Altar Feng Shui: Principles for Auspicious Arrangement

Altar Feng Shui: Principles for an Auspicious Arrangement

Altar Feng Shui: What Are the Principles for an Auspicious Arrangement?

In East Asian culture, an altar is not only a place to express reverence for ancestors, but is also regarded as the spiritual centre of the home, where the energy of the whole household gathers and radiates outward. Arranging the altar in accordance with feng shui therefore carries not only spiritual meaning but also affects the health, wealth and peace of the family members.

Where is the ideal location for an altar?

The location of the altar is the single most important factor determining the flow and gathering of good energy (sheng qi). According to basic feng shui principles, the altar should be placed in the most solemn, clean and quiet position in the house.

• A solemn and clean place: The altar should be placed in a high, clean and open spot. The ideal position is a dedicated worship room. If there is no separate worship room, the altar can be placed in the living room: the most shared and solemn space in the house.
• Backed by a solid wall: Just like the position of a sofa in the living room, the altar should be placed with its back against a solid wall. This creates a feeling of safety and stability, symbolising firm support for the household head. Absolutely avoid placing the altar in a position where the back is a window or a walkway.
• Able to observe the space in front: The altar's position should have a broad view of the space in front. This helps the household head easily observe and control all activities in the home, creating a sense of initiative and peace of mind.
• By floor and by house type: For multi-storey houses, the altar is usually placed on the highest floor, where few people pass by and where it is not pressed down by activities above. For traditional single-storey or three-bay houses, the altar is usually placed in the central bay, which is also the centre of the house. The book Phong thủy cổ đại Trung Quốc: lý luận và thực tiễn (tập 2) (Ancient Chinese Feng Shui: Theory and Practice, volume 2), when discussing traditional dwellings, also notes that the main bay has a long table placed in the middle, with photographs or ancestral tablets worshipped on the main wall above, and regards this as the centre of the dwelling.

What is the altar's orientation and the principle of 'tọa cát hướng cát'?

The orientation of the altar is another important factor that needs careful consideration. One of the core principles is 'tọa cát hướng cát' (sit in auspiciousness, face auspiciousness): the altar should be placed in a good position (tọa, sitting) and face a good direction (hướng, facing) relative to the household head's destiny. Each person has 4 good directions and 4 bad directions based on birth year and gender.

• Good directions for the household head: The altar's facing direction should be chosen from one of the household head's 4 good directions. The good directions commonly mentioned include Sinh Khí (bringing wealth and reputation), Thiên Y (improving health), Diên Niên (strengthening relationships), and Phục Vị (bringing peace and good fortune).
• Avoid bad directions: Absolutely avoid placing the altar facing bad directions such as Tuyệt Mệnh (bringing disaster), Ngũ Quỷ (causing loss of wealth), Họa Hại (causing gossip and disputes), and Lục Sát (causing obstacles and loss).
• In harmony with the house's palace: Besides matching the household head's destiny, the altar's direction should also be considered based on the house's palace (Bát Trạch, Eight Mansions). A harmonious combination of the household head's destiny and the house's palace will create the best possible energy field.

It should be noted that the way of determining good and bad according to Bát Trạch depends on the household head's age and gender, so with the same house orientation, a man and a woman born in the same year may have different auspicious and inauspicious positions. Feng shui schools are also not entirely in agreement: besides the Bát Trạch method based on the household head's destiny, there is also the method based on the 24 positions and the compass, in which each direction is subdivided into mountains such as Nhâm, Tý and Quý on the North-South axis, each mountain carrying its own implication. Some feng shui texts emphasise that accurately determining the altar's position according to the 24 positions is important, and also gives examples of the principle of avoiding placing the altar in a position that clashes with the dragon vein or the house's orientation. This is where different schools may give different results, so when high accuracy is needed, it is advisable to consult someone with expertise who can take measurements at the home.

Positions to avoid when placing an altar

To ensure solemnity and avoid negative energy, the following positions must absolutely be avoided:

• Facing a toilet or bathroom door: These are unclean places holding much bad energy, which will defile the worship space and adversely affect the family's wealth and health.
• Facing or near the kitchen: The cooking area frequently has grease smoke, food odours and noise, and is not suitable for a pure worship space.
• Under a crossbeam or staircase: A crossbeam pressing down on the altar creates heavy pressure, causing unease for the household head. A staircase is where energy flows strongly and unstably, which is not good for worship.
• Bedroom: Absolutely do not place an altar in the bedroom, as this is a private space that does not ensure solemnity and reverence.
• Directly facing the main door: The altar should not be placed directly opposite the main door. If the house structure does not allow this to be avoided, a partition, screen or curtain can be used to create a buffer zone, reducing the direct confrontation.
• Sharing a wall with a toilet or kitchen: Not only should facing them be avoided, but the altar should also not share a wall with a toilet or kitchen, especially when the back of the altar is pressed against a toilet bowl. For multi-storey houses, an altar should also not be placed directly above or directly below noisy living areas such as a television viewing spot.

What should be noted behind and around the altar?

Behind the altar there must be a solid, sturdy wall. Avoid letting the altar lean against a glass panel, a thin wall or a gap, because these structures do not create a firm backing. Some Kinh Dịch texts, when discussing the altar, also note to avoid placing the altar facing a window or a place with strong drafts, holding that such a position makes it hard to gather blessings and affects sacredness.

Around the worship area, sharp objects should not be hung or left, nor should electronic devices unrelated to worship be placed there. Altar lamps should use warm yellow light, not harsh glare.

What height is suitable for an altar?

The altar should be placed at a moderate height, usually higher than the eye level of a person standing to offer incense, expressing reverence. The altar should not be placed too low, level with everyday activities, nor should daily household items be placed above or level with the altar. Above the altar there should be no air conditioner, extractor hood or speaker. An altar should also not be placed on top of a cabinet; if it must be placed under a crossbeam, a ceiling should be installed to cover the beam.

Principles for arranging items on the altar

Arranging items on the altar also needs to follow certain principles to ensure aesthetics, solemnity and feng shui meaning.

• Incense bowl in the central position: The incense bowl is the most important item, usually placed in the central position of the altar. An incense bowl should be chosen with a size proportionate to the altar and placed so that a person standing to worship can offer incense naturally and comfortably.
• Balanced, harmonious arrangement: Other items such as a flower vase, offering tray, altar lamp, water cups, and so on should be arranged in a balanced, symmetrical way on both sides to create harmony and stability. Usually, the flower vase is placed on the right (as seen from the altar looking out), and the offering tray on the left. When worshipping with multiple incense bowls, the order and number usually follow the particular customs of each family, clan or region, so it is advisable to consult elders in the family to arrange them correctly.
• Portrait photographs and tablets: Ancestral portrait photographs or tablets are usually arranged according to the principle of nam tả nữ hữu (men on the left, women on the right, as seen from inside the altar looking out) and in order of seniority and generation: the highest rank is placed in the central or highest position, with later generations in descending order. Portrait photographs should not be placed too close to the incense bowl or block the incense bowl's line of sight.
• Altar lamp always lit: The altar lamp symbolises lighting the way and guiding the path, bringing positive energy. The altar lamp should be kept always lit to maintain warmth and vitality for the worship space.
• Colours and materials: The colours of the altar and worship items should harmonise with the overall space of the house. Altars are usually made from natural wood: a material belonging to the Wood element, bringing warmth and closeness. Avoid using items with strange or sharp shapes, or colours that are too garish and gaudy.

How should the purity of the worship space be maintained?

A principle that is no less important is to keep the worship space always clean, tidy and pure. A dusty altar with worship items arranged in disorder not only loses its solemnity but is also regarded as a cause obstructing the flow of positive energy, affecting the family's wealth and peace.

• Clean frequently: The altar and worship items should be cleaned frequently with clean water or scented water (such as pomelo water or rose water) to keep the space always clean and pure.
• Clear away old worship items: Items such as offering fruit, water cups, joss paper and so on should be cleared away promptly after worship, not left for a long time causing defilement and poor hygiene.
• Do not leave strange objects on the altar: Only dedicated worship items should be placed on the altar. Avoid leaving money, documents or other personal items on the altar, as this is regarded as disrespectful and may cause unfavourable effects.

According to custom, the occasions for the most thorough altar cleaning of the year are usually before Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year, after the ceremony for ông Công ông Táo) and on the full moon and first day of each month.

Harmonious integration with the overall space

The arrangement of the altar should not be considered in isolation but needs to be viewed in its overall relationship with the house's space. For example, if the altar is placed in the living room, then the arrangement of other furniture such as the sofa and television cabinet must also ensure that it does not obscure or create conflict in terms of space and energy with the worship area.

Ensuring clear walkways, sufficient natural light and fresh air for the whole house will create conditions for good energy flow, thereby nurturing positive energy for the worship area and the entire living space. A harmonious, tidy living space will help the spirit of family members always be at ease, thereby attracting luck and good things.

Where should an altar be placed in an apartment?

For an apartment, a separate worship corner should be reserved, ensuring openness while still being discreet, separated from shared walkways. This worship corner still needs its back against a solid wall, should avoid facing directly the main door, bedroom door or toilet door, and should not be placed directly under a beam or close to noisy living areas. If the area is cramped, a partition or curtain can be used to create a buffer zone, as long as solemnity and purity are maintained for the worship area.

Altar feng shui is an art combining spirituality, culture and the science of living space. Applying the above principles not only helps create a solemn, pure worship space but also contributes to bringing peace, luck and prosperity to the family.

Overview article on the topic: What is feng shui? Foundational principles and how to apply them

Summary table of the principles for arranging an altar in accordance with feng shui, by group of factors.