Defining Yin Yang and Sheng Qi in YangGong FengShui

In the subject of FengShui, the generally accepted concept is that Mountain being still and unmoving should be considered as Yin and while water, conceptualized as being moving (supposedly) is Yang.

Historical Masters such as Cai YuanDing, Wang CeYing,  Zhao Jiu Feng, Yap Jiu Sheng and many others have the same general concept and interpretation of Yin and Yang of the environment. They postulated that "Moving is Yang and Quiet is Yin"; and derived at the conclusion that “Water moving is Yang and the Mountain quiet is Yin". 

But, Yang JunSong told us “Dragon is Yang and Water is Yin.  Earth (as land or Mountain Dragon), produces Qi and Qi produces water. Dragon as Principal and Water follows. So Dragon (Mountain) is Yang and Water is Yin”. He based this theory on the original version of the ZangShu (Book of Burial) which stated that: “Earth produces Qi and Qi produces Water”. Or rather, in this case we examine the relationship of Dragon and Water together -- of which Water is produced by the Dragon therefore, "the Dragon is Yang and the Water is Yin".  

However in the case of examining Dragons and Waters separately and from a different perspective onsite, we can have, for example, Water coming from the right to the left into the Ming Tang of a House or a Grave as Yang water, and Water coming from the left to the right into the Ming Tang as well, as Yin water.  Both Waters, Yin and Yang (Male and Female) meeting and uniting in the XuanKong and going out via the Watergate of (Grave, Extinct and Womb Palaces) are supposed to be very auspicious, if we look at it objectively.  But, subjectively speaking, the auspiciousness can only be rightfully termed, provided that the Male and Female Waters are of 3 Auspicious and 6 Elegant water and must necessarily be clean and clear, and, slow, meandering and long flowing. 

Therefore, to us in the tradition of YangGong FengShui, the generally accepted concept of Water as Yang and Mountain as Yin, is too objective a perspective to take, just basing on the notion of Movement as Yang and Stillness as Yin. 

We take a different approach, and that, is a subjective postulation because to us the world is ever-changing and is always in a flux; and that there is no permanent ‘quiet’ as far as the Mountain is concerned and there is no permanent ‘movement’ as far Water is concerned. 

If we try to interpret the words of GuoPu in the ZangShu (Book of Burial), in a less dogmatic manner, we might see this point of view. 

The Inner Chapters of the Zangshu on Vital Qi, sentences: (1) “Burial is contingent on Sheng Qi”, and (2) “The Five phases of Qi course thru the earth, materializes and give birth to myriad things”.

The second chapter on the Flow of Qi: “The Qi of Yin and Yang breathes out as wind, rises up as clouds, descend as rain and courses underground as vital energy. Earth is the receptacle of Qi – where there is Earth, there is Qi. Qi is the mother of water – Where there is Qi there is water.” (Courtesy of & translation by: Prof. Dr. Stephen L. Field, Phd.).

Therefore you can see that Yang Jun Song’s rationalization that -- Earth is Yang in nature and contains Qi which becomes Water, and Water as being Yin in nature, is not baseless. It is based on GuoPu’s Zangshu.

Yang JunSong went on to theorize that in every direction there are ShengQi and ShengQi is made up of 5 elements. That we should not limit ourselves to thinking that the Elemental qualities of each direction is fixed such as: East is fixed of Wood, West is of  Metal, South is of Fire, North is of Water.  But, instead there is a HeTu of 5 elements in each direction; there are five elements in each direction instead of one i.e. there are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire & Earth Elements in the direction of East. The same thing applies to the rest of directions.

Basing on this theory, he developed his famous Dian Dian Dao theory in the TianYu Jing. He said; “Dian dian dao, 24 mountains have treasure.” With this as the basis, he developed the 72 dragons attached to the DiPan (Earth Plate Correct Needle), as being a more accurate system of measurement of directional ShengQi.

A good FengShui Practitioner should know that the world is made up of 5 elements and they are contained as ShengQi prevalent everywhere.  While most FengShui Schools use only the DiPan 24 mountains to audit sitting and facing direction, YangGong FengShui uses the 72 Dragons attached to the DiPan to audit. To YangGong FengShui practioners, this is a more accurate method to determine the elemental energies for each particular direction.

Therefore, in conclusion, YangGong FengShui has a set of theories that are quite different from other contemporary FengShui schools.