Feng Shui London and UK Spacessential

The Four Celestial Animals or Si Shou desinged the ideal Feng Shui formation for any site. They speak about the shapes and height of the surroundings of the location.

 

They are a derivation of the original concept of Four Symbols, which were linked with specific constellations. Those original four symbols are The Azure Dragon of the East or Meng Zhang, The vermillion Bird of the South or Ling Guang, The white Tiger of the West or Jian Bing , and The black Tortoise of the North or Zhi Ming. A fifth animal is sometimes referred as The yellow Yellow Dragon of the Centre (or Yellow snake), Huáng-lóng.

In Feng Shui practice the Four Celestial Animals are commonly known as:

• The Green dragon

• The white tiger

• The black tortoise

• The red phoenix

Characteristics of the Four Animals.

• The Green Dragon is on the left side of a house. It is traditionally associated with the wood of the East direction. This side should be slightly higher than the right side of the house, the white Tiger. It relates to reputation, fame and to the male head of the family.

• The White Tiger is on the right side of the house. It is traditionally associated with the West direction and with the metal Element. It should be higher than the house, but not dwarfing, and slightly lower than the Dragon side. The Tiger relates to money matter and women in the household. Lacking a Tiger side is a sure way to experience money problems.

• The Black Tortoise refers to the back of a house. It is linked to the North and the Water Element. It should be high and solid but not too close of the house –a distant hill or mountain was considered a good tortoise in old times. A lack of tortoise can leads to instability in the house.

• The Red Phoenix designs a formation that should be in front of the house, and is traditionally associated with the Fire Element and the South direction. A small distant hill for example was considered to be a good phoenix formation. Off all the animals formations this one is the less “essential”; however if the Chi arrives too fast in front of the house it is necessary to slow it down.

• The Yellow Dragon or Snake represents the centre of the house, and is traditionally associated with the earth Element. Classical Feng Shui practice recommend to have an empty centre in the house to let the Chi circulates – hence the old Chinese architecture with an empty courtyard in the middle.

When referring to the left/right side to determine the animals formations, this is done with the main façade at your back. So if you are standing outside, with the main façade behind you, and what you have at your left is the Dragon side, at the right the Tiger side. The main façade is not necessarily where the main door is, it is the “yangest” side of the building.