Feng Shui of Hong Kong: Skyscrapers, Superstitions, and Skyline Energy
26.7 million tourists per year come to Hong Kong, making it one of the most visited cities in the world. Is it because of feng shui and eight thousand skyscrapers (that’s double New York) or because there is no fourth floor—since the Chinese word for death is similar to the digit 4, making it ‘unlucky’? Let’s find out.
Hong Kong at a Glance
Hong Kong (commonly abbreviated as HK) was a former British colony until 1997 and has a population of 7 million. In 2024, the city welcomed over 44.5 million visitors, confirming its status as a top global destination.
As a city shaped by ancient wisdom and modern ambition, Hong Kong exemplifies how feng shui influences both its macro geography and micro architectural design. The city is often described as a “living feng shui classroom,” where mountains, water, wind corridors, and building orientation are all considered in spatial planning.
Feng Shui and Armchair Arrangement
In feng shui, the “armchair arrangement”—having a mountain or solid wall behind you for support—is highly prized. Hong Kong’s geography, with its mountains behind and water in front, is considered ideal. Known as the Black Tortoise(support behind), Red Phoenix (open view ahead), Green Dragon (left-hand elevation), and White Tiger (lower right-hand side), this classic four-animal landform configuration symbolises ideal energetic support for cities and individuals.
This natural setting is mirrored in architecture, such as The Peninsula hotel, which boasts panoramic harbour views and is designed with feng shui principles in mind to promote harmony and well-being for guests. Its location and layout symbolise prosperity and protection, common goals in feng shui-informed luxury hospitality.
Skyscraper City
Hong Kong is home to more skyscrapers than any other city, with 563 buildings over 492 feet tall—well above New York’s 317. This vertical growth is a response to limited land and a booming population, but also reflects the city’s belief in harnessing positive energy from its unique landscape.
Many of these high-rises are designed with feng shui consultants advising on optimal shape, façade treatment, entrances, and flow. For instance, buildings often feature rounded edges, water features, or open atriums to soften sharp energy (sha chi) and facilitate smooth chi circulation.
Views: The Power of Perspective
The Peak Tram (operating since 1888) transports visitors up Victoria Peak, the highest mountain on the island at 552 meters (1,811 feet). Sky Terrace 428, at 396 meters, offers the city’s highest observation point. Panoramic views are not just visually stunning—they are considered auspicious in feng shui, giving visitors an energetic overview before delving into the city’s details.
According to classical feng shui, being in an elevated position with commanding views allows one to ‘oversee’ the flow of chi, enhancing clarity, strategic insight, and opportunity. It is a location of power and prestige.
Iconic Feng Shui Buildings
Bank of China Tower
Opened in 1990 and designed by Chinese-American architect IM Pei (1917-2019), the Bank of China Tower is famous for its sharp angles and “cutting” energy (shar chi), which many feng shui masters consider inauspicious. Its design has sparked controversy, with neighbouring buildings like the HSBC headquarters employing countermeasures—such as feng shui cannons—to deflect any negative energy.
The building’s angular design contrasts traditional feng shui preferences for curves and organic forms that encourage smoother chi flow and reduce energetic aggression.
Bank of China HQ Hong Kong by IM Pei
The International Commerce Centre (ICC)
Standing at 484 meters, the ICC is Hong Kong’s tallest building and houses the world’s highest swimming pool. The building skips floors containing the number 4 due to tetraphobia, a superstition rooted in the similarity between the word for “four” and “death” in Cantonese. This practice is common across Hong Kong’s high-rises.
The ICC’s alignment and reflective surfaces are also believed to interact positively with Victoria Harbour’s yang water element, strengthening wealth accumulation potential, a key concept in water dragon feng shui formulas.
Density and Energy Flow
Mong Kok
With 130,000 people per square kilometre, Mong Kok is the most densely populated area on the planet—a testament to Hong Kong’s vertical living. In feng shui terms, high density can amplify both positive and negative chi. Thus, energy flow design—such as window placement, lift positioning, and even the use of mirrors—is crucial for maintaining balance and reducing environmental stress.
Star Ferry & Ngong Ping 360
Travelling by Star Ferry between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon is a classic way to see the city from sea level. Water is a major feng shui element representing wealth and flow. Observing the city’s skyline from the harbour highlights how the placement and spacing of buildings affect the collective chi.
For a different perspective, the Ngong Ping 360 cable car glides 5.7 km over the South China Sea, offering aerial views before arriving at the world’s largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha (35 meters high, 250 tons), accessible after climbing 263 steps. This journey symbolises ascension in both a spiritual and energetic sense—aligning with feng shui’s vertical cosmology of earth, human, and heaven.
Longest Covered Escalator System
Hong Kong features the world’s longest covered escalator system, with 20 interconnecting escalators used by over 85,000 people daily—an impressive example of energy (chi) flow in urban design. This continuous movement mimics the principles of yang energy in feng shui—dynamic, active, and constantly rising—important in commercial and retail areas where high turnover is desirable.
Spiritual Feng Shui
Visit the multi-faith Wong Tai Sin Temple, where Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism coexist under one roof. The temple attracts thousands daily, especially businesspeople seeking blessings from Wong Tai Sin, the legendary wish-fulfiller. The site also features an outdoor Chinese animal zodiac system, offering symbolic insights based on individual birth signs and annual energies—an important aspect of personal feng shui.
Temples are traditionally built following strict feng shui principles: entrance orientation, incense burner positioning, and altar placement all ensure the flow of sacred chi to enhance prayer efficacy and divine connection.
Food & Tailoring
Yuanyang: A classic drink (three parts coffee to seven parts milk tea) best enjoyed at Lan Fong Yuen, open since 1952.
Stinky tofu: A love-it-or-hate-it delicacy.
Snake soup: Made with five types of venomous snake, believed to have healing properties.
Dim sum: Originally a snack with morning tea, now a Hong Kong staple.
Food is also connected to feng shui through the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water), and traditional cuisine aims to balance them to maintain health and harmony.
Hong Kong is also synonymous with bespoke tailoring—custom suits can be made to measure in just 24 hours. Tailors often consider lucky colours, materials, and even timing based on feng shui calendars when working with local clients.
Superstitions: The Case of the Missing Fourth Floor
The number 4 is widely considered unlucky in Hong Kong due to its pronunciation, which closely resembles the word for “death” in Cantonese. As a result, many buildings omit the fourth, fourteenth, and even twenty-fourth floors—an example of how deeply superstition and feng shui are woven into the city’s fabric.
Numbers, directions, and timing are key tools in compass school feng shui, where numerology (especially the Flying Star system) informs everything from real estate value to birth dates and the auspiciousness of moving into a new flat.
Final Thought
Hong Kong’s unique blend of ancient feng shui principles, modern architecture, and vibrant culture creates a city unlike any other—one where energy, superstition, and skyline coexist in perfect harmony. It is a living example of how spiritual geometry and pragmatic design work together to form one of the world’s most dynamic urban landscapes.
Feng shui consultants in Hong Kong
There are quite a few feng shui consultants in Hong Kong. But if you live in Hong Kong and are looking for a feng shui consultant near you – with 40+ years of experience in feng shui, vastu and environmental psychology feel free to call/text me on +44 7956 288574 for a quote for feng shui consultation for your home or workplace. Although I live in London, I do remote feng shui consultations, and I do travel. Email me
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