The literal translation of Feng Shui is "wind and water". These two elements of nature had a tremendous impact on the survival of ancient people. Even now, as we act as if we've conquered the natural world, we've observed the horrors of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis. These natural forces prove to have the upper hand in our modern times as well.
Feng Shui developed as a tool to evaluate the land. As tribes looked for a new site for their village, they would observe the nature of the land. A place with too much wind and/or water would destroy the crops. This is known as rushing chi. Too little water and wind is not sufficient for crops and would create disease. This is known as stagnant chi.
In order to find the most prosperous land, they would look for a place that had wind and water in a harmonious balance.
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