The influx of residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, where Feng Shui is
legal and commonly used, has contributed to its popularity, says Zhang Zhizhe,
chairman of the Shanghai Yi Jing Institute.
"My company is small, but we have long-term clients and have already made a
lot of money," says Li Xiuxia, manager of another Shanghai-based consultancy,
adding it planned to advertise to attract more customers.
The Yi Jing Institute is trying to list Feng Shui as a world intangible
cultural heritage, but as long as it remains illegal, this could prove to be
difficult.
"Feng Shui guides usually start out as consultancy companies, otherwise the
administrations of industry and commerce would prohibit them from operating as
the public practice of Feng Shui is illegal," says Zhang.
Professor Yu Wujin, of Fudan University philosophy department, says, "They
change the name from 'Feng Shui' to 'consultant' to avoid being considered
'superstitious' by the public, but it also suggests a wider and more modern
definition of 'Feng Shui'."
Yu believes the consultants are exploiting modern anxieties in a competitive
society. "In a market economy, people wish to lower the risk of failure and
danger in their lives and work and turn to the Feng Shui masters for help."
The practice of Feng Shui was made illegal after the founding of the People's
Republic of China in 1949 as the new government determined to eliminate the
"four olds", namely the old ideas, old culture, old customs and old habits.
The Shanghai Administration of Industry and Commerce could give no numbers or
identities of consultant companies involved in Feng Shui practice, but said
their businesses were legal in terms of the registration procedure.
Feng Shui is a part of China's traditional culture, which has never really
died out, says Zhang Zhizhe. "Feng Shui guides solve modern problems in a
traditional way."
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