The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) building in Hong Kong was finished being constructed in the year 1998, which was the year of the tiger. The building has a total of 73 stories and is 1,209 feet (or 369 meters) tall. It is one of the skyscrapers on the skyline that is most easily recognizable and also happens to be the highest building in Hong Kong.
The structure, which is one of the structures with the highest ratings for energy efficiency in the world, was designed by Norman Foster. The structure relies on the prevailing winds outside to provide ventilation and has a double-skin facade. In addition to that, there is a system for collecting rainwater that also recycles used water for use inside the building.
The structure may be found in Hong Kong's Central business district, specifically in close proximity to the Bank of China skyscraper. There are a total of 70 floors within the Bank of China building, which has a height of 1,005 feet (306 meters). It was finished in 1990 and Norman Foster was the architect for that structure as well.
After the construction of the HSBC building was finished, it was determined that the Bank of China building had unfavorable feng shui. The ancient Chinese practice of feng shui is an art that focuses on placement and design. It is predicated on the notion that the positioning of things like buildings and items can have an effect on the flow of energy, also known as chi, in the surrounding environment.
The HSBC building was constructed to be in line with the concepts of feng shui, but the Bank of China building was not planned to be in alignment with these principles.Chi was flowing away from the Bank of China building, which had poor feng shui, and toward the HSBC building, which had better feng shui. This was the root of the unlucky situation that the HSBC building found itself in.
On the roof of the HSBC building are two cannons that have been mounted there as a defense against this. Every day at noon, the cannons are fired in the direction of the Bank of China building when they are pointing. It is thought that the boom and smoke from the cannons will drive away the negative chi and protect the HSBC building from experiencing any misfortune.
The cannons are a well-known destination for tourists and have evolved into a signature feature of the HSBC skyscraper. They serve as a gentle reminder of the significance of feng shui in the culture of the Chinese people.