背山臨水

with back to the mountain and facing the water (favored location)

surname Shui

water / river / liquid / beverage / additional charges or income / (of clothes) classifier for number of washes

mountain / hill / anything that resembles a mountain / CL:座[zuo4] / bundled straw in which silkworms spin cocoons / gable

variant of 背[bei1]

to be burdened / to carry on the back or shoulder

the back of a body or object / to turn one's back / to hide something from / to learn by heart / to recite from memory / unlucky (slang) / hard of hearing

with back to the mountain (favored location)

to face / to overlook / to arrive / to be (just) about to / just before

facing the water (favored location)