What Do "Feng" and "Shui" Truly Mean?

风水 (fēng shuǐ)

We speak so often of Feng Shui that the words roll off the tongue like a familiar incantation. But pause for a moment—and ask yourself: what do these two characters actually mean? When we say 风水 (fēng shuǐ), we are not merely invoking a design philosophy; we are calling upon the very breath and pulse of nature.

The word 风 (fēng) means wind—the invisible messenger that carries qi (气 qì), or life force, across mountains and rivers. Wind is elusive yet powerful. It whispers through bamboo groves, dances along ancient rooflines, and lingers in courtyards where emperors once sat in contemplation. In classical texts, it is said:

「氣乘風則散，界水則止。」"Qì chéng fēng zé sàn, jiè shuǐ zé zhǐ."“Qi disperses when carried by wind, but is contained when it meets water.”

This brings us to 水 (shuǐ)—water. Water embodies calmness, reflection, and the ability to nourish and hold energy. Where wind carries, water gathers. Together, they form the poetic balance of movement and stillness, action and rest. In ancient Chinese cosmology, water is wealth, but it is also wisdom—the still pool that mirrors the moon, the flowing river that carves its way through stone.

To practise Feng Shui is to choreograph this eternal dance between wind and water—movement and containment, expansion and stability. It is the art of inviting life in, and guiding it gently to stay.

In your home, the breeze from an open window, the flow of a hallway, the placement of a quiet water feature—all these details echo the ancient poetry of 风 and 水. They shape not only your environment, but your fortune, your clarity, your peace.

So the next time you hear Feng Shui, do not think merely of furniture or floor plans. Think of 风 (fēng): the breath of heaven. Think of 水 (shuǐ): the mirror of the soul. And let your space become a living poem—rooted in stillness, guided by flow. Written By Daniel Siew Feng Shui