Feng shui and environment: an ethical-aesthetic interpretation

Abstract

This article critically examines the Western appropriation of feng shui, highlighting the problems that arise from interpreting it as a natural science or a self-help technique. In contrast, it proposes an ethical-aesthetic interpretation that understands feng shui as a practice of affective connection with the inhabited environment. Drawing from its philosophical background, the article argues that feng shui promotes a relational and respectful way of dwelling in harmony with nature. This perspective allows for a reconsideration of its application in contemporary contexts, especially in light of the ecological crisis, as demonstrated by the examples of feng shui forests in China.