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Day 2 of the Mastery Academy Imperial China Excursion saw the
students making their way to the ShenYang Gu Gong, also known
as the 2nd Forbidden City. It is the only other Imperial Palace
outside of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
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Constructed by Huang TaiJi in 1625 as the new capital of the
Qings (previously, the capital city of the Qing Manchus was
He Tu Ala City, which was visited by the students on Day 1),
the Gu Gong or Palace is located within the city of ShenYang
itself and consists of the living quarters of the Emperor
and the Empress as well as a throne room where the Emperor conducted
his daily affairs. The palace covers an area of over 60,000
square metres and holds many antique items include the waist
dagger of Emperor Qian Long and displays of Manchu hunting bows
and arrows.
Following the death of Huang TaiJi, the subsequent Qing Emperors
ruled from the former Ming capital, the Forbidden City in
Beijing.
Click the photo to enlarge.
The ride on the bus kicked off with a drive past the Hun River,
a river that curves around the entire city. Students were given
a little 'hint' by Joey as to what they were to be looking out
for but that was it. Joey reminded everyone that they were here
to learn and learning meant figuring it out themselves and most
importantly, making mistakes first!
A rainy day threatened to put a damper on the day as students
stepped off the bus at the ShenYang Gu Gong, armed with umbrellas
and wondering how they were going to juggle their Luo Pans
in one hand and keep themselves dry at the same time! Fortunately,
the weather cleared up shortly after, leaving the students
to explore the Palace (and check out the Feng Shui of the
area) amidst a cool, and slightly misty setting.
Students had to adapt to looking at landforms in a different
context and put on their thinking caps as they walked around
the massive complex and tried to figure out what to look for,
indeed, where to begin taking their measurements!
Still grappling with trying to get around thinking Landform,
thinking Embrace, and thinking about Structure, students nonetheless
had fun comparing notes with each other. Joey then pointed out
the Clipper formation, found in the large compound area where
the Manchu style throne hall was located, known as the Da Zheng
Dian (Hall of Great Affairs).
The Clipper formation is not readily visible to the untrained
eye and it was only after Joey walked students to the far end
of the compound did students realise that the structure, when
imagined from an aerial perspective,
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resembled a person sitting with their legs splayed apart. Joey explained then that the Clipper formation is usually scandal causing, leading to sexual scandals and sexual disease.
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But while the Qing Emperors had the less than ideal Clipper
formation in the Da Zheng Dian area, the deliberate tilting
and elevation of the main building where the Emperor's throne
was located in the Da Zheng Dian was an illustration of a intelligent
application of Feng Shui, designed to deflect the Killing Sha
coming in from the long straight concentration of Qi.
Click the photo to enlarge.
There was plenty of other Feng Shui to be picked up at the ShenYang
GuGong. A few students noted the Chimney-like structure that
was near the back gardens of the Palace but were uncertain of
its impact although their instincts told them there was a significance
to it.
Quite so! Joey provided during his analysis session, the
missing pieces to the puzzle of the Chimney. Huang TaiJi died
in 1643 after reigning for 18 years. His death was considered
abrupt and sudden but historically, it is thought that he
died of a stroke at the age of 53. He had died in a Jia Shen
year, which also coincided with a change of Period to Period
8. Following Huang TaiJi's death, the Qings moved the seat
of power and administration from ShenYang to the Forbidden
City in Beijing.
Click the photo to enlarge.
ZHAO LING: A LESSON ON HOW TO MAKE A MOUNTAIN!
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After a hearty lunch, students took a short 30 minute ride to
the next destination on the itinerary, the Zhao Ling Tomb or
North Tomb. The North Tomb is the location of the tomb of Huang
TaiJi, the son of Nuerhachi and grandson of Nuerba, who's tomb
in Yong Ling Mausoleum was visited by students of the Mastery
Academy during their first day.
Although HuangTaiJi did not personally lead the conquest
of the Mings, he did lay the foundations for the Qing Dynasty
and thus, is regarded as a Qing Emperor.
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Zhao Ling is known as a leading example of the application
of the Flat Land Dragon Theory. Perhaps Zhao Ling provides
the answer to the oft-asked question: is it possible to MAKE
a mountain and river, to create the landform that is needed
to produce premium Feng Shui?
Click the photo to enlarge.
Yes, but only if one can replicate it on the scale and extent
in which it is found at Zhao Ling and only, as Joey stressed
during his analysis session, in the case of Flat Land Dragon.
Zhao Ling Tomb is today known as BeiLing Park, it is an extensive
and large park area. To get to the tomb, we had to take a
4km ride on a buggy, and then cross through 3 large gates
before arriving at the massive mould that is the tomb of Huang
TaiJi.
Students again broke up into their various groups to walk
around, take their measurements and figure out the Feng Shui
as it were. As usual, Joey then provided his thoughtful and
thorough analysis of the Feng Shui of the Zhao Ling tombs.
Click the photo to enlarge.
Zhao Ling is a Fao Lim tomb, as the Flat Land Dragon theory
does not involve burying into the ground, but above ground,
so as to receive Heaven Qi. The theory of the Flat Land Dragon
is that by being 'above' the rest, the area automatically
will draw in the Qi from the Hun river in the distance.
With the river in the distance pumping out the Qi in to the
area, the trick was for the tomb to receive the Qi, circulate
it and contain it within the area, maintaining a constant
flow of Qi in the tomb area.
How then did Emperor Huang TaiJi ensure optimum descendant
luck for his lineage? The Feng Shui solution took over 12
years to construct!
Click the photo to enlarge.
Ground was removed to great two great bodies of water, which
today, are lakes in BeiLing park. These acted as a barrier
to collect Qi from the river in a distance. As Joey reminded
the students during the pre-briefing, "Qi is dispersed
by the wind, and gathers at the boundaries of water".
At the same time, the bodies of water represent the application
of the small Tai Chi of the area's Luan Tou.
The mound in Zhao Ling, in the shape of a Metal Mountain,
thus signifying prowess in the area of Military Arts, was
made from the ground that was dug out. This potent example
of what making a mountain means provided students with an
inkling of just what a monumental task, making a mountain
entails. Indeed, the notion that a rock or even a large boulder
could represent a mountain was well and truly dispelled without
doubt at Zhao Ling, as students realised just what it means
to 'make a mountain'.
The burial complex contains 3 Bright Halls, which create
the 3 Divide 3 Harmony aspect of the landform. The 3 layers
of Bright Halls act to collect Qi, circulate it and send it
into the tomb. The entire structure of the complex mimics
the Sar or embrace of mountains. Surrounding the grave mound
was a tilted walkway, which acted to ensure that the grave
mound did not become waterlogged and which also functioned
as the Cicada Wings.
Zhao Ling represents the application of Feng Shui in its
most simple basic form without the help of formulas and yet
produced superior, Feng Shui, which no doubt contributed to
the descendant luck enjoyed by HuangTaiJi's grandson, Emperor
Kang Xi (1662-1722). Emperor Kang Xi together with the Emperor
Qian Long (1736-1795), was regarded as one of the most skilled
Qing Emperors and also one with the longest reign. Emperor
Kang Xi reigned for 61 one years, a reign matched only by
Emperor Qian Long.
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