Feng Shui: Chinese for Baloney
The ancient Chinese system of aesthetics known as feng shui is believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi.
The term feng shui literally translates as “wind-water” in English.
Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water.
Traditional feng shui practice requires the use of a Chinese compass, called a luo pan, to determine the directions in finding any auspicious sector in a desired location.
In Feng shui, furniture is not to be placed randomly in a room. One must consult the luo pan to determine the most auspicious location.
Today, feng shui is widely considered a pseudoscience. It has been criticised by many organisations devoted to investigating paranormal claims.
Modern criticism differentiates between feng shui as a traditional proto-religion and the modern practice:
“A naturalistic belief, it was originally used to find an auspicious dwelling place for a shrine or a tomb. However, over the centuries it… has become distorted and degraded into a gross superstition.”
There has been little systematic scientific research into feng shui, since the general scientific consensus is that it is superstition.
Feng Shui – Penn and Teller Style
