Everything you need to know about your Feng Shui Three Legged Toad God
Are you prepared for 2024 – The start of period 9 Feng Shui?
By Michael Hanna
Essential tips and advice on using a Three-Legged Toad God to improve wealth and luck
If you were to research the three-legged toad, also knows as Chan Chu (wealth calling toad) you’d discover it has many different names. You’d also, maybe, find yourself becoming a little confused as you filter through the masses of information.
Two questions I regularly get asked are where to place the toad, whether in the home or business, and if the Chinese i-ching should always remain in its mouth.
So, I’m going to demystify the legend of the three-legged toad once and for all.
First, let’s first look at some of the names you might come across in your search:
- Jin Chan – Golden Toad
- Money Toad
- Wealth Toad
- Toad God
- Three-legged Toad God
- Money Frog
The Three-Legged Toad, Water and Gold Coins
Said to appear during the full moon, this legendary, celestial and mythical creature will shine above any homes or business that are about to receive good news. This news could be with regards wealth but also just good news in general.
You’ll find the three-legged toad sitting proudly in many homes and businesses in Southeast Asia. One would rest close to the main entrance, and another would sit proudly on a desk in the office.
The legend features a wealth toad named Chan Chu and, like many ciphers in Chinese folklore, the toad came from a myth. The story goes like this:
The wife of one of the eight immortals stole the elixir of mortality from Hsi Wang Mu, the Goddess of the West. She then fled on a full moon and drank the elixir which turned her into a toad. The compassionate Gods allowed her to keep the tail of a tadpole rather than two legs of a fully developed toad.
Attracted to a well with gold coins, money loving Chan Chu couldn’t resist diving in, creating the connection between toad, water, and money. Plus, you’ll always find a toad near water strengthening the belief that toad and water equal wealth. Further enhancing the association between toads and good fortune is the toad’s resemblance to a fat, coin purse.
Creating and Protecting Wealth with the Three-Legged Toad
A Three-Legged Toad God helps attract and protect wealth, and safeguards against bad luck. Symbolising the flow of money, Feng Shui lore insists that a three-legged toad God statue should not be positioned facing the main door (outward). Never placing the toad in a bathroom, toilet, bedroom or kitchen is another lore.
In fact, to encourage new and protect existing wealth, it’s perfectly fine to place one three-legged toad facing the main entrance and the second toad beside it with its back facing the door. If you came to my house, you would see that we place our toads in this configuration.
The three-legged toad is one of an essential Feng Shui icons of prosperity, including gaining and protecting your wealth. No home nor business should be without one. In my own house, we have four and two in each office.
Rules for Placing a Three-Legged Toad
- Set the Toad near the main entrance.
- Place near a cash register or safe
- Rest lottery tickets under a three legged Toad
- The money toad generally should face in towards a home or business or you can use two, one facing in and the other out.
- Place a Toad close to where you keep investment papers, stocks, shares, pensions or anything to do with your finances.
- Activate wealth by placing the toad in the SE (wealth area) of an important room like an office, living room, etc.
- If you know your Xuan Kong flying stars natal chart place a Toad where you have the number 1-8 and 9 facing starts and face the Toad towards your sheng chi direction.
- If you want to enhance career, place it in the north of an important room like an office, living room etc.
- Place it on a table, cabinet or desk at around hip height.
- It is good to place on a desk, right side of desk for a male and left side for a female (left or right side as you sit at desk)
- Keep squeaky clean; I clean mine every 3-4 months and leave out in the sun or a full moon after cleaning.
- If you know your Gua trigram you face the toad towards your Sheng Chi direction, as an example if you are a male born in 1958 you would face pointing towards the west.
- Face the Chinese i-chin coin yang side upwards, so that you see four Chinese characters facing up. The coin must always be kept in its mouth.
- You should either tie a piece of red ribbon around the Toad or sit the Toad on a piece of red paper.
- Attract wealth and luck and display the three-legged toad in your Sheng Chi corner (Feng Shui Gua Trigram).
Why Nine Three-Legged Toads?
You will find many Feng Shui websites saying that you should have nine three-legged toads in the same area. According to this belief, you are told to place the toads in either your living room, office, study. Also, in your front garden with all pointing in the same direction.
Personally, I have never used nine in one place, and in my extensive studies and research, I have never found one reason to validate this belief. Maybe, it was to sell more toads; I will let you decide.
Where to Avoid Placing your Three-Legged Toad
- Avoid placing a wealth toad in a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom or toilet
- Never place a wealth toad on the ground or floor.
- There must be no chips or deep scratches on a Toad
- Keep the area around the toad completely clutter free at all times.
- Keep the toad and the area around it spotlessly clean
- Never take the coin out of its mouth.
At the Feng Shui Store, we are very particular about the toads we sell. So, we had ours custom designed to a specific size, posture, colour, quality and weight. The toads are really quite spectacular and perfect for any home or office.
Take a look below to view the different three-legged toads we have to offer
