Thursday, March 26, 2009

Pi Xiu 貔貅

Bi Xie, Pi Xiu 貔貅or Pei Yao (in Cantonese) has become a common commercial Feng Shui product in recent years. Many well-known masters recommend it during consultation but whether it works or not, no one knows for sure. A feng shui master once told me that the number of toes on a Bi Xie represents different functions (for health, wealth or protection), e.g. 3 toes, 4 toes or 5 toes. According to him, in ancient China, Bi Xie is never found in homes but rather at the entrance of royal cemeteries / tombs, acting as guardian spirits to the area. So unless you stay in a royal tomb…

The belief in this mystical creature started as early as the Western Han Dynasty. While it is known now to have only one horn, ancient Bi Xie are found to have two horns sometimes. It is said to devour gold and silver and possess no anus to take a dump, hence it is a wonderful wealth-sucking pet to have at home. It is also believed the creature can absorb evil and protect its owner. It is normally required to be spiritually empowered (Kai Kuang) before it can start its job in any household. But sad to say I have seen many pairs of the creature disowned at a temple in Tanjong Pagar, abandoned in the backyard like pets abandoned to SPCA by their callous owners.

Did these owners think that their Bi Xie have not been working hard for them? Or are all these talk about its wealth benefits not true? Or the master did not empower the Bi Xie correctly? Actually, when a cure needs to be spiritually empowered, it is no more under the scope of Feng Shui but belongs more to the field of spiritual and religious skills. Thus, not all Feng Shui practitioners are taught how to do it effectively.

I think I should not talk further about this mystical creature since I am not officially taught anything about it and have no first hand experience with it. But a word of caution to all, “Caveat Emptor” or buyers beware, don’t be duped into spending thousands of dollars for it (especially if it is not empowered). And don’t think that having the red dot of the cinnabar (Zhu Sha) means it is empowered. In places like Hong Kong where feng shui products are mass- produced, businessmen are known to dot their products to make people think it is empowered.

By the way, I don’t sell Bi Xie.

Regards
Alvin Chua Kim Leng