Finding fate as an astrologer

[Photo/China Daily]

When girls ask questions about marriage, Jiang usually analyzes their character charts and those of prospective grooms, and tells them which aspects of their relationships might be harmonious and which could not be so good.

Neither Shen nor Jiang make absolute assertions like "you will be lucky next week". Rather, they analyze periods of challenge.

"We are not expected to bring the customer either illusive expectations or unnecessary worries," Jiang said. She defines her job as "a soul healer speaking in the stars' language."

Actually, Shen holds a master's degree in sociology from Fudan University as well as a level - 2 national psychological consultant certificate.

She said her service involves much more than simply analyzing - it includes communication with the client. She is already a renowned member of the domestic astrologist circle. Her book Office Astrology has won her quite a number of fans nationwide. She charges 280 yuan an hour for her service.

But the success has failed to gain approval from her family.

"You are educated, why not find a job?", is a question her relatives often ask her and her colleagues.

But she does not consider the profession superficial.

"Astrology belongs to quite a small group," she said. "Many people tend to view it as superstition or a young girl's blind fashion, but for true professionals, it is something worth researching."

The misunderstanding is partly caused by the generation gap. It also has something to do with the chaos in the profession

A female friend of Shen chose astrology as her graduate research program. After talking with several dozen astrologers she told Shen "your profession is full of people who behave strangely".

She met quite a few that dress themselves up like wizards and speak without clear logic.

In the US, the training system for astrologists is already mature. The International Society for Astrological Research, American Federation of Astrologers, and several other societies offer training to candidates and issue a Certificate of Astrological Proficiency.

The system did not come to China until 2010, when Jiang and her astrology teacher David Railey, who was on a speaking tour of China, realized the huge potential in the country. They hoped the CAP could train astrologists and help Chinese clients get better astrology services.

The CAP courses are not cheap - registration costs 3,665 yuan, with additional charges later. Applicants have increased to a total of 45 this year.

But Shen says that CAP does little to promote credibility of astrologists in China, where the industry is new.

The culture can bring other problems too. Most Chinese record the hour of their child's birth, not so exact as the minute, but such data is important to astrology because four minutes can make a difference on the chart. Sometimes the client is disappointed because they want more precise forecast of the future.

So Shen also studied traditional Chinese divination and she tries to speak in the customer's language style to gain their confidence. "Anyway, we live in this society and need to adapt to it," she said.