Gui

Gui, meaning 'Steep' or 'Danger,' is the twenty-third Chinese sieu, corresponding to Sadalmelik (alpha Aquarii) and companions. Ruled by the Moon, this mansion warns of precipitous situations, sudden drops, and the perils that lurk at the edges of the path.

The steepness imagery speaks to moments of crisis, risk, and the need for extreme caution and sure-footedness.

Gui belongs to the Black Warrior palace, where the danger imagery reflects the perils of Winter's deepest cold and darkness. The Moon's rulership adds emotional sensitivity to the awareness of danger, suggesting that intuition and emotional intelligence are the best guides through treacherous terrain.

When the Moon passes through Gui, heightened caution is warranted. The steep, dangerous quality of this sieu suggests a period for careful navigation, risk assessment, and trusting your instincts about situations that feel unstable or threatening.

The Black Warrior (Xuan Wu), also called the Dark Warrior, is the celestial guardian of the North and the season of Winter. Associated with the element Water, the Black Warrior is depicted as a tortoise entwined with a snake, representing the union of endurance and cunning, stillness and movement. The North is the direction of depth, mystery, and the storage of vital energy during the dormant season. The seven sieu of the Black Warrior trace the composite creature through the cold, deep regions of the sky, forming the most mysterious of the four celestial animals.