Hong Kong is not just one of the main financial capitals of Asia, it is also considered to be the capital of fung shui in terms of usage, as many major buildings here are built according to fung shui principles.
There are numerous examples. One such is the iconic HSBC Main Building in Central, designed by Norman Foster and completed in 1985.
One side of the building faces Tsim Sha Tsui across Victoria Harbour, while the other faces Victoria Peak. Statue Square acts as a buffer against the negative energy, or sha qi, directed by the protrusion of Tsim Sha Tsui. It also acts as a Ming Tang, or 'Bright Hall', allowing positive energy to congregate before it enters the building.
Also significant is the building's entrance, which is notable for its hollowed out quality, so employees and clients must use escalators to enter. There is no entrance on the ground level as this would be a direct path for any potential negative energy from either Tsim Sha Tsui or The Peak. Of these escalators, some are for staff, and others for customers of the bank. Each faces a different direction with the intention that the various compass points will herald different fortunes for the bank.
Also noteworthy is that the overall structure of the HSBC Main Building resembles four money boxes that are stacked on top of one another, further enhancing its wealth-generating potential. Previously, there were also cannons located at the top of the building which were directed at neighbouring buildings, such as the Bank of China Building (BOC). But these have now been removed.
The taller neighbouring BOC Building is also built according to fung shui principles. It has its main door facing The Peak and its back doors facing Queen's Road Central. There are fish ponds on both sides of the main entrance. The moving water of the ponds absorbs the yin energy that approaches from The Peak, and then converts it into positive yang energy that can then enter the building's spacious lobby.