Feng Shui London and UK Spacessential

What is a Luo Pan?

The Luo Pan, also known as Lo-Pan, is a name for the Chinese Feng Shui compass. A Luo Pan is made of a regular compass as its centre, pointing south, as traditionally with Chinese compass. Surrounding the compass is a metal plate containing many rings covered with Chinese symbols. This plate can be moved to align with the compass direction. It gives numerous information about the type of Chi coming to a place, its strength, its direction etc. as well as timing indication.

Are there different Luo Pan?

Feng Shui techniques were first developed without the use of a compass, which came in many centuries later. However nowadays all the classical schools of Feng Shui have integrated the usage of the Luo Pan. Each school use different Luo Pan: San He or San Yuan Luo Pan for example. Some rings are always common such as the 24 mountains, the Bagua, and some are specific to the school.

Can I use a regular compass for Feng Shui measurements?

The usage of a regular western compass cannot be substituted to a Luo Pan. The Luo Pan is a geomantic compass that provides all information necessary to indentify the quality of the Chi, its circulation, and to diagnose a location.

But I’ve seen Feng Shui consultants working without compass?

An “expert” that practices Feng Shui with a western compass or without a compass at all must be regarded with suspicion – the Luo Pan is an essential part of any Feng Shui audit. Modern schools of “intuitive” or “symbolic” Feng shui do not use the compass anymore, but those have no historical foundation, and must not be considered part of classical Feng Shui. Their results are in line with their techniques…