The
Feng
Shui
Of
The
Forbidden
City |
Being
the
residence
of
the
former
emperors
of
China,
the
Forbidden
City
of
China
is
home
to
‘the
practice
of
feng
shui
at
the
highest
imperial
levels’.
This
is
an
assumption
based
on
the
fact
that
the
living
quarters
of
the
Chinese
Emperors
would
have
been
garlanded
with
the
best
feng
shui
from
the
most
accoladed
feng
shui
advisers
of
the
Imperial
Court.
Yet,
the
grandiosity
of
the
Imperial
Palace
does
not
necessarily
indicate
that
the
feng
shui
is
good.
For
example,
the
Imperial
Tomb
of
the
powerful
Emperor
Qian
Long
lies
on
the
taboo
line
of
the
‘death
and
emptiness’
degree.
|
By
Vin
K.
Leo |
|
The regularity
of the
Palace
with no
missing
corners
is
also good
but to
say that
this regularity
conceptualizes
the ‘trinity
of heaven,
earth
and mankind
energy’
is just
plain
ignorant.
Enthusiasts
who read
the classical
text of
feng shui
would
know that
the cosmic
trinity
refers
to the
constellations
that are
reflected
on earth
as landforms
and man
harnessing
this landform’s
energy
called
Qi.
Historically,
the last
Ming Emperor
Zhong
Zhen hanged
himself
when the
Qings
invaded
China
while
he was
living
in the
Forbidden
City.
This spelt
the fall
of the
entire
Ming Dynasty
into the
hands
of the
Manchu
warriors.
This tragedy
can be
analyzed
by the
locations
of the
water
bodies
in the
southeast
and the
northwest.
This is
feng shui
manifested
in the
landform.
Built
in 1406
and completed
in 1421,
the geomantic
requirements
of the
Forbidden
City should
not have
any water
bodies
in the
northwest
in preparation
for the
coming
6th period
to 9th
period
of the
San Yuan’s
later
period.
The Forbidden
City was
also devastated
many times
by the
outbreak
of fire.
The Opium
War occurred
during
Empress
Cixi’s
reign,
and her
Summer
Palace
was looted
and burnt
by the
Eight
Powers
despite
her vast
and magnificent
display
of heavenly
creatures
such as
‘dragons,
dragon-tortoises,
cranes,
elephants
and powerful
lions’.
Her schemes
to manipulate
the young
emperors
to her
advantages
also do
not suggest
any good
in the
feng shui.
The last
emperor
PuYi was
‘trapped’
in the
Forbidden
City as
a puppet
emperor
and later
driven
out as
a gardener.
Looks
like the
luck just
got worse
by the
generation!
How could
this have
been good
feng shui?
The Chinese
calligraphy
found
in the
Imperial
courts
depicting
‘double
happiness
and prosperity’
and used
to enhance
good feng
shui is
merely
customary.
This is
a practice
that is
carried
on in
this modern
age, but
judging
from the
high rate
of divorces
and separations,
I really
doubt
that it
will bring
any marriage
either
happiness
or prosperity.
Otherwise,
nuptial
vows would
be just
a frivolous
affair.
If a pair
of wooden
mandarin
ducks
can enhance
romance
and marital
relationship,
why not
get real
ducks?
With the
constant
influx
of con
artists
turned
feng shui
masters
proliferating
the society,
feng shui
quickly
becomes
a hocus
pocus
practice
in the
name of
commercialism.
Many have
abused
the practice
of feng
shui for
commercial
gain by
preying
on fear
and false
promises
of wealth,
health,
romance
and status.
Maybe
the exploitations
are encouraged
by the
greed
of both
willing
parties,
but it
is sad
to see
an ancient
art with
a long
history
of master
craft
becoming
another
ware panning
in the
streets.
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