Wet weather good omen for HK: 'Feng shui' expert

Wet weather good omen for HK: 'Feng shui' expert

HONG KONG (Reuter): A persistent drizzle put a damper on
handover celebrations but wet weather is a good omen for Hong
Kong as it enters a new era under Chinese rule, a Hong Kong feng
shui expert said yesterday.

Feng shui -- wind and water -- is an age-old Chinese belief of
geomancy that harmony with the elements ensures good fortune.

Hong Kong feng shui practitioner Abel Yeung, who advises
clients on how to avoid disturbing nature and incurring bad vibes
said the rain balances out an overabundance of fire in
yesterday's chart.

"If there is more sunshine in the day, it would mean more fire
in the chart and less water. But with the natural real water, the
chart becomes more perfect," said Yeung.

Under the "Four Pillars" form of feng shui, the elements
corresponding to the year, month, date and time are key for
determining good fortune.

For midnight, June 30, 1997, the elements are fire and earth
for the year, fire and fire for the month, wood and earth for the
date, and wood and water for the time.

Under the Four Pillars method, the date is the most important
factor, Yeung said.

Because there is more fire than water in today's elements, a
little rain is good for the date's element, wood, which needs
both sunshine (fire) and rain (water) to thrive.

"The chart is very dry, very hot. So if there was no water,
the day would be so-so. But with some more water, it is excellent
for wood," said Yeung.