Chinese Metaphysics and Five Arts Confusion

Chinese Metaphysics! Strictly speaking, Chinese Astrology Bazi or Four Pillars of Destiny, Feng Shui, Divination, Mian Xiang (Face reading) cannot be classified as Chinese Metaphysics. These four subjects plus Chinese medicine (山, 醫, 命, 卜, 相) are called “Five Arts”. (五術 ) Yet, a lot of Feng Shui Masters called them Chinese Metaphysics. May be these Feng Shui masters want to give these “Five Arts” a better status. Or May be these Feng Shui Masters do not know what they have really learnt or they have really taught about what is Chinese Metaphysics.

According to Wikipedia.org: Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms (same as Chinese Metaphysics):

1. What is ultimately there?
2. What is it like?

Feng Shui, Chinese Medicine, Chinese Astrology Bazi or Four Pillars of Destiny, Divination, Xian Xiang, these so called Chinese Metaphysics, none of these subjects can explain and answer the above two questions. Therefore, these subjects (Five Arts) cannot be categorised as Chinese Metaphysics. I haven’t heard western astrologers or Gypsy fortune teller called their subjects as Western Metaphysics.

Perhaps, the Dao, Tao or “The Way” 道, the philosophical concept form Laozi is what that is ultimately out there. However Laozi himself did not know what it is. In Tao Te Ching or Daodejing, he stated:

“有物混成，先天地生，寂兮寥兮，獨立而不改，周行而不殆，可以為天下母。吾不知其名，強名之曰道…..” Chapter 25.

My Translation:  “There is mixed substance. Exists before heaven and earth, silence and quiet, independent and never changed, orbiting and never vanish. It can be the mother of the heaven and earth. I do not know its name. I reluctantly calls it Dao…..” Chapter 25.

Chinese Metaphysics and Five Arts are not the same!

“Five Arts” is not equal to Chinese Metaphysics. Five Arts cannot explain what is ultimately there. In my opinion, Five Arts is a small part of traditional Chinese culture. It is not different from Chinese chess “Go”, Chinese painting, Chinese Calligraphy and rice craving. If applying correctly, such activities can add colors and improve well-being to our life.

Yet some Feng Shui Masters make a song and dance out of the Five Arts. Such as Feng Shui can turn you into a millionaire or even billionaire and some Feng Shui masters teach millionaire Feng Shui secrets. And at the same time some of them teach Chinese Astrology Bazi to decode your destiny.

Is there any contradictory here? Decoding your destiny and turn you into a billionaire!

I am really interested in knowing what percentage of people who attending millionaire Feng Shui course become a millionaire.

Can Feng Shui masters guarantee all his/her students become millionaires / billionaires by attending the millionaire Feng Shui course? If so, why do they still need students? They can just turn their parents, spouse, and children into billionaires. Why do some of them still travelling here and there to promote their Feng Shui courses?

Five Arts is just a tool. If we can use it to understand more about ourselves and our destiny, it is the biggest gift to human being from our Chinese Sages . By understand ourselves, our abilities, out strength, our weakness and our destiny, we can live more happily. In my opinion, you don’t need to be a billionaire to be happy. (I am not a billionaire but I am happy and grateful what I have.) How would you know you will be happier if you become a billionaire? (I am not a billionaire. I don’t know the answer. Perhaps one day you can tell me. )

“There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.” Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Both western and eastern philosophers, such as Laozi (6th-5th century BCE), Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC), keep telling us to understand or know ourselves is important.

One of the aphorisms said to have been given by the Greek god Apollo's Oracle of Delphi, so attributed to Apollo. And the most famous one is perhaps 'Know thyself' and was carved into Apollo's temple at Delphi.

"Know yourself and you will win all battles" Sun Zi ( 544–496 BCE)

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." Aristotle.

“知人者智，自知者明” Laozi ,Chapter 33.
My translation: “Understand others you are wise. Understand yourself you are bright (intelligent)” Laozi Chapter 33, Daodejing Chapter

Unfortunately, most people do not use “Five Arts” correctly. They either misuse or they are misled by the Five Arts or those who teaches Five Arts.

Except for one Feng Shui master, he applied his Feng Shui to become a billionaire (Hong Kong Dollars, but still a lot), however he ended up in a jail in Hong Kong.

Have you met any other Feng Shui masters become billionaires by applying Feng Shui?

Studying Five Arts is to find out and be grateful what you have.(I will write another about this topic later)

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough" — Oprah Winfrey (1954 -  )

Have you ever thought about why are there Five Elements, neither six elements nor eight elements in Chinese Astrology Bazi?
Well this is my answer. It is because of Five (5) elements cannot be evenly distributed in the Natal chart. By adding the luck pillar to the natal chart, sometimes Yang (good luck) has more power and sometimes Yin (bad luck) has more power. There are always favorable elements and unfavorable element in our chart. Just focus on the favorable elements.

Chinese Metaphysics is different from Five Arts.