Friday, October 16, 2009

The Feng Shui Lineage Game

Feng Shui was not passed on by aliens.

One of the commercial gimmicks Feng Shui masters are fond of using is "lineage".

Indeed, Feng Shui was taught through a master-disciple system. The disciple would be loyal because of the belief that the master would pass on to him the top secrets before his death. Whether it is true or not, no one knows but the game plays on.

Who was the first Feng Shui master then? How did he create the secrets of Heaven and Earth?

The answer is simple. There is no first Feng Shui master. Some people claim that Feng Shui knowledge was passed down from Guo Pu (276-324 AD) in his Burial Book. Yang Yun Song (834-906 AD) is another important person in the history of Feng Shui. According to the history documentary 《赣州府志》written in 1536 AD during the Ming Dynasty, Yang served Tang Emperor Xi Zong 唐僖宗 as the Gold and Purple Light Prosperity Officer 金紫光禄大夫 that took care of Earth Rational Affairs of the Spiritual Platform 灵台地理事. In today’s language, he was the Imperial Feng Shui Adviser.

When he was 45, the rebellion led by Huang Chao 黄巢 attacked the Imperial Palace and he escaped with important books kept in the Imperial Library. He used the technique he learned from the books to practise and teach Feng Shui. Because he was able to help the poor with his Feng Shui practice, he was known as Yang Jiu Pin 杨救贫 (Yang Saving the Poor). Today, a lot of people claim to be holding his lineage.

It should be noted that no one has mentioned who was Yang Yun Song’s master and his master’s master. According to reliable historical documents, he studied the books he took from the Imperial Library and became the most honoured Feng Shui master in history. Obviously he studied the principles but invented his technique. Unfortunately, no one holding his lineage learned Feng Shui the way he did. Instead of standing on the shoulders of giants, people today want to peep through the legs of giants.

JY

1 comment:

LunaticTrader said...

Dear Joseph,


Every surgeon can fairly claim to be in the very long "lineage" of the first person who invented the knife.

But that alone doesn't tell me if that surgeon is any good.
I'll probably want to check out other things before I employ his services.


Danny