Transcript of Interview
Ms Jyna Goh, Senior Marcom Executive of Marketing & Media

How did the masters of WayonNet get interested in this area of study?

Master Tan's ancestors can be dated back to the Ming Dynasty where they had predicted flood, droughts, and other natural disasters, so it is more like something passed down from one generation to another, a family profession.

Who are your usual customers?

As WayonNet is a commercial company, we have a great variety of customers, ranging from businessmen, parents, students, to even high-ranking government officials.

Can you describe a few of your more interesting encounters with people seeking your services?

Well, one of our most famous piece of work was the shifting of the Merlion statue (in Singapore). Master Tan himself directed the shifting works to bring about a better Feng Shui to the area around it.

Another incident is of a middle-aged man. He was crying quite terribly in front of our office, begging us to give him a name which bears good fortune for his new-born son. Apparently, he had three other sons all whom had died a month after birth. After attaining the name our Feng Shui master has chosen for him, we have not received any news about him.

What are your views on the age groups of people seeking the Feng Shui services of your company?

The older generation is more interested in instant wealth, having the mindset that by consulting a Feng Shui master, they will be able to change their luck for the better and attain good fortune.

The modern adults, on the other hand, are more attracted to having us help them with the interior and exterior designs of their homes, companies and other places. So you can say that the modern adults seek Feng Shui advice more for a peace of mind than anything else.

How does Feng Shui actually work?

Feng Shui is a belief that works psychologically on people's minds. You must believe in it for it to work.

Are you saying that Feng Shui is, in fact, a superstition that people hold on to?

No. For example, the previous Paragon (located in Singapore) was like a dead city – there were lots of branded items and nice decorations, but hardly anyone ever visited it.

However, after seeking our advice, the Paragon underwent a change in location, and now, it is visited daily by countless of visitors!

If it's just a superstition, why did it work? How did a dead city turn into a blooming place and why?

One note that you guys have to take in mind is that there are black sheep in the market – that is to say, there are people who take advantage of such beliefs and turn them into opportunities for them to make easy money. Unknown masters may crop out of nowhere and use the name of Feng Shui to sell products instead of services. There are also several misinterpretations and misconceptions on Feng Shui, making the job of the conmen easy. Thus, the opinions of Feng Shui in recent years may not seem as favourable as before.

I have heard that Feng Shui or rather geomancy as they call it in universities is part of a science topic. Is it true?

Yes, geomancy is classified as meta-physical science in many institutions these days.

Would you think that Feng Shui and the related beliefs will fade away in today's modern society?

Hmmm, not really. Feng Shui has been blooming in recent years. Just take a look at this company. Should these beliefs fade away, why are we still having so many customers? Since the first generation till now, our customers refer our services to others, so we haven't been complaining about a lack of customers in a long, long time.

Also, we are recognized by the government for our services, and that helps spread word around about us.

Another point to note is that even in countries such as Africa and Europe, the practice of geomancy is picking up. Westernization in countries does not seem to have much impact on Feng Shui.

From your experience in this field, what do you think of the teenagers' mindset towards Feng Shui?

Well, there are actually quite a number of students and teens coming daily to us, seeking advice to areas of concern like their studies, about the stream they are in, whether they should study overseas or remain here, so you can say that the teenagers are not really that aloof or indifferent towards Feng Shui.

In fact, from my observation, there seems to be more English-speaking youngsters coming to us than Chinese-speaking ones, whereas the opposite occurs for the senior citizens.

How is Feng Shui taught to the future generation, and kept alive in today's society?

We have already set up institutions that teach students how to read the 8 characters of a person and other stuff such as Zi Wei astronomy.

We focus on teaching them how to predict things and see the mystery behind Feng Shui and the likes of it.