Feng Shui History - How The Art Of Placement Got Its Start

Feng shui, which literally translates to "wind water" was created by the ancient Chinese and dates back centuries. It is also referred to as the art of placement and is noted by lots of individuals as either an art form, a science and even a philosophy. In its earliest form, it has been used to look at the land and its position in relation to bodies of water and other pieces of land. This practice was developed in an effort to locate optimal areas of settlement, areas which were thought to bring its inhabitants happiness, prosperity and good harvest.

There have been many disputed reports on the very beginning of feng shui history since it is difficult to trace the origin back centuries. However the earliest use that could have been documented date back to Tang Dynasty when emperors sought the services of practitioners to aid with building palaces and tombs which will guarantee their success and reign of power. SInce that point, a variety of schools of thought have been developed and many of the initial principles have been modified to fit the period. Some schools and modifications have made it more complex and detailed while others manage to help it become easy enough to understand for the average person.

The earliest recorded version is known as the Form School, and the basic principles of this school of thought revolves around the general landscape and environment. The shape and size of this land is analyzed in great detail and its relative position determines how it will eventually affect its inhabitants. This early type of feng shui primarily focuses on nature and how we're influenced through the environment around us. A great deal has changed since then, but the fundamental principles still apply for the newer version that is in use today.

The Compass School developed shortly after in the Song Dynasty, and built upon the initial in a good way. New tools and concepts were introduced, which makes it more complex. There are two main sectors that derived from this school of thought, the Flying Star and also the Eight Mansions. The compass was developed at that time and is used to incorporate an individual's date of birth with their feng shui reading, which makes it more personalized. Practitioners began using the compass in accordance to the principles of the Eight Mansions. When the Flying Star was developed, it incorporated yin yang theory and introduced the five elements. All major concepts that were introduced at that time have been passed down and are still used today.

The Black Hat Sect School is the most recent of that bunch and was introduced not too long ago. It's a somewhat watered down version of the previous schools of thought. This simplified form makes use of the map bagua and focuses on the layout of a house a lot more than its surroundings. This easy to understand version is adopted by people all around the world and is mostly practiced today. There are so many changes in feng shui history throughout the years, but one thing is certain, this ancient tradition shows no sign of dying out. Its popularity is clear and it will be practiced by countless people for years to come.