Feng shui originated in ancient China and is one of the oldest continuing geographic traditions in the world. It developed over millennia as a practical system for harmonizing human dwellings with the surrounding environment, guiding where to place buildings, graves, and objects to balance subtle energies. Key origins and evolution

• Early practical roots: The practice began with people settling near rivers and valleys, seeking protection, fertility, and prosperity. Its earliest aims were survival, safety, and family welfare, along with status for some practitioners and rulers.

• Classical framing: Over time, Feng shui became a broader philosophical and observational system that linked human spaces with the natural world, the heavens, and the Earth. The term itself translates roughly to “wind” and “water,” emphasizing the two vital natural elements it seeks to harmonize.

• Dynastic and scholarly refinements: By the Zhou Dynasty (approximately 1046–256 BCE), Feng shui had taken on more formalized methods connected to cosmology, astronomy, and landscape reading. Later periods, including the Han Dynasty, saw continued integration with astrology and spatial calculations as practitioners sought auspicious site selection and alignment with celestial phenomena.

• Interregional influences and debate: Accounts and scholarly discussions map Feng shui’s transmission and adaptation across regions, with various theories about its origins (including Hindu, Greek, and other cultural interchanges) reflected in sources that discuss its ancient spread and early textual references. The central Chinese tradition, however, emphasizes local culture, geomantic practice, and the relationship between humans and the landscape as foundational.

What to keep in mind

• There is no single, universally agreed “origin” date or founder; Feng shui emerged gradually as a set of practices and ideas in ancient China and evolved over many centuries.
• Different sources place emphasis on different historical anchors (early Neolithic practice, Zhou and Han dynasty developments, or textual references like the Book of Odes), but all converge on the core goal: arranging space to align with natural and cosmic forces to promote health, prosperity, and harmony.

If you’d like, I can pull together a concise timeline with specific dynasties and representative texts or examples of classic Feng shui practices from different periods.