Feng Shui

Feng Shui, or, the Rudiments of Natural Science in China is a book by German missionary Ernest J. Eitel, first published in 1873. Although the author displays some disdain towards Chinese culture, he begrudgingly acknowledges that Feng Shui may hold a kernel of truth. Feng Shui encompasses more than merely positioning furniture for favorable fortune.

Chinese geomancers espouse a complex set of beliefs that stem from Animism, Taoism, and Confucianism. According to Feng Shui, the earth possesses streams of energy, akin to the meridians found in acupuncture points on the human body. Additionally, Feng Shui takes into consideration the alignment of celestial bodies, including some enigmatic, imperceptible stars in the north that do not correspond to present-day constellations.