Recently, I have encountered people saying they were told that houses with a particular facing (e.g., North facing) is suitable for him or her, and asked me if that is correct. Sad to say, this is a rather common query, and I should also say, a case for concern these days, on the general public’s understanding of Fengshui.

Though the increasing commercialization of Fengshui and popularity of some mainstream Fengshui knowledge has indeed helped improve the public’s awareness of Fengshui, it has also inevitably resulted in the communication of incorrect knowledge or usage of Fengshui such as, among others, the question posed above.

In Ba Zhai (八宅) Fengshui, one of the most common mainstream Fengshui knowledge around, one indeed can derive the positive or suitable directions from his or her Birth Year. Hence it is not surprising for many people to have the notion that houses with a particular facing is more suitable for him or her, based on Ba Zhai Fengshui.

Is such understanding correct? No, such understanding is wrong. In that case, does it mean Ba Zhai Fengshui is wrong? No, Ba Zhai Fengshui itself is not wrong. What is incorrect is the way Ba Zhai Fengshui is being used. Whether a property is Auspicious or Inauspicious is never about what particular facing is more suitable or better.

If you are planning to migrate to Country A or move to Location A, what are the key factors you will consider in evaluating whether Country A or Location A is suitable or good? Will it be about the architectural design of the house, the facing of the house, or even the interior décor? Clearly, the answer is no. For those key factors you have in your mind, ultimately, they are outward focus and can be associated with just two words, “Environment” and “Timing”.

If, however, the question is rephrased to “What are the key factors you will consider in evaluating whether your current property, Property A, is suitable or good?”, it is then not difficult to see why some people may have an inward focus with regards to the key factors for evaluation. Nevertheless, they should realize that Property A is still, first and foremost, subject to “Environment” and “Timing”.

In Fengshui terms, Environment is Space (空间), 雌雄; the external physical landforms of Yin and Yang nature; 外峦, Formation, 局也! Timing obviously, is Time (时间), 金龙; the period Ling Shen and Zheng Shen; 零正神也!

Regardless of whether it is on the selection of a new property or evaluating the current property which one stays or uses, the principle is always 先外后内！先知外，后论内, 方能对正下药! Thus, for your property, do you know what its formation (局) is first?