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Day 3 [China Excursion-Extension] : New Eyes for the Land
By Jayne Goodrick |
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29 April 2006 (Day 3- China Excursion Extension)
The day started with everyone tired, muscles aching, after the last 13 days of walking, climbing mountains, seeing feng shui. It was windy, overcast and dusty.
The first stop was Gu Gong Palace, again a place we had visited 2 years earlier. The students that were new were exactly as we had been, looking around, wondering where to start, what to look for.
As we teach in Module one, start with the door. But in this case, a map. We are in flat land dragon therefore we need to see where the water was so that we could find the mountain.
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We measured the door, facing Wu; again, as last time, not what was expected. The gateway to the front left of this palace appeared to be directly in front of the administration headquarters building, until we looked closely; the building was slightly tilted to avoid creating a fierce Sha Qi to this door.
Only those of us that had been here before were not saying "Sha qi".
Once you knew, it was so obvious to see, I can't believe we missed it last time! Again, the students did not pick up the clipper formation of the buildings on either side of the courtyard which would indicate romantic scandals and relationship issues. Nor did they notice the way the courtyards were formed, with rises and dips to contain or expand and to distribute the Qi as necessary.
But the chimney at the North West of the emperor's quarters was noticed by one of the students, indicating Fire at Heavenly Gate Formation, but none of us knew why it was that the emperor would die suddenly from "stomach ache". More likely this was a heart attack, and with Joey explaining how to see that the 9-6 stars were at the Emperor’s palace, and there was a 6-3 in his life palace, it was not hard to come to the conclusion.
This was assessed not by using the popularised 'flying
star' chart, but by looking at the gua (palace) and the period.
"Did you look outside?" asked Joey. Some of the students had, but were not entirely sure of their conclusions.
The city outside this Forbidden Palace is now built up and so the land formation is less easy to see. Unless you have a map!
The first thing Joey did was to open up a map of the immediate area.
The river showed that we were located at an area that was receiving the Qi of a Huge Door mountain; it showed Military Arts embrace and that we were directly central to this dragon!
No problem there, then!
Because we were tapping into the river water, based on period and water formations, the effects would be quick but not long lasting: the emperors moved in and moved out, relatively quickly, to Beijing!
More enthusiastic now, we headed off for lunch, but after another meal of 10-13 dishes, we were more ready for sleep than the next audit.
External landforms win, every time!
With the wind blowing through our jumpers and wind cheaters we trooped a bit jadedly to the final audit.
The history of the place however, perked ears and got us thinking about the house.
It was built by the Chinese Field Marshall whose empty tomb we had seen two days earlier. He had 6 wives, so was considered a prosperous man.
The compound consisted of the main set of buildings with a garden to the North East, East, and South East side. But 3 young sons had died; the eldest son was exiled and then imprisoned for 50 years, whilst the owner himself died from injuries sustained in a train explosion. But interestingly, he didn't die until 3 hours after being brought home to this house! Clearly,
there was something of a mystery for us to investigate here.
As the entrance was approached, we saw a 'feng shui' wall in front of the Main Door, with two Chinese symbols denoting happiness and prosperity. Symbolic feng shui even then (1920's)!
We toured the complex and were then given time to 'see' the Feng Shui.
But it wasn't really necessary!
We had all already assessed the place during the tourist tour!
"Qi blocked at the main entrance", "No external Ming Tan [Bright Hall]", "Internal Ming Tang too tight", "No Qi distribution to the living quarters", "Doors all in a row creating fierce Sha Qi". Out rattled all the faux pas that had been committed by the Field Marshall.
Instead of the usual routine in the first few days, when students struggled to see anything and afraid to say what they thought, today everyone had an opinion, and were not afraid to voice it.
The difference in us was tangible!
"OK, what did you find?" asked Joey (this is when we all quietened a little). And again, the map came out.
What all but one or two of us had missed was the external water formations. The same river that had brought the Gu Gong Palace success was creating a Sha Qi to this slot, a fierce cutting Sha Qi coming from the bend of the river.
MA module one stuff!
The mansion was located in front of the Gu Gong, closer to the river and a lot smaller, and therefore because of a differing location, formations that were beneficial for one location, became disastrous for another! Because of this difference, the flaws at the palace were relatively minor, whereas here, minor flaws were amplified in effect and became very serious indeed.
The whole place was squeezing the Qi, or creating Sha Qi. Even internally the stairs were creating an external Sha Qi headed for the bedroom of the Field Marshal ("They haven't read my book (interior Feng Shui)" joked Joey)
When considered with the owner's year of birth, the house even managed to create a Sha Qi at Wu, part of the fire frame for his year of birth, the Water Dog. This last part had us all in rapt attention, so we could learn how we could determine who would be affected by a buildings design, good or bad.
Fired up and enthused by what we had thought would be just another audit, we returned to our Hotel for the final briefing.
And then the Farewell dinner!
An Academy tradition, not just for the China Excursion but all MA events. A delicious meal of 12 dishes, accompanied of course by singing, dancing, laughter, and yes, more impromptu singing (MA students have many hidden talents, you know!), and it was time to leave.
Two hours later and it was still time to leave, and the singing could still be heard! After 14 days it was hard to say goodbye to the new friends and old. When I left, the carousing continued, but time and flight slots wait for no man. Or woman.
I have been on each of these excursions, now, for 3 years running, and I have learnt as much on this as on any of the others.
Why repeat the sites, I am asked? Each time, my previous learning is consolidated and built upon by seeing what I didn't the time before.
With experience, my eyes are looking at the land and sites differently, more subjectively. And consequentially, my professional audits improve, in terms of the quality of advice and knowledge I have and can offer to my clients. I bring a deeper analysis and perspective into my daily work of seeing land, and sites, and houses, and improve the quality of advice given, to improve the lives and businesses of those who make use of my services.
By Jayne Goodrick
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