Star of office · Water

Tian Xiang (the Chancellor)

The one who steadies things for others

You're dependable and reasonable, a natural for the role in the middle. You care about fairness and about appearances, and you handle things with proportion — you won't back anyone into a corner. Where you're most comfortable is supporting; not that you couldn't lead, but you're genuinely better at landing other people's ideas. The catch is that you're easily swayed by whoever is near you, and you care so much about both sides being able to live with it that you can't cut what needs cutting.

In the Self palace: where you move easily

• You handle things with proportion; what you're given won't be done badly.
• You can find the version both sides can accept without losing face.
• You keep your word: what you agree to, you deliver.

In the Self palace: what it tends to cost

• The people around you influence you too much, for good and ill.
• You're afraid to offend, so the thing that should be said gets swallowed and the thing that should be cut gets dragged out.
• You care so much about it looking all right that you sometimes give up the substance.

In another palace

In another palace, that's where you're most careful to do it properly — and where you're most easily led.