What is a Wu Lou?
(Written by Michael Hanna)
Updated 2021
Are you prepared for 2021?
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Many people have mailed me over the months asking, “What is a Wu Lou”? and how do you use one? A Wu Lou which also goes by the name of a Calabash, Gourd or “giver of life” is traditionally used to cure the #2 & #5 sickness and bad luck stars in Feng Shui and this year (2021) you would place them in the north and southeast. We have around 4 – 5 Wu Lou’s in our home at any one time as we sometimes use them with the monthly stars depending on where they are located. We also place one on each side of our bed and this is something we have done for as long as I can remember in order to promote and enhance good health.
The Wu Lou (Calabash) in its original form is a fruit and when dried was traditionally used to store medicine or water which is is how it got its name “giver of life”. The shape of the Calabash was replicated into brass (metal weakens earth) by Feng Shui masters many years ago in order to absorb the negative energy of the 2 & 5 bad luck stars.
We recently introduced a Wu Lou that we had adapted so that the top can be screwed off, allowing the inside to be filled with 8 carefully chosen assorted semi-precious quartz crystals that protect and enhance every different aspect of your life to further strengthen the cure. The trigrams that you will see on the bottom of the Wu Lou below are also present on the inside of the Wu Lou and if you look with a flashlight, you will be able to see this; we had this created as this helps radiate the energy of this cure; there is much more than meets the eye when it comes to Feng Shui cures and enhancers and we have implemented this into the majority of our cures since we started back in 1999.
In 2021, year of the Yin Metal Ox (Xin Chou), and ideally you should place a brass Wu Lou in the north and southeast along with a salt water cure and six Chinese coins tied with red ribbon, these are so important in 2021.
The Wu Lou, when used correctly, is also used as a very powerful manifestation wish enhancer, so it is good to place a list of all your wishes inside the chest that represents everything you want to achieve in life, an example to some would be a beautiful home that you desire, a man or female that you may admire, a car like a Ferrari or Mini, a mentor, the number of children you would like, I hope you are getting the picture by now, just create a dream list with all that you desire rolled up inside the Wu Lou. The size allowance for the paper that you can write on is 35mm high and as long as you need provided you can roll it tightly and fit it inside.
The brass Wu Lou is an extremely powerful and much needed cure in 2021 as we have the #5 yellow star visiting the southeast sector in 2021. The Wu Lou or Hu Lu is said to have the ability to absorb bad chi energy and the reason that Taoist monks use the calabash to imprison evil spirits. According to Chinese mythology, Monks and Deities of the Taoist belief made use of the calabash Wu Lou by imprisoning evil spirits inside to stop them from causing more problems. This is where the Wu Lou got the ideology of being able to absorb negative chi in your surroundings.
The Wu Lou was originally used as a Feng Shui cure as a health enhancer and protector as the calabash was used to store medicine although traditional medicine would usually be a wine or spirit which is how the Wu Lou was adapted into a wealth cure as alcohol became a symbol of wealth. It can also be beneficial to place a vase in the shape of a Wu Lou although this is something that can only be used with specialist Feng Shui knowledge as there are many contributing factors such as land formations.
Now that you have read about Wu Lou’s, you will notice just how prominent they are in different Feng Shui cures and enhancers; you will start to notice their use in Buddha statues, Kwan Yin statues and many other Deities. The Wu Lou really is a fantastic cure for wealth, health and protection for your home or office.
The brass Wu Lou is a very powerful metal cure and can be used to cure and enhance the following stars:
1 star – You can place a Wu Lou where the #1 star is located to enhance the good water from this star. In 2021, this is located in the south
2 star – You can place a Wu Lou where the #2 star is located to weaken the bad earth from this star. In 2021, this is located in the north.
5 star – You can place a Wu Lou where the #5 star is located to weaken the bad earth from this star. In 2021, this is located in the southeast
The Wu Lou is a perfect cure for the monthly #2 and #5 stars which
The primary uses for a brass Wu Lou
- It is important to place the Wu Lou where the current annual and monthly #5 and 2 Flying Star is to counter the sickness qi brought by these aggressive stars.
- You should place a Wu Lou each on each side of your bed to improve your health luck and ward off illness energies, hence preventing you from any health problems. It can also be placed beside the bed of someone who is ill to speed up recovery or the elderly.
- Display the Wu Lou in the Tien Yi or Health corner in the bedroom based on your Gua number (8 Mansions Formula) to enhance your personal health luck.
- If you follow the Ba Gua aspirations theory you should have a Wu Lou in the east of your home or living or bedroom as it is considered beneficial to the health of the whole family as the east sector is the Health luck corner based on the Ba Gua life aspirations theory.
- Carry a Wu Lou in your bag, hang one in your car or place on a work/study desk to absorb negative qi and prevent bad luck and accidents.
Are you prepared for 2021?
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Hello
I have a brass Wu Lou with statue of 8 guardians carved in it. What is the significance of this particular Wu loa? Can I place it in the southeast dining room in 2021?
Thank you
Hi Daisy,
I would place this in the southeast to weaken the annual #5 star in 2021. The Eight Immortals are a symbol of success and fortune.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Can I put them on any floor of the house? We have basement room and 1st and 2nd floors. Or do we need to put them on North and SE of each floor?
Hi Kay,
Out of the two floors, you can place these across both levels in the more commonly used room; if you had a living room in the south downstairs and a spare room in the south upstairs, you would place the cures in the living room.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hi – Is there a difference if I use a copper Wu Lou instead of a Brass one? Thanks!
Hi Kash,
I always advise using a Brass Wu Lou although you can also use copper if you prefer.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Can I put the Windows Lou in my kitchen if my kitchen is in the NE sector on 2021
Hi Nily,
I would not recommend placing a metal Wu Lou in the northeast this year as this would drain energy from the auspicious #9 star here. This can be placed in the north or southeast in 2021.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hi. I am rabbit sign age 45, and for 2021 it states to have wu Lou, my health last year was terrible with tummy problems. Which one do I buy to hang in my bag? Or do I have to place by my bed?? I’m not sure …
I am in the uk, does it matter which way it faces?
Thank you
Hi Bislama,
I would recommend placing a Brass Wu Lou beside your bed as this is good for health.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
I bought a Chinese “5 emperor Coins tied together with a normal wulou”.
the wulou seems to work like a bottle with a “botttle cap”
Packed along with it , was a “mysterious” pack of 5 white seeds. What is it for ? and what should I do with it?
Thanks you very much
Hi Marcus,
If this is a real gourd Wu Lou, these sound like the seeds from inside them. You can either put these inside the Wu Lou or plant them in your garden.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Daniel Hanna
Thank you very much
Hi Daniel Hanna,
I am placing my wulou at “5 Yellow star”(South East of 2021). should the bottle cap of the wulou be opened or closed ?
I am using to counter the deadly effects of “#5 Yellow Star”
Hi Marcus,
I would recommend keeping the cap of the Wu Lou closed.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hello,
May i ask, the wu lou i bought has got six Chinese coins attached to it i use it as key chain and some i place them next to out bed, do i need take change then shen the new year comes as it has coins attached to ?
Thank you
Hi Ivy,
It is usually best to replace coins annually although if you have sentimental value to the Wu Lou, you can cleanse and reuse the cure.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
I have a wu lou, how can I energize it to be used in 2021?
Hi Abigail,
I would recommend wiping this down with a damp cloth and leave it under the moonlight for a whole evening.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Can I use the wooden Wu Lou with an image of Bagua for the #5 star in the East?
Hi Khoa,
Unfortunately, this would not work well for the east this year. You should place the Bao Hulu Wu Lou in the north for the annual #3 star.
Kind regards,
Daniel
I have a wu loh bracelet where can i put my bracelet in left or rightside of my hand…thank you so much
Hi Mylene,
I would wear the bracelet on your dominant hand.
Kind regards,
Daniel
is there a prayer before we buy the wu lou?
Hi Tess,
There is no prayer to be said before placing a Wu Lou. All of our cures and enhancers are cleansed of any negative energy when we receive them and again when we send them out.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
My question awhile ago is where can i put the salt water? is it inside the the wu lou? how about the 6 coins where shall i place it?
Hi Tess,
The salt water cure should be set up in a glass in the south and east along with the 6 Chinese I-Ching coins in a row; these are two separate cures and I have copied the links below to give you an idea of what they are
https://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/shop/cures2012/6-chinese-coins-2/
https://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/shop/cures2012/feng-shui-salt-water-cures-kit/
Kind regards,
Daniel
Should I remove the existing 5 small potted plants in the East area of my house in 2020? Thanks so much?
Hi,
I would remove them if you can as this would be enhancing metal located in the east.
Kind regards,
Daniel
C
Can I reuse brass wu lou by sunning them? Do I need to open/unscrew the brass wu lou when placing them in East & South in 2020? Thanks so much.
Hi,
Yes, you can reuse your Wu lou as long as it is not damaged. You would not need to unscrew the Wu Lou when placing it in the east and south.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Good day!
I bought wu lou (small one, colored red and like plastic in form), tied together almost 1foot long with red tussle and Chinese knot. Where is the best placement?
Regards
Amy
Hi Amalia,
You can place this in the west, northeast, or southwest.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
thank you
My Wu-lou broke down. Does that have any meaning?
Hi,
Do you mean your Wu Lou has broken as in chipped or snapped? If so, I would recommend replacing the Wu Lou.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Where can I buy Wu Lou?
Hi Marilou,
If you scroll down the page, you can view our different Wu Lou’s that we have on the website. Clicking the images will take you to their page to purchase.
https://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/advice/wulou.htm
Kind regards,
Daniel
Do I need to replace my Wu Lou every year? Should everything be replaced each year?
Hi Jill,
The Wu Lou can be cleansed and reused until it becomes damaged and would not need to be changed every year.
The majority of cures can be reused each year with exception for cures such as the master cure which are year specific. The saltwater cure and six Chinese coins should be replaced annually.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Is Wu Lou charm need to be replace every new year? Specially theone hang in the living & bedroom?
What is the best charm need to be use for sick/weak person?
What is the best charm for attracting good sales/business?
Hi Xam,
You would not need to keep replacing this; you can cleanse it a few times a year by washing it with clean water and leaving it under moonlight for the evening.
For illness and also career, I would take a look at the Madaochenggong Master cure for 2019 as this is a fantastic cure for all areas of your life https://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/shop/professional/Madaochenggong-master-cure-2019
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hi,
I have had 2 Wo Lou’s on our bedside tables for about 10 years now. They have lost their red ribbons. Should I replace them or will they still be okay?
Hi Jan,
If the Wu Lou’s are still in good condition, I would keep them and try to find some red ribbon from a hobby store.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Thank you Daniel. I’m going to buy one more for my East to protect the rest of my family.
Hello,
1. Would a wooden wu lou be as effective?
2. Wu lous that have auspicious Chinese characters engraved on them, are they effective cures?
3. Would a fresh green wu lou be as effective?
Thank you.
Hi En,
A wooden Wu Lou would be used in a different way for the #3 star. You can find out more information about using wooden Wu Lou’s on the link below
https://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/shop/cures2013/boahulu-protection-gourd
Wu Lou’s with Chinese scripts and characters are very powerful as they are usually ingraved with thought form talismans.
A green fresh Wu Lou would be used for the #3 star.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Thank you Mr. Daniel Hanna for your prompt reply.
1. Would having wooden or fresh green wu lous by the bed be helpful to aid recovery?
2. Re. wu lous with Chinese scripts.
I have seen some with the word 福 engraved on the lower part of the wu lous. Are they beneficial?
Thanks.
Hi En,
I would use either one for enhancing health and aiding recovery.
The symbol looks like the symbol for “Fu” which translates to fortune or good luck which would be more appropriate to wealth.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Can i put inside oil massage in wou Lou? Thank you
Hi Divina,
I would not recommend putting massage oil inside of the Wu Lou as this could damage the material.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel