A crystal Buddha sculpture accompanied by two
quartz dragons is on sale for an eye-watering S$3.2 million (US$2.6 million) -
a sign of the burgeoning popularity of fengshui artefacts.
There
are no buyers yet for the 60cm ornament, sold by the Lotus on Water gallery in
Sin Ming Plaza, but Chinese geomancy artefacts are selling well here - and
coming with hefty price tags.
It is the most expensive item carried by the
five galleries owned by the firm, which claims each sells between S$300,000 and
S$1 million worth of artefacts a month. Their prices are upwards of a few
thousand dollars.
Lotus
on Water made the headlines last month when it took a businessman to court for
refusing to pay up for a Goddess of Mercy statue, which was priced at over
S$576,000.
Fengshui, or the oriental belief in the
"energy" of the environment and the harmony between humans and their surroundings,
typically involves consultations with masters in the discipline.
Some, such as the Way OnNet Group, offer both
consultancy services and fengshui items. The group once sold a "blessed
stone" for S$68,000 to a Singaporean corporate client who wanted to
improve his business.
The firm said its artefacts range in price
from S$18 to S$88,000 and are blessed by in-house geomancer Tan Khoon Yong.
Business is brisk, it added, with about 20 to
30 items sold each day - netting about S$50,000 a month. During the peak period
around Chinese New Year, each day could see more than 100 pieces sold.
Geomancers who spoke to The Straits Times
said they sometimes recommend items to clients that can "improve their
luck or fortune". These include amulets, minerals, crystals and figurines,
which can be placed at home or in the office.
Master Kelly Wong from Dai Tian Ge Geomancy
said: "Most regular customers and new customers alike typically come for a
consultation before purchasing recommended items afterwards."
At Way OnNet, the best-selling item is the
S$308 "Flying Star Emblem", a set of numbered cubes made of coloured
glaze which is said to be able to enhance the buyer's fortune. About 800 to
1,000 pieces have been sold in the last two years, the firm said.
Buyers said the potential benefits offered by
fengshui items outweigh their cost.
"We want to improve the luck and health
of the family," said Shanice Yong, 38, who was advised by a geomancer to
buy a moving water feature for her balcony.
"It gives us peace of mind."
But Madam Ng Siew Hua, whose shop in Fu Lu
Shou Complex sells fengshui items, said she never tells her customers that
certain products will bring them wealth or prosperity.
"To me, these items are pieces of
art," she said. "I price them based on their inherent material
value."
Even some geomancers themselves do not
believe in selling such items to their customers.
Master Hoe Peng Koon of Ji Yang Professional
Geomancy Services said: "A house should be clean and uncluttered. The accessories
have minimal effect if the layout is not correct.
"The location and environment have more
fengshui impact than minor accessory items."
Master Ang Tian Cheong, who has been a
geomancer at People's Park Complex for 21 years, also baulks at the idea of
selling fengshui artefacts.
"In my 22 years of practice, I have
never asked my clients to buy anything," he said. "Fengshui is
fundamentally about positioning and environment, not about items.
"Selling items is something people come
up with, a kind of business idea, to earn money," he added.
(by Eugene Chua And Cheng Jingjie The Straits Times Publication Date : 01-04-2013)
