Ip's Mission: Elevating Feng Shui

That is Ip's hope and mission: to take Feng Shui to its next level. Although it is inevitable, it will take time – but he hopes he can make a beginning. One starting point is to counter the sense of passiveness engrained in history and the unexamined acceptance that Feng Shui works its magic independently of the person it is supposed to work on.

"The thought that if only I bury my father correctly – and that's all I ever have to do in my life – good fortune will come to me automatically; that way of thinking is harmful and hinders the positive development of Feng Shui; more than that, it supports those who misuse it for their financial benefit." Ip is waiting for the return of traditional teachings in a positive way and hopes to see unified Feng Shui education in the future.

Science Meets Tradition

Until then, Feng Shui masters will not dispute each other professionally, although academic debates are encouraged. Until then, too, Feng Shui will not come under scientific scrutiny because there simply is no scientific way to measure Qi. "Maybe someday, there will be a machine that actually measures Qi," he laughs, "but until I can get my hands on that machine, I will use the equipment that I have available today to conduct my measurements."

Master Feng Ip doesn't only carry the Luo Pan when seeing clients; he uses satellite images to determine a location's geographic position (macroscopic Feng Shui) and laser technology to measure the micro Feng Shui inside homes or offices. "I'm basically doing the same as the ancient masters when they observed their natural surroundings on a large and small scale; I'm just speeding up the process and – combined with the Luo Pan and the '9 Stars' chart – making my readings more accurate."

This makes him a bit of an amateur scientist who explains Qi as tangible and intangible energies on the electromagnetic spectrum, but also a better Feng Shui master. "I'm still traditional in that I walk into a place, conduct my readings and advise my client accordingly – like changing furniture or adding certain items," Master Feng Ip says. "But unlike conventional Feng Shui, just like a good doctor who can explain why this or that medicine is needed, I can explain the basis for my recommendations."

Ultimately, however, Feng Shui and his work always retain a mysterious side. "And that is okay," he says, "after all, the main thing is that it works."