The Lineage of House Classics

Twenty-nine books, one method

The author lists the house manuals circulating in his own time — twenty-nine titles, from works attributed to the Yellow Emperor and the Duke of Zhou down to Tang-dynasty authors. This is a rare thing in a classical text: a bibliography.

His verdict is refreshingly undramatic. They all say much the same thing with minor variations, and each one claims to hold a secret. His practical advice: read widely, because any single book on its own is not enough.

For a modern reader this is also permission to be eclectic. There is no single authorised feng shui book — even the tradition's own foundational text says so.