The Chinese give lot of importance to food in their culture. They believe that a well-oriented dining area not only helps to strengthen family bond but also enhances wealth. It is important in their culture that the family should eat at least one meal a day together. The dining room, according to feng shui principles, should be regular in shape with no missing areas or jutting corners. Cosmic energy flows smoothly in a rectangular or square room. Ideally, a dining room should be located between the living room and the kitchen. If you are living in a flat, ensure that your dining room is not above or beneath a toilet of the flat above or below. A house that has a split-level design should always have the dining area on the higher level. Avoid windows on opposite walls as they cause rapid movement of chi energy from one window to the other. This makes the diners uncomfortable while eating. Any kind of discomfort while eating directly affects digestion.

This area where the food, the fuel of life, is served reflects the status and wealth of the family. You will always find a large mirror in the homes of Chinese people reflecting the food that is served on the dining table. They believe that this arrangement doubles up abundance of food and riches. They further enhance this aspect by introducing yang, cheerful energy, with bright colours, lights and vibrant candles. The ambience is livened up by jovial yet soothing music, which helps to digest the food well. Fresh healthy plants are placed in the east of the dining areas, which further enhance the yang energy and represent the growth of fortune in abundance for the family. Excessive coldness from yin chi energy is not recommended here, as it would not be conducive for the growth and prosperity of the home. Antique mirrors, furniture and ancestral portraits are a few examples of yin energy, which should be avoided. Always check for poison arrows that could be present in your dining area in the form of overhead beams and sharp corners of pillars or furniture. The dining tables should be square, rectangular, round or oval, devoid of sharp corners. Round tables are considered to be lucky, as they resemble the round coins. Refrain from sitting at the corners of the rectangular or square tables when you have extra guests at home. These generate sha chi or negative energy, which pierces through the stomach and hinders the process of digestion. The number of chairs could be six, eight or nine.

Each member of the family should try to orient his/her seat in such a fashion that he/she faces one of their auspicious directions based on their kua number. The father who is the breadwinner of the house should face his sheng chi or first best direction of prosperity and abundance. The mother should tap into her third best direction nien yen, which represents harmony and peace. Elderly members should always face their second best direction of tien yi to enjoy good health. The Chinese believe that a doctor comes from heaven to bless them with good health. Children of school-going age should face their fourth best direction of fu wei to tap into their education, inner knowledge and personal development. A bowl of fresh or decorative fruits like oranges, peaches and pomegranates should be placed on the table to enhance the health of the family members. Oranges represent wealth while peaches symbolise longevity and good health. Pomegranates signify fertility and are excellent in the homes where women want to start their family. Avoid placing knives and forks on the table as they are considered to be hostile and unfriendly. Displaying bottles of chilly sauce and pickles is also not recommended. Do not place a mirror near the stove in the kitchen in an attempt to reflect and double up the food being cooked. This arrangement encourages disasters such as accidents, arguments and fire in the house.

Tip of the week: It is impolite, ill mannered and inauspicious to have arguments at meal times. This is the hour of harmony for the family. The elders like grandparents or parents should start the meal followed by the younger members. This ensures abundant luck and prosperity for the younger generation.