On the geographical value of geomancy and its position in the ancient Chinese geography

摘要

Geomancy has long been neglected in the geographical circle in China because it was simply treated as superstition and its geographical value was not recognized correctly. So, from the angle of geography(both physical and human geography), this treatise analyses the geographical thoughts and value of geomancy, expounds the relationship between it and the ancient Chinese geography and makes the former position in the latter clear. It is pointed out that:(1)There were two levels of geography-theoretical geography and applied geography, and three main clues-official geography, scholar's geography and folk geography in the development of ancient Chinese geography.