Beijing - Day 5 - Qi Men Dun Jia Class
Today we participated in a very fascinating class. Although fascinating, it was also quite complex. The topic was on Qi Men Dun Jia, also known as “Emperor’s Skill.” According to the Professor Zhang Xinggui, it is a system of signs in which all the relative signs are examined with the model of Qi Men Dun Jia. It is a system whereby three models of prediction/analysis are used:
Time and Space mathematical model
Biological Holographic model
and
Universal Movement model
It was taught by Professor Zhang Xinggui. He is a noted scholar on yi jing, Feng Shui, Face Reading and is a published author on Feng Shui and yi jing in China.
It covered a lot of material and most of the material was in Chinese, so we had to stretch our brains to understand the characters. It focused a lot on stem and branches and the elemental interplay of the different qi.
In the end, I think most people took away a working understanding of this deep theory and practice, but we will need to work more on developing our own knowledge and understanding. Like most things in the Chinese arts, it is something you need to practice a lot on to develop a true understanding.
Which leads me to a little editorial. Tonight browsing the web, I ran across some of the top listed sites in Feng Shui. I normally try to avoid saying anything negative, but after my experiences here studying with such profound scholars, I really have to say that Feng Shui as practiced in America is so shallow in so many ways. I ran across a site that was pure internet marketing hype. People throw up a site and proclaim to be Masters in Feng Shui when they are still selling trinkets and charging amazing fees.
Do they really understand the real philosophy and meaning of Feng Shui? I don’t think so. I have been studying this deep theory for more than twelve years and even now, I feel like I am just scratching the surface. Do these practitioners get results? Possibly. What I am riled by, is the lack of respect we have for such an amazing cultural treasure. Is it wrong what people are doing? No, they have to make a living and I believe that each person finds their own practitioner with whom they connect. But, I am saddened by this lack of respect for the tradition and I am even more saddened that a lot of the cultural treasure of China has even been lost to the Chinese people. There are places in China that have names based on Feng Shui concepts. But the city managers have changed things, without even realizing that it is contrary to what the name of the city represents.
All-in-all it is sad and the only thing that we can do is to learn more and understand more about Feng Shui, yi jing, and the other Chinese arts to keep the respect for these historical treasures alive. As such, I suggest that you do more to educate yourself on the actual study of Feng Shui. Go beyond the charms, superstition, and popular versions of Feng Shui and understand more of the “why’s” behind Feng Shui.
