Feng Shui History - Learn About the Origins of the Art of Placement

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 continues to be referred to by many people as either an art form, a science as well as 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 are many disputed reports on the very beginning of feng shui history as it is difficult to trace the origin back centuries. However the earliest use that has been documented date back to Tang Dynasty when emperors sought the services of practitioners to aid with building palaces and tombs that could guarantee their success and reign of power. SInce that point, a number of schools of thought have been developed and several of the initial principles have been modified to fit the period. Some schools and modifications have made it more complex and detailed while others appear to help it become easy enough to grasp for the average person.

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

The Compass School developed shortly after by the Song Dynasty, and built upon the initial in a good way. New tools and concepts were introduced, making it more complex. There are two main sectors that derived from this school of thought, the Flying Star and 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 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 remain 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 home 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 have been a lot of changes in feng shui history over the years, but one thing is certain, this ancient tradition shows no sign of dying out. Its popularity is evident and it will be practiced by countless people for years to come.


Learn more about feng shui history and all the rules of feng shui. Discover the origins of the feng shui ba gua and feng shui compass, and find out how they have been used over the years.

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