Things have been insanely hectic this month, hence the slowdown in posts. I’ve been spending the last few weeks either in a plane or teaching. Hopefully when things become less hectic, I’ll have time for longer posts!

Just a quick post to point you all in the direction of the China Excursions website - I’ll be in China for the next two weeks with a group of students visiting some interesting spots and there will be daily updates of our journey at the website. Updates should start tomorrow (11 April) and there will be plenty of pictures and informative write-ups on the various locations of Feng Shui-interest we will be visiting.

I hope to be able to blog while in China but it all depends on the Internet lines as we might be in some rather rural parts of China. But do drop by the Excursions website regularly for the next two weeks - it won’t be like being there, but it will be close!

Qi should always collect in front of the door, and then gently float into the property. If your Qi is being dragged away from the door, then nothing is flowing in and everything is flowing out. How does Qi get dragged away from the door, and from the building? By Pulling Nose Water.

The name Pulling Nose Water is derived from the Qi being pulled away from the Main Door, much like a cow is led away by the nose. Whenever there is a long, narrow pathway or corridor in front of a door, the door is regarded as having a Pulling Nose Water problem.

Moo!

Part Two of my Astrology 2008 video. Enjoy.

First Edison Chen in Hong Kong.

Now Eliot Spitzer in New York.

Mr Earth Rat aka Wu Zi 戊 子 is an elusive fellow indeed. Being a nocturnal fellow, with inclinations towards the misty, steamier side of town, it is not easy to find Mr Wu Zi and sit him down for a chat. And even then, Mr Wu Zi has a Yoda-esque way of speaking. Yes, perhaps in his last incarnation, Mr Wu Zi was Yoda (or Yoda was a Wu Zi Day Master). Thus, those in his presence often feel either like they haven’t a clue what he has said, or some deep intensely profound statement has just made its way into the universe, and if you can’t figure it out, then well, you’re not meant to know.

Such is the way of Mr Wu Zi.

Still you can’t help but be drawn to Mr Wu Zi. Despite his cryptic ways, there’s something devilishly charming about Mr Wu Zi – a certain international man of mystery charm about him. Think Casanova, not Austin Powers please.

Like his friend Remy (who finally has to come out of the dark, into the limelight this year, after winning his Oscar for his role in Ratatouille), Mr Wu Zi finds himself at the center of attention this year. After all, it is supposed to be HIS year.

Anyway, after much effort in tracking him down, Mr Wu Zi finally agreed to have a chat with Fengshuilogy on 2008, Feng Shui master predictions and to tell us a little about himself!

Fengshuilogy: So, 2008 is here and it’s your year!

Wu Zi: (yawns) – do excuse my yawning, I’m not really used to being up at this hour of the day.

Fengshuilogy: Not a morning person eh?

Wu Zi: Not really. I’m really more of a night rat, you know what I mean? The moon comes up, and I’m at my most energetic. But during the day, I’m a bit doozy. Like a dormouse.

Fengshuilogy: You know, it was a real pain to find you – I guess you’re not into e mail and that sort of thing.

Wu Zi: Naturally not – I’ve been told I have a certain rogueish charm (and it’s nothing to do with twitching whiskers) and really, if you have it flaunt it you know what I mean? Peach Blossom stars shouldn’t be wasted (wink wink). So I always prefer meeting people in person. And anyway, my enigmatic ways don’t translate so well in writing – besides, being an Earth Rat, you know it takes me a LOOONG time to compose my thoughts. Although you’re not quite right about me not being into e mail. I am fond of technology (check out my new Blackberry) and I love the movies. I’m mighty pleased that one of my ilk has just won a movie for Best Animated Film. Who would have thought a film about a Rat could win an Oscar? Matter a fact, I’m trying to get a hold of Remy’s agent right now. I have a brilliant business proposition for him – you know you have Yan can Cook on television? I bet Rat Can Cook will be a hit with the ladies. Don’t under-estimate us Rat types – we have a way with the ladies…

Image from Slashfilm.com

Fengshuilogy: You’ve been described variously as “more selfish and calculating” and “smart, magnetic, well-liked, affable, quick-witted and protective of the ones you love”. Is this the true you?

Wu Zi: Hmmm, are you sure that was an interview with me? You know, these reporters (and those Astrology people) love to make up stuff about me. I suppose it’s because I’m such an elusive, enigmatic fellow that they have to wing some of it just to keep things interesting eh? I tell you when I visit the corner bookstore, I wonder who is writing some of this tosh about me.

I mean, selfish and calculating – well I won’t deny that about me, but I’m not sure my four other brothers, especially my big brother Jia Zi would agree with that assessment of them. And I have my doubts that my brother Bing Zi thinks that way about himself.

And please, if the intelligence gene was so equally distributed in this world, Einstein would not have said “only two things are infinite—the universe and human stupidity”. All rats are not created equal okay? Admittedly, the element of Water represents intelligence and so arguably, all of us Rats can’t be dimwits. But hey, not all of us can get away with being smart or know how to use our smarts you know…

As for the magnetic, well-liked part, well baby, when you gotta Peach Blossom, you flaunt da Peach Blossom right? It’s not wrong but I don’t think all of us Rats attract people for the same reasons. Take me for example – I’m attractive because basically, I’m enigmatic, elusive and mysterious. Women love a good chase, and they find me rather, ahem, charming. They’re intrigued by what lies beneath (which by the way, I rarely reveal). I’m not sure people think the same way about my brother Jia Zi, who is the least mysterious person around and Mr Call A Spade A Spade.

Do I digress?

Fengshuilogy: No no – let’s get to know the mafia – I mean family. There are 5 of you right? Earth Rat (Wu Zi 戊 子), and then there’s Fire Rat (Bing Zi 丙 子), Metal Rat (Geng Zi 庚 子), Wood Rat (Jia Zi 甲 子 ) and Water Rat (Ren Zi 壬 子 ). The Five Rats.

Wu Zi: Au contraire – not Five Rats. *The Rat Pack*. We’re original Rat Pack you know, my rodent brothers and I. I mean, Sinatra and all those guys, they were nothing like the REAL Rat Pack.

Fengshuilogy: Oh, tell tell.

Wu Zi: Hmm, I feel a breeze. The mist is clearing…and so I shall reveal to you a few secrets of the Rat Pack. I’m the middle child, so I have a bit of middle rat syndrome. But who can blame me right? When you’re sandwiched in between Mickey and Emo-Mouse, it kind of warps who you are. But anyway, I’m the kind of Rat that well, is all about the cheese, if you get my drift. And I’m not talking the parmesan kind. I’m a bottom line driven kind of rodent. Now I may be slow with words, but I’m quick with the numbers and you’ll never catch me doing cruddy business deals. I can sniff them out a mile away. Nope. I get in there, get what I want, and get out. You know the term corporate raider? They were probably thinking of ME when they coined it. I sneak in, pillage, steal, swipe and grab what I can, and then before the ship hits the iceberg, I’m outta there.

Fengshuilogy: nice one – wasn’t it YOUR year when the Titanic hit that iceberg?

Wu Zi: Oh yeah yeah – you have been reading that article in The Edge Options! Ah – no wonder you’re asking me all these question. But more on that later….now where was I? Yeah, corporate raiding. I was watching that film ‘Wall Street’ and you know, it kind of reminded me of myself. Maybe they should have named Gordon Gekko’s character Gordon Ratto instead eh? I mean lizards – puleeze. I know they look all nasty and all but really, lizards have about as much charm as dead roadkill. The rat on the other hand…I tell you, we have animal magnetism…even when we’re dirty!

Fengshuilogy: But Gekko was a nasty person.

Wu Zi: Well, we’re Rats! What do you expect? Nice rats finish last – I say. Hey, Mickey is a nice mouse – but who’s the Rat who’s holding the Oscar huh huh? LIFO is for losers – FIFO – that’s my motto. First in, first out. And I don’t share nothing with no one. Deng Xiao Peng said it first “Greed is GLORIOUS!” Ho’s before Bro’s, Me before You, Less Rat, More Cheese you know what I mean?

Fengshuilogy: Gosh, but you’re rather chatty today for someone who’s been describe as yogi-like and yoda-esque.

Wu Zi: You’re catching me on the upswing – the wind is blowing.

Fengshuilogy: Err, right.

Wu Zi: Now, where was I? Oh right…the Rat Pack. So there’s Wood Rat. He likes to think of himself as the top rat. Leader of the five of us. He’s a righteous type. You would never catch him with his nose down some garbage can. Forget it – garbage is not good enough for him. Mr Clean Rat – that’s my brother Wood Rat. Yeah – he smells better than most of us too you know. Always setting a good example, trying to be a good guy. Even when he tries to be bad, he’s being good. I mean, he’s a Rat. But everyone loves him. The loveable rogue – that has to be Jia Zi. Like my pal Remy…or that fella from that TV show ‘House’ – Hugh Laurie.

Yo check-out the family album…

Big Bro

Goody Goody Two Rat

Emo-Mouse

Lil Bro

Fengshuilogy: So what about Mickey – Mouse we mean.

Wu Zi: Oh him. Yeah, Mr Limelight. Mr-Don’t-Call-Me-Rat-Call-Me-Mouse. You know, he has to be better than all of us rodents because he’s the one who comes out during the day. He’s the one who stands under the lights. Oh yes, Brother Bing Zi.

Fengshuilogy: Ohhh – do we detect some resentment there?

Wu Zi: Please – Mickey, I mean Bing Zi, leads such a boring life. You know what – you can always tell a mile away when Mickey is trying to get up to something. I mean don’t get me wrong – he’s a sweet rodent and all that, but seriously, WOT A LOSER. A rat’s gotta do what a rat’s gotta do.

Poor old Mi..I mean, Bing Zi – puts his hand in the cookie jar and gets caught by the cat right away. I mean when you come out in the daytime, of course you get caught. You know – there are rats, and there are mice. But we’re all RODENTS right? So…this holier than thou thing,I’m a mouse, you’re a rat, with Bing Zi really gets on my tail…I mean nerves. Personally, I think he’s a bit of a failure to the rat species. Life is a rat race and my Fire Rat brother just doesn’t get that. Why can’t we all get along, he asks whenever we have a Rat Pack get together…and that’s when my lil brother Water Rat aka Ren Zi just wants to slap him across the snout and say ‘BECAUSE WE’RE RATS YOU IDIOT’.

Whoa…I’m getting all emotional here…

Fengshuilogy: Yes, which is not like you right?

Wu Zi: Well I get all worked up but then it passes. It’s the Water. But things don’t phase me that much you know. Not like Emo-Mouse.

Fengshuilogy: Ah, yes, your younger brother, Geng Zi.

Wu Zi: Mr Emo-Mouse himself. That rodent has a serious bleeding heart. Gets emotionally worked up about everything. But that doesn’t concern me you know – what concerns me is the laziness. A rat shouldn’t be lazy. A lazy rat is a starving rat.

Fengshuilogy: Tell us about Ren Zi.

Wu Zi: Him – But he is really good with finding the fois gras amongst the garbage. Got a real nose on him there for sniffing out great business deals. I mean, who would have thought fizzy sugar water would be big the way it is today? Now he is an opportunist of the highest order. We don’t see him a lot – he’s usually in some sewer, scavenging around for some worthy scraps. Probably explains why he’s a bit on the tubby side.

Fengshuilogy: Euh – the sewer? How gross.

Wu Zi: Well, he has his way with the ladies too. You know, women are always attracted to him for different reasons – still waters run deep. They peer into his eyes, and see great depths to his personality and they just want to find out more and more about him. And he has a way with words, although I think he tends to reserve them for shareholders meetings. The guy can be a real bore you know – always about the money, always about making money. But anyway, enough about me and my rodent ilk…I think I’ve given too much of the game away…we’ll talk again…next week…gotta go!

Someone sent me an article which appeared on CNN.com and which also was a highlighted video on Yahoo.com this week, about the science of Personology aka Face Language.

Read the article here, and go here for the video entitled ‘Personality as plain as the nose on your face’.

It tickles me (no pun intended, given that the advocate of Personology is a Ms Naomi Tickle) to read these ‘wow – isn’t it just amazing’ stories about how people can discern all kinds of things from facial features and faces. And I suppose, I get a bit of a kick out of seeing something like this featured on an international news channel like CNN because if they think this is amazing or incredibly or interesting, erm, wait till they see the ‘real thing’ in action. (real thing meaning Mian Xiang).

The gist of Personology is that facial features derived through measurement metrics (they actually measure the space between your eyes and your hair thickness – that sort of thing) can tell you something about your personality. Rightly, the article on CNN by Linda Saether (the video report is done by a very experienced CNN journalist, Judy Fortin), points out that Personology can technically be linked back to Aristotle, who wrote about physiognomy, the science of discerning temperament from facial features.

But what Linda Saether and Judy Fortin probably don’t know is that in between Aristotle (384-322BC) and Personology (estimated 1920s), well, um, we Chinese got it all figured out ☺

Officially, the study of physiognomy (Mian Xiang 面相) by Chinese Metaphysicians can be traced to the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 BC). And unlike Aristotle, who explored physiognomy for the purposes of understanding character, the Chinese were interested in utilise physiognomy to understand DESTINY.

Splitting hairs? Not quite. Let’s take a minute to understand the difference here.

Character or temperament relates to traits and the manner in which you will ‘react’ in a given situation or circumstance. Character or temperament would encompass something like ‘bad tempered’ or ‘careful’. For example, in describing eyebrows, Aristotle says:

“If the space between the eye-brows be of more than ordinary distance, it shows the person to be hard-hearted, envious, close and cunning, apprehensive, greedy of novelties, of a vain fortune, addicted to cruelty more than love. But those men whose eyebrows are at a lesser distance from each other, are for the most part of a dull understanding; yet subtile enough in their dealings, and of an uncommon boldness, which is often attended with a great felicity; but that which is most commendable in them is, that they are most sure and constant in their friendship.”

Compare this to the Chinese approach to Physiognomy, which takes things one step further and looks to use the face to discern not just personality, but DESTINY. In other words, the outcome of a person’s life, as discerned from their features. By Destiny or outcome, we are looking at for example, if a person will prosper or not, if they have the capacity to become wealthy and when, will they have a favourable or unfavourable marriage, do they have the opportunity to own property in this lifetime and even, discern a person’s fertility (both male and female!).

Indeed, whilst Aristotle and Personology stops at the face, Mian Xiang goes beyond the face, to study movement (or body language as it is known in modern times). Mian Xiang also takes into account the fact that faces change and that the face can also reveal if a person is in Good Luck or Bad Luck.

Wikipedia suggests that Personology is a bit of a pseudo-science. Now I think that’s a bit unfair and seems to me to be largely premised on the viewpoint that physiognomy itself is of questionable value (well, if you learn the Aristotle variety, I would say it is perhaps not so complete…)

I prefer to think of it the West being merely behind the learning curve a bit! According to Ms Tickle, the Face Language International has identified 68 traits, based on various features of the face. At it’s bare basics level, Mian Xiang uses 100 reference points on the face as key reference features, along with 5 Officers, 12 Palaces, and that’s not even taking into consideration Dynamic Face Reading, where we combine the features together, to gain an exact picture of the person’s personality and Destiny!

But for the sake of argument, is there any substance to Personology?

In Personology, the Roman Nose is regarded as a sign of a take-charge personality. This is also the viewpoint in Mian Xiang, although Mian Xiang goes a step further to determine that this character trait, when seen in women, usually signifies relationship or marriage problems (due to the strong character).

Personology differentiates between a wide face and a narrow face and says people with narrow faces are philosophical. In Mian Xiang, a narrow face is known as a Wood Face and is regarded as the face of a person who likes to learn. So again, Personology is not wrong, if we view it from the Mian Xiang perspective. The wide-face, according to Mian Xiang, can be further classified into Earth and Water faces. According to Personology, the wide faced person has the ability to ‘wing it’. In Mian Xiang, wide faces belong to people who are intellectually quicker, usually also wittier, and definitely better at making money. (check out your neighbourhood millionaire – chances are he’s got a wide face).

Personology looks at the set of eyes, looking at whether they are wide-set or close set. Personology says people with wide-set eyes are ‘easy going’. Well, that depends on how wide says Mian Xiang. In Mian Xiang, when the eyes are far apart, the person is usually slow and ponderous. I suppose ‘easy going’ is a diplomatic term for ‘slow’. Close-set eyes mean the person is good with details says Ms Tickle and ‘meticulous’. Well, that is generally true also in Mian Xiang but in Mian Xiang, one has to go a step further and check the TIPS of the eyes to determine if the person really has an eye for detail. And of course, the size of the eyes (length and diameter) also plays a part in determining the extent in which the person is a meticulous person.

Over Chinese New Year, I intended to blog about two important events which took place in January 2008, in the run-up to February 4th, which I thought were apt examples of ‘Ratty Behaviour’ – the kind of activities that we can expect to see during 2008. But with all the Chinese New Year talks I was committed to doing, the festivities (and of course, the ‘Hoi Kong’ or Recommencing of Work dates and God of Wealth direction information took precedence on the blog by popular demand), I didn’t get the chance to compose my thoughts.

I have repeatedly highlighted that in the year of Wu Zi 戊子 (Earth Rat) we can expect fraud, embezzlement and sex scandals. January 2008 in fact has already provided us with a taster of what the Rat will offer with the Society-Generale banking scandal and the Edison Chen sex scandal.

Society-Generale’s banking scandal is a classic example of ‘night rat’ type activities. Shrouded in secrecy, and conducted by a lowly trader in the bank (rats after all, are not much noticed and ‘lowly’ characters), the fraudulent activities of trader Jerome Kerviel aptly surfaced in the Ox 丑 month, when the Gui Water 癸 (aka Rat) appeared on the surface. If you check the day the scandal broke (Jan 24th 2008), you will also notice, the Rat appears.

The Edison Chen sex scandal, at the time of writing, has already claimed the career of the Hong Kong super-star, who has announced his retirement from the Asian entertainment scene following the completion of his existing commitments. For those unfamiliar with Edison Chen, he is a Hong Kong actor-singer. The sex scandal revolved around racy photographs taken of Edison Chen in various compromising sexual positions with various well-known Hong Kong stars including Cecelia Cheung and Gillian Chung to name a few. The photographs were downloaded from his laptop when he sent it in for repairs, and then circulated via the Internet.

Again, this is typical ‘ratty behaviour’ – the photos were stolen by the technician, and then leaked onto the Internet by unknown sources, and then further perpetuated by other users of the Internet. This is very Water-like behaviour as the characteristic of Water is to spread and travels to all four corners of the Earth.

News of the sex scandal broke in late January 2008, but only became mainstream news around February 4th 2008. It serves to affirm the point made in my earlier post that the Ox month’s Qi is certainly more rat nose, than pig’s tail.

The Rat has more surprises of a Ratty nature planned for us, doubtlessly. Speaking of the Rat, Fengshuilogy has managed to secure an interview with Mr Wu Zi himself. Check back in the next couple of days to find out more about the elusive Earth Rat.

72 Emperors have passed through this gate, called Nan Tian Men (South Heavenly Gate). Almost every Emperor, since the Tang Dynasty, has made a pilgrimage to Tai Shan (Mount Tai) an integral part of his reign. It is here that they come to thank the heavens for all that has been bestowed upon them.  Nan Tian Men is located at the peak of Tai Shan (Mount Tai) which is one of the five main source dragons of China.

The Star SMS alerts flashed this on my Blackberry today: “Palm oil futures trade above RM3,500 for the first time, up RM 64 to RM3515 as soyoil and wheat reached new record levels”.

At my Good to Great talk on February 3 2008 in Singapore, I indicated that agriculture will have a good year, as Wood is the most dominant element of the year and it is also Wood that protrudes through to the top of the year’s BaZi chart.

Am deep in China at the moment researching for the upcoming China Excursion 08. Lunch has been rather ‘hot’ all the way through, which is a good thing I suppose since it is quite cold here.