Feng shui, << fuhng shway, >> is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The goal of feng shui is to create a sense of balance and harmony in our environment. According to feng shui, life-force energy called qi << chee >> (also spelled chi) flows from living and inanimate objects. A badly arranged environment may corrupt qi, making it destructive. A properly arranged environment can allow qi to flow creatively and improve the inhabitant’s health, happiness, and professional life.
The Chinese word feng means wind, and shui means water. According to traditional Chinese beliefs, flowing qi is scattered when it meets wind, and qi is gathered when it encounters water. The art of feng shui is to bring together different elements of qi as a whole. Methods of feng shui differ among regions and lines of practitioners.
Feng shui can be found everywhere, from the arrangement of furniture in a room to the layout of city streets. It can apply to the location and construction of a building as well as its interior design. Feng shui may involve an action as simple as moving a piece of furniture that has blocked the flow of qi. Positive, flowing qi may be enhanced by changing the color of walls or by adding a mirror, fish tank, or potted plant to a space. Many people employ feng shui consultants to advise them in creating a proper environment in their businesses and homes.
People in China and elsewhere in Asia have used feng shui for hundreds of years. It first gained popularity in Europe and North America during the late 1900’s.
