Loading...
Chapter 4 of 5
雪心赋
Having discussed the auspicious and inauspicious qualities of mountain formations, we can now understand the subject. But what of the conditions of water?
The four characters "Jiao" (Interlocking), "Suo" (Locking), "Zhi" (Weaving), and "Jie" (Knotting) clearly distinguish the auspicious patterns within water principles. 🌊 "Jiao" (Interlocking) refers to waters converging and intermingling before the acupuncture point; "Suo" (Locking) refers to the water mouth being tightly locked like a gate; "Zhi" (Weaving) refers to waters coming and going, interlacing like woven threads; "Jie" (Knotting) refers to waters gathering and coming to rest, coalescing as if knotted. These four are all auspicious formations within water principles.
The four inauspicious patterns—"Chuan" (Piercing), "Ge" (Cutting), "Jian" (Arrow), and "She" (Shooting)—should be jointly avoided. 🚫 "Chuan" (Piercing) denotes water breaking through the dragon vein; "Ge" (Cutting) denotes water severing the acupuncture site; "Jian" (Arrow) denotes water rushing straight as an arrow; "She" (Shooting) denotes water hurtling directly toward the point. These four all constitute inauspicious formations.
Should water directly strike the city walls (i.e., assault the acupuncture site), it will inevitably lead to the ruin and utter dissipation of family fortunes; should water turn away from the city walls (i.e., curve outward in a reverse bow), it will render people obstinate in disposition and fierce in temperament. 💥
When blessings extend far and endure long, it is certain that water winds around the Black Tortoise quarter (behind the point); when official rank is exalted and wealth abundant, it is certain that water encircles the Azure Dragon quarter (to the left of the point). 🐉
What water principles hold precious lies in the outflow mouth (Five Gates) being tightly closed and stored, so as not to leak the hall's vital qi; what they favor lies in the inflow mouth (Three Gates) being broad and unimpeded, so as to receive ample qi. 🚪
Even though the enclosure formation is distinguished, if the influx mouth (Three Gates) is cramped and narrow, it is no longer worthy of consideration; even though the form and point are extraordinary, if the outflow mouth (Five Gates) offers no barrier or check, what merit can it have?
Yuanchen Water flowing straight out from the center before the point should not be indiscriminately judged as inauspicious. If there is external water that curves around to form a transverse barrier, gaining such a formation is instead auspicious. 🔄 The function of this water lies in this: using it to serve as a boundary for the dragon vein, the vein's qi will naturally come to rest; using it to conceal and protect the feng shui, the feng shui will not be dispersed.
If water, having just passed before the point, rebounds and flees away, then it is not worth a single coin. 💸 If water enters the embrace yet turns its back in reverse bow, even if it brings temporary prosperity, decline will soon follow.
Water mouths favor being constricted and narrow, like the throat of a gourd; waters embracing the body are treasured for their curvature, in the shape of an ox horn. 🐂
The sand peaks that interlock to intercept water are most suitable when towering and majestic; the ponds and pools that store water directly ahead are favored only when clear and tranquil. ⛰️ Towering sand peaks resemble valiant warriors defending the city walls; clear and gathered waters resemble solemn ministers taking their positions in homage.
The sand formations at the water mouth bear the greatest consequence for benefit and harm. What has been presented above only gives the general outline; students should personally investigate the subtle details therein. 🔍
The central aim of this chapter is to establish the framework of four auspicious and four inauspicious patterns in water principles.
| Category | Four-Character Formula | Meaning | Auspicious/Inauspicious |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auspicious Pattern | Jiao (Interlocking) | Multiple waters converge before the point, joining with sentiment | ✅ Auspicious |
| Auspicious Pattern | Suo (Locking) | Water mouth tightly locked, like a closed door | ✅ Auspicious |
| Auspicious Pattern | Zhi (Weaving) | Waters flow back and forth like weaving, veins interconnected | ✅ Auspicious |
| Auspicious Pattern | Jie (Knotting) | Waters gather and come to rest, coalescing as if tied in a knot | ✅ Auspicious |
| Inauspicious Pattern | Chuan (Piercing) | Water breaks through the dragon vein | ❌ Inauspicious |
| Inauspicious Pattern | Ge (Cutting) | Water severs the acupuncture site | ❌ Inauspicious |
| Inauspicious Pattern | Jian (Arrow) | Water rushes straight as an arrow, shooting directly forward | ❌ Inauspicious |
| Inauspicious Pattern | She (Shooting) | Water hurtles directly toward the acupuncture point | ❌ Inauspicious |
Secondly, it emphasizes the relative positioning between water and the acupuncture point: water winding around the Black Tortoise brings enduring blessings; water encircling the Azure Dragon brings official rank and abundant wealth; water striking the walls ruins the family; water turning its back on the walls renders one's nature rigid.
Thirdly, it advances the dialectical requirements for the water inflow and outflow mouths: the Three Gates (inflow mouth) must be broad to receive qi, while the Five Gates (outflow mouth) must be tightly sealed to gather qi. The two function as one opens and one closes, one receives and one guards—neither can be dispensed with.
Finally, it specifically highlights the exceptional case of Yuanchen Water flowing straight out: if external water forms a transverse barrier, the inauspicious transforms into auspicious. This demonstrates that feng shui does not cling to any single fixed principle but emphasizes holistic pattern recognition through dialectical thinking. [Translator's note: Yuanchen Water refers to the water that originates with the dragon itself directly before the point—that is, the water of the inner hall.]
The four-auspicious/four-inauspicious classification of water principles is essentially an energy assessment system for water flow. From a contemporary perspective:
The difference between "water winding around the Black Tortoise" and "water encircling the Azure Dragon" strongly aligns with the ideal site-selection principle in modern architecture of mountains at the rear, water at the front, water on the left, and road on the right. Water encircling behind the point (Black Tortoise) means a stable water-source barrier at the rear; water winding on the left (Azure Dragon) relates to the solar exposure and wind-sheltering needs of geographical locations in the Northern Hemisphere—the Azure Dragon direction is east, and water encircling the east gathers qi for growth.
The theory of "Three Gates broad, Five Gates sealed" for water inflow and outflow mouths bears remarkable similarity to the principle of open entrances and controlled exits in modern urban planning. An ideal living space requires open channels for resource intake and strict mechanisms for discharge control, in order to maintain dynamic equilibrium within its internal environment.
A reference framework for modern site selection and spatial planning:
Water Form Assessment: When choosing residential, office, or campsite locations, observe the form of nearby water bodies. Winding, embracing water flows are superior to reverse-bow, shooting water flows; the inner bank (convex side) of water convergences is superior to the outer bank (concave side). This corresponds to the auspicious/inauspicious judgments of "Interlocking, Locking, Weaving, Knotting" versus "Piercing, Cutting, Arrow, Shooting."
Entrance and Exit Management: Apply the principle of "Three Gates broad, Five Gates tight" to architectural layout—the entrance (main gate, primary access) should be open and unimpeded, so that qi does not congest; the exit (rear door, drainage outlets) should be constricted and compact, so that energy does not leak outward.
The Method of Transverse Barrier for Straight Water: If there is a road or waterway rushing straight toward a site (Yuanchen Water flowing straight out), do not rush to judge it inauspicious. Observe whether any transverse waterway, road, or green belt forms a "turn of the head to provide a lateral barrier." If so, an auspicious formation is actually established. This corresponds to the techniques of screening and guiding in modern landscape design.
Recommended Action Plan: When facing siting decisions, one may hypothesize—if the water form is "rebound" or "reverse embrace," long-term habitation or business operation may face ongoing depletion. Review method: Document the balance between resource inflow and outflow for three years following site selection to verify the practical effects of "broad inflow, tightly sealed outflow."
The deep philosophy embedded in this chapter is the dynamic balance of yin-yang opening and closing.
The inflow mouth should be "broad," while the outflow mouth should be "tight"—this is the dialectical unity of receiving and guarding, sharing an unbroken lineage with the thinking of the Tao Te Ching: "What is to be contracted must first be expanded." The core of water principles does not lie in any single dimension of "good" or "bad," but in whether an effective energy cycle is formed between opening and closing.
"Yuanchen Water flowing straight out from the center—one cannot broadly declare it inauspicious" embodies the dialectical wisdom of the negation of negation: an apparently inauspicious form can transform into auspiciousness under specific external conditions. This reminds us that when judging anything, we must not only examine isolated forms but must consider the larger system. "If outside there comes a turning of the head to provide a transverse barrier, obtaining this actually becomes auspicious" is precisely a vivid illustration of this holistic perspective.
Moreover, the metaphor that "towering peaks resemble valiant warriors defending the city, while clear gathered waters resemble solemn ministers taking homage" reveals the personifying projection in feng shui aesthetics of harmonizing firmness and gentleness, and matching civil and martial virtues. Mountains and waters are not merely physical existence; they have also been endowed with moral and spiritual meaning.