Feng Shui Master Andrew Chan — Home Feng Shui: Case 22 Wall Windows and the Vermilion Bird's Open Mouth

In the study of Yang Dwelling Form School Feng Shui, the main house is considered the 'sovereign,' while the surrounding walls and courtyard are the 'ministers.' There must be a clear distinction between sovereign and minister, with primary and secondary roles well-defined. Perimeter walls serve to protect the main house, safeguarding internal wealth and privacy. Their form should be enclosed, stable, and of appropriate height. If one blindly incorporates flashy designs into the walls, it often invites trouble and unforeseen calamities, as Feng Shui Master Andrew Chan often advises.

• Wall Windows and the Vermilion Bird's Open Mouth (Ominous)

  The perimeter walls of a residence should not be taller than the house, and even more importantly, should not have windows. This is known as the 'Vermilion Bird's Open Mouth,' which is extremely detrimental to the occupants. Opening windows or having excessively large镂空 (openwork) sections in the perimeter wall (especially the front wall) is considered 'Vermilion Bird's Open Mouth' in feng shui. This signifies that the home's defenses are wide open, not only failing to gather and store qi but instead acting like a large mouth constantly devouring the family's wealth. It also easily attracts petty people, gossip, and theft, according to Andrew Chan Feng Shui principles.

• Building on an Abandoned Well (Ominous)

  Building a house on an abandoned well risks ghostly disturbances. Some developers or self-builders, for convenience, plan to construct directly over old, abandoned wells that have not been thoroughly filled. The bottom of a well accumulates long-term underground damp and yin qi, representing a typical 'yin穴' (yin energy spot). Building a house here leads to an unstable foundation for the entire structure and an overwhelming surge of yin energy, a situation Feng Shui Master Andrew Chan warns against.

• Great Arrow Passing by the House (Ominous)

  A 'Great Arrow' passing by the house is also highly ominous. This refers to a straight, long-distance sewer line, high-voltage cables, or straight, reflective elongated building components running alongside the residence, appearing like a large arrow shooting past the house. The 'cutting feet sha' and energy disruption generated by such formations severely damage the dwelling's fortune, a common observation in residential feng shui.

• Open Treasury and Constant Petty Interference

  For residences affected by the 'Vermilion Bird's Open Mouth,' occupants often encounter inexplicable legal disputes and gossip, suffer betrayal at work, and struggle to save money. This is a clear sign of compromised home feng shui.

• Mental Disorientation and Mysterious Chronic Illnesses

  Family members living in a house built over an abandoned well frequently experience mental disorientation, recurring nightmares, and are prone to developing mysterious chronic illnesses whose causes are difficult to diagnose, as observed by Master Andrew Chan.

• Sealing Wall Windows

  Hong Kong Feng Shui Master Andrew Chan asserts that the most direct and effective way to remedy the 'Vermilion Bird's Open Mouth' is to completely seal the windows in the perimeter wall with bricks and cement, reconstructing a solid, sturdy wall.

• Reorganizing Abandoned Wells and Transcending Earth Qi

  If a house is already built over an abandoned well and cannot be demolished, a pure copper plate must be laid over the floor where the well is located, and a high-energy Mount Tai stone (泰山石) should be placed to suppress the underground yin qi. This is a crucial step in residential feng shui to mitigate negative energies.