Feng shui aims to keep the Hong Kong kingdom happy

[Gustavo Carneir]

Found this on CNN.com...hope you guys like reading it. Very intresting to see how the magic kingdom adapts itself to various cultures

"HONG KONG, China (AP) -- When Disney began designing its newest kingdom in Hong Kong, planners decided Mickey's magic wasn't enough for success. The park needed an extra boost from "feng shui."

The ancient Chinese practice involves ensuring that there is a good flow of energy, or "qi". Buildings and other structures need to face a certain direction depending on their surroundings. Elements such as wood, fire and earth have to be carefully balanced.

It's a tricky business, but few dare to ignore it in Hong Kong. Many believe bad feng shui can cause financial ruin, and Disney wasn't about to risk it, Tom Morris, a chief designer at Hong Kong Disneyland, said.

"Regarding feng shui, the thing that is most visible is the heavy usage of water in the park," Morris said.

Besides lakes and streams, many waterfalls were strategically placed around the park to accumulate good fortune and wealth, he said.

Visitors are greeted at the entrance by a large bronze fountain with Mickey Mouse surfing on a jet of water sprouted by a whale.

Renowned feng shui master Peter So, who didn't work on the park, gives the design high marks.

"That fountain's function is to create wealth, and more importantly it serves to block the straight road leading into the park," So said, adding that curved roads enable qi to flow better than straight ones.

To the trained eye, subtle feng shui planning is evident everywhere. The park is painstakingly oriented so that it faces the sea and is flanked by the surrounding hills to maximize energy.

"Hills are benevolent to people," So said, adding that the park gains another plus point because it looks out to a water surface broken by a small island.

"Vast water surfaces are no good. Islands dotting the sea are like stars in the sky," he explained.

Taken no chances
The park's main entrance is along the north-south direction, and the hotels are positioned so that they have water in their southwest to ensure prosperity.

So said the luck of a location changed every 20 years. Starting from 2004, a place with water to its southwest would ensure prosperity in the next two decades, he said.

"In fact, the park's geographical location is ideal and I can't see anything unlucky about the place at all," So said.

Designers have taken no chances with the smaller details. Ornamental "feng shui boulders" are placed carefully to promote stability and to make sure good fortune does not flow out the backs of the theme park and hotels.

In kitchens, stoves are placed in lucky locations and some areas are designated "no fire zones" to balance the five elements and to reduce accidents.

In one Chinese restaurant, there's even "virtual fire" -- videotaped fire images projected on a wall -- at the bar to balance the elements.

One of the most telling examples of how much Disney respected its feng shui master was the decision to open the park on September 12. Many American companies might be reluctant to schedule a celebratory event so close to the date of the terrorist attacks in the U.S. four years ago.

No green hats
But according to "Tung Shing," a popular almanac dictating the "dos and don'ts" for every day of the year, September 12 is a lucky day for business openings, banquets and moving house.

The Chinese love lucky numbers, and Hong Kong Disneyland has plenty of them hidden in its design. Exactly 2,238 crystal lotuses decorate the Chinese restaurant at the Disneyland Hotel because in the local dialect of Cantonese, the numbers sound like the phrase "easily generate wealth."

The main ballroom, where weddings are to be hosted, was designed to be 888 square meters -- another "wealthy" number. Neither of the two hotels has a fourth floor, because four sounds the same as the word for "death."

To top it all off, touches of the lucky color red are designed to ensure that the "happiest place on Earth" stays that way. "Particularly on Main Street, we see a lot of accents done in red," Morris said.

Disney has even ensured that traditional Chinese taboos do not find their way into their merchandise. Clocks are nowhere to be found in the shops: for the Chinese, presenting a clock as a gift to someone is strictly forbidden because "giving clock" sounds the same as "going to a funeral."

And shoppers looking for green hats in Disney stores will be disappointed, because in Chinese, a man putting on a green hat means he is cuckolded.

Goofy, however, will be allowed to keep his."

[Goin2Disneyland]

So said the luck of a location changed every 20 years. Starting from 2004, a place with water to its southwest would ensure prosperity in the next two decades, he said.

What will happen when the 20 years are up? Is all feng shui for a limited time only? I'm not being mean, I'm curious.

[Maxdad]

Who gives a dam!

Get it? Dam? Water?

HAHAHAHA

[Goin2Disneyland]

You're a real gas.

[TDLFAN]

The problem that I have with feng shui is... they always place the castle with the sun shining from behind at most hours of the day, especially in the afternoons. It ruins your pictures if you donot have a setting to avoid the sun from causing a black out effect on you castle pictures!!!

[WallyBoag]

The sun shines from the South anywhere North of the Tropic of Cancer, so every Disney Park but Tokyo Disneyland is set up so the sun is always shining at the front of the castle.

Seems like the only ones who didn't get it right was Tokyo.

[TDLFAN]

Seems like the only ones who didn't get it right was Tokyo.

I was there last Monday and am here to tell you that the sun hits HKDL castle from behind in the afternoon and dawn hours as well. I will even post some some of those lovely pics I took as the sun sets behind HKDL's backside of the park. As for Tokyo....yes, they got it all wrong in regards to positioning the castle in a different angle to the sun, but at least the are the cleanest, and most efficiently operated park of all of the DL parks in every respect. I will put up with the sun behind Cindy's castle just for the superior experience offered at TDL.

[WallyBoag]

Hong Kong is a couple of degrees south of the Tropic of Cancer. For an extremely short time of the year, right around the Summer Solistice, the sun will be behind the castle. For most of the year, however, it will be in front of it.

In your original post yous aid "They always put the castle with the sun shining behind it..." The only places this happens is briefly at Hong Kong and at Tokyo Disneyland. I like your little rant about Tokyo being better when you were the one complaining about sun positioning, not I.

[TDLFAN]

Whatever...:rolleyes: dude. That doesn't change the fact that TDL is the better resort all around.

[Goin2Disneyland]

Your big words are confusing me. Words like "sun" and "the" always put me for a spin.