OVERVIEW:

From 1954 to 1975 Vietnam was divided into two countries, North Vietnam (the Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (the Republic of  Vietnam). The South Republic of Vietnam went through 2 regimes before its surrender to the North Vietnam in the year of 1975.  

During the Vietnam War, the Independence Palace is a symbol of South Vietnam regime as it was where the 1st and 2nd President of South Vietnam lived and worked. Interestingly, if we do some research on its Feng Shui formation and also the Bazi of two President, we will find out a lot of lessons  to learn on Feng Shui application.  

Let’s discuss these lessons as below. 

CASE 1: FIRST PRESIDENT OF SOUTH VIETNAM REGIME: MR NGO DINH DIEM

1.1 Bazi of Ngo Dinh Diem  

Ngo Dinh Diem 吳廷琰 was born in January 3rd 1901 in Quang Binh, a province in Central Vietnam.  

His Bazi is as follows:  

As a Xin Metal Day Master born in Zi month, he is a weak Metal Day Master with only one Wu Earth in month pillar and Geng Metal in year pillar. (the birth hour is through reverse engineering since we have no historical data on this).

As he is a weak Xin Metal Day Master, his favourable elements are Fire, Earth and Metal according to Strength-Weak Method (扶抑⽤神) to make Weak Metal stronger. 

Fire will help produce Earth, which is favorable for Xin Metal Day Master to get stronger. And since he was born during winter, with so much Cold Water, he needs warmth from the Sun, Bing Fire as Regulating Useful God (調候⽤神), would be much better than a Ding Fire as Ding Fire can melts down Xin  Metal.  

In hour pillar he got Direct Officer Zheng Guan as Bing fire expose and this Bing fire is very beautiful as Bing fire on top of Shen metal, not so hot as a Bing Wu or so cold as Bing Zi.  

No matter what, according to Pictorial Bazi, a precious metal like Xin Metal also needs a little bit of water to clean away dust and dirt to make it shine, so  Xin Metal also needs Gui Water, hidden inside Zi Rat Branch. 

In conclusion, Ngo Dinh Diem as a weak Xin Day Master born in winter got what he needs as favourable elements and useful gods: Fire, Earth, Metal and also Water.  

In 1951, he stepped into Jia Wu Luck Pillar. Wu is his Nobleman Star so in that year he flew to the foreign countries for seeking aliance.  

The reason for this is because in late 1950, the Viet Minh lost patience and sentenced him to death in absentia, and the French refused to protect him. Ho Chi Minh's cadres tried to assassinate him while he was traveling to visit his elder brother Thuc, bishop of the Vinh Long diocese in the Mekong Delta. Recognizing his political status, Diem decided to leave Vietnam in 1950.

Since 1951 is the year of Xin Mao, Xin is the Friend Star (比劫) so he got attacked by his enemy and then had to leave Vietnam in exile. Mao is also Cascading Cloud 流霞 which means revenge by enemy.  

In the year of 1955 Yi Wei, he won the presidency of South Vietnam.  

The reason why he won the presidency of South Vietnam is also clear in  Bazi. Since 1955 is a year in Luck Pillar of Jia Wu so Wu and Wei got Six Combination and easily transformed to Fire as a Regulating Element 調候⽤神 and also his Officer Star 官星. And he must have lobbied for votes since 1954, which is a year of Jia Wu, which is the same as Luck Pillar. I think that all the Jia in 1954 and Jia in Luck Pillar should have fueled the Wu Fire Branch and all the Wu Fire in Luck Pillar and in Annual Pillar chase away Zi Water in Year and Month Pillar. Although Xin Metal does need a little of water to clean dust and dirt, weak Yin Metal doesn’t need that much water in winter as “the gold metal will drop into ocean”. 

So 1954 and 1955 are both the years that benefited him that helped him won the presidency of South Vietnam.  

1.2 Feng Shui Of Independence Palace Inauspicious For Him  

He was a Gua number 9. He was living in the Independence Palace which was sitting Southwest facing Northeast, both the facing and sitting sectors belong to Earth element, which is weakening a Gua-9 person as fire produce out the earth. According to Wu Chang Pai Xuan Kong Flying Stars (無常派⽞空⾶星), one should live in a house which has the sitting sector (Eight Trigrams) either producing the person as Earth should produce Man, not the other way around. In this case, he would benefit if living in the house sitting East or SouthEast as both these sittings are Wood producing him Fire. 

Also, according to Ba Zhai Eight Mansion school, he belonged to East Group while the Independence Palace belongs to West Group. The house was a Liu Sha - Six Killings for him, which is very detrimental.  

The Independence Palace sitting SouthWest 3 facing NorthEast 3 and Ngo Dinh Diem moved in in Period 5. According to Xuan Kong Flying Stars, the Independence Palace has the “Upper Mountain, Lower Water”, “上⼭下⽔“ formation. The prosperous Wang Qi 旺氣 Five Yeallow facing star was at the back of house while the sitting palace of Independence Palace has no vast  empty land to collect Qi (facing star) but higher land.  

The facing palace got the Mountain Star Wang Qi Five Yellow but unfortunately, the facing palace of Independence Palace has no mountains or upper land to support the sitting star.  

This Upper Mountain, Lower Water formation if conforming to external landform, it will bring plethora of disasters such as sickness, bankruptcies or even death. And in this case, the condition was inauspicious for Ngo Dinh Diem as the owner of the Palace.  

There are plenty of coups, plots to attack him.  

In one of the many unsuccesful attempts, two dissident Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots were trying to drop 2 bombs the Indepedence Palace. One bomb penetrated a room in the northwestern wing where Diem was reading but failed to detonate, leading the president to claim that he had "divine" protection. The bombardment took place in 27 February 1962.

In 1962, according to Purple White, the Indepedence Palace got all the negative energy surrounding it.  

First, in 1962, the number 2 fly into center palace, and the annual Five Yellow Calamity Star visits the facing palace. A combination between facing star 2 and annual star 5 is very inauspicious.  

Secondly, in 1962,which is a Ren Yin Water Tiger Year, so the Grand Duke Tai Sui 太歲 is in the facing palace and the Sui Po Year Breaker 歲破 is in the sitting palace. As an old saying that “One should not face Tai Sui and sit Sui Po” - 太歲可坐不可向. In this case, the Tai Sui Jupiter is so powerful that it lends power to the facing star 2 helping the evil to do the evil thing.  

The attempted coup destroyed the entire left wing of the palace.  

Why the left wing but not the the right wing or any other sector got bombed? It is the North sector in 1962 got negative energy of annula Three Killings San Sha 三煞. That’s why the North sector of palace got bombed.

Surviving the bombing, Ngo Dinh Diem ordered the demolition of the French built structure after that attempted coup destroyed the entire left wing of the palace. Norodom Palace was demolished in May 1962 and started rebuilding in that same year.  

Within one inauspicious year, your home just got bombed, then you demolished the whole building and started building? With all the negative energy at the sitting and facing sector such as Five Yellow, Year Breaker, Tai Sui and Three Killings, and the owner still wanted to do earth digging, construction? Poor Ngo Dinh Diem was not listening to any fengshui advice.  

The date for construction the Independence Palace was chosen at July 1st 1962.   

To make it worse, he chosen a day total clashing with month pillar. Geng Zi Metal Day clashing with Bing Wu Fire Horse. In 12 Officer Star Date Selection, it is a very inauspicious day, Month Breaker.  

The natal chart flying star of the house was so bad, sitting and facing with so many annual inauspicious energy and the owner chose the inauspicious date for construction. What could be worse? Maybe his own Luck Pillars.

In 1961 onwards, he was in the Luck Pillar of Yi Wei ⼄未 Wood Goat, with the first 5 years can be counted as Yi Luck Pillar. 

Yi Wood was never considered a favorable for him or any Weak Yin Metal Day Master. Yi Wood coming also combined with Geng and took Geng away - a stronger ally to him (the United States). From 1961, his relationship with the States got friction and American was plotting to back other politicians rather than Ngo Dinh Diem.  

Yi Wood was considered Wealth for him and this time the unfavorable Wealth clashing with Resource (財來破印) controlling his Wu Earth as a favourable element for weak Xin Day Master. One will lose concentration, clear thoughts meanwhile following bad money.  

In 1962, the year of bombardment, the year of his bad decision to build the palace, is also the year of Three Penalty 三刑 - Yin Shen Si This is also called a Fire Penalty causing fire hazard, which could be one of the reason why his palace got attached. 1962 is Ren Tiger, which both Wood and Water his unfavorable elements as too much water Ren can outshadow Bing Fire (as his Direct Officer) means his authority positon is in danger.  

In 1963, Gui Mao year, the year of Water and Wood again, both two unfavorable elemts. This year even worse that Gui is the rain can really chase away the sun Bing Fire as his authority star 官星. The Mao Rabbit forms Zi Mao Penalty in which he will be attacked by the underdog. This time the Mao forms 2 penalty with the Year and Month Pillars means he would be overthrown by his former ally (the US) and his peers.  

He was assasinated in November 1st, 1963, with so much water in heavenly stems of Year Pillar and Month Pillar all chased away the Bing Fire. At the time of his assination, he was considered a corrupt dictator (maybe due to the effect of Wealth clashing Resource, one will lose concentration, clear thoughts meanwhile following bad money and lost help from noble man). 

Next, we will continue to do next research on the second president of South Vietnam Regime: Mr Nguyen Van Thieu 

CASE 2: SECOND PRESIDENT OF SOUTH VIETNAM REGIME: MR NGUYEN VAN THIEU

2.1 The Ba Zi Chart of Nguyen Van Thieu  

Mr Nguyen Van Thieu was born in 5th April, 1923.  

The birth hour is unkown so I have done reverse engineering based on his real life events. (Actually after he won the presidency, he tried to publicly announce his fake birthdate as 4 Zi - year, month, day and hour of Zi, as advised by his feng shui consultants to make his regime more divine. This date of birth above is the correct one, as it was also erected in his tombstone).  

Maybe a coincidence or fate that the death day pillar of 1 first president is also the birth day pillar of the 2nd president. Both are Wu Shen day. Very interesting! 

Mr Thieu is a Wu Earth Day Master, an extremely weak following Officer formation (從官格).

The Guan Officer Wood Element in his chart was so powerful with roots (通根) and revealed in Heavenly Stems. That is the Yi Wood - Direct Officer.  

His Yong Shen ⽤神 is Yi Mao wood and it dominates right in his chart. His secondary favorable element 喜神 is Water as Gui Water will nourish Yi Mao  Wood.  

His unfavorable element is Yang Metal 庚as it will combine and take away his Yi Wood.  

Throughout his life from birth to 1962 he always met good luck since all the Wood or Water Luck Pillar.  

And in 1963, he comes to Xin Hai Luck Pillar, Xin is not that serious as Xin Hai is a rusted knife dropped in water. Xin located in Hai Water not that sharp to cut Yi Wood - his Authority but rather produced Water more. With more beneficial Water, his Direct Officer Star Yi Wood 正官 got stronger and get him more power and earn him the presidency of South Vietnam.  

But since 1973, he stepped into Geng Xu Pillar, which is a very strong Yang  Metal rooted in Earth. 

As we can see the Luck Pillar got combined with all his Officer Star as Geng combined and chopped Yi Wood, Xu combined with Mao and resulted in taking away his Officer Star 官星.  

Unlike the Xin Metal which is jewelry, the Geng Metal is like heavy sword or axe got rooted so the metal fiercely cuts away all his Wood favorable element. The Xu Earth is unfavorable as his Wu Earth Day Master is extremely weak and doesn’t need to be strengthened and Xu Earth controlling Hai Water and secretly combined with Hai Water so that left no  water to assist Yi wood.  

1975 - The Yi Mao year is the year within Geng Metal Luck Pillar is also the year the army of South Vietnam lost and surrender to North Vietnam. He resigned and later exiled in the US.  

2.2 The Feng Shui of Independence Palace Helps Him During Governing  

So ironically, the 1st president destroy the palace and then got killed during construction. When the palace finished, it is home to the 2nd president.

When Mr Thieu moved in the new Independence Palace, it is a Period 6 with “Prosperous Sitting, Prosperous Facing” configuration 旺⼭旺向. 

In period 6, the feng shui formation is much better for the 2^nd president compared to the 1^st  president.

However, there is a T-junction Sha in front of the facade of building. Although the architect who designed this palace also found out this Sha Qi so he arrange a water fountain to counter Sha but it is still a very serious Sha.  

The new palace also got many missing sectors as it was designed like a T shape building. In fact, it missed NW, W, S and SE sectors.  

Luckily ,Mr Thieu was a Kun Gua, number 2. So he lives in a house sitting Kun which is favorable according to Xuan Kong Element (same Gua lement with the sitting) and also Ba Zhai Eight Mansion (both in West Group). 

The feng shui consultant told Mr Thieu that since Saigon was an flatland dragon that it lack Xuan Wu Black Tortoise and no high mountain to cover its palace and politicial stand. In order to solve this issue, the president need to build a tower at the North of Independence Palace with a brass tortoise to make it up. Please see the big landform of Saigon City.  

The tower will be disguised as a water fountain to further enhance the Water Element of Xuan Wu, also a favorable element of Mr Thieu’s Ba Zi Chart.  

According to San He Feng Shui, the Water Exit of Saigon is at Southeast Chen 辰 sector, while the sitting sector is Shen 申 then a water fountain located at Zi sector ⼦ will create a Water Three Harmony Combination 三合⽔ as collecting water Qi from Prosperous 帝旺, seeing water flow to Storage 墓 (124 degrees South East), while the sitting is at 長⽣ Longevity. 

According to Yang Gong Gu Fa school 楊公古法, which utilised on the 72 dragons and 12 Growth Cycle, the sitting of the building fits the Water Three Harmony Combo. 

So the water fountain was put at the Zi sector, consolidates his authority as president.  

The water element in Xuan Kong perspectives also helps solve the clash between the sitting star Metal 7 and facing star Wood 4 as Metal produce Water, Water produce Wood. In addition, the water will combine with 4 Wood and create the 1-4 auspicious combo, enhancing nobility and fame.  

(the blue circle right upper is the water fountain)

On the contrary to the 1st president of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem, Mr Thieu meets no major coups, plot to overthrow him and his presidency also lasts longer than the former president. He was also a beloved leader comapred to the former (maybe due to the auspicious feng shui formation) 

In order to hide public curious eyes and also to create a veil of mystery over the water fountain and the bronze tortoise (why bronze tortoise? well, metal produce water), there is an urban myths that the Independence Palace was located in Head of Dragon vein and since this dragon cause turbulence everytime it shook head, then the water fountain was built like a sword stabbing at the tail of the dragon to help calm down the dragon.  

I really don’t buy this but this legends seem too interesting so many layman believe in it.  

2.3 The Feng Shui Of His Ancestor Tomb Helps Him In Earning Presidency  

In order to solve why Mr Thieu was so lucky, I stepped one more further into Yin Feng Shui to find out the reasons.

His ancestor tomb was located in Central Vietnam, the Phan Rang Province.

The tomb was sitting Zi facing Wu. There was incoming dragon at the back, in front got a river, grand Ming Tang Bright Hall. Green Dragon and White Tiger both exists. Head of Dragon (入⾸龍), incoming dragon 來龍 makes a He Tu 1-6 combo with sitting of tombstone.  

Although outside there was a lot of wind but the burial spot, there was no wind at all.  

The White Tiger was very high compared to the Green Dragon, indicates that the tomb will cause positive effect for the younger sons, daughter 三⽅. Actually, Mr Thieu was the youngest son, the 8th sons in the family. 

According to San He School, water coming from Shen 申and flowing out to Chen 辰 Southeast and the tomb sits Zi ⼦. It means water coming from 長⽣ Longevity and flowing out to 墓 Storage, while the tomb sits Prosperous 帝旺.  

The incoming water comes from a vast lake calls Dam Vua, which literally means King Lake. The sitting Di Wang Prosperous with incoming dragon can truly produce kings and presidents.  

According to 28 Constellations, the tomb fen jin can produce high mandarin, court officials.  

According to Xuan Kong Da Gua, the tomb sits on 6/6 ⼭地剥Hexagram. The Wu Qu 舞曲Star will give birth to people who are good at commanding military and army. Actually, Nguyen Van Thieu was a Lieutenant General before his presidency.  

The Gua 6/6 Gui Hai Water Pig also conincidence with his Year Pillar.  

The Gua 6/6 also governs Period 6, which means from 1960 - 1984 also the same period that he was elected president from 1963 - 1975.  

According to Xuan Kong Da Gua then the year of happening wil be in Yi, Bing  and Gui. And will happen to year of birth of Yi and Gui. No wonder why Mr  Thieu - a Gui Hai person got benefit.  

And the most significant events in his life also happens in those year:  

◉ 1923 - Gui Hai - he was born.  

◉ 1956 - Bing Shen - he was elected head of the National Military Academy in Da Lat.  

◉ 1963 - Gui Mao - he succesfully overthrown Diem and took power.  

◉ 1964 - Jia Chen - becomes Chief Comander of Army  

◉ 1965 - Yi Si - he was elected as President of South Vietnam.  

According to San He Feng Shui, the year of happpening should take place in  Shen, Zi, Chen year, which is also coresponding as in 1956 Shen, 1964 Chen year. 

According to Xuan Kong Da Gua Feng Shui, the year of happening should take place in Yi, Bing and Gui. As people can see it conforms with 1923 Gui, 1956 Bing, 1963 Gui, 1965 Yi.  

There is also a reason why in 1975 which is a Yi Mao year, both beneficial for his Bazi and his ancestor grave, he surrendered and lost the war. In historical data, it is recorded that in early 1975 there is an minor earthquake in his ancestor tombs and cause rocks causing major damage to the grave.  

Conclusion: All the historical events that happen in the Independence Palace can be explained clearly using Feng Shui and Bazi knowledge, which is a very solid proof that Feng Shui and Bazi really works. The Independce Palace as a home can cause auspicious effect and inauspicious effects to the residents, especially the owner.  

Master Nguyen Thanh Phuong

Master Jacky Nguyen Thanh Phuong is an international feng shui master. From a young age, he has been learning Chinese metaphysics with his Chinese maternal grandfather. Later, he has studied for many years with GM Stephen Skinner, Master Francis Leyau, Prof Dr Yang Kim Voon, Master Jo Ching, and Master Ken Lai on feng shui, destiny and Qi Men Dun Jia.

He has published over 40 books on feng shui, built 6 websites and 4 applications to bring true feng shui knowledge from international community to Vietnam.

He established 2 companies, one in Vietnam (2015) and the other in the US (2019) for consulting. In 2015, he has successfully established Applied Feng Shui in Architecture Academy, the first institute approved by Vietnam government. Since 2012, he has been teaching feng shui to thousands students in Vietnam. His clients are even including billion-dollar real estate companies, memorial parks, architects and ordinary people.