A person’s final resting place is like the garden of one’s later life; naturally, it should be somewhere with exceptional feng shui, artistic landscaping, and birdsong among flowers. How to provide a good place of return for elders who have worked hard all their lives is a matter the younger generation must consider. It is not only an act of filial piety, but also about choosing a feng-shui site that blesses descendants and helps attract good fortune while warding off misfortune.

Whether a burial site is good depends on whether it fulfills the “Four Symbols” of feng shui—the Vermilion Bird (south), Black Tortoise (north), Azure Dragon (east), and White Tiger (west). If there are continuous mountains behind, gentle hills in front, protective ridges embracing on both sides, and a clearly defined, spacious forecourt (mingtang) in the middle, then the setting is an ideal feng-shui location.