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.