Hong Kong feng shui master Ton Chan has lost what the court called a “thoroughly dishonest” appeal for the fortune of late tycoon Nina Wang.

The modern pursuit of money in this territory of gleaming office towers and rural villages has long co-existed amicably with the embrace of ancient beliefs. Even a major brokerage firm issues an annual financial forecast based, albeit lightheartedly, on the Chinese horoscope.

But recent events have fueled fears that greed may be debasing the practice of feng shui, the Chinese system of geomancy by which the auspicious positioning of objects is believed to ensure harmony, health and fortune.

A court in Hong Kong has thrown out a feng shui master’s claim to the multi-billion dollar estate of Asia’s richest woman, Nina Wang.

Tony Chan, who said he was Nina Wang’s lover, had argued she left him her fortune/a> in a 2006 will.

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese knowledge of geomancy, with a basic premise that one’s environment profoundly influences life. It was banned as a superstition after the Communist Party took power in 1949 and is still questioned by many.

The sole beneficiary of Hong Kong tycoon Nina Wang’s multi-billion-dollar fortune is a low-key businessman and feng shui enthusiast, a lawyer said on Friday, playing down the likelihood of a court battle with her family.

People who practice the ancient Chinese art of feng shui are known to be picky about the placement of doors and windows in their homes, but the numbers on their mail boxes?

When Disney began designing its newest kingdom in Hong Kong, planners decided Mickey's magic wasn't enough for success. The park needed an extra boost from "feng shui." The ancient Chinese practice involves ensuring that there is a good flow of energy, or "qi" (pronounced CHEE). Buildings and other structures need to face a certain direction depending on their surroundings. Elements such as wood, fire and earth have to be carefully balanced.

The prolonged economic downturn in Hong Kong has prompted some of the jobless to turn to the ancient Chinese art of fortune-telling, writes Margaret Wong.

HONG KONG/BANGKOK – Asia's feng shui masters are thanking their lucky numbers as the ancient Chinese practice gains in popularity and the region's property markets are on the upturn.

Feng shui: It's an ancient Chinese tradition, it's a New Age lifestyle -- and now it's a trademark.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A California lawmaker thinks buildings in the state should be more light and airy to allow for positive energy flow -- and maybe have more mirrors.

September 14, 2003 -- As volatile economic times mess up corporate balance sheets, some companies have taken to using the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui to at least rebalance their energy and workplaces.

Homes, rules out of sync