Cecil Lee

Although the Swastica sign is associated with Nazi Germany, the Swastica sign or emblem has been used much earlier by the Chinese especially buddhism. The Swastica sign is considered auspicious by the buddhist. Schools have also been given the Swatica sign. In Singapore, there is a School called the Red Swastica School. (Using the Swatica sign but in Red). It is sad that the sign has been associated the Nazi regime and if one sees such sign in China or elsewhere, it does not mean the association with Nazi Germany, far from it. Thus one should not be mistaken for this. You can call this `culture' shock. But if you understand the above, the better:) Did Hitler, got his idea of the Swastica from a Chinese religious object?

Although frogs are considered one of the 5 poisons creatures, to many ancient farmers, it is considered `Heavenly Dew' because of its wet surface. Frogs were commonly found in padi fields and to many farmers, who enjoy eating these delicacies e.g. frog legs.

These patterns or designs are `eternity' loops which signify forever. These clever designs thus simbolise eternity.

Dear Carrie, Based on the Five elements concept, you should wear wood colours e.g. green or brown. Avoid wearing Red, pink or purple. The purpose is to reduce the imbalance caused by too much earth. You must not add more earth, as this cause too much earth. Remember that the Five Elements is all about balance. The imbalance of too much earth should be neutralised by e.g. wood element such as green or wood. You can also consider water element e.g. wearing it. This is because earth destroys water (under 5 elements to create wealth) and thus help exhaust earth element. Wishing you best of luck Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Su Fun, Please see below: Since you are a SW house person, NW is your Longevity sector. Overall, the Eight House Theory is more to look at how suitable e.g. the breadwinner is to the house. In this case, you are considered suitable to the house. Under the Eight House Theory, what is equally important is what is the intangible force for each of you in your bedroom. I am not sure why you want to change your main door. Other than the above, the Eight House cannot tell you much about the birth chart of the house. If you want to consider just the Eight House then it is `fine'. The other theory called the Flying Star is used to find out the birth chart of the house and locate any imbalances and thus one can cure it. Alternatively, it is used to map out the good and bad of each sector of the house. For example, if your bedroom is located at a very auspicious sector and there is a good balance at this location, it is good. Please note that the Eight House thus has limited uses other than what I mentioned above and (it is also used to find which direction to face for work, study) only. You may like to find out more about the Find a Good House report under www.geomancy-online.com We have used it successfully to find out new homes for yourselves and for clients. It analyses all 24 directions of houses in a specific period e.g. 1984 to 2003 Period 7 and any other period. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Users, 1. Many users have requested for samples of auspicious Chinese Symbols. I have gradually added samples (pictures) of auspicious Chinese Symbols. Many designs are common and standard designs. For example, these symbols, patterns and motifs can be found in Chinese `antique' furnitures, decorative panels, crockery etc... 2. This collection of Symbols/ motifs/ patterns is gradually building up under the conference: Photo Tours of Interest. You need to login to the forum in order to view the graphics as it is not feasible to sent to users through the e-mail as these attachments may take up precious email space. 3. In addition, more things Chinese e.g. Chinese culture (pictures) etc.. has been added to the forum. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Attached please find common Chinese circle and triangle patterns. These patterns can often be found on decorative panels, furniture carvings and even window vents.

Dear Anon, As requested, I have just posted a picture of Chinese gold bullion or gold nuggets under the conference: Photo Tours with Interest

A user recently requested to know what a Chinese gold nuggets (bullion) looks like. The attached picture shows three Chinese bullions on a decorative pedestal.

Here is a sample typical Chinese gift hamper that is `exchanged' prior to Chinese New Year. Usually, the top or apex has a bottle of VSOP Cognac e.g. Henessey, Remy Martin etc... The quality of the contents depends on the cost of the hamper. Hampers cost between S$150 to as much as S$1000 (S$1 = US$1.69) Since this is the year of the dragon, you will notice a dragon circle the entire hamper:) Warmest Regards, Cecil

Attached please find common patterns associated with the Fire elements. These feature prominently e.g. on temple roofs or motifs on some taiormade Chinese furniture.

1. These are Chinese symbols of water patterns i.e. associated with the water element. 2. If you notice carefully, some patterns are like the scales of a fish. 3. All patterns are characteristic of wavy patterns.

These are common Chinese motifs found on furniture or decorative panels. For example: on Chinese coffee tables and cabinets and clothes cupboards.

Attached please find more auspicious Chinese patterns. P.S. Apologies, I uploaded pattern 7 twice. Please ignore, pattern 7 (same name/picture)

Here are four pictures of auspicious Chinese patterns.

This picture shows the symbols associated with the Eight Immortals

Dear Ang, Please There is a report available to analyse fully on this. It is common for those using a Loupan to read using the above method. It is read by looking at the Luopan and reading the facing and sitting direction. It is best to follow the methods of each practitioner (totally). And not mix one method with another. If each practitioner's method is followed closely, it should result in the same reading. Warmest Regards, Cecil

In ancient times, elephants are widespread all over China. They were hunted by the the upper class. Many ancient books talk about Chinese heroes who ride on elephants. I enclosed more pictures of elephants.

1. Got this off a Bank Credit Brochure: The Millennium Dragon Coins Series showing the motifs of three common dragon motifs. 2. Credit and Source: United Overseas Bank (UOB) Mail Boutique & German Mint, B.H. Meyer's Mint [For the dragon coin]. For the Bank's Credit Card Customer.

Dear Peter, 1. I can certainly understand your plight after having read so many concepts that one is `forced' to a corner. 2. From what you have wrote, I like to say that it is never advisable to simply apply the base numbers (stars) of the Flying Star to everyone. 3. Here, you can see why, you are faced the dilemma of incomplete information. 4. For example the statement Yellow 5 come to the north. This statement comes as a standard for everyone. 5. I remembered last year, many were concerned when the same author wrote that Yellow 5 went to the south. And to take precautions against this. 6. Here, if you look at it, this statement is too general to be applied to everyone. 7. Imagine, there are a billion or more people on earth, can we say that all of us must take caution of Yellow 5 at the north this year. 8. What the author did was simply draw a Base chart for the Flying Star for the Lunar New Year 2000. 9. But for those who know the Flying Star, the above is too simplistic. A true personalised Flying Star chart takes into account: 1. The exact compass direction of your main door 2. The mountain and water star analysed with the base star (or the Year base star). 3. More details include relating to the breadwinner's Eight House. The above is then a proper chart to analyse a home. 10. Under the above method, the Yellow 5 star need not necessarily be at the North. Furthermore, depending on the house, and the relationship of the three stars : base, mountain and water, the Yellow 5 could either be neutralised by a supporting good element or become worse. This depends on the individual house analysed. 11. If one looks at Para 9 or 10 carefully, we should usually not find one having such a predicament as yours. The Flying Star analysis personalised for the home is more than offset other theories which I feel is less relevant such as the three killings. 12. One should not be too concerned with the Grand Duke unless: a. Lives are at stake e.g. going for war. b. So long as one does not do renovations at the location. Grand Duke is based more on Chinese Beliefs and Astrology than Feng Shui. 13. Many a times, book authors writes books to sell and unless it is on Shapes and Form which is universally applicable, writing books on specific topics, in my opinion may do more harm to society than good. More often also, some authors, give you an analysis of the problems but none of the proper solutions. Scary isn't it. 14. First and foremost, do rank all information. For example, for a house audit, give priority with personalised Flying Star audit. Secondary, nice to have is to follow e.g. the Eight House Theory. But as I mentioned, it is secondary to the information provided under the Flying Star. For example, if the room you are sleeping has been analysed under Flying Star as very auspicious, it is still acceptable to sleep there even if it is your disaster sector under Eight house theory. At the same time, for example, in the bedroom, it is best to get the shapes and form correct e.g. placing the bed away from the sight of a main door or use a screen when you locate the bed etc... We should remember to rank the various theories or concepts and not take all of them as equals. 15. I have always believed that one should write a few good books rather than churn out too many books. I cite the example of Derek Walters who wrote no more than two or three Feng Shui books (the rest are astrology books). His books are the real stuff because he properly relates to Yin/Yang or the Five elements and there are no contradictions. Furthermore, his books teach or provide an understanding of concepts rather than in my opinion sensationalise `problems'. It is such authors who churn out large quantities of books will ultimately give themselves a bad name (long term). Thus, I believe do more harm to society than good. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Anon, 1. In my opinion, this is a recent concept regarding especially the dinning room in the middle of the home. 2. I believe some modern practitioners would say this because to them, it seems that the centre has `meaning' where e.g. the family members can gather `centrally'. 3. Usually, many of these practitioners are those who practise `modern' Feng Shui e.g. fixed templates and use `feelings' and `voice' out Feng Shui. I suspect, these practitioners may not use the Chinese compass in their work. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Daniel, More important consideration is the edge of a table which produces `Sha Qi'. Others relating to books and CD's are modern concepts and in my opinion less important than Sha Qi produced by sharp corners and overhead beams. Many of us are constantly surrounded with such modern day convenience and it is difficult to keep these away yet be convenient for us to `use'. Warmest Regards, Cecil

Dear Carrie, You can follow this link to better understand how a proper compass reading is taken: http://www.geomancy.net/fs/cecilcompass.htm Based on what you wrote below, it is not correct to stand outside the front door. Warmest Regards, Cecil

This article is an amusing way of associating the types of wines with each Chinese Animal Signs for each of the 12 animals. Please note that this is based on the Year of birth of a person and more for `fun'. Warmest Regards, Cecil P.S. If you are not sure which year you are born, you can visit: http://www.lovesigns.net

Dear Daniel, 1. The original purpose of Feng Shui is to: a. neutralise Sha (bad) Qi and poison arrows and b. enhance beneficial Qi. It can be used to find good sites for a city. For example, many Chinese cities e.g. Canton and even Hong Kong has good Feng Shui. For Hong Kong, consideration was given on how the dragon moves or passes from the mountain to the sea. This is why, many buildings there have either glass openings at the centre or `holes' in some of the buildings where some of the building owners want the `Dragon Qi' to touch and pass thru. 3. Feng Shui can also be used to look at a micro level e.g. buildings, homes. Basically, it is like the food chain where the tip is the Yin and Yang Principle while in the middle the Five elements concept, lower down are theories like Eight Trigrams etc... So long as one can fully apply : (a). Five Elements concept Here, for example under the Flying Star Theory and Pillars of destiny, use the common denominator of the Five Elements Concept. (b). Yin and Yang If it cannot be `explained' using the Five elements concept or relate to it, yin and yang is thus used to look at the relationships. 4. Therefore, for the outdoors, one has to see what senario one wants to look at. If it cannot be related to the Five elements, than try to see if there is a link to Yin and Yang. Here, Yin is (dark, cold, water) and Yang (sun, bright, fire). Some of the applications are sensible ones like to avoid heat stroke, drink more water (Yin) while keeing warmth at night use Fire. Since these are common sense, one do not even give a thought about Yin and Yang at this level. Therefore, it is not really Feng Shui but rather the application of Yin and Yang or if we can link it to the Five Elements where we can. All Chinese traditional principles e.g. in medicine, Feng Shui, Pillars of destiny, Chinese Astrology have the common denominator of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang. Warmest Regards, Cecil