Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Center: The Feng Shui Battle in Hong Kong's Central District

Hong Kong's Central District is one of the densest skyscraper clusters in the world — and also one of the most active "battlegrounds" for Feng Shui masters. On every square foot of this premium real estate, the design of each tower conceals its own Feng Shui secrets. Among the most famous examples stands Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Center.

The Grand Feng Shui Layout of Central District

To understand the Feng Shui of Cheung Kong Center, we must first examine the overall layout of Hong Kong's Central District.

Hong Kong sits on the eastern shore of the Pearl River estuary, backed by Victoria Peak (Tai Ping Shan) and facing Victoria Harbour. From a Feng Shui perspective, Hong Kong's configuration is considered exceptional:

Feng Shui Element	Hong Kong Counterpart	Evaluation
Ancestral Dragon	Tai Mo Shan → Victoria Peak	Distant and powerful Dragon Vein (龙脉)
Backing Mountain (Black Tortoise)	Victoria Peak	Stable backing mountain
Bright Hall (Vermilion Bird)	Victoria Harbour	Expansive Bright Hall, water gathers wealth
Left Guardian (Azure Dragon)	Eastern Hong Kong Island mountain range	Azure Dragon winds gracefully
Right Guardian (White Tiger)	Lantau Island and others	White Tiger tamed and submissive
Water Mouth	Eastern and Western entrances to Victoria Harbour	Water Mouth locked, gathering wealth

Cultural Context: In Feng Shui, the Four Symbols — Azure Dragon (青龙) on the left, White Tiger (白虎) on the right, Vermilion Bird (朱雀) in front, and Black Tortoise (玄武) behind — represent the ideal protective formations around a site. When all four are present and properly balanced, the location is considered supremely auspicious.

Central District sits precisely at the northern foothills of Victoria Peak and the southern shore of Victoria Harbour — the "Back to Mountain Facing Water" (背山面水) pattern is most complete here, making it Hong Kong's most essential business hub. Major financial groups and bank headquarters cluster in this area, and Feng Shui competition is extraordinarily fierce.

HSBC and the Bank of China Tower

Before Cheung Kong Center was built, the two most architecturally famous buildings in Central District were the HSBC Building (1985) and the Bank of China Tower (1990). The Feng Shui designs of these two structures directly influenced the planning of Cheung Kong Center.

HSBC Building: Designed by renowned architect Norman Foster, this building uses a "suspended" structure with an open ground level. From a Feng Shui perspective, the open ground floor allows Qi (气) to flow freely from Victoria Harbour into the building — "receiving water to gather wealth" (纳水聚财). During this period, HSBC's business flourished, and the building is regarded as a successful case of Feng Shui water-receiving design.

Bank of China Tower: Designed by I.M. Pei, the building's exterior resembles a triangular prism with sharp, angular edges — like a "blade" thrusting straight into the sky. After completion, its sharp edges were believed to create Sharp Corner Sha (尖角煞) — the side facing HSBC acted like "a knife chopping HSBC." HSBC immediately installed two "cannon"-shaped decorations on its rooftop (actually window-cleaning equipment) to use "cannons against the blade" as a remedy. This standoff of "cannons versus knives" became the most legendary Feng Shui "duel" in Central District.

Building	Feng Shui Features	Feng Shui Controversy
HSBC Building	Open ground floor receives water	"Cut by knife" from Bank of China
Bank of China Tower	Sharp edges like blades	Sharp Corner Sha shoots in all directions
Cheung Kong Center	Square and stable, "four-sided shields"	Neutralizes Sha from all directions

The Feng Shui Design of Cheung Kong Center

Li Ka-shing's (李嘉诚) Cheung Kong Center was built in 1999, located between the Bank of China Tower and HSBC. Facing two formidable "Feng Shui opponents," Li Ka-shing invited Feng Shui masters to carefully design the building so it could both "protect itself" and "receive auspicious energy."

Cheung Kong Center's Feng Shui design features several notable characteristics:

1. Square and Stable Form

The building has a square shape with slightly rounded corners, presenting an overall stable and solid appearance. Compared with the Bank of China Tower's "sharp angular" design, the square form belongs to the Earth element — Earth generates Metal, providing stability without ostentation. The rounded corners dissolve Sharp Corner Sha, ensuring the building is neither harmed by the "blade" nor creates new Sha Qi of its own.

2. "Four-Sided Shields"

Each of the building's four facades is designed like a "shield," evenly distributed to resist Sha Qi from all directions. Whether the "blade" from Bank of China or the "rush" from other buildings, all are blocked and dissolved by these shields.

3. Moderate Height

Cheung Kong Center stands approximately 283 meters tall — between the Bank of China Tower (367 m) and HSBC (178 m). Neither too tall nor too short, it is neither "pressed by the blade" nor "shot by the cannon," occupying a relatively "safe" height range.

4. Rooftop Design

The rooftop is designed as a flat top with slight tapering inward, avoiding sharp peaks or angles. The flat top belongs to the Earth element — stable and gathering Qi. The inward taper resembles a "bucket" (斗) shape, symbolizing "gathering wealth."

Design Feature	Feng Shui Consideration	Function
Square form with rounded corners	Earth shape for stability; rounded corners dissolve Sha	Protects self without harming others
Four-sided shields	Even protection on all sides	Resists Sha from all directions
Moderate height	Between Bank of China and HSBC	Neither pressed nor shot
Flat top with inward taper	Earth shape gathers Qi; bucket shape gathers wealth	Stable wealth accumulation

Quick Tips:

• In Feng Shui, square shapes represent the Earth element — ideal for stability, trustworthiness, and grounded energy
• Rounded corners on buildings are considered safer than sharp angles because they allow Qi to flow smoothly rather than creating cutting Sha Qi
• The "shield" concept applies to homes too: solid walls behind your seating position, closed storage, and backing furniture all serve as energetic shields

"Ten Thousand Arrows Piercing the Heart" vs. "Four-Sided Shields"

The most widely circulated Feng Shui story about Cheung Kong Center involves the contest between "ten thousand arrows piercing the heart" and the "four-sided shields."

Central District is densely packed with buildings, where sharp edges, pointed tops, and decorations of every tower can potentially generate Sha Qi. Cheung Kong Center sits between Bank of China and HSBC — attacked from two sides: the "knife" from Bank of China on one side, and the "cannon" from HSBC on the other. Add to that the rushes from other buildings, and the situation amounts to "ten thousand arrows piercing the heart."

Li Ka-shing's Feng Shui master designed the building as "four-sided shields" — each face capable of "blocking" Sha Qi coming from that direction. The benefits of this design are:

• No active aggression: Unlike Bank of China's "blade" or HSBC's "cannon," it makes no enemies;
• Complete defense: Protection on all sides with no blind spots;
• Stable Qi gathering: The shield shape is solid, both blocking Sha and gathering Qi — achieving two goals at once.

This design embodies the Chinese Feng Shui philosophy of "defense as offense" and "winning without contention" — there is no need to duel with opponents; simply ensure that you yourself are impregnable, and lasting stability follows.

Cultural Context: The principle of "winning without contention" (不争而善胜) comes from the Dao De Jing (道德经), the foundational Taoist text by Laozi. In Feng Shui application, this translates to creating protective, harmonious environments rather than aggressive, confrontational ones. Many practitioners consider this approach more sophisticated and ultimately more effective than direct confrontation.

Li Ka-shing and Feng Shui

Li Ka-shing's personal attitude toward Feng Shui has long been a topic of public interest. He has repeatedly stated in public that he "does not believe in Feng Shui," but according to those close to him, Li Ka-shing does indeed consult Feng Shui masters when making major decisions.

Li Ka-shing's Feng Shui Attitude	Behavior
Public stance	States he "doesn't believe in Feng Shui"
Major decisions	Reportedly consults Feng Shui opinions
Building design	Cheung Kong Center shows clear Feng Shui design
Personal life	Reportedly observes auspicious dates and times

This attitude of "publicly disbelieving, privately consulting" is quite common among Hong Kong's business elite. On one hand, modern businessmen do not want to be labeled "superstitious"; on the other hand, Feng Shui is deeply rooted in Hong Kong culture, making complete disregard impractical. Li Ka-shing's approach can be seen as a "balance between rationality and tradition."

The Evolution of Central District's Feng Shui Landscape

After Cheung Kong Center was built, Central District's Feng Shui landscape became even more complex. Several additional buildings were later constructed, including the International Finance Centre (IFC), each considering Feng Shui factors to varying degrees.

Major Central District Building	Year Completed	Feng Shui Features
HSBC Building	1985	Open ground floor receives water; rooftop "cannons" face Bank of China
Bank of China Tower	1990	Sharp edges like blades; Sharp Corner Sha shoots outward
Cheung Kong Center	1999	Square shield form; four-sided protection
International Finance Centre	2003	Tall and upright, like a "sea-stabilizing needle"

The Feng Shui "game" in Central District is, in a sense, a microcosm of Hong Kong's commercial competition — each financial giant demonstrates its abilities, competing yet coexisting, forming a delicate balance.

Lessons from Modern Architectural Feng Shui

The case of Cheung Kong Center offers several insights for modern architectural Feng Shui:

First, Feng Shui can be integrated into modern design. Cheung Kong Center's Feng Shui design is not jarring — it actually complements modern architectural aesthetics. The square, stable appearance is a design language in its own right.

Second, "harmony" is superior to "conflict." While Bank of China's "blade" and HSBC's "cannon" each had their reasons, both carried a confrontational character. By choosing "shield" defense, Cheung Kong Center made no enemies, engaged in no fights, and achieved the greatest stability.

Third, solutions must be site-specific. Feng Shui has no "standard answer" — each design must be tailored to its specific environment. Cheung Kong Center's solution was custom-designed for Central District's unique layout and would not necessarily apply elsewhere.

How to Apply These Principles to Your Own Space

1. Embrace stable, grounded forms: When choosing furniture or arranging your home's layout, favor square or rectangular pieces over sharp, irregular ones — they project Earth element stability
2. Create "shield" backing: Position your desk or bed with a solid wall behind you — this acts as an energetic shield against Sha Qi
3. Avoid confrontational layouts: Don't place aggressive decor (sharp blades, pointed weapons) facing other people's spaces — even symbolically, this creates Sha Qi
4. Maintain moderate scale: Balance is key — avoid extremes in furniture size or room proportions that create energetic imbalance

Key Feng Shui Concepts

• Sharp Corner Sha (尖角煞): Harmful energy created by sharp building corners, believed to shoot toward neighboring structures and cause misfortune.
• Defense as Offense (以守为攻): A Feng Shui remedy strategy that avoids active aggression against opponents, instead ensuring one's own protection is flawless.
• Earth-Shaped Buildings (土形建筑): Buildings with square, stable exteriors, classified under the Earth element, symbolizing Qi gathering, stability, and trustworthiness.
• Receiving Water to Gather Wealth (纳水聚财): Orienting a building to face a body of water so as to "receive water" and accumulate wealth — the principle behind HSBC's open ground floor.
• Central District Feng Shui Game (中环风水博弈): The mutual Feng Shui influences and remedies among buildings in Hong Kong's Central District — the most famous cluster of modern architectural Feng Shui cases in the world.

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