Question: I understand that in the Year of the Rabbit, the North area of a house is being considered as a luck area. In my house, I have a fish tank with a turtle inside and above that is a picture of a whale diving into the ocean with its tail upwards. Is this good for this area?

Traditionally, the North of the house `belongs' to the Water Element and placing a "water element" at the North wall is favourable. You can continue to place the fish tank in that area.

In addition to this:-

1. Do take note that this area should not be a bedroom but instead the living room or other utility room.

2. The fish tank MUST not be at the centre of the house. As Water in the middle of the house means that one will be `burned' with problems as water in the ancient book of I-ching (or Book of Changes) means " difficulty. "

3. Between a fish tank or a fountain or water fall, a fountain is preferred than say a fish tank. This is because a fish tank is usually used more as a `cure' for sha or `poison arrow'. While a fountain is considered to provide favourable "beneificial Qi." Another point considered unfavourable by many Feng Shui Masters is that:-

(a). What happens when the fish or tortise dies?
(b). The need to do maintenance of the fish tank. For example, these Masters say when you pour " water " away from the fish tank, you are actually pouring away wealth.

4. I mentioned earlier in a few messages in the forum that in general, Hong Kong Feng Shui Masters/practitioners usually advise the placement of fish tanks to counteract `bad sha'. For example, outside the main entrance window, there is a lone lamp post. As a lone lamp post is symbolic of the fire element; under the " The Five Elements " The Destructive Cycle of the 5 elements, Water element destroys Fire. Therefore, you can now know why the FS Master ask the house owner to place a fish tank (Water element) at that particular location and usually of " black coloured " goldfish.

I do not intend to `scare' you or discourage you from rearing fishes but the above are `real' issues that many Feng Shui Masters.

From my own personal experience, I did once own a fish tank. Had bought alot of goldfish and many varieties of them. (More as a hobby than as a Feng Shui cure). I found that most of the goldfishes do not last more than 9 months.. maybe I am lousy at rearing the fishes but I found they have " shorter " lifespan.

Currently, I do have a pond of koi fishes and they are not only `loving' i.e. when it is time for food, they will come up to you to feed from your hands. OK enough of this!

In fact, I had written a short article on " Fountains / waterfalls and fish tank ". For those who have not read it here is the URL: Click here

Cecil Lee
Center for Feng Shui Research
January 1999