There are some who say they have gained all their knowledge from books (Chinese or English) and are practising fung shui without having attended classes or followed a renowned master. The problem with this approach is it fails to take into account the fact that fung shui is both an art and a science. You may be able to learn fung shui formulas from a book (the science aspect) but only an experienced master can guide you in how much emphasis should be placed on different formulas when assessing a particular situation. The art aspect of fung shui is that formulas need to be adjusted to suit each case. This cannot be learned from books. Another problem with relying solely on books is that they tend to contradict each other; certain authors will give credence to a theory that others disparage, leaving the reader confused. Furthermore, traditional texts are written in descriptive poetry so one would need to be well versed in classic Putonghua and fung shui terminology to fully understand them. A word of caution about classes, though; some fung shui masters are notorious for reserving their best techniques for their most-trusted students. Why would they reveal their trade secrets when doing so may break their rice bowl?
