Feng shui (i/ˌfʌŋ ˈʃweɪ/ fung-SHWAY, formerly i/ˌfɛŋ ˈʃuːi/ feng-SHOO-ee; pinyin: fēng shǔi, ), or Fung shui, is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven (Chinese astronomy) and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu (simplified Chinese: 堪舆; traditional Chinese: 堪輿; pinyin: kānyú; literally: Tao of heaven and earth).
The term feng shui literally translates as "wind-water" in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the passage of the now-lost Classic of Burial recorded in Guo Pu's commentary:
Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water.
Historically, feng shui was widely used to orient buildings—often spiritually significant structures such as tombs, but also dwellings and other structures—in an auspicious manner. Depending on the particular style of feng shui being used, an auspicious site could be determined by reference to local features such as bodies of water, stars, or a compass. Feng shui was suppressed in China during the cultural revolution in the 1960s, but since then has increased in popularity.
Modern reactions to feng shui are mixed. The Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience states that some principles of feng shui are "quite rational", while noting that "folk remedies and superstitions... incorporated into feng shui's eclectic mix".
Read more about Feng Shui: Foundation Theories, Traditional Feng Shui, Modern/Western Forms of Feng Shui, Contemporary Uses of Traditional Feng Shui, Feng Shui Practice Today