The Theory Of Yin Yang and the importance of the Classics.

The theory of Yin Yang.

There are many masters out there who teaches Feng Shui without touching on the meaning of Yin Yang when doing Feng Shui audit.

The theory of Yin Yang should be the first topic for Feng Shui irrespective of schools.

Without taking out the Lou Pan, the Yin Yang of a place should be the first considerations.

There are some who says it is important to know the Qi of a place before any Feng Shui audit is to be carried out.

To know the Qi of a place it is most important to know the Yin Yang of a place.

Before proceeding to Dragon(mountain), Xue(Spot), Sha(Flat ground), Water(Watermouth) and Facing.

There are some masters who walk the dragon(mountain) without knowing that it is not necessary to have mountain to have Qi movement.

A Taiwan Master told me that Taiwan is a good place due to the mountains and Singapore has no Feng Shui because it has no mountain. It is interesting that Singapore will be the country with the most numbers of Millionaires in the world.

Anyone who knows the theory of Yin Yang would know the meaning of the following from the article:

阴阳相见两为难，

Yin meeting Yang creates difficulty;

Feng Shui Classics:

This article is based on Liu Fah which is not considered a classic.

But the Liu Fah school has a very good understanding of the theory of Yin Yang.

Unlike Flying star. Which is not a Feng Shui school according to many masters.

If we analyzed this using the Feng Shui classics, we should still be able to correlate back to the writings by the original Feng Shui master. This is the reason the classics are so important. If nothing can correlate back to the classics, can it still be considered as Feng Shui.

Like Flying Star written by Jiang Da Hong, a scholar who wrote extensively on Feng Shui. He wrote a lot of books. But does that means what he wrote is correct?

There are also a lot of prolific writers in our modern world. Is there any books out there that any Real Feng Shui Masters would even put their hands on?

Zhang Zhu:

丘壟之骨，岡阜之支，氣之所隨。

The bones (structure) of hills and mountains.  The branches of the ridges and mounds. Represent the way the Qi flows.

Comment: The structure of the topography of the land is a representation of the movement of the Qi.

經曰: 氣乘風則散，界水則止。

Classic: Qi rides the wind and dissipates. The movement of Qi stop upon reaching water.

古人聚之使不散，行之使有止，故謂之風水。

The collection of Sheng Qi by the ancients to prevent it from dissipating. It is moving and stopping it, retaining it to make use of it, is the art of Feng Shui.

Comment: Very clearly describing the flow of Qi as a result of Ci Xiong.

Ching Nan Hsu:

龙分两片阴阳取，

The dragon is divided into two halves, Yin and Yang,

Comment: How is the dragon divided? It is as simple as that. Again describing the observation of Ci Xiong.

Ching Nan Ao Yu.

雌与雄，交会合元空，

雄与雌，元空卦内推.

Female and male, interact and combined with Xuan Kong,

Male and female, extract the Xuan Kong Gua from within.

Comment: Also here in XKBY.

颠颠倒，二十四山有珠宝；

顺逆行，二十四山有火坑.

Top turned upside down, treasures to be found in the 24 mountains,

Forward, backward, fire pits to be found in the 24 mountains.

Comment: This is also a very important Yin Yang analysis based on Ci Xiong.

The Use of Yin Yang.

The three methods described by 林老師  under 第二章  雌雄与阴阳动静 is quite a good description to observe Yin Yang.

But it is not giving any clues on how to use Yin Yang.

阴阳相见两为难，

Yin meeting Yang creates difficulty;

雌雄章 - Ci Xiong Chapter

作者谈养吾 - 玄空本义叙

阴阳分而言之曰雌雄者，言其形，非言其气也。

Ci-Xiong which also refers to Yin Yang, represent form not represent Qi.

上下有无形之阴阳互相往来，

Upper and lower with formless Yin Yang mutually arriving.

而后有有形之雌雄互相交媾，

Later with Ci Xiong which has form mutually copulating,

天气下降，地气上升，此大雌雄之交媾也。

Heaven Qi descending, earth Qi ascending, the copulation of the big Ci-Xiong.

山静水动，山峙水流，此形体上之交媾也。

Mountain still and water move, mountain store, water flow, the copulation of the form.

大小强弱，雌雄之形，

Big small strong weak, the form of Ci Xiong.

动静刚柔，雌雄之情，

Movement, stillness, firm, gentle, the emotion of Ci Xiong,

大小不相符，动静不相配，

Big and small not in harmony, movement and stillness not matching,

则雌是雌而雄是雄，

Ci is Xiong and Xiong is Ci,

虽有其名，而无交媾之实矣，

Even though it is referring to Ci Xiong, but it does not copulate,

相地务必有外气行形之雌雄，

The landform must have the external appearance of Ci Xiong,

而后有内气止生之生气，

Furthermore with growing Qi in the inner still Qi.

外气交，内自合，

Copulating in the external Qi, combining internally,

此所谓看雌雄也。

Thus termed as observing Ci Xiong.

而雌雄有大小之分，

Ci Xiong is differentiated into big and small,

作法中每运有一大雌雄，

Every period has a big Ci Xiong,

谓之父母卦，

Called parent Gua,

为每运之正向，其力大，

Representing the proper facing of every period, it is considered as powerful.

经云：

Classics:

雌与雄交会合玄空，

Ci and Xiong copulation together with Xuan Kong,

此指山水有形之雌雄而言，

Referring to mountain/water Ci Xiong which has form.

又云：

雄与雌玄空卦内推，

Deriving Ci and Xiong from the Gua of Xuan Kong,

此指阴阳二气，

Referring to Yin and Yang,

无形之雌雄而言，

The Ci Xiong which is formless.

经又云：

阴阳相见两为难，

Yin meeting Yang creates difficulty;

一山一水何足言，

One mountain one water how to be sufficient;

玩此则雌雄之义，

Playing with this meaning of Ci Xiong;

明白晓畅矣。

To understand clearly.

雌雄者，阴阳动静对待之称，

Ci Xiong, the term used to refer to the movement and stillness of Yin and Yang,

以言乎体，则一动一静，一山一水，一实一空，即雌雄也。

Referring to the object, one move one still, one mountain one water, one solid one void, this is Ci Xiong.

以言乎用，则乾坤震巽坎离艮兑，

Through the use of Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen and Dui.

自然之气感，自然之交合，即雌雄也。

The natural feeling of Qi, the natural copulation, which is Ci Xiong.

杨公养老看雌雄者，看有形之山水，与辨无形之阴阳也。

Yang Gong grow old observing Ci Xiong, looking at mountains and water ways which are with form, to derive the formless Yin Yang.

有形之山水动静，原本诸无形之阴阳二气，杨公不云相阴阳，而曰看雌雄者，乃有形之往来，即无形之交合也。

The movement and stillness of mountain/water which represent objects with form, originally referring to formless Yin Yang. Yang Gong did not referred to it as Yin Yang, but as observing Ci Xiong, noting the arrival of object with form, to analyze the matching/combination of the formless.

所以阴阳无不配，雌雄无不合，

Therefore Yin Yang will always match, Ci Xiong will always combine,

不配与不合，即谓之相乘，

Not matching and not combining, referring to riding each other;

见夫某方有多大之高山实地，

Seeing the husband’s direction with how big or high mountains,

Comment: To check which is the side with high mountains and which is the lower ground:

其对面一方，亦必取其多大之水道低地以配之，

The opposite direction, must obtain the water ways to match accordingly.

观其形之相配，既出于自然，

Observing the matching of the form, derived from the natural environment,

知其气之交合，亦出于毫不勉强，

Knowing the matching/combination of the Qi, the resultant no need to force,

此中奥窍，全凭作者以目力足力斟酌定之，

The key to this mysterious point, all depend on the author’s visual power to deliberate and determine,

所以相地有龙穴砂水向，

Therefore the location of Dragon(mountain), Xue(The spot), Sa(Flatland), Water and Facing,

五大要素之分辨，

The five essential factors to differentiate,

奥语有十大真意之辨别，

Au Yu classics differentiate it into ten different categories,

避其偏而就其正，

Avoid the incorrect to establish the true one.

经云：

前后八尺不宜杂，

Within 8 Chinese feet at the front and at the back, it is not suitable to mix;

Comment: What is not suitable to mix? This is referring to Yin Yang.

斜正受来阴阳取，

Receiving from the direct or indirect to obtain the Yin Yang;

Comment: What is 斜正 direct or indirect?

八尺者极言其小也。

Within 8 feet is actually a small distance.

Comment: It is important to analyze the Yin Yang of the front and back within a short distant. Not something very far away.

外气即合，其八尺之所，

The combination of external Qi, within 8 Chinese “foot”,

阴阳无不配，雌雄无不交，

Yin Yang will always match, Ci Xiong will always copulate,

此为不易之理，惟其行之方向，

This represents the unchanging theory, the direction of this art,

与夫无形之消长，有合时失时之别耳，

With the husband going up and down without form, there are times when it is matching and other times when it is not matching.

Comment: This is an important concept from Liu Fah. From the Xuan Kong school which is based on time. (Period)

元有上下，运有八卦，

Yuan is divided into upper and lower, the Period into 8 Gua,

其气运既不同，其物质之感受，

The period Qi are different, the affect on the objects,

当然亦随之而变易，

Will naturally follow the changes,

此所以峦头有合情与否，

So in Luan Tao (landform) there is the notion of whether it is with affection,

理气有合时与否之分也。

In Li Qi there is the notion of whether it is timely or untimely.

世人不知雌雄有无形与有形之真旨，

Human do not understand the purpose of Ci Xiong with form and without form.

徒从罗经上红黑字分为阴阳，

The disciple obtaining Yin Yang from the Red and Black in a Lou Pan (compass).

又从掌诀上分为顺逆，

Also deriving from the palm the going forward or in reverse,

即以为看雌雄者，颠倒是非，真伪莫辨，

Thinking that is the way to observe Ci Xiong, reversing what is right and wrong, not able to differentiate between true and false,

莫怪后之研究地学者，盲无适从也。

Do not blame the future earth study disciple, blindly following the method.

第二章  雌雄与阴阳动静

Ci Xiong and Yin Yang – “movement and stillness”.

第一节  有形者称为雌雄

With form is referred to as Ci Xiong. (Female-Male)

雌雄其實是陰陽的另外一種稱呼方式，其差別在於，陰陽是用來指稱無形之氣，而雌雄是指有形有體的物質。

In fact Ci Xiong is another reference for Yin Yang. The difference is Yin Yang is referring to formless matter whereas Ci Xiong is referring to something with form.

談養吾「玄空本義」中說：「雌雄者，言其形，非言其氣也。」

Master Tang mentioned in Xuan Kong Ben Yi: “Ci Xiong, referring to form, not referring to Qi.”

又說：「以言乎體，則一動一靜，一山一水，一實一空，即雌雄也。」

Also says: “Ci Xiong is referring to body/object, one moving one still, one mountain, one water, one solid one void.

「楊公養老看雌雄者，看有形之山水，與辨無形之陰陽也。」

Yang Gong grow old observing Ci Xiong, looking at mountains and water ways which are with form, to derive the formless Yin Yang.

所以雌雄是指有形之物，看風水時先要能夠分辨出何處是雌，何處是雄。

Therefore Ci Xiong is referring to object which has form, the art of feng shui is to differentiate which is Ci-male and which is Xiong-female.

Method 1.

而雌雄又可以分成幾方面來看，一種是在大自然的環境中，有崇山峻嶺，又有江河溪澗的情況，則山與水就代表雌與雄。

Ci Xiong can be analyzed in a few different ways. One method is derived from the natural environment. From mountain ranges and water ways (streams and rivers). Mountains and rivers representing Ci Xiong.

山是靜的，所以屬陰屬雌，水是動的，所以屬陽屬雄。

Mountains are considered as still and quiet, so they represent Yin-Ci-Female.

Rivers are considered as moving, so they represent Yang-Xiong-Male. 

 

 

 

 

Method 2.

第二種情況是位於都市城鎮之中，平洋之地，沒有高山崗嶺，江河溪流也不多見，反而是建築物櫛次鱗比，道路縱橫交錯，人來人往，車水馬龍。

Second method to analyze Ci Xion in an urban environment, in a flat area, where there are no mountain ranges, also with no streams/rivers nearby, where it is mostly occupied by manmade buildings and structures, intersections of roads and highways, intersperse by humans, circulation of vehicles.

現代人大多是身 處於這樣的環境之中。

This is the environment for modern societies.

在都市中既然無山崗江河，要如何分辨雌雄呢？

In an environment with no mountains ranges and water ways, how to differentiate Ci Xiong?

其實是以建築物比擬為山，以街道巷弄比擬為河流，建築物是固定不動的，是實的，是靜的， 所以屬陰屬雌。

It is through the use of buildings as mountains, streets and alleyways as rivers, buildings are considered as still, solid and quiet, therefore they represent Yin-Ci-female.

街道人車往來頻繁，帶動氣流流動，為動氣之所，所以屬陽屬雄。

Streets with vehicles and pedestrians movement, dispersing the Qi through movement, therefore they represent Yang-Xiong-male.

基本上城市住宅看重的是大門、路口等動氣之所，是否位於水之旺方，且令住宅納得旺氣。

In an urban residence, the most important consideration is the door and the road intersections, the source of moving Qi. Whether it is located correctly in the prosperous water direction, allowing the residence to obtain the prosperous Qi.

所以談養吾註解天元五歌時說：「陽宅立向，在城市則全以向為主。」

Master Tang referring to “Heaven Cycle 5 songs”: “Facing for Yang residence, in urban setting the facing is the main criteria.”

又說：「陽宅之出入處，或空曠處，即為動處，此處看法，當作水用，氣之流動則一也。」

Also says: “The entrances for Yang dwellings or empty external spaces are considered as spaces with movement. When analyzing such spaces, they represent water, spaces with Qi movement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Method 3.

第三種情況則是住宅室內雌雄動靜之區別。

The third method to analyze Ci Xiong is the differentiation between movement and stillness in internal spaces.

基本上就是「空」與「實」的區別，實處我們可以把它當作山來看待，空處則可視為水。

The fundamental consideration is regarding “solid” and “void”. Solid to represent mountain and void to represent water.

延伸來看，凡是櫥櫃、書櫃、 桌椅、 高大的器物所在之處， 或是封閉的角落、 堆滿物品的地方、 人不常走動不常經過的處所， 都可視為屬靜屬陰屬雌。

The following items:- cabinets, bookcases, tables and chairs, spaces occupied by tall objects, corners which are sealed/closed, spaces with lots of objects, spaces with very little human activities – can all represent Yin-Ci-female.

而大門、房門、走道、樓梯、電梯等人們經 常走動往來的地點， 或是開窗之處、空曠的地方等等比較通風，氣流流通性比較好的地方，則可視為屬動屬陽屬雄。

The following items:- main door, room doors, staircase, lift, spaces with frequent human activities, window openings, empty spaces, spaces with good movement of Qi – can all represent Yang-Xiong-male.