Feng shui is a system of principles meant to channel qi (life energy) as it flows through a house or garden, so that it brings good fortune, wealth, health and longevity. If the qi flows the wrong way, it is thought to bring bad luck instead. Feng shui aims above all to create harmony in a space — for example by avoiding sharp corners and making sure nothing inside a building interrupts the flow of qi.
For thousands of years, feng shui has shaped Chinese architecture and garden design. The classical gardens of Suzhou are especially famous for their harmonious layout, blending garden architecture with the natural landscape.
Even though feng shui is considered a pseudoscience, Western companies building in East Asia can rarely avoid it in practice, since employees working in a building that doesn't follow feng shui principles are unlikely to feel comfortable there.
Different feng shui schools exist, and feng shui masters from each school interpret its principles somewhat differently.
Key elements of feng shui include the theory of yin and yang, the theory of the Five Elements, and the theory of the Eight Trigrams, which form the basis of the I Ching (Book of Changes) — one of the oldest classical Chinese texts and also one of the Confucian classics.
What is "qi"?
Qi is best known from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), where it is understood as life energy flowing through everything that exists. In TCM, illness is often attributed to a blockage in the flow of qi. Martial arts also train practitioners in the correct use of qi.
