Feng-Shui Theory and Practice Investigated by Spatial Regression Modeling

Feng-Shui (meaning wind and water) has a strong indication for the placement of a physical object in space since it determines propitious locations by investigating the vital energy of the earth (Qi) throughout the lay of the land. Feng-Shui is the product of ancient Chinese cosmological beliefs and their responses to the land which were directly linked to survival and healthy living since it was believed that it could be used to harmonize people with their environment. Feng-Shui practices could be divided into landform Feng-Shui and livingspace Feng-Shui (Sung, 2001). Landform Feng-Shui practices have been conducted with emphasis on grave, residential sites, village, town, and city sites while living-space FengShui focused on the physical layout of such elements as the front gate, bedroom and kitchen. Today, living-space Feng-Shui is being widely used in the United States and Western Europe (Kim, 2003). In some respects, these two phenomena are quite different. However, they both involve patterns in siting that seem to express cosmological beliefs, numinous feelings and aesthetic experience.