The brass feng shui range covers a set of objects with distinct origins and distinct conventions attached. They are frequently bought on appearance and placed at random, which is fine, and knowing what they are is more interesting.
The three wise monkeys
The set of three see no evil figures descends from a genuinely old tradition, and it is Japanese rather than Chinese.
The maxim is usually rendered in English as see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, and the most famous depiction is the seventeenth century carving at the Toshogu shrine in Nikko. The Japanese names of the three monkeys, Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru, contain a pun on the word for monkey, which is part of why the image took the form it did.
The teaching is generally understood as a counsel to avoid dwelling on wrongdoing, though it has been read both as moral discipline and, less charitably in Western use, as wilful ignorance. Worth knowing that the original is a serious ethical maxim rather than a novelty.
The laughing Buddha groups
The set of three happy Buddhas and the individual figures depict Budai, a tenth century Chinese Chan monk associated with contentment, generosity and good fortune.
He is not the historical Buddha, which is the most common misunderstanding in this whole category. He is a folk figure, which is precisely why he is such a comfortable object in a non Buddhist home and such a traditional gift.
The convention most often cited is placement facing the front door, so he greets what enters, and raised rather than at floor level.
The dragon
The feng shui dragon with a ball is a Chinese motif with a long history. The dragon in Chinese tradition is auspicious rather than threatening, associated with power, prosperity and imperial authority, which is close to the opposite of the European dragon.
The ball or pearl held or chased by the dragon is usually read as wisdom, prosperity or the pursuit of it. In feng shui practice dragons are commonly placed to the east, and generally not in bedrooms or bathrooms, though practitioners differ.
The meditating and hands up figures
The mini meditating figure and the mini hands up figure carry the standard mudra meanings: hands in the lap for meditation and stillness, a raised hand for blessing, protection or the dispelling of fear.
At mini size these are desk and shelf objects, and the medium meditation figure and medium hands up figure give the same gestures more presence.
Brass heads
The small antique brass head, large antique head and large classic head are sculptural rather than devotional in intent.
Worth knowing that Buddha heads carry a sensitivity, since some practising Buddhists are uncomfortable with the head shown separately from the body. Our article on Buddha head sizing covers that question.
A note on feng shui itself
Feng shui is a Chinese practice concerned with the arrangement of space, with a genuinely long history and a large body of tradition. What is sold in the West under the name is frequently a simplified and commercialised version, and specific claims about particular objects in particular corners vary widely between schools and practitioners.
Our honest position is that these are attractive brass objects with real traditions behind them, that the placement conventions are worth knowing, and that nobody should feel a purchase has failed if their fortunes do not change.
Displaying small brass without clutter
These are small pieces and the commonest mistake is spreading them across a house until they read as accumulation rather than choice.
Group them: three on one surface at varied heights beats six spread over four rooms. Vary the type rather than repeating it, so a figure, a head and a set together look assembled. And leave clear space around the group, since small objects need air more than large ones do.
Our brass range covers all of the above, and the care question is answered in reading the patina on brass.
Questions people ask
Where do the three wise monkeys come from?
A Japanese tradition, most famously the seventeenth century carving at the Toshogu shrine in Nikko. Their names contain a pun on the Japanese word for monkey, and the maxim is a serious ethical teaching rather than a novelty.
Is the laughing Buddha the same as the Buddha?
No. He is Budai, a tenth century Chinese monk associated with contentment and good fortune. That he is a folk figure rather than a devotional image is why he suits a non Buddhist home so comfortably.
What does the dragon holding a ball mean?
The Chinese dragon is auspicious, associated with power and prosperity, unlike the European dragon. The ball or pearl is usually read as wisdom or prosperity, or the pursuit of it.
Where should feng shui objects be placed?
Conventions vary between schools. Commonly cited placements include the laughing Buddha facing the front door and raised off the floor, and dragons placed to the east and away from bedrooms and bathrooms.
How do I display small brass pieces well?
Group three on one surface at varied heights, vary the type rather than repeating it, and leave clear space around the group. Spreading small objects across a house reads as accumulation.
