A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1453 This Damn Competitive Spirit! (Please Subscribe!)
Hua Twelve's speech continues:

"So, is Feng Shui a unique wisdom exclusive to the East? Well, I admit it is."

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.

"but."

Hua Shier changed the subject:
"In the West, there are also many intelligent people who draw inspiration from life and nature and know how to adapt to local conditions. Their designs unconsciously conform to the principles and views of Feng Shui, such as the principle of gathering and retaining Qi!"

"The Prairie House by American designer Frank Lloyd Wright emphasizes the integration of horizontal lines with the ground and focuses on the spatial sequence from the private entrance to the open living room. Isn't this a kind of 'gathering and retaining energy'?"

Similarly, his "Fallingwater" also pursues the organic integration of architecture and landscape, which to some extent also caters to the Feng Shui concept of adapting to local conditions!

"The current design style in Scandinavia regards 'sunlight' as the most precious resource, using huge windows and interior layouts to capture every ray of sunlight and create a 'hygge' sense of comfort. Is this capturing 'vitality'?"

"Are Silicon Valley's tech giants sparing no expense to create park-like environments in their campuses, emphasizing natural light, open communication, and green landscapes, in an attempt to 'gather energy' and stimulate innovation?"

Hua Twelve smiled:
"Of course, they don't call it feng shui, but the core of excellent design is always the same: 'insight into the deep needs of human nature and respect for the laws of nature' are all interconnected!"

At this moment, the professor sitting in the audience suddenly spoke up:

"Xiang Pengfei, what you said sounds reasonable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it seems to be just your side of the story, far-fetched and contrived. It is true that feng shui and architectural design both emphasize adapting to local conditions, but feng shui is feudal dross and superstition. Based on what you have said, I am afraid it is not enough to refute my point!"

"For example, as far as I know, there is a view in feng shui that if a house is poorly designed or built in a bad location, it will bring bad luck to the people living in it. Isn't this superstition? Isn't it a foolish feudal remnant?"

Because this open class on 'feng shui superstition' was scheduled yesterday, many students and teachers from other years in the architecture department received the news in advance. Many people were also very interested in this topic and came one after another to see what today's class was about.

At first, only half of the seats in the large classroom were occupied, but now the audience is completely full.

The professor's viewpoint was echoed by many students and teachers present, who nodded and whispered among themselves, their eyes then fixed on Hua Shier, eager to see how this student who "studied" feng shui would respond to the professor's questions!

Sitting in the audience, Wu Shanshan, Zhuang Tunan, Li Jia, and Lu Ming were all sweating bullets for Hua Shier.

Hua Shier ignored the questioning looks around him, simply smiling as he quietly waited for the professor to finish speaking before nodding and saying:

"What you're referring to is probably '煞' in Feng Shui, also known as '形煞'. Traditional Feng Shui believes that an imbalance between a building and its terrain can disrupt the balance of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, creating a harmful energy field. Professor, do you think this is superstition?"

The professor nodded and said, "Exactly! Isn't this superstition?"

Hua Shier smiled faintly, slowed his speech, and glanced across the room:

"This only shows that you lack understanding!"

boom!
The large classroom instantly erupted into chaos, with everyone discussing it. For a student to publicly say that a professor lacked knowledge was escalated to the level of 'accusation' and 'questioning'—how arrogant and audacious!

Some teachers and senior professors showed displeasure on their faces.

Several acquaintances were present. Li Jia's eyes widened in disbelief that this Brother Pengfei would speak like that, showing no mercy whatsoever.

Zhuang Tunan slapped his forehead: "This kid, how could he talk to the professor like that!"

Wu Shanshan couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth:
"Brother Tu Nan, you should have known better. Brother Pengfei has always been like this, always holding a grudge!"

That professor just said in front of everyone that Hua Shier was ignorant and shady. Did he really think he wouldn't hold a grudge? Well, here he is, laughing and getting his revenge!

Lu Ming felt like he had crashed, and muttered, "Brother, you're awesome!"

Hua Shier continued on stage:

In Feng Shui, "煞" (sha) can be interpreted in modern terms as road intersections, sharp corners, narrow wind tunnels, and so on.

"For example, if a long road leads straight to the main gate, it is called a 'spear sha' in feng shui and is considered an ominous sign. This layout resembles a spear piercing through, and according to feng shui theory, it may cause the residents to suffer bloodshed or serious illness!"

Hua Shier picked up the chalk and casually sketched a house facing the road on the blackboard. The road extended horizontally to the left and right in front of the house, indicating that it was a T-junction.

After he finished drawing, he turned around and asked the audience with a smile, "Do you think this is superstition?"

Before the professor could speak, Hua Shier interrupted him with a smile:
"Okay, maybe!"

This sentence completely shut down what the professor was about to say, making him seem quite uncomfortable.

Hua Shier glanced at him with amusement:
"But I don't think so, because this situation can be explained scientifically. A long road leading straight to the gate means potential traffic risks and an increased chance of a car accident. In this case, is saying that it is easy to cause bloodshed just superstition?"

"The dangers of long roads also include increased vehicle noise, which creates a sense of psychological pressure on people!"

"Continuous noise can damage hearing, cause neurasthenia, and increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease!"

"Neurosis can lead to sleep disorders. Insufficient sleep can weaken the immune system, weaken the body, make it difficult to concentrate at work, and increase the risk of accidents!"

"Now let's go back and look at these consequences. Don't they coincide with the descriptions in Feng Shui of 'spear sha' causing residents to suffer bloodshed or serious illness? Aren't they completely correct?"

When everyone thought along his lines of reasoning, they felt that the logic was perfect and flawless.

In the silence, a soft round of applause suddenly broke out. It was Wu Shanshan, and then Lu Ming, Zhuang Tunan, and Li Jia, who had just realized what was happening, joined in the applause. More students joined in, and even some architecture professors clapped softly.

Hua Shier smiled and pressed his palms down: "No need to clap, it's just basic stuff!"

Although they didn't understand what "勿六" meant, the college students could understand the meaning of Hua Shier's words through the phrases "basic operations" and "no need to clap," and they burst into laughter instantly.

After everyone had finished laughing, Hua Twelve continued his sermon:
"There is also a narrow gap between two tall buildings, which is called 'sky-cutting evil' in feng shui. Scientifically speaking, this type of building can create uncomfortable, chaotic strong winds, light pollution, and psychological depression."

“In these places, people instinctively feel uneasy and tense. What Feng Shui does is systematically identify these ‘environmental stressors’ or ‘negative psychological cues’ and then use design, perhaps a row of trees, an entrance with a different angle, a water feature, an artificial mountain, or other designs, to buffer, resolve, or guide them.”

The teachers and students below the stage said to Hua Shierchao:
"In the West and among the Japanese, a new term has emerged called 'architectural psychology,' which studies the interaction between the built environment and human psychology, as well as the inherent relationship between architectural design and psychology and the environment!"

"Look at what they're researching, the ancients actually wrote it down in Feng Shui long ago!"

"Therefore, in my understanding and practice, integrating Feng Shui is by no means a mere superposition of symbols."

"It is a key that helps us unlock the collective intuition about a 'good living environment' that is deeply rooted in our cultural genes."

"I hope that the architects in our Guo family can focus on the study of traditional Feng Shui, use the environment to cater to psychology, use materials and light and shadow to create atmosphere, and translate our ancestors' understanding of architecture into a modern language and design that can be designed, built, and perceived."

"When we use today's technology and design concepts to realize the Feng Shui concept of 'gathering and storing Qi,' I think that is injecting 'architecture' with a precious vitality that brings peace, vitality, and harmony with the surrounding world."

"True pioneers are not those who abandon tradition, but those who understand and activate ancient wisdom in new ways." "That's all I wanted to say, thank you!"

After he finished speaking, there was a brief silence in the classroom.

Immediately, applause spread rapidly from a few scattered corners, sweeping across the entire classroom like a tidal wave.

This time, it wasn't out of politeness or to egg people on, but rather a genuine sense of recognition that came with thought and emotion.

The professor who asked the question still had a flush on his face, but his tense expression had relaxed.

He adjusted his glasses, looking at the young man on the stage with a complicated expression.

He may not entirely agree with bringing the term 'feng shui' so openly into the halls of modern architecture, but he cannot deny that this student has constructed a logically consistent and thought-provoking argumentative system.

He even had a vague feeling that his earlier assertion that it was "feudal dross" had been somewhat hasty.

The professor slowly stood up, and amidst the gradually subsiding applause, cleared his throat: "Xiang Pengfei."

All eyes were on the past.

The professor paused, a gentle expression appearing on his face:

"Your argument is very interesting. You use the perspectives of environmental psychology, microclimate science, and even traffic engineering to interpret some of the sayings in traditional Feng Shui. This line of thinking is itself inspiring."

He then changed the subject, still displaying the caution of a scholar:

"However, the Feng Shui system is complex, and it inevitably contains a lot of things that cannot be explained by science, are purely psychological suggestions, or are even absurd. How to extract the essence and discard the dross is a subject that needs to be treated rigorously. It is by no means something that can be accomplished overnight. I hope you can be down-to-earth and stay true to your original aspirations. I hope your research will yield results that will broaden my horizons!"

This is no longer a questioning, but a constructive discussion and a teacher's expectations for the students.

Hua Shier stood on the stage, his attitude humble:

"You're right, Professor. This is exactly the direction I need to explore and practice over the long term. Today, I'm just throwing out a brick to start a discussion, hoping to open a window and let everyone see another possibility. It's not about accepting it all or denying it all, but about trying to understand, translate, and transform it."

Be neither humble nor arrogant, and be reasonable and well-founded.

Many teachers in the audience nodded in approval. This student not only had ideas, but also a great presence.

The professor nodded slightly, then, as if remembering something, blushed slightly.
"I apologize for what I said before, that you were ignorant and dabbling in crooked ways. I take back what I said. You should be described as ignorant but skilled. From now on, I hope you will listen attentively in my classes. Don't think I don't know you are reading other books!"

After he finished speaking, the audience burst into laughter again.

Hua Shier quickly said that he would no longer skip his classes.

This statement can be seen as giving the professor who apologized a way out.

The professor nodded in satisfaction, then smiled and said:
"Before you graduate, I hope you can write a paper for me on 'The Application of Traditional Feng Shui Theory in Modern Architectural Design.' Consider this an assignment I'm giving you!"

“Okay, Professor!” Hua Shier would have done it even without the professor saying so, so he happily agreed.

The open class ended in a lingering atmosphere, with many teachers coming over to offer words of encouragement to Hua Shier. Chen Xin, sitting at the back of the crowd, looked at Hua Shier, who was now the center of attention and was enjoying great success, and his face flushed red and then turned pale.

He was motivated by jealousy towards Hua Shier because Lu Ming had stirred up his feelings, and his intention in reporting Hua Shier was to embarrass the latter in public.

Unexpectedly, this created a dazzling stage for the other party.

The excited chatter and admiring glances from his classmates felt like needles pricking him.

Finally, unable to bear the atmosphere and feeling like a clown, he got up and fled in a disheveled state. Zou Yu quickly followed him out.

As Hua Shier and his group left the teaching building, Lu Ming was the first to lose his composure:
"Pengfei, that's amazing! If I were standing there, I wouldn't know what to say. You're so talkative! You didn't notice, but you left several of the old professors in our department completely bewildered!"

Hua Shier was speechless: "So you didn't understand? You're so good at talking, try not to say that again!"

Zhuang Tunan, Li Jia, and Wu Shanshan all burst out laughing.

Lu Ming chuckled awkwardly, "How can you say they didn't understand? It means they're opening up a new world for them!"

Zhuang Tunan listened to Lu Ming's awkward boasting and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile:

"Lu Ming, you're a master at flattery. But Pengfei's explanation was truly brilliant. I'll have to learn from your research later!"

Hua Shier made an OK sign.

Lu Ming clapped his hands: "Look how generous Pengfei is! OK, no problem! Can I borrow it too? Hehe."

Hua Shier gave him a disgruntled look: "What do you mean OK, no problem!"

He pointed to the three outstretched fingers of the OK sign: "Here's three hundred yuan. What else do you want for free?"

Li Jia and Wu Shanshan burst out laughing upon hearing this.

The next day was a holiday, and Hua Shier took a few people to "Jiang Family Mansion" to see his newly purchased house.

When Hua Shier told Wu Shanshan that this was where the two of them would live from now on, Wu Shanshan's face lit up with a sunny smile and a sense of happiness.

However, when Hua Shier expressed his desire to design the house himself, Wu Shanshan shook her head and said:

"do not want!"

She looked at Hua Shier: "I want to design our future house myself. You can keep this space for now, and I'll do it myself after I graduate, okay?"

What else could Hua Shier say? Of course he agreed. Anyway, universities these days don't allow students to live off-campus during their studies. He could renovate the house after graduation, which wouldn't affect when he moved in.

When Wu Shanshan saw that he agreed, she immediately smiled broadly.

Seeing this, Hua Shier silently kept the fact that there was another house a secret.

Well, he should always keep one house for himself to renovate. If Wu Shanshan doesn't renovate it well, he can show off his work and laugh at her, saying, "Look, your renovation is nothing!" Hahaha, what a damn competitive spirit!

Thank you to 08a and Little Tiger of the Demon Realm for the donations, and thank you to all the brothers who voted with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you so much!