Chinese house and feng shui

1. Houses and Feng Shui
in
China
Joanne Chen
2015

2. Presentation Outline
• Housing in China has a varied history with
many diverse styles
• Houses were identical in different regions
and ethnic groups
Traditional Architecture Modern Architecture House and Feng Shui
1. Imperial Architecture
2. Traditional Chinese
residences
3. Religious Architecture
1. Housing / residence in China
2. Shanghai World Financial
Center
3. National Center for the
Performing Arts, Beijing
1. Feng Shui tips
2. How to create good feng shui
3. Feng Shui rules
Garden of Forbidden City Shanghai Shanghai ally Ba Gua

3. Basic principals of
traditional Chinese house
design emphasis on
orientation, layout and
symmetry.
Traditional Courtyard
Symmetrical design
Si He Yuan (Courtyard house)

4. 北京四合院 Beijing Si He Yuan
The four buildings of a siheyuan are
normally positioned along the north-
south and east-west axis. The
building positioned to the north and
facing the south is considered the
main house.
A siheyuan (Chinese: 四合院; pinyin: sìhéyuàn;) is a
historical type of residence that was commonly found
throughout China, most famously in Beijing.

5. Imperial
Architecture
Beijing: Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese
imperial palace from the Ming dynasty
to the end of the Qing dynasty—the
years 1420 to 1912. It is located in the
center of Beijing, China, and now
houses the Palace Museum.

6. 福建客家土楼 Fujiang Tu Lou (Hakka)
A tulou (土楼)or "earthen building", is a traditional
communal residence found in Fujian Province South
China, usually of a circular configuration surrounding a
central shrine. These vernacular structures were
occupied by clan groups.
A tulou is usually a
large, enclosed and
fortified earth building,
most commonly
rectangular or circular
in configuration, with
very thick load-bearing

7. Suzhou Garden 苏州庭园
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou are a group of
gardens in Suzhou region, Jiangsu province. From
the 11th-19th century, most of them built by
scholars. The gardens are comprised of two parts - a
residential section and a garden.
The key features: classical Chinese garden
design with constructed landscapes
mimicking natural scenery of rocks, hills
and rivers with strategically located

8. 安徽古城马头墙 Huizhou Local Resident Houses
Huizhou Local Residential Houses appear as
constructions of gray tiles and white walls. They
were built originally by the merchants from Anhui.
Unlike the tradition ones
facing south, the houses
here face north in
accordance with the popular
saying that 'Merchants'
gates should not face south

9. Religious Architecture
Shaolin Temple, Shanxi Temple of Heaven, Beijing Longshan Temple, Taipei

10. Tibetan Housing
• Architecture in Tibet contains Chinese and Indian influences. Typically,
Tibetan structures are constructed of natural materials such as stone, clay,
and wood.
• Religious structures fall into two main types: temples, which are used for
religious ceremonies and worship; and stupas (Chörtens), which are
reliquaries and symbols.
Village cottages are built up by stone
slices that are connected with clay, and
the gaps between the slices are filled
Stupa
Potala Palace
Yak Tent
Stone House

11. Mongolian Yurt 蒙古包 – A House to Go
• The yurt (mongolian: Ger) is the traditional dwelling of the
nomads in Mongolia.
• It is a tent-like structure made from a wooden frame and
covered by wool felt. A traditional yurt is very easy to collapse
and assemble again, and it can be transported on no more than
three animals (horses, camels, yaks).

12. Farmers‘ Caves (窯洞 Yaodong)
• A type of dwelling that exists only in Northern
China
• A cave is around 20-26 feet long, 9.8 feet wide
and 3 9.8 feet high. From the outside, it appears
in the shape of an arc, which presents the
ancient opinion of “Heaven is round and ground
is square.
 The most
important
characteristic of a
Yaodong is that
inside it is cool in

13. A Blend in Chinese style and Western Style 1840-1949
The Bond, Shanghai, 1928 Guangzhou, 1920s Guangzhou, 1920s
Qianmen Railway Station, Beijing, 1900s Hong Kong 1900s Hong Kong 1900s

14. Modern Chinese Architecture
CCTV Tower, Beijing
Bird Nest, Beijing Shanghai
World finance center
Shanghai Tower
Taipei 101Suzhou MuseumShenzhen

15. Housing in China
• In recent years, housing development has
ballooned in China as its economy has developed.
Property development has become big business in
China, with new cities and suburbs springing up
with new apartments, and house prices have
rocketed in recent times.

16. What is Feng Shui?
• Feng shui (风水 pinyin: fēng shuǐ), is
a Chinese philosophical system of
harmonizing everyone with the
surrounding environment. The term
feng shui literally translates as "wind-
water" in English. Fengshui is based on Yin-Yang Theory and Five Elements Theory. It's a
form of geomancy.
 Fengshui philosophy states that qi (气 / 'energy') exists in all things and
is the life of the nature.
 The core idea of fengshui is the harmony between humans and nature
(or the universe).
 Good fengshui means good fortune, while bad fengshui means bad
luck. It is believed that fengshui can affect the destiny of an individual
and even a country.
Yin and Yang qi

17. Major Principles of Fengshui
• Take the environment as a
whole
• In accordance with local
conditions
• Leaning against mountains
and facing water
• Observing Terrain
• Examining Geology
• Analyzing Water Quality
• Facing South
• Moderate Size and Well
Situatedhttp://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/astrology/fengshui/principle.htm
Beijing: The best Fengshui city

18. China Cities with Good Feng Shui
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/astrology/fengshui/city.htm
Feng Shui followers believe Feng Shui is closely related to the rise and
decline of a city. A city with good Fengshui, no matter how small it is,
has the magical power to produce creative minds and gifted talents from
generation to generation. Listed below are some prime examples of
these cities.
Tekes in Iil, Xinjiang BeijingNanjing
KunmingXian
LuoyangChengdu
Hangzhou

19. Feng Shui Decorations
• Paintings
• Couplets
• Feng Shui Sword
• Eight Diagrams
Mirror
• Fish Bowl
• Pot Plants
• Wind Chime
• Wooden Floor
They are used daily to bring
good energy in health, finance,
relationships, and career, drive
off evil spirits, and break taboos.