Interview with New York’s world famous Feng Shui Master Pun-Yin
Posted by Wei Min Tan on August 4, 2021
Master Pun-Yin has been an iconic figure in Feng Shui in New York City and globally since the creation of the large Unisphere at Columbus Circle. This was where the Trump International Hotel & Tower was built in the 1990s. The Unisphere adapted many of Master Pun-Yin’s Feng Shui suggestions. This landmark to the south of the hotel was built to reflect away busy and negative energy from the 8th Avenue and 59th Street traffic.
Master Pun-Yin was also the Feng Shui consultant in the revitalization project of Times Square and the development of the Time Warner Center’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
For over three decades, Master Pun-Yin’s Feng Shui advisory services have been highly sought after by New York City’s real estate developers, businesses and homeowners. The interview below is a brief introduction to the art of Feng Shui by Master Pun-Yin.
What is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui originated from Chinese culture over 5,000 years ago with documented texts and cases validating that the theories of Yin & Yang as well as the Five Elements’ compositions exist in an environment and in each individual. The theories behind Feng Shui are timeless and universal in helping achieve harmony, balance and wellness.
In our overly stressed environment, customized Feng Shui solutions is needed to attain calmness, clarity and to make better plans. In an authentic experience, the Feng Shui Compass (Luo-Pan) and the Five Elements (Chinese Astrology) cycles are utilized in order to create the best customized solution.
Master Pun-Yin
Feng Shui is a key element in real estate in East Asia. When did Feng Shui start getting popular in New York real estate?
Feng Shui captured global attention in the West in the 1990s because it was implemented in the urban transformation projects of Times Square and Columbus Circle. These were Feng Shui projects that Mayor Giuliani and the Trump Organization commissioned my mentor (father) Master Tin Sun and myself to do over several years.
Later on, Mayor Bloomberg and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel also requested the same formula in the grand opening of the Time Warner Center.
These high profile projects in prime Manhattan locations elevated Feng Shui’s role in the West.
The Guardian: Meet Donald Trump’s Feng Shui master
There are different styles of Feng Shui, can you describe your style?
The authentic form of Feng Shui based on documented and validated theories dealing with Chi (energy) of the space and each individual from the Five Elements Astrology Profile is a very intricate study. Prior to being given permission to practice independently by my Feng Shui mentor, I studied for 15 years by reading ancient Chinese texts and doing countless field trainings.
Since my father has been one of the most renowned figures in Feng Shui since the 1980s, he imposed a very high bar for me. I had to deliver results for each client in order to preserve his reputation and karma. Such training is rare today. This explains why practitioners come and go in large volume every year.
What do you mean by customizing Feng Shui to fit an individual?
Feng Shui is most effective when each case is treated individually with customized solutions because the needs of a real estate project, workplace or a family vary substantially. While the objective is always to achieve balance, harmony and prosperity, the earth energy, solar energy, structural layout and individual temperament differ in each case
Books and classes that focus on selling products fail to attract educated consumers or high end clients. These clients understand that authentic Feng Shui is deeper than just hanging mirrors, wind chimes or decluttering.
What are some basic elements of Feng Shui that people should keep in mind when buying real estate?
Be critical in choosing the energy created by the floorpan, relationship to sunlight and views. This while not being distracted by superficial beautiful design features. The position of the main door, composition of the foyer, the layout to a kitchen, the position of a master bedroom or the executive offices all could affect the health and financial wellbeing of the occupants. A serious consultation also deals with lighting, colors and textures.
What are examples of Feng Shui designs you have implemented with notable projects in New York City?
The Columbus Circle revitalization project through the Trump International Hotel & Tower in the mid 1990s that redefined the Trump brand. Through Feng Shui and the Feng Shui Blessing Ceremonies conducted there, the large globe became the landmark that people who are curious about Feng Shui keep coming to see.
Customized solutions and Feng Shui Blessing ceremonies had the intention of creating maximum power and wealth for the Trump brand besides neutralizing the negative forces from the constant traffic of 8th Ave and 59th Street. The success of this project captured the imagination of the people because it helped people visualize how overactive traffic patterns, that was considered negative energy, could be neutralized through an object that represented the earth that revolves constantly, therefore, redirecting aggressive forces away.
For a real estate project to gain a competitive edge, a design element that matched the “International” attached to the name was the perfect match in marketing and in the metaphysical sense. This legendary collaboration, example of East meets West, harmoniously proved that there could be win-win for all if people could have an open-mind.
Manhattan real estate agent Weimin Tan
What We Do
We focus on global investors buying Manhattan condos for portfolio diversification and long term return-on-investment.1) Identify the right buy based on objectives
2) Manage the buy process
3) Rent out the property
4) Manage tenants
5) Market the property at the eventual sale
Deal example: Our investor client’s apartment in Tribeca with triple exposures and views of a lot of trees. Investing in a Manhattan apartment to rent out is a prudent strategy for many global investors.
Deal example: Investor client’s new development condo, booked at pre-construction stage, waited two years for completion and then rented immediately after closing. How to buy new launch property in Manhattan, New York.
Article updated August 4, 2021
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