When Hong Kong Disneyland opened in late 2005, there was a substantial amount of buzz in Hong Kong concerning the theme park. Sure, there have been debates on the over-consumption of sharks-fin and some different points too, however one of many oft-discussed topics about Hong Kong Disneyland was about its Feng Shui. The whose and the what’s significantly had been of curiosity to Hong Kong residents – they had been curious as to which guide had been given the duty of overseeing the Feng Shui of the theme park and what had been finished to make sure the theme park would have an auspicious begin. Even Hong Kong’s most important English day by day, the South China Morning Put up, ran a function piece on the Feng Shui of Disneyland, and even speculated on which guide had the enviable (or unenviable, relying on the way you have a look at it) job of doing the Feng Shui for Mickey’s dwelling.
The avid curiosity within the Feng Shui of the Mouse Home supplies an perception into how Chinese language Metaphysics is perceived very in another way in Hong Kong, and even in Taiwan, in comparison with Malaysia. In Hong Kong, Chinese language Metaphysic is a given. A lot of the main buildings alongside the Hong Kong metropolis line have been Feng Shui’ed. A lot of the design of the distinguished buildings, such because the HSBC constructing and the notorious IM Pei ‘joss-stick’ Financial institution of China constructing, have additionally been tirelessly dissected and mentioned in lots of night-classes in Hong Kong. Speak to anybody in Hong Kong and so they have one thing to say concerning the Feng Shui of those two buildings. No tour of Hong Kong’s well-known Peak is full with out a working commentary out of your Hong Kong tour guides on the ‘Feng Shui of Hong Kong’.
In Hong Kong, individuals are not secretive or cautious of being related to this topic. It’s brazenly mentioned in newspaper columns and magazines, and tv applications that includes Feng Shui masters are extremely popular fare. These masters make the breakfast reveals each day, alongside the monetary analyst and superstar of the week.
Over time, I’ve continued to the touch base with varied lecturers in Hong Kong in my analysis into particular areas of Classical Feng Shui. So on this a part of the column, I assumed it apt to share with you a few of my observations over time of what the scene is like in Hong Kong
Throwing open the doorways of information
Up till some 50 years in the past, Chinese language Metaphysics was very a lot a closely-guarded occupation. The master-disciple system was very a lot entrenched and commerce secrets and techniques had been handed down from grasp to disciple. All this modified within the Nineteen Eighties when one Feng Shui Grasp began to show Feng Shui brazenly to the general public, classroom-style. Anybody may come and study this artwork, so long as they paid the tutoring charge. This radically altered the panorama of the occupation as a result of it paved the best way for anybody, so long as they’d an curiosity, to study Feng Shui and in the event that they had been ready to complement their very own studying with private examine of the classics (obtainable at most chinese tuition singapore bookstores), they’d the chance to rise to develop into a guide too. The occupation grew to become democratised and the observe of Feng Shui grew to become much less the purview of solely the noble, wealthy and really rich. You did not have to be the son of a well-known grasp or endure a few years as a disciple, with a purpose to study the commerce.
In fact, initially there was uproar amongst the occupation – change, in spite of everything, is all the time uncomfortable at first. However then finally, many different masters additionally started opening up lessons and educating. It additionally helps that in Hong Kong, there’s a sturdy curiosity in self-cultivation and persevering with training amongst the general public. There’s an appreciation of the worth of information and the angle that studying one thing new on a regular basis and continually updating oneself is vital to retain a aggressive benefit.
Through the top of the Chinese language Metaphysics training increase, some masters even needed to hire faculty halls, with a purpose to accommodate the variety of college students who had signed up for his or her lessons. Maybe it’s as a result of Hong Kong is such an unabashedly aggressive society so individuals see training and information as a way to enhance not simply their minds, however alternatives on the job or for just a little side-income.
Malaysians in fact are slowly however certainly catching up. We’re slowly seeing a rise within the variety of people who aren’t simply thinking about studying about Chinese language Metaphysical topics like BaZi and Face Studying or Mian Xiang, however increasingly more individuals heeding the decision for persevering with training and ‘lifelong studying’.
The enterprise of Feng Shui
Hong Kong, being well-known as a enterprise hub and the place the capitalist-entrepreneurial spirit is powerful and vibrant, could be very open in accepting this topic as a enterprise. On this respect, we Malaysians are barely conservative, – we don’t like to consider professions like regulation, medication, dentistry and to a point Feng Shui, as being a part of ‘business’ companies. The concept these professions are about ‘being profitable’ is considered an uncomfortable match with the altruistic facet of the occupation – specifically, serving to individuals and even saving lives unselfishly. Now, this isn’t to equate Feng Shui with saving lives. However consultants do often get instances of people that consider that their job is to ‘assist individuals’ and thus due to this altruistic element, they need to supply free recommendation or cost solely a token for his or her companies – in a manner that medical practitioners are certain by the Hippocratic Oath to protect lives.
In Hong Kong, the general public understands that these masters open their doorways for enterprise and that Feng Shui or another type of session is a enterprise transaction. And they’re ready to expend the requisite charges for the skilled companies and skilled recommendation provided by an excellent grasp – ‘quid professional quo’ because the authorized occupation will say.
In Hong Kong, Chinese language Metaphysics masters are fairly prolific in relation to training, consulting and book-writing. Sure, there’s some jostling and open advertising and marketing for extra college students and extra consultations however it’s all within the spirit of a business-driven strategy to the traditional science. In any case, if everybody can compete for enterprise in Hong Kong, why not Feng Shui masters certainly? I consider wholesome competitors within the business is an efficient factor if this implies Feng Shui is made extra accessible to the general public, and encourages the propagation of information about Classical Feng Shui. If competitors is what prompts Feng Shui masters to share their information and allow Chinese language Metaphysics to be one thing extra individuals can use of their day by day lives, it is a optimistic improvement for everybody!
In fact, wherever you may have commercialism thriving, there are certain to be a number of who stray onto, what I metaphorically wish to name, ‘the Darkish Facet’. In Hong Kong, one sees the 2 reverse extremes of commercialised Feng Shui. At one finish are extremely skilled masters who can command appreciable charges for his or her consulting work, or who’re ‘in-house consultants’ for tycoons and conglomerates, dealing with all of the Feng Shui elements for his or her varied workplaces and properties, doing date choice for the signing of contracts or commencing enterprise and naturally, utilizing BaZi or Purple Star Astrology for human useful resource planning.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum are those that have chosen the simple route of creating a reputation for themselves, having acquired some information, after which placing their weight behind trinkets, collectible figurines or pendants that may treatment purportedly any drawback underneath the solar.
Hong Kong: A mannequin to aspire to?
I feel Hong Kong gives some concepts or takeaways that we are able to think about in relation to Feng Shui. Definitely, you will need to attempt in direction of growing the accessibility of Feng Shui information. In Hong Kong, it is really easy to discover a ebook on any metaphysical topic, written by quite a lot of masters. Proper now, there aren’t sufficient books in English with regards to Chinese language Metaphysics. Better openness with regards to Feng Shui, and fewer superstition surrounding this topic, is one thing we might all wish to see occurring. However most significantly, we want to see this topic having the identical stage of respect and authority that it enjoys in Hong Kong, right here in Malaysia. By this, I don’t imply that it needs to be accepted as some type of blind religion or of grasp worshipping, however merely to be appreciated for advantages this classical observe has to supply, be it for the people or companies.
Certainly and in all equity, for many professions, commercialism is just a foul factor whether it is crass commercialism. And by crass commercialism, I imply claiming to have the ability to carry out miracles or selling cures because the be-all-and-end-all of the artwork, within the identify of creating a fast or further buck. Finally, a extra business-driven strategy to this historic science is just not a foul factor if it means extra consultants turning into extra skilled in the best way they serve purchasers; thereby leading to extra individuals being offered with the chance to profit from what this topic has to supply!