和老外聊聊中国文化： Fengshui 风水

英语自学网

　　A: some Chinese people like to keep a bowl of gold fish in their office.
They think this can bring good luck to dealing whit office politics and in their
career.
        　　B: that’s what we call feng shui, or geomancy. Some people think feng shui
is superstition. But once you have a closer look. You’ll find it’s much more
sophisticated. It is a juxtaposition of environmental, psychological and,
hygienic studies. Elements, such as, structures, noise, smell and lighting,
which are harmful to a living environment, are called ,evil. For instance, a
room that is either, too bright or too dark, can have an adverse effect on
people’s emotions. Fengshui is supposed to help people adapt to that sort of
harmful environment.
        　　A: are there any Chinese culture elements in fengshui.
        　　B: of course, there are. It is heavily influenced by the theory of the five
natural elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. The theory is all about
how things complement, or check, each other, and how people should pursue
harmony to avoid colored house for too long, he or she, is likely to lose
patience and become restless. According to fengshui, the colors in the room are
not harmonious and need to be adjusted to achieve balance. Fengshui also has an
influence over people’s life and psyche. Chinese culture is developed around the
belief of the golden mean. In other words, refrain from being excessive. If a
small family occupies a large house, it is believed to bring bad fortune, sooner
or later. The message here is, to maintain balance.
        　　A: how does fengshui interpret the location of a house? If the location is
not desirable, do people have to desert it?
        　　B: not really. Fengshui emphasizes the pursuit of harmony to avoid harm.
For example, if the door of a house opens in the wrong direction. The solution
is not to seal it but to place something else near the door. That diverts the
potential harm and makes people feel secure. It’s quite similar to the fish bowl
in the office. It fives people a psychological boost that helps them be more
relaxed, and confident at work. Hopefully, it will help them earn promotions. Is
this a benefit from the fish bowl, or a psychological boost, or neither?
Whatever the answer, if fengshui can help people live a smoother and more
successful life, why not?