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Feng shui (/ˈfʌŋˌʃuːi/ [1] or /ˌfʌŋˈʃweɪ/[2]), sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is a traditional Taoist belief originating in Ancient China.[3] It refers to the flow of qi within an environment dictated by the spatial arrangement of its features.[1][3] The term feng shui means, literally, "wind-water" (i.e., fluid). From ancient times, landscapes and bodies of water have been thought to direct the flow of the universal qi – "cosmic current" or energy – through places and structures. More broadly, feng shui includes astronomical, astrological, architectural, cosmological, geographical, and topographical dimensions.[4][5]
Historically, as well as in many parts of the contemporary Chinese world, feng shui was used to choose the orientation of buildings, dwellings, and spiritually significant structures such as tombs. One scholar writes that in contemporary Western societies, however, "feng shui tends to be reduced to interior design for health and wealth. It has become increasingly visible through 'feng shui consultants' and corporate architects who charge large sums of money for their analysis, advice and design."[5]
Feng shui has been characterized as non-scientific and pseudoscientific by several scientists and philosophers because it makes claims that are not amenable to testing with the scientific method.[6][7]
- ^ a b "feng shui". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/OED/1095858841. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ Wells, John C. (2000). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (2nd ed.). Longman. p. 288. ISBN 0-582-36467-1.
- ^ a b "Feng Shui". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- ^ Bruun, Ole (2011). Fengshui in China : Geomantic Divination between State, Orthodoxy and Popular Religion (2nd ed.). NIAS Press. ISBN 978-87-91114-79-3.
- ^ a b Komjathy (2012), p. 395.
- ^ Matthews 2018.
- ^ Fernandez-Beanato, Damian (23 August 2021). "Feng Shui and the Demarcation Project". Science & Education. 30 (6). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 1333–1351. Bibcode:2021Sc&Ed..30.1333F. doi:10.1007/s11191-021-00240-z. ISSN 0926-7220. S2CID 238736339.