Appendix A

Glossary

After Heaven sequence Called the “Hou Tian” in Chinese, this sequence of trigrams denotes motion, transformation, and the interaction of natural and human qi forces. This is the sequence used in feng shui.

annual star A prevailing star, or number, which ushers in yearly changes in the Earth’s qi field.

axiom A widely accepted fact based on its intrinsic merits. Because an axiom is a general truth, it does not have to be proven.

azure dragon A landform, building, trees, bushes, or fence located on the left side of your dwelling.

bagua The eight trigrams of the Yijing.

Before Heaven sequence Called the “Xian Tian” in Chinese, this is a sequence of trigrams representing an ideal reality in which natural and human qi forces are in perfect balance.

black turtle A landform, building, grove of trees, or fence supporting the back of your residence.

Book of Burial Written in the fourth century C.E. by Guo Pu, this is the earliest extant text on the Form School of feng shui.

celestial equator The circular path the constellations travel perpendicular to an imaginary line joining the celestial north pole to the earth’s North pole. The Chinese use the celestial equator as a baseline to observe the times when stars will appear directly overhead.

Chinese Zodiac A popular system of astrology involving the relationships between 12 types of qi or signs expressed as animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

Compass School A term invented by Westerners, the Compass School holds that each of the 8 (and 24 finer distinctions) cardinal directions has a different energy. It is a very computational method, relying on intellect rather than intuitive insights. In Chinese, Compass School is known as “Liqi Pai” (Patterns of Qi School).

Confucianism Based on the sixth century B.C.E. teachings of Confucius, it is a complex system of ethics designed to cultivate social and moral principles. The philosophy was taught in Chinese schools from the beginning of the Han dynasty to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

conscious mind The waking state that gives us logic, reason, and willpower. The conscious mind represents 12 percent of our total mind power.

controlling cycle A cycle of imbalance. Each phase controls its counterpart. Fire-metal-wood-earth-water represents the controlling cycle.

crimson bird A footstool landform or body of water that faces your dwelling.

Cycle of Sixty Represents all possible combinations (60) of the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches. The year 2697 B.C.E. marked the first of the 60-year, or 60-stem-branch, cycle.

Daoism Concerned with the intuitive knowledge acquired by communing with nature and being at one with it (the Dao). The founding fathers of Daoism were a group of like-minded people who lived and taught from the fourth to the second centuries B.C.E.

Day-Master The Day-Master is the day stem component of your chart. Also called the “Ziping Method” after astrologer Xu Ziping, The Four Pillars of Destiny analyzes how the five phases comprising your Four Pillars chart affect the Day-Master.

deductive reasoning The method of reaching a conclusion by deducing general laws through observation.

Double Ruling Star at Facing A dwelling that is considered Shuang Ling Xing Dou Xiang if both the ruling mountain and ruling water stars are located in the facing cell. In this case, it is easy for the occupants to make and retain money, but it is difficult for them to form stable relationships and maintain good health.

Double Ruling Star at Sitting A dwelling that is considered Shuang Ling Xing Dou Zuo if both the ruling mountain and the ruling water stars are located in the sitting cell. In this case, it is easy for the occupants to form stable relationships and maintain good health, but it is difficult for them to make and retain money.

dragon’s lair In feng shui, all mountain ranges are called dragons. When the dragon meets the terrain, it is his lair (long xue). It is the place that attracts sheng qi and is considered the most auspicious site on which to build a home or bury the dead.

facing direction Usually corresponds to the front side of a dwelling and is not necessarily where your front door is located.

favorable phase A term used in a Four Pillars of Destiny analysis. It is the phase that brings balance to your chart.

feng shui It literally means “wind water,” the two natural forces that direct qi to a site. Figuratively, feng shui is the art and science of determining how your environment and your home affect you over periods of time.

Fibonacci sequence A sequence of numbers named after a thirteenth-century mathematician, Leonardo of Pisa, also known as Fibonacci. Each number in the series is the sum of the two previous numbers.

fight or flight A primitive and involuntary reaction triggered during moments of danger or anxiety. As man (and animals) evolved, some developed greater strength and aggressiveness (fight), and others developed agility, speed, and a sensitivity to the senses of smell, sight, and hearing (flight). Those who remained passive eventually became extinct.

five phases Five physical elements in nature that represent the movement of qi. They are fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. The concept of the five phases is the backbone of Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and feng shui.

Flying Star Xuankong Feixing in Chinese, it’s a sophisticated and complex system of analyzing how time and space affect a building. The magnetic orientation of the dwelling, along with the year the home was built, are important factors that determine the innate character of the house.

Form School Called “Xingfa” in Chinese, it’s the first and oldest school of feng shui dating to the late Han era’s publication of the Classic of Burial written by Qing Wuzi. Initially, its purpose was to orient tombs. The orientation of homes was later incorporated into the practice.

Fortunate Mountain Fortunate Water A dwelling that is considered Wang Shan Wang Shui if the ruling mountain and water numbers are in their proper places. The ruling mountain star must be situated in the top, left position of the sitting cell. The ruling water star must be situated in the top, right position of the facing cell. This type of house is most favorable, bringing the highest possibility of fame, fortune, and good health.

Four Celestial Palaces The Chinese macroconstellations called the crimson bird, azure dragon, black turtle, and white tiger represent the Four Celestial Palaces. Composed of seven constellations each, the macroconstellations comprise the 28 constellations of the Chinese zodiac.

Four Pillars of Destiny Called Ziping Bazi in Chinese, it’s a method of calculating and interpreting the five phases present at your birth. Each pillar represents a year, month, day, and hour expressed as a heavenly stem and an earthly branch. The Four Pillars of Destiny measures probabilities, not certainties, of your life’s path.

Golden Ratio Related to the Fibonacci sequence. By dividing each number in the series by the one that precedes it, the result produces a ratio that stabilizes at 1.61834. The Golden Ratio was understood by ancient builders such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Mayans who believed everything in nature was determined by abstract universal laws that could be expressed mathematically.

Great Cycle Called Da Yun in Chinese, it is made up of nine 20-year cycles. The nine cycles are divided into three 60-year periods called the Upper (Shang Yuan), Middle (Zhong Yuan), and Lower (Xia Yuan) cycles. The year 1864 marks the beginning of the Great Cycle we’re currently in. It ends February 4, 2044.

Hetu Also called the “River Map,” it is a pattern of black (yang) and white (yin) dots purportedly found on a fantastic dragon-horse emerging from the Yellow River. The Hetu symbolizes the ideal world.

hexagram A combination of two trigrams composes one hexagram. There are 64 total hexagrams.

house trigram Determined by its sitting direction, which usually corresponds to the backside of a dwelling.

inductive reasoning The method of reaching a conclusion by developing specific cases based on general laws.

kanyu An art of divination; the precursor to feng shui. “Kan” means “way of the heaven,” and “yu” means “way of the earth.” Together, kanyu translates, “Raise your head and study the sky. Lower your head and study the terrain.”

known A unit of communication that has been learned earlier in life. It can be positive or negative and will be accepted into the subconscious mind.

lunar month The interval between the successive full moons. A lunar month lasts approximately 29¹⁄₂ days; each lunar year lasts 354 days.

luopan A compass containing anywhere from 4 to 40 concentric information rings. A compass, be it a luopan or Western-style, is the tool of the trade in feng shui.

Luoshu Also known as the “Luo River Writing,” it is a pattern of black (yang) and white (yin) dots said to be found inscribed on a turtle’s shell. The Luoshu correlates to the After Heaven sequence of trigrams.

Magic Square of Three Related to the Luoshu. It is considered “magical” because 3 cells add up to 15 along any diagonal, vertical, or horizontal line. The Magic Square is the numerological basis of feng shui.

ming gua Determined by your year of birth and gender, your ming (birth) gua (trigram) is the guardian star (or number) you are born under.

mountain force Associated with yin, it administers a person’s health and relationships. Its qi enters a home through the walls; the building’s mountainlike structures protecting the occupants. In classical feng shui terminology, the mountain star is synonymous with the sitting star and the stars on the top, left side of each cell.

parallel One of five ways a phase relates to the Day-Master in a Four Pillars of Destiny analysis. The parallel phase is the same as the Day-Master.

performance One of five ways a phase relates to the Day-Master in a Four Pillars of Destiny analysis. The performance phase is produced by the Day-Master.

personal trigram Determined by your birth year and gender.

poison arrow qi Qi that is directed at you in a straight line. Also known as “killing breath,” this qi is extremely inauspicious, carrying misfortune, illness, and even disaster.

power One of five ways a phase relates to the Day-Master in a Four Pillars of Destiny analysis. The power phase dominates the Day-Master.

productive cycle A cycle of balance and creation. Each phase produces or enhances the succeeding phase. Fire-earth-metal-water-wood represents the productive cycle.

qi The underlying and unifying substance and soul of all things. Both physical and metaphysical, qi is the nourishing force at the heart, growth, and development of the heavens, earth, and humanity. It is also called “life’s breath.”

reductive cycle A cycle that reduces the power of the dominating phase and restores the sequential balance of the phases in question. Fire-wood-water-metal-earth represents the reductive cycle. In feng shui, a reductive phase is used to remedy inauspicious qi.

resource One of five ways a phase relates to the Day-Master in a Four Pillars of Destiny analysis. A resource phase produces the Day-Master.

Reversed Mountain and Water A dwelling that is considered Shang Shan Xia Shui if the mountain and water stars are improperly placed, reversed. Here, the ruling mountain star is improperly located in the facing cell. The ruling water star is improperly located in the sitting cell. A Reversed Mountain and Water star chart brings the probability of misfortune and illness for the 20-year period to which the ruling star corresponds.

sha qi Negative qi carrying inauspicious currents that can influence your well-being.

sheng qi Positive qi carrying auspicious currents that can influence your well-being.

sitting direction Usually corresponds to the backside of a dwelling. A sitting direction is determined by a compass reading.

solar year Time based on the revolution of the earth around the sun is a solar year.

strong Day-Master A Four Pillars of Destiny chart with more resource and parallel than power, wealth, and performance phases. A person with a strong chart has many friends and many competitors. He derives support from those around him, while getting few chances to demonstrate his own talents.

subconscious mind This is the area of the mind that receives and stores information. The subconscious mind represents 88 percent of our total mind power.

swastika A universal symbol generally accepted to be a solar emblem. It is derived from the Sanskrit svastika, meaning lucky, fortunate, well-being. The counterclockwise swastika formed within the Magic Square expresses future time.

synchronicity A concept developed by celebrated Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875–1961), it expresses the connection of acausal events within a limited time frame.

taiji A symbol illustrating the eternal interaction between yin and yang. The correct orientation is with its yang “head” positioned at the top-left side.

Ten Heavenly Stems “Tian Gan” in Chinese, they represent how the five phases alter with the passage of a year. The Chinese use the word “heaven” to mean time. Hence, the Heavenly Stems record how qi changes with time.

totem An Algonquin word describing an animal or natural object with which a group feels a special attachment. Denoting group membership, the totem is worshipped by the members of the clan bearing its name.

trigram The eight trigrams are symbols representing transitional phases of all possible heavenly and human situations. Qian, Zhen, Kan, Gen, Kun, Xun, Li, and Dui represent the eight trigrams.

Twelve Earthly Branches “Di Zhi” in Chinese, they represent cycles of earth qi expressed by the year, month, day, and hour. A zodiac animal is assigned to each branch. Each branch contains one or more hidden stems.

twenty-four mountains Directions of a luopan compass derived from the eight fundamental trigrams: Each trigram constitutes 45 degrees of the compass (8 trigrams x 45 degrees = 360 degrees). Each trigram is subdivided into three equal parts of 15 degrees each (3 parts x 15 degrees = 45 degrees). The total number of subdivided parts (3 parts x 8 trigrams) comprise the 24 mountains, each of which has a Chinese name.

unfavorable phase A term in a Four Pillars of Destiny analysis describing a phase that causes an imbalance in your chart.

unknown A unit of communication that is rejected by the critical area of the mind and will not enter the subconscious.

water force Associated with yang, it governs a person’s wealth. Its qi enters a home through the windows and doors, the building’s free-flowing waterlike edifices. The water star is synonymous with the facing star and the stars on the top-right side of each cell.

weak Day-Master A Four Pillars of Destiny chart with more power, performance, and wealth than resource and parallel. A person with a weak Day-Master usually is being challenged by power and authority, yet has enough intelligence to combat such confrontations.

wealth One of five ways a phase relates to the Day-Master in a Four Pillars of Destiny analysis. The wealth phase is dominated by the Day-Master.

white tiger A landform, building, trees, bushes, or fence located on the right side of your dwelling.

Wuji The beginning, the “Great Void.” Wuji is believed to be the fountainhead of creation and is expressed as a circle.

yang Represents the active principle in nature exhibited as light, heat, and dryness. On a human level, yang represents masculinity and the positive side of our emotions. Also, yang represents the realm of the living.

Yijing Also known as “The Book of Changes.” It is the first known attempt by the Chinese to formulate a system of knowledge around the interplay of yin and yang.

yin Represents the passive principle in nature exhibited as darkness, cold, and wetness. On a human level, yin symbolizes femininity and inertia. Also, yin represents the realm of the dead.

Zhouyi Also known as “The Changes of Zhou,” it is a divinatory system written by King Wen and his son the Duke of Zhou at the end of the second millennium B.C.E. In the Han dynasty (or before) commentaries were attached to the Zhouyi and renamed the “Yijing.”

Ziwei Doushu Purple Constellation Fate Computation in English, it’s a method of Chinese astrology that analyzes anywhere from 36 to 157 stars in accordance with your birth information. Ziwei Doushu uses the Chinese lunar calendar.