Genevieve Dwyer, “A Link Between Life and Death: How Fengshui Influenced Burials in Imperial China”
Mentor: Xin Yu, History
Oral Presentation 9am Union E250

While geomancy (or fengshui) is known to be significant in shaping the interaction of people in imperial China with their environment and burial practices, its practical application is less understood. This paper delves into how people incorporated fengshui into their daily lives by analyzing a vast dataset of maps of ancestral gravesites using digital tools such as pattern recognition programs. Through these analyses, this paper reveals how burial sites are related to other terrain features, providing insight into how people living in imperial China interacted with their environment. While fengshui is typically associated with living a harmonious life, this research shows how it also served as a connection between the living and the dead.