FENG SHUI CONCEPTS

Roots of Wisdom

By Jenny T. Liu, M.A.

The following is taken from Grand Master Chi-Jen Liu’s book, “Feng Shui Chi Art.” The book is filled with insightful teachings about chi, full-color photos of paintings, art statements, and poetry. In the following excerpt, Grand Master Liu shares his dream that inspired the Chi Art pictured here, “Tunnel of Love Between East and West.”

In a vivid dream, I find my-self at the end of a tunnel that is framed with dripstones and vines. Before me is a magnificent view of green mountains with peach trees, jungle foliage, and flat rocks lining a smooth broad river below.

In this dream, my beloved wife and I stroll hand-in-hand, enjoying this ideal world — the hard-earned fruit of our labor. But this world is more than colorful fantasy — it is filled with symbolism and reveals the journey I started fifty years ago to share Eastern culture with the West.

For the past fifty years, I have been digging a tunnel, symbolically speaking, to connect two cultures. The tunnel represents the communication of Eastern philosophy I have brought to the West. It is reinforced with dense tree roots that have worked their way into the rocks and soil, making it stable and permanent. This symbolizes that my work has made a foundation in the West. I have strengthened the walls of this communication tunnel with the roots of wisdom and love for my culture.

Dripstones represent heaven coming to Earth because they descend from above. The eight dripstones symbolize Heaven Town, from which divine blessings of fortune come down to earth. Dripstones also symbolize achievement and wealth.

In my dream, the dripstones look like the beards of ancient sages. Feeling like a young child again, I swing from the roots and vines, serenading my wife with songs of love. In the distance, six jade mountains symbolize strength and eloquence because they are solid, shiny, and smooth. The peach trees symbolize longevity. The clear wide river is shaped by a curving wall of jade rocks. Flowing with love, it sustains the mountains and jungle.

One jade-lined river, six jade mountains, and eight dripstones create the 1-6-8 pattern. In Chinese, this pattern is pronounced as yi lu fa, which can be translated as “smooth road to prosperity.” In the dream, and depicted in this painting, my wife and I ride the red boat of love. We enter the river from the East and glide to the West, poignantly reflecting on our journey together. I am reminded that I spent my entire life digging this tunnel. Sharing my knowledge of feng shui has been my mission for a happier world.

Now, I have reached the goal I always dreamed of. Today, feng shui is widely acknowledged and appreciated by Western scholars, leaders, and professors. I feel no regret in my life, for I see the result of my work every day and feel truly accomplished.

With this painting, I hope others will see how rewarding it is to cultivate wisdom and be inspired to create good karma. We have to share our knowledge with others to create more love and understanding between all humans. We are a global family, regardless of what culture you come from, and we can help each other reach our goals.

Master Jenny Liu holds a BA in Environmental Design from UC Berkeley and an MA in Architecture from UCLA. She is an expert in feng shui who shares her knowledge through seminars, periodicals, and the internet. For more information please see Liu-FengShui.com, or call Jenny at (626) 272-4901.