Translation: 

Green Satchel Classics (Middle Scroll) - HuangShi Gong States: Heaven has 5 stars, earth has 5 elements. Heaven is constituting asterism, earth arrange mountain and plains. Qi moves as earth, forms suspend as Heaven. Use form to examine Qi, to forecast human affairs. ZiWei, heavenly pole. TaiYi is governing. The ruler 君临 rules 4 corners or cardinals. South facing thus govern. TianShi in eastern palace, ShaoWei western side. TaiWei southern wall, 4 and 7 as longtitude (classics). 5 virtues as latitude. Fortune (period luck) QianKun carriage. Shining brightly Qian granted. 7 governors pivot working, circulate with completion and commencement. Earthly virtue upward conveys, Heavenly light downward preside. Yin use Yang faces. Yang use Yin respond. YinYang mutually meet, fortune prosperity ever pure. YinYang together harness, misfortune disaster follows together. Heaven that which presides, earth that which contains. Form retains, Qi gathers – ten thousand things are born. Qi moves and responds spirits blessings touch people. Heaven has image, earth has form. Up down mutual rules and complete one body – this speak of change.

Early Heaven 先天

Early Heaven 先天 is referring to the “fixed” star. It is fixed as a reference point or palaces 宫. When it is visited by the 7 “planets” it is called path 道 such as yellow path 黄道, white path 白道 and red path 红道. These fixed stars are also known as the 28 asterism 二十八宿. In this cluster of the 28 asterism, it is known as the 4 enclosures 四垣 namely Black Warrior 玄武 – North, Red Phoenix 朱雀 – South, Green Dragon 青龍 – East, White Tiger 白虎 – West. When these 4 Heavenly enclosures are reflected onto earth, it forms the 4 Earthly Guardians 四灵 or land forms. These 4 enclosures form the outer layer of the Chinese “fixed” star. There are another 3 star streams 三垣 namely ZiWei stream 紫微垣, TaiYi stream 太微垣 and TianShi stream 天市垣. The north dipper star 北斗 is located at the ZiWei stream 紫微垣.  The Green Satchel state, ZiWei, heavenly pole. TaiYi is governing. The ruler 君临 rules 4 corners or cardinals. South facing thus govern. TianShi in eastern palace, ShaoWei western side. TaiWei southern wall, together they are the Early Heaven star map that is fixed therefore it is known as Early Heaven – Something that you want to change but cannot change – it is fixed! Early Heaven star map has also its own YinYang. It is where your XKDG is structured. Just cannot believe there are people who claimed to be using XKDG date selection and yet warning others that the 28 asterism 二十八宿 is no longer valid due to the precession of the equinox! The entire structure of XKDG is based on Early Heaven 先天.

Later Heaven 后天

Heaven has 5 stars – Jupiter 木星 (wood star),   Mars 火星 (fire star),   Saturn 土星 (earth star), Venus 金星 (metal star) and Mercury 水星 (water star). Earth has 5 elements –木 (wood), 火 (fire), 土 (star), 金 (metal) and 水 (water). When Heaven is constituting asterism, earth arrange mountain and plains - it means to say these planetary movement is affecting the mountain star 山星 and the water star 水星. 

So, the 5 elements are also assigned to landforms. Qi moves as earth (moves), forms suspend (reflected from) as Heaven. Use form to examine Qi, to forecast human affairs. This is where the term as above so below comes into being. On earth we investigate the land form. Looking up the Heaven, there stars that suggest the locations of these land forms. Therefore first class master, you are supposed to be able to observe the star and to apply your FengShui cure without even the need to go to the site. However it is not true. The 5 planets plus the moon and the sun are - the 7 governors pivot working, circulate with completion and commencement. These are the moving parts of the star map that is called Later Heaven 后天. With each of these movements human affairs can be forecast and step can be taken. Therefore Later Heaven 后天 is what you can control. Out of the 7 governors, the Sun and moon are two entities that are closet to the Earth. The Sun governs season and the moon governs water.

Points to note:
SanHe uses the sun path to set its Heaven Plate to establish structure. SanYuan uses the Heavenly “clock” instead to set its Heaven Plate to also establish structure. How far different can they be? 

Points to note:
There is a phrase, Early Heaven as principle, Later Heaven as application. How do you see SanHe and SanYuan people using Later Heaven 后天 to control what it is not able to control as in Early Heaven 先天? 

Early & Later Heaven Relationship

Early Heaven is the Body 先天為體, object, host or principle (體) and Later Heaven 後天為用 is the soul, subject, guest or application (用). EH is a given scenario that cannot change as - in the gifts of Heaven. LH is a transformation as in Human Actions. Undoubtedly based on the principle of 體用, we said EH governs mountain, as herewith referred to human relationships and health aspect, whereas, LH governs water, as herewith referred to opportunities and wealth. LH  is something that is in our controls whereas EH is beyond our controls.

When we look into the 8 wandering Gua  游星, we are arranging the directional Qi map of the 8 sectors and if applied to the mountains or stars, we called it as PaiLong 排龙 or arranging the dragons. Another name to it is the minor wandering Gua 小游年卦. When the name of the stars from the big dipper is assigned to these Gua it is called star, hence the name 8 minor wandering Stars is surfaced 小游年星.

The similar notion is then applied to BaZhai 八宅法 when the stars are assigned to the 8 directional Qi map of the 8 sectors for a compartmentalized structure. To distinguish between these methods of arranging the stars, it is called minor wandering stars, for assigning the mountain, mainly used for burial and major wandering stars 大游年星 for assigning of Qi map for compartmentalized spaces as in a dwelling.

These form the premise of what later known as the East and West House 东西卦宅.

3 Auspicious and 6 Elegance of Starry starry Night
3 intergalactic friends namely ZiWei, TianShi and TaiWei, decides one day to leave a mark on planet earth. Seeking permission from the Jade Emperor, these friends pull the surface of the earth marking and distinctively arranging mountains, waters, streams and sands. The chief of these companions is ZiWei. He alone controls TaiYi, being a small portion of the intergalactic ZiWei streams. There he decides, among his peers which landforms are the 3 auspicious and the 6 elegance. Do you know which?

Having its sides shining the 4 extremes, being which are the 4 extremes? There comes the four and then the seven making a vertical connection. What is this connection? Why seven and not five? Has the five been in horizontally woven? Woven into what?Apparently we need to spend a lot of time looking up into the skies. It is this time that this exercise is a luxury for many modern people, whom has taken a choice of looking for the stars in the television instead. Notice how the star rotates?

Apparently we need to also spend a lot of time looking down to the shadows of the valleys. It is this time that this exercise is also a luxury for many modern people, whom has taken a choice of looking for money in the office instead. Notice how the shadow moves as the sun rotates?

Had these rotations not “woven” into something else, such as the 3 auspicious and 6 elegance, day for night and night for day? So what has been woven? What are these numbers? What are these enclosures? The best of all what the hell is 3 auspicious 6 elegance?

Monsieur Steve, have you progress with the heavenly stars?

4 Good Versus 4 Bad - East Versus West

It will be ridiculous to even think that there will be 4 bad sectors and 4 good sectors for a house. If one is living in a mansion, then the 4 bad sectors would have been easily avoidable. What if it was a case of a small apartment unit? Does it mean that the other 4 sectors will be unusable? Worst, if the notion of the 4 eastern GUA cannot match the 4 western GUA. How ridiculous such a theory can be? Imagine, what will one sees when one travels west and beyond? Will one come back to the East? So, how could west remain as west and east remain as east?

The Early and Later Heaven application has been force fitted to explain a theory in such a morbid fashion. It will be even more horrifying to note that the East and West dichotomy is due to the interaction of the 5 elements. Have any genuine theory of Chinese Metaphysics say that water and fire clash each other? If that is the case, what is the Green Satchel Classics for? Would that make any significant for the authoritative classic of 8 mansions called 8 Mansions Bright Mirror (Bazhai Ming Jing) to be relevant?

Early heaven is principle, later heaven is application. What does this really mean? Can LiuSha, WuGui, JueMing and HuoHai be auspicious? Can a husband and wife of different east and west group share the same bed use the same entrance, eat at the same table? How about the pet in the house? Before we continue bluffing ourselves with 8 mansions, why wouldn’t we revisit the fundamental? Just the fundamental.

Heaven and Earth fixed position. Which is heaven which is earth? What is the vessel, where is the Qi? Mountain and marsh connect Qi. Where is the mountain, where is the marsh? How to connect Qi? Thunder Wind mutually close. Where is the thunder and where is the wind? What has been close and what has been opened? Water and Fire not shoot each other. Which are the fire and which the water is? Why these elements don’t shoot each other? If one understands this, one will understand that there is no dichotomy of the east and the west, good and the bad. We will understand 8 mansions in another perspective. Unfortunately, we simply don’t even understand what ShengQi is and we start talking about others!

Also, seek the applications as the followings: -
Carries trunk, Kun earth,
Downward shining, Qián arranges.
Seven governors, pivot workings,
Circulate, finish, begin.
Earthly virtue, upwards convey,
Heavenly lights, downwards preside.
Yin applies, Yáng faces,
Yáng applies, Yin responds.
Yin Yáng, mutually meet,
Fortune, prosperity, ever pure.
Yin Yáng, together harness,
Misfortune, disaster follows gate.

Knowing these, all the new age theories dotting the internet will be crap and a shear display of mockery and fallacy, to reinvent an ancient theory based on modern interpretation. The current notion of east and west houses are a shear fallacy and any further discussion based on such false interpretation would be disaster resulting in breaking up of families, useless renovations, unnecessary fears, getting rich schemes, more advance Bazhai classes, 8 mansions for wealth, getting rich with 8 mansions, more books to the resume and endless forum entries such as what if the flying star chart do not conform to the 8 mansion chart?

So the next time, when such a question of this sort was put forward, such theory was discussed further, just take a seat back and laugh for one knows it is not true. Perhaps even the Green Satchel wasn't true?

The Question of Subtleties

In view that SanYuan rested on timing. YinYang Qi map is the fundamental of where to locate water and where to locate mountain. All this is term direct and indirect spirit, LingZhen.

2 cycles 8 periods referred to the Heaven Qi. There are only upper and lower cycles. Upper cycle governs period 1, 2, 3 and 4. Lower cycle governs period 6, 7, 8 and 9. There is no period 5. In the 2 cycles 8 periods, each period governs an unequal number of years. Each Yang Yao within the ruling Gua governs 6 years and the Yin Yao within the ruling Gua governs 9 years. For example in the upper cycle of period 1, the governing Gua is Kan Gua. Kan Gua has 2 Yin Yao and 1 Yang Yao. Therefore, the period 1 will last for 24 years.

The absent of period 5 is called the invincible period. It is the igniting element that will propel the cure throughout the 180 years and therefore are known as The SanYuan BuBai. So highly mysterious that it is also annexed to the method of XieZi.

On the other hand, XuanKong DaGua (XKDG) is annexed to the 2 cycles 8 period principle. It is therefore, a Heaven Qi manipulation method befitted as a date selection technique.

Whereas, 3 cycles 9 periods referred to Earth Qi. There are Upper, Middle and Lower Cycles. Upper cycle governs period 1, 2 and 3. Middle cycle governs 4, 5 and 6. Lower cycle governs 7, 8 and 9. Each period governs an equal 20 years. Thus, a cycle consists of 60 years.

One postulation suggests that 5 yellow exist in earth Qi because the 5 yellow is the center of the earth with the operative method rested on AiXing, Leaning Star with the quest to move the center of the Earth in sync with the Heaven Qi.

The Purple White Script, ZiBai Jue, is one of the fragments dislocated from the entire body of knowledge within this SanYuan framework. Similarly so with XuanKong FeiXing (Flying Star), BaZhai (8 Mansions) and LongMen BaDa Ju (Dragon Gate 8 Formations), are just subsets of the entire framework. These piece-meals methods are called, end user methodology.

The pretext state, Heaven has 9 stars, Earth has 8 Gua and Human (Man) has 8 doors. If we see SanYuan as Heaven, Earth and Man, the valid method must encompass of matching the Heaven Qi with the Earth Qi to unlock the gateways within so that the parallel dimensions between the human realm and the supernatural realm is open. Does it sound “hocus-pocus”?

As above so below is an alternative view of how Heaven Qi influences the Earth Qi and in return, how Earth Qi influence Human Being. This postulation is annex to the asterism above influence the gravitational pull that result in having mountains, the solid and rivers, the void shape the landforms that we know today. This is however, a single dimensional point of view.

What that is not explained is at every point on Earth, there is a portal ready to be opened where scripts liked the leaning, expanding, contracting, hugging, replacement are all the essence to open up the portals so that an affinity with the other side is established.

The key to these, again, are the Yi TaiQi that spins in one direction in order to open the Dao TaiQi that spin the reverse order. This is where the understanding of landforms via LingZhen spirit becomes largely important and it is the backbone of the Greater SanYuan.

Ling and Zhen as a principle is static apply for both 2 cycles and 3 cycles respectively. But the dynamic part for Earth Qi is largely governed by landforms. If the theory of as above so below is valid, then the reflections of the landforms must correspond to the asterism as above. It must works in both ways. This is to inform that by plainly accepting XKDG as a date selection without looking the actual star that present and the governing Qi respectively, SanYuan portal will not be opened. This is where results are inconsistent as sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

When we stacked the multi layers of SanYuan AiXing against the dimension of time with the arrangement of the doors, what is present to us is a stacking of multi-dimensional model, where stars lean against one another locking and unlocking the multi dimensional portals.
Is this mysterious subtleties?

The art of receiving Yin and pushing Sha, 收山出煞, has many interpretations. Among all definitions, XieZi, 些子, is one of the lesser known. Some define Shan, 山, as mountain while others define it as Yin, static, solidify Qi or stillness. This art is to enable one to turn Yin into Yang and vice-versa. 

Many assumed, WuChang, 無常, lineage practiced 收山出煞, according to the displacing YinYang principles. It has to do with 山上龙神不下水，水里龙神不上山, Dragon Mountain God doesn’t dive; Dragon Water God doesn’t climb. 收山, means prosperous mountain stars matching higher ground, while prosperous water stars matching lower ground. 出煞, is to do the reverse. Same token, a mountain god will be drowned and a water god will be dead thirsty, when their YinYang is displaced. It assumed, Dragon God 龙神 meant the 9 stars. The malignant star will be harmless when their YinYang is displaced. One question is does the term Dragon God, 龙神 really refers to the 9 stars?

Adding to the fallacy, Sheng 沈氏玄空學, gives additives to 收山出煞, by introducing the sitting and facing stars. It assumed that sitting star is mountain star and facing star is water star. That is where it is often mixed up between the need to LiPan or to GePan. Establishing sitting and facing stars became cumbersome. If someone tells you that the same row of shops has a different sitting and facing because they measure it by reference to the door. Sheng’s method on 收山出煞 is deemed to work only if it falls within its “structure” which is one reason why Flying Star sometimes, doesn’t work.

Another reason for 收山出煞 comes from SanYuan point of view. It is called the principle of Direct and Indirect, 零正. Any violation to this principle would not see results in the application of SanYuan. The idea of 零正 comes from Prosperous Qi arriving at the un-prosperous sector while depleting Qi is revitalized by the prosperous sector. It means to say, 8 timely Star will see Northeast sector prosperous 正神. It prefers to receive Yin 收山. Southwest, would be untimely 零神 and prefers to push Sha 出煞 to accumulate water. In many instances, violation of Direct and Indirect Spirits, 零正 also see positive results in many real life cases.

The LiuFa 六法 offers a different perspective by introducing the idea of JingLung or Golden Dragon 金龍 as an annotation to the 5 yellow in their manipulation of the LoShu chart, by means of LoShu path flight based on the YinYang Gua, to explain why in the many instances violation of 零正 also see positive results. However, this theory is force-fitting, as LoShu only leans forward as time only travels forward and not backward, unless space time dimension is bent.

Another novel idea of 收山出煞 came from DaGua 大卦. One advocated that DaGua 大卦 is the body, FlyingStar 飞星 is the application owing to the former has the basis in the Early Heaven and the later has the basis in the Later Heaven. One uses DaGua to match LongShan XiangShui 龍山向水 to achieve YiGua ChunQing 一卦純清 and matching FlyingStar chart to acquire the timely purple white. Therefore, door tilting became the upmost important method. Once the door tilt, both the FlyingStar and the Hexagram altered. It introduced yet another caveat known as the Out of Gua and JingFang’s 京房 Hexagram to look ever more convincing. This is another form of 收山出煞, where 收山 by having in-Gua or using the same family Hexagram and 出煞 by putting one out of Gua or different family Hexagram. If this theory works, then all the tilted doors must be enjoying bountiful business but yet, real case studies revealed otherwise. The response to critics is that, most of these tilted doors do not conform to landform, therefore, it doesn’t work.

LiQi 理氣 must conform to forms 形勢 for things to work. Alongside with some observations, those tilted doors which work are actually the one which conforms to land form. However, how do one know that it is the forms 形勢 that is working all these while and not LiQi 理氣, as forms never lie, formula not necessary tells the truth. It is therefore, prudent to note that door tilting is not the only answer to 收山出煞.

Another form of 收山出煞, came from SanYuan LungMen BaDa Ju, 龍門八大局 or their SanHe version called QianKun GuoBao, 乾坤國寶. Before these schools ever attempt to 收山出煞, they must first define the confluence of two rivers from the Heaven Gua not breaking the Earth Gua structure. If it ever conforms to the 8 structures 八大局, they will attempt to receive Yin 收山 otherwise they will alter their facing to rid themselves from the 8 Killing Waters and the 8 Killing Mountains. These schools also derived a Middle Heaven Gua 中天卦, sometimes also referring to as Star Robbery, having to deal with such is their version of pushing Sha 出煞. Vividly remember a fellow Penang master, having to joke that as though these methods teach you to pull your pants down before you fart, in their attempt to play with the Heaven and Earth Gua. Very thought provoking and entertaining indeed. Theoretical wise, it makes sense. Practical wise, some of the so called 8 structures 八大局 contradict landform principles. So, their versions of 收山出煞 is again good on theory, faulty in application.

YangGong method 楊公法 needs little introduction. Calling the art of receiving Yin and pushing Sha, 收山出煞 by another name, XiaoSha NaShui 消砂纳水, this SanHe version uses a combination of dependent theories to evaluate the environment, layer by layer of YinYang to determine the so called Pure YinYang 純陰陽. So, contradictory that absolute YinYang would not grow, so how possible is it to receive ShengQi? Here is where the “great misunderstanding” comes in. XiaoSha NaShui 消砂纳水 is entirely different from ShouShan ChuSha 收山出煞. One is talking about NaShui 纳水 the other is talking about ShouShan 收山. The operative word is what is the use of ShouShan 收山? Other than that is lineage secret – out of bound. 

The much proven method of 收山出煞, is within its landform with regards to its Qi mouth receiving Qi from the Bright Hall. Receiving Yin 收山, is to sink in and 出煞 is to protrude. Sunken or protrude doesn’t automatically means one is able to receive or retain ShengQi. The idea of sunken when the Qi flow is weak or Yin and to protrude to catch Qi in the wide open space or strong flowing Qi or Yang Qi may also be misleading. This is often a beginner’s mistake. There are many more layers of YinYang which this very method of 收山出煞 needs to gel with, in order to see results. YinYang is only the very first layer to begin with.

TianYu Jing 天玉經 has this to say, 

汝今傳得地中仙，玄空妙难言，翻天倒地更玄玄，大卦不易傳。
更有收山出煞诀，亦兼为汝说。相逢大地能几人，各个是知心，
若还求地不种德，稳口深藏舌。

Translated as - now you have passed down teachings to obtain earth immortality, XuanKong subtlety is difficult to describe. Transforming Heaven changing Earth furthermore very mysterious, DaGua difficult to pass down. Furthermore, have receiving Yin pushing Sha methodology, similar, together have you persuaded. Meet great earth, can how many person be? Everyone does care. If still look for earth without cultivating virtues, conceal mouth deeply hide tongue.

This may be a reason, why many teachers are not willing to teach this very fundamental knowledge of FengShui and all that can be prescribed are the tons of theory which if often nice on paper, difficult in application. 

One FengShui enthusiast from Penang asked, why are you not teaching FlyingStar? The answer to her is obvious; FlyingStar can easily be read off from books. Others liked receiving Yin and pushing Sha, 收山出煞 is priceless. That is one reason, Establishing Heaven Heart (天心十道) and Arranging YinYang (阴阳排龙) is in our syllabus for the beginners.

Title: Qing Nang Ao Yu
Author: Prof. Yap Cheng Hai / Prof. Dr. Yang Kim Voon
Link: http://www.mqfengshuiacademy.com

Reflection:

It is timely that such an information on YangGong is made available in the English language, although I must admit that MoonChin has started the ball rolling via his maiden E-Book on the same subject, of which I had made a commentary review on it. The title Qing Nang Ao You (QNAY) is similar to the classics written by the Great Grandmaster Yang Jun Song, known as YangGong. However, this book should have been a commentary on QNAY and not QNAY per se, in accordance to Ganzhou Yue Che Tang perspectives. For this and in the written style of Chinese way of thinking in the English medium, I do not reckon any inputs or role that Prof Yap has included in this manuscript, for among others, Prof Yap is well known for his Eight Mansion techniques and not YangGong old method. On another view, it would have been an absolute “cut and paste” effort of the collectives of exchanges of views between Prof Yang with other experts via MoonChin, being at the time his most senior student, in the same subject via emails and forums that had once stormed the internet causing much excitement to the many especially in notion of mountain as Yang, water as Yin (also read http://fsrcenter.blogspot.com/2009/05/yin-and-yang-and-life.html for an antagonistic view). The way this book is written could have been professionally edited in the English language making it easier to read, rather then running about the bush. However, I must admit in terms of contents it is much more loaded as compared to the one written by MoonChin on the same subject. If the former is only surface deep, this is at least skin deep.


I would just highlight a few matters of interest as the followings, The 4 major water structures had its genesis with HeTu, rooted on the fact that Earth is the mother of Qi, Qi is the mother of water, in accordance to ZhangShu. So there are only 4 structures namely wood, water, metal and fire. Earth structure follows water structure. This is incoherent with the HeTu. In geography, there are 3 dragons coming into China from west to the east, before branching into 5 branches namely Qian, Kun, Kan, Li and Dui. Thus the western side of China is always higher then the eastern side. If South is taken as the facing, we would end up having the white tiger higher then the green dragon almost deviated from the known notion of FengShui that the green dragon must be higher then the white tiger positions in order to receive auspiciousness. This in my reflection this is fallacy number one.


As in HeTu, the incoming dragon takes a male role, therefore it is Yang. This dragon carries external Qi. Whereas, for every notable dragon, there must be a consort called water dragon. This water dragon is female in gender, Yin, carrying internal Qi. ZhangShu explicitly explained that to receive FengShui is to ride ShegQi. In another word, the objective of FengShui is to seat on the spot where internal Qi meet (marry or intercourses) external Qi, called a XuanKong phenomena, cannot be seen with its effect which can be felt. Almost, contradicting the usually assumed Mountain being static is Yin and water being dynamic is Yang. With this hypothesis, it has shaken many fundamentals of other school of thoughts on the same subject. This is in my reflection this is fallacy number two.


Next, out of the 5 dragons, there are only 4 visible ones called Bing, Jia, Ren and Geng, reflecting again the HeTu. Correspondently, there will be 4 female water dragon consorts reflecting, Yi, Gui, Xin and Ding. Care must be taken that these male and female must be matched accordingly. This brought the entire discussion into what constitute host and guest. The emphasis is to look at Bing dragon finds its consort as Yi water, Jia with its Gui consort, Ren with its Xin consort and Geng with Ding consort. This is what known as left and right turning. I would come to a conclusion that these theories is over laden to guide one into looking for the correct water exits, just in simple term. Yet with these explanation, in practice, one still have difficulty in locating the water exits without proper examples on searching for the water mouth). This is in my reflection this is fallacy number three.

I would reserve the rest of my reflections for some other times.

In summary, this is a good recommendation on the subject matter with its major setbacks of ease of legibility, poor graphics, minimal diagrammatic explanation, nonsensical and irrelevant references, repetitive passages and interstices of ideas in a fragmented ways. I would have expected better writtings in academic framework especially comming from the background of PhD, post PhD and Professorhood calibre. After reading it, I cannot help but to wonder with a sense of Deja-Vu, that the contents are derived wholesale stock load and barrel from another source by MoonChin or someone else. Again, I am looking forward to the next publications, if any and hopefully with improved editing and manuscript.

Title: Yang Gong FengShui - Fundamental Theories
Author: M.L. Chin
Link: http://www.kanyu-world.net/

Review:

This is a very BASIC book of Yang Gong FengShui written in the pretext of the so called old method or GuFa. Although the introduction is brief, it is meant to give an over simplified view of classifications as the old method versus the new method for purpose to allow reader to further research into both techniques without the preconceive ideas of which is neither superior nor otherwise. As this work reflects on the writer, whom was a disciple of Yang Gong Old method, he has consciously tried to distance himself from writing a biased view with regards to Yang Gong in an idolised manner, although with its setbacks. From the continuous explanations, such devoid of idolization result in many interpretations that is purportedly classify as Yang Gong old method, very distinctive in nature and in a style of explanation only found common within the Chinese literate FengShui communities. Saying thus, the ways in which a postulation is made is typically Chinese in thinking, logic and understanding. For a western reader, such will pose a greater degree of irrational line of reasoning and logic. Perhaps the notion of things being Chinese would need to be clarify before embarking on this book.

Chapter 1 resemble the history of Yang Gong in a nutshell. When it states that Yang Gong is the Imperial Master, such title has a far reaching impact to the Chinese reader then any others, as such title bearer holds the responsibility beyond the living and the death. The tale of how Yang Gong left the imperial palace and live among the commoner in a place now called Yang Xian Ling or Mountain of the Sagely Yang, on a superficial level indicates its genesis, which again may lead to further abuse of identification of authenticity of any FengShui lineages, as Yang Gong old and new methods are one of the many lineages harping around this art of FengShui. At a deeper level, although not mentioned in details, is the name of Jiu Ping annexed to Yang Gong as the savior of the poor. Meaning in regardless of the auspiciousness of a place, such method can still make a difference to a commoner.

Chapter 2 resemble the definition of Growing Qi, ShengQi. The writer tries to give different perspective of ShengQi in accordance to different schools although not without its setbacks. More importantly, the writer stress the fact that ShengQi stems from the underlying knowledge of the 12 growth phases with relation to the 5 processes, each found in the 8 directions. Precisely saying, the purpose of FengShui is to ride ShengQi both the internal and the external, a concept annexed to the Burial Classics again, by another great grandmaster before Yang Gong, name GuoPu. Here the methodology is silenced, as prescribed it is just a BASIC book of Yang Gong Old Method.

Chapter 3 resemble the meanings of Qi or Water Mouth. The opening pretext stems on comparison between the other schools, again not without its setbacks. The underlying principle is first to indentify what is not Watergate. Then, only to identify what is Watergate, typical of a Chinese way of reasoning. That is still not the catch. The writer brings its reader one full cycle of landform analogy of how Qi is born out of earth and water is born out of Qi, follows by why water follows mountain as the principle of water is Yin, female and Mountain is Yang, male. Such postulation has caused heated debates among the contemporary FengShui theorist today and is taken as a distinctive boundary between the old methods with the new method, although I may differ in such opinions. These male and female marry in the so called XuanKong with the front bright hall. The intercourse of male and female give birth to ShengQi, before the water exits via the Watergate, usually locked by two mountains. At this point of explanations, there is again, no conclusive definition as to what constitute a Watergate, liken to the act of chasing mirage.

Chapter 4 resembles more round about arguments as first the theory of what and what not constitute a mountain dragon and the water dragon annexed to phrases and definition found in the burial classics. Overall, it is noted that these dragons are found naturally and not drains that were dug out, purportedly to mirror the water dragon and lumps of mud to represent mountain dragon. More importantly, it states that the male and female moves parallel to each other. What does this signify in regards to Yang turning or Yin turning was not discuss in details and were left for other chapters. The rest of the sub chapters were more geared towards rebuttal of the other method, not constituting the old method school of thoughts. To the uninitiated, it brings forth a sense of supremacy of the old method over the new method with highlights of redundancy of the Yin Yang denotation of the Heaven plate and the use of the Human plate to audit the external environment. More importantly the notions of Yin matches Yang or vice versa are deeply misunderstood when it comes to the Yin Yang Heaven plate. The roles of the human plate were rather sketchy and were left unaddressed.

Chapter 5 resembles the famous Yang Gong 72 dragon rings. The postulations of each directions consists of the 5 elements are explained here in a geomantic manners. The writer subconsciously idolised the intelligence of Yang Gong when he explains the derivation of the 72 dragons in pain taking details, almost of explaining from the inner rings to the outer rings of the Heaven plate. It is just a pity that the writer did not include diagrammatic explanations to ease understanding. The other subchapters dwell more into the notions of death and emptiness lines or void lines but never mention in detail as the applications of these void lines and how would a practitioner quantify such in a nexus of its measurements. A comparative discussion were made against other school of thoughts notably Xuan Kong, again which bias towards the Yang Gong Old Method. These 72 dragons were annexed to another postulation of Dian Dian Dao sequence which was to be explained in detail in chapter 9. Reaching thus far, it is not easy to consume all the postulations put forth at a glance, critically, as it was explains in a typical Chinese way of understanding towards the subject matter in a flux at a beginner or entry level.

Chapter 6 resembles the introduction of the 12 growth phases, the 3 combinations or frames, the palm method for ease of remembrance. These palm method is very useful to ease the art of memorizing, again something very Chinese in inclination, almost devoid of using the LuoPan. This follow by the way of reading the Heaven’s plate on paper or in theory only. It absolutely sound easy, nevertheless very difficult if one is not shown the way in practice.

Chapter 7 resembles the notorious arguments of the old method supremacy which were very bias in nature. Along these line of arguments, the idolisation of Yang Gong takes centre stage almost liked taking a direct reference from other writings in the same subject in the Chinese language.

Chapter 8 resembles the modus operandi of Yang Gong old method 9 procedural practices from pre-audit to rectification of others “screw-up” FengShui jobs in a glance. Yes, do not expect anything more then a glance and it works well fine as a brochure to advertise and advocate Yang Gong old method as a curriculum.

Chapter 9 is note worthy and resembles the discussion of the classical text of Qing Ran Ao You at a theoretical approach only without much reference to applications.

In summary, when one understood the method, it is as easy as A B and C. Although the writer wishes to explain in a beating about the bush manners and very Chinese way of postulation, many so called secrets are woven in the arguments put forth. Unfortunately it only reserve for the one who knows such method and never for the uninitiated. If this is a beginner book, I would have rated it as less then skin deep. However, comparatively to the tons of pages of reference books that only displays charts and charts of meaningless graphics and glossy travelogues of searching the dragon, this is indeed a book worth its price and contents. At least, one who does not have access to the Chinese books written on the same subject, would have now granted a glimpse into the intricacy of the arts served raw.