"Feng" means "wind" and "Shui" means "water." In Chinese culture, gentle wind and clear water have always been associated with good harvest and good health. Therefore good Fung Shui came to mean good livelihood and bad Fung Shui came to mean hardship and misfortune.
Feng Shui is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and filled with Chi, or energy.
I'm going to stop this introduction to Feng Shui right here because to go any further would require branching out in multiple directions for several pages each and that is not my purpose.
But what I do want to do is introduce you to one of the Feng Shui ornaments known as the Pixiu (pronounced PEE-SHEE-OH).
Traditionally to the Chinese, the Pixiu is regarded as an auspicious creature that possesses mystical power capable of driving away evil and bringing good luck. According to Feng Shui principles, the Pixiu should face a door or window.
The Pixiu on the next page was in the Gift Shop at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.