According to Professor Yu Kongjian, the reason for these differences is the Han Chinese originated and developed in the Guanzhong Basin in northwest China's Shaanxi Province when Chinese culture was in its formative stages. The image of a basin was deeply rooted in the ancient Chinese mind. Westerners, on the other hand were likely influenced by mountainous Greek landforms.

It isn't unusual for architects to encounter Fengshui issues when working in China. The most classic example is the so-called "Fengshui incident" famous architect Bei Yuming met when he designed the Hong Kong Bank of China Tower in the 1980s.

After Bei drew the blueprints for the 351-meter tall, 70-story structure, officials at the Bank of China expressed some concerns. It seems the side of the building had many large X-shaped steel frames. The X-shape is a symbol of bad luck in Chinese culture as it is used to mark the names of criminals who are to be executed.

Bei delicately hid the X-shaped steel frames. The outer parts were changed to a shape more like a swastika, a symbol that, although it gained a bad reputation in WWII, has auspicious meanings in Buddhism.

Bei had vividly described the building as looking like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, but when it was finished it caused quite a debate. Fengshui masters said that the sharp-angled building is more like a sword with many blades. The people in the buildings opposite these blades may have felt very uneasy.

This story may sound superstitious from a scientific perspective, but Fengshui theory is not just superstition when looked at from a cultural and aesthetic angle. Scientifically the X-shaped steel frame is rational and solid. The X-shape may also look beautiful from a general artistic view, but this view doesn't take into account the cultural and symbolic meanings it may carry for the culture in which it is built. It could be said that Fengshui balances and amends science from a cultural angle.

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