Some Feng Shui systems defines a house by its sitting direction. Others like the Xuan Kong Fei Xing system defines (and the energy distribution within) a house by its facing direction.
But what is the house facing direction? Is this the street side? Or is this side where the main door of the house is located? Answer can range from yes, to no to yes but not necessarily so. But why the uncertainty and confusion?
Let us find out why.
In the Fei Xing (or Flying Star) system, the facing side of the house is defined as the side that let’s in more of the environment energy into the house.
For the majority of houses, this is intuitive. It is usually but not necessarily
1. The street side of the house
2. The side where the main door is located
3. The side with more doors and windows
4. The sunnier side
5. The side with the living area
6. The side with the better view
7. The side facing water or downhill
8. The side with most activity
Based on the hints above we can already identify the facing of most houses. I will illustrate with some typical examples.
The diagram below shows a typical link or terrace house.
The house shares a common wall with the neighbours on the right and left. As such environmental energies can only get in from the front and the back of the house.
At the front of the house is the living area, main door and porch. This is followed by the street at a slightly lower level than the house. The kitchen is at the back of the house. Behind that is a small lane followed by another row of houses in a back to back arrangement. Further back is a low hill range. The back door and windows are fewer and much smaller than the door an windows at the front of the house. This effective constricts the amount of energies coming in from the back of the house.
Entry and exit to the house is primary via the main door. The back door is rarely used.
From the description we can immediately say that the facing direction of the house is at the front of the house looking out. This house meets almost all the conditions mentioned above for facing direction.
Most houses are like the above example. However there are exceptions.
Please refer to the diagram below.
Sometimes there is a beautiful view at the back of the house. For example the house is built on a gentle slope that there is a great unobstructed view of the city from the back. Or there is a good view of a golf course or a lake. At the front of the house is the main door, porch and street followed by a low hill.
In such cases, the designer of the house would maximize the view by having the living area at the back. He would also have larger doors and windows at the rear.
In this case, the facing direction of the house is at the back looking out. More energies come into the house from the back than through the front due to the larger doors, windows and unobstructed view. There is also more social activities at the living which is now at the back of the house. Even though access to the house is from the front of the house at the street side, energy is constricted by the smaller doors and windows as well as by the hill across the street.
This techniques to identifying facing side and direction can be extended to other types of houses such as town houses, semi detached house, fully detached houses, shop houses, office buildings and apartments.
Hi Henry,
Thank you so much for sharing.
All the Best,
Judith B. Eugenio
I live in an apartment front door on faces sort of east; no windows.
Back door (west) to covered open breezeway to garage. Windows in BR right.
Sliding glass door on south facing where cars passing and parking at complex. Also BR windows facing south.
1. The street side of the house – South
2. The side where the main door is located – East
3. The side with more doors and windows – South
4. The sunnier side – South
5. The side with the living area – South and West
6. The side with the better view – in breezeway – North
7. The side facing water or downhill – both – North
8. The side with most activity – what activity? Outside people walking to and from their cars or walking with dogs – South.
Hi SSJS,
It is difficult to confirm the facing direction of your house without looking at the floor plan. However based on your comments, I would think it is south. If you wish, you can send me floor plan and I give you some comments.
Activity usually refer to human activities.
Cheers,
Henry Fong
Mr Henry, I hava a flat at the second floor. My main door is facing the main door of my neighbour or in other words my main door is in direct alignment with my neighbour main door. My flat has a big window facing the low hill.
My question is where is my flat facing.
Thankyou if you can enlighten me.
Hi Patrick,
If the side with the big window has a walk out balcony, I would say that is the facing side. If it does not, then it is much harder to determine with a site audit.
Cheers,
Henry Fong
Dear Henry,
My residential house is located on a corner;
1. Main Door, Large window, Living Room – EAST
2. Dining Room, Kitchen – NORTH
3. (Ground Floor) Master’s bedroom, Toilet & Bath – WEST
4. (Second Floor) Bedrooms – NORTH
5. (Second Floor) Guest Room – WEST
6. Stairway going up – SOUTH
7. (Third Floor) Attic is bare / blank, only old books, etc.
My Main Door is Aligned to my Neighbour’s Man Gate Entrance.
What is the effect of the above features to my Career, Health, Social Relation to my neighbour.
Please Advise.
Thanks,
Edison
Hi Edison,
I need to have your date and time of birth to tell.
Please send to me at henry@henryfong.com and I will give you my reading.
Thanks and cheers,
Henry Fong
My house facing 3 banglo n i am oni double story house is it ok to stay
Are you worry about the height difference between the bungalows and your house. If the difference n height is small e.g. a few floors, you do not need to worry.
Hi Henry,
Thanks for the info you offer about feng shui.
I just moved into a two-story, one-bedroom home and am uncertain of the facing direction.
1. The street side of the house – East -200 ft. from home with many trees in between after my yard ends which is about a 60 ft. span.
2. The side where the main door is located – North- Again many trees after my yard ends. About 50 ft from the door.
3. The side with more doors and windows – East- Large sliding door window in NE corner facing East. Small kitchen WIndow in SE corner facing East also. Upstairs One large Bedroom window faces East. Both upstairs and down have one large window facing North.
4. The sunnier side – South- both upstairs and down have one small window facing S in the bathroom/laundry room. S and W are very spacious but either few or no windows.
5. The side with the living area – Deck, Balcony facing East. The living room has windows facing E and N.
6. The side with the better view – East. But again many trees. I can somewhat see mountains nonetheless. When leaves fall I will see streets and mountains in distance better.
7. The side facing water or downhill – East faces downhill. West is a dead-end driveway with undulating hills with an upward grade.
8. The side with the most activity- East. it is quiet in the West, North, and South. Again most activity seems to be in the East, but with so many trees after my property ends makes me uncertain if this is facing direction.
Thx,
Ryan
Hi Ryan, most of the time it is pretty easy to identify the facing direction of a house. It is usually the side of the house that allows most of the qi or energy into the home. Usually, a site visit to view the surroundings and floor internal layout is sufficient to make a call. Nowadays it is also possible to do the same with Google Map and the floor plan.