Liuren Magic Sanctuary
The Art of Landforms: Decoding the Dragon, Hole, Sand, Water, and Orientation
In classical Feng Shui, the physical environment (巒頭 - Luan Tou) accounts for the vast majority of a property's potential. As the masters say: "Luan Tou without Li Qi results in slow manifestation; Li Qi without Luan Tou results in no manifestation at all."
This system, also known as the Xing Shi (形势派) or Situation School, studies the "Sheng Qi" (Living Energy) as it flows through the contours of the earth.
Every landform audit must evaluate the five core pillars of the environment, known as the Dragon, Hole, Sand, Water, and Orientation (龍穴砂水向) .
The "Dragon" refers to the mountain ranges or ridgelines that carry the pulse of the earth. We look for "Coming Dragons" (來龍) that are vibrant, undulating, and full of life. A "Dead Dragon" is stiff and straight, lacking the ability to nurture vitality.
The "Xue" is the precise "Acupuncture Point" of the land where the energy accumulates. Finding the Xue requires "Pinpointing the Spot" (點穴) where the wind is hidden and the water converges. In urban settings, this is the optimal position of the building or the main entrance.
"Sand" refers to the surrounding hills and structures that protect the Xue from wind. Key features include the Green Dragon (left), White Tiger (right), Bright Hall (front), and Black Tortoise (back support). Sentimental Sand "hugs" the property, while hostile Sand "points" or "attacks" it.
Water governs wealth and prosperity. We analyze the "Incoming" (來水) and "Outgoing" (去水) water. "Jade Belt Water" (玉帶環腰) that curves around the property is highly auspicious, while "Reverse Bow Water" (反弓水) that curves away acts like a cutting blade.
The final step is determining the "Facing" of the structure to receive the energy of the Dragon and Water correctly. This bridges the physical forms with the mathematical formulas of the San Yuan and San He schools.
The peaks of a mountain range reveal the 'Star' energy driving the Dragon Pulse. Based on the Han Long Jing (撼龍經) , these nine shapes determine the character of the energy:
| Star Name | Element | Visual Shape | Energy Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tan Lang (貪狼) | Wood | Upright, bamboo-shoot peaks. | Nobility, academic success, and growth. |
| Ju Men (巨門) | Earth | Square, flat-topped 'Screen' peaks. | Steady wealth and long-term stability. |
| Lu Cun (祿存) | Earth | Irregular peaks with jagged 'feet'. | Complex; requires refinement to be useful. |
| Wen Qu (文曲) | Water | Wavy, snake-like rolling ridges. | Intelligence, creativity, and flow. |
| Lian Zhen (廉貞) | Fire | Sharp, rugged, and majestic peaks. | Authority and power (The Ancestral Star). |
| Wu Qu (武曲) | Metal | Rounded, bell or bowl-shaped peaks. | Military rank, leadership, and wealth. |
| Po Jun (破軍) | Metal | Steep, broken 'Tattered Flag' peaks. | Destruction if raw; massive change if refined. |
| Zuo Fu (左輔) | Wood | Flat-topped supporting hills. | Assistance from mentors and subordinates. |
| You Bi (右弼) | Water | Hidden ripples or 'underground' pulses. | Hidden wealth and secret helpful connections. |
The Four Celestial Animals (四靈 - Sì Líng) form the fundamental framework of Luan Tou analysis. Every site—whether a mountain burial spot or an urban apartment—is evaluated by the quality of its four directional guardians. These are defined relative to the sitting direction of the property, not by compass bearing.
"玄武垂頭，朱雀翔舞，青龍蜿蜒，白虎馴俯。"
"The Black Tortoise bows its head, the Vermilion Bird dances gracefully, the Azure Dragon winds sinuously, the White Tiger crouches obediently."
Source: Zang Shu (葬書 — Book of Burial), attributed to Guo Pu (郭璞)
| Celestial Animal | Position | Ideal Form | Inauspicious Signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Tortoise (玄武) | Behind (Backing) | Tall, solid mountain or building. Must "bow its head" — slope gently toward the site. Provides support and protection . | Absent backing, cliff face directly behind, or backing that slopes steeply away ("Tortoise refuses to bow"). |
| Vermilion Bird (朱雀) | Front (Bright Hall) | Open space with a lower hill in the distance. The "Bright Hall" (明堂) should be flat and spacious for Qi to gather. If water is present, it should meander gently. | Blocked by tall obstructions, narrow or cramped front, or sharp features pointing at the site. |
| Azure Dragon (青龍) | Left (when facing out) | Slightly higher than the White Tiger. Should curve inward, "embracing" the site like an arm. Represents Yang, male, and growth . | Flat or absent Dragon side, Dragon that turns away, or Dragon significantly lower than Tiger ("Yin overwhelms Yang"). |
| White Tiger (白虎) | Right (when facing out) | Slightly lower and more subdued than the Dragon. Should curve gently inward with a "docile crouching" posture. Represents Yin, female, and wealth . | "Raising its head" (higher than Dragon), sharp rocky outcrops, or Tiger that opens outward ("Tiger escapes"). |
In modern cities, the Four Celestial Animals still apply. The Black Tortoise is the taller building behind your property. The Bright Hall is the open area in front (park, courtyard, or wide road). The Dragon and Tiger are the flanking buildings. A balanced Four Animal configuration creates the "armchair formation" (太師椅) — the ideal configuration for gathering and retaining Qi.
Beyond the Nine Dragon Stars from the Han Long Jing , Luan Tou practitioners also classify mountains by the Five Elements (五行). This simpler system, called the Five Planet Mountains (五星山 - Wǔ Xīng Shān), allows rapid identification of mountain energy in the field.
| Element | Shape (形) | Visual Character | Energy Qualities | Ideal Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood (木星) | 直 (Straight/Tall) | Upright columns, tall narrow peaks like standing bamboo or writing brushes. | Growth, academic achievement, literary success. Produces scholars and officials. | Best as the Backing mountain or Dragon-side guardian. |
| Fire (火星) | 尖 (Pointed) | Sharp triangular peaks, flame-like silhouettes. Often reddish-brown rock. | Powerful but fierce. Can produce fame OR conflict depending on context. Fire generates Earth. | Best as a distant "Case Mountain" (案山) in front; dangerous if too close. |
| Earth (土星) | 方 (Flat-topped) | Table-top mountains, plateau shapes, broad and stable ridgelines. | Wealth, stability, lasting prosperity. The most dependable backing mountain. | Ideal as the Black Tortoise backing in any configuration. |
| Metal (金星) | 圓 (Dome/Round) | Smooth dome-shaped hills, bell curves, rounded summits with no jagged edges. | Authority, military accomplishment, financial fortune. Smooth and refined energy. | Excellent as Dragon or Tiger guardian hills. |
| Water (水星) | 波 (Undulating) | Rolling wave-like ridges with multiple gentle peaks. Serpentine outlines. | Intelligence, adaptability, artistic talent. Good for creativity but can lack stability. | Suitable for Sand formations; less ideal as primary backing. |
When assessing a landscape, the productive cycle (生) between mountains is auspicious: a Fire backing mountain generating an Earth case mountain, for instance, compounds prosperity. The controlling cycle (克) between the backing mountain and Dragon/Tiger is problematic—e.g., a Metal backing "chopping" a Wood Dragon hill weakens growth energy.
In Luan Tou, water is the primary carrier of wealth energy (財氣). The saying goes: "Mountains govern people, water governs wealth" (山管人丁，水管財). The shape, direction, speed, and clarity of water all determine the financial fortune associated with a site.
| Water Form | Chinese | Description | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embracing Water | 環抱水 | Water curves around the site like a jade belt encircling the waist. Flows gently, not too fast. | The most auspicious form. Represents steady wealth accumulation and harmonious relationships. |
| Tributary Water | 朝水 | Water flows toward the site from the front, converging at the Bright Hall before departing. | Incoming wealth energy. Multiple tributaries converging is called "Hundred Rivers Paying Court" (百川朝宗). |
| Gathering Water | 聚水 | A pond, lake, or pool collects in front of the property in the Bright Hall area. | Wealth retention. Qi gathers where water collects. Calm, clean water is essential. |
| Coiling Dragon Water | 盤龍水 | A river that winds in serpentine curves across the landscape before passing the site. | Sustained prosperity across many generations. The more curves, the more auspicious. |
| Water Form | Chinese | Description | Harm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reverse Bow Water | 反弓水 | The outer curve of a river bend faces the property — the site sits on the "outside" of the curve. | Wealth drains away. The curved water acts like a blade cutting at the site. A classic Feng Shui violation. |
| Straight Rushing Water | 直衝水 | A road or waterway points directly at the front door or site entrance with no curve or buffer. | Aggressive, destabilizing Qi. Known as "Arrow Piercing Heart" (穿心箭). Causes lawsuits and injuries. |
| Cutting Feet Water | 割腳水 | Water flows too close to the base of the building, undermining the foundation. | Financial instability. Wealth arrives but cannot be retained. Health issues in lower body. |
| Disappearing Water | 去水無收 | Outgoing water flows away rapidly in a straight line with no "locking gate" (關鎖) to slow it. | All prosperity leaks away. The site cannot accumulate or retain wealth energy. |
In urban Feng Shui, roads are treated as "virtual water" (虛水). A curved road embracing the property acts just like 環抱水. A straight road pointing at the entrance is 直衝水. A highway overpass curving away from the property mimics 反弓水. Traffic flow direction also matters—flow toward the site brings energy, flow away drains it.
Sand (砂 - Shā) refers to all surrounding hills, ridges, and elevated structures that flank and protect the main site. Good Sand "embraces with sentiment" (有情) while bad Sand "points with hostility" (無情). The quality of Sand determines the caliber of people and relationships a site produces.
| Sand Type | Chinese | Description | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table Mountain | 案山 | A low, flat-topped hill directly in front of the site at the Bright Hall, like a scholar's desk. | Produces officials and scholars. The "desk" before the "chair" (Xue). Ideally waist-height from the site's perspective. |
| Court Mountain | 朝山 | A prominent peak far in the distance beyond the Table Mountain, "paying court" to the site. | Long-range vision and ambition. Should be shapely and dignified — an ugly Court Mountain brings unreliable allies. |
| Brush-Pen Peak | 文筆峰 | A tall, narrow, pointed peak resembling an upright calligraphy brush. Wood-element shape. | Academic success, scholarly fame, examination success. Best positioned in the southeast or east quadrant. |
| Moon-Guarding Sand | 把門砂 | Two hills flanking either side of the water exit point (水口), like gatekeepers. | Locks in wealth by slowing the outflow of water. Without gate-guarding Sand, wealth drains rapidly. |
| Ear Mountain | 耳山 | Small knolls immediately flanking the Xue point on either side, like ears on a head. | Confirms the presence of a true Xue. Their absence may indicate a false acupoint. |
| Ghost Mountain | 鬼山 | A small trailing ridge extending behind and slightly to the side of the Xue, like a "tail." | Essential for certain Xue types (especially "Leaning Xue"). Proves the Dragon has truly stopped and settled. |
Not all surrounding formations are benign. Classic hostile Sand includes:
While classical Luan Tou was developed for rural mountain landscapes and ancestral burial, its principles translate directly to modern property evaluation. Below is a systematic checklist for field assessment.
The Di Li Wu Jue (地理五訣 — Five Formulas of Geography) by Zhao Jiufeng (趙九峰) of the Qing Dynasty is one of the most accessible and widely studied Luan Tou texts. It codifies the principles of Dragon, Hole, Sand, Water, and Orientation into a practical system.
"地理之道，龍為根本。有龍則有穴，有穴則有砂水。"
"The Way of Geography — the Dragon is the foundation. Where there is a Dragon, there is a Hole. Where there is a Hole, there are Sand and Water."
"水是山家血脈精，利人害人速如神。"
"Water is the lifeblood of the mountain household — its power to benefit or harm people acts with the speed of spirits."
"千里來龍，到頭結穴。穴者，山水交會，陰陽沖和之所也。"
"A Dragon that journeys a thousand miles finally settles at the Hole. The Hole is where mountain and water intersect — where Yin and Yang merge in harmony."
Zang Shu 葬書 — Written by Guo Pu (276 AD) during the Jin Dynasty. It is the undisputed foundational text of Feng Shui burial science. Its opening lines define Qi, and all subsequent compass work flows from its principles:
"葬者，乘生氣也。五氣行乎地中，發而生乎萬物。"
"Burial is to ride the living Qi. The five Qi travel within the earth, emerge, and give birth to all things."
— Zang Shu (葬書), Guo Pu
Han Long Jing 撼龍經 — Yang Yun-Song's master text on Dragon vein identification. It classifies mountain Dragon types by the Nine Stars and explains how to trace the Dragon's pulse (龍脈) across terrain. Essential reading before any field Feng Shui audit:
"撼龍須識九星形，官鬼禽曜最難明。"
"To shake the Dragon you must recognize the nine star forms; the Official, Ghost, Bird, and Brilliance are the hardest to discern."
— Han Long Jing (撼龍經), Yang Yun-Song
Read the Land. Luan Tou is the prerequisite for all professional Feng Shui practice. It is the study of the physical container of energy. Inquire for field trip and practical training details.