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 the country’s 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 the traditional teachings in a positive way and hopes to see a unified teaching in the future. Until then however, Feng Shui masters will not dispute each other professionally, although academic debates are encouraged. Until then, too, Feng Shui will not come under scrutiny by science because there simply is no scientific way to measure the 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.” Ip does not only carry the Luo Pan with him when he sees a client; he uses satellite images to determine the geographic position of a place, the macroscopic Feng Shui, and laser technology to determine the measurements inside a home or office on the level of microscopic Feng Shui. “I am basically doing the same as the ancient masters when they observed their natural surroundings on a large and small scale; I am just speeding up the process and in turn making my readings – combined with the Luo Pan and the “9 Stars” chart – more accurate.” It does make him a bit of an amateur scientist who explains Qi as nothing more than the 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, as changing around furniture or adding certain items”, Ip says, “but as opposed to conventional Feng Shui, just like a good doctor who should be able to explain why this or that medicine is needed, I can explain my statements.” What it comes down to, however, is that there always remains a mysterious side to Feng Shui and his work, “And that is okay”, he says, “after all, the main thing is that it works”.