ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title>What is Yi Jing?</title> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <meta name="robots" content="all" /> <meta name="author" content="Serena Deng" /> <meta name="description" content="Canada Society of Yi Jing - The Book of Changes" /> <link href="../includes/css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <script type='text/javascript' src='../includes/javascript.js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='../includes/calendar.js'></script> </head> <body onLoad="loadImg1()"> <div id="main"> <div id="left"> <!-- Left side elements placed here --> <div id="logo"> <!-- Logo image placed here --> <!-- Logo must be at a fixed width of 150px --> <img src="../images/yjlogo.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="The Canada Society of Yi Jing (The Book of Changes)" /> <img src="../images/space.gif" height="5"> </div> <div id="nav"> <!-- Navigation items placed here --> <!-- Main navigation items should be enclosed by <a> tags --> <!-- Subnavigation items should be in a list (<ul> tags), with each item separated by <a> and then <li> tags --> <!-- Maximum width of images here is 148px --> <div> <a href="index_en.htm">Home</a> <div id="nav01">&nbsp;</div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav02')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav02')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav02')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />About Yi Jing</a> <div id="nav02"><ul> <a href="whatis.htm"><li>What is Yi Jing</li></a> <a href="reducfallacy.htm"><li>Fallacy: A Divination book</li></a> <a href="unilaws.htm"><li>Laws Of the Universe</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav03')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav03')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav03')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />Yijing, Science & Civilization</a> <div id="nav03"><ul> <a href="exampley&s.htm"><li>Yijing and Modern Science</li></a> <a href="exampley&cs.htm"><li>Yijing and Chinese Science</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav04')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav04')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav04')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />The Study of Zhou Yi</a> <div id="nav04"><ul> <a href="handbook.htm"><li>Handbook</li></a> <a href="evidenceyi.htm"><li>New Evidences</li></a> <a href="evidencebased.htm"><li>Evidence-based Interpretation</li></a> <a href="classicalbook.htm"><li>Classical Books</li></a> <a href="bookreview.htm"><li>Book Review</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav05')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav05')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav05')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />History of Yi Academy</a> <div id="nav05"><ul> <a href="profilehistory.htm"><li>Profile History</li></a> <a href="indeterminate.htm"><li>Origin of Indeterminate Analysis</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav06')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav06')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav06')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />Prehistory of Yi Academy</a> <div id="nav06"><ul> <a href="fuxigua_e1.htm"><li>Archaeology of Fu Xi Yi</li></a> <a href="fuxigua_e2.htm"><li>Preshistorical Investigation</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav07')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav07')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav07')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />Yi Divination and Sciences</a> <div id="nav07"><ul> <a href="yidivination_e1.htm"><li>Basic Differences</li></a> <a href="yidivination_e2.htm"><li>Science Basis</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav08')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav08')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav08')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />Traditional Applications of Yijing</a> <div id="nav08"><ul> <a href="yimedicine.htm"><li>Yijing and Chinese Medicine</li></a> <a href="fengshuisci.htm"><li>Feng Shui and Sciences</li></a> <a href="fatecalculation.htm"><li>Fate Calculation and Sciences</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <div onMouseOver="subNavOpen('nav10')" onMouseOut="subNavClose('nav10')"> <a href="javascript:subNavChange('nav10')"><img class="navarrow" src="../images/arrowd.gif" />Members Area</a> <div id="nav10"><ul> <a href="society.htm"><li>Society Board</li></a> <a href="bylaws.htm"><li>Society Bylaws</li></a> <a href="news0205.htm"><li>Monthly Newsletter</li></a> <a href="memberappl.htm"><li>Membership Application</li></a> </ul></div> </div> <a href="links.htm">Links</a> <img src="../images/space.gif" height="5"> </div> <div id="splash"> <!-- Splash items placed here --> <!-- This section is optional; delete the splasharea div area to leave it blank --> <!-- Maximum width of images here is 138px --> <div id="splasharea"> <p>The Canada Society <br /> of Yi Jing <br />(The Book of Changes)<br /> 10939-38 Avenue<br /> Edmonton, AB<br /> Canada T6J 0K6</p> </div> </div> <div id="splashend"> <!-- Additional splash items may be placed here, but this section is fixed at 100 pixels in height; overflow material is hidden --> <!-- Maximum width of images here is 140px --> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> <div id="content"> <!-- Main page content is placed here --> <!-- h1, h2, p, a, img, ul tags styled --> <!-- Maximum width of images here is 430px --> <h1>Feng Shui and Modern Sciences</h1> <p>By Deng HongHai</p> <p> Feng Shui is an art and science for living in harmony with the environment. It is a important and applied component of ancient Chinese wisdom that has been systematically developed for more than five thousand years. After modern society entered into the post-industrialized Age, a series of risks caused by wide applications of modern sciences and technologies have forced people to lean from ancient Chinese wisdom. When modern medical science is seeking remedies from Traditional Chinese Medicine, today s environmental hazards and increasing man-made pressures are forcing modern mankind to come the rescue of Feng Shui. </p> <h2>Feng Shui is an Applied Discipline of Yi Jing  the Entire Laws of the Universe</h2> <p> Like Traditional Chinese Medicine and other traditional Chinese arts, technologies and sciences, it is based on the ancient Chinese view of the universe that was summarized by Yi Jing (the Book of Changes). Yi Jing s Yin-Yang and Five Xing Philosophy (Five-Dimensional Coordinate of binary notation system of the universe) have presented a philosophical model of the universe and the universal law of its movement and changes. </p> <p> The Yi Jing philosophy has also established an organic paradigm and philosophical foundation for the scientific development of traditional Chinese arts, technologies and sciences including Feng Shui. In the organicist view, every phenomenon is connected with every other according to the hierarchical order. Within the framework of this organic paradigm, the universe is treated as an organic whole called macrocosm whereas man is treated an organic whole called microcosm. The  organic whole means entirety and unity, that is, the unity of the human body itself and the close and inseparable interactions between it and the environment. As an applied science of Yi Jing, Feng Shui concentrates on meeting people s needs for managing man-environment interactions. </p> <p> Yi Jing s organic paradigm is fundamentally different from the mechanical paradigm of Western sciences. This leads to the huge difference between traditional Chinese sciences and western sciences. However, practical achievements of the application of traditional Chinese sciences have had not only many parallels with Western sciences, but also often the precursors of Western sciences. Historians have proved that until the Eighteenth Century, the Chinese were at the forefront of the Western science and technology. With the development of modern sciences, more and more disciplines of the modern sciences and technology have been traced to their roots in Yi Jing. By applying the Yi Jing philosophy, as early as 5000 years ago Feng Shui practitioners begun to work on the fields researched by modern scientists. </p> <p> Although Feng Shui s principles and methods are described in an allegorical manner by using many terms and symbols with subjective elements, the practice of Feng Sgui does not require the compromise of any religious faith, superstitional belief, or personal value. Because of the universal truth and the unlimited openness and wholeness of this organic paradigm, since 2000 Years BC, Chinese Feng Shui practitioners have been sharing this paradigm as a unitary set of rules and standards to approach man-environment interactions and accumulated incomparably rich experiences and knowledge of managing man-environment interactions. Pass on from generation to generation within the framework of this holistic paradigm, they systematically recorded, updated and developed their experiences and knowledge in extensive literature. Therefore, like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Feng Shui has been highly sophisticated, systematic, literate and professional. </p> <h2>Feng Shui Implements Functions of Modern Science and Technology</h2> <p> Feng Shui transforms the organic philosophical model of the universe into the geomantic model of man-environment interactions and uses the model to explain the behavior of the environment in relation to the lives of individuals, make certain predictions and achieve certain goals. All these are just tasks of many disciplines of the modern science. It has implementing many functions of the modern science and engineering. Its main application fields have been corresponding to many applied disciplines and engineering fields of the modern natural and social sciences. </p> <p> <ul> <li><p>Feng Shui s urban designs and city planning are corresponding to modern city planning, municipal engineering, civil engineering, environmental science and engineering, landscaping and so on. In ancient China, all cities and towns were planned in accordance to Feng Shui. Many ancient Chinese cities, such as the Forbidden City in Beijing, Nanjing City, Xian City, Jingzzhou City and so on, have been good examples of modern urban constructions.</p></li> <li><p>Feng Shui s house sitting, orientation and designs are just the functions of many modern engineering sciences, as survey and cartography, geomorphology, architecture, architectural mechanics, acoustics and aesthetics, decorating, horticulture, gardening, etc.</p></li> <li><p>Feng Shui s burial grounds also contain certain functions of modern applied geography, geology and hydrology, and hydraulic engineering, etc.</p></li> <li><p>Feng Shui cures have included all functions of the modern environmental medical science, medical psychology, social medical science, ethics, forecasting, and so on.</p></li> </ul> </p> <h2>Feng Shui Contains Originals of Modern Science and Technology</h2> <p> The historical development of the Chinese civilization has proved that Yi Jing is the root of this civilization and its sciences. As Yi Jing is the oldest systematic explanation of the entire laws of the universe in the human history, the historical development of the world civilization has proved that Yi Jing is the root of the world sciences. The advance of modern sciences has demonstrated that Yi Jing contains originals and seeds of all sciences. As an applied discipline of Yi Jing, Feng Shui contains originals and seeds of many disciplines of the modern science and technology. </p> <p> <ol> <li><p><b>Feng Shui s Cosmic Sciences and Astrophysics, and Astronomy</b></p> <p>Qi is an important concept of Yi Jing philosophy. It is the philosophical condensation of various cosmic rays, acting forces and energy fields described in modern sciences. The mathematical logic of Yi Jing s Ba Gua, He Tu and Luo Shu summarizes the periodic law of the movements of the solar, moon and other celestial bodies and the waves of various cosmic particle flows.</p> <p>The yin/yang symbol in Taiji Diagram reflects the two trends of opposite particle flows, the two poles of the earth s magnetic field, the two brain halves of the human body, and all other opposites.</p> <p>Feng Shui seeks to harness Qi, or  dragon s cosmic breath . Feng Shui uses the Qi concept and compass to take these particle waves and energy fields into consideration. By considering an individual s time of birth, it uses the periodic law to predict cyclical influences of cosmic waves on the life of the individual. In Feng Shui, Qi flows i.e., cosmic waves, move in the same way as Feng (wind) and Shui (water) do. It has been dealing with the invisible energy flows throughout the space for more than 5 thousands of years. Only after Albert Einstein devoted his entire life to the idea that empty space is filled with energy in the 19th century, modern science has begun to explore four types of acting forces in the universe.</p> </li> <li><p><b>Feng Shui s Geoscience: Atmospheric Science, Climatology, Phenology, Geomagnetism, Geophysics, Geography, Geological Prospecting, Groundwater, Magnetic Line</b></p> <p>Feng Shui investigates living and working spaces with respect to their orientation in the magnetic field of the earth. This implies it is concerned with the relationship between the magnetic field and electrical and other energetic fields. By considering the symbolism of terrain, Feng Shui recognizes the effects of mountains, valleys, and other geographic factors on climatic conditions.</p> <p>In fact, this also reflects the existence of charged particles and particles of water vapor in the atmosphere and the effects of such particles on people. The study of weather effects shows that mountains, valleys, and other geographic factors do give rise to various climatic conditions including winds and eddies, temperature gradients and humidity conditions. The lie of the land will, therefore, affect the prevailing weather conditions around the home. Parallels may, therefore, be drawn between modern science and Feng Shui practice.</p> </li> <li><p><b>Feng Shui s Biological Physics: Bio-Magnetic and Bio-Electric Effects</b></p> <p>By using compasses and considering the space and time, Feng Shui takes notice of magnetic field, electrical field, gravitational field. Feng Shui classes describe the kind of Qi that certain environments and Feng Shui patterns generate. It is, therefore, necessary to link the energy of Qi with human conditions. As the biological systems of people and other living things are mainly reliant upon electrical energies, it is not difficult to see why we may well react in subtle ways to minute changes in our electrical environment. Many cases of such correlation are being investigated by modern science. For instance, many publicized literature reported the connection between high electromagnetic fields under electrical pylons and the incidence of cancer. If we look at Feng Shui practice, we find that Feng Shui masters advise against living too near to transmission lines and towers, but explain the reason as being the likelihood of being hit by Shar Qi or  killing breath. </p> </li> <li><p><b>Feng Shui s Ecology: Bio-Climatology, Bio-geography and Human Ecology</b></p> <p>Feng Shui s emphasis on harmony with nature has great interest, especially in relation to designing and planning buildings and in relation to the ecology and climate of the place. In this regard we have found that many of the interpretations and prescriptions in Feng Shui can be explained by modern ecological land use planning principles (e.g. McHag et al). They also can be explained by the studies carried out on the bioclimatic basses for the design of buildings (e.g. Oolgay and Olgay; Koenigsberger; et al). These approaches to design lead to operationally passive low-energy and low-environmental impact buildings, and it is certainly an area of design that the Chinese had pioneered through Feng Shui.</p> </li> <li><p><b>Feng Shui and Mathematical Statistics: Statistical Laws and Probability Theory.</b></p> <p>Statistical laws and probability effects are implied in Fen Shui. Feng Shui describes several classes of events, some of which are deemed desirable and are thus labeled auspicious, while others are labeled inauspicious. The classes of events are roughly summarized as: production of wealth; enhancement of health; improvement of relationships; protection from misfortune or harm; mild misfortune; serious loss; serious injury; death.</p> <p>A survey of occupation and social class compared with five seasons of dates of birth was published in the Guardian newspaper for 20 March 1984. The data was obtained from a 1 in 10 sample of the latest available census figures (1971) of the occupations of 1, 461,874 men and 842,799 women who were economically active. The results are extremely significant. The statistical study reveals the following trends (Derek Walters: Chinese Astrology, 1992): Farmers in general belong to the Earth season; Miners to the Water season; Chemical workers to the Water season; Electrical workers to the Wood season; Laborers, storekeepers, packers to Earth and Metal seasons; Clerical workers to the Metal to Water seasons; and Professionals to the Wood to Fire seasons.</p> </li> <li><p><b>Feng Shui and Computer and Information Sciences: Feng Shui Expert Systems</b></p> <p>With its yin/yang binary notation system, five-dimensional coordinate, Ba Gua diagram, and symbolism, any application of Feng Shui is similar to a computer-based information system. Because Ba Gua diagram possess unlimited capacity for storing and transforming information, which is much stronger than any computer, Feng Shui s use of Ba Gua diagram enable it to adapt any form of computer and information technology. In fact, its diagnosis and forecasting and decision-making procedures are similar to computer programs and being translated into computer-based expert systems and knowledge database.</p> </li> <li><p><b>Feng Shui s Social Science and Humane Science</b></p> <p>While it appears to deal with the behavior of natural forces with its natural sciences, Feng Shui also seeks to explain the behavior of the world in relation to the lives of individuals. It is not only a study of how the environment in which people live may affect their lives, but also a study of how to use the environment to enhance the quality of a person s life. It develops its study around the human being. Thus, it has its social sciences and humane science.</p> <p>In fact, any application of Feng Shui is going to make people feel better; and if people feel good, they will work better. In addition to physical improvements of the environment, it uses rich symbolism, such as dragons, tigers, tortoises, and so on. Such symbolism has the psychological effects at least. Only based on its social sciences and humane science including its psychology, can its symbolism be understood and applied.</p> </li> </ol> </p> <div align="center"><img src="../images/fuxi06.gif" name="img1" height="88" /></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div id="right"> <!-- Right side elements placed here --> <div id="rightnav"> <table> <th><a href="../Yi_Jing_EN/fengshuisci.htm">Eng</a></th> <th><a href="../Yi_Jing_TC/fengshuisci_bg5.htm">A~SO</a></th> <th><a href="../Yi_Jing_SC/fengshuisci_GB.htm">€{SO</a></th> </table> </div> <div id="rightwhite"> <!-- Whitespace, ignore --> <div id="cornertl"> <!-- Top left page corner decoration; do not modify --> <img src="../images/cornertl.gif" /> </div> <!-- Top right page corner decoration; do not modify --> <div id="cornertr"> <img src="../images/cornertr.gif" /> </div> </div> <div id="rightmain"> <div id="righttext"> <!-- Right blurb items, such as ads or related items, here --> <!-- Maximum width of images is 130px --> <h1>Your inputs are always welcome!</h1> <p> You are welcome to input your comments, suggestions, supports and donations. </p> <p> There is a bank account of our society for raising funds. </p> <p> All proceeds will be used to fund publishing the books mentioned above, developing international cooperation on the theme, promoting Universe Yi research and education. </p> <p> You can contact us by mail via our mailing address on the left side of the page or email at <a href="javascript:antiSpam('jvs','shaw.ca')">jvs@shaw.ca</a>. </p> </div> <p><CENTER> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> getBgn(); </SCRIPT> </CENTER></P> </div> <div id="rightend"> <!-- Additional blurb area; items may be placed here but this section is fixed at 100 pixels in height; overflow material is hidden --> <!-- Maximum width of images is 140px --> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <!-- Page copyright information; do not modify --> <!-- Bottom left page corner decoration; do not modify --> <div id="cornerbl"> <img src="../images/cornerbl.gif" /> </div> <div> <p id="foottext"> &copy; 2004 The Canada Society of Yi Jing (The Book of Changes). 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