Feng Shui and the City : The Private and Public Spaces of Chinese Geomancy

Feng Shui and the City analyses the past and contemporary influences of traditional geomancy on Chinese built environments across three domains: domestic spaces, spaces of commercial development and the public realm. Using Lefebvre’s notion of absolute and abstract space ―spaces of ‘symbolic existence’ and ‘everyday life’ versus spaces of domination and control, it tracks evolving attachment to, and use of, Feng Shui in Guangdong and Hong Kong. The book seeks to understand the changing role of Feng Shui in modern urban development and its regulation, and to question what constitutes authentic Feng Shui today. Preface References Acknowledgments Contents List of Figures List of Tables 1 Feng Shui and the ‘Meaning of Space’ 1.1 What Is Feng Shui? 1.2 Feng Shui at Urban and Domestic Scales 1.2.1 The Domestic and Private Spaces of Feng Shui 1.2.2 The Urban and Public Spaces of Feng Shui 1.3 Place/Landscape as Cultural Praxis 1.4 From Absolute to Abstract Space 1.5 Tracking the Transition from Absolute to Abstract Space Through Scales, Regulation and Urban Development References 2 The Case Studies and Research Approach 2.1 China and Hong Kong: A History of Separation 2.2 Guangdong: The Last 200 Years 2.3 Hong Kong: The Last 200 Years 2.4 Case Study Themes 2.4.1 Scales of Feng Shui 2.4.2 Actors and ‘Places as Cultural Praxis’ 2.4.3 Absolute and Abstract Space 2.4.4 Authenticity and Relevance 2.5 Research Strategy 2.6 Fieldwork and Analysis References 3 Feng Shui in Mainland China: Guangdong Province 3.1 The Early Development of Guangdong and the Influence of Feng Shui on Its Historic Built Environment 3.2 Uses of and Attitudes Towards Feng Shui in Guangdong 3.2.1 Past Use and Attitudes Towards Feng Shui 3.2.2 Contemporary Use and Attitudes Towards Feng Shui 3.3 The Spaces of Feng Shui in Guangdong 3.3.1 The Domestic Space of Feng Shui 3.3.2 The Commercial Space of Feng Shui 3.3.3 The Public Space of Feng Shui 3.4 Feng Shui’s Transition in Guangdong References 4 Feng Shui in the Chinese Territories: Hong Kong 4.1 The Early Development of Hong Kong and the Influence of Feng Shui on Its Historic Built Environment 4.2 Uses of and Attitudes Towards Feng Shui in Hong Kong 4.2.1 Past Use and Attitudes Towards Feng Shui 4.2.2 Contemporary Use and Attitudes Towards Feng Shui 4.3 The Spaces of Feng Shui in Hong Kong 4.3.1 The Domestic Space of Feng Shui 4.3.2 The Commercial Space of Feng Shui 4.3.3 The Urban and Public Space of Feng Shui 4.4 The Authenticity of Hong Kong’s Feng Shui References 5 Conclusions 5.1 Feng Shui’s Transition 5.2 Authenticity—Concluding Remarks References Index '...A vital contribution to the study of Feng Shui in contemporary urban areas, providing a theoretically and empirically rich rendering of the many lives of an ancient practice as it evolves to serve the needs and interests of a variety of players swept up in enormous political and economic changes...The writing is clear, concise, and economical--a joy to read. The book constitutes an important contribution to the literature on Feng Shui in contemporary societies and it introduces findings that are broadly applicable. It will be widely cited for some time to come.' --Professor Chris Coggins, Bard College at Simon's Rock/Open Society University Network Feng Shui and the City analyses the past and contemporary influences of traditional geomancy on Chinese built environments across three domains: domestic spaces, spaces of commercial development and the public realm. Using Lefebvre's notion of absolute and abstract space--spaces of 'symbolic existence' and 'everyday life' versus spaces of domination and control, it tracks evolving attachment to, and use of, Feng Shui in Guangdong and Hong Kong. The book seeks to understand the changing role of Feng Shui in modern urban development and its regulation, and to question what constitutes authentic Feng Shui today. Manuela Madeddu is Senior Lecturer in Urban Design at the University of Liverpool. She has held previous posts at London South Bank University and the Politecnico di Torino, and practised as an architect and urban designer in Italy and the UK. Her research focuses on cultures of design and regulation. Xiaoqing Zhang is Lecturer in Public Administration at the Zhejiang Sci-Tech University. She graduated from University College London with a PhD in Planning Studies. Her research interests include urban regeneration in relation to welfare regimes, and community governance sitting within a broader understanding of local political resources