The Role of the Owl in Chinese Culture and Feng Shui Symbolism (Meaning, History, Usage)

Table of Contents

1. Owls and the Symbolism of Darkness and Nocturnal Activity
- Metaphorical Meaning of Owls
- Dual Symbolism of Owls in Different Cultures

2. Owls in Chinese Culture
- Owls’ Association with Death, Darkness and Mystery
- Owls’ Association with Reincarnated Souls
- Negative Impact of Owls in Traditional Chinese Beliefs
- Owls’ Association with Thunder and Lightning Gods
- Breaking Down Negative Concepts of Owls

3. Owls in Chinese Archaeology
- Respect for Owls in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties
- Owl-Shaped Objects in Fu Hao’s Tomb
- Symbolism of Owls in Ancient Culture

4. Relationship between Owls and Phoenix
- Opposition between Owls and Phoenix
- Dual Symbolism of Phoenix
- Owls’ Association with Yin and Yang

5. Owl Symbols in Feng Shui
- Auspicious Symbolism of Owls in Feng Shui
- Owls’ Association with Wisdom, Wealth and Protection
- The role of the owl symbol in the home and business

6. How to use the owl symbol in Feng Shui
- Protect against negative energy
- Place an owl symbol outside your home
- Promote the flow of wealth
- Increase knowledge and wisdom
- Bring positive energy
- Place an owl on an altar
- Good luck with pairs of owls

7. Specific applications of the owl symbol
- Decoration and selection of owl symbols
- Feng Shui effects of using owl patterns

8. How to enhance the benefits of Feng Shui practice
- Feng Shui and lifestyle integration
- Other ways to clear negative energy

9. Conclusion
- Owl symbolism and personal interpretation
- Owl and Feng Shui practice methods

Owls are often associated with darkness and nocturnal activities, so it is natural that they are endowed with symbolic meanings related to the unknown, mysterious and spiritual realms. As a nocturnal animal, the owl has multiple symbolic meanings in multiple civilizations: sometimes it represents good luck, and sometimes it portends bad luck.

In traditional Chinese culture, the owl is often seen as a bad omen, especially associated with death and darkness. However, this does not mean that it is always a negative symbol. In fact, the Chinese believe that owls can convey both positive and negative energy, depending on personal understanding and interpretation.

From a Feng Shui perspective, the owl is seen as an auspicious symbol, symbolizing the energy of good luck, wealth, wisdom, knowledge and protection. Its multiple meanings are closely related to powerful natural abilities, and the symbolic meaning of the owl has different interpretations in different cultural contexts.

This article will explore the symbolic meaning of the owl in Chinese culture and its application in Feng Shui. Despite the conflicting beliefs, in the end, the meaning of the owl is still the result of personal interpretation and perception. Let's take a deeper look at this mysterious and powerful bird.

Owls in Chinese Culture

In Chinese culture, owls are often viewed as unlucky animals, mainly due to their association with negative elements such as death, darkness, and hell. Some folklore holds that owls symbolize the reincarnation of the souls of those who have died due to injustice or suicide. Therefore, it is traditionally not recommended to keep owls as pets or give them as gifts.

In Chinese, owls are called "cat owls" and also have the nickname "xiao". Although owls symbolize bravery and wisdom in some cultures, they are not always loved and respected in Chinese culture.

According to folklore, owl chicks can only leave the nest after pecking out their mother's eyes. This cruel story further deepens people's fear and anxiety about owls.

Owls are nocturnal animals with excellent night vision, so they are often associated with mystery, wisdom, death, and mysticism. Its large, staring eyes and its low, shrill cry make it often regarded as a symbol of the devil in folklore. In some places, people believe that the cry of an owl indicates that someone will die or that illness will occur in the family, and even think that it is a warning of death, reminding people to "start digging graves."

When an owl appears near a home, people often burn dry bushes in an attempt to use the smoke to drive the owl away. In order to prevent the owl from bringing misfortune, some families will also put brooms upside down outside the house to scare away the owl and protect their family from its influence.

In addition, there is a popular belief among the people that owls can steal people's souls. Therefore, touching or killing an owl is considered an unlucky act and should be avoided as much as possible.

However, although the owl represents bad luck in many places, it is associated with the god of thunder and lightning in some parts of China. People believe that owls can drive away fire and other destructive forces, so owl statues are used as amulets and are often placed on roofs to ward off misfortune and protect families from disasters.

This dual personality symbol makes the owl both mysterious and dark in Chinese culture, and also has a positive role as a protective deity and good luck.

Owl and Phoenix in Chinese Culture

In Chinese culture, the owl and the phoenix have a sharp contrast, especially in ancient art works, where the two animals are often seen combined, showing the opposition and fusion between the phoenix's symbol of immortality and the owl's fierceness and mystery.

Owls are sometimes considered the opposite of the phoenix, and this contrast symbolizes the opposite of luck and happiness. In traditional concepts, the phoenix is ​​a symbol of auspiciousness, light, and masculinity, representing positive forces. However, the image of the phoenix is ​​not always consistent. When the image of the dragon appears in the picture, the characteristics of the phoenix turn to darkness and mystery. As a result, owls are sometimes also seen as representatives of darkness, weirdness, and bad luck, and are the shadow of the phoenix.

An interesting phenomenon is that both in English and Chinese, owls have a common name - "night owl" (yè mo zi). This word not only vividly depicts the nocturnal habits of owls, but also refers to those who sleep during the day and work at night, highlighting its close connection with the night, mystery, and unknown forces.

Owls in Chinese Archaeology

Although owls are often associated with fear and bad luck in folklore, they have been given different cultural meanings in archaeological discoveries in ancient China. Especially in the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) and the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), the image of the owl appeared in many archaeological relics, showing its important position in ancient culture.

Archaeologists have discovered many owl-shaped artifacts in Yin, the capital of the Shang Dynasty, as well as in Shanxi, Hubei, Hunan and other places. According to the research of historian and archaeologist Liu Dunyuan, since owls are nocturnal animals, the ancients may have believed that they were guardians of the night and could provide protection in the dark. Ma Chengyuan, former director of the Shanghai Museum, believes that the owl was regarded as a god of war in the eyes of the Shang Dynasty people, giving it the ability to prevent conflicts and protect peace.

The most famous owl artifact comes from the tomb of Fu Hao. Fu Hao, also known as Lady Ha, was one of the three concubines of King Wu Ding of the Shang Dynasty. She was also a military commander, politician and priestess. In Fu Hao's tomb, archaeologists found two uniquely shaped owl "zun" - bronze vessels used for ceremonial drinking. The owls were carved with extremely fine details, with huge horns and bulging eyes, and their necks and beaks were carved with Taotie patterns, a fierce monster in Chinese mythology that symbolizes mystery and powerful power.

In addition to the two bronzes, six owl-shaped jade artifacts were found in Fu Hao's tomb. The number and exquisiteness of these unearthed artifacts show Fu Hao's love and reverence for the sacred animal owl.

These archaeological discoveries prove the multiple symbolic meanings of owls in ancient Chinese culture, which are symbols of protection and guardianship, and are also associated with mystery, wisdom and fighting power.

An owl-shaped bronze vessel unearthed from Fu Hao's tomb, collected by Professor Gary Lee Todd.

Owl Symbol in Feng Shui

In Feng Shui, the owl is a powerful symbol of good luck, wisdom, knowledge and protection. It is particularly suitable for areas related to education, research and wisdom, such as study rooms, offices, etc. This is because the owl is closely associated with knowledge, intelligence, and is seen as a totem that attracts wealth and abundance. The image of an owl represents rationality and wisdom, and can bring positive male "yang" energy to a home or business.

How to Use the Owl Symbol in Feng Shui

Here are some creative ways to help you use the owl symbol in your home or office to improve Feng Shui and bring more positive energy:

1. Fight Negative Energy
Negative energy often brings lack of desire, fatigue, illness, anger, and bad luck. The owl symbol is widely used in Feng Shui to drive away these negative energies. You can place owl statues or artwork in areas that need protection or want to enhance positive energy. For example, choose an owl statue with gold decorations, or an owl image that symbolizes family harmony, as a decoration that is both beautiful and can enhance the aura.

2. Place an owl symbol outside your home
Owls not only symbolize wisdom, but also help detect hidden threats and destructive forces. Placing an owl symbol outside your home can prevent potential negative energy or invisible destructive forces from entering your home. The ideal placement is in front of or behind the door to protect the home from outside interference.

If your house faces a busy road, the owl symbol can also effectively resolve this unfavorable "poison arrow" airflow. The straight-line energy formed by the flow of vehicles may bring loss of health or wealth, and placing the owl pattern in the direction of traffic flow can transform this negative energy into a beneficial aura and ensure that positive energy enters the home.

3. Promote the circulation of money
Owls are also believed to promote the flow and growth of wealth in Feng Shui. Placing an owl symbol can enhance wealth, especially in areas related to wealth, honor, and reputation. You can place pictures or statues of owls in locations such as the southeast or south corner to help attract wealth, improve financial luck, and facilitate the circulation of money.

Enhance Knowledge and Wisdom

As a symbol of wisdom, the presence of an owl attracts and enhances the energy of knowledge and wisdom. Placing an owl symbol in a work or study area, especially on a desk, can infuse the surrounding environment with positive energy, helping you achieve success, wisdom, and knowledge. Hanging some owl images on the walls of your study room not only beautifies the space, but is also an ideal way to promote academic achievement. Especially placing owl symbols in the northeast or northwest corners can strengthen the energy in these areas and promote learning and growth.

Bring Positive Yang Energy

The owl symbol carries a strong yang energy that can help boost positive energy in your home or office. Placing an owl image in an area that needs strong energy support, such as a living room, office, or anywhere that may lack yang energy, can infuse the space with positive momentum. Especially in areas with low light or in need of energy enhancement, the presence of an owl image can help balance the environment and enhance the overall aura.

On Your Altar

The altar is a special area in the home that is often used for meditation, self-cultivation, and the storage of spiritual items. The owl symbol also plays an important role here, symbolizing wisdom and protection. If owls mean something to you, placing them on your altar can not only bring spiritual strength, but also serve as a symbol of self-improvement.

Owls in pairs bring good luck

As a symbol of pairs, owls can strengthen their dual advantages of protection and wisdom, warding off bad luck and physical danger, while attracting wise mentors and visionaries. Placing a pair of friendly owl statues in the bedroom can not only enhance the relationship between husband and wife or partners, but also bring more wisdom and understanding to both parties. The symbol of pairs of owls strengthens their role as "guardians" and "wise men" in the family or relationship.

Placing owls in the home or office

The placement of owl statues in the home or office can bring more positive energy to the areas of "career", "knowledge", and "children and creativity". In the home, especially in the study or study area, the owl symbol can significantly increase the energy of intellectual activities. If you want to highlight the importance of intellectual activities in your home, try placing owl decorations above the mantel or in a prominent position as part of the symbol of wisdom in your home.

In a meeting room or office, the owl symbol can also bring business success. Placing an owl in the Feng Shui areas of "honor and reputation" or "helpfulness and travel" can help improve the fortune of transactions and negotiations, and help the smooth development of career and interpersonal relationships.

Does it matter which owl image you use?

It is not necessary to choose a specific Feng Shui owl image to perform this Feng Shui exercise. The most important thing is the owl symbol itself, not its form. Therefore, you can choose any owl-themed item that suits your personal preferences, such as figurines, wallpapers, paintings, etc. From cute to serious, the image of an owl can be integrated into the Feng Shui layout of your home and bring corresponding energy.

How to enhance the benefits of Feng Shui practice

Simply placing an owl symbol does not automatically bring Feng Shui benefits. In order to maximize the effectiveness of your Feng Shui system, in addition to placing an owl, you should also make positive changes in your lifestyle.

Experienced people suggest that being grateful and appreciating what you already have is the key to improving Feng Shui energy. Maintaining a good attitude, paying attention to the influence of your surroundings, and paying attention to your words and deeds can all help improve your overall fortune.

In addition, giving alms and doing good deeds to those in need are also effective ways to clear negative energy. These positive actions will bring you more benefits and help the energy of the owl symbol to work.

If you can take these steps and place an owl in the right place in Feng Shui, you will reap the benefits of good luck and financial success much faster.

Conclusion

In summary, owls have important symbolic meanings in Chinese culture and Feng Shui. Whether it is wealth, good luck or wisdom, owls can bring positive influences to your life. Choosing the right place and way to place an owl can create good conditions in your home to attract success.

When using Feng Shui, it is important to understand the historical background, but it is more important to combine it with your own inner wisdom. You can decide the meaning of the owl based on your feelings. If you are interested in owls and like them, this symbol may have special meaning for you and can effectively improve Feng Shui. If you have a bad feeling about owls, understanding its meaning to you can also help improve the overall energy environment.

If you think this article is helpful to others, you might as well share it with them so that they can also benefit from it and enjoy the benefits of good luck and financial success. They will definitely appreciate it.