The ancient Chinese geomantic practice of feng shui still carries huge influence in Hong Kong, with its philosophy permeating all aspects of society and the economy in this money-driven territory of gleaming office towers.
Under the feng shui system, the auspicious positioning of objects is believed to ensure harmony, health and fortune. Many in Hong Kong resort to feng shui when making almost all important decisions, especially in choosing and configuring sites and structures, to ensure good luck, especially when it comes to making money.
One Japanese woman living in Hong Kong said feng shui has come to affect just about every important decision for her family, including the selection of the day of her marriage to a local man and the name of their child.
How seriously people in Hong Kong take this tradition can be seen in the big holes deliberately made in the sides of buildings and in the popularity of wells. (more…)