A comparative study on the Feng Shui village landscape and Feng Shui trees in East Asia: A case study of Ryukyu and Sakishima Islands [Japan]
2008
Chen, B.(Fujian Normal Univ. (China))
Feng Shui is based on empirical observations of the surrounding landform. Majority of researches on Feng Shui in Okinawa concern the historical study, or analyze village layout from perspectives of history, folklore, and architecture. However, a comparative study of Feng Shui in Okinawa with that in mainland topography is little reported. This study aims to clarify a Ryukyu village's features, focusing on Feng Shui trees and village landscape. (1) In China, and Korea, Feng Shui trees are commonly symbolical separated patches. Some major species include Cinnamomum camphora, Ficus microphylla, and Acer buergerianm(Mainland China, and Hong Kong) and Pinus densiflora (Korea). In Okinawa, forests are functionally used to embrace the house, the village, and the coastline to contain the strong wind. Feng Shui trees include Fukugi, Calophyllum inophyllum, Pinus luchuensis, Pandanus odoratissimus, and Hibiscus tiliaceus, in Okinawa. (2) A Feng Shui village landscape highlights the surrounding landform to 'contain the wind' and 'accumulate the water' in China and Korea. In Okinawa, village houses are encircled by multilayer forest belts of house-embracing trees, Kusatimui in the rear and Village Ho:go together to embrace the village, and coastline Ho:go. Such a layout, designed to protect the village from the winter wind and typhoons, is attributed to the environmental difference between mainland and island topographies.
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