The Pungsu-Jiri Geomancy System in Korea: An Essential Framework for Sustainable Planning and Development

Korean Geomancy, known as Pungsu-jiri-seol, evaluates various features of land, mountains, and water and connects them to human fortune and misfortune. First introduced before the era of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, this philosophy still influences contemporary society to some degree. Like other East Asian countries, South Korea has a long history of practicing geomancy, locally referred to as “pungsu jiri.” In China, which has a ۳,۵۰۰-year history of feng shui theory, the ruling Communist Party officially prohibits “superstitious” practices, including geomancy. It is not simply a superstition, religion, or science; rather, it is an art form that incorporates elements of all three. The influence of geomantic ideas on Korean culture is so profound that understanding the relationship between people and land in Korea is nearly impossible without recognizing geomancy's significance. Since its introduction to Korea, Pungsu has played a vital role in shaping how Koreans interact with their environment. Historically, geomancy was not considered in the design of high-rise buildings. However, after overcoming poverty following the end of Japanese colonization and the Korean War, people began seeking fortune in their choice of residence. The financial industry treats the orientation of buildings with great sensitivity, as it directly affects money flow and survival. There are reasons to believe that geomancy has practical applications beyond cultural or spiritual beliefs. While often dismissed as a pseudoscience due to a lack of statistical evidence, it offers practical and scientific approaches to achieving harmony and well-being in human life. The difficulty of applying geomancy in real-life situations and its esoteric language creates a distance from the secular world, where individuals rely on scientific theories and statistics for persuasion. This research is about the history of the development of geomancy in Korean society and its role in traditional Korean culture.

کلیدواژه ها:

Environment ، Feng-Shui ، Geomancy ، Korea ، Pungsu-Jiri ، Sustainability