In Hong Kong , a urban substance alongside 1 of the most beautiful skyline , the excogitation in addition to pattern of a edifice is determined equally much equally past times architects in addition to engineers equally past times feng shui masters. This ancient Chinese philosophy of positioning objects in addition to buildings inwards harmony alongside nature to convey almost goodness fortune , is deeply rooted inwards Hong Kong’s culture. Everything from the orientation of a edifice , the cast of the edifice , the pose of the entrance in addition to pose of slice of furniture inside are believed to influence the prosperity of a problem concern or the homeowner. Because of this belief , feng shui practitioners are consulted inwards almost every novel domicile buy in addition to purpose flooring plans , in addition to fifty-fifty enormous architectural in addition to technology scientific discipline projects approximately this isle field are dictated to a large bird past times feng shui. It’s non apparent only examples of feng shui practise are almost everywhere inwards Hong Kong.
Why create these buildings select holes inwards the middle? Keep reading for the answer. Photo credit: shottapaul/Flickr
Feng shui was suppressed inwards mainland China during the Cultural Revolution inwards the 1960s only has made a dramatic revival inwards recent years , particularly inwards the superstitious South. Even inwards modern Central , where feng shui is regarded equally superstition , most developers even in addition to thence consult feng shui experts because they figure it's amend to live on prophylactic than sorry. Indeed , many corporations ready aside a portion of their annual budget for feng shui consultation. Some of the suggestions that feng shui experts offering tin live on equally uncomplicated equally repositioning the desk of the CEO or placing coins nether the carpet. Others tin live on equally expensive equally demolishing in addition to reconstructing parts of the building.
When the famous HSBC headquarters alongside 2 bronze lions sitting inwards front end were built inwards the mid-1980s , the escalators were reoriented from their original conduct pose to an angle alongside the entrance to forbid evil spirits from flowing conduct off the Victoria Harbor in addition to into the office.
The HSBC edifice inwards Hong Kong. Photo credit: Ishak J/Flickr
The Bank of China Tower , on the other paw , neglected goodness feng shui practices in addition to is instantly considered in addition to thence unlucky that it sits empty most of the year. The tower alongside its many abrupt edges is likewise said to live on leaking its negative publish energy to its surrounding businesses. The possessor of the Lippo Centre , which faces 1 of the building’s edges , went bankrupt in addition to had to sell the building. Similarly , the Government House , which likewise faces 1 of the angles of the Bank of China Tower , had its part of troubles.
To forbid such misfortunes from befalling HSBC , the banking concern had 2 cannon-like structures installed at the top of their building. These cannons , which are pointed towards the Bank of China edifice , supposedly protects HSBC from the dreaded Bank of China Tower’s negative publish energy past times deflecting the publish energy dorsum to its source.
Hong Kong’s increment inwards recent years has been attributed to goodness feng shui. Its geographical place alongside the mountains behind in addition to waters inwards front end is said to live on splendid inwards accordance to feng shui principles. Legend holds that these mountains are domicile to the dragons that are said to live on the bearer of positive in addition to powerful energy. This publish energy blows through Hong Kong equally the dragons brand their agency from the mountains to the body of body of water to drinkable in addition to bathe.
This explains why many buildings along the waterline select gaping holes inwards the middle. These holes render the dragons an unobstructed path to the H2O , in addition to thence that the winds of positive publish energy hold to menstruation through the city.
The “dragon hole” of The Repulse Bay edifice inwards Hong Kong. Photo credit: Paul Griffin/Flickr
Photo credit: See-ming Lee/Flickr
Photo credit: See-ming Lee/Flickr
From left to right: Bank of China Tower , Cheung Kong Center , HSBC Tower. Photo credit: Kirill ΞΚ Voloshin/Flickr
The 2 negative publish energy deflecting cannons at the top of HSBC building. Photo credit: Tom Mascardo/Flickr
Another sentiment of the cannons. Photo credit: Tim Lam/Flickr
The Lippo Center , a victim of Bank of China Tower’s bad feng shui. Photo credit: Hans Hansson/Flickr
Sources: NY Times / Discover Hong Kong / A Passport Affair / Wall Street Journal Blog