Today, when people choose to travel to Yi County, a hundred kilometers away from Beijing, their most important reason is possibly to visit the Qingxi Imperial Mausoleum, rather than to know more about Jing Ke, known for his failed attempt to assassinate Emperor Qing Shihuang over two thousand years ago.  Had he succeeded, Chinese history would have to be rewritten.  Qing shi huang would not have been the emperor to unite China into one from seven small countries, nor could he have the chance to build the Great Wall.  While Jing Ke has become an invisible spirit and a wisp of cloud in the sky; Qingxi Mausoleum is concrete and quite visible.  One can detect its color, hear its sounds, smell its ordor, and see its shape.
    Feng Shui and Human Spirit
    When historians talk about why Yongzheng, the third Emperor of the Qing dynasty chose to build his mausoleum in Yi County, they are firm with their explanations:  the secret is in Feng Shui.  Before his tomb was built, his father and grandfather already started their imperial mausoleum in Zunhua county.  According to tradition, he was supposed to follow the will of his ancestors and have his final resting place within the imperial family mausoleum.  But he chose not to do that.  Historians explained the reasonÑhe had hoped for a more perfect location.
    The persistence shown by Emperors in their selection of a burial location is based in unique Chinese tradition.  In Chinese culture, people believe that Feng Shui connected to one’s selected burial site can directly affect the fate of future generations.  In that sense, Feng Shui of an emperor’s burial site not only concerns the imperial family’s fate, but also the rise and fall of the country.  Therefore, it is understandable that Emperors place such importance on Feng Shui related issues in the selection of their final resting place.
    Because of the important influence imperial burial sites can have on the fate of the country, since two thousand years ago when Emperor Qing Shi Huang united the multi nationalities into one China, every emperor of every dynasty would place this important matter on the agenda when he takes his reign:  selecting a site for his mausoleum and starting to build his tomb.
    Yongzheng was an Emperor with amazing courage and accomplishments.  Of course, his boldness was also shown through his decisiveness in selecting a completely different location to build his own mausoleum.  It is said that he sent Yingxiang, his most trusted thirteenth brother, and Gao Qizhuo, a known Feng Shui master, to travel all over the country to search for an auspicious location as his burial place.
    When people talk about a Feng Shui master today, it is easy for us to think of him being secretive, unpredictable, and superstitious.  But that was not the case at all in ancient times.  In ancient China, an advanced Feng Shui master was first a great scholar with wide knowledge of history, astronomy, and geography.  Gao Qizhuo was such a person.  He was a remarkable government official with great achievements.  When he served as the governor of Yunan and Guizhou provinces, he executed effective policies in the ethnic region in the southwest, including compulsory education for children with ethnic backgrounds.  When he served as governor of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, he administered an open policy on oceanic shipping to improve the quality of life for coastal fishing families.  He was not only a great poet, but also conducted advanced studies in astronomy and geography.  In fact, it is very appropriate to use Gao as a model of ancient Chinese Feng Shui theory.
    Feng Shui is one of the most mysterious words in Chinese culture.  Books and scriptures from every Chinese dynasty have recorded many many annotations, but ordinary people from different eras have different understandings of the matter. No matter what, it is an expression of Chinese culture on the theory of harmony of human pursuits and the natural environment.
    In ancient Chinese scriptures, Feng Shui has a more formal expression, geomancy.  Geomancy in Chinese precisely describes natural lawsÑWays of Heaven and Earth.  Feng Shui has an unbreakable bond with astronomy, calendric systems, and geography.  The two major characteristics of Feng Shui are looking up for astronomy and looking down for geography.  And the reason behind geomancy being expressed as “Feng Shui” is because wind and water are two of the most important elements:  Feng, meaning wind, is the phenomenon of air circulation; Shui, meaning flow of water.
   Feng Shui is not only a traditional cultural concept, but also a widespread folk tradition.  But in essence, it is knowledge of the natural environment and mankind.  Today, while peeling off the mysterious outter layers of Feng Shui, scholars are utilizing knowledge of natural science to form a unique system of Feng Shui Theory. Like modern science, Feng Shui theory includes elements of geophysics, geology, environmental landscape, natural ecological architecture, positional astronomy, and so on.  Its purposes lie in the prudent examination of the natural environment, complying with laws of nature, utilizing and improving nature within limits, constructing fine residential environments, thereby achieving favorable timing, geographical, and human conditions with the goal of creating the perfect realm sought after in Chinese cultureÑthe harmonious combination of Heaven and Mankind.
    Coincidentally, the Feng Shui characteristics of Qing Xi Mausoleum allow us to have a limited view of the beautiful realm sought by our ancestors.