The Bagua and Feng Shui History Beginnings

The Origin of the Feng Shui Compass, Earlier and Later Heaven Bagua

Feb 20, 2009

The Earlier Heaven Bagua, the Later Heaven Bagua, and the Feng Shui Compass are the basic concepts and instruments of the Feng Shui science.

The Chinese have a saying: “1st – luck, 2nd – fate, 3rd – Feng Shui, 4th – good deeds, 5th – education”. It is well-known how important luck is for every person. That is why it holds the first place. Fate is the second, and there exists an opinion that a man is the master of own fate. That is why Feng Shui takes the third place – in the middle between what it can influence, and what it can’t. Good deeds and education depend only on the individual, and cannot be influenced by Feng Shui.

So, no matter what waits for a person, he or she always has a chance to improve one’s life and call for luck with the help of the ancient Chinese science. Feng Shui is a precise science based on the principles of astronomy, physics, and geography.

Feng Shui History

Feng Shui is a Chinese art of locating objects in the space, and a science about humans’ living in harmony with the surrounding world and themselves. The term Feng Shui has come from the ancient times, and is translated as “wind and water”.

The name comes from the period when wind and water were the ruling powers in men’s lives. Light and warm wind provided good harvest. Water was considered to be the source of life. On the other hand, hurricanes would kill the crops, and floods – destroy settlements and take lives. These natural forces were considered to be determining the person’s fate, and influencing health and wellness.

The first concepts of Feng Shui are believed to have originated long before the Chinese Empire was formed.

The Earlier Heaven Bagua

The first rulers of Ancient China were aware of the art of wind and water. In the earliest historical records (legends) they have the power over natural forces. The first of such outstanding people was Wu Xing, who ruled the country approximately from 2852 to 2737 B.C. He, together with his two successors, is considered to have given people all the arts and crafts.

Fu Xi, a mythical emperor of China, is believed to be the official founder of the great Feng Shui science: on the back of a mythical animal he discovered a pattern, which became a prototype of the Earlier Heaven Bagua (also called the Earlier Heaven Order).

Huang-di, the Yellow Emperor and a successor of Fu Xi, is considered to be a patron of the Chinese nation. The first moon calendar was drawn up during his rule. The legend says that while he was fighting with enemies, Huang-di got lost in a magic mist and fell asleep. From that dream he brought out the knowledge about a magic compass (the Feng Shui Compass), which then helped him to defeat the enemies.

The Later Heaver Bagua

The first Chinese dynasty, the Xia Dynasty (2205–1766 B.C.), was founded by emperor Yu. He came to the rule when China was in a deplorable condition: the country was being constantly flooded. Yu the Great started digging channels and retracting water from the flooded territories.

However, the most important event to take place during Yu’s rule was the birth of the Later Heaven Bagua. As the legend says, after Yu had pacified the flood, a huge turtle came up from the waters of a river. A magic pattern was drawn on its shell. The pattern consisted of nine symbols. That is why China was later divided into nine regions.

The Earlier Heaven Bagua reflects the unchangeable nature of things. The Later Heaver Bagua is used for predicting the changeable reflections of the laws of life. The Feng Shui Compass, developed by emperor Huang-di, is still a vital instrument for applying the philosophy of Feng Shui on practice.

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