Available information on color use in Feng Shui — other than from a competent Feng Shui practitioner or a copy of the Huainanzi — outlines Lin Yun’s eccentric ideas, which are based on Western color traditions.
The graphic below shows the visible color spectrum used in traditional Chinese philosophy and science (Feng Shui, medicine, etc.). The spectrum is basically from red to yellow and orange (yang chi, 760 to 575 nanometers) and from green to violet-black (yin shui, 575 to 380 nanometers).
It’s exactly the same as the Western visible spectrum, but it’s expressed in terms of Five Element Theory.
Response to color symbolism is a response to color preconception, and it is a predetermined response based on literary and psychological ideas about color itself. In part, man feels impelled to create symbols — and to impute symbolic connotations to color — because he cannot help allowing his feelings and emotions, his literary, psychological and intellectual preconceptions, from interfering with his direct perception of the physical world.
— Patricia Sloane, from The Visual Nature of Color (1987)
| Direction | Color |
Lin Yun’s Interpretation |
Western and Chinese Traditions |
| South | Red | Fame | Western Traditionally, red is the color on the shields of heroes and famous achievers, such as Hannibal. In European blazonry it means generosity. Red ochre has always suggested life and warmth, vitality, and strength. In the Eurowest red is a symbol for alertness, aggression, and sexuality. This Old House Magazine(2003) identifies red as intense, high energy, and representing passion with a touch of danger and aggression. Red was the Celtic color of death and the otherworld. In Western Color Therapy it is courage, self-confidence, vitality. |
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Chinese Marriage and the birth of sons (”happiness red” is a fairly specific hue). The Chinese emperor wrote his edicts in vermilion. In Chinese science and philosophy red denotes spice, vitality, and energy at its maximal state about to begin decline. |
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| Southwest | Pink | Partnership, Marriage |
Western ancients believed girls were born inside pink roses. Tints of red, such as pink, have gentle associations in Western culture with Cupid, love, truth, beauty, and health. Pink is the official color of Valentine’s Day, a Christian festival adapted from the Lupercalia. The pink triangle was used by Nazi Germany to denote homosexuals. In Color Therapy it is friendly, compassionate, faithful. |
| Chinese designers think color mixtures (such as mulberry and red-orange) are ugly colors. |
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| West | White | Children, Pleasure |
To Westerners this color symbolizes innocence, and few things are more innocent than the young. In European heraldry it signifies purity and truth. In Western art Magi and Druids wear this color, as does Jesus after his resurrection. |
| The absence of life — death, mourning, ancestral spirits, ghosts from the land of the dead. It’s also yang chi, and energy on the decline. |
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| North | Black | Career |
Dignity, aloofness, solitude. The all-time favorite color of medieval European nobility because of the expense of its manufacture. In Color Therapy it is stability, earthy, reliable. |
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The color of bruises, therefore a sign of evil and extremely unpopular. In science it’s yin shui, energy at its maximal dormancy, about to begin activity. |
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| Northeast | Blue | Knowledge |
The traditional color of the European Great Goddess and Divine Wisdom (Sophia, Chokmah), from the deities of the Neolithic to the blue robes of the Virgin Mary. Used by Western ancients to ward off evil. In Color Therapy it is knowledge, health, decisiveness. InThis Old House magazine (2003), blue is considered tranquil, calming. The color promotes relaxation. |
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Blue was the color used for the sedan chairs of higher Chinese officials. Indigo blue was the favored color for peasant clothing. It’s close to the ultraviolet end of the spectrum and therefore yin shui, energy on the decline. |
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| East | Green | Family |
The traditional Western color of life, vigor, resurrection, and youth. Christian church vestments are green at Easter, the festival of renewal. In European blazonry it signifies joy, love, and abundance. In recent studies, certain colors of green left college students “angry and confused.” In Color Therapy it is balance, love, self-control. In This Old House magazine (2003), green is said to represent nature and renewal. It is considered soothing. Dark green is associated with money and prestige and considered to promote concentration. |
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Green was the color used for the sedan chairs of minor officials. Also the royal color of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Green is yin shui, and emblematic of the growing phase of energy. |
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| Southeast, Northwest |
Purple | Wealth, Helpful people (patrons) |
In recent studies, a shade of purple that inspired spirituality in mystics made college students feel “sad and tired.” In general purple signifies wealth and royalty, patronage, dignity, richness, mysticism and power to Westerners. In ancient times, the dyes used to create purple were so obscenely expensive that only the very rich — like royalty — could afford the color. During some reigns even selling it was punishable by death. From this grew its association with the powerful elite and their patronage. In Color Therapy it is intuition, mysticism, inspiration, creativity. In This Old Housemagazine (2003), purple is considered to stimulate creativity and is associated with royalty. Pale shades like lavender and lilac are considered soothing. |
| Recent color studies in China show that high school students despised purple the most. In ancient China, purple was the color worn by the grandsons of the emperor and by the literati. It’s at the ultraviolet end of the spectrum and yin shui or energy very near its maximal dormancy. |
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| Center | Yellow | Health |
Caution, information, stimulation. In Color Therapy it is wisdom and clarity. In This Old House magazine (2003), it is said to stimulate creativity, make people happy, and increase attentiveness. However, if the color is too strong it can increase anxiety. It is said to brighten north-facing rooms. |
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Yellow was preferred by religions persons and served on garments to bury the dead. The national color of old China, sacred to the emperor and assumed only by him and his sons or the lineal descendants of his family. The royal color of the Qings (1644–1911). In science and philosophy it is yang chi, energy in balance, a buffer between the other phases. |
