Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong's wealthiest individual, has been an entrepreneur for over 60 years. Despite facing multiple economic crises, he has never experienced a year of loss. Since being named the wealthiest Chinese person globally by Forbes in 1999, Li has maintained this title for 15 years, regardless of the ever-changing economic landscape.
“Wind and water exist everywhere in the world!” Indeed, Feng Shui, which translates to "wind and water," is omnipresent. Whether one believes in it or not, its influence is undeniable. Many attribute Li Ka-shing's success not only to his hard work and diligence but also to the excellent Feng Shui of his office. Is that true? In fact, Li Ka-shing places great importance on the Feng Shui of his office. He is meticulous about the arrangement of his office environment and furniture, which might be one of the key factors contributing to his success. Let’s take a closer look at the secrets of Li Ka-shing's office, which are seldom revealed to the public.
Li Ka-shing's office is located on the 70th floor of the Cheung Kong Center, situated in the bustling area of Central, Hong Kong. The Cheung Kong Center, completed in 1999, is adjacent to the Bank of China Tower and the HSBC Building. Prestigious tenants such as Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg, and Barclays Capital also have offices in this building.
The office is on the top floor, accessible only by an elevator that requires a special key card, offering a panoramic view of both sides of Victoria Harbour.
Li Ka-shing’s office is sparsely decorated, with an exceptionally clean desk devoid of even a single sheet of paper, reflecting his philosophy of “finishing today’s tasks today.”
Many people believe that the Feng Shui of Li Ka-shing's office is exceptionally favorable, which is why his business continues to thrive.
The office itself is not very large, about 20 square meters. Facing the sea is a long cabinet desk adorned with auspicious items representing the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—along with three telephones and a fax machine.
To the left of the executive chair is a computer used to monitor the stock market. The desk is clean, with a white phone on the left side for issuing confidential commands.
The office has floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, with a solid wall on the fourth side, symbolizing stability in Hong Kong and a global vision.
The floor-to-ceiling windows extend to the ceiling, signifying the highest level of success.
The Feng Shui arrangements in Li Ka-shing's office are comprehensive, encompassing all five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. These include meteorites, crystals, a golden rocket decoration, black and white telephones, crystal decorations, dragon statues, and water plants.
Interestingly, the Feng Shui in Li Ka-shing's office goes beyond just the physical space. His black-framed glasses have remained unchanged since Cheung Kong Holdings went public in 1972, and his watch has always been the same. This is because, according to his birth chart, earth is his unfavorable element, wood is his beneficial element, and water is his favorable element. His immense wealth is closely related to the four earth elements in his chart, with his favorable element being his wealth. Additionally, his luck has always followed the cycles of water and wood.
If one of the earth elements were missing from his chart, his wealth would be reduced by about 100 times.
In his office, a Bloomberg terminal displays real-time stock prices of his company. When facing the sea, this computer is on the right side of the chair, in the White Tiger position, and if the chair is turned, it becomes the Green Dragon position—symbolizing the balance of power.
On his desk, there are two small glass plaques with personal inscriptions. One reads: “It is better to avoid one disgrace than to seek a hundred honors; it is better to resolve one grievance than to seek the favor of a thousand people.”
The other reads: “Spring has flowers, autumn has the moon, summer has cool winds, winter has snow; if there is nothing on your mind, every season is a good season.”
Behind the executive desk, along the wall, is a sofa and guest chairs.
The most striking feature in Li Ka-shing's office is a piece of calligraphy by Zuo Zongtang, a Confucian general of the Qing Dynasty. The poem, written in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, reads: “Make high aspirations, form moderate relationships, and enjoy simple blessings; stand in high places, live in plain places, and act in broad places.”
These 24 characters embody profound life wisdom, and Li Ka-shing regards them as his personal creed.
Li Ka-shing once said, “I am not omnipotent; I cannot predict political changes, nor can I influence politics. I can only use my wisdom to do what is beneficial for my shareholders.”
He also prefers to have his photo taken with the sea as a backdrop, symbolizing an endless and abundant source of wealth.