Wu Qu and Tian Xiang: the Financier and the Chancellor

Wu Qu: transforms into Wealth

The *Quan Shu* calls Wu Qu "the sixth star of the Northern Dipper" and "lord of the Wealth Palace", and says that "in the heavens it governs longevity; in the chart it governs wealth". Its Hua Qi is Wealth; in plain terms, it values results and practicality, and things only count once they're real. The *Quan Shu* describes Wu Qu people as "firm and decisive by nature, quick to joy and to anger", so practitioners tend to read people with Wu Qu in the Life Palace as decisive, straightforward and good at getting things done. They're not great at saying nice things or expressing feelings, but whatever they can do, they do.

Wu Qu's brightness is very steady: Miao in Chen, Xu, Chou and Wei; Wang in Zi and Wu; Ping in Si and Hai. Volume three states plainly that it has "no fall". The ancients called Chen, Xu, Chou and Wei the "four tombs", places of storage, and a wealth star is best kept in the vault.

There's an often-quoted line in the classics:

Wu Qu guarding Life brings no small fortune; with Tan Lang, it does not flourish in youth.

It's preceded by the line "meeting Tan Lang, youth is unfavorable", so it's about Wu Qu meeting Tan Lang: Wu Qu in the Life Palace carries no small fortune, but when it shares a palace with Tan Lang or meets it, success often doesn't come young. Wu Qu and Tan Lang share a palace in Chou and Wei, right in the tomb cells, and the "Gu Sui Fu" says "Tan Lang and Wu Qu living in the tomb, fortune only blooms at thirty". For a young person, in plain terms: this combination's rhythm gets steadier the longer you work at it. Not being able to save in your twenties doesn't mean you never will.

Tian Xiang: transforms into the Seal

Tian Xiang is "the star of the Southern Dipper that governs rank", and its Hua Qi is the Seal. The Seal was the official seal of old China; stamping it meant giving an endorsement. People with Tian Xiang in the Life Palace often come across as fair, dependable and image-conscious, the best in the group at mediating and smoothing things over. The *Quan Shu* says it "seeing others in difficulty, feels compassion; seeing others wronged, feels indignant", and that it "assists the light of Sun and Moon, and tempers the harshness of Lian Zhen": it can help others shine, and can calm intense energies down.

Tian Xiang's brightness is mostly good; it's only at Xian in Mao and You.

Tian Xiang and its flanking palaces

Later practitioners pay special attention to the two cells on either side of Tian Xiang, its flanking palaces. By the rules for placing the stars, Tian Xiang is always flanked by Ju Men and Tian Liang, so how it fares often depends on Ju Men's cell:

• With Ju Men taking Hua Lu and Tian Liang (Shelter) on the other side, later practitioners call it "wealth and shelter flanking the Seal": your surroundings support you.
• With Ju Men taking Hua Ji and Qing Yang on the other side, later practitioners call it "punishment and Ji flanking the Seal": caught in a tug of war, needing more effort.

"Wealth and shelter flanking the Seal" appears in the *Quan Shu*'s "Patterns of Wealth", which originally reads "Tian Xiang guarding Life, flanked by Wu Qu and Tian Liang", where "wealth" meant Wu Qu. Because by the placement rules Wu Qu can never sit next to Tian Xiang, later readers reinterpreted it as Ju Men with Hua Lu. "Punishment and Ji flanking the Seal" is a later term; the "Tai Wei Fu" in the *Quan Shu* only has the line "punishment and restraint flanking the Seal, governing only the rod", usually read as Qing Yang (punishment) and Lian Zhen (restraint) coming together with Tian Xiang.

Interestingly, the *Quan Shu* itself thinks highly of Tian Xiang's own steadiness, saying it "does not change its resolve to follow wrongdoing, and does not shift because of Qi Sha". The two views can be held together: Tian Xiang itself stands firm, but its job is to endorse others, and whom it endorses makes a big difference to the outcome. Think of it at work: the same chief of staff is a right-hand person to a good boss, and the one cleaning up messes for a bad one.

Wu Xiang, a pair

Wu Qu belongs to the Zi Wei group and Tian Xiang to the Tian Fu group; the two share a palace in Yin and Shen. Here Wu Qu is at De and Tian Xiang at Miao: one makes the call, the other smooths things over, practical and mindful of the big picture. It's often seen in roles that manage both money and people.

A note on the transformations

By the transformation rhyme in volume two of the *Quan Shu*, Wu Qu takes Hua Lu in Ji years, Hua Quan in Geng years, Hua Ke in Jia years and Hua Ji in Ren years. Tian Xiang takes no part in the transformations at all; it's one of the few main stars you won't find on the table, which is why its neighbors matter so much more.