Buddha Wisdom
The correct way to use Calabash(wulu) in Feng Shui 2025
Today, I’d like to chat with you about a common Feng Shui remedy—the calabash (gourd). At some point, this item seems to have become a sacred object in the hands of Feng Shui masters. Whether it’s articles online or videos by so-called experts, it seems that as long as there is a Feng Shui issue, the calabash can solve it. This is truly a magical object! So, let’s talk about it today.
The calabash is an herbaceous plant. In ancient times, people believed that its small opening and large belly allowed it to absorb positive energy from the home while suppressing and blocking negative energy, thus creating a harmonious living environment. People love the calabash because it grows vigorously, spreads widely, and bears many fruits. This characteristic aligns with humanity’s primitive worship of fertility and the desire for descendants. Over time, this emotional connection led to admiration and reverence for the calabash, giving rise to myths and auspicious legends. Passed down from generation to generation, the calabash has become a trusted symbol of longevity, prosperity, protection from evil, blessings, and the well-being of one’s descendants. Additionally, the Chinese pronunciation of "calabash" (葫芦, húlú) sounds similar to “fortune and prosperity” (福禄, fúlù), which is another reason for its popularity.
There are many articles online about how hanging calabashes in the home can bring good fortune, so I won’t list them all here. What I want to emphasize is that while the calabash is beneficial, it is not a cure-all for every Feng Shui issue.
A few days ago, a friend of mine had a Feng Shui problem at home—his front door directly faced a large window in the living room, with no partition in between. This created a strong airflow, known in Feng Shui as "piercing wind" (also called "piercing Sha"), which is considered highly inauspicious. The solution was simple, but he sought advice from a well-known online Feng Shui master, spent a lot of money, and was told to hang calabashes on the door and window to "collect the wind." Regardless of whether this method works, when I later visited his home for tea, I saw four calabashes hanging—one in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, and even one in the bedroom, all arranged by this so-called master. I couldn’t help but laugh—have these experts become so lazy? Just to sell a few calabashes, they’ve abandoned their integrity.
Some people now believe that calabashes should be hung to fix anything—if the bathroom faces the front door, hang a calabash; if there is a road directly hitting the house, hang a calabash; if there is a "sky-slicing Sha" (a gap between tall buildings), hang a calabash... the list goes on and on. I urge everyone to think rationally and stop paying for such nonsense.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that calabashes are useless, but they must be used under specific conditions. In fact, their application in Feng Shui remedies is quite limited. If placed incorrectly, not only will they fail to resolve the issue, but they may even have negative effects!
As an alternative, here’s a simple way to fix "piercing wind": just place a partition, such as a tall entrance screen, between the front door and the window. This prevents direct airflow and allows the wind to circulate naturally instead of rushing straight through. Other methods only address the symptoms, not the root cause.
