Feng Shui

Feng Shui

Feng Shui, which translates into “Water and Wind,” is a concept or practice used a lot in buildings in eastern Asia, especially in China and Vietnam.
Ancient Chinese people believed that we are surrounded by unseen forces, in which the two most active, constantly moving are Wind and Water (Tùng 2002), hence the name: Feng Shui.
In modern Feng Shui, there are two schools of thought that are usually used by architecture: the Compass School and the Form School (Coorey 2020)
The Compass School is often used during the conceptual design phase, and it takes into account eight directions around the house and the Qi energy that resides inside each. Designers use a unique tool called Luo Pan; this is a compass that shows everything they need to create a perfect design (Coorey 2020).
On the other hand, the Form School looks at the shape of everything in the environment to harmonize and create a good flow of chi energy. It incorporates the concept of yin yang and the five element theory, which examines the relationship between five elements and the space (Coorey 2020):
Fire: resembles triangular shapes, and the color red, creates passion in the design.
Earth: resembles heavy objects or square rugs, provides stability, creates stronger focus, and disrupts unharmonious forces.
Wood: resembles green-colored objects and plants, believed to encourage personal growth.
Water: resembles the black color and wavy pattern, adding flexibility to the design.
Metal: resembles by using metal objects and the color white.
You could create a constructive or destructive cycle based on the positioning of these elements. These elements can cancel each other and create a destructive cycle. For example, water extinguishes flame, metal slices through wood, and so on.
On the other hand, you can create a harmonious environment with a constructive cycle. Water becomes food for trees (wood) to grow. This wood becomes the fuel for the fire. The ashes that remain from the fire enrich the earth, and so on. Achieving a constructive cycle is the main aim of the Form School (Coorey 2020).
The chi energy is the unseen force that flows around us, and as it flows, it can also be blocked and create bad energy in the house. The goal of Feng Shui is to ensure that the flow of chi is consistent and uninterrupted. A good flow of chi and correct element placement is believed to benefit the house owner in many aspects.
As "Augustus in Saigon!?" mainly analyzed building structures in Saigon, Vietnam, Feng Shui elements can be seen in many other buildings. For example, the Saigon Riverside Hotel, the National Bank, and the Town Hall of Saigon are all facing a river. In Feng Shui, the river will bring prosperity and wealth (Too 2019), which explains why these buildings are positioned that way.

References:
Baffo, Anthony, Exa Zim, and Elizabeth McCauley. 2020. "How Architects Use Feng Shui to Design Buildings." Insider. Last modified December 5, 2020 (15 May 2022).
Coorey, Ben. 2020. "The Basic Principles of Feng Shui." ArchiStar Academy. Last modified January 20, 2020 (15 May 2022).
Too, Lillian. 2019. "Assessing the Feng Shui of the View of a Flowing River from Your Condo." Last modified August 8, 2019 (15 May 2022).
Tùng, Xuân. 2002. "Nghệ Thuật Phong Thủy." VNExpress. Last modified April 4, 2002 (15 May 2022).

Nguyen Hai An