Evaluation of Ancient Fengshui Principles and their Impact on Layouts of Contemporary Residences for Human Health

Abstract

Architectural Fengshui is a living guideline that the ancients developed and adopted to live a comfortable life. Architectural Fengshui expresses the “unity of heaven and earth” concept through the structural features of mountains surrounded by water and the accumulation of wind and air, and this concept is linked to the core idea of how ancient people perceived and interacted with nature. Fengshui and Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a close relationship, both of which are derived from the “The I Ching (Book of Changes),” so the theoretical basis of Fengshui is the same as that of TCM. However, due to the complexity of Fengshui and the limitations of people’s knowledge, the dualities of mystery and superstition are blended with Fengshui in the West, and the scientific nature of Fengshui theory has been questioned and challenged by Western scholars. This thesis combines the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams with TCM theory to examine how Fengshui principles apply to the layout design of contemporary residences and their impact on human health. The analysis of the courtyard house and how Fengshui principles were applied provides a preliminary assessment of the reasonability and objectivity of Fengshui in architectural layout design. The thesis also examines the relationship between people’s health and the spatial layout of their homes through questionnaires, verifies and analyzes how Fengshui in residential layout affects people’s health, and then discusses how the practice of Fengshui can help create a residential environment that promotes good health and well-being. Research reveals that the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams in Fengshui theory have specific references in residential layout design, and poor spatial layout would impact human health.