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The final day of the Mastery Academy Imperial China Excursion
presented students with two audit conundrums: the famed Forbidden
City in Beijing (Beijing Gu Gong) and the Summer Palace, located
30 minutes away from the Forbidden City.
The Forbidden City took 14 years to build and was the home
of 24 Emperors. Its last resident was the famous ‘Last
Emperor’, Aixin Jueluo PuYi, who despite abdicating in
1912, remained in the Forbidden City for several more years.
Click the photo to enlarge.
Surrounding the Forbidden City is a 4km wide moat and the
complex of palaces covers an area of almost 70 hectares.
Despite the allure of the Forbidden City, Mastery Academy
students were conscious that they were here to learn and work
so in between taking in the breath-taking splendour and majesty
of this symbol of Imperial greatness, students were working
hard, taking directions with their Luo Pan, observing the
Bright Halls and building placements, looking out for clues
and hints that would help them judge the quality of Feng Shui
in the Forbidden City. (Joey had of course, provided them
with a little hint the day before, notably, that the Forbidden
City had been burnt down several times).
Click the photo to enlarge.
After exiting the Forbidden City, students took a mildly
challenging walk to the top of a small hill, located behind
the Forbidden City, known as Jinshan Hill. Originally an extended
part of the Forbidden City’s garden, it is today a park.
We climbed to a delightful pavilion at the top of Jinshan
Hill, which afforded not only a bird’s eye view of the
Forbidden City, but an excellent vantage point in which to
observe the entire city of Beijing, including its landforms
and the location of any water in the area.
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With a gentle breeze blowing and all of Beijing and the Forbidden
City beneath, the discussion on the Feng Shui of the Forbidden
City kicked off. There were no Death and Emptiness Lines at
the Forbidden City but students noted that it faced South,
based on direction taken at various points. The Bright Halls
and undulating nature of the courtyards between the main gate
and the key Imperial structures were also picked up by students
quickly, who were already becoming old hands at recognising
key building structure hallmarks for good circulation of Qi
and who already were thinking differently and evaluating with
an entirely different eye, the building they were assigned
to audit.
Students noted the difficulty in getting a good idea of the
structure of the buildings when they were walking the inside
of the complex, which establishes the importance of seeing
a property outside first, rather than inside out. The Forbidden
City receives the dragon vein from noted Chastity Star mountains
rising from NW. This dragon, when verified along with the
water position using Long Men Ba Da Ju formula qualifies as
a good incoming dragon. However, good incoming dragon needs
to be accompanied with proper ‘tapping’ of Qi mouth.
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Click the photo to enlarge.
In his analysis session, Joey pointed out that attempting
a Flying Star chart of the Forbidden City would be not just
an impossible task but quite useless. Hence, on big properties
or big estates, he said, it is landform (Luan Tou) and structure
(Ge Ju) of the buildings that is the key. The Forbidden City
is an illustration of the Xuan Kong Direct and Indirect Spirit
application, albeit, an incorrect application of it. The positions
of water in relation to the Direct and Indirect Spirit directions
is reversed with regard to the Forbidden City. The six ‘lakes’
which forms Bei Hai and ChongNan Hai form an embracing water
dragon around the palace. These water locater were beneficial
at certain points during the empire and detrimental at other
times.
Click the photo to enlarge.
Certainly, this reversal had a part to play in the downfall
of the last Ming Emperor, Emperor ChongZheng, who hung himself
on an Elmwood tree on Jinshan Hill as the Qing tore through
the outer gates of the Forbidden City. Joey then pointed out
to the students that if they calculate the Gua of the Emperor
ChongZheng, and combine it with the predictive techniques
in Xuan Kong based on a Star Chart of the Forbidden City and
relation to the unique water formation, clearly forecasts
a death by strangulation or hanging.
Click the photo to enlarge.
The bird’s eye perspective from the top of Jinshan Hill
also shows that the internal big structure of the Forbidden
City has a slightly greater prominence accorded to the Right
(White Tiger) side of the complex. Yet again, was the pattern
of a higher or more prominent White Tiger showing up, affirming
the course of events that was to unfold during the Qing Dynasty
with 6 out of 12 Qing Emperors were dominated or influenced
strongly by women, the meddling of the Empress Dowager CiXi
being the eventual cause of the decline and ultimate downfall
of the Qing, China’s last feudal dynasty.
Once again, Mastery Academy students became the first group
of students to witness with their own eyes, how even the greatest
symbol of Imperial China and its Emperors, could also be a
living monument of Bad Feng Shui and a testament to the folly
of the view that Imperial Emperors were most certain to have
nothing short of top notch Feng Shui!
White Tiger Overkill: The Summer Palace.
Click the photo to enlarge.
It is said in the ancient classics “It is better to
have the Dragon higher by heaps than to have the Tiger peeping
its head”
After a sumptuous Imperial style lunch at a restaurant in
BeiHai Park (formerly a section of the Forbidden City’s
Imperial Gardens), students headed off for their final audit
of the Mastery Academy Imperial China Excursion, the famed
Summer Palace.
Originally built by Emperor Qian Long (1736-1795) as a gift
to his mother, the Summer Palace (Yihe Yuan) is a sprawling
massive pleasure pavilion of lakes, walkways and gardens,
dominated by a huge man-made lake, Kunming Lake. It took some
15 years to complete and was accessible from the Forbidden
City via a canal that connected the Summer Palace. The formation
of the vein is known as the ‘Bat Holding the Coin’
structure with the main dragon vein being released from Longevity
Hill towards the central axis of Kunming Lake.
Click the photo to enlarge.
It later became the full time residence of the Dowager Empress
CiXi and subsequently, the place where she ruled from behind
the screen. The Summer Palace was also the place where the
Dowager Empress had her nephew, Emperor GuangXu, imprisoned
when he came of age and tried to seize power from the Dowager
after trying to push for reform.
Several students braved the agrophobia-inducing climb up
the Longevity Hill to the Precious Clouds Pavillion that afforded
a bird’s eye view of the entire palace structure. Once
again, Joey left students to look around the place, take their
own readings, evaluate the structure of the buildings and
the landform and of course, take in the beauty of the Palace
(which as students were soon to discover, is yet another monument
to Qing folly, at least, when it came to Feng Shui).
Click the photo to enlarge.
The discussion opened with a lively exchange on the shores
of the Lake Kunming, with some students admitting that they
weren’t able to figure the place out (Joey reminded them
that it was perfectly okay and shared his own experience of
finding ‘nothing’ when he first came many years
ago) and some students noting that the embrace of the land
seemed to shift depending on which part of the park one was
in.
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Joey, in his inimitable style, summed up the Feng Shui of
the Summer Palace in one word: BAD. The first boo-boo of the
Summer Palace was the massive Kunming Lake, which was essentially,
placing Water smack in the center of the property, a definite
no-no as one never ever disturbs the center. The palace itself
was built on the vein of the mountain but unfortunately, the
meridian spot has not ‘fah ping’ – or slowed
down the flow of Qi. The vein is still rushing and has not
coagulated properly.
The structure has no clear Bright Hall either, which essentially
meant that EVEN IF the Summer Palace was in a prosperous location
or landform setting, it had no means to collect and circulate
the favourable Qi around the property.
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The Dowager Empress, upon making the Summer Palace her full
time residence, began a series of constructions and improvements
which in essence, shifted the Facing of the palace and in
essence, altered the structure of the complex, creating a
one-sided embrace and upsetting the former balanced structure
of the Palace. Her shift moved the TaiJi Dian of the building
outside and into the water.
The protruding Pagoda in the distance, pops up as a clash
between Mao and You on the Luo Pan known as “the gate
of the sun and moon”, which signifies sexual scandal
and sexual disease, a fate that befell Emperor GuangXu’s
predecessor, Emperor TongZhi, who was renown for his late
night escapades to brothels in the former Red Lantern District
of the Forbidden City and who later died of syphilis.
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Viewed from certain vantage points, the landform and embrace
around the Summer Palace appears to create a strong White
Tiger but virtually no Green Dragon at all, supporting the
tremendous power the Dowager Empress CiXi wielded ruthlessly
over 3 Emperors. The repositioning of the Summer Palace then
allows the White Tiger to be seen in a special curling embrace
formation.
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Given the appalling state of Feng Shui in the Summer Palace,
why on earth was it constructed the way it was in the first
place? Surely Imperial Feng Shui advisors were not that careless?
(although one must remember, if even the great Emperor Qian
Long could have his tomb face a Death and Emptiness Line,
there would be no limit to how bad Imperial Feng Shui could
get!).
The explanation was quite simple. Emperor Qian Long built
the Summer Palace simply as pleasure palace – a spot
to come and relax, drink wine, perhaps take a sail on the
lake and even spend the night with a concubine. It was never
intended to be a building for the conduct of business and
administrative affairs. This all changed when the Dowager
Empress CiXi made it her full time residence in effect, the
place where the business of the Imperial Empire was conducted,
when she began to no longer rule from behind the screen.
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STUDENT EXPERIENCES:
“This is truly a breakthrough for me in the study of Chinese
Metaphysics. Coupled with your usual dynamic dissemination
of information, I have learnt to see Feng Shui in a very different
perspective. This is the real dynamic of Luan Tou Feng Shui.
I highly recommend this practical "walking the Dragon"
course to all serious practitioners.”
– Kelsanta Leo, Australia
“We have a saying: " If a painter wants to become
a master, first he has to learn to paint like the old Master".
This is what we have been doing here and it was really amazing.
To be the first Westerners who had the chance to practice
real form school was great fortune. Thank you!”
– Eva- Maria Spötta, Germany
“An amazing teacher. You showed us how to use the true
landform application for good Feng Shui. We are very grateful
to have this practical experience that really completes our
understanding on how to read and do proper small-scale and
big-scale Feng Shui.”
– Taning Yandono Tan, Indonesia
“The excursion to Imperial China exceeded my expectations.
After this trip, I look at Feng Shui with a different perspective.
I recommend this course strongly to anybody who wants to master
Feng Shui. ”
– Alexander Ho, U.S.A.
“It has been well worth coming to China to do the course
- to see the landform and the repetition has really "struck
home" (got into the brain!). You and your team have organized
the trip very well and I have learnt a lot. Many thanks.”
– Glynis Dinsdale, South Africa
“Having just begun the journey, the China Excursion was
an exciting opportunity to meet you and meet others working
toward their own mastery and being with everyone as we move
closer to our truth. While much of what was shared was at
a higher "trained" level, I still felt welcome and
a part of the community and for that I am humbly grateful.
The essence of the "land forms' excursion experience
was indeed "right brain" for me and supported the
intuitive nature of Feng Shui that I gravitate to. With the
acquisition of the "Math" of Feng Shui (Formulas),
there will no doubt be greater clarity and wisdom achieved
as these principles become a part of my language.
The great beauty and wisdom of the universal energy of
which we are all a part is what drew me to Feng Shui and its
ability to share the miracles of life and love, we are all
wonderful expressions of Qi and Feng Shui can support us all
in achieving our greatest potential and allow us to live out
our possibilities. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, mastery
and experience with us all.
In some way you have become a part of my new possibility
and who I am now: who I am is the possibility of passion,
power, unconditional love and miracles.
Thank you, Joey, for being who you are and sharing your
wisdom, knowledge and joy of Feng Shui with us and the world.
You are blessed.”
– Gary D Kallmayer
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“I came to China to learn forms. What I learnt was Feng
Shui. Real Feng Shui! It has been awesome, awe-inspiring,
and humbling. I have never, ever had my eyes opened before.
How could I when I didn't know what to see? Now I have seen
through the eyes and guidance of my Master. I can only thank
you from the bottom of my heart. I am now going home with
different eyes. To look at my land properly! Many, many thanks.”
– Jayne Goodrick, United Kingdom
“I come to China to find the secret formulas. But the
secret is, there are no
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secrets formulas! After two days I
didn't even think about formulas. I learnt on this fantastic
journey to see how important the environment is. I learned
how to understand the environment and mountains in its forms
and shapes. And flatland as dragons. And a lot of other things.
I thank you for the great chance to join you and to learn
from you.”
– Ingrid Huse, Germany
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“Outstanding!
I expected an exceptional course but this exceeded my expectations.
Some of my points of learning.
- How to use flat land dragon to identify incoming mountain
and how to use normal mountain dragon formation.
- The importance of Ting San / Ling San
- Bing / Ren sitting, facing "produce exceptional people".
- Always need to access the quality of Qi - if you have it.
- Water mouth, not water exit.
My challenge is to be able to adapt these factors into
the average house environment by being able to recognize the
various mountains e.g. Tan Lang.
Joey, your strength is that you do not encourage "Master
worship" and you allow us to try even through we keep
making mistakes and above all, you encourage us to challenge
you! I knew I made the correct decision to stay with you.”
– Diane Grobler, South Africa
“Joey, You have made this trip a journey to remember.
I have heard about form school very briefly in the past, but
you have gone into such depth in the subject I can now see
how important it is in performing a Feng Shui audit. Thank
you for sharing your knowledge and explaining answers to my
question with such patience. I am so proud to be a student
of Mastery Academy. All of the accommodations, especially
the food were fantastic. Thank you for making my first trip
to China so exciting and memorable. I look forward to more
studies with you.”
– Jeannie Banta, U.S.A.
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