 |
| Fuk Luk Sau or The Three Wise Men |
Each turn of the year is symbolic of a new beginning; people however, sometimes take it too far, too gravely, and too fallaciously. For instance, those misled by advertising hype may horde all kinds of amulets expecting anything from recovery from illness to financial gain. A coin sword here, a jade horse there, and three wise men known as Fuk Luk Sau resting atop a fridge. Call it coincidence or a cultural imprint, these three men are always on top of the Pinoy fridge. These three wise but-not-very-young men as a triumvirate in fact make for the most popular symbol of wealth, happiness, health, and longevity in the Chinese way to harmony—feng shui. Now leave the fridge to that bubble-head dog.
Feng shui (most Pinoys say “pungsuy”, others, “fung shuy” or “fen-shwe”) can be directly translated as “wind-water” in English. Go Pun, a prolific writer and a natural historian in the Jin Dynasty, poetized feng shui: “ The Qi, rides the wind and scatters, but it is retained when encountering water.” If you notice your health has been stably excellent, you may be experiencing qi (sometimes spelled as “chi”), or a good balance in your energy flow.
Feng shui plays a central role in traditional Chinese aesthetics and wellness and today it is used as a guide to where physical elements are placed in the human environment to achieve qi. Its practice require the use of such items as crystal balls, amulets, pagodas, and coins to name a few. But before you make a beeline for the nearest feng shui shop, tradition counsels cleansing your home first.
In my next post, read more on cleansing and “cures” that may protect you from illnesses.
