Feng-shui is based on the Taoist vision and experience of nature, in particular the idea that the land is alive and filled with energy. Taoism classifies natural features as yin (shadow, female) or yang (light, male). Water is yin, and mountains are yang. Earth is yin, and sky is yang. When water meets mountains or clouds drop from the sky to embrace the earth, nourishing energy is generated. Mountains that seem to disappear and reappear because of shifting clouds are said to contain tremendous energy.

The Two Forms of Energy

Energy can take visible or invisible forms.

Visible Energy

Energy carried in landforms and exterior architectural features is said to be visible energy because it is manifested in visible structures. Using the feng-shui of Landform Classification,

we can determine which type of energy--positive, neutral, or destructive--is carried by a given landscape or architectural design (feng-shui treats building exteriors as landforms).

Invisible Energy

Energy flowing inside a building is said to be invisible energy because it can only be revealed and charted using special tools such as the lo-p'an (compass) and the pa-k'ua (trigrams). Because all buildings have both exteriors and interiors, we need to know both the Landform Classification and Building Characteristics branches of feng-shui to understand the feng-shui of a building completely.