When a Feng Shui consultant is analyzing the dwelling, one uses the qualities of physical forms that surround the site first of all. Then comes the turn of Luo Pan, or Chinese compass.
The Purpose of Feng Shui Compass
Feng Shui compass helps a practitioner to determine precise directions and get the needed information about the area. Such information, in its turn, is used for drawing a geomantic chart that shows auspicious and inauspicious areas of the place being analyzed. A Bagua map of the house is also drawn up on the basis of the Feng Shui compass readings.
The first thing a Feng Shui practitioner usually does on the site is determining the face (the most Yang) side of the building, and then assesses favorable and unfavorable parts of the site with the help of Luo Pan. Chinese compass has concentric rings that surround the actual compass, which is located in the middle of the devise, and are used for getting and analyzing additional information about the site.
The Types of Luo Pan, the Chinese Compass
The Chinese compass originated in around 2600-2500 B.C., as Chinese legends claim. The history of its development encounters many changes and improvements to have been applied to Luo Pan. Now, 3 distinct types of Feng Shui compass can be named. Though there are many different types of Luo Pan, the most commonly used are San Yuan Luo Pan, San He Luo Pan, and Zong He Luo Pan.
- San Yuan Luo Pan: A distinctive feature of San Yuan Luo Pan is a concentric ring with 64 Hexagrams of the I-Ching. It is used by Three Cycles System of Feng Shui (Flying Stars and Time and Space systems).
- San He Luo Pan: This type of Feng Shui compass can be recognized by the presence of 3 rings of the 24 Mountains: inner, middle and outer plate rings. This type of Luo Pan is used by Three Combinations System of Feng Shui (Eight Mansions, Water Dragons, Mountain Dragons, and Environmental Feng Shui).
- Zong He Luo Pan: Zong He Luo Pan combines the features of the 2 Luo Pans described above. This Feng Shui compass is used by those who advocate the principles of both traditional Feng Shui systems.
Feng Shui compass, also called Chinese compass, or Luo Pan, is the major tool of a Feng Shui practitioner. The compass is used for determining precise directions with the purpose of defining the Bagua of the house. The major types of Feng Shui compass used today are San Yuan Luo Pan, San He Luo Pan, and Zong He Luo Pan.
Sources:
- Lee, Annie, & Wong Lai Kuan. "Different Types of Luo Pan". Math.nus.edu.sg.
- Yap, Joey. “The Feng Shui LuoPan”. Geocities.com, 1999.
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