Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Did Feng Shui originate from China? Or Korea?

The following article highlights the latest debate between the mainland China and its neighbor, South Korea. Each claiming Feng Shui to have originated from their homeland.

韩中争论“风水地理说”

DECEMBER 18, 2007 05:25 河宗大 (orionha@donga.com)

  中国言论有关“韩国风水地理世界文化遗产登记申请说”的报道一经登出,韩中两国的网民之间便掀起了“风水本山争论”。

  中国的网民们向政府表示:“韩国先前是抢走中国的端午节,而现在又要抢走风水地理说。”对此,韩国的网民们反驳道,“在中国本土上很难寻到风水地理说,而在韩国无论是居住、坟庙,就连选举文化中都渗透着风水地理说。”

  然而这只是争论而已,目前发现韩、中两国政府都没有将风水地理说,登记到世界无形文化遗产的计划。

“本山”反驳“元祖”主张

  中国的网民们高喊着中国是风水地理说的远祖。风水地理说是从中国的伏羲氏开始传承下来的,现已有约1万年历史。他们还认为风水说是到明朝时期才传到韩国的。

  另一方面,韩国的网民们反驳道:“韩国的风水说早在三国时期就有文献记载。目前,中国的风水家也是在韩国学习风水说,从韩国引进经典。”

由于政府没有登记计划,只是“白费力气的争论”

  此前,金洋网等中国言论最近报道:“韩国从2003年开始,就在国立中央博物馆的主导下联合数十个机关促进了风水地理说的世界遗产登记工作,将会在明年内结束登记工作。”

  但在国立中央博物馆和文化财厅确认后发现这并不是事实。

  文化财厅计划明年仅对朝鲜时期的王陵和南海岸的恐龙化石申请登记文化遗产,至于风水地理说的申请是绝对不在计划之中的。

  然而,据了解中国的风水专家们根据韩国要促进登记的传闻,于去年6月9日组织了“中国风水文化世界遗产申请筹备委员会”。

  另外,南京大学也计划设立风水培训班,并授予风水师资格证。

  但是,中国建设部对此否定道:“我们尊重在民间研究风水文化,但风水师资格证的公开认证是很困难的。”

Monday, December 10, 2007

Sunday, December 02, 2007

A Feng Shui Shop with Bad Feng Shui


A Feng Shui consultation shop opened across the street opposite my workplace around 3 months ago. It’s called Jin Tong Zi (Golden Boy) Feng Shui and Astrology Centre and it is located along some shop houses. I was surprised at why the Feng Shui master chose to have his shop directly next to a vacant and worn-out shop house with broken roof and creepers along its sides. In Luan Tou Feng Shui, we call it Po Lan Wu 破烂屋 and it is known to gather a lot of Yin energy, hence a excellent habitat for snakes, insects and other creepy crawlies. Such vacant house is considered a Sha and best to avoid having your shop or home near one since the strong Yin energy can make people sickly and auspicious energy cannot accumulate also. Thus I reckoned that the shop could last long in business.

True enough, today I saw the shop emptied. The master probably has moved out last night after months of losses through rental costs and lack of income. I hardly see any one walking into the shop. I really wonder what kind of training he had to have such a oversight.

Regards
Alvin Chua