In ancient times, almost all ancient people had thresholds in their homes. What is the Feng Shui effect of thresholds?
The threshold is a horizontal wooden strip set at the lower end of the door frame, which is the dividing line between the inside and outside of the door.
In ancient China, there were mostly one- to two-story bungalows, and their foundations were not as deep and solid as modern high-rise buildings. Moreover, the rammed earth platform is very afraid of water erosion.
Most ancient thresholds were made of stone and wooden strips. A higher threshold can prevent sandstorms and floods to a certain extent. Effective against invasion by insects, rats, etc.
The threshold is also a symbol of the courtesy between host and guest. The so-called entering the room reflects the importance the host attaches to the guests.
When guests cross the threshold and enter the hall, they need to lower their heads and watch their steps to avoid bumping. This is a sign of respect for the host. There is a saying that "if the threshold is broken, there will be no inside and no outside", which shows that the threshold is the etiquette boundary between the inside and outside of the family order.
Some Feng Shui theories believe that doors should have thresholds, which not only improves Feng Shui, but also increases respect for the home from outsiders. Not everyone can step through this door, so sometimes Even a status symbol.
Generally, tablets of gods and ancestors are placed in the main hall of the courtyard, so the threshold here is the highest, while the threshold of the side rooms is relatively low.
The threshold can only be crossed in one step, but cannot be stepped on. In ancient my country, stepping on someone else's threshold was a disrespectful act towards the owner of the house.
The threshold was later extended to block both wealth and fate, so when someone is not going well, they say "they have met the threshold." As the old folk saying goes, the animal year is the threshold. It is said that there are many disasters in the animal year, so you must be extra careful in your life. Taking root in the red belt to ward off evil spirits is to cross this "threshold".
In common sayings that have been passed down to this day, you can often hear that someone's family has a high threshold, which simply means that the family's conditions are good, decent, etc.
When going to a temple, when crossing the threshold, men must step with their left foot first, and women must step with their right foot first. Don’t make a mistake. If a man steps with his left foot, he will enter the Western Pure Land. For women, it’s the opposite. It’s careless. No, and certainly don’t step on the threshold, don’t become a threshold that you can’t pass.
Nowadays, in our lives, there are only security doors, but there are also metal thresholds. Parents must tell their children to cross the threshold and never step on it. The threshold, as a carrier of education and respect, was once a strong symbol of Chinese life. Although it has gone away from us, leaving only a faint and vague mark, it is still full of its unique scenery.