Feng Shui vs Asta Kosala Kosali: Comparing Chinese and Balinese Spatial Traditions
If you have ever visited a traditional Balinese home, you may have noticed something unusual. Just beyond the entrance gate, there is often a small wall that prevents you from seeing directly into the courtyard. This structure, known as an aling-aling, is more than an architectural feature. It is traditionally believed to shield the household from harmful influences entering in a straight line. ZONAHOKI also explores traditional spatial principles and their connection to feng shui.
Interestingly, a similar principle can be found in feng shui. Traditional Chinese Feng Shui also recognizes the use of a screen or barrier in front of an entrance to interrupt harsh or unwanted qi before it enters the home. In this guide, ZONAHOKI28 explores where these two systems meet, where they differ, and what they can teach us about the way different cultures have understood the relationship between people, homes, and nature.
Understanding Asta Kosala Kosali
Asta Kosala Kosali is a traditional Balinese system of architectural and spatial principles derived from ancient lontar manuscripts.
It covers much more than deciding where to put a bedroom or kitchen. The principles can govern the placement of individual buildings within a compound, proportions and measurements, orientation, sacred spaces, and even rituals that should be performed before a newly constructed home is occupied.
At the heart of the tradition is Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese philosophy of three sources of harmony:
- Harmony between humans and God
- Harmony between humans and one another
- Harmony between humans and nature
Under this worldview, a house is not simply a shelter.
It resembles the universe itself which is small and all components of the compound have a connection to the entire whole. The location of shrine, sleeping pavilion, kitchen, courtyard and others thus has more than just convenient meaning.
The building of a Balinese house traditionally is directed by an undagi, a traditional architect who can comprehend the rules of architecture along with their cultural and spiritual values.
In that regard, the work of an undagi also bears some resemblances to that of a Feng Shui practitioner: both are supposed to be in knowing how a building is to be in relation to its nature and the environment it is placed in, instead of viewing architecture as an exercise that is simple and practical.
An overview of Feng Shui.
The Feng Shui term means wind and water.
This Chinese-based traditional system is preoccupied with the interaction of people and the surroundings, how qi is thought to circulate in a landscape and built space.
Classical Feng Shui is informed by a few related ideas such as yin and yang, the Five Elements, relationship between directions and the power of time.
No one particular method of Feng Shui as well.
Various schools treat a property differently. The Form School offers a lot of attention to the physical landscape: mountains, the roads, rivers, buildings and form of the land. Meanwhile, Compass School is even more dependent on the exact directions, calculations, and time-based systems.
Flying Stars is one of the most famous approaches, which analyzes the manner in which various combinations of energies are perceived to evolve over various times.
First, as it would seem, Feng Shui and Asta Kosala Kosali do not seem to have much in common.
But take a closer look and one can find some interesting parallels.
The Similarities Between Feng Shui and Asta Kosala Kosali
1. Both Seek Harmony With Nature
This is perhaps the strongest connection between the two traditions.
Feng Shui seeks to create a balanced relationship between people and the movement of qi through their surroundings. Asta Kosala Kosali is grounded in Tri Hita Karana, which places harmony with nature at the center of a balanced life.
Neither tradition treats a house as an isolated object.
The surrounding environment matters.
The direction of the land, the relationship between different spaces, natural elements, and the way people move through the property all contribute to the overall harmony of the home.
From this perspective, a good house is not simply one that looks beautiful. It is one that belongs naturally within its environment.
2. The Nine-Zone Concept
This is one of the similarities that often surprises people.
Asta Kosala Kosali includes the concept of Sanga Mandala, which divides a traditional compound into nine zones according to directional and spatial principles.
Feng Shui also has a famous 3-by-3 arrangement in the form of the Lo Shu, which is closely connected to systems such as the Bagua and Flying Stars.
The two systems should not be treated as identical. Their meanings, calculations, and philosophical foundations are different.
Nevertheless, the visual similarity is striking.
Both traditions use a structured nine-part spatial framework to understand how different areas of a property relate to one another.
According to ZONAHOKI, this is a fascinating example of how different civilizations developed sophisticated ways of organizing space according to their own understanding of nature and the universe.
3. The Barrier in Front of the Entrance
The aling-aling is one of the most recognizable features of a traditional Balinese compound.
Placed behind the angkul-angkul, or entrance gate, this small wall blocks a direct line of sight into the courtyard. Traditionally, it is believed to prevent negative or harmful influences from entering the home directly.
There is a comparable idea in traditional Chinese Feng Shui.
A ying bi, sometimes translated as a spirit wall or screen wall, can be used to interrupt an unfavorable flow of qi before it reaches the interior of a property.
The principle is particularly interesting because both traditions place importance on what happens when energy or movement travels directly toward an entrance.
A straight, unobstructed path can be seen as too forceful.
Rather than allowing everything to rush directly into the home, the barrier introduces a pause and redirects movement.
From a practical architectural perspective, it also creates privacy.
From the traditional perspective, it creates protection.
That overlap makes the aling-aling and Chinese screen wall an especially interesting point of comparison.
4. Sacred and Service Areas Are Separated
Asta Kosala Kosali follows the concept of Tri Angga, which divides space into three broad levels:
- Utama, representing the head and the most sacred area
- Madya, representing the body and the main living area
- Nista, representing the feet and more practical or service-oriented functions
Sacred areas like the sanggah or merajan are thus accorded higher places in the compound whereas other places like kitchens and bathrooms are usually located in the less sacred areas.
The importance of spaces in relation to less important spaces in feng shui is also closely observed.
Inside a home, bathrooms, drains and other service areas are to be handled carefully when placed in central or otherwise significant parts of a home since that should be provided with an appropriate and respected position that is an altar or a sacred object.
Reasoning is not the same but the principle behind them is well known:
Not all components of a house have such an equivalent role.
5. Direction Matters
The two traditions acknowledge that orientation is significant.
It is not a house that is deemed to be totally independent of the environment. The way it is oriented, the location of key rooms, and how the space is linked with other eminent areas of the premise are among factors that could confer an impact on how the space can be interpreted.
It is at this point that the two systems start meandering apart in fascinating manners.
The notion that direction is important is common.
What each tradition means by "direction" is not.
The Differences Between Feng Shui and Asta Kosala Kosali
Direction: Absolute vs Relative.
A major difference that can be brought up is the definition of direction.
Feng Shui typically deals with the absolute compass direction like north, south, east and west. A practitioner can make use of a compass, such as a traditional Luo Pan, to find out the exact direction of a property.
Asta Kosala Kosali, in her turn, tends to refer to direction as the natural topography and geography of Bali.
Kaja and kelod are generalized in the direction of the mountains and the direction of the sea and kangin and kauh are the direction of the sunrise and sunset.
This has a significant difference.
Since the site of the mountains and the sea differ in various places around Bali, kaka is not necessarily in the same compass direction in all places around the island.
In the case of ZONAHOKI28, this is among the clearest illustrations of how two traditions can be the same concern, but have it as a geographical structure varied in its geographical interpretation.
Feng Shui questions, in a way, "What direction on the compass is this property facing?
Where is the mountain? asks Asta Kosala Kosali, too. Where is the sea? Where The sun sets and rises around this place?
2. Measurements Based on the Owner’s Body
One of the most distinctive features of Asta Kosala Kosali is its use of the human body as a reference for architectural measurements.
Traditional measurements can include units such as:
- Depa, based on the span of the arms
- Hasta, traditionally associated with the length from the elbow to the fingertips
- Tampak, based on the length of the foot
This means that the proportions of a traditional Balinese house can be closely connected to the person for whom it is being built.
The house is not simply measured according to an abstract standard.
It is quantified as compared to the human body.
Feng Shui possesses a standard measuring tool, called a Luban ruler, which includes both favourable and unfavourable scales. Nevertheless, the system is standardized as opposed to being a direct product of the physical dimensions of the homeowner.
This makes Asta Kosala Kosali a very personal figure.
3. The Role of Time
Feng Shui has certain schools where time is significant.
In Flying Star Feng Shui, e.g., the energetic layout of an abode is perceived to fluctuate over various periods in which the main calculations take 20 years with the shorter ones done by considering the yearly factor.
This implies that a Feng Shui assessment may well evolve with the next change of property to a new period.
Asta Kosala Kosali is another speaker who time isn’t a big deal to.
The tradition does take into account propitious time especially when making decisions on when to construct or when to engage in major ceremonies. But after the house is built with the proper principles, the space layout of the house is not re-compensated annually in the same way as the time based Feng Shui system.
The two traditions thus are in the same level of being conscious of timing and its purpose is different in nature.
4. Different Spiritual Foundations
It is probably the most significant difference.
Asta Kosala Kosali is highly affiliated to Balinese Hinduism.
Its building principles lie in a more extended spiritual world vision like sacral spaces, practices, offerings, and rites like the melaspas, used to cleanse and sanctify a recently completed construction.
Feng Shui emerged as a product of Chinese cosmology and philosophy, especially the notions of yin and yang, qi, the Five Elements and Taoism.
In modern Feng Shui, individuals of a wide variety of religious affiliations practice it and tend to be offered as a system of environmental or spatial organization, not as a religious practice.
The two traditions can thus have some architectural concepts but not necessarily an equal basis in spiritual strength.
5. The Geographical Ideal Form of the Home.
The appearance of traditional Balinese and Chinese houses can also be quite different.
A Balinese compound is traditionally composed of a number of separate buildings in a single walled courtyard, as opposed to having all of the functions in a single building.
These can consist of a sleeping bale, a ceremonial bale, a family kitchen (paon) and a family shrine.
Feng Shui, however, is frequently used in a single residential building.
That does not imply that Feng Shui can not be applied to a greater compound. Its principles can definitely be utilized on various buildings and outdoor spaces. The distinction is primarily in the conventional architecture to which each system is usually related.
Is it a possibility to combine Feng Shui and Asta Kosala Kosali?
Should you be residing in Bali or desire to construct a home which is inspired by Balinese architecture, then there will be no need to believe that two systems will automatically clash.
In fact, some principles can complement one another quite naturally.
For example:
- Use an aling-aling or entrance screen to create a transition between the outside world and the home.
- Give sacred or prayer spaces a position of respect, keeping them separate from kitchens, bathrooms, and other service areas.
- Separate sleeping and living spaces from service areas, reflecting both the Tri Angga principle and certain Feng Shui considerations.
- Make good use of natural light and ventilation, something that supports both practical comfort and the broader principle of living in harmony with the environment.
- Study the surrounding landscape, rather than focusing only on the interior floor plan.
But there is only one necessary rule in the mixture:
Never impose two systems to reach consensus when underlying principles differ.
When a certain necessity belongs to Balinese religious or cultural custom it should be taken as it is and not altered, just because of satisfying one of the Feng Shui calculations.
ZONAHOKI advises giving precedence to local practices and instructions of an experienced undagi in building a home based on traditional Balinese concepts. The Feng Shui, then, can be considered as a complementary approach especially when it comes to interior decoration and other features that do not work with the local customs.
What Can We Learn by comparing the two?
The most interesting aspect of the comparison between Feng Shui and Asta Kosala Kosali, does not necessarily involve making a decision as to which system is the better one.
They were produced in various locations, in various civilizations, religions and philosophical systems.
But they both were driven to the notion that a building must have an encounter with the environment.
They are both aware of the importance of orientation.
Both differentiate the types of space.
They both accord special treatment to sacred areas.
The two are concerned with human movement into and out of a premise.
And they both know, in their respective ways, that architecture can give an impact on the ways people cope with the natural world.
The resemblances keep in mind that the traditional architecture was hardly all about surrounding a room with walls.
A house might symbolize the universe, mirror the land, safeguard the family and give a physical manifestation of cultural values.
This is what makes these traditions worth studying even in the modern world.
Final Thoughts
Feng Shui and Asta Kosala Kosali belong to completely different cultural backgrounds, and the most surprising is that their key issue is related to each other in a very similar way: how are human beings to make a home that is in harmony with the surroundings?
It is not hard to see the parallels in concepts of nine-zone spatial hierarchy, barriers at the entrance, places of worship and the significance of direction.
And yet do they differ just as much.
Feng Shui is also based on Chinese cosmology, the compass directions, qi, the Five Elements and, in other schools, time-based calculations. Asta Kosala Kosali has strong roots in the Balinese Hindu philosophy, local geography, indigenous measurements and the Balinese Hindu compound spiritual composition.
Both do not need to be used to substitute one another.
In any case, seeing both traditions in the same light makes us appreciate even more widely the way that various different cultures have strived to find an answer to the same underlying question: how can the spaces we inhabit help to provide us with a harmonious existence?
To learn even more about traditional Feng Shui and other cultural concepts underlying the harmony of spaces, follow ZONAHOKI28. And to more more practical Feng Shui and the traditional guides to the home, further explore ZONAHOKI.
