After nearly three years of market disruption caused by the pandemic, New Zealand’s construction industry has inevitably entered a stormy period. In the first half of 2022, more than a hundred construction companies entered liquidation, a figure far “higher” than in any previous period. Inflation, material shortages, labour shortages and financing difficulties, compounded by continually rising mortgage rates and falling property sales volumes, have intensified the industry’s challenges and crisis. How can we protect ourselves amid turmoil and seize opportunities amid risk? I believe this is an important question we all face.
This market turbulence was foreshadowed in my article written earlier this year, “2022 Renyin Year Forecast: Change Is Imminent, Proceed with Caution” (https://issuu.com/yijunz/docs/yiju19). Viewed broadly, this year’s overall fortune points to a year beset by difficulties and crises. For the market, the biggest issue is “money”. In Zi Wei Dou Shu astrology, the annual Four Transformations Flying Stars bring Wu Qu into Hua Ji, the adverse transformation. Wu Qu is the foremost wealth star among Zi Wei Dou Shu’s fourteen principal stars, and its adverse transformation signifies financial losses and financial risk. For construction, this means shortages of funds, rising material costs and sharply shrinking profit margins will be challenges throughout the year.
In terms of the year’s energies, construction belongs to the Earth element, which is restrained by the year’s Yin Wood energy. Development is therefore likely to encounter obstacles and considerable fluctuations this year. Excessive expansion is inadvisable; a conservative approach is needed.
Excerpts from the annual forecast
“Overall, the outlook for 2022 is not particularly optimistic. Market volatility, stock market fluctuations (with potentially steep falls), pressure on borrowing and funding, and asset bubbles amid widespread deflation will all be major challenges in 2022. Whatever your industry, and particularly for business owners and investors, extra precautions are needed against a breakdown in cash flow. Forecasts of market prospects must never rely solely on past experience and data, because we are in a transition between energy cycles, when unexpected events will continue to emerge. Only by exercising caution, strengthening risk prevention and management across the board, and following a beneficial and upright path can we bring matters to a successful conclusion and pass through this period steadily.
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Industries associated with Earth, such as property, construction, infrastructure, jewellery, management, consultancy and services, are restrained by the year’s Yin Wood energy. They face considerable fluctuations and should avoid grand, high-profile undertakings.”
Looking ahead
The move from the Renyin year of 2022 to the Guimao year of 2023 coincides with the crucial transition from Xuan Kong Period Eight (2004–2023) to Period Nine (2024–2043). These periods come from feng shui’s “Three Cycles and Nine Periods” method of analysing energy cycles. This was an ancient method of dividing cosmic time and space according to celestial patterns. The ancients designated 20 years as a period; three periods of 20 years, totalling 60 years, formed a cycle. Three such cycles, spanning 180 years, formed a complete rotation, used to calculate changes in natural phenomena and human affairs on Earth arising from celestial movements.
Periods Eight and Nine both belong to the Lower Cycle. Period Eight corresponds to Gen, whose trigram belongs to the Earth element. Its form has a yang line above two yin lines, like a mountain with yang at its summit and yin substance beneath. Gen represents the mountain and stillness. The Commentary on the Sequence of the Hexagrams states: “Things cannot remain in motion forever; they must stop. Thus Gen follows. Gen means stopping.” Gen follows Zhen, representing the inevitable trough after a peak, when things enter a relatively still phase. This is the natural pattern of cyclical development. During Period Eight, associated with Gen, the global economy therefore reached a flourishing peak of prosperity and peace, before coming to an abrupt halt and entering the current relative “standstill”.
Why experience a “standstill”? Because change is about to begin.
Period Nine corresponds to Li, which belongs to the Fire element. Its upper and lower lines are yang, while its middle line is yin, symbolising two blazing fires that illuminate and compete with each other. Li also means attachment: a yin line sits within two yang lines, suggesting an empty interior and a bright exterior. Zhu Xi’s Original Meaning of the Zhouyi states: “Li means attachment. Yin attaches to yang; its image is fire, its substance yin and its function yang. What things attach themselves to must be correct.” The core idea of this trigram is therefore “correctness”; only through correctness can one attain “success” and “good fortune”.
Li governs change, and that change arises from conflict, like two yang forces competing. Li can therefore also signify the flames of war. Yin moderates yang through gentleness and adaptability. Such adaptability means balance, centredness and moderation, and attachment and cooperation aimed at unity. “Following” has another meaning too: “not contending”, and acting in accordance with the Dao. As the Dao De Jing says: “The way of Heaven benefits and does not harm; the way of the sage acts without contention.” What is the way of Heaven? It is the relationship between giving and receiving, the principle that all things depend on and support one another. What is the way of the sage? It is governing through “non-action”, looking beyond gains and losses to accomplish the great endeavour of coexistence. Thus, “benefiting others” is the deepest secret to “benefiting oneself”.
The Guimao year of 2023 is destined to bring even greater turbulence. What we experienced in 2022 was only the beginning of an economic downturn. Once we enter 2023, Tan Lang’s adverse transformation in the annual Four Transformations Flying Stars will trigger further losses of wealth and the complete depletion of assets. Yet turning points often emerge at the lowest ebb. How can we seize them?
At this Saturday’s seminar, I will explain this in detail through feng shui energy cycles, methods of guiding and harnessing momentum, and feng shui’s inner principles.
