Master Shen’s 30 Principles by Denise Liotta Dennis
A Book Review by Kartar Diamond
This book, published in 2022, actually has a much longer title; Flying Stars Feng Shui & Master Shen’s 30 Principles: Xuan Kong Secrets for Yang Houses.
The book is a compilation of information from several sources. Master Shen Zhu Reng, born in 1849, wrote 30 Principles and here Dennis takes each principle and further clarifies and embellishes each one with a modern take, illustrations, photos or a floor plan.
Before covering Master Shen’s work, Dennis sets the scene with a brief bullet point history of Feng Shui. She introduces the luo pan (Chinese Feng Shui compass) and covers important fundamentals such as Feng Shui’s use of the solar calendar and not the Lunar calendar. This is a distinction which even some famous feng shui practitioners get wrong.
Next, the author moves on to describe her background in feng shui, which includes primary studies with the late Master Yap Cheng Hai. It is in the beginning of this book where she delivers a description of the 81 different Flying Star combinations, credited to Master Yap.
I met Master Yap Cheng Hai just once in the late 1990’s, when I co-facilitated a course he taught in Los Angeles. Upon arriving at LAX, he was hungry so we took him to a delicatessen in Marina del Rey, before heading over to the hotel. I initially suggested a Chinese restaurant, but he was in America and Master Yap wanted to experience “American” cuisine.
Mid-way through his week-long stay, Master Yap told me privately that he had only been using the Flying Stars himself for about five years. His real claim to fame (for fifty years) was with the Eight Mansion school. He told the class that he had created countless millionaires with Water Dragon formulas and that he had created eight billionaires. I had already performed a couple thousand Flying Star audits, so he encouraged me to share with him some of my experiences.
The Flying Star School has many permutations in modern practice and Dennis applies the “Move-In Date” or “Date of Occupancy” style for creating a Flying Star chart. The flying star chart is a numerical representation of what kind of energy is sealed in a house after having been built and switched on when the occupant(s) move in. The word “star” is a nod to astronomical associations and the stars “fly” because they move around, based on such features as time and direction.
While I happen to be a hard-core “Date of Construction” proponent, some of my feng shui friends and associates use the Date of Occupancy method with just as much conviction.
As noted in my review of Master Joey Yap’s book, Flying Stars Feng Shui, one can still glean a lot of information about the stars from a variety of authors, regardless of how they establish a flying star chart. By reading flying star books by Dr. Stephen Skinner, myself, Master Joseph Yu or Master Eva Wong in comparison, each practitioner-teacher will offer both the universal definitions of these 81 stars, as well as their own unique take, or the lineage they came from.
When one works with these stars in real client audits, and over decades, we become quite intimate with them and often it is easy to understand where the newer or more obscure definitions come from. With no need to summarize here the more well-documented flying star combinations listed in the book, I only highlighted for myself some of the different interpretations, in part because they were so specific.
For example, in the section on the 3 star, Dennis notes that the 3–1 combination with negative aspects could contribute to “dizzy spells.” I happen to be a 3 star person (Zhen gua) who has experienced vertigo, so this jumped out as strangely familiar. The 3 star is related to the liver, the feet, throat and nervous system. There can be many health predicaments when it comes to the nervous system. Dizziness can be caused by a number of imbalances, including hormonal shifts or dehydration. But there can also be an “electrical” component, stemming from the nervous system.
She writes that the 4–2 combination (well-known for alluding to mother-in-law and daughter-in-law discord), can also signify “the good reporter, astronomer and inspector.”
Also taking me by surprise was the entry under the 4–4 combination, where Dennis added that it can indicate “bad odor from the armpits.” I did not know that! Perhaps those creative artist types (4 star energy) have better things to do with their time than bathe.
Another obscure observation came with the 4–8 stars. The author lists this energy combination as supporting “forestry, and farming business, land acquisition and horses.”
If we take the stars at their “raw” value, which includes trigrams and the I-Ching, we can extrapolate more definitions than just the simpler list that students receive in their beginner’s Flying Star class. We also have to allow for more nuance when a teacher factors in the following, just to name a few:
- Whether the star is a mountain dragon or water dragon
- What Period we are living in since the influence of the stars changes over long periods of time
- How the space is used and who is using the space
- Exterior influences
- Whether the stars can be defined on their own terms and not just based on what cycle of the Elements the stars together produce.
For example, if the 4 star (wood) can be related to forestry and the 8 star (earth) to land, then we can immediately metabolize the kinds of definitions found in Master Yap Cheng Hai’s list. And yet, if compelled to note the Domination Cycle of 4 wood destroying 8 earth, then we might not suspect that this combination could be good for land acquisition or forestry. We might expect the opposite, such as a suppression of success with land acquisition.
When a feng shui practitioner also has a command of Ba Zi (Four Pillars Astrology) or Nine Star Ki, an even broader palette of interpretations is bound to happen.
Some entries struck me as more of a typographical error or oversight, such as noting that the 5–2 combination could be especially bad for a “middle-aged woman.” It is the 9 star (Li trigram) which is related to the middle-aged woman, whereas the 2 star (kun trigram) is associated with an elderly woman. In fact, with compounding influences, we can predict when a woman may become a widow, usually older by then.
Some flying star combinations have meanings which bubble under the surface and only manifest in highly unique circumstances. For example, the 5–9 combination can generally instigate arguments or accidents. The variety of situations is almost endless. Here Dennis notes on the list that it “signifies religious mindfulness morphing into a religious fanatic.” This was laugh out loud funny for me, since I have a former husband who has deluded himself for almost fifty years clinging to a religious cult. How do we arrive at such an interpretation? Well, the 9 star is also related to the mind. And in times outside of Period 9 especially, it can point to mental illness. The 5 star adds fuel to the fire, stirs the pot or poisons the well: pick a metaphor.
In several entries, the author notes that the 6, 7 or 9 stars when paired with a 1 star can be considered a Peach Blossom combination, attracting romance or sexual encounters. Usually, beginner students learn about the Peach Blossom Romance stars as the 1 and 4 combination, which is likely the strongest. How do we then arrive at the Peach Blossom energy with these other combinations? The active ingredient is the 1 water star. It’s related to fluid systems in the body, such as semen. The 1 star itself is also symbolic of a penis, but we usually don’t get into those discussions for the beginner.
The author lists the 6 and 4 combination as a trigger for suicide by hanging and this one is not obvious to beginners either. However, the 6 star represents the head and the 4 star can represent a rope. She also lists this same 6 and 4 star combination as causing a miscarriage. Often, we blame the 2 star for that, but the 4 star is related to the pelvic/hip area and if it is under pressure from the 6 star (Metal clashes with Wood), then we can see pregnancy problems as well.
Get Kartar Diamond’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
A few more definitions took me by surprise, such as the 7 and 1 star pairing resulting in expulsion from the country or the 7 and 3 combination allowing someone to “make a fortune in sports books.” For betting purposes, I understand this since there is an undercurrent of gambling and theft by deception associated with the 7 and 3 combination. Normally, this works against a person, but in the right circumstances, one can direct the Qi in their favor. In fact, I’m reminded of a field trip to Las Vegas with Master Sang. We went to a casino with 7 and 3 stars at the entrance. As they say, “the house always wins.”
For each of the 81 entries, it is not explicitly noted which star is the mountain dragon and which is the water dragon; however, there are transposed entries for all pairings, such as 5,7 and 7,5. I have to assume this order distinction implies that the first number is a mountain dragon and the second number is the water dragon.
The list separates “positive aspects and outcomes” from “negative aspects and indications.” But the reader does not learn when each star is in a positive or negative phase. As well, I have to point out that with most of the pairings: when one star is in a positive phase, the other star is not, so it is not obvious which star takes priority.
For example, when you have a pairing of the 3 and 4 stars, we know that when 3 is “wang” and very positive, the 4 star is not far behind, representing “future luck” as Period 4 directly follows Period 3. But if you have a pairing of the 3 and 7 stars, neither is in a “wang” or “sheng” phase at the same time. This occurs with a lot of the combinations. Denise Liotta Dennis has written many books and this is just the first one for me to read. She did disclose that some of her books are best suited as companion manuals for her students, so I do not expect one book to cover every aspect of Feng Shui from A to Z. But without further explanation, a reader new to Feng Shui will not know when these stars are “timely” or “untimely.”
Next, the author briefly explains how to use a compass App and then one can refer to an adjacent chart which identifies the facing side according to one of the 24 different 15-degree increments around the compass. Dennis clues the reader in to the fact that the facing direction of the main door, if different from the bulk body of the house, does not determine facing. She provides two alternative examples of turned doors and how the facing side remains the street side.
Dennis also gives one example of how to divide up a floor plan, using the boxy Nine Palace Grid method, which I also used for many years, before switching to the pie-shape sector method. With the Nine Palace grid method, there can be differences in how practitioners divide up the space. This happens with floor plans which are not perfect square or rectangular shapes. Within this style there is debate about how one determines if the gridding produces missing sectors or extensions.
In Chapter Three, Dennis highlights important milestones in feng shui history, famous masters and books they wrote. Here we learn about Master Shen Zhu Reng’s place in history, as well as the late Grand Master Yap Cheng Hai who passed in 2014. The author notes that there came into being six major schools of Flying Star Feng Shui, with “Wu Chang Pai” being one of them. She states that Master Yap Cheng Hai has direct lineage with this school.
Unless we can find an explicit description of what distinguishes each school, it’s hard to know what Master Yap taught from Wu Chang Pai compared to the other Flying Star Schools. Dennis states that the six big Flying Star schools had both similarities and differences, but older books may not have recorded or compared those details. What I am wondering is if Ba Zhai (Eight Mansions) was ever considered part of any Flying Star School system. Each directional zone in the Eight Basic House types has a “star” associated with it, so perhaps that is the link with stars (Sheng Chi, Tien Yi, Yen Nien, Fu Wie, etc). And yet, Eight Mansions, as it is taught today, does not factor in timing like Xuan Kong Fei Xing which has become popular in modern times, rivaling the Eight Mansion School and quite distinct from it.
Chapter Four begins the section on Master Shen Zhu Reng’s 30 Principles. Little did I know beforehand that I’ve addressed these principles in my own case study lesson plans and articles. Other teachers have incorporated these principles into their curriculum, as fundamental teachings, which they are.
Master Shen Zhu Reng discusses the natural environment versus the built environment as well as the ideal location for a main door, based on flying star priorities. He writes about the difference between a house’s facing direction compared to the door’s direction, which is not always the same. In comparing the best way to enter a house, Dennis provides a floor plan where the formal entrance is not good, but the garage entrance is better, based on timely flying stars.
Dennis provides photo examples of houses which have entrances in scale with the size of the property and some that are too small. Since the main door is like a mouth which can take in the nourishing Qi, one does not want a door that is too small in the same way we don’t like to see hallways or roads that are too narrow. They constrict the smooth and adequate flow of Qi (air currents and life force energy).
Dennis provides a surprising example regarding a door which connects the garage inside with the laundry room. I used to place importance on this door too, but eventually felt that this is really just like any other interior door. This is not to say that interior doors are not important. They most certainly can be. Not only do they direct a pattern of Qi flow, but they also activate a micro-version of the house’s flying star chart for each room. Personal best entrance directions is also a big part of Eight Mansion school.
The large garage door which opens to the outside strikes me as the more impactful Qi Gate or mouth of the house. In the long history of Feng Shui, the attached modern garage is a rather recent addition to the floor plan.
One of Master Shen’s principles states that if you create a new door to use in better flying stars, that can be resourceful, but if you close (seal off) the original door, then it creates a whole new Flying Star chart for the house, (assuming you do this remodel in a different Period). If that is the case, then serious consideration must be made to determine if creating a new Flying Star chart is actually a good idea or not. Some practitioners see these minor changes as qualifying for a house to assume a new Flying Star chart. For others, a substantial amount of the house has to be opened to the sky by removing both the roof and ceiling. Things truly get more complicated with a multi-story home.
One of Master Shen’s principles surprised me in explaining that a prosperous door is undermined by having lower land level in front of it. Dennis provides photos examples of homes where there is a staircase from the sidewalk level up to the front door, positioned five or more feet above street level. A Ming Tong in front of a door (open space) is supposed to resonate as virtual water, activating a prosperous door. However, lower land level has also been considered virtual water as well, so I just don’t see the problem. One may say that water only goes “down” and not up, but I want to give Qi credit for being able to pool in front of an entrance and still influence a door higher up. Not to mention the human component, ushering the Qi up and down.
Another interesting passage deals with placement of the stove, striving for a combination of Eight Mansion protocols alongside Flying Star principles regarding the stove’s location as well as the burner knob directions. Out of curiosity, I looked up when the modern gas and electric stoves were invented (late 1800’s) so this was during Master Shen’s lifetime. “Stove Feng Shui” was not something written about a thousand years ago, although we’ve had crude kitchens with a constant source of fire for a long time.
Another entry deals with the modern toilet, referred to in the Old Days as the “manure pit”according to Dennis. Now I feel conspicuous that I will soon spend a lot of money remodeling my “manure room.” Dennis shows a single floor plan, where one toilet is in a good location and one in a bad location. It goes without saying, but using feng shui in the design phase is one of the most fulfilling projects a feng shui expert can participate in.
Four consecutive entries explore the nuances of what happens with the Flying Stars when a portion of the house is sectioned off for extended family or renters, when an addition is done in a different Period and what happens energetically to a house that is divided into two separate dwellings of equal size.
Another entry suggests that a “trapped prominent star” (aka a house in a locked phase), can be excused from prison time if there is a Ming Tong in the middle of the house. Equally, if one can walk a straight line from the main door to the center (unobstructed by any walls), this too can help release the Imprisoned Star. Just as a sidebar: some practitioners feel that only a water dragon can be in a locked phase and not a mountain dragon. I disagree with that emphatically, based on before and after feedback from clients.
One principle covers the application of feng shui in a commercial setting, specifically for shops and where to place a cash register. Dennis notes that in current times, there is often no cash register. A “point of purchase,” is just as relevant for today’s retail stores. Master Shen emphasizes having a prosperous (wang) water star for any entrance. This will serve any business in a general sense. However, the type of business can be catered to as well, with the use of the other stars. For example, in Period 9, any business with a 9 water dragon at the entrance can garner more wealth luck. However, if we use a book store or a music store as an example: a 4 star at the entrance could be just as positive and lucky for those types of businesses.
Master Shen share in one of his principles that even a Wang prosperous door could be undermined by a tree blocking the Qi flow. He writes that the bamboo tree is an exception. Here I beg to differ. There are more than 1,800 species of bamboo and one of them is called “Running Bamboo.” This is likely the one I planted in my backyard years ago as part of a deliberate landscape plan. Let it be known that if you plant bamboo in one area, more of them may crop up yards away! They can also be so tenacious that they strangle plumbing and can become a real nuisance. A bunch of them grouped together are capable of blocking Qi, just like any other tree. Perhaps the bamboo is revered without any other conditions for other good energies it possesses.
An interesting tidbit in Principle 25 is the commentary that yin gua refer to ghosts and spirits, while yang gua refer to demons. This would mean that an aggravated 7 star could attract a ghost, while an aggravated 3 star could attract a demon. This may be a distinction without a difference for some, but for others who dabble in the occult or like to consider different dimensions, this may have some relevance, especially if you are trying to rid your home of a certain caliber of energy.
Some of the principles refer to features that are not common in current times, but they are easily adaptable such as a water well being replaced by a fountain, a pagoda by a tall building, or a bridge by a freeway overpass.
In closing chapters, Denise Liotta Dennis dispenses clear and condensed descriptions of Feng Shui’s origins, core theories and principles. She discusses where Feng Shui fits within the whole of Chinese metaphysics and highlights fundamental symbolism, such as the Eight Trigrams, He Tu and Luo Shu. Also included are expanded entries for the eight basic directions according to Ba Zhai, their unique influence on each individual based on year of birth.
What may be a first for some readers are the Grand Master Yap codes for “life groups,” using numerical coding, which may appeal to certain people as very precise. The Glossary of Terms is over 20 pages in length and interesting to read, as it includes definitions not always found in commercial books. Many of the terms are not referred to elsewhere in the book, but they still remain necessary concepts for any serious practitioner to know about or use. Just as an example, Dennis lists some Special House types, certain flying star charts, like the Fu Mu San Gua chart which has a reputation for being a very lucky house type. We don’t get an example of that in the book. However, I am sure that all these concepts are covered in other books by Dennis as she is rather prolific.
I like a lot of information and facts in this book, not found elsewhere, including her generous inclusion of Master Yap Cheng Hai’s interpretation of the 81 flying stars and her annotations to Master Shen’s 30 Principles. We all know the phrase, “A picture paints a thousand words.” Adding commentary, illustrations and photographs all aid in the learning process.
Most of the books I have reviewed so far were from the late 20th century or early 2000’s. This newer book is refreshing and I’m so glad there is a recent resurgence of quality feng shui material being published by this author.
Author: Kartar Diamond
Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®
