Ginger Post

HSBC or the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation is one of the largest and leading banks in the world. HSBC’s headquarters is hard to miss, being located in the heart of the Central District on the Hong Kong side. Completed in 1985 at a cost of close to $US 5 billion, the building has undergone many renovations throughout different segments.

From a Feng Shui standpoint, the headquarters is situated on a prime spot in Hong Kong. It faces the harbour. Thus, it has a venue to prosper unhindered. From the mountain looking down towards the harbour of Hong Kong, five main roads flow down. The longest road leads right by HSBC. That street is Garden Road (花園道), the longest road leading towards the harbour. The five main roads are like the veins of a Dragon. For HSBC, its property is located near the longest vein in a flow of unhindered energy. No doubt, most people or businesses would prosper if they are located near the end of the vein. However, the interior form also must adhere to proper Feng Shui standards so that the building and those inside it can prosper.

In Feng Shui, having good exterior form is of utmost importance since the natural environment is almost impossible to change. The location of HSBC is an example of an area where the natural environment can make it easier to bring about prosperity and good health. Even with its modern and sleek design, the building has experienced renovations. This is a major drawback to what is a near perfect location in Hong Kong. Because of the renovations, the building has been plagued by many leakages of qi (漏氣). Holes and gaps have erupted in the interiors and exteriors of the building. That means the energy cannot maintain a constant flow. It is like having a roof with holes. Repair is erratic because when one hole is being plugged, another hole suddenly manifests itself. As a result, constantly trying to patch a leaky roof without fixing it completely is troublesome.

Leakage of qi can be remedied by professional mending. However the unexpected can lead to more difficulties that affect the Feng Shui of the building. During the HSBC renovations, a construction worker fell off the building and died on the road. This left a black mark on the previously untainted Dragon vein. The road was left with “sha qi” (殺氣).

A casual view of the building reveals that the steel pipes and support structures are shown on the outside. The building doesn’t look like a normal office building. It’s more like a manufacturing plant, which is not in harmony with its modern high-rise surroundings. In addition, the building leans more toward the right. This can result in people inside the building leaning towards a more bias view when dealing with difficult situations and decision making. In fact, management in the building could behave in such a way that is unfair to subordinates. Daily banking operations could become disorganized.

Approaching the entrance of the building, a reflective giant mirror is visible. It directs the sunlight right down on the main floor to the Ming Tang (名堂) where the energy collects near the entrance or at the entrance. Right at the entrance, a glass-top ceiling acts as an energy filtration system where it is utilized to concentrate the energy or light on the main floor. The problem with the main entrance is that the energy cannot be contained due to the ‘open space’ concept. This means that the energy travels directly right through one side of the building to the other.

Moving to the back of the building, there are two bronze lions are poised to provide preventative measure against “sha qi.” A walk around the building reveals that the back to the front is uneven. There is also a wave-like pattern from the back to the front. Imagine holding up the palm of your hands and pouring sand on it, obviously, the sand would leak. That is what the wave pattern is depicting. But in the case of the building, it is “leaking money” (漏財).

Finally, when looking into the main entrance or atrium, there are two escalators placed in a perfect scissors form streaming to the second floor. It also looks like two knives cutting right through the heart of the structure from beneath it.

The exterior form in Feng Shui is always the first priority when looking for a property. With the proper form, it is very important to use good Feng Shui standards in the design of the building’s exterior and interior. By doing this it allows the building to take advantage of the natural environment. Although the location of HSBC’s headquarters in Hong Kong commands a superb location overlooking the harbour, the structure and building needs a second look.