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Dear Ann,

In general, there are more than two concepts in relation to the " Four Symbolic Animals Concept ".

The four animals: Dragon, Phoenix (Bird), Tortise and Tiger is usually expressed as " pictoral symbols " to allow us to visualize and understand concepts.

I like to elaborate two of the more common uses of the Four Symbolic Animals Concept:

1. Under the Shapes and Form School, these animals represents a set of theory that allows us to understand that:

a. Tortise - The back of the house should have a solid backing.
b. Phoenix - or a bird flying freely represents clear space at the front of the house.
c. The Dragon - Yang location.
d. The Tiger - Yin Location. Here, it is ideal to have a Yang Dragon embrace with the Yin Tiger. Where the Yang Dragon is taller and it embraces the Yin Tiger. (Some authors include the colour element to each animal e.g. Dragon is Green, Tiger white, Tortise black and Bird/Phoenix is Red). The colours under the Shapes and Form School is less important. It has its significance under Para 2. below.

The above is used to analyse the Landscape.

This is why under the Shapes and Form School of Feng Shui, the Phoenix is always at the front; the tortise is always at the back; the Dragon is always on the left of the house and the Tiger is always at the right side of the house (if u are standing at the "frontage" of the house looking outside).

Here, you will notice that unlike using the Compass method, the "layout" of the four animals never change in relation to a house.
This is both applied in the exterior and interior of the house.

For the interior, for e.g. your working table should have a solid backing behind (tortise). Where possible, the front of the working table should face a clear space. For e.g. it can be placed facing an open window.

2. As a picture tells a thousand words, the Four animals is again used by other Feng Shui concepts to provide a pictorial image for ease of understanding.

You can now see why sometimes we get confused as to why the four animals are used to represent the four directions under Para 1. The Shapes and Form School and now, used `differently' to represent another concept under the Compass School

Under the Compass School of Feng Shui, we are more concerned with the Cardinal points of the compass.

This is why under the Compass School, we ALWAYS relate each of the animals with their colour.

Here, colours are added to the Compass School concept to relate to the Five Elements concept:

We have the GREEN Dragon = EAST, WHITE Tiger = WEST, Black Tortise = North, Phoenix = RED. In addition to this we have the Snake = Yellow at the centre. But the snake is less important today.

The above colours also relate to the Five elements. Where Green = Wood element, White = Metal element; Red = Fire element, Black = Water and Yellow = Earth.

Here, it would not be difficult to visualise that if you consider the animals under the Compass School such as the Flying Star, it has to do with the specific compass direction and the element. This is unlike the use of the four animals under the Shapes and Form School.

I believe, many users always get confused or never realised that separate theories are used when we talk about the four animals. This has led many people to be confused as to why some FS practioners/authors say that the East is always the Green Dragon but others say that this is not the case. The Dragon is always on the left side of the house.

I hope the above clears the confusion for you. In addition to the above, the four animals are also used as pictorial representation of Yin and Yang concepts. Where the Dragon represents the most Yang of all animals and the Tiger, a Yin animal. This is why one has to becareful not to create a too yin environment at the West.

Please see below:-

On 8/28/99 5:25:43 PM, Ann Hong wrote:
>Hi, I have some questions
>which have been bugging me for
>a while. I intend to buy a
>house and found a rather nice
>one located on a slope and
>surrounded by hills and
>valleys.
>The main frontwall faces North
>but the maindoor is at the far
>left ( North west end ). The
>door and the wall is alligned
>in one straight line, so is it
>a Northwest house or a North
>house?
>Does a North facing house have
>the dragon hill on the left
>and the tiger hill on the
>right? Or is it the other way
>around? It is said that the
>dragon is an east ( sun rise
>direction ) animal so
>shouldn't it always be on the
>true East direction?

I am really sorry, no amount of words can full describe the actual visual understanding of the environment. It is best to consult a competent Feng Shui consultant is access your situation. I am always very `fearful' of giving advise related to the above as one must always be physically present inorder to provide proper advise on such matters. Hope you understand.

>Let's say that one house has
>the "dragon hill" neighbour
>higher than the "tiger hill"
>neighbour but there is a
>higher hill about a kilometre
>away on the tiger hill
>direction. Should we take that
>faraway hill into
>consideration? Also this house
>I'm interested in has an open
>land in front but faraway (
>about 1 km away ) there are
>hills which may be higher that
>the hills immediately at the
>back of the house, is that ok?

Here again, it is best to be physically present to view and collect all available information. I am thus unable to give you proper advise based on the above. Yes, enviromental scanning and including site scanning are equally important and one needs to be present at the site to make a proper accessment. An expert FS practioner will look at the whole picture i.e. the environment, the site and the situation of the home before coming up with an advise.

>The one question that I really
>like to clear is where should
>we put the toilet? It seems
>like there's no place for it
>as it disturbs one thing or
>another. The toilet of this
>house falls on an auspicious
>direction for each one of my
>family members and we are all
>East group people.

The ideal situation is to avoid having the toilet bowl at the exact compass degree. It is ok for the "toilet" to be situated at a compass direction but avoid having the toilet BOWL situated at the spot i.e. every 15 degrees e.g. 0 degrees, 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees and + 15 degrees etc... It is acceptable say to have the shower at these locations. The toilet bowl should be degrees off such as e.g. 22 degress away from 15 or 30 degrees as an example.

As an East Group people, you should also include the Eight House Theory i.e. to avoid having the death and disaster intangible force at the main entrance door and especially at the bedrooms.

Warmest Regards,
Cecil