The Feng Shui Institute
The Natural Home of Feng Shui

The History of Traditional Feng Shui

How it all Began Our current cycle of human evolution began almost 6000 years ago in Sumeria (Iraq) with an incredibly advanced civilisation as modern day archaeologists are now discovering. Following a climatic disorder of literally epic proportions, an exodus ensued. This led to the establishment of advanced civilisations in various parts of the world, such as India, South America and of course China. Knowledge of these events are found in these countries cultures, myths and legends. If you have already trained in Feng Shui and are practising you would know this information already. This is an essential basis for the understanding and implementation of Feng Shui and forms the backbone of all learning criteria. If you don't already know this history and its significance, then you may wish to take one of our courses and be the best you can be! The Wandering Tribes Feng shui history begins with The Wandering Tribes that colonised the area now known as China. Their knowledge allowed them to establish an incredibly advanced civilisation alongside the indigenous tribes of the Yangshao and the Lungshan. Part of this knowledge is still used today and is called Traditional or Classical Feng Shui. The Tribes Were It is believed that tribal leaders were named after their tribes, so Fu Xi was the leader of the animal tribes, Shen Nong the holy farmers and Sui Ren fire starters. From a Feng Shui perspective, the most important is Fu Xi, as it was he who is credited with establishing the 8 Trigrams positioning them in an arrangement known as Xian Tian or pre heaven bagua C3300 BC

Fu Xi - Animal Tamers Knowledge of animal husbandry, tanning, ploughing, music and therefore mathematics and geometry.	Sui Ren - Fire starters Knowledge of fire, chemistry and metallurgy	Shen Nong - Holy Farmers Credited with establishing Agriculture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
The Early Days Much of Chinese history is shrouded in mystery between 3300 BC and the beginning of the first Dynasty C.2000 BC. Notable heroes in this period were Huang Di - the Yellow Emperor, credited with establishing the 12 Earthly Branches and 10 Heavenly Stems or the Sexagesimal Cycle C 2736 BC (although a similar system was already in use in Babylon many centuries before) and Da Yu, the founder of the first dynasty and inventor of hydraulic engineering. According to legend, it is also believed that the first compass was invented during this period, consisting of a lodestone attached to a chariot andwas said to make its army invincible.

How it all Began
Our current cycle of human evolution began almost 6000 years ago in Sumeria (Iraq) with an incredibly advanced civilisation as modern day archaeologists are now discovering. Following a climatic disorder of literally epic proportions, an exodus ensued. This led to the establishment of advanced civilisations in various parts of the world, such as India, South America and of course China. Knowledge of these events are found in these countries cultures, myths and legends.
If you have already trained in Feng Shui and are practising you would know this information already. This is an essential basis for the understanding and implementation of Feng Shui and forms the backbone of all learning criteria. If you don't already know this history and its significance, then you may wish to take one of our courses and be the best you can be!

The Wandering Tribes
Feng shui history begins with The Wandering Tribes that colonised the area now known as China. Their knowledge allowed them to establish an incredibly advanced civilisation alongside the indigenous tribes of the Yangshao and the Lungshan. Part of this knowledge is still used today and is called Traditional or Classical Feng Shui.

The Tribes Were
It is believed that tribal leaders were named after their tribes, so Fu Xi was the leader of the animal tribes, Shen Nong the holy farmers and Sui Ren fire starters. From a Feng Shui perspective, the most important is Fu Xi, as it was he who is credited with establishing the 8 Trigrams positioning them in an arrangement known as Xian Tian or pre heaven bagua C3300 BC

Fu Xi - Animal Tamers Knowledge of animal husbandry, tanning, ploughing, music and therefore mathematics and geometry.

Sui Ren - Fire starters Knowledge of fire, chemistry and metallurgy

Shen Nong - Holy Farmers
Credited with establishing Agriculture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Early Days

Much of Chinese history is shrouded in mystery between 3300 BC and the beginning of the first Dynasty C.2000 BC. Notable heroes in this period were Huang Di - the Yellow Emperor, credited with establishing the 12 Earthly Branches and 10 Heavenly Stems or the Sexagesimal Cycle C 2736 BC (although a similar system was already in use in Babylon many centuries before) and Da Yu, the founder of the first dynasty and inventor of hydraulic engineering. According to legend, it is also believed that the first compass was invented during this period, consisting of a lodestone attached to a chariot andwas said to make its army invincible.

Selected Chinese Dynasties with Historical Feng Shui Implications
Dates	Dynasty	Traditional Feng Shui History
2000-1700 BC	Xia	Selecting Proper Site Divination - Astrology -Auspicious Date to Move.
1700-1027 BC	Shang	Oracle bone divination. Writing invented. Sundial used to measure time.
1027-771 BC	Western Zhou	The Book of Yi written. Sundial used for time.
770-476 BC	Spring and Autumn period	Lao Zi & Confucius born. The book of Yi becomes Yi Jing (I Ching)
475-221 BC	Warring States period	Sun Zi & Mencius born. Si Nan (Spoon compass)
221-207 BC	Qin	Green Satchel First Feng Shui classic written
206 BC-AD 9 /	Western Han Eastern Han	Kan Yu The way of Heaven and Earth. 24 Seasons recorded. Liu Ren Water compass used for divination. The Name of Five Spirits, Ze Ri Method of Selecting Auspicious Dates Tu Zia Method of Selecting Auspicious Houses, Eight Spirits in Heaven, Eight Directions on Earth, Eight Methods of Selecting Living Site, Fen Ye Concept of Examining Celestial Phenomena, to Predict Good Luck or Ill Luck on Earth, Twelve Feudal Lords on Earth, Twelve Celestial Districts in Heaven, The Rise of Concept of Spirits, Good Spirits, Evil Spirits, Selecting living site or burial place, one should consult the Divine, Five Phases Wood Fire Earth Metal Water, Five Directions East South West North Centre, Five Sounds Gong Shang Jue Zi Yu, Five Surnames, Eight Spirits in Heaven, Eight Directions on Earth, Eight Kinds of Residences to Select
AD 25-220	Western Han Eastern Han
AD 265-316	Western Jin	Guo Pu (276-324) - The writer of The Book of Burial "By means of Feng Shui one can prevail over god's work, change his own fate, and instantly create good fortune and misfortune."
AD 420-588	Southern Dynasties	Qin Nang - Nine volumes of burial books in the Blue Bag, Qin Wu Zi - the name of a Feng Shui practitioner, Qin Wu Shu - Methods of selecting burial site by Qin Wu Zi.
AD 589-960	Late Tang and Five Dynasties	Practising the Five Phases Theory became the current fashion. Astrological Copper mirror Found. There were over 120 different schools using Five Phases Theory on selecting burial sites. Theory on selecting burial sites. Books of Five Surname Theory, on selecting living places, on selecting burial sites. Use of Talismans.
AD 960-1368	Southern Song - Ming	East/West System. Flying Stars System Three Yuan Nine Yun System - Three Cycles and Nine Fate System. 4 types of compass needle developed, consisting of Fingernail, wet, dry and hanging methods. Seam needle developed. Yuan - Magnetic tortoise compass developed. Plum Flower Method devised by Shao Yong, also square and circular arrangements for 64- Hexagrams.
AD 1368-1644	Ming - Qing	Development of compass rings. 2 essential classics on the use of Luo Pan written. Birth of Jiang Da Hong - Flying Star Master.
AD 1986	- date	"New age Feng Shui" based on the power of a positive mind further developed by Thomas Lin Yun in California USA. Please note that this system is very different from Traditional Feng Shui and has been the main source of confusion about Feng Shui over recent years.
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The Feng Shui Institute The Natural Home of Feng Shui

The History of Traditional Feng Shui

Selected Chinese Dynasties with Historical Feng Shui Implications

The Feng Shui Institute
The Natural Home of Feng Shui