Feng Shui
/ˌfʌŋ ˈʃweɪ/noun
A Chinese system of arranging buildings, spaces, and objects to promote harmony with the surrounding flow of qi.
Did you know?Early feng shui was closely associated with choosing auspicious sites for tombs and buildings, linking landscape, directional forces, and the circulation of qi.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
風水
““Wind-water,” a paired expression for environmental and landscape forces”
4th Century CE
Chinese
風水
“A term associated with principles of locating and orienting tombs and dwellings in harmony with qi”
4th–5th Century CE
Chinese
風水
“Used in the burial and geomantic traditions linked to the Book of Burial, traditionally attributed to Guo Pu”
Middle Chinese
Chinese
feng sywijX
“Pronunciations corresponding broadly to “wind-water” in the medieval Chinese sound system”
19th Century
English
feng-shui
“An English rendering of the Chinese practice, appearing in Western writing on Chinese customs and beliefs”
Modern English
English
feng shui
“The practice or philosophy of arranging spaces to encourage harmony, balance, and favorable qi”