Gabrielle Alizay writes in her book Feng Shui for the Rest of Us (page 225) that

In China, western facing windows in office buildings are boarded up with wood. The reason behind this is the afternoon, western sun is very harsh. … you can experience severe lessons in any Life Value which has a room with western facing windows or receives rays from the afternoon setting sun.

It’s nonsense

No one with an ounce of sense builds office buildings with expensive windows, then boards up the expensive windows with very expensive wood (rather than inexpensive bamboo). Anyone with an ounce of sense designs a building without west-facing windows — if they are going to succumb to Alizay’s madness.

But it is not common practice in China to board up western-facing windows of office buildings, or to build office buildings without windows to the west. Consider this sleek Shanghai office building on Shiji Road that touts its stunning views — especially to the west and southwest.

And so far no one feels a need to board up the Shenzhen Stock Exchange designed by Rem Koolhaas. Nor in Dalian, where the China Merchants Bank is located.

Some people have discovered it is possible to install windows that almost totally block the transmission of heat. Others note that a simple overhang on a window stops any anticipated “harsh” effects (noted in these plans for a green Shenzhen Wonderland).

Imagine, thousands of office highrises in China with boarded-up windows — depriving spidermen of roughly a quarter of their livelihood. This has not occurred.

Nor do Alizay’s claims match traditional housing in China. A siheyuan doesn’t have any windows on the west or east, by design. Yaodong have no windows on the west either, but they are nearly all good feng shui.

Bai people of China have good uses for that “harsh” afternoon sun. Traditional houses of the Bai typically feature a screen that works with the afternoon sun to reflect sunlight into the courtyard and illuminate the entire area.

Alizay’s bizarre claim cannot be taken seriously, even at a glance. You should consider the rest of the book suspect.