Generally speaking, there are three processes of the “问水”(observing the water situation) which is one part in the process of the Feng Shui operations. The first process of “问水” is “找水口(to find the origin of the water)”. In the Feng Shui culture in Chinese culture, the size of the place to “生气”producing Qi, and the luck sense of the mountains and the terrain depend on the difference of the “水口” (the origin of the water). It has been described in famous Chinese the book Zang Jing Yi •Shui Kou Pian which mainly focuses on Feng Shui culture. It recorded it as “局之大小，山水之贵贱”.
“水口” refers to the gate of water or the are next to the gate. In another word, it seems like the origin of the water. In the hilly area, most of the “水口” originates in the mountains. The water flows from the mountain to the valley. Because of the different speed of the water, the objects following with the water stay in the bank of the river. It gradually becomes the alluvial fan body. At the same time, that place will be under a humid climate and with a fertile land. It is usually taken as the best place to live in and improve the production. In the first chapter, we have mentioned that the Chinese ancestors still mainly gathered or took activities in the transition places. In Chinese culture, the living place means a lot in their lives. And they believe that the “水口” was the best place to accumulate “Qi”. And this kind of thought only can form under this kind of environment.
In the plain area, the “水口” refers to the mouth of the river. The rivers enter into the oceans, lakes or other bigger river through the mouth of the river. On this account, the land is fertile. And there has plenty water. Thus, it is proper to settle down and develop the production. What’s more, it has great significance for the shipping, port constriction, urban water supply and fishing. If we take a grand view from the small villages, towns to the big cities, we may find out most of them are located on some places like harbors. Further more, it has been approved that the theory of “水口” is the living experience from the ancestors.
The next process is “相水形” which means that observing the flow pattern. Here is the record from the Feng Shui book “水之妙法，不外乎形势，性情”. This is from the Shui Fa Fang Wei Bian. It has a long history in Chinese culture. It has involves many aspects such as how to distinguish the orientation, state, and features of the water.
The experts of the Feng Shui indeed have accurate observation of the different state of the water. The state of the water has been divided into many aspects. There are about more than seven kinds of the water states recorded in the Shui Long Jing, such as Gan Water, Qu Water, Shun Water, Jie Water, and Lai Water. And each of them has been divided into many different special aspects. What’s more, they are explained with the theory of “生气”(producing Qi). And then, the changes of them have been related to the fate of the human beings.
According to these principles, Shui Long Jing has concluded the basic requirements of the water state. That is Qu Qu Huan Bao. Weeding the misery theory of “生气” (producing Qi) and accumulating Qi, the remains are also based on the natural experience from the life experience. For example, the primitives built the house on the convex bank so that the house would not been destroyed by the water erosion. And the bend river will keep away from the farm land naturally. Thus it can not threaten the farming. We can come to a conclusion from these examples that the Feng Shui has taken the farm into consideration.