The Merlion: where a Fengshui Compass Doesn’t Work

It may be a world-famous icon, but the Merlion’s Feng Shui orientation is a mystery that no one can decode. If only it could tell us why…

A long, long time ago, a seafaring prince named Sang Nila Utama encountered a small fishing village after days of braving stormy weather. The first thing he saw upon setting foot on this safe haven was a majestic-looking lion, and thus the name “Singapura” or “Lion City” came to be.

Apart from trade, fishing was essential for the survival of this island’s inhabitants. Hence, when the government was thinking of designating a mascot for Singapore, the lion and the fish became prime candidates. Merge them together, and we have today’s Merlion! It is a magnificent icon that tourists from all over the world come to see; indeed, it has fronted Singapore’s tourism industry for decades.

Just about everyone knows that the Merlion spouts water from its mouth, and some even claim that being splashed by its spray of water will bring good fortune. Sounds like superstition? Well, according to feng shui, this is true – the Singapore River is one of our main water streams, and the Merlion sits at Singapore’s qi “vent”. Moving water represents prosperity, so the Merlion’s water spout generates a constant flow of good fortune for the country.

Following the reclamation of land at Marina Bay, the Merlion’s location at the original mouth of the Singapore River shallowed, causing the river to become a “dragon swimming in shallow waters”. The completed Esplanade Bridge also obstructed the view of the Merlion from the Marina Bay waterfront and blocked the qi “vent”. Hence, in 2002, the Merlion was relocated to its current spot at Merlion Park.

Believe it or not, the Merlion has quite the character! Grand Master Tan Khoon Yong also participated in planning for the Merlion’s relocation, and he shared that on the day of relocation, the normally calm Singapore River suddenly became turbulent. If the Merlion were to be transported by barge as originally planned, its head would most certainly hit the Esplanade Bridge. Perhaps this was a sign that the Merlion refused to suffer the indignity of going under the bridge?

Because of this, there was no choice but to transport the Merlion “by air”. Using two large cranes, the Merlion was hoisted across the bridge and back onto the barge to be placed at its new home. The accompanying Merlion cub also accompanied the Merlion statue to its new location.

With a new, unobstructed vista before it, the Merlion has even greater vision and Singapore’s future is brighter than ever. Grand Master Tan Khoon Yong also specially advised the addition of a “fence” that would protect the Merlion as well as allow tourists to take photos of it.

Unfortunately, in February 2009, the Merlion was struck by lightning and its head was damaged. This, and the repeated breakdowns of the Singapore Flyer, could be due to the commencement of the operation of Marina Barrage in November 2008: the barrage blocks Singapore’s “Twin dragons going to sea” formation (Singapore River and Kallang River).

Apart from being Singapore’s mascot, the Merlion is also Singapore’s protector, constantly watching over our island nation. From certain angles, the Merlion’s gaze even resembles that of our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Fengshui places great emphasis on “facing” or orientation, and hence the Merlion’s orientation cannot be neglected. However, no matter how you go about it, the Merlion’s orientation cannot be conclusively determined. After all, analysing an entire country’s fengshui is a formidable task. If you’d like to put this claim to the test, take a compass down to the Merlion and see for yourself!

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