The image of Fengshui in the habitation of the ancient town of Foshan and its implication for the preservation of historical buildings

Based on the analysis of the Fengshui constituents,Long,Xue,Sha and Shui,the paper examines the habitation patterns in the historical town of Foshan from the perspective of Fengshui.It is found that,though Fengshui has obvious impact on the habitations in Foshan,the patterns of this ancient town are not completely subject to Fengshui.In fact,as Foshan holds a market town status in history and a specific geographical position,Shui plays a more important role than other constituents of Fengshui in Foshan's ancient buildings.The examination of Foshan town's patterns from the perspective of Fengshui not only leads us to a glimpse of our ancestors' concept of habitation and unique aesthetic view on landscape but also facilitates us a mastery of Foshan's cultural process,which helps preserve historical buildings and improve the layout and plan of the urban landscape.