The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development recently released the new "Code for Design of Residential Buildings" (GB 50096-2026), which will officially take effect on 1 9, 2026.

Notably, the new standard explicitly states in its general provisions: "Residential design should fully incorporate traditional Chinese living wisdom, emphasize harmony between people and nature, and create a healthy, comfortable living environment."

This is the first time at the national level that the importance of traditional residential culture has been explicitly stated in housing design standards, marking a step toward official recognition of Feng Shui design principles.

Industry experts say this will provide Chinese Feng Shui designers with broader development opportunities.