Site selection is to choose the living environment. Huizhou people pay attention to the theory of geomantic omen, and think that the most ideal village location is six words: "pillow mountain, surrounded by water, face screen."
"Pillow Mountain" means that there is a mountain behind the village, which Huizhou people think is the backing, commonly known as "Lailongshan"; "Surrounding water" refers to a river or stream flowing through a village. Huizhou people think this is a golden belt (in ancient times, people decorated their belts with jade as a symbol of identity, wealth and status), which shows that financial resources are constant; "Face screen" refers to a low mountain in front, which Huizhou people think is a screen to prevent evil spirits from invading. According to Fang's genealogy in Shangshu, the ancestors chose the site, and saw that "the buildings are criss-crossed, the mountains and rivers are beautiful, the mountains and peaks are towering in front of them, and there are unique features, and the valleys are hidden behind them, surrounded by rivers and green forests", so "Mu Shanchuan wins, living in simplicity". Another example is the family tree of Tuoshancheng, which records that the village has "eight ridges of forests like arches and flowing water like belts". Looking from a distance, there are Huangshan Mountain, Luo Song, Zhu Jin, tianmashan, Nantang Beiye Mountain and Camel Lithography Pier in the middle. Then there is the show of Santai Mountain, the wonder of the stone fairy, and the support of the screen column ... which is the foundation that future generations will never pull out. "
For some unsatisfactory village-based environments, Huizhou people do not blindly give up, but actively transform them, which is called "replenishing the foundation" in Feng Shui theory. The most common way to replenish the foundation is to replenish water, because "human blood goes with qi, and the qi of mountains and rivers goes with water." The methods of water diversion to supplement the foundation include direct water diversion, building piers, digging water tunnels and repairing ponds and dams, such as the water tunnel in Hongcun Village of Yixian County and the reticular water system in Chengkan Village of Huizhou District.