Japan - Philosophical Landscapes "The Geomancers Compass"

Japanese Geomancy is based on a holistic view of the cosmos where human beings are seen as an integrated part of nature and its energy. It integrates geophysical factors - geographical landforms, rivers lakes climate magnetic fields and astral phenomena, movements of the stars, solstices, lunar phases with the pyschosomatic welfare of the human being.

The Chinese compass was often subdivided into three levels; heaven, earth and man (similar to the formal coordinates of Ikebana). It thus reflected the division of the Chinese universe. Heaven is shown as round and the earth square. There is a magnetic needle at its centre. Concentric circles around the needle relate the concepts of Yin and Yang. The most striking consequence of this cosmology is that gardens, cities and palaces in China and subsequently Japan were orientated to the north which was vulnerable to malignant flows of energy.

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• Japan
• landscape
• art
• cosmology
• Copernicus
• Films