Ming Tang (明 堂 Bright Hall)

Míng Táng is often translated as Bright Hall, which should be explained because the word Bright here would seem to exclusively point to light or yang, and thus the sun.

The character for Ming, however, contains the ideogram for sun - 日 -, but it also includes the ideogram for moon or shade - 月 -, together 明.

Míng should be then considered to point to the idea of yin and yang merging.
This can be by combining tangible (yang) and intangible (yin) qualities of Qi, or by combining square (yin and Earth) shapes with domed (yang and Heaven) shapes. Míng pertains to the merging of the masculine and feminine principle.

Most Feng Shui practitioners consider Ming Tang to be a bright open spot where Qi is lively, active, retained and accumulated, providing a built structure with prosperous Qi, either for the dead to find peace or for people to thrive. But Ming Tang is much more than that, as it also refers to a structure based on observations done through astronomy.
Besides this, Ming Tang is related to the Chinese emperor and city lay-out.

Ming Tang for a built structure is yang in nature. Ming Tang is a collecting and production spot for Sheng Qi. Ming Tang usually refers to the side of a built structure collecting the most yang Qi, typically situated at the Facing side of a building, but a ‘Ming Tang’ can be built into any room.

A Ming Tang would be defined around prosperous tangible and intangible Qi into what is considered to function as the front side – the Qi collecting side – of a built structure, be it for Yin Zhai, graves and grave yards, or Yang Zhai, built structures in which people need to thrive.
We need to distinguish here between architectural front and what would be considered a built structure’s front considering Feng Shui principles. Architectural front and Qi front are not always the same.

More on Ming Tang a little further down.

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