Feng Shui masters say, take care
of the graves, or else
APRIL 1,
2016 MAJORIE CHIEW
star2.com
Why do the living visit graveyards at this time of the year?
Qingming – also known as Qingming
Jie –
is a traditional festival when the Chinese visit tombs of their
dearly departed to pay respects. It usually falls on the 15th day
after the Spring Equinox; which happens to be April 4 this year.
Most people will observe these rites either on the day inself, or
10 days before or after the actual day between March 26 and April
13.
When
Chinese families visit their ancestral graves to pray to ancestors
for protection and blessings they would be wise to also assess the
tomb for feng shui problems, says local feng shui master Louis
Loh.
In yin (burial) feng
shui, there is a belief that the condition of tombs and their
surroundings can affect living descendants, as well as determine
their health and wealth.
Loh advises
that it is imperative to look out for changes in the tombs, to pay
heed and take action.
Feng shui
masters say that
the qi or
life force of the dead is retained in bones, even after the body
has decomposed.
Loh, a much
sought-after feng shui consultant, has more than 10 years
experience in feng shui and is experienced in yin feng
shui.
He says:
“The bones (skeleton of the deceased) still receive qi from the
earth and the sky. As these bones have DNA which is connected to
the living descendants, the latter are likely to receive good or
bad qi that the bones are receiving.”
In yin feng
shui, it is believed that if the bones are receiving good qi, the
descendants may enjoy wealth, health and prosperity.
However,
woe to the descendants if the bones are receiving bad
qi!
Loh claims
that these descendants “may suffer from ill fortunes such as poor
health and dwindling luck.”
Tree signs
Look for
trees near the grave. If a big tree next to the grave is dying, it
is a sign that the qi in the tomb is not good, Loh
warns.
Nevertheless, even if the tree is flourishing, it does not
necessarily mean the tomb has good qi. “Ironically, it may have bad
qi,” says Loh.
Bad qi from
the tomb arises when the roots of the sturdy tree penetrate into
the coffin and wrap themselves around the skeleton, As a result,
family members may suffer from heart attacks,” says Loh, adding
that he dealt with such a case seven years ago in Johor
Baru.
“Family members started dying, one after another from
heart attacks. A check on the feng shui of their house and
their Bazi (pillars of
destiny) did not reveal anything wrong. So, we suspected there may
have been a problem with their ancestral tomb.”
Loh says:
“The remedy is to collect ‘the gold’ (a term referring to the bones
of the deceased) and rebury it elsewhere. The tree must also be cut
down.”
Nowadays,
modern cemeteries or memorial parks are more organised. They
usually do not have big trees planted haphazardly on or near the
graves.
Tomb colour
A change in
tomb colour indicates something is wrong with qi in the tomb. For
example, the tombstone has uneven colour or turns black.
Loh says:
“The black tombstone can indicate underground flooding near the
grave (or a submerged or flooded tomb).
One can
clean the tombstone and check later to see whether it will change
its colour again. If the tombstone does not turn black, then there
is no cause for worry. If the tombstone turns black again, there is
an issue with qi of the grave, not the tombstone.”
The
solution is to collect the bones for cremation or reburial
elsewhere.
Cracks
appearing on tombstones may result in family arguments, broken
relationships, illnesses or even death.
Small
cracks can be repaired easily. But if there are large cracks on the
tombstone, it must be replaced as it could result in death in the
family, he says.
Loh also
says cracks on other parts of the grave could cause pain to the
living.
For
example, cracks in the wall behind the tombstone may cause the
descendants to suffer from back pain. Further away, cracks on low
lying side walls fronting the tombstone and further away can result
in pain in the hands and feet.
Cracks
appearing on tombstones may result in family arguments, broken
relationships, illnesses or at worst, death in the family. Cracks
on other parts of the grave could also cause the descendants to
suffer from pain in different parts of the body.
A watery
grave or a puddle or pond of water near, or in the front of, the
grave may bring illnesses or health-related problems for
descendants.
“Make sure
the water can flow and there is no water retention,” he
advises.
Graves near
the river can also encounter problems of flooding, he
adds.
Some graves
on a steep hill may encounter problems of water gushing in from the
back of tombstones. This running water must be diverted.
If there is
huge damage to a grave, it is best consult a feng shui master to
rectify the problems or to relocate the grave.
Loh says:
“One should not attempt to hack any part of the tombstone to avoid
any untoward incidents.
Minor
repairs with no hacking and digging, however, can be carried out
without consulting a feng shui expert.”
Columbariums
Columbariums usually house cremated remains in which the DNA of
the dead is destroyed. Therefore, the connection with the living
descendants is severed. As such, the remains will have very minimal
impact – good or bad – on the living.
Nevertheless, Loh suggests that the cinerary urns be placed in a
well-lit area, preferably with sunlight.
“A dark
place indicates that the location is
overly yin (or
foreboding) and can have negative qi,” he says.