The Water Mouth and Its Guardians

The water mouth is the place where a site's waters meet and flow out, or where water flows in from outside. Large natural rocks or hills that stand at that place guard the water mouth.

The water mouth

Around a true lair, the water commonly runs like this: two streams flow out on the Green Dragon and White Tiger sides and circle around the outside of the bright hall, still inside the Green Dragon and the White Tiger; the two meet, gather into one large body of water, and flow on out of the bright hall. This form is fairly simple: the place where the two streams meet is the water mouth (水口).

Sometimes the water of the bright hall flows into the site from outside, circles around it once, and flows out on the other side. Then the flow has to be read: where the water comes from and where it goes. The inlet and the outlet are both water mouths, and they must not be mistaken.

When the Eight Yellow Springs are measured with the compass, one stands on the lair, facing the water mouth.

The rocks and hills that guard it

Where large rocks or hills formed by nature stand at the outlet or the inlet of the water, they stand guard at the water mouth. If they have the shape of an animal, the site is sure to be one that stays favorable for generations without end. For which animal shapes are good, and which shapes of sand bode ill, see Landform Terms.

Guilin: among the hills and rivers of Guilin, a hill shaped like an elephant stands at the water mouth, as if drinking, and a great site on a dragon vein is sure to lie hidden there.

Taipei: the water mouth is at Guandu. On its left is Bali, where the rocks and hills guarding the water mouth are shaped like a dancing lion, crouching on the left; on the right is Guandu Temple, shaped like a great round ball. So feng shui masters liken the site to a lion holding an embroidered ball, and Taipei is a highly favorable site.

Source: The Way of the Earth's Veins (天纪：地脉道)