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Chapter 1 of 1
金锁玉关经
When chaos first parted, heaven and earth established the five directions, and the sun, moon, and celestial stems arrayed the three bonds of order. The stars of the heavenly circuit were arranged across the vault of heaven; clear qi rose to form the heavens, turbid qi sank to form the earth—thereby the principle of yin and yang became manifest. Wind, cloud, thunder, and rain are but ethereal qi, yet within mountains and vast waters lie discoverable auspicious methods.
Qian is heaven, Kun is earth, dividing high from low and noble from base; obedience and rebellion within the cardinal bonds thus take form. The Jiazi heavenly stems and earthly branches cycle through the celestial circuit, and male and female yin and yang pair together in twos. The four seasons and eight solar terms distinguish day and night; the nine palaces and eight trigrams connect to the celestial stars. The five elements reverse and revolve, unfolding a thousand transformations; water, fire, wood, metal, and earth return to their central position. One hundred and twenty various spirits and baleful influences, ninety-four auspicious and inauspicious star generals—each has its auspicious or inauspicious direction by year, month, day, and hour.
💡 Below we enter into specific terrain auspiciousness judgments:
Qian mountain paired with Gen water brings abundant progeny, and the Xun position rising high like tiered steps brings great fortune and prosperity. When the Li position's dragon vein approaches the grave site, descendants for generations excel through literary distinction. Fields and households prosper year after year; wearing purple robes and golden belts, they assist the court. Before the gate, water flows in curves and bends, and generation after generation enjoys glory, wealth, and enduring prosperity. In the northwest, the qi pulse rises proudly; this place is named the Auspicious Manor, where every household thrives in wealth and honor, and the surrounding land lies level like paradise.
High in front, low in back—such terrain cannot long endure; high in back, low in front—then it broadly gathers wealth and progeny. East low and west high is called rebellious terrain; water flowing to the Zhen palace (east) is inauspicious—though it visibly flows away without obstruction, it also causes the household's people to drift to distant places. East high and west low is compliant terrain, certain to produce worthy and virtuous descendants; if the terrain is strong and unmoving, both wealth and honor follow, and later generations produce pillars of the state.
A pond behind the residence brings poverty and depletion, and also brings lack of heirs along with abdominal illness and coughing. A direct water current at the gate injures with the Five Arrows, certain to bring wasting illness and disaster. If water breaches the two positions, later generations will be licentious and without resolve. Taking water at the Xun position cannot endure long; though wealthy and honored, it brings no true auspiciousness. Filth behind the residence is a place of severance; the two arrows of the northeast are hardest to defend against—even wealth and honor cannot last beyond a few years, and after five years harm is certain.
High in back and low in front is the supremely auspicious terrain; when the Renzi position flourishes, cattle and sheep multiply abundantly. Assets and granaries are all sufficient; wealth, honor, and glory bring great prosperity. Hills behind and a pond before, with water winding and curving through to the Yangtze—wealth enters, progeny multiply, cattle and sheep thrive, and descendants enjoy blessings and longevity for generations upon generations.
All four sides low and sunken, the center standing alone high—water flowing off in all four directions is like a man-killing blade. Even if the four sides form dragon-tiger configurations, after twenty-four years ruin and dispersal are certain. A stone lying before the gate in the dust brings thieves to the doorstep and a heart full of sorrow; official disputes and tongue-wagging continue year after year, and the spirit arrow is hard to defend against, striking invisibly from the dark.
Four sides high and broad, the center low—this place is named the Hell Pool. The household's fortunes decline, hard-pressed to find deep blessing; yin flourishes while yang weakens, and all affairs gradually diminish. Narrow in front and wide in back is worthy of praise—the family's fortunes will surely rise in wealth and splendor; descendants prosper and attain official rank, and fields and gardens are ample with mulberry and hemp. Wide in front and narrow in back need not be elaborated—it certainly brings poverty to the family, selling off all their fields; descendants flee to other lands, all because the mouth is too wide and offends the Fierce Fist baleful spirit.
When the Feng and Lei positions are high and broad while the Tian and Ze positions are low, there is grain and provision in abundance; going out, carriages and horses follow at one's feet, and descendants for generations serve as officials in the hall. Left extended and right contracted is most excellent; when the Gen position's dragon comes, wealth and progeny are both auspicious; family members are harmonious and gentle in manner, and later descendants dress in purple robes. Pigs, oxen, and horses flock in herds, and after forty years prosperity gradually flourishes.
When the Zi and Wu positions are ample, the master's heart is generous and tolerant; year after year emolument increases and wealth sources broadly expand. Meeting officials brings delight, transforming into auspiciousness; a lifetime of food and clothing passes with smiles ever open. Clearly wealth and honor, fields and assets both flourish, and descendants never fail to carry on the family line.
Xuanwu (behind) high and Zhuque (in front) low—before the gate there are several Nine Dragon pools. East has the Azure Dragon, west has the White Tiger; blessing and longevity are both complete, with no lonely desolation. Water flows from both sides to strike the middle; high in front and narrow in back certainly invites calamity—people scatter, wealth disperses, and official disputes arrive; men become bandits and women become wanton.
Water encircles the isolated village, departing and then returning; its subtle marvel is truly hard to fathom. The world's people do not recognize its mystery—mountains flourish the population, water flourishes wealth.
Three mountains behind in Xuanwu, qi spirit lofty and proud; water flows eastward and then returns to face the court. A road rushes toward the Kun path for traffic—if not a marquis or duke, then a pillar of state. Green mountains behind the residence several zhang high, before it a pond stirring waves, water flowing southeast in rolling torrents—rising through nine tiers to serve among the court ranks. Departing water and arriving mountains bring both blessing and longevity; the golden belt around the waist brings forth worthy and talented sons. If one obtains the true dragon's correct acupoint, generation after generation produces sons who top the examinations.
Chen and Mao green mountains paired with Shen and Wei terraces, Qian side waves and Kan side hills bring both blessing and longevity. Bing and Ding winding waters face toward the position, green robes and elephant-tusked tablets to pay homage at the crimson palace steps. You side high ridges, Mao side low; Wu side broad expanse with a filthy pond behind—men and women commit incest without regard to rank, and widows in the inner chambers endure lonely suffering.
The land broad and level on all four sides—let the master freely establish his dwelling and camp. Regardless of arriving mountains or departing waters, the household prospers and all affairs are auspicious. A ditch or river behind the camp is in no way suitable—descendants scatter and drift to east and west, the women's eyes suffer injury, and with little to eat and nothing to wear they endure lonely misery.
Vegetation fresh and bright with fine color, establishing a dwelling in the midst gains ten thousand praises. This place is named the Dragon's Acupoint; establishing a camp and dwelling brings glory and splendor. A hundred affairs go as desired and the family prospers; neighboring fields on left and right are all purchased into the household. If you doubt it, dig down three or four chi—light and fertile, narrow in front and wide in back like the daylily flower.
A path cutting through before the grave is hardest to bear—descendants scatter and drift to distant places. Even if they remain, they are all impoverished, and after twenty years the household is ruined.
Terrain like a steamed bun, low on all four sides, with water flowing off in four directions into long streams. High ridges and hills are hard to establish upon; building houses and camps there is by no means suitable. The eight winds scatter and the people are cut off; mistakenly one blames his times and counts his luck low.
Water piercing through green mountains is rarely seen in the world; dragon coiling and tiger crouching are mutually fitting. Xuanwu like a peak rising several zhang high; in the middle a plot to be made a grave—it will produce many clever and intelligent sons, with fields, cattle, horses, and gold in the treasury. On both sides of this place auspicious qi is born, and within twenty years one leaps into the dragon pool.
Ji and Mao contending is most excellent; dig down three chi and see the dragon pond. If you doubt it, the dragon's bones remain on left and right—narrow in front and wide in back with hidden scales. Establishing a dwelling and camp brings great wealth and honor, certain to produce noble sons who hang their names on the golden list. How could the time-serving masters know the mystery within—purple qi rises loftily, spreading to the four directions.
Burying a grave along the mountain ridge, the Tengserpent blood earth brings poverty. Fields and property are all sold off as one departs to other lands; descendants are lame and dim of eye. Two scouring ditches before the grave, a small mound curving behind the camp; if people pass on paths from east and west, descendants will be violent and unbielding. This place is named the Bullock Land—fierce and unruly, year after year of disaster and sorrow. If you doubt it, dig it out and look carefully: a pair of stones lies within.
Three mounds on level ground rise like peaks, further joined by the Zhen and Mao directions with the arriving dragon. North has a hill, west has a road—in the middle a plot made for a grave. This configuration is named the Golden Rooster Holding an Egg—certain to bring wealth and honor and produce heroes. If you doubt the auspicious qi within, dig down three chi and unearth bronze vessels.
A household behind the residence rising like a peak—like an armchair in form. Establishing a dwelling and camp brings much wealth and honor; sage sons and worthy grandsons protect the court's enfeoffments. Storing wind and gathering qi is truly marvelous—purple qi billows and drifts to the four directions.
Dense forests of trees encircle the mountain ridge; a winding stream penetrates through to the Yangtze. Dragon and tiger on east and west interconnect; establishing a camp on the slope brings great fortune. Lotus pond and lotus field—men find it hard to recognize; descendants bear orchid and cassia fragrance in name. If you doubt it, dig it up and look carefully: the vine root is over nine chi in length.
Terrain like a drum is most extraordinary; if one makes a grave here, what need for mountains and flowing waters? It brings prosperity and rise in a hundred affairs. Xuanwu high and Zhuque low—if a fortunate person buries here, gardens, livestock, and people all prosper, and later descendants wear purple robes. With no mountains or water before or behind, how is it that glory, wealth, blessing, and longevity come together? If you doubt it, dig down three or four chi—a mass of yang qi leaps forth radiant and bright.
On level plains there is a mountain ridge—establishing a camp on the ridge brings great fortune. If to the east there is a shrine or temple, descendants will surely possess broad fields and manors. Only guard against rebellious water like an injuring arrow—later descendants will face ruin and defeat.
When establishing a dwelling and camp, do not avoid the yang—avoiding yang means yin and yang are not in harmony. Though wealth and honor are gained, they cannot protect later generations, and often widows sit alone in empty rooms. When building a house and establishing a camp, do not face east—facing east, water flows away without a trace; though no disaster appears at present, within thirty years misfortune is certain. When establishing a dwelling and camp, do not face west—the Kun and Shen rebellious waters are hardest to remedy; though wealth and honor come, they last not many years, and certain are early death and scattering in defeat. When establishing a dwelling and camp, do not face north—facing north, the master's household's ghosts and spirits weep; the youth's food and clothing all go to the backbone—wealth is lost, people perish, and the house falls to ruin.
Establish a dwelling and camp facing southeast—all things face the sun, the qi spirit lofty. In back plant pines, in front plant willows; protected on all four sides, within is peace and health. The household is peaceful and the people at ease; ancestral sand and water bless descendants with prosperity. Let no mountain or water come to face the official position—blessing comes without end, gradually flourishing.
The Azure Dragon's Yi vein rises with a lofty peak; Bing and Ding tidal waters arrive to beckon. On the Geng and Xin positions the serpent form reveals itself; Ren and Gui mountain peaks rise layer upon layer. On the Wu and Ji position place a grave—descendants become generals and ministers, producing heroes. This place is named the Four Aspects Land—establishing a camp and dwelling there is most exalted.
Southeast broad and vast with slight peaks and terraces; the Gen side's harbor facing toward is most fitting. Ze west winding and Li side curving—the master may freely establish a dwelling or make a grave. This place is named the Phoenix Land—the morning light of spring brings wonders through the four seasons. A fortunate person buried upon the phoenix's body, generation after generation of descendants wear purple robes.
On Bing a ditch and channel, on Ding it flows; Xin and You the Azure Dragon sets forth a boat. Around the four side ditches are the four legs—this is named the Tortoise Land, excellent for raising towers. Whether dwelling or burying, descendants are strong and prosperous with ample fields. Pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses flock in procession; glory, wealth, and honor produce feudal lords.
Xuanwu high with encircling hills, there is water, storage, and surplus wealth. Mountains and waters intermingling is supremely auspicious—a winding stream departs and then returns. This place is named the Lion Land; descendants hold tablets of office and pay homage at the golden stairs.
Establish the dwelling and camp facing southeast; departing waters and arriving mountains must be carefully examined. The courtyard water should issue from the long Xun direction; the well spring should be hidden toward the Mao side. When opening the gate, do not betray the Heavenly Guidelines formula—three, five, six, seven bring calamity like a mountain. Again, for wealth gates, four, six, seven—the family harmonious, sons filial, and the father at peace.
Before the main house, a partial wall—do not let the wind arrow penetrate the gate hall. Astronomy and geography must not be violated; the nine palaces and eight trigrams determine yin and yang. Establishing a camp and dwelling without regard to direction, whether on level ground or mountain ridge—regardless of Guo Pu's Heavenly Guidelines formula, a hundred settings of the camp bring prosperity. Little do they know that year after year disaster is invited—only then do they realize Guo Pu understood yin and yang.
This land brings the prince much good fortune—no one knows to reveal heaven's secret. Establishing a camp and dwelling needs no master—regardless of mountain ridge or height. As long as the year direction and month position are favorable, what need of yin-yang secret masters? Family wealth is destroyed and household members are injured; they say his times are unpropitious and his fate is low. Originally I entrusted heaven's true secret formula, fearing that afterward they would err in their search. Therefore I give the Golden Lock and Jade Pass in heavy layers, sweeping clean all those in the world without attentive minds.
Recognize astronomy and geography, and only then know the secret formula worth a thousand gold. The Golden Lock and Jade Pass is no easy matter—familiarize and memorize it, do not take it lightly. The immortals transmitted the true oral formula—carefully examine and reflect with full attention. Poverty lasts no more than thirteen years; watch their family ruined and sons lost.
Through the green mountains reveals what the world holds rare—dragon coiled, tiger crouching, mutually fitting. Before it, the Heavenly Pool like the moon's shape; to the southwest, hills and mounds like a heap of arrows. The courted city then turns to the Wolf-Star manner; Xuanwu rises proudly, civil and martial together return. If the master recognizes the mystery within, the middle plot makes the grave site—it will produce many clever and worthy scholars, and descendants will surely reach the Phoenix Pool.
Purple qi rises high, spreading to the four directions; establishing a camp and dwelling there is most excellent. No rush on left or right, no arrow behind—fields and gardens flourish and descendants prosper.
On level plains without mountain ridges, survey the graves to obtain the subtle formula. Only use elevated graves; seven and nine require flowing water to be long. Observe distant mountains and nearby waters; dragon's roar and tiger's cry mutually match. In the eight directions seek Wu and Ji; toward Zi and Wu establish the mountain ridge.
Thunder-side waves are in no way suitable—wind-blown, paralyzed, enduring lonely misery. The household's fortunes decline, hard-pressed to grow deep; descendants flee, scattering to east and west. If one does not invite a famous master to rebury, certain poverty and unsuitability follow.
Burying a grave at a three-fork river mouth—water flowing left and right must correspond. The time-serving master does not know the mystery within; after thirty years a noble person appears. Within the grave field, another grave is buried—you know not whose family this man is. If it is buried within another's ancestral grave, then certainly both the living and dead are without efficacy. If the bereaved family does not suffer losses among their people, soon after the burial the master dies. A grave before, a grave behind, two families contend; people pass left and right—truly grievous. Poverty lasts no more than thirteen years; watch their family ruined and people dead.
Reburying before the grave is most inauspicious—certainly descendants will scatter in all directions. How detestable the master with no discerning eye—who seizes their feng shui to make a mutual accommodation.
A living stream behind the residence, winding left and coiling right with hardness and softness. If before there are pounding waves, wealth, honor, and glory never cease. After one's residence, a pond—though wealthy and honored, it is already inauspicious; it is certain to produce dissolute wandering sons, and after twenty-five years ruin. One's residence must face the sun; Xuanwu in back must protect the peak ground. Spread before, sheltered behind—this brings blessing and celebration; naturally wealth and honor suffice for fields and manors. No shelter in front makes Zhuque low; no protection in back makes Xuanwu empty. Sheltered both before and behind brings much blessing; naturally the family prospers in surplus.
The Azure Dragon's Yi vein rises with a lofty peak; Bing and Ding tidal waters arrive to beckon. On the Geng and Xin positions the serpent form is revealed; Ren and Gui peaks rise layer upon layer. In the Wu and Ji center place a grave—descendants become generals and ministers, producing heroes. This place is named the Four Aspects Land—establishing a camp and dwelling there is most exalted.
First, examine the feng shui for its nobility; second, examine the conduct for the land's goodness. Third, examine the time and day as paramount; fourth, choose a high master to govern yin and yang. Fifth, examine the mountain dwelling to establish the grave; sixth, encounter a mountain person to select the place. Seventh, await the day when heaven and earth open their way; eighth, avoid plague seasons with little sunlight. Ninth, select when the star spirits arrive in position; tenth, for the moment, have no hidden harm.
The core thought of the Golden Lock and Jade Pass Classic can be summarized in the following layers:
I. Terrain is the foundation, directions are the application
The entire classic takes "form" and "configuration" as the primary criteria for judgment. The rises and falls of terrain, the coming and going of watercourses, the protection relationships of front and back, left and right—these form the foundational framework for determining auspicious and inauspicious. Directions (Qian Kan Gen Zhen Xun Li Kun Dui) are then a refined inference built upon the foundation of terrain. This order of thinking—"terrain first, directions second"—reflects the ancients' holistic understanding of the geographical environment: the grand configuration of terrain determines the gathering or dispersal of qi, while direction fine-tunes the nature of that qi.
II. Mountains govern descendants, water governs wealth 🔥🌊
The classic explicitly states the general principle: "Mountains flourish the population, water flourishes wealth." Mountains (including hills, high ridges, and rear supports) govern the multiplication of descendants and the continuation of the family line; water (rivers, ponds, ditches) governs the accumulation and dispersal of wealth and economic rise and fall. This binary structure runs through the entire classic—nearly every auspicious or inauspicious judgment can be traced back to the configuration relationship between "mountain" and "water." For example, "a pond behind the residence brings poverty" is water in an improper position injuring descendants; "Qian mountain with Gen water brings abundant descendants" is mountain and water each in their rightful place.
III. Yin-yang orientation determines compliance or rebellion
The classic repeatedly emphasizes "high in back, low in front" as compliant, "high in front, low in back" as rebellious; "east high, west low" as compliant, "east low, west high" as rebellious. The "compliance and rebellion" here is not a simple directional preference, but rather takes "embracing yin, facing yang" as the principle: having support in back (yin), open expanse in front (yang), forming a configuration where yin and yang intermingle. This principle is of a piece with the thought of "storing wind and gathering qi" in the Book of Burial, and in essence is the ancients' symbolic expression of practical needs such as sunlight, ventilation, cold protection, and drainage.
IV. Direct confrontation is inauspicious, embracement is auspicious
The character "arrow" appears repeatedly throughout the classic: "a direct water current at the gate injures with the Five Arrows," "the spirit arrow is hard to defend against, striking from the dark," "only guard against rebellious water like an injuring arrow." "Arrow" represents malevolent qi rushing directly in—whether from water, roads, or other linear objects, direct confrontation means misfortune. In contrast, forms that "bend and curve," "coil left and wind right," "meander and turn" are universally judged auspicious. Behind this judgment lies profound ecological wisdom: curving water flows slowly and does not erode foundations easily; embracing terrain provides shelter and is conducive to warmth retention and water storage.
V. Time limits establish the temporality of fortune
The classic gives clear temporal judgments repeatedly: "after five years harm is certain," "at twenty-four years abandonment and loss," "within thirty years misfortune is certain," "after twenty years the household is ruined," "poverty lasts no more than thirteen years." This shows that feng shui judgment is not a static pronouncement of eternal fate, but rather a temporal calculation of fortune's rhythm. Different configurations have their "response periods"; before or at those periods, the full auspicious or inauspicious effects manifest.
From the perspective of residential environmental science
Many principles of the Golden Lock and Jade Pass Classic can be explained through modern environmental science:
From the perspective of urban planning and site selection
"Terrain like a steamed bun, low on all four sides" being unsuitable for dwellings corresponds to the same reason modern cities should not site residential zones atop peaks—infrastructure costs are high, wind pressure is strong, and heat retention is poor. "All four sides high and broad, the center low" as a "Hell Pool" corresponds to modern urban problems of standing water in low-lying areas, poor ventilation, and pollutant accumulation. These judgments remain reference valuable in contemporary real estate development.
From a Psychological Perspective
"Lush grass and trees with vibrant colors" being judged as auspicious land actually reflects the comprehensive relationship between vegetation health and soil, water sources, and microclimate. A place with bright, thriving vegetation often indicates favorable ecological conditions. Modern environmental psychology has also confirmed that verdant surroundings can significantly enhance residents' mental well-being. 🌱
From a De-Mystification Perspective
Expressions in the scripture such as "digging three to four chi to find bronze vessels" and "digging three chi deep to find a dragon pond" carry obvious traces of later embellishment by subsequent generations. These "verification methods" should not serve as a basis for contemporary practice. A reasonable approach is: extract the environmental science core of its terrain assessment, and discard its mystified verification methods.
Contemporary Residential Site Selection Reference
| Traditional Principle | Modern Application Suggestion |
|---|---|
| High in back, low in front | Prioritize plots with support at the rear (mountain/tall building) and open space in front (courtyard/park/low-density area) |
| Avoid direct frontal impact | Avoid residences directly facing straight roads, bridges, or the outer edge of sharp river bends |
| No pond behind the house | Avoid large water bodies immediately north of the residence, especially in cold northern regions |
| Four sides level is preferable | Choose relatively flat plots whenever possible, avoiding extreme elevation differences |
| Thriving vegetation is auspicious | Observe surrounding vegetation growth when selecting a home, as it serves as an intuitive indicator of environmental quality |
Contemporary Yin House (Cemetery) Site Selection Reference
The "Hypothesis–Action–Review" Methodology
Transform scripture-based judgments into an actionable decision-making process:
"Qi" as the Unifying Concept of Ancient Environmental Theory
All auspicious and inauspicious judgments in the scripture converge on one core concept—"Qi." Prosperous offspring from mountains is "Qi gathering"; wealth from water is "Qi flowing"; frontal impact as inauspicious is "Qi dispersing"; embracing contours as auspicious is "Qi accumulating." This environmental theory centered on "Qi" shares the same cosmological framework as the worldview expressed in the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon): "When righteous Qi resides within, evil cannot intrude." The ancients did not distinguish between "physical environment" and "vital state," because both were merely different manifestations of "Qi."
The Deep Structure of the Favorable-Unfavorable Concept
The opposition between "favorable terrain" and "adverse terrain" runs throughout the scripture. "Favorable" does not refer to any fixed direction, but rather to alignment with the natural order of the Heavenly Way—the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, water flows downward and never upward, and mountain ranges have their natural directional trajectories. As part of nature, humans should align their dwellings and burial sites with this order. This concept of "conforming to Heaven" is philosophically consistent with the Daoist teaching: "Humans follow Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Way, and the Way follows Nature."
The Introduction of Temporality: Feng Shui Is Not Fatalism
The scripture provides response periods such as "five years," "thirteen years," "twenty-four years," and "thirty years" at various points, indicating that ancient feng shui practice did not promise a fixed, unalterable destiny, but rather described a natural rhythm of ebb and flow in the field of Qi. This overturns the simplistic understanding of feng shui as fatalistic determinism—the fortune or misfortune of a site's configuration describes trends within processes, not final verdicts.
The Limits of Geographic Determinism and Human Agency
The "Ten Observations" mnemonic at the end of the scripture deserves attention: "First observe the waterscape for nobility, second observe conduct and deeds with a virtuous heart... Tenth, seize the moment without hidden harm." Among these, the second item—"conduct and deeds with a virtuous heart"—points to human moral cultivation, while the fourth item ("select a highly skilled master") and the tenth item ("the opportune moment") emphasize the importance of timing and deliberate human action. This demonstrates that ancient feng shui theory did not wholly eliminate human subjective agency; rather, while acknowledging the influence of geographic environment, it preserved space for human choice and adjustment.
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Embracing Yin, Bearing Yang | The ideal terrain pattern of having support behind (Yin) and open space before (Yang); core doctrine of the Zang Shu (Book of Burial) |
| Harboring Wind, Gathering Qi | An environmental state where terrain encloses, airflow slows, and ether accumulates |
| Four Symbols | Azure Dragon (East), White Tiger (West), Vermilion Bird (South), Black Tortoise (North) |
| Origin and Flow of the Dragon | The trajectory and continuity of mountain ranges; in feng shui practice, "dragon" refers to mountains and "vein" refers to the flow of qi |
| Water Gate | The point of water entering and exiting, considered a key location for the gathering and dispersal of wealth qi |
| Response Period | Specific time nodes at which the effects of auspicious or inauspicious configurations manifest |
| Frontal Direct Impact | Malevolent energy generated by roads, water flows, or building corners pointing directly at a site |
| Form School (Shi/Shi Pai) | A feng shui school evaluating fortune by observing mountain and water forms, as opposed to the Li Qi (Compass) School |