Fung shui is a serious business in Hong Kong. My family, for instance, believes it is extremely important to have our furniture arranged in such a way that the 'harmonious atmosphere' within the flat will not be upset.
For example: 'Are you a wooden cupboard, Kevin? No? Then don't stand in front of the telly like one and get out of the way!' There are other rules: your bed should not face the doorway directly, never sleep below a beam (or several beams), and shut the curtains or blinds if you can see protruding objects (like chimneys) or your neighbour's bathroom from your windows.
Of course, conventional wisdom also dictates you should not live near a mortuary or graveyard, and coffee tables should be kept away from your bed or sofa to avoid poor health and serious leg injuries.
But how do we know all these 'rules'? Well, we don't. It is a myth that most Chinese are experts in fung shui, fortune telling, cooking, kung fu and mathematics.
Like everyone else, we learn what is good and bad fung shui through trial and error.
Several months ago, my mother bought a beautiful jade vase from Taiwan, but the moment she placed it on the window sill the main fuse blew and the flat was plunged into darkness.