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Introduction
Tan Yang Wu is the founder of the lineage, one of the most relevant Feng Shui masters of all time, especially in the discipline of Flying Stars - Xuan Kong Fei Xing. He was born in Imperial China in Jiangsu province in the year 1890 (Geng Yin) or 1891 (Xin Mao). Some authors consider 1890 others 1891. This is perhaps due to the fact that the Chinese count their age from the moment of conception. That is why the most likely date of the year of birth is 1981. From an early age he became interested in Feng Shui and at the age of 19 he studied with master Yong Chin Lu (Yang Jiu Ru), a relative of Zhang Zhong Shan when he was about 70 years old . Zhang Zhong Shan is the founder of Wu Chang Pai, the dominant school of Flying Stars these days.
Professional Life
Tan Yang Wu had several jobs in his youth. He worked for the Shanghai municipality having been appointed head of education for rural areas and then head of the telegram and communications department. At the same time he began to develop activities as a consultant and teacher of Feng Shui for yin and yang houses, obtaining great notoriety. He published the following books:
1 - The Great Path Xuan Kong (1923)
A book dedicated to the theory of Flying Stars.
2 - The Effectiveness of Xuan Kong (1924)
A book based on several practical cases of successful application of Feng Shui and Flying Stars.
3 - Di Li Bian Zheng Xin Jie (date unknown)
4 - Xuan Kong Liu Fa Ben Yi (1948)
A book dedicated to Liu Fa, the calculation of the six methods.
These books published by himself, were all destroyed during the Japanese occupation with the exception of one copy of each title, saved by Sui Beng one of his students.
Feng Shui School and Disciples (1922 - 1930)
In 1922, at the age of 32, he founded the first Feng Shui school, a revolutionary concept at the time, located at Chengdu Road no. 716. It was the first school semi-open to the public since, until that date, Feng Shui was only taught through experience with the master over many years. With Tan Yang Wu we entered a more modern era, with a type of teaching more recognizable to the Western mind. It was from there that he taught his two disciples who effectively continued his lineage: Yen Pen (1873-1957), author of Er Zhai Shi Yan and Sui Beng (1920-1998) who saved the copies of his books. These books were then passed on to master Francis Leyau in Malaysia who published them again several decades later.
Liu Fa (1930 - 1948)
Around 1929 Tan Yang Wu studied with a Taoist master named Lee Chen Xu, from Jiangsi in Henan province. Lee Chen Xu is said to have communicated to Tan Yang Wu the "true mysteries of Feng Shui Xuan Kong" and the art of Liu Fa (calculation that literally translates to Six Methods). Shortly thereafter in 1930, Tan Yang Wu officially announces that you cannot use Flying Stars for Yin Zhai and publishes an advertisement in a Shanghai newspaper where he is ready to redo all Yin Zhai's consultations. Until then Tan Yang Wu used the Flying Stars for both types of Yin Zhai houses - houses of the dead / graves and Yang Zhai, houses of the living. This is one of the most famous stories of Feng Shui. There is some confusion about this story, but for the ultimate clarification, it was Yin Zhai's consultations with Flying Stars that Tan Yang Wu considered wrong and not Yang Zhai's consultations. Hence, nowadays Flying Stars are used exclusively for Yang Zhai, homes of the living.
Disappearance (1949)
Tan Yang Wu lived during a time of great political and social turmoil. From the Western occupation, to the disappearance of Imperial China (1912) and the birth of the Republic of China, to the Japanese occupation, to the Second World War and finally to the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949, China has undergone enormous changes. Shortly after 1948, Tan Yang Wu disappeared, possibly going to live in South China, so that he would no longer be told of his whereabouts. His disappearance coincides with Mao Zedong's ban on Feng Shui in Maoist China.
Tan Yang Wu Lineage
Why is there a Tan Yang Wu lineage within Zhang Zhong Shan's Wu Chang Pai? Because from the publication of Zhang Zhong Shan's consultation book, another lineage (written lineage) of Shen Zhu Reng emerged. However, Tan Yang Wu is the only direct and oral lineage of Flying Stars Wu Chang Pai, though through Yang Jiu Ru, Zhang's relative. Also because it established the first Feng Shui school open to the public, albeit with selected students, thus making the transition from a period of secrecy to a period of semi-openness. Finally because since Tan Yang Wu, the lineage is perfectly documented through theoretical books, compilations of practical cases and seamless transmission from master to disciple.