FENG SHUI

Chinese often used the celestial pole determined by the pole stars to determine the north-south axis of settlements. This technique explains why Shang palaces at Xiaotun lie ten degrees east of due north. In some cases, as Paul Wheatley observed, they bisected the angle between the directions of the rising and setting sun to find north. This technique provided the more precise alignments of the Shang walls at Yanshi and Zhengzhou.

The earliest evidence of feng shui provided in early Yangshao and Hongshan cultures. Professor David Pankenier and his associates reviewed astronomical data for the time of the Banpo dwellings (4000 BCE) to show that the asterism Yingshi (Lay out the Hall, in the Warring States period and early Han era) corresponded to the sun's location at this time. Centuries before, the asterism Yingshi was known as Ding. It was used to indicate the appropriate time to build a capital city, according to the Shijing. Apparently an astronomical alignment ensured that Banpo village homes were sited for solar gain.

The grave at Puyang (radiocarbon dated 5,000 BP) that contains mosaics of the Dragon and Tiger constellations and Beidou (Dipper) is similarly oriented along a north-south axis. The presence of both round and square shapes in the Puyang tomb, and at Hongshan culture ceremonial centers, suggests that the [[gaitian]] cosmography (heaven-round, earth-square) was present in Chinese society long before it appeared in the Zhou Bu Suan Jing. Cosmography that bears a striking resemblance to modern feng shui compasses (and computations) was found on a jade unearthed at Hanshan (c. 3000 BCE). The design is linked by Li Xueqin to the liuren astrolabe, zhinan zhen, and Luopan.

All capital cities of China followed rules of Feng Shui for their design and layout. These rules were codified during the Zhou era in the "Kaogong ji" (Manual of Crafts). Rules for builders were codified in the "Lu ban jing" (Carpenter's Manual). Graves and tombs also followed rules of Feng Shui. From the earliest records, it seems that the rules for these structures were developed from rules for dwellings.

 

 

Before Confucianism was established as the only philosophy allowed in China around 200 B.C. , Taoism and many other philosophies enjoyed relatively free expression of their individual idea. Under the banner of educating the perfect citizen, anything other than Confucianism was banned. Many philosophies were prosecuted. The surviving Tao philosophers moved to the mountains and Taoism further split to a secular scholar  philosophy and a religious practice. 

In Han dynasty (206 B.C.-220) secular Taoism philosophers became very technical and emphasis on technical skills and mathematical calculation.  The technical methods of studying houses and tombs grounds has allowed the Taoism to revive after the huge persecution in the early Han Dynasty. It has become the most fashionable study for well to do Chinese scholars who had too much time, money and wisdom. They also pushed the application of Taoism and I-Ching to the every day practice to furniture arrangements.