Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism

The dragon turtle is a highly auspicious spirit creature in feng shui. It is said to be one of the nine sons of the dragon and combines the divine might of the dragon with the longevity and virtue of the turtle. Its core functions are to resolve sha qi (malign energy) and guard the home, to attract wealth and blessings, and to increase longevity and good relations with others.

If you want it to work, there are indeed certain rules for how it is placed and used.

1. Core Functions and Where to Use It

1. Attracting wealth and good fortune: If you want to improve your wealth luck and career luck, place it in the living room, in the office, or at the visible wealth position, with its head facing a door, window, or other place where air flows in, so that it can draw in the qi of wealth.

2. Resolving sha and blocking calamity: If outside the home there is form sha such as a road pointing straight at the house, a sharp corner, or a utility pole, or if it is the direction of the “Five Yellow sha” or “Three Killings” in the year's annual luck, point the dragon turtle's tail or shell toward the source of the sha qi, so that its hard shell can block the calamitous sha from entering.

3. Resolving “trouble from petty people”: If things are not going well at work, relationships are complicated, you are often pushed out by others, or there are frequent quarrels, you can place the dragon turtle on your desk or in the living room with its head facing you, which signifies bestowing blessings; it can improve your relations with others and raise your luck with helpful benefactors.

4. Health and longevity: To pray for the health of elderly family members, place it in the elderly person's bedroom, but the dragon turtle's head must face out of the window so that it can draw in the natural spiritual qi from outside.

2. Note That the Direction of the Dragon Turtle's Head Matters

1. When resolving sha: The head must not face a bed, sofa, or other place where family members often sit or lie, to avoid a clash.

2. When attracting wealth: The head should face a door or window so that the dragon turtle can draw in qi and wealth. If it is placed in the bedroom, the head faces inward and the tail faces the window, but the dragon turtle must still avoid facing the bed.

3. Never place the dragon turtle “with its four feet in the air”: At no time should the dragon turtle be placed upside down. In feng shui this signifies “hard to turn over”—being unable to turn one's fortunes around—and brings bad influences.

4. Do not let outsiders stroke it: A dragon turtle that has undergone consecration (kaiguang) has spiritual power, and people outside the family should not be allowed to touch it casually, lest it pick up stray qi. If an outsider touches it by accident, wipe it with clean water or a clean white cloth.

5. There is no need to burn incense to the dragon turtle; an offering of clean water is enough. The dragon turtle is a spirit creature, not a god or a buddha, so it does not need incense. Day to day, you can set a cup of clean water beside the dragon turtle and change it every 3 to 5 days to keep its spiritual qi full.

6. Material and direction: The most common material for dragon turtles is brass. It is especially taboo to place it in the due south of the home (which belongs to fire), because water and fire clash; it is best to consult a professional.

7. If you want the dragon turtle to work more powerfully, on a day for praying for blessings (such as a Day of Heavenly Pardon), you can place seven precious stones, the five grains, and five-colored threads inside its belly (choosing a hollow style that opens). This symbolizes “filling the insides” (zhuangzang) of the dragon turtle, giving it the five zang organs and six fu organs and a treasury, and can greatly strengthen its power to attract wealth and resolve sha. For the specific procedure, it is best to consult a professional.