The words “Classical Fengshui” are used by many Fengshui practitioners today and I am also sure many have also come across these words. What exactly does “Classical” means? Though the word may mean differently to each practitioner, at the very minimum, the word “Classical” should mean that the Fengshui methods the practitioners are using are based on historical Fengshui Chinese classics.

The historical Fengshui Chinese classics, especially those by Yang Gong (楊筠松, 唐朝), have spawned numerous annotations from various practitioners from past to present, in their quest to decipher what the classics meant, and as a result, to learn about the Fengshui methods used by Yang Gong.

For a start, many have tried to decipher the classics, in order to understand and learn about the Fengshui methods. However, this either results in confusion or numerous different interpretations of the classics. Why is this so? One must know that throughout ancient China, Fengshui methods are closely guarded secrets, passed down primarily through oral transmission. In fact, this practice continues even today. As such, one should not expect Fengshui principles and methods to be explicitly written down in the classics. What use are the Fengshui classics then? They are primarily meant for validation of one’s knowledge (演经证诀)!

The Fengshui classics, notably Qing Nang Xu (青囊序), Qing Nang Ao Yu (青囊奥语), Tian Yu Jing (天玉经) and Du Tian Bao Zhao Jing (都天宝照经), are meant for one to validate his or her Fengshui principles and methods (演经证诀) against each and every line of the classics, to verify that his or her Fengshui principles and methods are indeed the correct ones. As such, it is futile for people to engage in discussion on whether a particular school of Fengshui principles or methods are right or wrong as this is a question best suited for each and every practitioner to answer to him or herself, to validate his or her Fengshui principles and methods against the classics.

Since it is on Fengshui classics or scriptures (经), have one give a thought on why there are only two classics or scriptures (Tian Yu Jing and Du Tian Bao Zhao Jing)? What are the rest?

If one attempts to start validating against the classics, which classic should one begin with? The answer is Qing Nang Xu. Qing Nang Xu, written by Yang Gong’s disciple, Zeng Wen Di (曾文迪), is meant to be the preamble (序), providing an overview and containing the key points before one attempts to validate against the other classics.

As such, let us now take a look at the opening sentences of Qing Nang Xu.