PHILIPPINES HOUSING FOLK BELIEFS

LUZON

 IN SOUTHERN TAGALOG, POSTS ARE ERECTED FOLLOWING THIS PROCEDURE: POSTS ARE LAID WITH THEIR
BOTTOM ENDS AT THE FOOTING ON THE GROUND AND THE TOP ENDS POINTING TOWARDS THE EAST. THE
POST NEAREST THE EAST IS THE FIRST TO BE RAISED. THE SAME PROCEDURE IS FOLLOWED FOR THE OTHER
POSTS, ONE AFTER THE OTHER IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AS ONE READS THE PLAN. THIS SAME
CLOCKWISE MANNER OF RAISING THE POSTS IS PRACTICED ON THE ISLAND OF ROMBLON AND THE BELIEF
IS THAT IT WILL MAKE THE HOUSE WINDPROOF.
 AN ORIENTATION TOWARDS THE EAST IS ALSO REQUIRED FOR STAIRS. ILOCANOS POSITION THEIR STAIRS
SO THAT THEY RISE WITH THE MORNING SUN. TO THEM, IF IT WERE THE OTHER WAY AROUND, MEANT
TURNING ONE’S BACK ON FATE. BUT BUILDERS IN PANDI, BULACAN, JUST LIKE MANY TYPICAL FILIPINOS,
BELIEVE THAT A STAIRWAY FACING EAST IS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK BECAUSE, THEY SAY, ANYTHING FACING
THE EARLY SUN DRIES UP AHEAD OF ALL OTHERS, AND IN THE SAME TOKEN, WEALTH TAKEN INTO THE
HOUSE WILL DRY UP MUCH FASTER.
 IF THERE IS NO WAY ONE CAN MAKE THE STAIRS FACE EAST, AT LEAST MAKE THEM FACE ANY NEARBY
MOUNTAIN. IF ONE’S LOT ABUTS A RIVER, POSITION THE STAIRS IN A WAY THAT THEY ARE FACING
UPSTREAM. THIS IS SO IN ORDER THAT GOOD LUCK FROM THE HOUSE WOULD NEVER BE WASHED AWAY
WITH THE RIVER’S FLOW. IN THE SAME WAY, IF THE PROPOSED HOUSE IS BESIDE THE SEA, OR IF ONE IS
BUILDING A BEACH HOUSE, PLAN THE STAIRS IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY RUN PARALLEL WITH THE SHORE.
IF THE STAIRS ARE PERPENDICULAR TO THE SHORELINE, LUCK MAY FLOW IN BUT ALSO FLOW OUT WITH
THE TIDES.
 THERE ARE GUIDELINES, TOO, GOVERNING THE NUMBER OF STEPS IN ONE’S STAIRS. STARTING WITH THE
FIRST LANDING, COUNT THE STEPS USING THE WORDS ORO (GOLD), PLATA (SILVER), AND MATA (DEATH).
THE PERFECT LAST STEP SHOULD BE ORO. ENDING UPPLATA IS NOT TOO BAD EITHER BUT,
UNDERSTANDABLY, DO NOT EVER END UP WITH MATA. THIS RULING IS STRICTLY OBSERVED ESPECIALLY IF
IT INVOLVES THE FIRST STEPS GOING INTO THE HOUSE. IF YOUR HOME HAS A SLIGHT ELEVATION, CHOOSE
FOUR STEPS BUT NEVER THREE.
 SUNKEN ROOMS, LIKE BASEMENTS ARE LOOKED AT AS POCKETS OF CAVES WHERE EVIL SPIRITS CAN HIDE.
IT IS BALANCED OFF ONLY WHEN AN EXIT LOWER THAN THE SAID ROOM IS PROVIDED. SOME ILOCANOS
DO NOT WANT BASEMENTS ALTOGETHER BECAUSE OF THE BELIEF THAT ONLY COFFINS SHOULD BE
FOUND UNDER THE GROUND.
 IT IS ADVISED THAT ONE MUST PLAN THE DOORS OF ONE’S BEDROOMS IN SUCH A WAY THAT WHEN IT IS
OPENED, ONE WOULD FACE NEITHER THE FOOT NOR HEAD OF THE BED. THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE
AMPLE SPACE BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE BED ITSELF. POSITION THE BED SUCH THAT THE
HEADBOARD DOES NOT REST AGAINST A WINDOW OPENING. NEITHER SHOULD YOU PUT ANY BED
UNDER A CROSS BEAM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE BEAM IS OF WOOD OR CONCRETE, AND POSITION
THE BED SO THAT THE OCCUPANT WILL NOT BE LYING PERPENDICULAR TO THE BEAM.

VISAYAS

 IT IS NOT ADVISED TO PLACE A LARGE WINDOW IN THE WALL DIRECTLY FACING THE STAIRS SO THAT
GOOD FORTUNE WILL NOT EASILY GO OUT THAT WINDOW.
 WHEN PLANNING A STRUCTURE WITH TWO OR MORE STOREYS, THE STAIRWAY SHOULD NOT BE
POSITIONED AT THE CENTER OF THE STRUCTURE SO AS NOT TO DIVIDE THE BUILDING INTO TWO EQUAL
PARTS.
 IT IS ADVISED THAT DOORS SHOULD NOT FACE EACH OTHER. THE PEOPLE IN THE NORTH ASSOCIATES THIS
WITH THE EASY PASSAGE OF A COFFIN THROUGH TWO DOORS THAT DIRECTLY FACE EACH OTHER. MOST
REGIONS IN THE COUNTRY ALSO AVOID POSITIONING THE MAIN GATE OF THE LOT OPPOSITE THE MAIN
ENTRANCE OF THE HOUSE ITSELF.
CHINESE HOUSING FOLK BELIEFS

• IF THE HOME IS LOCATED AT THE END OF A DEAD END STREET. AIR CANNOT FLOW FREELY AT A DEAD-
END STREET, THUS IT ACCUMULATES DEAD AIR THERE. AND WHEN THERE’S A DISASTER — SUCH AS A FIRE —
PEOPLE IN THIS PROPERTY CANNOT EVACUATE FROM THE BACK.

• IF A ROAD OR RIVER IS BENDING AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. THE SHAPE OF BENDING AWAY IS LIKE A BOW
OR A REAPING HOOK — A HINT SUGGESTING FORTUNE LOSS, DISHARMONY IN THE FAMILY AND ABANDONMENT
— WHILE BENDING AROUND IS A HINT OF BEING PROTECTED AND EMBRACED.

• IF THE HOME HAS A SLOPED BACKYARD. IT REPRESENTS THAT THE HOUSE IS RISKY, WHILE HOMES ON A
FLAT GROUND ARE MORE STABLE.

• IF A HOME IS SURROUNDED BY TALLER BUILDINGS. THE OWNER IN THIS TYPE OF PROPERTY IS

• IF THE HOME’S BACK STAIRS DIRECTLY FACE THE FRONT DOOR. THAT’S BECAUSE THE ANCIENT CHINESE
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY SAYS THAT ALL LUCK WOULD FLOW OUT THE FRONT DOOR.

• IF THE HOME’S FRONT AND BACK DOORS ARE ALIGNED WITH ONE ANOTHER. THE ENERGY FLOW
BETWEEN THE TWO DOORS COULD BE TOO AGGRESSIVE, WHICH IS A NEGATIVE SIGN IN FENG SHUI. IT INDICATES
LOSING FORTUNE AND HEALTH, THEFT AND DISHARMONY IN THE FAMILY.

• IF THE BED DIRECTLY FACES THE DOOR. THE DOOR IS WHERE WIND ENTERS THE ROOM. IF THE BED FACES
THE DOOR DIRECTLY, THE BED IS FACING THE WIND DIRECTLY, WHICH IS HARMFUL FOR PEOPLE’S HEALTH. AND
PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE BED WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY ACCUMULATING ENERGY WHEN FACING THE WIND
ENTRANCE.

• IF A MIRROR FACES THE MAIN DOOR. BECAUSE THE MIRROR PUSHES AWAY ALL THE GOOD FENG SHUI
ENERGY THAT IS ABOUT TO ENTER THE HOUSE.

• IF A MIRROR FACES A BED. IN ANCIENT CHINA, A MIRROR FACING THE BED IS BELIEVED TO BE CALLING
GHOSTS. MIRROR HAS REFLECTED LIGHT, WHICH MIGHT CAUSE NEURASTHENIA.

• IF A BATHROOM IS LOCATED AT THE HOME’S CENTER. THE CENTER OF A HOME IS A VITAL PLACE. IF IT’S
OCCUPIED BY A BATHROOM, THE OWNER WILL HAVE BAD LUCK IN MAKING MONEY, AND IT’S HARMFUL FOR THE
OWNER’S HEALTH AS WELL.

• IF THE STOVE IN THE KITCHEN IS VISIBLE FROM THE MAIN DOOR. THE FIRE FROM THE STOVE WILL BLOCK
THE INFLOW OF WEALTH.

• IF THE BATHROOM DOOR FACES THE MAIN DOOR. THE BATHROOM IS NOT CLEAN, AND IT WILL POLLUTE
THE ENERGY THAT PEOPLE FACE WHEN ENTERING THE MAIN DOOR.

• IF THE HOME IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A HOSPITAL. PEOPLE WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED ARE OUT OF LUCK,
SICK PEOPLE HAVE DISEASE AND SURGERIES IN THE HOSPITAL HAVE A MURDEROUS LOOK, ALL OF WHICH HAVE
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE MAGNETIC FIELD AROUND THE AREA.

• IF THE HOME IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO TEMPLES, CHURCHES OR CEMETERY. ENERGIES OF PLACES FOR
GODS OR GHOSTS ARE DISRUPTED AND EFFECT HUMAN BEINGS NEGATIVELY.

• IF THE HOME IS SITUATED CLOSE TO CINEMAS OR THEATERS. ENERGY OF CINEMAS AND THEATERS IS NOT
STABLE; IT’S UP WHEN AN AUDIENCE COMES IN AND DOWN WHEN THE AUDIENCE LEAVES. THE VOLATILITY WILL
AFFECT THE ENERGY ATMOSPHERE OF THAT AREA. PEOPLE LIVING IN THAT AREA HAVE FREQUENTLY CHANGING
LUCK.

• IF THE HOME IS ADJACENT TO ELEVATED ROADS OR A PLATFORM BRIDGE SUFFERS FROM THE NOISE AND
SHAKING. PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT TEND TO GET NEURASTHENIA.

• IF THE HOME HAS A FRONT DOOR THAT FACES A BIG TREE. THE BIG TREE IN FRONT OF THE FRONT DOOR
CAN BLOCK THE INFLOW OF POSITIVE ENERGY.

• IF THE HOME HAS AN ARCHED FRONT DOOR. THE SHAPE OF THE ARCHED DOOR IS SIMILAR TO A
TOMBSTONE. THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE IS OFTEN ILL-FATED.
• IF THE HOME HAS A FRONT DOOR FACING AN ELEVATOR. THE ELEVATOR TENDS TO ABSORB ENERGY
FROM THE HOME.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME GOOD FENG SHUI FEATURES OF A PROPERTY:

• IF A HOME IS BACKED BY A MOUNTAIN. IF THERE’S A MOUNTAIN — PREFERABLY A ROUND SHAPE

• THE FRONT DOOR OR THE GATE OF A CONDO BUILDING FACING THE EAST OR SOUTH. EAST IS THE
DIRECTION WHERE THE SUN RISES, WHICH INDICATES A BRIGHT FUTURE. SITTING IN THE NORTH AND FACING THE
SOUTH IS TRADITIONALLY A PERFECT DIRECTION IN FENG SHUI AS THIS DIRECTION IS EASIEST TO GET THE ESSENCE
OF NATURE.
HOUSING 1
ASSIGNMENT NO.2: HOUSING FOLK BELIEFS IN PHILIPPINES AND CHINA
SUBMITTED BY: ABOBO, AMOS JAMES M.