The Feng Shui Ruler 

Above: An actual Feng Shui Ruler: Wordings in BLACK is not auspicious;
but wordings in RED is good

The Feng Shui Ruler is used to measure the length, breadth and height of rooms, doors and furnitures as certain dimensions and proportions encourage good fortune.

The Feng Shui Ruler shows which measurements are auspicious, and which ones should be avoided.

The Feng Shui foot is 43 cms (approximately 17 inches) and almost identical to the standard imperial foot.

The Feng Shui foot was derived from the side of a square, where the length of the diagonal of a square is the square root of two. Western mathematicians called this the "Magic Square" and this was considered by the Chinese as "mystical".

The Feng Shui foot is again divided into eight, each to correspond with one of the Eight Trigrams:

Question: have a set of antique furniture which was given by my mum. I measured the furniture and it fits the good measures of the Feng Shui Ruler. Is this good? Can you also elaborate more on the Feng Shui Ruler?

Yes most `true' antique furnitures (Chinese influence) do have a set of measurements that follows the Feng Shui ruler. As the furniture was given by your mum (to confirm: from her home?) if so, it is OK.

For other antique furniture that you want to purchase, where possible check it's origin. This is because it is said that furnitures do absorb the Qi from its surroundings and for example when we purchase a home, a FS Master would normally also ask who were the previous owners especially if the house has been built for quite some time. This is the same rationale used to check on the antique furniture's origin.

For the dining table, one of the best materials is still wood. New furniture needs sometime to absord Qi from it's surrounding. Glass and marble are less favoured dining table material because of it it's "hard surface" (which is Yang). Do note that "plastic " or polycarbyte are also considered " hard " and Yang. Yin materials is considered to provide generally a more `cosy' especially for the home.

2. Feng Shui Dimensions and the Feng Shui Ruler

- Under Yin Feng Shui or Feng Shui for the dead, great importance is placed on measurements e.g. of the grave tombstone etc. Currently, not many Feng Shui Masters know this skill as Yang Feng Shui or Feng Shui for the Living is `more widely' used today. This is mainly because of land scarcity and the need to cremate the dead. Cremation is said to have a neutral effect on the decendants of the dead. Secondly, Feng Shui for the living is `more lucrative'.

I understand that most users will ask this question: Is it important to follow Feng Shui measurements?

Lets look at these points:-

In the present day, there are many furniture designers and furniture makers. It is not possible to use the measurements on the Feng Shui ruler. Even if som e furniture makers are aware of it, they may not believe in Feng Shui.

Most of us are not able to custom design home furnitures. Even if we do, we may only custom design e.g. built in cupboards but not possible for every furniture in the home e.g. dining table, sitting room table and chairs etc.

So what should we do?

I like to point out there are a few Schools of Thoughts regarding this matter:-

(1). Some Feng Shui Masters may say. use your six sense or the " Intuitive " form of Feng Shui and buy what you like and " meets " your needs. This is a sensible approach and the most practical in today's world. Simply go get what you like. I agree with this.

(2). Some Feng Shui designers (through their learning of Feng Shui) have incorporated some Feng Shui friendly features e.g. furniture with `rounded' corners. Do note: not "wavy" furniture as in the water element but furnitures that are `suppose' not to give off poision arrows from it's edges. I also agree with this.

This is equally acceptable as most of us do read about poision arrows from nearly every FS website to nearly every FS books. You can consider the use of Feng Shui dimensions as `secondary' importance to Feng Shui.

In fact, today, because of commercialisation of Feng Shui so little has been paid to Feng Shui dimensions i.e. what can you earn from teaching FS dimensions?

When we do research at Geomancy.net, we believe as far as possible to bring up two sides of the coin and let users be the judge for themselves. No hidden agenda on this.

One interesting point: In Singapore, it is a little known fact that the main doors of practically all Housing Development Board Flats which more than 90% of Singaporeans are living have the main door dimensions that fit Feng Shui dimensions. Most FS Masters do talk about the importance of the `mouth' of the house i.e. the main entrance door. As mentioned above, this is considered a `little known fact' because of the racial diversity in Singapore. The `worry' is that this may offend other races especially the e.g. Malays who are Muslims and may get the wrong idea that Feng Shui is a religion.

Cecil Lee
Centre for Feng Shui Research
February 1999

Good and Bad Dimensions

Suitable size of a table:-

Width = 83.75cm to 86.25cm
Length = 147.25cm to 152.25cm
Height = 81.25cm to 83.75cm