‘BAD YEAR FOR TRUMP’

Fire element in his birth chart will affect health, speech may cause problems, says feng shui master

AS the Chinese zodiac switches into the Year of the Dog this week, Hong Kong feng shui experts predict anything but a walk in the park for global leaders.

Born in 1946, a dog year, United States President Donald Trump faces bad luck, according to soothsayers, as his zodiac clashes with 2018’s canine theme.

Feng shui is influential in many parts of Asia, where people adjust their lives and carefully position items, such as a cup of wine or crystals in offices and homes, to maximise luck and wealth.

The philosophy says all events are dictated by balances in the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

Trump’s birth date makes him a “fire dog”, but 2018 is an “earth dog”, a mismatch of elements.

The fire in Trump’s birth chart would foment and affect his health, said feng shui master Thierry Chow, while his words — the fire element also represents speech — might bring “real problems” and tangible consequences.

“The elements are too much fire and too much earth, so that’s going to be causing him imbalance in his fortune,” she said.

Chow uses the “flying star” system to make her predictions based on constellation positions, foreseeing more tensions between the US and North Korea, which was afflicted by the most malevolent number five star.

She warned of the risk of crossed wires between Trump and China on the thorny issues of trade and the economy.

“The seventh star is falling onto the east side. The star affects communication, it causes gossip and misunderstanding.”

Away from politics, Chow predicted a happy wedding for Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who will wed in May.

Earth represents royalty in the Chinese calendar and, combined with the image of a candle associated with May in the traditional almanac, the elements are aligned for a day of celebration.

“I think it will be very smooth. It will bring very good things to the country and good energy to the world,” Chow said of the marriage.

AFP PIC 1. A man riding a motorcycle as his pillion rider holds a peach blossom plant in Hanoi, Vietnam, yesterday. 1

EPA PIC 2. People dressed as Chinese gods performing a dance to mark the start of the Lunar New Year at the Siam Tai Tien Kong shrine in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, on Tuesday. 2

AFP PIC 4. Thousands of passengers waiting to board trains at the Hangzhou East Railway Station in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, on Tuesday. 4

EPA PIC 3. A farmers’ art troupe performing a festive dance at Gangneung Station in Gangneung, a sub-host city of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, in South Korea yesterday. The Lunar New Year is known as ‘Seol’ in Korean. 3

AFP PIC A feng shui master predicts a happy wedding for Britain’s Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle.