According to Chinese beliefs that originate from ancient times, there are 5 factors that determines a person’s life journey, way of life, and the success and failures in life.
The 5 factors are:
- Destiny (命)
- Luck (运)
- Feng shui (风水)
- Virtue (积荫德)
- Education (读书)
This should not be confused with the 5 arts of metaphysics or the cosmic trinity of luck.
This idea of life factors is so ingrained in Chinese communities all over the world that it is a common phrase yi ming er yun san feng shui (一命二运三风水) is commonly used in casual conversation.
It is widely acknowledged that the first two factors of destiny and luck are not within the control in the realm of men.
However, the other 3 are within the power of man to control and influence.
This is one big reason why feng shu is widely practiced in Chinese households.
Destiny
Destiny describes what the cosmic universe has already planned for us the moment we were born.
If you were born into wealthy family, it a given that you are going to live a more comfortable life compared to the average person.
Bazi is something that looks into this.
Luck
Luck relates to the periods in life where one encounters lucky streaks and unlucky phases.
Even the wealthiest man can go bankrupt when downed with extreme back luck.
And even the poorest person can strike the lottery and become an instant millionaire.
Bazi can foretell things that would occur in the future.
Feng Shui
Feng shui is about living in harmony with the environment.
It enables on to maximize good luck periods and minimize bad luck periods.
The home a person lives in plays a particularly important role in this respect.
Virtue
The virtues of a person, how he sees the world, and how he treats the people around him would determine his life virtues.
This can also be seen as philanthropy.
Spirituality can play a role in this aspect of life.
Education
Only with continuous learning can one continuously improve himself or herself, and accumulate wisdom.
It also enables on to make greater contributions to society.
The better educated one is, the more a person is integrated into an always-improving society.
Many people incorrectly think that this saying comes from metaphysical studies.
But it’s origins are more philosophical.
If anything, it says that scholars of past often produce work that is greatly influenced by Chinese metaphysical literature.
