AmericanslookingtoChineseculturetoenrichtheirlife 　　Inthe17thand18thcenturies,Chineseart,architectureandphilosophyweremuchadmiredintheWest,andChineseluxurygoodslikesilks,teasandporcelainwereingreatdemandandtransformedtheirwayoflifedrastically. 　　However,followingChina'sacceleratedpoliticalandeconomicdeclineduringthe19thandpartof20thcenturiesresultinginforeignencroachmentuponitssovereignty,itsculturalappeallostitsshine,excepttothediscerningforeigners. 　　WiththeadventoftheUnitedStatesasthedominantmilitaryandeconomicpowersincethe1940s,ithasbeentheturnoftheEasttobemesmerisedbyitspervasiveachievementsinvariousfieldsofhumanendeavour. 　　Bethatasitmay,Americans,onceagain,arelookingtoChineseculturetoenrichtheirlife.Thistrendisgatheringmomentumandistheretostay. 　　ApartfromtheirloveaffairwithChinesecuisine,moreAmericansareturningtoitsacupuncture,herbalmedicines,martialarts,gongfufilms,fashionsandartandcrafts. 　　ChineselanguageandacupuncturearenowtaughtinmanyleadingUSuniversitiesandmedicalschools.Chineseherbalmedicinesformanessentialcomponentofalternativemedicine,whichnowhasasmanyconvertsasthoseseekingconventionalmedicaltreatment. 　　Seeminglyoutlandishwordssuchasdimsum,ginseng,gingko,oolongcha,taiji,qi,yinandyangandba-guahavecreptintotheireverydaylanguage. 　　ThelatestChineseculturalicontomakeitsimpactthereisfengshui,China'sancientartofplacement. 　　InmyrecenttriptoCalifornia,virtuallyallleadingbookstoresandpubliclibrarieswerewell-stockedwithplentyofpublicationsonthishighlyesotericsubject. 　　WhoaretheseAmericansandwhydotheytaketofengshuilikefishtowater?Theyrepresentagoodcross-sectionofthepublic,rangingfromintellectuals,businesstycoons,professionalpeople,Hollywoodcelebritiestohousewives,retireesandstudents. 　　ItoweditsearlysuccesstothedoggedeffortsofahandfulofChinesefengshuiexperts.Butfromaround1990onwards,numerousfengshuischoolshavesprungupinlargeAmericancitiesincludingSanFrancisco,NewYork,Chicago,BostonandHouston.Theirenrolmentshaverisenbyleapsandbounds. 　　Today,themajorityofitspractitionersareAmericans.Theyofferawiderangeofconsultancyservicestobothindividualsandbusinesses.Thesuccessfulamongthemarereapinghandsomefinancialrewards. 　　Itsadherentsfinditscommonsensibleapproachtodailylivinganeffectivecounterweighttomaterialism,andhelpsthemtoreducetheintrusionoftechnologyintotheirlives.Withitsemphasisonachievingbalanceandharmonyandpeaceandtranquillityathomeandatwork,thistime-honouredartrelaxestheirmindsandhelpsthemovercomestressesandstrainsofmodernliving. 　　Theyfirmlybelievethatoncetheirmentalandphysicalwell-beingareinequilibrium,thengoodhealth,workefficiencyandprosperitywillcometheirwaynaturally. 　　Aconspicuousmanifestationoffengshuiisthroughtheproliferationofminiaturefountainsstrategicallyplacedinthehomes,offices,shops,restaurantsandatotherpublicplaces. 　　Thisisbecausewaterattractstheall-importantlife-sustainingqi,orenergy.Thesoothingrhythmofrunnin