Mirror

The most argued-over object — used to deflect, to enlarge, and to return what is aimed at a space. Mirrors are the object with the most rules attached: what they face, what they reflect, and where they may not be placed at all. The classical reading treats a mirror as active rather than decorative — it does something to the space.

This database documents placement principles, not outcomes. The most argued-over object — used to deflect, to enlarge, and to return what is aimed at a space. The mirror is the object where the sources' practical reasoning is most visible: the prohibitions read as much like observations about sleep and about startle as like statements about qi.

The tradition's consistent rules are few and negative: a mirror should not face the bed, and should not face the main door. The positive uses — enlarging a cramped space, returning an exposed position — are the ones most often cited in the sources on the form school. It is grouped under Metal (金) in the five-element system.