Chapter 8 "Science" and "Feng Shui" who wins?

Hong Kong's social affluence, civilization, and various indicators of modernization are comparable to those of Western developed countries, but the traces of this society's "womb belt" are mixed with the imported "Western scenery", which may hurt people. ——"Wearing a suit and a melon skin hat", the locals may not find it strange, but my eyes are easily irritated as a mainlander. 2006 is the year of the dog in China. "Christmas" and "Fortune for the Year of the Dog" seem to be very western and very eastern. They are not related to each other.But in Hong Kong, many "irrelevant" things will always draw people's attention together.For example, Hong Kong people will be armed with the latest technology products in the world at the earliest, but they believe in numerology deep down in their hearts-men, women, old and young, rich and poor, free and free, seem to know each other. Counting one by one, the feeling left to me is almost superstitious to stubborn.

I have lived in Hong Kong for less than three years. Every year at the end of the year, I found many squares, hotels, shops, and restaurants in Hong Kong. I simply say "full of vision", and all the Christmas decorations have been put out, colorfully , making Hong Kong full of strong western colors.But in such an atmosphere, another kind of scenery has come - predicting bad luck and predicting the future, and fortune-telling books by various Feng Shui masters in Hong Kong to predict the next year's fortune have also begun to appear on the market one after another.Most of these books have yellow covers, and they are sold in bookstores, newsstands, supermarkets, small shops, and small street markets.There are many Fengshui masters such as Li Juming, Lin Zhen, Su Minfeng, Chen Gongbiao, Mai Lingling, Wu Peifu, Li Chengzhi, Song Shaoguang, etc., so many that I didn't know who was more authoritative at first.

Hong Kong people believe in science and rely on technology. At the same time, they also accept numerology and metaphysics, palm and hexagrams. I know that I can't speculate for no reason that Hong Kong people are superstitious and backward.I don't know what Feng Shui is, I heard it is also a science.The academic name is called "Geographic Survey" by experts in this field, also known as "Psychology of Environment and Image". It is an elective course that can take credits in many universities in Europe and America. It was less than December in 2005, and I saw "Fortune in the Year of the Dog" everywhere on the streets of Hong Kong, and I was really curious.Because I am a dog, and because a friend from the mainland called me in early November, asking me to buy a copy of "Fortune for the Year of the Dog" for her in 2006, and asked for Li Juming's by name, I visited the newsstand several times.At the end of the month, "Li Juming" hadn't been listed yet. Only then did I know that this master is the most famous in Hong Kong. His books are always the last to be published every year, but the best sellers.After the turn of the year, I finally bought a copy of "Li Juming's Fortune in the Year of the Dog--The Method of Changing Luck in the Twelve Zodiac Signs", and hurried home to read it, but a lot of content on the cover, covered in clouds and mountains, has already confused me—— "Egg demolition experts challenge the four fire and poison disaster stars", "High-risk explosion and riot location, date announced", "One-line difference will determine Hong Kong's political and economic prosperity for ten years", "New order year grabs money for the year", "'Big Red Robe' Famous and official fortune tumbler", "'Double Flying Bear' made the nobles rich at that time", "'Hou Dou Cai' made up for omissions and seized the third wealth"... It's a mouthful.In addition, there are photos of four real people on the cover of the book, about the four people who Master Li believes are related to Hong Kong and have the power to change the destiny of the world: "Hu Jintao", "Tsang Yinquan", "Bush", "Chen Fang quiet".Of these four people, the first three mainlanders are very familiar. Who is the other "Fang Ansheng Chen"?A woman, the Chief Secretary for Administration of the government whose first term has not been completed after the return of Hong Kong, was elected as the new chief executive in 2007. Some people once speculated that she might become Tsang Yam-kuen's competitor.

Although I don't understand the relationship between "Tai Sui", "Five Elements", "Eight Luck", "Fire Poison", "Inauspiciousness" and "Fortune" mentioned by Hong Kong Fengshui masters and the lives of modern people, but they are in the book Zhongdu calls itself "the traditional Chinese blessing culture". I can understand this. If we explain it from the perspective of blessing, these masters hope that Hong Kong people will stay away from disasters and bad luck every year, and be more safe, rich, and happy. Kind and very Chinese.

Once, I noticed very seriously that some of the most golden avenues on Hong Kong Island, such as Wanchai Road, Lockhart Road and Queen’s Road, are mixed with other types of light boxes from time to time in the dazzling neon sign advertisements of these famous commercial areas. , can be seen clearly at night, with four large black characters "Zen Xuan Ming Guan" written horizontally on it, and the business items are also introduced in detail: "palm reading", "numerical theory", "selecting a date", "renaming ", "Easy Numbers", "Divination", "Yin and Yang", "Feng Shui".At first, I wondered if such an expensive commercial location and such "fortune-telling companies" could survive?Later, I really wanted to figure it out, so I was tempted to ask some master to calculate my birth year. One Sunday, I asked my husband (I came to Hong Kong to work for many years) to accompany me, and I came across a "Zenxuan" in Wanchai. Fate House".Why do I have to be accompanied by my husband when I do this?Still think it is to "touch"?My heart is not magnanimous, as if this trip is always not very bright.As a result, I knocked on the door of this fortune-telling company, which was actually located in an ordinary residential building. The master was not there, and a gentleman who looked after the house said, "I'm sorry, isn't today Sunday? The master doesn't go to work. However, the master is on duty." , If you want to tell your fortune, you have to make an appointment in advance." After speaking, he gave me his home phone number.

I didn’t meet the master when I went to "fortune telling", but I also got a lot of information: "no work on weekdays", "make an appointment in advance"... Basically, it can be judged that the Feng Shui business in Hong Kong seems to have a small market, and the masters spend a lot of money. If you can afford expensive rent and don't work on Sundays, your business must be good.But before I left, I still kept my mind on it: "Since you are here, don't waste your time, just ask the price first?" So I asked devoutly: "If I ask the master to give me a fortune, how much will it cost? "The housekeeper" was very patient, and said: "It depends on what you are?" You have to listen to the master."Afterwards, it was really unreasonable for me to stay at the door of someone else's house. I took my husband's hand and hurried away. I was already terrified in my heart-"Generally, it costs four or five hundred? Then we need to add some more items? For example, what special project?" I really dare not think about it, and I will never have the courage to visit the door again in the future.

There are some things in Hong Kong that sometimes the more you think about it, the more unbelievable it becomes. It is often said that "the parties are in the dark, but the bystanders are clear", but I often use this sentence in reverse in Hong Kong—— On September 12, 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland opened. Vice President Zeng Qinghong came to preside over the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Several other "Disney" theme parks around the world also sent goodwill ambassadors to congratulate.The ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. in the plaza vestibule of Disney's Sleeping Princess Castle.However, the Hong Kong Observatory forecast that there will be rain on September 12th, and it will be showers. Of course, the Hong Kong government and Disneyland do not like the unfriendly nature of God. If it really rains on that day, the open-air ceremony will not be satisfactory. Some reporters are also worried , Ask in advance if Disneyland will change the opening time of the park?However, a person in charge of the affairs and sales department of Disneyland told the reporter confidently: Don't worry, because they have consulted the Feng Shui master, and the master said, "There will be no rain on September 12, and there will be no problem with the opening ceremony." .In order to prove that his belief has a logical basis, this gentleman also contributed some evidence: In the past, the "earth ceremony" (that is, the ground breaking ceremony) and the topping ceremony of the castle were held in our paradise, and they were all found by this master, and let the master choose " Good day", the results are all "accurate".So we respect and trust this Feng Shui master very much.

I know that this matter is not hearsay, but an announcement downloaded from a fax machine in earnest. This channel is the main source for our reporter station to obtain interview information in Hong Kong every day.For the fax that day, the sender relayed an article in "Ming Pao" on September 11, "Disney pays 20,000 yuan to buy observatory service".The assistant director of the Hong Kong Observatory revealed to the media in the article: Disneyland has indeed spent more than 20,000 yuan in special service fees to purchase the weather service from the Hong Kong Observatory from September 4th to 13th. Check weather conditions at any time, including rainfall and wind.

I received this fax on the night of the 11th, full of strangeness.What is the mentality of Hong Kong people?On the one hand, spend money to buy scientific information, on the other hand, do you believe in Feng Shui masters the most?Otherwise, how dare you boast to the media, and didn't change the opening date of the park—— "Science" and "Feng Shui" are about to start a war, and in the end, "who will win"? In this matter, does "science" have the final say, or is the "feng shui master" more powerful? To be honest, I really felt like "watching a show" at the time. No matter whether the "big show" was going to be staged tomorrow, I didn't pay for the tickets anyway. Of course, at the same time, I I was also quite uneasy, because on the 12th, I was also going to the scene, and I wanted to do a live TV broadcast for my family (CCTV-4 noon news). Have to become a drowned rat?

Early in the morning on the 12th, the alarm clock sounded deafening at 6 o'clock. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I instinctively went to draw the curtains to see what kind of face God was.As a result, there was not even a single black cloud in the sky in Hong Kong at that time, and the sun was working hard, and it was clear that it would come out soon.According to the requirement, we had to arrive at Disneyland before 9:00 a.m. and set off. Later, while sitting in the car, I discussed with my colleagues: "Don't worry about the fact that it didn't rain this morning, but no one can say for sure about the weather in Hong Kong. Sometimes the sky may be clear, and then there may be heavy rain, and it will never end.” But later facts proved that my worries, and even the bad intentions of “going to the movies for free” at the beginning were completely shattered——12 This morning, including the whole afternoon, God has been smiling overly enthusiastic about Hong Kong. Not only did it not rain, but the sun was shining brightly, with a daily temperature of 31 degrees and a humidity of 70%. Such a good weather even in early autumn in Hong Kong Very rare.

I'm convinced, how could things be so strange?A feng shui master and an observatory just compete like that, each saying their own words, each with its own basis? Could it be that the "Feng Shui master" had really connected with some gods or cast some magic, why is his old man's judgment just one word - "accurate"? ! On September 12, 2005, the fifth Disney theme park in the world opened grandly in Hong Kong. The opening ceremony was held as scheduled and was a great success!In order to prevent accidents, the organizers prepared an umbrella for every guest in advance. The red one was placed on the big white plastic seats in the open-air venue, but no one had the opportunity to use it that day. Came to cover the rain, but only covered the sun after the meeting.We media people, everyone who participates in the on-site reporting can also receive an umbrella with their press card. I also received one, and I still "provide" it at home.In the future, every time when Hong Kong encounters ups and downs, I can't bear to "ask" out this umbrella. I always feel that it is not an ordinary red umbrella, but a commemoration, a symbol, and what it symbolizes—respect Had science, laughed at science; reminded me, but also seemed to "play" me...