo fu	Eight white - Left Assistant
Cheng men	Castle /city gate
Dou niu sha	Bullfight sha star combination
Er hei - Ju men	Two black - Enormous Gate
Fan yin	Opposite, reversed
Fu mu san ban gua	Three fates - special chart in Flying Star Feng Shui
Fu yin	Repeat charting
Gao song	High tower star
Jiu zi - you bi	Nine purple - Right Assistant
Ke	Guest star
Ling xing	Timely star
Liu bai - wu qu	Six white - Military and authority star
Qi chi - po jun	Seven red - Broken Army
Qi xing da jie	"Seventh star robbery" method to manipulate qi
San ban gua	String of pearls - special chart in Flying Star Feng Shui
San bi - lu cun	Three blue-green/jade green - Salary Preserved
Shan xing	Mountain star
Shang shan	Above mountain see shang shan xia shui
Shang shan xia shui	Above mountain and below water, out of place mountain and water, reversed house
Shi yun	Losing the yun
Shui xing	Water star
Si lü - wen qu	Four green - Literary star
Ti xing	Replacement star
Wang	Prosperity
Wang shan wang shui	Correct positioning of mountain and water stars
Wu huang - Lian zhen	Five yellow - Chasteness and Purity
Xiang xing	Facing star
Yi bai- tan lang	One white - Greedy Wolf
Zhao shen	Mirror spirit (secondary auspicious star)
Zheng shen	Upright spirit (the timely star)
Zhu	Host star
Zi bai jue	Method of purple and white/ purple and white secret

 

The Twenty-Four Mountain Rings of the Luopan
 

1 Zi- Rat	352.5 - 7.5 ° (yin)
2 Gui	7.5 - 22.5 ° (yin)
3 Chou - Ox	22.5 - 37.5 ° (yin)
4 Gen - mountain trigram	37.5 - 52.5 ° (yang)
5 Yin - Tiger	52.5 - 67.5 ° (yang)
6 Jia	67.5 - 82.5 ° (yang)
7 Mao - Rabbit	82.5 - 97.5 ° (yin)
8 Yi	97.5 - 112.5 ° (yin)
9 Chen - Dragon	112.5 - 127.5 ° (yin)
10 Xun - wind trigram	127.5 - 142.5 ° (yang)
11 Si - Snake	142.5 - 157.5 ° (yang)
12 Bing	157.5 - 172.5 ° (yang)
13 Wu - Horse	172.5 - 187.5 ° (yin)
14 Ding	187.5 - 202.5 ° (yin)
15 Wei - Sheep	202.5 - 217.5 ° (yin)
16 Kun - Earth Trigram	217.5 - 232.5 ° (yang)
17 Shen -Monkey	232.5 - 247.5 ° (yang)
18 Geng	247.5 - 262.5 ° (yang)
19 You - Rooster	262.5 - 277.5 ° (yin)
20 Xin	277.5 - 292.5 ° (yin)
21 Xu - Dog	292.5 - 307.5 ° (yin)
22 Qian - Heaven Trigram	307.5 - 322.5 ° (yang)
23 Hai - Pig	322.5 - 337.5 ° (yang)
24 Ren	337.5 - 352.5 ° (yang)

 

Chinese Astrology: BaZi Suanming
 

Ba zi	Eight Characters Astrology
Si zhu	Four pillars of Destiny astrology
Ming li	Fate calculation
Shi	Output
Bi	Compare, parallel
Guan	Power
Cai	Wealth
Yin	Resource

Chinese Astrology: The Ten Heavenly Stems (Shi Tian Gan)
 

1 Jia	Bud - the sign of growth, Thumbnail. Helmet.
2 Yi	Sprout - the spread of growth, bursting forth from Mother Earth
3 Bing	Concentrated growth like fire in the house.
4 Ding	Maturity, solidity, Heavens kiss. Bee sting.
5 Wu	Flourishing and nuturing.
6 Ji	Full bloom
7 Geng	Harvesting and abundance. Fullness leading to change
8 Xin	Dead heading, reformation.
9 Ren	Sustenance, supporting life.
10 Gui	Regenerating roots and preparation for spring.

Chinese Astrology: The Twelve Earthly Branches (Shier Di Zhi)

 

Di zhi	earthly branches
1 Zi - Rat	the young shoot of a plant, the gate of yin and yang.
2 Chou - Ox	the young growing plant supported by a stick
3 Yin - Tiger	Celebration of spring and New Year
4 Mao - Rabbit	Life springing forth. Spring equinox.
5 Chen - Dragon	Pregnant and timid. Easter.
6 Si - Snake	7 months pregnant with fully formed embryo.
7 Wu - Horse	Summer solstice. height of yang cycle and beginning of yin.
8 Wei - Sheep	Big tree with solid branches.
9 Shen - Monkey	Expansion.
10 You - Rooster	Harvest, celebration.
11 Xu Dog	Clearing and preparation.
12 Hai - Pig	Conception, mating of yin with yang

 

Archaeological discoveries from Neolithic China and the literature of ancient China together give us an idea of the origins of feng shui techniques.

In premodern China, Yin feng shui (for tombs) had as much importance as Yang feng shui (for homes).

For both types one had to determine direction by observing the skies (also called the Ancestral Hall Method; later identified by Ding Juipu as Liqi pai, which in the West is often mistakenly labelled "compass school"), and to determine the Yin and Yang of the land (also called the Kiangxi method or Xingshi pai, which in the West has been labelled "form school").

Feng shui is typically associated with the following (most common) techniques:

Xingshi Pai (Form Methods)

•     Luan Dou Pai (environmental analysis without using a compass)
•     Xing Xiang Pai (Imaging forms)
•     Xingfa Pai

Liqi Pai (Compass Methods)

San Yuan Method

•     Dragon Gate Eight Formation
•     Xuan Kong (time and space methods)
•     Xuan Kong Fei Xing (Flying Stars methods of time and directions)
•     Xuan Kong Da Gua ("Secret Decree" or 64 gua relationships)

San He Method (environmental analysis using a compass)

•     Accessing Dragon Methods
•     Ba Zhai (Eight Mansions)
•     Water Methods
•     Local Embrace

Others

•     Four Pillars of Destiny (a form of hemerology)
•     Eight Characters (the date and time of birth)
•     Major & Minor Wandering Stars (Constellations)
•     Five phases (relationship of the five phases or wuxing)
•     BTB Black (Hat) Tantric Buddhist Sect (Westernised or Modern method not based on Classical teachings)

An Introduction to Wu Xing: the Five Phases, also called the Five Elements

The Wu Xing, (五行 wŭ xíng) also known as the Five Phases are chiefly an ancient mnemonic device, in many traditional Chinese fields.
 

It has customarily been translated as Five Elements probably because of the similarity of this doctrine to the Western system of four elements.

The five elements are:

 

Element	Chinese	pinyin
Wood	木	mù
Fire	火	huǒ
Earth	土	tǔ
Metal	金	jīn
Water	水	shuǐ

The system of five phases is used to describe interactions and relationships between phenomena. It is employed as a device in many fields of early Chinese thought and can still be found in seemingly disparate fields such as geomancy or Feng shui, astrology, traditional Chinese medicine, music, military strategy and martial arts.

The cycles:
 

The doctrine of five phases describes two cycles, a generating or creation (生, shēng) cycle, also known as "mother-son", and an overcoming or destruction (剋/克, kè) cycle, also known as "grandfather-nephew", of interactions between the phases.

 

The common memory jogs, which help to remind in what order the phases are:

• Wood feeds Fire;
• Fire creates Earth (ash);
• Earth bears Metal;
• Metal carries Water (as in a bucket or tap, or water condenses on metal);
• Water nourishes Wood.

Other common words for this cycle include "begets", "engenders" and "mothers."

• Wood parts Earth (such as roots; or, Trees can prevent soil erosion);
• Metal chops Wood;
• Fire melts Metal;
• Water quenches Fire;
• Earth dams (or muddies or absorbs) Water;

Cosmology and Feng Shui
 

According to Wu Xing theory, the structure of the cosmos mirrors the five phases. Each phase has a complex series of associations with different aspects of nature, as can be seen in the following table. In the ancient Chinese form of geomancy known as Feng Shui practitioners all based their art and system on the five phases (Wu Xing). All of these phases are represented within the Bagua. Associated with these phases are colors, seasons and shapes; all of which are interacting with each other.
 

Based on a particular directional energy flow from one phase to the next, the interaction can be expansive, destructive, or exhaustive. With proper knowledge of such aspect of energy flow will enable the Feng Shui practitioner to apply certain cures or rearrangement of energy in a way that can create potentials and be beneficial for the receiver of the Feng Shui.

 

 

This article is based on the article Wu Xing from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it licensed under the double licence of GNU Free Documentation License und Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported. On Wikipedia a list of authors for this article is available. This article has been adjusted and extended for the use on this website.