Some terminologies

Built structure

In Feng Shui basic terminologies it does not suffice to talk about houses, or apartments, where rules pertaining to Facing equally apply to all built structures in which we need people to thrive. Instead, we use built structure, while this term may also apply to Yin Zhai (grave sites) Feng Shui, because a grave site is a built structure also, following the same rules for mountain and water.
In terms of Feng Shui for Yang Zhai (buildings for the living), a built structure will be usually a residential or commercial building. A built structure in the sense used here, must be enclosed by walls and a roof before a complete Flying Star chart – referred to as Man chart or Ren Pan - can be constructed and applied.

Undeveloped Land

Vacant and undeveloped land can be evaluated according to Forms, attributes of the Luo Shu, and directional influences. A true Flying Star chart (Ren Pan) cannot be constructed for land, because a piece of land lacks walls and roof to contain Mountain and Water Dragons. Qi here would have no reference point. For a piece of land, or cities – and failing the Ren Pan - we may apply other Feng Shui tools, like the Former Heaven Ba Gua (Xian Tian), the Later Heaven Ba Gua (Hou Tian, or Di Pan, Earth chart) and the Hexagram ring over the Luo Pan.

Architectural Front

The side of a structure that was architecturally designed to act as the front, usually – but not always-  containing the main entrance. However, this architectural facing is not necessarily what we mean by Feng Shui Facing side. The architectural front may or may not contain the main door or the Facing Palace.

Main Road

It can be difficult to determine the main road if there are several roads. If there are two or more roads, determine which of them is the busiest as in people and traffic, the broadest, the best furnished, has more trees, is closest to the Facing Palace or to your main entrance or has water or more sun. Also, from the interior perspective of the building, which road runs past the most active or quiet parts of the building.

For commercial buildings on a corner of two streets, take the broader road, the busiest of two roads or the road where most customers enter the shop. Or simply determine the more yin side of the building, which will most probably be where the storage is, where employees enter, where merchandise is delivered and decide that this road cannot be the main road. With everything failing, you may have to choose the road by something as odd as where the mailbox is.

Landscaping

Any nicely done landscaping may just as well act as your Facing side if you established that the architectural front is not (good) enough to be allocated your Facing side or Ming Tang area. Landscaping includes grass fields, gardens, parks, trees, bushes, flower beds, furnished gardens, sports fields, playgrounds etc. This landscaping must be well groomed, bright and spacious enough to be considered as the Facing side, your exterior Ming Tang.

Mountain

Mountain means, either real Mountain, hill or elevated ground. Also virtual Mountains including surrounding walls and fences, adjacent or neighbouring buildings, a solid row of trees, quieter (more yin) side of structure. To determine Mountain (Sitting side) and in case of equal quantities, real overrides virtual; walls override trees; elevated overrides trees; trees override calm or quieter. The ‘Mountain’ side as a definition is away from the exterior Ming Tang. Adjacent or neighbouring buildings act as Mountain in Xuan Kong Feng Shui, for their ability to block and emit Qi. We need to establish, however, that these buildings will not be able to make up for real mountains and that their abilities are limited in a Feng Shui sense.

Water

Real Water including oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, marshes and pools.
Also virtual Water including open and active (more yang) space, roads, landscaping, lower or sloping land. Real Water (H₂O) must be close enough to or visible from the building in order to be effective. To determine Water (Facing side) and in the event of equal quantities, real overrides virtual; oceans, lakes, and rivers override roads; while oceans, lakes, and rivers also override landscaping; landscaping overrides roads; low or sloping land overrides landscaping; moving water overrides calm water; large and deep water overrides small and shallow water; clean water overrides dirty water; abundance of sun light may override otherwise open and active space.
Use your judgement at all times, like where we just stated that landscaping overrides roads. If a landscaping is just small and insignificant, a busy road overrides landscaping.

Doors

The main entrance is fundamental to the Qi flow of any building. However, as they are not synonymous, Facing and main door may not necessarily be at the same side of the building, or the main entrance may be even located in the same wall, but not in the same 45 degrees Palace as the Facing. The door may be at the Facing side but not in the same 45 degree compass sector.

The back door, side door, or garage door may be the most used door, with the door at the architectural front of the house used the least. In determining Facing side the main entrance (architectural front door) still plays an important role. Do not arbitrarily determine the Facing to be at the back door, side door, or garage door of your house without detailed analysis.

Many factors are involved in the process and conclusion of determination.

In most – but not all - cases, and when used, the main door overrides any other door.

A door leading to a bigger balcony usually overrides a door leading to a smaller balcony. A door on the ground floor usually overrides a door on a higher floor.

Also, according to Feng Shui principles, the term "door" may incorporate any open pathway allowing Qi to travel from one area to another, either interior or exterior. A tiny – hardly discernable – sand path, formed by people taking a short cut through grass fields, can be a pathway for Qi.

It is essential for you to understand that an open door is a door and is considered to be Water according to Feng Shui principles, and a closed door has become a wall and is considered to be Mountain according to Feng Shui principles.

Windows

Windows are also extremely important in determining the Facing side of a building. The side with most square area of windows overrides the side with lesser square area of windows. Windows that can be opened override windows that cannot be opened. Inwardly opening windows override windows that open to the outside. A closed window has become a wall and is considered to be Mountain according to Feng Shui principles.

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