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Chapter 8 of 10
阳宅十书
Embedded chart
| Stem-branch set | Set 1 | Set 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Stem | 阳 | 内 |
| Branch | 宅 | 形 |
Once the external layout of the dwelling is clear, the next step is to examine the internal arrangement principles. Do not build additional rooms on top of building corners. Rear halls and front halls may be installed, but if the main hall is taller than the principal hall, it creates a situation of guests overpowering the host, which is highly inauspicious. Wing corridors may be arranged in sequence, but they should advance layer by layer like a dragon and phoenix raising their heads to accord with proper principles. The central hall must not have hidden viewing devices (concealed peepholes or dark windows); the affliction of such devices lies in their hidden nature, causing ailments of the heart and abdomen for the residents. If the Shouxing beam does not protrude, people are prone to premature death; the ends of beams should have tenon heads extending out. Small tenon heads shaped like water chestnuts or square victory ornaments, or like small round stars, indicate the Shouxing hiding its head without protruding—this portends that the master will have a short life and that children will be difficult to raise. It is also unfavorable for purlins to press down on beam heads, indicating that men of the household will find it hard to advance and may die young, leaving young wives to dwell alone in empty rooms.
The courtyard must not be shaped like a long single line—a single-line shape carries killing aura and lacks vitality. If the courtyard is one zhang wide, it should be five chi long, with length and width proportionally halved. Brick walls should not exceed fifteen layers in height; only the specification level with the lower steps is acceptable. Next, eleven is the auspicious number; even-numbered layers exceeding this are not fortunate. If the main hall has nine bays, it should be divided into three courtyards to be correct. The space before the main hall and its door corridor must not be empty and void; window lattices, beams, and door lintels should be distributed appropriately. The central hall must not have a straight-roofed building (a structure with a continuous ridge without turning), as this is a house of halted funerals, bringing much misfortune. Hall pillars should number nine, and main hall pillars seven; all doors and gates in even numbers are favorable. Opening a door on the western flank is most unsuitable; an even number of rooms in the house is advantageous. When ten or eight households gather in one place, they share the same gate and face the same direction. Watercourses crisscrossing from both flanks concentrate all misfortune and calamity at the center. Two lanes directly facing each other resemble the water of a drawn sword—sword-drawing water brings murder and drives people to madness. Each household's own path before the gate does not constitute a lane rush; open and spacious waterways pose no harm. The two flanks must not be divided into two paths; the transverse path in front should be unified in one direction. Let it pass along one side; if this water obtains favorable terrain, no harm will result. The converging flow must belong to one household's water, bending in an S-curve according to its length. Furthermore, one must examine whether the directions are auspicious or inauspicious; such gate arrangements mostly bring wealth and honor. The White Tiger (West) direction's head must not have an opening—if the White Tiger's mouth opens, population will suffer injury. This baleful influence is called "devouring," making it difficult to raise people; women in childbirth often lie ill in bed. If further breached by human activity, official calamities will arrive at the door irresistibly. Additionally, if a pestle platform is placed at the White Tiger's head, the household will be unsettled and plague will break out. Outside the gate, one need not build additional structures, for they block good mountains and ruin the bright hall.
There has always been an order to building houses: first inside, then outside, starting from the principal hall. If only the gate is built without the hall, the household will scatter before completion. The hall can never achieve fulfillment—young widows will suffer misery. If only the main hall is built without the principal hall, guests overcome the host, inviting lawsuits and harm. Without a master in the central hall, the role of the household manager is lost; wealth dissipates and calamities continue unabated. If first building the two side corridors without the principal hall, descendants will fight irrepressibly. Fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, and parents cannot restrain them; brothers each go their own way, each fleeing in a different direction. When the gate is completed, one must distinguish the Dragon and Tiger; the Dragon and Tiger can be arranged according to the gate. The lower-water Blue Dragon should reside outside; the upper-water Blue Dragon should reside inside. The lower-water White Tiger should reside outside; the upper-water White Tiger hides within. Do not say that the bright hall only exists outside—know that within the gate is also a bright hall. If the incoming dragon is at the rear, the pestle platform should be placed in front; do not let it pound and shake, causing injury. When shaken, the dragon becomes restless and ill; the household will be unsettled and affairs irregular. If the incoming dragon is on the left, the pestle should be on the right; if on the right, the pestle on the left. The pestle head should face forward; if people step from behind, no calamity will occur. If the pestle head faces inward and people step from the front toward the hall, it is like being hit by bricks carried by others—family wealth will decline and few will perish. The millstone must be placed at the left flank; on the right flank it churns the White Tiger's intestines, bringing diseases like colic with twisted intestines, constricted pathways, and abdominal bloating. The stove must be positioned on the left side and should not be placed at the White Tiger direction. If a dwelling follows these principles, descendants will surely flourish with good fortune. Family treasures will accumulate with blessings and emoluments; disasters will not arise, and peace and health will prevail. If one asks about palaces and government offices, these are secret texts difficult to proclaim widely.
Generally, when people establish a new residence, they should not first build the enclosing wall—building the wall first forms the character "困" (entrapment), indicating the household will not prosper. Whenever people build houses, they should not build small structures behind the main house; this is called "halting funerals," harming the family population; if people dwell in these small houses, it is especially inauspicious. Building a T-shaped house portends loss of family and extinction of descendants. Building a house with the front low and the rear high brings prosperity and abundant wealth. Building a "mourning-cloth house" (a structure extending with a shed roof at the rear) portends unnatural deaths and loss of fields and property. After building the main house, one should not build a granary behind it; this is called the "dragon pausing at the dwelling" and indicates that family wealth will not flourish. Tearing down half or the middle section of a residence is called the "breaking the family killing" and portends decline in population. For any residence, do not let water from roof corners shoot toward the gate; water shooting at the gate causes deafness and muteness. When building houses, do not let them fly away in a straight line; this portends filial disobedience and discord among brothers. Do not have the gate, path, or carriage door directly aligned; this is called the "heart-piercing killing," portending unnatural death for the household head. Do not open a carriage door behind the main house, lest thieves come and wealth decline; opening a door on the side is not harmful, and opening a door to the north is also inauspicious. When opening a carriage door, do not face the zi, wu, kun, or gen directions—zi and wu are the heart of heaven and earth, kun is the White Tiger's head, and gen is the ghost gate; these bring disease and loss of population. Do not let rainwater accumulate in the courtyard; it causes epidemics and dysentery. Do not pile random stones; it causes eye diseases. Side buildings must not face the main gate, defiling the gate court and bringing calamities. Do not build a tower above the gate of a residence; it will surely harm the household head, and the same applies to government offices. The ancients said: "Build a tall tower above the gate, and the head of the household will face imprisonment." Another saying: "Raise a tower at the White Tiger position, and the head of the household is doomed to worry." House corners must not encroach upon the street; this invites lawsuits and calamities. In households with nursing infants, soiled garments must not be hung high or left overnight; otherwise, the children will fall ill. The dwelling house must be tight and well-sealed; do not allow fine gaps to let drafts enter; and when one feels a draft, do not force oneself to sit long—one must promptly avoid it.
On the Fire Pit (Kitchen): The "fire pit" refers to the kitchen. The stove should be placed only in the inauspicious directions of the dwelling, not in auspicious ones—these two phrases say it all. Modern practitioners, not knowing the proper method, offer various theories, adjusting rules and making repeated changes: some take the first room built in a new house as the fire pit; some take the third line of the hexagram as the fire pit; some take the ancestral hall with incense as the fire pit; some even take the fúwèi (auspicious position) or fúdé star as the fire pit, placing it in the dwelling's auspicious direction. They do not realize that when kilns burn nine ridges and fire destroys eight mountains, the ancients strongly emphasized the harm of fire and smoke—how can moderns mistakenly regard the fire pit as an auspicious location? Here I record two ancient songs on the subject for mutual verification; the matter will become clear on its own.
Fire Pit Song: In Qian, place it at Bing; in Gen, at Yi—the Qian-palace fúdé person should place the fire pit at the Bing direction (juémìng); the Gen-palace fúdé person should place it at the Yi direction (liùshà). Kun and Dui take Gui as their source—fúdé persons of Kun and Dui should place the fire pit at the Gui direction (juémìng, huòhài). Zhen and Xun place theirs on Geng—fúdé persons of Zhen and Xun should place the fire pit at the Geng direction (juémìng, liùshà). Kan and Li place on Jia, and this is no false tradition—fúdé persons of Kan and Li should place the fire pit at the Jia direction in the northeast (wǔguǐ, huòhài).
Fire Path Auspiciousness Song: Qian dwelling sits at Bing, Zhen dwelling at Geng; Dui dwelling at Gui position, Xun dwelling at Xin. Kan dwelling sits at Jia, Li repairs at Yi; Gen dwelling sits at Yi, Kun dwelling at Ren. This song mutually illuminates the previous one, but the three characters "Li repairs at Yi" (離修乙) do not fit—the Yi direction is the shēngqì (vitality) direction for fúdé persons of the Li palace and should not host a fire pit; moreover, it is the direction where Gen-palace fúdé persons place their fire pit and should not be repeated. This may be an error in transmission.
Song: When the east end of the main hall joins a small room, the young members of the household will surely suffer calamity. Within three years, misfortune will strike twice; both people and six kinds of livestock will suffer loss.
Explanation: When a small room is attached to the east end of the north hall, it is called the "single ear room," portending injury to children, horses, and cattle—inauspicious. It should be demolished quickly; suppressing it brings good fortune.
Song: When the north hall has rooms at both ends, the old and young of the household constantly suffer misfortune. Hidden wind ailments, blood and qi disorders, and yellow swelling; coughs and wind diseases portend plague.
Explanation: When small rooms are attached to both ends of the main hall, they are called "double ear rooms," portending hidden wind ailments, yellow swelling, coughs, and blood-related diseases for all family members—demolish them quickly.
Song: When the west end of the north hall joins a small room, surely within three years there will be two funeral weeping sessions; although the family path may be prosperous, afterwards lawsuits and calamities will arise.
Explanation: A small room attached to the west end of the main hall is called the "lonely house," portending family ruin and death—a great misfortune for family affairs. Demolish and suppress for good fortune.
Song: An old house with many years of rain and dew, seeing east from west is called the "star hall." Official disasters and quarrels occur frequently, and there is the sight of firelight year after year.
Explanation: A broken house with large leaks and holes portends official disasters, unexpected misfortunes, and decline in population, wealth, and blood. Repairing it completely brings good fortune.
Song: With single-sided or double-sided rooms, perversity will surely appear. The whole family will suffer repeatedly; propitiatory rituals can eliminate the misfortune.
Explanation: A building erected horizontally against the hill at the east end of the main hall is called the "single side ear," portending unexpected calamities and disputes. It must be demolished and suppressed—fortunate.
Song: When the house has a secret counting room, plans will not prosper. Thieves will appear frequently, and calamities cannot be withstood.
Explanation: When the west end of the north hall connects to a western building, it is called the "secret counting house," portending the arrival of thieves, loss of wealth, and wasteful expenditure of money and grain—great misfortune. Demolish and suppress for good fortune.
Song: Adding a scorched tail house again, the head of the household will surely meet misfortune. Fire disasters will occur frequently, and thriving yin portends harm to yang.
Explanation: Regardless of which building, if after many years an extension is added at the front, it is called a "scorched tail house," also known as "scorched ear house," mostly portending inauspicious events. Demolishing brings good fortune.
Song: If one builds an exposed-bone house, the elderly will take to their sickbed. Suffering continues for several years, and one cannot but sell fields and estates.
Explanation: Building a house without trimming the eave timbers is called the "exposed bone house," portending loss of wealth and weeping affairs. Trimming them brings peace and good fortune.
Song: Do not build a drying-corpse house, for the household will take to their sickbeds. Taking medicine will be completely ineffective, and children and women will surely suffer harm.
Explanation: When a house is left unfinished for years, it is called the "drying corpse house," portending illness and discomfort for the family. Choosing an auspicious day to complete the roofing brings good fortune.
Song: A T-shaped house structure portends official disasters and quarrelsome afflictions. Wealth is lost with many strange occurrences, and firelight is frequently seen.
Explanation: When the east building connects continuously with the east end of the main hall, it is called a "T-shaped house," portending lawsuits, illness, and fire. Reinforcing it brings great good fortune.
Song: The Blue Dragon with inserted tail and covered hair, six times in one year will the eldest son suffer worry. Wealth disperses and people fall ill; strange misfortunes constantly arrive at the door.
Explanation: A small room attached to the south end of the east building is called "Blue Dragon with covered hair"; attached to the north end, "Blue Dragon with inserted tail." These harm the eldest son—great misfortune. Demolishing both small rooms brings good fortune.
Song: Bitterly building a covered-hair house, unnatural deaths cannot be withstood. Funerals occur frequently, and the household is doomed to suffer calamity.
Explanation: A small extension at the east end of the main hall is called "Black Tortoise with covered hair"; at the west end, "Black Tortoise with inserted tail"—unexpected misfortunes and loss of population. Inauspicious. Demolish and suppress for great good fortune.
Song: The White Tiger with covered hair and weeping at the side—women and children will first sicken and die. Layer upon layer of calamities arrive one after another; wealth and goods are dissipated until nothing remains.
Explanation: A small room at the south end of the west building is called "White Tiger with covered hair"; at the north end, "White Tiger weeping at the side"—portending illness for women and children. Demolish and suppress for good fortune.
Song: When the south building has small rooms at both ends, women and new brides will take to their sickbeds. Fields and silkworms are lost, children suffer harm; official disasters, thieves, and firelight are portended.
Explanation: A small room at the east end of the south building is called "Vermilion Bird with covered hair"; at the west end, "Vermilion Bird with inserted tail"—calamities for women and children. Demolish and suppress for good fortune.
Song: Having only one north building—men prosper while women suffer calamity. Wealth and property portend dissipation, and every year brings misfortune.
Explanation: A house with only one building is called the "lone yang house," portending yang prosperity and yin decline, with calamities and illnesses for children. Adding buildings to complete auspicious lines brings peace.
Song: Whenever there is an exposed-elbow house, the dwelling will surely not prosper. Men suffer frequent afflictions, and the eldest son also takes to his bed.
Explanation: A house whose four corners are not neat and complete is called an "exposed elbow house"; alternatively, when timbers are erected but roofing is not completed, men suffer calamities and lawsuits. Offer sacrifices for peace and good fortune.
Song: Do not build a water-character house, for women will suffer injury and harm. Many will die from ingesting poison; twice in one year will deaths occur.
Explanation: When the central position of the main hall has a principal building with buildings on both sides, it is called a "water-character house," portending death by medicine and minor calamities for women. Suppress for good fortune; match the lines for auspiciousness.
Song: Do not build a king-character house, for the head of the household will surely suffer calamity. Swelling ailments and foot diseases; women will surely suffer harm.
Explanation: If east and west buildings have a roof connecting at the center, it is called a "king-character house," portending calamities for women and children—great misfortune. Demolishing it quickly brings peace for all.
Song: Tearing down half a house is a paralyzed house; lawsuits continuously arise and cannot be withstood. A yang house will surely bring calamity to men; a yin house will surely bring misfortune to women.
Explanation: Tearing down half and keeping half of a house makes it a "paralyzed house." It portends prevention of lawsuits and disputes, disadvantage for the population—inauspicious. Suppress it promptly for good fortune.
Song: The overabundance of yang and decline of yin cannot be withstood; fields, silkworms, and six kinds of livestock suffer much harm. Men have always individually prospered, while women die violent deaths suffering from wind sores.
Explanation: Having only a north building together with an east building, with no other buildings, is called a "pure yang house," portending illness for women and children. Suppress it quickly and complete the lines for good fortune.
Song: The overabundance of yin and decline of yang is most unstrong; women flourish while children do not grow. Thieves and lawsuits are without number, and the line of descendants is cut off with few young men.
Explanation: When a dwelling has a south building and a west building but no other buildings, it is called a "double yin house," portending that men will not prosper, with calamities and illnesses arising—inauspicious. Supplement and suppress it to match the lines for good fortune.
Song: Entering the north building from the south building is a Kan dwelling; entering the south building from the north building is a Li dwelling. Entering the east building from the west building is a Zhen dwelling; entering the southeast from the northwest is a Xun dwelling.
Explanation: Zhen, Xun, Kan, and Li form one family; Qian, Kun, Gen, and Dui—do not offend them. People of the East Four dwellings must not build tall (in the Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li directions), while for the West Four dwellings, tallness brings good fortune.
Song: Entering the east building from the west building is called a Dui dwelling; entering the northwest from the southeast is called a Qian dwelling; entering the northeast from the southwest is called a Gen dwelling; entering the southwest from the northeast is called a Kun dwelling.
Explanation: People of the Qian, Kun, Gen, Dui four dwellings should not make the Kan, Li, Xun, Zhen directions tall; violating this brings misfortune.
Song: The White Tiger weeping at the side—wives will mostly become widowed. When the year-star (Taisui) does not accord, wealth is dissipated without remainder. Ghosts and specters intermingle; the wife's illness will surely be hard to remove. Men and women mostly suffer short lives, and the family's fortunes daily diminish to nothing.
Explanation: An extension projecting from the north end of the west building constitutes "White Tiger weeping at the side"—the woman will die first, and death events are certain.
Song: When the Blue Dragon raises its head, the household largely suffers worry. Men and women are separated and dispersed, and servants all flee away. Weeping sounds never cease, continuing through five years and three autumns. Not only are people harmed, but also horses and oxen suffer loss.
Explanation: "Blue Dragon raising its head" refers to inserting a small room at the south end of the east building. It portends yearly depletion, harm to men and women, great misfortune, and death and injury to oxen and horses. Demolish and suppress it quickly for good fortune.
Song: When the Black Tortoise inserts its tail, thieves and robbers arise every year. Officials lose their wealth, and slaves and maidservants flee. Women are mostly unfilial and unsuitable for managing household affairs. Calamities and misfortunes arrive at all times, and the six kinds of livestock naturally die.
Explanation: The "Black Tortoise inserting its tail" is an extension at the west end of the north hall, portending thieves, robbers, and livestock troubles. Inauspicious—demolishing brings good fortune.
Song: When the Vermilion Bird droops its wings, the household is largely unfavorable. Quarrels and disputes arise in abundance, breaking wealth and bringing lawsuits. Servants and slaves all abscond, and fathers and sons are no longer righteous. The middle daughter is doomed to calamity, and firelight arrives frequently.
Explanation: When the Vermilion Bird's wings droop at both ends of the south building—inauspicious and hurtful to women and children. Fast demolition brings peace and good fortune.
Explanation: The small rooms extending from both ends of the south building indicate unforeseen disasters for the household.
Song: The snake raises its head, the household has many worries. Livestock and family wealth scatter, illness and troubles never cease.
Explanation: This refers to a small room at the northeast corner of the residence, indicating depletion of family wealth, decline of household members, dispersion of livestock, and endless illness.
Song: Do not build a Small Word room, for men will suffer misfortunes. Many in the household will fall ill, and twice a year there will be deaths.
Explanation: This refers to a main hall with a main room in the middle of the front. It indicates the household will constantly take medicine, and people will suffer misfortunes and ill luck.
Song: Do not build a Charred Tail room, for the household will surely suffer. Yang rooms harm men, Yin rooms harm women.
Explanation: If an old house is extended with new rafters at the front and back, it indicates injury and loss to household members, disasters of blood and fire, and legal disputes and quarrels.
Song: If the residence is built as a Duke I room, the head of the household will surely suffer disaster. Swollen feet and respiratory ailments, and women will also be harmed.
Explanation: If an east-west room is built in the middle between north and south rooms, forming a Duke I room, it indicates disadvantage to the women and young children of the household.
If one sees two straight houses in a residence, it surely indicates insufficient wealth and property. Named Dragon and Tiger both straight, it brings loss of fields, early deaths, and no clothing or provisions.
This house is named the Over-head House, front high and back low, troubled by two surnames. The residents will suffer loss of young men, attract pestilence and fires, and weep for years on end.
This house is named the Lonely Widow House, indicating there will be two or three widows. Within a cycle of sixteen years, they will encounter pestilence and fire, and decline into desolation.
This house is high in the middle and low at the front and back, indicating widowers and widows will dwell in it. It also indicates great dissipation of wealth, and is named Four Waters Not Returning.
This house is named the White Tiger Head, and it is certain that the youngest branch of the family will face hunger and toil in clothing and food. Young sons, widowers, and widows will surely suffer loss and decline, and the reason is clearly seen within.
This house is named the Azure Dragon Head, and it is certain that the eldest branch of the family will have worries over clothing and food. Widowers and widows at home will bring prolonged decline to the eldest, and those who leave will not return, leaving the tower empty in vain.
When Heavenly Stems water approaches the head, all affairs are inauspicious; orphans and widowed women will dwell therein. Harm to the wife and loss to the elder, with many calamities—carefully examine the branches and Heavenly Stems.
If the ridge beam points at the eldest son's house, the eldest son's life will first be lost. If the ridge beam points at the right-side house, the youngest son will be forced to leave his homeland. If they all point together, all will be scattered and ruined.
Rushing to Heaven and Falling to Earth, both ends low, within three years twice will sons and daughters be lost. It also indicates carrying corpses and death abroad, and with the Grand Duke facing the door, nothing can be changed.
Lush green bamboo wraps the sides, one can admire the fine painted hall of this family. Elders become high officials, juniors become nobles, and every son and grandson enjoys a fragrant reputation.
If one's four houses enclose, the middle gate and courtyard form the Buried Son's Bane. Be wary of difficult childbirth and the attraction of pestilence, and the sudden onset of eye diseases and respiratory ailments.
In this house, one tree and another tree, widows and widowers arrive quickly at the gate. It further indicates two surnames within the same clan, and respiratory ailments and eye afflictions have their destined count.
In this house, there is a small room at the middle gate, causing loss of people and death, and the master will weep. It is also called the Buried Son's Bane made manifest, indicating there will be two or three widowed mothers.
Editor's note: The judgments and song explanations below the diagrams of external and internal forms are mostly rustic and unpolished, yet their omens of fortune and misfortune do not err. Surely the author was a person of the Way. I dare not alter or embellish them with my own ideas, and therefore preserve the original words. Confucius cherished the ancient principle of preserving textual gaps in history; today I wish to modestly emulate this.
| Concept | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Eight Mansions Feng Shui | Determines the East and West Four Mansions based on the orientation of the house gate and the owner's life trigram, thereby judging the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of each direction (Sheng Qi, Yan Nian, Tian Yi, and Fu De are auspicious; Jue Ming, Huo Hai, Wu Gui, and Liu Sha are inauspicious) |
| Four Symbols | East Azure Dragon (eldest son), West White Tiger (youngest daughter/small wing), South Vermilion Bird (middle daughter), North Black Tortoise (middle son/rear wing)—representing both directions and family members |
| Mingtang | The open space in front of a house, divided into the Inner Mingtang (courtyard/yard inside the gate) and the Outer Mingtang (open area outside the gate), which primarily gathers qi and attracts fortune |
| Form Sha | Defects in architectural form that are unfavorable to occupants, such as Chuanxin Sha, Mai'er Sha, Pojia Sha, etc. |
| Huo'an | The geomancy term for the kitchen; the position of the stove fire, which ideally should be placed in an inauspicious direction to suppress ill forces |
| Dragon-Tiger | The left and right flanking protective ridges/wings; the Azure Dragon on the left (east), the White Tiger on the right (west), which must be properly proportioned in height |
| Zhiyuan Water | An S-shaped meandering watercourse, believed to retain auspicious qi without leaking or rushing |
| Tingsang Wu | A small shed built behind the house, resembling a place for holding funerals, considered inauspicious |