Liu Bowen Legend: The Grand National Advisor's Feng Shui Legacy in the Ming Dynasty
Liu Bowen (刘伯温), whose given name was Ji (基) and courtesy name was Bowen, with the posthumous title Wencheng (文成), was a native of Qingtian, Zhejiang Province. He served as the chief strategist for Zh
Liu Bowen Legend: The Grand National Advisor's Feng Shui Legacy in the Ming Dynasty — Lucky Energy & Wisdom
Liu Bowen (刘伯温), whose given name was Ji (基) and courtesy name was Bowen, with the posthumous title Wencheng (文成), was a native of Qingtian, Zhejiang Province. He served as the chief strategist for Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋) and was a "prodigy" well-versed in astronomy, numerology, and Kanyu (堪舆, Feng Shui). Folk legend claims he "knew five hundred years before and five hundred years after," and he was likened to Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮) reborn. This chapter recreates, from a legendary perspective, the Feng Shui life of this great Ming Dynasty national advisor.
Cultural Context: The "Grand National Advisor" (国师, guó shī) role in imperial China combined strategist, prophet, and master of metaphysical arts. Such figures were believed to possess supernatural insight that could determine the rise and fall of dynasties — making their Feng Shui knowledge a matter of state security. The interplay of Yin and Yang — the dual forces of dark/light, passive/active — governs all Feng Shui applications.
A Prodigy in His Youth
Liu Bowen was born in the fourth year of the Zhida era of the Yuan Dynasty (1311 AD) and displayed extraordinary intelligence from childhood. Legend has it that he could read "seven lines at a glance" and never forgot what he saw. In his youth, he mastered the Confucian classics and history, and showed particular talent in astronomy and numerology.
In the first year of the Yingtong era (1333 AD), Liu Bowen passed the imperial examination and became a jinshi (进士). He once served as a minor official in the Yuan Dynasty. However, upon witnessing the corruption of the Yuan court and sensing that chaos was approaching, he resigned his position and retreated into seclusion, devoting himself to studying numerology and military strategy while awaiting the proper时机 (jī, opportunity).
Meeting Zhu Yuanzhang
In the twentieth year of the Zhizheng era (1360 AD), Zhu Yuanzhang had already risen in rebellion against the Yuan Dynasty and was in urgent need of strategists. When someone recommended Liu Bowen, Zhu Yuanzhang visited him three times — just as Liu Bei had visited Zhuge Liang in the "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage" (三顾茅庐) — to invite him to join the cause.
Liu Bowen observed that Zhu Yuanzhang had a "dragon's stride and tiger's step, with the bearing of heaven and the sun," and concluded that he possessed the physiognomy of a "true Son of Heaven." He therefore agreed to serve him. Liu Bowen presented Zhu Yuanzhang with the "Eighteen Strategies for Current Affairs" (时务十八策), analyzing the broader trends of the realm and charting a path toward unification.
From then on, Liu Bowen assisted Zhu Yuanzhang in defeating rivals such as Chen Youliang (陈友谅) and Zhang Shicheng (张士诚), and in 1368 AD, the Ming Dynasty was established. Liu Bowen was ennobled as "Chengyi Bo" (诚意伯, Earl of Chengyi), becoming a founding hero of the dynasty.
| Liu Bowen Assists Zhu Yuanzhang | Details |
|---|---|
| Coming Out of Seclusion | Responded to Zhu Yuanzhang's invitation in 1360 |
| Strategies Presented | "Eighteen Strategies for Current Affairs" (时务十八策) |
| Military Achievements | Helped defeat Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng |
| Ennoblement | Earl of Chengyi (诚意伯) |
Feng Shui National Advisor
Liu Bowen was not only a strategist but also a Feng Shui National Advisor. His major contributions to Feng Shui include:
1. Planning Nanjing City
After Zhu Yuanzhang chose Nanjing as the capital, he ordered Liu Bowen to plan the city's Feng Shui layout. Liu Bowen surveyed Nanjing's "tiger crouching and dragon coiling" (虎踞龙蟠) topography and determined the orientation of the city walls, the position of the imperial palace, and the placement of the city gates — making Nanjing City a capital with a complete Feng Shuienergy pattern (gé jú, configuration).
Cultural Context: In Chinese Feng Shui, the phrase "tiger crouching, dragon coiling" (虎踞龙蟠) describes an ideal capital location — mountains to the west (tiger) and winding waterways to the east (dragon) create a naturally protected environment that gathers and retains Qi. The interplay of Yin and Yang — the dual forces of dark/light, passive/active — governs all Feng Shui applications.
2. Selecting the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum Site
The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum (明孝陵), the tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang, was sited at Dulongfu (独龙阜, Solitary Dragon Hill) on Purple Gold Mountain (紫金山) in Nanjing. This location was recommended by Liu Bowen — Dulongfu's "solitary dragon without companion" character made it suitable for a Yin Dwelling (阴宅, yin zhai), meaning that while the imperial lineage might have few descendants, those born would enjoy great fortune.
3. Slaying the Dragon Veins
Legend has it that after ascending the throne, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Liu Bowen to travel throughout the empire and sever the Dragon Veins (龙脉) that could potentially threaten imperial authority. Liu Bowen's journey as the "Dragon-Slaying Envoy" (斩龙使) left behind numerous folk legends (see Chapter 16 for details).
Cultural Context: Dragon Veins (龙脉) are the underground Qi channels that connect mountains and waterways. In imperial Feng Shui, a region with a powerful Dragon Vein was believed capable of producing a new emperor — so rival dynasties often sought to "sever" these veins to prevent challengers from rising. The interplay of Yin and Yang — the dual forces of dark/light, passive/active — governs all Feng Shui applications.
| Feng Shui Contributions | Details |
|---|---|
| Planning Nanjing | Determined the city's Feng Shuienergy pattern |
| Selecting Xiaoling Mausoleum | Buried Zhu Yuanzhang at Dulongfu |
| Slaying Dragon Veins | Destroyed Dragon Veins threatening imperial power |
"Knowing Five Hundred Years Before and After"
Folk legend holds that Liu Bowen could "know five hundred years before and five hundred years after," possessing the power of prophecy. The most famous such legend is the Shao Bing Ge (烧饼歌, Song of the Burning Cake) — a prophetic ballad attributed to Liu Bowen that allegedly accurately predicted major events for centuries to come.
Of course, these prophecies were mostly attached to his name by later generations, but they reflect the popular reverence for Liu Bowen's "divine calculations." In the Feng Shui realm, this ability to "foreshadow events" is interpreted as "Reading Qi to Know Fate" (望气知运) — the capacity to perceive the flow of Qi through mountains and rivers and thus foresee prosperity and decline.
The Death of Liu Bowen
In the eighth year of the Hongwu era (1375 AD), Liu Bowen died of illness at the age of sixty-four. Several theories exist regarding the cause of his death:
| Cause of Death | Details |
|---|---|
| Illness | Official history records death from disease |
| Poisoning | Legend says he was poisoned by Hu Weiyong (胡惟庸) |
| Shortened Life from Dragon-Slaying | Legend says slaying too many Dragon Veins shortened his life |
Although the "shortened life from dragon-slaying" theory belongs to legend, it embodies the Feng Shui principle that "those who defy heaven must pay a price." Slaying Dragon Veins was considered an act "against heaven," and practitioners were believed to suffer karmic backlash (反噬, fǎn shì).
Key Feng Shui Concepts
- Chengyi Bo (诚意伯): Liu Bowen's noble title, a peerage bestowed upon founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty.
- Dulongfu (独龙阜, Solitary Dragon Hill): A peak on Purple Gold Mountain in Nanjing, named for its solitary dragon-like form; the site chosen for the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.
- Shao Bing Ge (烧饼歌, Song of the Burning Cake): A prophetic ballad attributed to Liu Bowen, largely embellished by later generations.
- Dragon-Slaying Shortens Life (斩龙折寿): The belief that severing Dragon Veins shortens the practitioner's lifespan, reflecting the principle that "defying heaven invites karmic backlash."
- Reading Qi to Know Fate (望气知运): The Feng Shui master's ability to perceive the flow of Qi through mountains and rivers, predicting prosperity and decline.
Quick Tips:
- The phrase "dragon's stride and tiger's step" remains a popular Feng Shui descriptor for someone with imperial physiognomy
- Dragon Veins continue to be a major subject of Feng Shui study and folk legend throughout China
- The concept of karmic backlash reminds modern practitioners to approach Feng Shui interventions with respect and ethical intention
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Note on the Five Elements: The Five Elements (Wu Xing) — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water — form the foundation of Feng Shui energy theory. Each element interacts with the others in cycles of generation and control, influencing the Qi flow in your environment.