鄧永鏘（DavidTang） 中國會、上海灘創辦人
Mygrandfather鄧肇堅wasnotonedesperatetoseehisgrandchildren.Onlyrarelydidheaskusforlunchordinner.WhenIwantedtoseehim,Ihadtoringuphismalesecretary.ItwasthennecessarytolookattheChineseAlmanac（通勝）!Mygrandfatherwashugelysuperstitious:evenseeinghisgrandsonrequiredthefixingofagoodhour（好時辰）inwhichtodoso.
Lookingback,Ifinditalmostabsurd,althoughinastrangeway,charmingandold-fashioned.Soitiswithfung-shui（風水）.Itischarmingandold-fashioned.Butitisalsoirritatingwhenpeopletalknonsenseaboutit.
Takefung-shuimasters.IhaveknownmostofthecelebratedonesinHongKong.Tycoonsandmulti-billionairesdefertothemforadvice.Butmyownexperienceswiththemhavebeendisastrous.Oneofthemtoldme,whenIboughtmyweekendhousebytheseaatSaiKung,thatIhadtosleepfacingthesea.ButifIdidwhatheasked,mybedwouldbeplacedexactlyinfrontofmywardrobe.Iprotested.Butthemasterwasuncompromising.HesaidifIdidnotshiftthebed,mywifeandIwouldsleepandlivetogetheruneasilyandthatwewoulddivorce.SoImovedthebedandwardrobe.Butnotlongafter,Idivorced.Hisadvicewasrubbish.
ThisbringsmetoallthepublicitysurroundingDisneyseekingfung-shuiadviceforthebuildingandrunningoftheir"themepark".Apparently,afung-shuimasterwascalledintodesigntheauspiciouspositionoftheentrance,tomakesurethattheGreenDragonMountainwouldlietotheeast,andtheWhiteTigerMountainwouldlietothewest!
Thewholeprocessisjusttooclicheforwords.ItisanoleaginouspracticebywhichtheWestoftenusestoshowrespectfortheEast.ButitisextremelycommonforOccidentalscomingtotheOrienttokow-towtotheprinciplesoffung-shui.EvenforusOrientals,fung-shuiisaninexactscience.Rememberthehoo-haaboutI.M.Pei'sstunningBankofChinaBuildingthatsupposedlystabbedintoGovernmentHouse?ItwasapparentlythereasonwhyTungChee-hwarefusedtomoveintoitasChiefExecutive.Butlookatwhathappenedtohistenure.Whateveronemightsayaboutit,"happy"wasnotanadjectivethatimmediatelyspringstomind.Soperhapsthefung-shuiofGovernmentHousewasperfectlyallright.MaybeTungwouldhavedonemuchbetterifhehadmovedintoGovernmentHouse.IknowChrisPattenhadawonderfultimewithhisfamilythere.SoIhopethenewChiefExecutiveDonaldTsangwillhaveahappytenancythere.IfIwerehe,Iwouldnotbotherwithanyfung-shuimaster.Hecertainlydoesn'tneedone,asDisneydid,totellhimtohavefishandwateraroundhim.Weallknowthat"如魚得水".SoDonaldTsangshouldbepositivelyencouragedtobuildafishpondatGovernmentHouse.Iamamazedthereisn'tonealready.Andweshouldnotbemean-spiritedaboutthe300grandrequiredfortheconstruction.IlovewhatEmilyLaudoesforHongKong.Butsheshouldnotmakeafussaboutit.
Don'tgetmewrong,however,aboutfung-shui.IamnotstupidnorunChineseenoughtosneeratit.Itis,asIsaid,acharmingandold-fashionedpractice.SoIdonotdisbelieveinit.Buttoputitintopracticeasifitwasareligion,ortoassumethatanyfung-shuimastermustberight,orthatitshouldbeusedbyWesternerstodemonstrateorientalism,arepropositionsIdonotmuchcarefor.
Meanwhile,IwishDisneywell.IftheworldandHongKongChinesewanttobesuckedintothatwholeplasticworldofpastiches,thenwhoamItoobject?Butforme,Ihavebeento3Disneyworldsandbelieveme,theydonotexactlyfireupmyimaginationthatmuch!AndifDisneyreallymeansbusinesswithfung-shui,theyshouldcallinmasterstopassjudgementonalloftheircharacterslikeTomandJerry.ButofcourseDisneywouldn't.Becausetheycouldhardlyriskabadreport.Sowhenitreallymatters,theywouldnotinvokeanEasternvalue.Imagineifafung-shuimasterdeclaredMickeyMousebadfung-shuiforHongKong!