The Zang Shu (葬書) , attributed to Guo Pu (郭璞) of the Jin Dynasty, is the absolute foundational text of Kanyu. It is famous for providing the first formal definition of "Feng Shui" and establishing the core goal of all subsequent practices: Cheng Sheng Qi (乘生氣 - Riding the Life Qi) .
Zang Shu (葬書 - Book of Burial)
The Foundational Pillar: Defining the Essence of Feng Shui
✦ ◆ ✦
Core Principles / 核心理論
1. Riding the Life Qi (乘生氣)
Life energy (Sheng Qi) flows through the earth like blood through veins. Burial or building at the point of maximum Qi concentration allows the living or deceased to benefit from cosmic vitality.
Key Concept: Qi is the mother of water; where there is water, there is Qi. Earth is the body of Qi; where there is earth, there is Qi.
一、乘生氣
生氣在地中流行，如血脈之於身體。在生氣匯聚之處安葬或建築，使人能感應宇宙之活力。
核心概念： 氣者，水之母，有水斯有氣。土者，氣之體，有土斯有氣。
2. The Definition of Feng Shui
The text provides the classic definition: "Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is bounded by water and stops." (氣乘風則散，界水則止) .
Conclusion: The ancient masters called it "Feng Shui" (Wind-Water) because the goal is to **Store the Wind** and **Gather the Water**.
二、風水之定義
經典定義：「氣乘風則散，界水則止」。
結論： 古人謂之「風水」，旨在「藏風」與「得水」。
3. Resonance (感應)
"The Qi of the ancestors resonates with the descendants." This establishes the logic for Yin House Feng Shui —that the state of the ancestral grave directly impacts the fortune of the bloodline.
三、感應之理
「人受體於父母，本骸得氣，遺體受蔭」。這確立了陰宅風水的邏輯——祖先骸骨得氣，後代子孫蒙受福澤。
✦ ◆ ✦
The Five Theory Highlights
- Qi (生氣): The dynamic force of life.
- Forms (形勢): The macro and micro topography.
- Water (得水): The boundaries of energy.
- Wind (藏風): The containment of energy.
- Soil (土質): The physical carrier of Qi.
✦ ◆ ✦
The "Qi Rides the Wind" Verse / 「氣乘風則散」解析
The Most Important Sentence in All of Feng Shui
This single verse from the Zang Shu defines the entire discipline and gives it its name:
The Verse
"Qi rides the wind and scatters; it is bounded by water and stops. The ancient masters gathered it to prevent its scattering, and guided it to make it stop. Therefore they called it 'Feng Shui' (Wind-Water)."
Word-by-Word Analysis:
- 氣乘風則散 — Qi "rides" (乘) the wind and "scatters" (散). Wind is Qi's vehicle but also its destroyer — exposure to wind disperses accumulated energy. This is why exposed, windy sites are generally inauspicious.
- 界水則止 — Qi is "bounded" (界) by water and "stops" (止). Water acts as a natural barrier that collects and holds Qi. Rivers, lakes, and even underground water create Qi boundaries.
- 藏風得水 — The two goals of all Feng Shui practice: "Store the Wind" (protect from wind exposure) and "Obtain the Water" (benefit from water proximity).
經文
氣乘風則散，界水則止。古人聚之使不散，行之使有止，故謂之「風水」。
Qì chéng fēng zé sàn, jiè shuǐ zé zhǐ. Gǔrén jù zhī shǐ bù sàn, xíng zhī shǐ yǒu zhǐ, gù wèi zhī 「fēngshuǐ」.
逐字解析：
- 氣乘風則散： 氣「乘」風而「散」。風既是氣之載體，也是氣之毀滅者——暴露於風中散失蓄積之能量。故空曠風大之地通常不吉。
- 界水則止： 氣被水「界」定而「止」住。水為天然之屏障，收聚並持守氣。河流、湖泊乃至地下水皆構成氣之邊界。
- 藏風得水： 風水兩大目標：「藏風」（避免風暴）與「得水」（得水之利）。
The Priority Question: Wind First or Water First?
The Zang Shu establishes a clear hierarchy: "得水為上，藏風次之" — "Obtaining Water is primary; Storing Wind is secondary." This means that a site with excellent water features but moderate wind protection is better than a site with perfect wind shelter but no water. Water is the superior Qi-gathering force. This principle resolves countless debates in site selection.
✦ ◆ ✦
The Four Animals (四獸) Configuration / 四靈之配置
The Zang Shu establishes the iconic Four Animals (四獸, sì shòu) landform configuration that became the standard ideal for all Feng Shui site selection:
The Classic Formulation
"The Classic says: The site must have a Coiling Blue Dragon on the left, a Crouching White Tiger on the right, a Red Phoenix dancing in front, and a Black Turtle resting behind."
經典原文
經曰：地貴平夷，土貴有支。外藏八風，內秘五行。請觀英雄城，左青龍，右白虎，前朱雀，後玄武。
| Animal | Chinese | Direction | Landform | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🐉 Blue Dragon | 青龍 | Left (East) | A ridge or hill curving protectively on the left | Should be slightly higher than White Tiger. Must curve inward, not outward. Represents yang, masculine energy. |
| 🐅 White Tiger | 白虎 | Right (West) | A ridge or hill on the right, lower than the Dragon | Must "crouch" (伏) submissively. If higher than the Dragon or pointed aggressively, it becomes dangerous. Represents yin, feminine energy. |
| 🦤 Red Phoenix | 朱雀 | Front (South) | A low hill or open space (Ming Tang) in front | Should be low, elegant, and inviting — like a bird "dancing." Represents opportunity and vision. The Ming Tang (open area) gathers Qi. |
| 🐢 Black Turtle | 玄武 | Behind (North) | A tall mountain or solid backing directly behind the site | Must be tall, solid, and connected to the greater mountain system. Represents support, protection, and ancestry. The primary Qi source. |
The Armchair Model
Think of the ideal Four Animals site as sitting in a great armchair: the Black Turtle is the tall back of the chair, the Blue Dragon is the left armrest, the White Tiger is the right armrest, and the Red Phoenix is the open space where your feet rest — the footstool. The person sitting in this chair is protected from all sides while having a clear view forward. This is the fundamental spatial template of auspicious Feng Shui.
✦ ◆ ✦
Guo Pu's Burial Methodology / 郭璞葬法
As the Book of Burial , the Zang Shu addresses the most sensitive topic in Chinese geomancy: the proper selection of ancestral grave sites (Yin House Feng Shui). Guo Pu's methodology involves:
The Resonance Principle (感應)
"The body is received from the parents. The original bones receive Qi, and the descendants receive blessings."
Explanation: Guo Pu teaches that descendants share a Qi-bond with their ancestors through shared blood and bone. When ancestral remains are placed in a site of concentrated Qi, this energy resonates (感應, gǎnying) through the bloodline to benefit living descendants. This is not metaphor — it is presented as a mechanism of nature, like how striking one tuning fork causes another nearby to vibrate at the same frequency.
感應之理
人受體於父母，本骸得氣，遺體受蔭。
Rén shòu tǐ yú fùmǔ, běn hái dé qì, yítǐ shòu yìn.
釋義： 郭璞教導子孫與祖先透過共同血脈共享「氣之連結」。先人遺骸安置於氣聚之地，此能量通過血脈「感應」而福澤在世子孫。此非比喻，而是自然之機制——如同擊一音叉而鄰近同頻音叉隨之振動。
Soil Quality Assessment (土質評估)
Guo Pu teaches that the soil at the burial point reveals the Qi quality. Key indicators:
- Auspicious soil: Dense, moist, colorful (yellow, red, purple tones), with a faint fragrant smell. This indicates concentrated, vital Qi.
- Inauspicious soil: Dry, sandy, grey or white, with a sour or decayed smell. This indicates depleted or stagnant Qi.
- The "Five Colors" (五色土): The most auspicious sites produce soil with layers of multiple colors — indicating that multiple elemental Qi streams have converged at this point.
✦ ◆ ✦
Influence on All Subsequent Feng Shui / 對後世風水之影響
The Zang Shu is not merely one classic among many — it is the foundational document from which the entire Feng Shui tradition grew. Its influence is pervasive:
| Contribution | Impact |
|---|---|
| Defined "Feng Shui" | The term 風水 itself comes from this text. Before Guo Pu, the practice was called 堪輿 (Kānyú) or 地理 (Dìlǐ). The name "Feng Shui" became universal because of this text's authority. |
| Established Cheng Sheng Qi (乘生氣) | The goal of "Riding the Life Qi" became the universal standard. Every school — San He, San Yuan, Xuan Kong, Ba Zhai — claims to pursue this same objective, just through different methods. |
| Four Animals Model | The Blue Dragon / White Tiger / Red Phoenix / Black Turtle configuration became the fundamental spatial template used by every tradition, worldwide. |
| Wind and Water Hierarchy | The principle "Water first, Wind second" (得水為上，藏風次之) settled the priority debate for all subsequent practitioners. |
| Yin House Theory | The resonance (感應) theory provided the theoretical justification for ancestral grave site selection, which remains central to Chinese culture. |
| Form + Qi Integration | By treating both visible form (形) and invisible Qi (氣) as essential, the Zang Shu established the dual methodology that all later schools develop. |
Historical Status
Guo Pu (郭璞, 276–324 CE) was not merely a geomancer — he was one of the most brilliant scholars of the Jin Dynasty, famous for his commentary on the Shan Hai Jing (山海經, Classic of Mountains and Seas) and the Er Ya (爾雅) , as well as his mastery of divination. His tragic execution (for offending a warlord through an unfavorable divination) only enhanced his legendary status. The Zang Shu carries the weight of his immense scholarly reputation, which is why it became the undisputed foundational text of the entire tradition.