Mr. Feng’s career was developing steadily, yet internally he felt a strange disconnect. His efforts never quite seemed to match his expectations. Sometimes, periods of intense activity yielded less progress than times when he was more relaxed. Help often came unexpectedly from people he didn’t fully trust, while friends he counted on didn’t come through.
Unable to resolve these paradoxes himself, he sought me out through a friend’s introduction, hoping to unravel the doubts in his mind.
“Could you please look at my career?” Mr. Feng asked first.
“You have high aspirations,” I began after analyzing his Qi Men Dun Jia chart, “But you are overly enthusiastic and candid with people, lacking a sense of self-protection, which makes you vulnerable. You are intelligent, but unable to perform to your full potential. Although you are meticulous in your work, you often don’t achieve the results you desire. Why does it seem like you’re always the one getting hurt?” I posed the question back to him.
“Exactly! That’s precisely how I feel. Why does this keep happening?”
“Professionally, you are suited for careers that involve movement, travel, and information, and the same applies to the platforms or companies you work for. Your significant development began after age 27, reaching a new height at 28. Your overall chart indicates stability – your career and finances develop gradually, without major ups and downs.”
“It’s true, I did take a big step up when I was 28.”
“You have a naturally positive (‘sunny’) disposition,” I continued. “However, the more open you are with people, the more they tend to take advantage. You pour your heart out, but others don’t necessarily appreciate your goodwill. Conversely, when you maintain a more casual distance, people pursue you. Your future strategy should be ‘Yi Jing Zhi Dong’ (以静制动) – overcoming motion with stillness, or acting reactively from a place of calm. The more you rush around proactively, the worse the results will be.”
“So, what should I do? Should I be active or passive?”
“Your current situation is subtle and requires careful balance – finding the right ‘degree’ (度) to turn disadvantages into advantages. You are meticulous and often more skilled than others. However, you are too transparent; others can easily read you and might try to climb over you. Therefore, don’t reveal your intentions too early. Avoid being completely transparent, or you’ll become an easy target.”
“Okay, I’ll remember that.”
“But your general relationships with people are quite good,” I added. “Lately, your vision might often get blurry. You should install sheer curtains (gauze/纱) in your bedroom and keep them half-open. Fully open, they blur your vision; fully closed, you might experience ‘internal heat’ (上火) or irritability. Also, there’s a mole on your left shoulder/back area.”
“Does this mole affect me?”
“Certainly,” I affirmed. “This is determined by principles like Wan Xiang Quan Xi Lun, Wan Xiang Yi You Lun, Wan Xiang Xi Tong Lun, and Wan Xiang Xiang Gan Lun. Have this mole removed this afternoon between 5 PM and 7 PM.”
“Alright, I’ll get it removed when I go back.”
“Your left leg was injured when you were young.”
“Yes, I bumped it when I was in my teens.”
“Your work situation tends to be changeable; you might switch jobs periodically. Expect a change in your career around September.”
Mr. Feng lowered his head in thought for a moment, then asked, “Dealing with colleagues at work is very delicate. How should I navigate these relationships?”
“Colleagues can be both your friends and your enemies. How do you differentiate them?”
“Indeed, that standard is hard to define. Please enlighten me.”
“Broadly speaking, those who benefit you are friends; those who don’t are potential adversaries. There are no permanent friends or eternal enemies; these roles can sometimes shift. It depends on the specific person, situation, and context. You can’t be dogmatic; analyze each case individually. Only then can you properly gauge the ‘distance’ between friends and enemies – avoid hurting friends through misunderstanding and undermining yourself, and don’t mistake rivals for friends, which could cause unnecessary losses at critical moments.”
“Specifically, how should I manage this? What are the main characteristics of my potential allies?”
“Your helpful connections are likely in the fields of culture, education, or healthcare. “
Mr. Feng’s situation is quite common. Anyone who has worked in a company or organization can relate. Knowing how to navigate these dynamics isn’t always straightforward.