For more information, please go through schedules.

From north to south, east to west, Boon Yap has travelledto some of the most interesting places on Earth

MALAYSIAN-born scientist Yap Hwee Boon, in her 40s, hardly looks the outdoorsy type. But she zips off all over the world for adventure. Her travels have been taken her to South Africa, the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, Ephesus in Turkey, The Gallapagos, Antarctica, Machu Picchu - the last hideaway of the Incas, Peruvian Andes, North American Rockies, Swiss and Italian Alps, Sarawak’s Mulu National Park (when it was first opened), Soloman Islands, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, the Philippines, ancient sites in China and Bhutan.Bhutan, the 40th country she has visited, is “the most beautiful country I have ever been to, and possibly the last remaining unspoilt inhabited place in the world”. She is “unconsciously seeking out remote places ahead of tourists before these places change”.A free spirit, Boon loves all activities of the great outdoors such as kayaking, rock- and mountain-climbing, skiing, scuba-diving, caving and hiking.Based in Melbourne, Boon, as she is affectionately called, has a business consultancy in strategic marketing and international business development for the biomedical industry throughout Asia Pacific. The only daughter of Malaysian feng shui grandmaster Yap Cheng Hai, she has been working abroad for about 30 years and also has a feng shui consultancy business.Early last month, she travelled to the remote Tibetan regions of China - Western Sichuan and Eastern Tibet.She was on a stint as a volunteer art conservator with KhamAid Foundation. She spent a week in remote Tibetan village in Western Sichuan with six other volunteers from around the world, working together with team of experienced Nepalese conservators trained by an Italian expert, to restore damaged Tibetan Buddhist wall frescoes in the village temple and the altar rooms in some established family homes.

Antarctica: These penguins seem to bewaiting for the ship to sail in.

After that, she embarked on a very specialised tour to check out the other potential sites and buildings worth restoring. She also planned to view previous art/architectural preservation projects of KhamAid.”We’ve been visiting some incredible Tibetan Buddhist monasteries - including the monastery of Pelpung, the second largest monastic hall outside Potala - and getting access to places that normal tourists wouldn’t have, thanks to our leader Pam Logan, the founder and head of KhamAid. These monasteries are set in the most spectacular mountains that are very difficult to access, even in this day,” she said.”We have to go through dirt roads, landslides, rivers and Chinese roadwork blockades to get there.”She has spent one-and-a-half years living and travelling throughout China.”I went to China to master my Mandarin in order to further pursue my passion in all things esoteric in ancient Chinese philosophical wisdom, such as divination, destiny reading and martial arts,” she said.

Boon Yap: ‘I travel withinmy means, and the greatesttravel does not have tocost much’

Late October, she was in Beijing and its surroundings with her father on a field trip to study the feng shui of the imperial mausoleums of the Qing emperors.She travels for three reasons: due to the nature of her work; to experience far-flung places and cultures; and to explore the last remaining wilderness.She was recently back in Kuala Lumpur on a short visit to her family.”Whenever I get the chance to hit the road, I would do it. Slowly through the years, I have lived my dreams,” said Boon who, as child, dreamed of travelling to faraway places.”My father advised me to work hard to earn a decent living first, and then go and enjoy life” said Boon, who believes in working hard and playing hard.She mused: “How often have you heard people say that when they had time, they didn’t have moeny and when they had money, they didn’t have time? So, I travel within my means, and the greatest travel does not have to cost much.”Boon dislikes tour groups and prefers travelling alone or with one or two close friends as there is a greater chance of becoming acquainted with locals and experiencing their way of life.At 13, she visited Thailand with her brother and family friends. But her first real trip was through Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand for two months, a trip she rewarded herself with after spending eight consecutive years on tertiary studies.She travels with an open heart and mind. Her senses are alerted to new sounds, smells, sights, tastes and touch. She tries to understand the history and culture of the place and its people, or just to soak in the energy of the wild places.

Spiritual haven: The Takstang Monastery in Bhutan isperched on the edge of a mountain slope

Boon has taken up photography for pleasure, as a way to record memories in a picturesque and meaningful way.Photographing animals in the wild is a special experience. “They are fearless of humans,” she recalled . For example, seal-lion cubs and penguins have come up so close that they left their nose prints and fishy breath on her lens - a testament that humans are not their natural enemies.”Yet we club them by the hundreds upon thousands for their fur, and march them into meat grinders for their meagre oil. The closest humans can ever get to feeling on the other side of the fence is when faced with a pride of lions on the hunt,” Boon said.Mingling with the localsOn her first trip to Bali 20 years ago, she stopped to ask a farmer for directions, and found herself listening to his very forlorn story - his wife had left him and thier two daughters, and he hadn’t enough to put them through school. Despite having very little to spare, he invited her to his home and shared what little food he had.He then displayed his craftwork to sell, apologising for the poor quality because he had just learn the craft. Boon enquired about the cost of schooling, and then bought the basket for AUS$25 so that his daughter could complete her secondary schooling. Two years later, Boon received a letter thanking her and relating how well his daughter had done in school and had secured a good job.In the high country of the Tibetan nomadic people and land of sky burials, she recollected: “We were confronted with the wildest looking men on horseback, daggers strapped to their sides, snow leopard furs on their backs for warmth, adorned with incredible turquoise and coral jewellery, and yak leather saddlebags. When they rode out of the forest and flashed toothy grins at us, we felt as if we were transported back hundreds of years!”

Heaven and earth: Magnificient view ofLangmusi (the Tibetan part of China)

Treachery at seaBoon had the greatest scare was when she nearly drowned off the treacherous waters of the “shipwreck coast” of The Great Ocean Road of Victoria, Australia, which is notorious for over 400 shipwrecks throughout its 200 years of recorded history.”My two scuba-diving buddies and I got into difficulties in an unexpected undertow on a clear sunny day with blue skies and a calm-looking sea. The infamous waves that surfers call ‘dumpers’ can whip off masks and snorkels, bash regulators around one’s mouths till is is impossible to hold on, and repeatedly drag virtually anything afloat 20 feet under.”We were caught in just such a surf. Panic is deadly in times like this. While under, I could see my buddy struggling to grab hold of his regulator just like I was. We kicked with all our might to get to the surface. He was fortunate, being on the edge of the surf, and managed to escape. But I was caught in the middle and heading towards a rock ledge. Somehow, I managed to gather my wits and inflated my buoyancy vest and went limp just as the surf was about to hurl me against a rock shelf. On another occasion, I had to keep my wits about me as I wen to the aid of my friend who got into trouble while snorkelling in the Galapagos islands.”Adventures in ChinaIn her travels to China last spring (April to August), she explored ancient historical places around Beijing. She considers springtime “the most beautiful time” to visit the Summer Palace and Yuan Ming Yuan. She visited tourist attractions such as Xi’an (to see the Qin tomb and terracotta warriors), Luoyang (the Shaolin Temple) and Longmen (Buddhist Grottoes).

Day of rejoicing: People flocking to select juicypeaches in a country town in China, resulting in congestionon the narrow road

She also set off to the little known province of Shanxi where she visited WuTaiShan, one of China’s famed five Buddhist mountains; Ping yao, a well preserved World Heritage site and original Ming dynasty city; Datong’s Yunggang Buddhist Grottoes with the most exquisite cave carvings of Bodhisatvas (another World Heritage site); and the Tang dynasty XuanKongSi, the Hanging Temple suspended on a cliff face at least 100m above ground level.Last July, she journeyed to remote Gansu, in “an amazing pilgrimage”, following the trail of ancient Fuxi, Daoists, Buddhists, and the eight legendary immortals.Then, she went to the Tibetan parts of China - Xiahe and Langmusi - which are home to magnificient towering monasteries, and where sky burials are still being performed on a regular basis.”Folks here are garbed in traditional costumes: the fearsome-looking men astride their horses with daggers at their side and the women colourfully adorned with massive baubles of turquoise and coral. Crimson and saffron robed monks and nuns mingle with the locals in their daily lives,” she said. She recalled her horse-trekking experience in the Sichuan mountains “with only the sound of our horses and mist festooned pine trees and clouded mountains for company”.In December last year, she went crystal hunting for genuine crystal rocks that could be collectors’ items but which she uses for feng shui purposes.”There were rubies, emeralds, sapphires and tourmaline in their raw rock forms, and the most beautiful yellow and sky-blue volcanic crystals. Mother Nature never fails to astounds me,” Boon said.Travelling was really tough on the mountain road though some of the more remote parts of Yunnan and Vietnam inhabited by ethnic minority groups.On invitation of a Lama friend, she went on a pigrimage following Buddha’s footstep; visiting Bodhgaya and meditating under the Bodhi tree on Wesak Day, then through Sikkim and into Bhutan to visit some centuries-old incredible monasteries, receive dharma lessons, and trek through rhododendron and pine forests in the Himalayas.For recreation, Boon has picked up martial arts again.”I learnt wushu from some great masters introduced by my father. Last August, I joined my taiji master, Men Hui Feng, to go to Tai Shan, Shandong, to practise tai ji quan on the Eastern peak .Tai Shan is the most sacred of the five daoist mountains. It is said that Tai Shan is a power site for the practice of tai ji quan, so to practise there is to connect with the qi of the sky and earth,” she says.Last November, her father roped her in to perform at the International Nan Shaolin Wushu Competition at Quanzhou, Fujian (home to one of the Shaolin temples), a style called Wuzhuquan which is a famous style of southern Shaolin.”He wanted me to show a special style that only our lineage has. That was the first time I ever participated at a wushu competition. I won a gold in the all-round women category, another gold (a grand prize in the form of a most exquisite DaMo carving bestowed for best in each country) for Malaysia and a silver for the prerequisite form of our wushu style called ’samjien’.”

FOOD is usually a fascinating facet of travelling but sometimes, one would rather not gulp down bizarre foods.

Boon Yap ate live baby (isn’t so baby in actual fact) octopus in Kwangju, a South Korean seaside city on one of her bio-med consultancy rounds.

“My distributor earnestly thought he was giving me a real threat, a delicacy. As a tradition would have it, and without and forewarning, the waitress grabbed the writhing octopus off a bowl of water in the middle of the table with a pair of chopsticks, wrapped the tentacles around the sticks, dipped it into chilli sauce and stuffed it into my mouth before I knew what was happening,” she said.

“I felt it writhe, so I chewed as hard and fast as possible. It was a case of it or me, as it was trying to bite me from the inside! Trying my best not to throw up all over the Professor next to me, I grabbed the white hand-towel supplied and held it against my mouth to stifle everything back, and desperately gulped it all down! Never again!

“Then there were baby scorpions, bee larvae…”

Her list of memorable experiences includes sleeping under the stars on the Australian sleeping under the stars on the Australian Snowy Mountains, and on the 90 Mile Beach in Victoria state, cushioned by beach heath that served as her bed; listening to huge wombats munching; gazing into the Milky Way that straddles the breath of the Australian night sky like a string of diamonds; and, more recently, standing on the rooftop of Pelpung Monastery in the middle of the mountains of Sichuan.

And if you think that nature’s call is not a problem in the pristine nature, Boon tells you otherwise…

New friends: The people of Bhutan. Mingling with the locals is one of the highlights of travelling.

Her worst ever encounter was on a grassy lawn, backing onto a mountain beside a sacred lake to the Tibetan people.

She said : ” We were led there by a lama on his duty round where he made blessings beside the lake. In scenery like this, I thought it was safe… bad mistake… I learnt that the stench of toilets is mutually independent of scenic beauty but the number of flies is proportionate to the strength of the stench. It was so fol - sight and smell - that I had to wave off the flies so furiously that I felt I was taking off liek a helicopter with pelvic rotors.”

In some off-the-beaten track journey, one has to put up with the usual crammed stinky buses and trains while travelling in the most populous nations of China and India. But when the unexpected occurs, there should be quick recourses.

On one occasion, Boon’s expedition ship had to detour to a research station to arrange for a passenger to be airlifted out. On another occasion, she was delirious from septicaemia in the middle of the bush from a cut and had to head for a small town clinic for a penicilin injection and antibiotics.

Boon has encounted temperature and air pressure extremes. ” One moment, you’re admiring a beautiful summer’s day in the high country of south-east Australia abd suddenly a blizzard occurs. Or in the Antarctic seas, a hurricane would whip up within an hour,” she said.

Culture shock?

Well, she admitted that not much shocks her although local customs are fascinating. What she still funds unpleasant is the harshness of life that makes people nasty to one another.

“This I tend to encounter in large cities that are ‘out of balance’ or where the people grew up through times of war. I have also encountered cultures that are susprisingly forgiving, having been presecuted for a long time’ said Boon.

Her advice for women travelling alone is: “Dress and act sensibly, exude an air of confidence, don’t expose yourself to unnecessary riskd that you may not be able to handle, and learn some basic self-defence techniques!”

A long hard journey through China in search of Mother Nature’s jewels

SIMPLY PUT, FENG shui is about how the environment affects a person’s luck. In other words, how a person is oriented to his environment can impact his fortune. Still, the beauty of feng shui goes beyond reading a person’s fortune within a confi ned space. It is about the knowledge of orienting a person to his environment to harness benefi cial energies and avoid the harmful ones in order to bring him good fortune.

It is common knowledge that location and direction are key factors in classical feng shui. In ancient times, where man lived closer to nature, orientation to environmental features such as mountains and water were of particular importance. This still holds true for the San He (Three Combinations) school of feng shui — which requires an understanding of Man (home) with respect to surrounding mountains and water — as well as the San Yuan and Yi Jing Ba Gua schools of feng shui.

Typically, depending on the location of the property itself or the direction of the main door of a property, there are certain prescribed positions for a mountain or a body of water that can bring good fortune or misfortune.

According to the feng shui lineage I belong to, we not only consider the external environment (macro-feng shui), but also the internal environment (micro-feng shui). We also look at natural and man-made features. This is part of the practical evolution of feng shui to keep up with the times.

I usually ask my client to acquire a crystal rock to symbolise a mountain and a little table fountain as a water feature when a San He formation is called for to enhance a client’s feng shui. A beautiful rock that looks like a mountain will usually suffi ce, as the aim is to get something that resembles a mountain but please do not get something that is made out of polymer or papier mache. Also, crystal instead of ordinary mineral rock tends to combine the placement concept of feng shui with the benefi cial effects of crystal energy.

However, my work often does not end there because it is not so easy to purchase these crystalline rocks in the different cities and countries that I consult in, especially those that are beautiful and worthy of the interior of my clients’ properties. Thus began my hunt for rock crystal mountains.

Last December, together with a geologist friend of mine, we travelled into the interior of southern China near the border with Vietnam to source Mother Nature’s jewels, ranging from the ubiquitous quartz crystals to the precious gemrocks — a journey of 8,000km in 15 days.

China’s train service has improved a lot in recent years (if one knows which train to take). They range from modern express trains that are well serviced and clean to those that crank along at snail’s pace with narrow hard bunks squished one above the other and fi lled with unpleasant odours. I prefer the train because I can travel through the night in sleepers, thus saving time. Furthermore, for me, the view from an elevated train track snaking through a countryside is always much more interesting and picturesque than highways and the people make for a good way to gain the flavour of a place travelled.

My journey began from my base in Beijing to Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, an overnight journey of 1,600km to meet up with my geologist friend. From Changsha, we travelled southwest by train to Guilin, Guangxi, to rendezvous with another rock hunter friend. Together, we headed south to the southern crossroad town of Nanning. Guilin, with its limestone scenery, remains one of the more unspoilt cities in China. Nanning, in contrast, is a very modern, spacious and clean city. Beyond Nanning, we journeyed back in time.

Our journey into the remote parts of Yunnan started from Nanning on a different mode of transport (which was my first experience and I promised myself that it will be the last!).

The familiar interstate air-conditioned coaches were internally fi tted with double-decker beds. However, the bedclothes provided most probably never saw the light of day for years. With good intention, the owner-operators required passengers to remove their shoes upon entry — huge mistake!

The resulting foul stench on the 16-hour, 800km trip into the heart of Yunnan’s Wenshan prefecture defi es description. We barely survived with mandarin peels stuck up our nostrils. With cast-iron stomachs developed from much travel, we bumped through the night without any mishaps, having had a meal of pond-fi sh cooked with water from the same pond, no doubt. We couldn’t exit the bus fast enough on arrival at a small provincial town, which boasts about 50,000 inhabitants (a tiny city by Chinese standards). It was here that we visited other rock hunters and took a look at their precious collections of rubies, emeralds and sapphire crystals and varied enchanting rock crystals of every form and colour — just an inkling of what was to come.

Our next destination was to a hilly bordertown with a name that conjures up “slopes of hemp and chestnuts”, where another crystal hunter showed us his treasures. Due to the specifi c geological activity in the vicinity, each location saw a different selection of crystals on offer. Here, we saw purple and green jade as big as a boxer’s clenched fi st, and blue jade that I had never come across before. But the most intriguing piece was a boulder that proudly held out fi ve to six different precious gem crystals such as topaz, tourmaline, aquamarine crystal clusters, with each cluster the size of a coconut.

The return journey wound through 150km of treacherous mountain roads in the freezing night air. My frozen face eventually thawed out with a local delicacy of chicken hotpot cooked with coconut milk and mountain herbs that Yunnan is famous for.

Onward, we travelled, in cloud-laden weather typical of this province known as “Southern Clouds” since the days of Genghis Khan. Our minibus was fully laden with live chickens in gunny-sacks strapped on the roof and local Miao minorities balanced on tiny stools where seats were not available. They were obviously unused to bus travel, as two thirds of our busload ended up being sick. My experienced rock hunter friends were quick to jump to the front at the fi rst sign of trouble but I was very much dependent on a window under my control. Between opening the window to escape the cigarette smoke and closing the window to escape the backflow, it was not easy to doze on this six-hour journey.

Viewing my Miao friend’s clothes for sale in Bacha Sunday market

Along the road, a clear sparkling waterfall appeared from the jungle, and we followed its meandering course until it joined the reddish-brown silt-laden river called the Hong He (Red River) that forms the border between this stretch of Yunnan and Vietnam. As we neared Hekou, the border town with Vietnam, the rice fi elds were replaced by banana plantations for as far as the eye could see, their lush-green fronds set against a backdrop of blue mountains. Mule carts laden with bananas for the market blocked the narrow mountain roads.

We arrived at Hekou in the evening to the bustle of a lively night scene of stalls and people dancing in the quaint esplanade that ran along one side of the Hong He. Here were shops selling all sorts of Vietnamese goods. It was rather strange travelling through kilometres of seemingly deserted country, to then suddenly stumble on a busy township with trade crossing the borders at all hours. Here, I sampled crunchy bee larvae for lunch.

Travelling on a Malaysian passport in this region has its advantages, for I didn’t need a visa into Vietnam while everyone else did. So I ended up being the carrier pigeon where I crossed the border twice a day to help take the rest of our luggage across when two of us decided we would rather tackle the unknown alternative route back into Nanning than to suffer in the sleeper bus again.

Across the border in north Vietnam, we went to a Miao market town. The Sunday market in Bacha, where villagers from miles around gather to socialise and shop for the week, was in full swing. There were fi ve Miao groups to be found, easily recognisable from their traditional clothes. The market offered clothes, bags, bedding, all hand-made with some of the most intricate needlework, home-brewed alcohol, all kinds of food for sale, including the heart-wrenching sight of crying puppies huddled and shaking, plus almost anything that is required for their simple lifestyle. We ate and chatted with two Miao women who were aunt and niece from two different villages who come weekly to Bacha to sell clothing and alcohol. They shared our meal of horse meat and doufu, although I noticed they didn’t eat the horse meat.

We then ventured to Sapa, a rather rundown French colonial hill resort. French infl uence can be seen in the buildings once we entered Vietnam, which we fi nd quite unique. The countryside around are dotted with villages of the Black Hmong, a Miao minority group, set among mountains with terraced fi elds. We visited their villages, saw their schools and bought their handicraft. We then made our way to Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage site of the most beautiful and tranquil setting of limestone karsts islands rising from the turquoise seas for as far as the eye could see. Our journey there and out by train, taxi, local bus and motorbike was an adventure and challenge because beyond the Chinese border and outside the suburban reach of Hanoi, no one spoke any of the southern Chinese dialects or English. And as this trip was impromptu, we never learnt the Vietnamese names for these places. To make things more diffi cult, every Vietnamese we met tried to take advantage of our lack of familiarity with the place. Through sheer determination and travel wiles, we made it to this magnifi cent place.

My return to Beijing was at a record pace. We were almost stranded on the border crossing into the Chinese part of Pingxiang, but we bribed our way through. We were glad to leave the deserted pitch-black border area deep in the night and spent the night in Nanning. A 30-hour train ride then took me back to Beijing.

What’s in store for 2007

AS THIS IS the fourth year into the Period 8 Luck cycle, we can generally expect events to be more stable than recent years. However there are other aspects of influence that foretell a dynamic year ahead. For those poised on a new venture that has gone well to date, you can expect continued good fortune, for those where things have not been so rosy, you will likely continue to have a bumpy ride. But it is not a year to rest on one’s laurels, as cosmic energies that clash will cause sudden changes and, if not prepared, can upset all carefully made plans. Although, as a whole, these clashes will bring more good than bad, we have to be particularly careful of health-related and other natural disasters this year.

Although territories in northwest Asia will enjoy good prospects in Period 8, 2007 will bring a year of suffering to this region, particularly to the Korean peninsula and Japan. Northwest China will not be immune. The rest of China may expect to continue to progress, although not without intense competition and its fair share of underhanded activities. The months of February, May and November will be particularly intense. A recurrence of avian fl u is a high probability, and earthquake disasters not unlikely. India’s economy is fair this year.

Europe’s economy can expect growth. However, political disagreements will be rife and countries in this region need to ensure conflicts do not arise. The US continues to face challenges, especially of a monetary nature. However, all challenges bring new beginnings, so it can expect good to come out of 2007. The African continent continues to have its problems, without slight financial reprieve this year.

Relatively good news can be expected in countries in the southeast such as Southeast Asia and Australia and New Zealand. A bumpy ride is not unexpected, however, there is more wisdom this time round and money luck and reputation have better chance of being realised.

There may finally be relief from the draught in Australia. In contrast, the US may experience a hotter and dryer season this year. Potential earthquake disasters reside along the Pacific Rim of Fire, with Japan, Korea and Taiwan at risk.

LAYOUT OF ENERGY TO AVOID AND TO HARNESS
Sectors of Energy Violation: San Sha (3 Killings), Wu Huang (5 Yellow), Tai Sui and Sui Po

The blue denotes the annual violations San Sha, Wu Huang, Tai Sui and Sui Po. The mauve denotes houses that face these directions should avoid renovation this year.

The areas to avoid disruption are northeast. Renovations or landscaping in this area are to be postponed. If your main door faces northeast, place a metal item in that sector. It is also advisable to hang a metal wind-chime in the northeast part of your property for this year.

Homes facing southwest or the great part of east should avoid renovations altogether this year. If you must, then it is critical to consult a feng shui master.

Avoid activating the northeast or the northwest sectors, eg. refrain from placing red items in the northeast or water in the northwest for fear of quarrels and loss of wealth.

SECTORS OF FAVOURABLE ENERGY

Footnote: The following suggestions for sectors or directions to activate are only based on the annual prevailing energies according to Xuan Kong Flying Star analysis. It obviously does not take into consideration the person in question nor the buildings’ energy charts and as such are only valid for this year and is a generalisation.

The sector to activate for knowledge and study is the southeast. A water feature or painting of water will enhance one’s intelligence and accomplishments.

For wealth fortune, activate the southwest with light or a lamp. This year, east is the relationship sector, so enhancing this area with water can bring romance for the single, or adultery for the married!

The following table gives your Life Gua number based on your year of birth and their corresponding auspicious directions for life. East Life Gua people are Life Gua 1,3,4 and 9. West Life Gua people are Life Gua 2,6,7 and 8.

INCORPORATING YOUR PERSONAL GUA BENEFITS
Feng Shui’s benefi ts lie not so much in its ability to provide predictions of the future, but much more on how the environment can be understood and modified to changes one’s luck.

Incorporating Ba Zhai analysis can provide a more tailored approach to improving one’s feng shui for the year.

East Gua people will do well to use the sectors of the property marked with E, while West Gua people utilize rooms marked with W. Sectors marked with X are to be avoided. Red denotes sectors favourable for the respective Gua, and unmarked means nuetral energies reside in those sectors.

Similarly, homes with doors that face east tend to enhance occupants’ brilliance and authority. Use bright lighting here.

South facing homes are less ideal this year, so one can use water to dissipate the negative energies here.

Master BOON YAP is the daughter of Grandmaster Yap Cheng Hai and the principal of Feng Shui for Enriching Lives. She consults and teaches classical feng shui worldwide and can be contacted at (012) 303 1991 / (012) 677 4600 or via e-mail at boon@masterboon.com. Check out her website www.masterboon.com for more articles.

The scope of this article cannot cover all there is to know and apply in Office Feng Shui. I will discuss things to consider that which is common to all the schools and go into more detail using one system. This is to show that anyone can reap the benefits, if due care and attention to proper classical Feng Shui is employed, even if it is only on a cubicle space. In the hope that you can start to do something for yourself. Of course, nothing can replace consulting a qualified expert. If you wish to go down this path, I hope the following information will help you better select a knowledgeable consultant who has your interest at heart. Because, when Feng Shui is applied appropriately, plus the determination to take responsibility for our own behaviour and actions (Human Luck), benefits will flow.

Depending on the system or school of classical Feng Shui employed, the breadth and depth of considerations and solutions may vary. My father Grand Master Yap Cheng Hai is a great advocate of combining the various schools and systems in any consultation, to find the ultimate solution for the client, a unique quality that distinguishes this lineage from many others.

Feng Shui principles used for the office should be the same as for the home. For instance, in both residence and office, the main door is the most important consideration. However, the practicalities of focus will vary as the use and function of the space within differ significantly: e.g. there is no kitchen to consider, but instead the key executive’s office becomes the focus of attention, and there is the conference room and reception area that will need to be considered.

Selecting your office suite

As with any property, the external environment needs to be reviewed, followed by the shape of the building itself. As most of you may not have a choice in external environment, I shall discuss the choice of selecting an office suite within a building.

Of course, if you were contemplating setting up new or total renovation of your Office Suite, then this would be the ideal moment to consult Feng Shui. You can then design the whole office to optimise the Feng Shui of the place, considering fully how Qi settles according to time aspects, to match the personal best Feng Shui for key individuals. Plus, the possibility of designing the office layout, workflow and walkways to harness many of the powerful San He formulae.

Major Considerations

In authentic classical Feng Shui, the doorway is a major consideration in determining the Feng Shui of a place. Therefore, as for the home, the location and direction of the door is of utmost importance and should be in accordance with favourable ‘Qi’. This holds true for the main entrance to the building, the entrance to the office suite, and to your individual office.

The next most important area is the office of the person in charge. Location of the office, the desk, the place the executive sits and the direction faced must be favourable. This holds true for all personnel too, but there is often limited vailability of sectors with good energies. Good Feng Shui for the person in charge tends to bring good fortune to the business, thereby ensuring the wellbeing of the rest of the personnel. Of course, if the layout for the rest of the staff can be optimised, not only can they also enjoy personal good fortune, but the business will be able to reap added value. This same principle is even more important for those in open plan set-ups with only a cubicle space, maybe only a desk, as you do not have the benefit of harnessing good Feng Shui through careful use of door orientation.

The next area that requires consideration is the conference room where strategic decisions are made and business deals struck. Last but not least, is the reception area.
This is the place where first impressions matter. Allow sufficient space for benevolent Qi to gather and distribute evenly to the rest of the suite. This buffer zone is important to take up and dissipate any destructive forces that may enter from time to time.

Feng Shui principles used for the office should be the same as for the home.

Harnessing Benevolent and Avoiding Malevolent Qi

There are various ways to analyse the quality of Qi in a space, depending on the
School or System of Feng Shui employed. This topic is very vast, so I shall give you some easily identifiable guidelines that have significant contributory influence for all situations.

Common Guidelines:
The following is based on understanding the visible concept of Feng Shui called Xing Fa (形法) which is often loosely referred to as the ‘Form School’.

• Avoid having your Suite located directly above a car park lot that brings destabilising energy from the movement of vehicles.
• Avoid having your Office Suite face an elevator, escalator or stairwell that can immediately carry away your good Qi or bring an onrush of negative Qi.
• Avoid having your Suite or your personal Office located at the end of, and directly facing a long hallway or corridor.
• A reasonable size foyer is useful for buffering against negative Qi and collecting positive Qi.
• Avoid placing your desk under an exposed beam.
• Avoid having your back to a window or door.
• Avoid a protruding corner pointing directly at you.

Evaluating Qi using Ba Zhai Eight Mansions

The following guidance is drawn from the Ba Zhai School, one of the most effective and easy to use Schools of Feng Shui that relies on systematic formulae to determine
Li Qi (理氣) i.e. the location and quality of Qi.

There are two ancient Treatisesdescribing this method, one works and the other was intended to mislead. The one that our lineage has used very effectively over the years is very powerful. It is identifiable from the other as we match the person’s calculated Life Gua to the Gua’s four auspicious compass directions to obtain favourable Qi. We do not try to match the House Gua to the Gua’s four auspicious directions as this is not applicable.

For simplicity, all people with the Life Gua numbers of 1, 3, 4 and 9 are East
Group people, and those with Life Gua numbers 2, 6, 7, and 8 are West Group people. If you wish to find out more about your Life Gua number, please email boonfengshui@gmail.com providing your birth date.

You should choose doorways that enter from your auspicious direction and select a location in the office that corresponds to your auspicious sector. For example, if you are an East Group person, select a door that faces (enters from) the East, North, South or Southeast, and avoid doors that face West, Southwest, Northwest and Northeast.

You should try to choose the East, North, South or Southeast of your Office suite to place your office. Place your desk in the East, North, South or Southeast area of your Office, and try to seat yourself facing any of your four auspicious directions even if you have to slant your desk to adjust your position.

For Feng Shui to be effective, you should obtain access to an authentic Classical System that works. The only way to do this is to track down a lineage that is reputable and a practitioner who is credible to consult, or learn from.

Master BOON YAP is the daughter of Grandmaster Yap Cheng Hai and the principal of Feng Shui for Enriching Lives. She consults and teaches classical Feng Shui worldwide and can be contacted at (012) 303 1991 / (012) 677 4600 or via email at boon@masterboon.com. Website:www.masterboon.com

WE ARE COMING to that time of the year where we reflect on the year that has gone by so quickly, and anticipate with bated breath what the new year has in store for us.

So, it is timely for me to introduce you to the time aspects of feng shui. Not only is feng shui used for ensuring the luck of occupants in a residence, it is also frequently used for prediction purposes.

When we employ feng shui for prediction, we essentially deal with the time aspect of feng shui. One of the major feng shui systems that focuses on time is the San Yuan(three circle) system.

As the name suggests, time can be divided into three cycles (reflecting the changing quality of qi) spanning 60 years per cycle, and further divided into three periods of luck that spans 20 years per period. Between each 20-year period of luck, the quality of qi changes, but within a 20-year period of luck, the quality of qi in a particular enclosed space is relatively stable.

I use the term “relatively”, because the quality of qi also changes every year, every month and every day. But from a pragmatic point of view, it is impractical and ridiculous to conform to qi that changes every year, let alone day and month! So, from a feng shui perspective, a good feng shui master that uses this method should typically “ground” his client’s property using qi from the 20-year period luck, and yet respect the annual qi that prevails. Be wary of the master that tells you that you have to have your house feng shui’ed every year.

However, it would be fair to say that for most properties built in the prior period, they should have their feng shui reassessed, and, if necessary, “brought into” the energy pattern for the new period luck. There are many ways of doing this but the true ways are still a highly guarded secret.

We will often find that the three-to-four years approaching each of the 20-year period luck and the two-to-three “settling-in” years are fairly tumultuous times. We entered into the current 20-year period luck on Feb 4, 2004. The previous change in period luck occurred on Feb 4, 1984. Reflecting on world affairs during these times, it would perhaps be fair to say that actuality is consistent with theory. The good story now is that we should be settling in to a comparatively stable period as we move further into Period 8.

Each 20-year period luck has a Ba Gua number (1 to 9) assigned to it, and the one we are in is called the Period 8 Luck. We are now in the third year of Period 8 Luck of the San Yuan time aspect of feng shui. These Ba Gua numbers carry an underlying quality of qi that defines the peculiarities of each of the 20-year period. For instance, Period 7 is represented by Dui Gua, which symbolises exhilarating energy of the universe — radiating cheerfulness and stimulating growth. It also represents mouth and young lady. From these characteristics of Dui Gua, one can infer that during Period 7, the ability to speak and persuade could bring success. PR and consultancy firms, and those whose careers relied on persuasion and charisma, did particularly well during this period. Also, 7 represents the metal and fi re elements in the Later Heaven and Early Heaven Ba Gua formations, so companies in the metal and IT industries did well too.

It was also a time of growth for many companies. There were positive outcome in the Dui Period 7 Luck Period for those who worked hard and who were aided by good feng shui and destiny luck. The flipside was that this was also a time where flippant behaviour was tolerated, and a gift of the gab was rewarded.
No longer!

Because 8 is earth element according to the Later Heaven Ba Gua while it is wood element according to the Early Heaven Ba Gua, the areas of business that will do well will be related to land, production plant and plantations. It will also be a time for the youths of today, for Gen also means a young man.

Period 8 Luck is represented by Gen Gua and “mountain” is used to symbolise Gen’s energy. So, this period will have an ambience of stillness and calm, of reflection and consolidation. If we are not careful, things will come to a grinding halt. It is a time for hard work and endurance, which calls for businesses to have solid grounding. No longer will persuasion and marketing prowess be your key to success. Instead, you will need competence and organisational capability. For those of you who have slogged away and watched with envy your competitors smooth-talk their way to success all this while, your time has come. However, this does not mean that you can relax, for if you do, you will surely roll back down the mountain. You will need to continue to push upwards. But if all that has been said is practised, the mountain peak will be within sight.

The tumultuous events of the past few years will start to settle down, and hopefully we can look forward to more stable years ahead, human luck permitting.

Prediction highlights for 2007
Footnote: There are various ways to make predictions for the year and San Yuan Fei Xing is only but one method. In the teaser below, I have combined different methods. More about this in the next issue.

GENERAL YEAR FORECAST BY REGION

Southeast Asia
Business in this region will start to turn around and strengthen. There will be a lot of opportunities through networking.

China
Business will slow down; however, communication within China and China’s ability to communicate with other nations will improve.

North East (Japan and Korea)
Harder times for this region as there will be obstructions. During times like this, it is very important to work smart and have good feng shui to cushion any fall.

1st moon
Surprising news this month, generally good. Lots of opportunity, but can be bad also if your feng shui is not supportive. Be careful of too much indulgence as it can affect your health.
2nd moon
Good for marriage. Quarrelsome energies around, so try to keep the peace. Also a time for good news
3rd moon
This is a quarrelsome period so do not start partnerships now. Those who have worked hard will be acknowledged for their good reputation.
4th month
Encounters with obstruction, but if foundation is sound, and one works steadily, the rewards that relate to prowess and promotion will be yours.
5th month
A tough month ahead. Quarrels, gossips and back-stabbing abound. Will require intelligence and right timing to surmount these hurdles, and great success can be had. If not, then beware of getting into trouble.
6th moon
An unstable time, but with good feng shui, you can succeed. This is a good chance when dealing with property.
7th moon
A tough month ahead; tend to lose money. It’s not a time to speculate. Take care of your health, especially relating to the heart and kidney/urinary tract.
8th moon
A time for travels. Beware of accidents and be careful of what you eat.
9th moon
Beware of small-minded people. But those who have put in efforts in the past can receive promotion. Help will come from female support.
10th moon
The good work of the past will be the foundation of your future. Those who have built good foundations will see success. A good time for studying hard as the knowledge gained will be retained. More difficult times for women than men.
11th moon
A time for action, also a time for sudden surprises. Beware of quarrels though.
12th moon
A bright future ahead. Time to renovate your office. Good time for marriage and happy occasions. Money luck to be had.

READERS FAMILIAR WITH feng shui will no doubt be familiar with the Eight Trigram symbol known as the Ba Gua. If you ever wondered where or when this symbol came about and its significance, then follow me on a journey to the source of all esoteric wisdom in Chinese culture.

Two months ago, I set off in search of the legendary Fuxi, the sage-king credited with the creation of the Ba Gua and said to be the forefather of all Chinese people.

Because Fuxi was thought to have lived prior to written history, it is uncertain if he was a real person, a chieftain or an ancient tribe. However, ancient texts refer to his reign as the dawn of Chinese civilisation because of his knowledge of heaven and earth, and point to Tianshui as his birthplace. And he has since been revered by many as the ancestor of the legendary five emperors (the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu, Ku, Yao and Shun) and the head of three august ones (Fuxi, Nuwa
and Shennong).

Tianshui has the only temple dedicated to Fuxi that contains his image. First built in 1490, and rebuilt in 1597 during the Ming Dynasty, it is exquisite and quite different from many Buddhist or Daoist temples in its quiet elegance.

The city is a key settlement of early Chinese civilisation, an ancient city with the oldest Chinese archaelogical record. The discovery of a sophisticated neolithic culture in nearby Dadiwan spanning 6000-3000 BC, lends credence to Fuxi’s legend. The archaeological site shows evidence of agriculture, pottery-making, Chinese character writing, building construction, and drawing as far back as 8,000 years ago, preceding previous finds by 1,000 years. In addition, he was also credited with inventing netting, taught his people the use of fire, musical instrument making, record-keeping and united nine tribes.

Fuxi’s acute observation of nature inspired him to develop the Ba Gua that helped him to explain the laws of the universe. Fuxi’s Ba Gua arrangement depicts the dual nature of the universe, and is commonly referred to as Early Heaven Trigram (Xian Tian Ba Gua). Fuxi was also credited with developing the inspirational River Picture (He Tu), a numerical model of ancient cosmology representing the beginnings of the Universe.

From Fuxi’s Early Heaven Trigram evolved the Later Heaven Trigram (Hou Tian Ba Gua) and the 64 Hexagrams by King Wen, founder of the Zhou dynasty. Prior to this, Emperor Yu, founder of the Xia dynasty developed another numerical system called the Luo Book (Luo Shu).

Together, these symbols and numbers form the foundation theory for all Chinese esoteric studies referred to as the Five Arts comprising feng shui, traditional Chinese medicine, divination, destiny reading and physiognomy. The symbols and numbers take on properties of Yin and Yang, the five element transformations, body parts and organs, family members, geographical forms, seasonal elements, human characteristics and so forth, interacting together according to set principals.

A master practitioner would then make use of the above fundamental principles and with the aid of the appropriate tools of the trade, the compass and Chinese solar calendar, access whether a situation, for example, one’s feng shui, health, prophecy, destiny, or fortune and character, is favourable or unfavourable. And subsequently, manipulate parameters to avoid the unfavourable and harness favourable outcomes.

Among the five arts, I personally find feng shui the most practical and beneficial, because I can improve a person’s fortune by changing their physical environment. But I cannot change their destiny, face or palm! Divination is also fascinating in helping us make appropriate choices through consulting the Yi Jing oracle.

The earliest textual reference to feng shui can be found in the Book of Odes, the oldest Chinese anthology of poems written during the Shang dynasty. It describes Duke Liu conducting a geophysical survey in 1798 BC to locate burial sites according to the environment, Yin and Yang forces, and the flow of rivers and springs.

This inferred that the ancients were already using the theory of forms Xing Fa and the knowledge of Li Qi, two broad feng shui classifications for assessing the best place to locate settlements, residences or tombs. The theory of forms focuses on the physical aspects of the landscape and relates to the visible physical features of nature and their shape, form, contour, appearance, conformation and flow. The science of Qi orientates according to the cosmological forces of the universe and relates to the invisible forces of nature, its quality, direction, influence, flow and the influence of time.

In a modern urban environment, there is not much opportunity to work with such large-scale feng shui as per our forefathers. Imagine my delight on my recent travels to study a vast array properties ranging from royal tombs, palaces, townships, to individual farmers’ dwellings.

From Tianshui in southeast Gansu, I headed to the southwest corner of Gansu. As the bus climbed steadily through rich terraced fields of grain towards the Qilian Shan, layers of mountains enfolded like a weyr of dragons. Mountains represent dragons and if the dragons are clearly visible and well-defined, and lush with vegetation, they are well-nourished and carry benevolent Qi. Well-defined ridges represent the dragon’s veins and the lushness of the vegetation implies that there is sufficient water coursing through its veins, therefore a benevolent dragon watches over the fields. In ancient times, villages would be strategically located in the protection of these dragons, clear of killing forces from rivers, roadways or harmful mountains and positioned at naturally occurring power sites to harness energy carried by the mountains and rivers to bring a harmonious lifestyle to the villagers.

Horse trekking through the pine forests of Songpan in the Min Shan range of Sichuan, we ascend from 2,900m to 4,000m through villages and monasteries nestled in valleys and resting on sides of ridges. The homes pictured here no doubt enjoy a spectacular view, but they are too precariously perched on the spur and lack support on all three sides.

The homes enjoy a spectacular view but they are too perched on the spur and lack support on all three sides

Langmusi, a monastic town in the mountainous borders between Gansu and Sichuan, is surrounded by rugged rocky mountains devoid of vegetation. Water gushes through the town like runoff after a heavy thunderstorm. It rushes past rows of shophouses and homes, taking away their fortunes. Virtually each range has an image of an old man lying faceup. Wisdom resides with the monks but the energy of the place lies exhausted like the wanton fl ow of water. If they only knew to control the energies from the gushing streams flowing through the village, perhaps even constructing a water dragon. And to position the village and homes to avoid malevolent forces from the surrounding mountains.

In days gone, feng shui masters were responsible for securing the power and wellbeing of many noble families of the day. The application of Yin feng shui for the selection of burial sites for their masters, these “king-maker” tombs, became responsible for the propitious advance of the clan and continuation of a dynasty. Through the application of Yang feng shui on their masters’ properties, townships, cities, governments and spiritual sites ensured the continuing success of the living.

Previously, feng shui’s far-reaching effects governed generations over a lifetime, but is now evoked within months to suit the immediacy of our modern pace. The largesse focus on the external landscape required of practitioners in the past is reduced to a focus on the internal environment. The use of feng shui for the benefit of the masses lies mostly forgotten. Perhaps it is pertinent that our leaders today consider feng shui once again, to ensure the harmony of their people.

The monastic town of Langmusi is surrounded by rugged rocky mountains devoid of vegetation

Water gushes through the town, passing these row of shophouses and homes, taking away their fortunes

As feng shui became accessible to common people in townships with limited land space, feng shui masters turned their focus to the positioning of a property and its interior. This is increasingly true in our modern society of apartment living, where today’s masters are focusing their attention on interior space. But for those of us who live in a landed property and have a garden, we can make feng shui relevant to the space regardless of the garden’s size.

THE GARDEN ENVIRONMENT
The layout of your garden has critical implications on the feng shui of your home — the location of the swimming pool or the pond, the alignment of your waterfall or stream, the positioning of sculptures, lighting or landscape boulders are all environmental factors that can bring you fortune or misfortune.

Classical feng shui employed in modern times can transform your garden into a landscape of mountains and rivers. A boulder can constitute a mountain, a path or open drain can represent a river, but most important of all, a pond or water feature can be your golden goose.

But be cautious. Inappropriate location of a water or mountain feature, or even how your drain flows or your garden path meanders can cause immense problems to the household.

Depending on how your house is positioned with respect to compass directions, the different schools of classical feng shui have their own specific stipulation for the location of mountains or water. In choosing a boulder to represent a mountain, it is important to also consider its shape, for this can either add to or detract from the auspicious energy it has been chosen to convey. In aligning your garden pathway or waterfall, the direction of how the water enters or exits your pond determines whether you will be enriched or suffer misfortune.

For instance, according to San He school of feng shui, if your house and door faces NW (293 -307 degrees) and you have water entering from the SE, SW, W or N (as in the flow of water in your drain) or if your waterfall flows into your pond from this direction, your luck will grow and bring you success. But if you have water entering from the E, members of your household may experience Peach Blossom (inappropriate) romance.

You will experience good fortune if you placed a ‘mountain’ such as a boulder in the SW, N, or SE. However, if you placed a sculpture that may be quite artistic but happens to be an imposing metal piece with sharp edges in the N, this may cause accidents, or serious injury. So it can get quite complex, even within the same school of feng shui.

When the same example above is assessed according to the San Yuan school of feng shui, it is inauspicious to have water entering from the West as this may cause blood-related disasters or mental illness.

When considering using the Xuan Kong Fei Xing Flying Star system of feng shui, it is auspicious to place a water feature such as a fountain or a pond directly in the front garden but inauspicious to place such features in the N part of your property. It is very auspicious to place a mountain feature in the NW part of your property and the shape should be flat or round to symbolise the element earth and metal respectively, to further enhance the auspicious earth energy and water money luck that reside in this area. This is only relevant for new homes or those that have undergone signifi cant renovations in the past two years.

So different schools of feng shui will have their ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ and it is important to know each one of them so that one does not inadvertently violate another.

INADVERTENT LOCATION OF FEATURES IN A GARDEN CAN CAUSE MISFORTUNE

Among the most common problematic features are swimming pools, ponds and fountains. Water is the most effective of the five elements. It can bring immense good fortune and cause immense misfortune. I have a client whose overall feng shui was very good and whose business was making very good money, but his swimming pool was located in a position of ‘leaking wealth’. He had a lot of unforseen expenses that left him with little profit. After implementing corrective action, he was better able to retain his earnings. Another case was a wealthy businessman who had installed a magnificent fountain in his front garden that spouted water in an inauspicious direction, and his business immediately declined. Upon removal of the fountain, his business reverted. Yet another client had a huge ‘crying water’ formation that spelt melancholy business for years.

As feng shui is about the effect of the environment on our luck, it stands to reason that a garden, constituting a good part of our natural environment, can provide a major influence on the luck of the occupants in a property. Unfortunately, it is too often ignored because many practitioners are not aware of its importance or how to do the feng shui of a garden. Not only is it worthwhile to have good feng shui for your house, but a well feng shui-landscaped garden that incorporates some of the most powerful systems of feng shui such as Water Dragon, Eight Dragon Doorway or Water Longevity formations can bring immense wealth to the occupants of
a property.

The location of a swimming pool is critical to the feng shui of a property

There are several systems that can be used to determine the placement of feng shui items:

• Yi Jing Ba Gua system
  This is an “apparently” simple way of determining where to place feng shui items that use the Later Heaven Ba Gua arrangement in conjunction with the Five Element Transformation. Each Gua depicts one of the five elements. Some suggestions for feng shui item placements follow this system. The Ba Gua is placed over the layout of the building according to actual compass directions and items placed to activate the locations that are propitious such as northwest (NW) because this sector represents metal and money.

• Xuan Gong Flying Star system
  This system is based on the annual influence of the stars. The good stars to activate are 1, 8 and 9 while the bad stars to weaken are 2, 3, 5 and 7. Using the Five Element Transformation principle, place a light in the north sector of your home to enhance earth star 8 to bring wealth. Similarly, to weaken earth star 2, place a metal item in the southeast sector of your home to weaken the energy that brings ill health. This method should not be used in isolation, but rather together with a complete understanding of where the different qualities of qi that are determined by where the stars reside in your home according to the Xuan Gong Flying Star System. With the help of a feng shui expert, you will first need to determine the “period” cycle of your property, followed by where each of the stars reside. Then, and only then, should you use the annual star chart to complement the existing qualities of qi not only to reap more definitive benefits, but more importantly to avoid inadvertently activating inauspicious energies in your home.

  There are many other classical systems to consider when placing feng shui ornaments in your home or office, and it is important to adhere to the principles of classical feng shui that are governed by the laws of the universe. Classical feng shui has survived several millennia, and by that simple virtue, it works consistently when applied accordingly. It is not trimmed according to our wishes like modern (or New Age) feng shui, which may only provide momentary satisfaction. A water feature or a wind-chime is not beneficial in every case, and the material in its size, form, shape, colour and the nature it represents must be carefully considered with respect to the energies that reside on a particular property. But one can only determine the location of these energies with the assistance of a feng shui expert, for each property is unique.