34 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 8o 



north bank of the river. It is pecuHar in shape, l)eing high, round, 

 and pointed. 



Many fengshui stones are vitally related to the welfare of certain 

 towns, cities, or districts. Below the city of P'in Shan, on the bank 

 of the river, is a round stone that is the fengshui stone of P'in Shan. 

 The injury of this stone would cause ill-luck to the city of P'in Shan. 



There are also fengshui trees. A great tree at Shin Kai Si on 

 Mt. Omei is the fengshui tree of Chien Way. Another tree on Mt. 

 Omei is the fcngsliui tree of Omeishien. Both are great, majestic 

 trees. 



Families also may have feiigsliui stones or trees. Between Ngan 

 Bien and Leo Dong on the Yangtse River, a strange-looking stone has 

 been for many generations the fengshui stone of the powerful Lin 

 family of Leo Dong. At Shuin Gien Si, close to the Golden Sands 

 Cave, is a family fengshui tree. 



Between Suifu and Li Chuang, on the south bank of the Yangtse 

 River, is a large stone that is the fengshui stone of the Lo family, who 

 for generations have lived on the north side of the river opposite the 

 stone, and who in the past prospered and accumulated great wealth 

 through the help of this wonderful stone. It is said that formerly 

 when wood was split in the home of the Lo family the rock would 

 move. The Tsang family lived on the opposite side of the river 

 and owned the land on which the fengshui stone is situated. The 

 Tsangs were jealous of the prosperity of the Los, so they chiseled and 

 " broke " the stone whose power and influence helped the Lo family. 

 Thereupon the Lo family accused the Tsang family at court, and a 

 long period of litigation ensued, consuming much of the wealth of 

 both families. No satisfactory solution was reached at court, so the 

 two families agreed to settle the matter out of court by each family 

 throwing" silver into the river. The family throwing in the most silver 

 would be considered the strongest and the greatest. The Tsang family 

 threw in pewter, but the Lo family threw in silver. Both families are 

 now poor. Because the stone was chiseled or broken, it has lost its 

 power to benefit the Lo family. 



In 1924 the magistrate of the Lan Ch'i Shien district issued a 

 proclamation forbidding the cutting of fengsJiui stones lest calamity 

 fall upon the people. 



Practically every large town or city has a pagoda that has been 

 1)uilt in some prominent place, and some cities have more than one. 

 The pagoda must l)e correctly situated, and afl"ects for good or ill the 

 fengshui, and, through the fengshui, all the important interests of 

 a city. 



