What is “Mountain” in the 5 ancient Chinese arts?

There is a Chinese saying ”山不在高有仙则名”.A mountain is famous not because of its height, it is known if an Enlightened being resides there.

China’s five ancient arts, includes healing医, divination卜, astrology星, physiognomy相, self-cultivation山. The Chinese character for self-cultivation is represented by the Chinese character 山 ( mountain). A person who is enlightened is represented by the Chinese character 仙 (immortal) which is a combination of the character 人 (human) and山 (mountain).Since the ancient times, enlightened beings likes to live and cultivate in seclusion in the mountains; for example the high mountains in Nepal and Tibet have many highly enlightened beings. It is said that for high mountains, it is easier for the heavenly energy to connect. (地高一尺天接一尺)

Since the ancient time, self-cultivation or the path to enlightenment is the main goal. While healing医, divination卜, astrology星, physiognomy相 are methodology used to help other beings, because in the process of gaining enlightenment, one must have great merits.

Why do enlightened beings like to reside in the mountain? Because, there are earth meridians and energy spots，meditating at the right place for a day is equivalent to the effect of meditating for months or years at a regular place. To find the place with place with earth meridians and energy spots, one must know Feng Shui. To find the exact energy spot 穴, one needs to be at a high level of spiritual cultivation.  The ancient masters are able to locate the exact energy spot because they are spiritually highly cultivated.

There is a story of Liu Bo Wen, was a Chinese military strategist, philosopher, statesman and poet who served as a key advisor to Zhu Yuan Zhang the founder of the Ming Dynasty. Liu Bo Wen is spiritual master and is also known for his accurate prophecies. Under the instruction of Zhu, Liu searched for a place with good Feng Shui for Zhu’s mausoleum. Both of them set off in commoner’s clothes to avoid getting recognized.  Liu found the good Feng Shui spot for the mausoleum and bury a copper coin to mark its location. On the way to the nearby town for a rest, they noticed a family having a wedding. Liu calculated the date and realized it is a very inauspicious date for wedding; out of curiosity he requested to speak the head of the family. Liu asked the man, “Do you know today is a very inauspicious date for wedding”? The man replied, “I am aware it is an inauspicious date, however with the arrival of the Green Dragon and the White Tiger? All calamities can be averted.” Liu is both shocked and impressed as he knows that the Green dragon is represented by Zhu Yuan Zhang who is the emperor and Liu Bo Wen, as a government official is represented by the white tiger. Both Zhu and Liu slowly made retreated from the crowd, to avoid being recognized, knowing they have encountered a highly skilled Feng Shui Master. Subsequently,  Zhu decided to ask this Feng Shui master to find the spot for his mausoleum too. The Feng Shui master located a good Feng Shui spot, and use a silver needle to mark it, the silver needle went through the hole of the copper coin Liu as buried earlier. Both Liu and the Feng Shui master selected exactly the same spot! (Ancient Chinese coins has a square hole in the centre)

By looking at the land form one may know an area where the energy spot maybe located, without being spiritually cultivation, one may not find the exact spot. From this story we know that both of them are highly skilled Feng Shui masters that are also high level spiritual masters. One can read many books of famous master and be well learned, one cannot be a master unless he is self-knowing. There is limitation when words are used to describe the truth of life and the truth of the universe. The truth can only be experience through our physical and spiritual self with the guidance of an enlightened master. (体道与身) . Those that are able to feel the energies of the meridians will know that it is a fine line of energy, not a tube; and energy of the energy spot is a fine dot, not a patch or an area. Even though the energy spot or meridians are very fine, they influence an area ; and energy becomes more intense when nearer to the exact spot or line.

The four celestial beings, the Green Dragon, White Tiger, Red Phoenix and the Black XuanWu (Turtle Snake) are used to describe the landforms; these are not merely terms for descriptions. They exist as energy with forms that can only be seen by enlightened masters. 

Does that mean by visiting mountains regularly, it will benefit anyone? If you know that the meridians or energy spot exist in a mountain, regularly visiting it will help one benefit in health. But for a person who is cultivating spiritually, he must have the mindset to use the energy for service to all beings and not just use the energy for his own selfish pursuits (人能宏道,非道能宏人). A spiritual human is a conduit to connect the heaven and earth energy to benefits all beings in the seen and unseen realms, in the process of enhancing the energy of the four celestial beings and all those that stay in their land. Only with the mindset of giving one receive.

During the journey to the sacred mountains, the way up is always tougher and the way down is always easier and light hearted, because the mission has been accomplished. One can feel the blessings of the enlightened ascended masters and the blessings of spiritual beings that has been energized or liberated.

I thank my Masters for giving us the blessing, support and teachings. I thank heaven and earth for generously providing what I need for the trips. I thank all beings for your blessings and giving me a chance for continuously self-cultivation. I thank my companions for constantly giving each other support. To cultivate spiritually one must cultivate the heart. 要修成仙,要先修心. I wish all being achieve enlightenment.

In Singapore, there may not be any high mountains; the highest peak that we have is Bukit Timah hill. Bukit Timah hill is a place with good energy and it has energy spot too. Do visit, walk around or climb the hill slowly and experience the good healing energy.

”山不在高有仙则名”.