Out at the Cannes film festival this week promoting his latest film “Chinese Zodiac”, Jackie Chan the king of martial arts has announced his retirement from action films. He says that at 58 he is starting to feel very tired, his body aches and he senses that now is the time to bow out from martial arts movies. After 40 years in the film business and 100 action roles from stuntman to star actor, nobody could argue that he finally deserves a rest. Not that he will stop filming though. Jackie sees himself as the Chinese “Robert De Niro” and will be looking to star in more sedate and less physical roles.
Jackie was born in Hong Kong on 7th April 1954 at 09.45 hrs. He is a Sun sign Aries (honestly for a man of action he couldn’t really be anything else, could he?) and his Moon sits in mutable Gemini in conjunction with his Ascendant. This is quite an interconnected chart and in such cases rather than looking at each individual aspect, I find it better to look at structures of planets to get the meanings.
We have two t-squares which have provided the motivation for Jackie and his movie career. Firstly, there is one based around a Sun Neptune opposition which focuses onto the nodal axis conjunct to Uranus. Sun in Aries opposite Neptune in Libra brings together action and wanting to be pre-eminent combined with the need for peace and spiritual freedom. Neptune of course goes hand in hand with the film industry and stardom in general. Uranus and the South Node at the point of this t-square energizes the whole structure and brings in an element of independence and destiny into the mix.
Now, of course we can see action and athleticism through the Aries Sun, but there is much more here. Jackie has a mini grand trine focused onto his Neptune completed by a trine between Mars and Pluto. Mars Pluto trines are often seen in the charts of people who have anger problems, but luckily for Jackie his Mars is in mutable Sagittarius rather than in fixed Capricorn. When both Mars and Pluto get stuck in fixed signs in trine aspect, that’s when the problems seem to appear. This Mars Pluto sextile is very active, gives Jackie a very quiet but iron will and a great need for success.
The fact that Jackie has become an international star is seen in another mini grand trine which interlocks with the previous one I just explained connecting Jupiter Neptune and Pluto; Pluto at the point brings power and an indication of the controlled violence of his films and the sextiles to Mars and Jupiter shows that he is a serial risk taker, the quality that has given him international fame through the amazing stunts and feats of agility in the action roles he has specialized in. Jupiter trine Neptune also shows a need for faith in one’s life and Jackie is a practicing Buddhist. We have a third interlocking mini grand trine featuring the Sun Jupiter and Pluto showing boundless optimism, a need for power and wealth as well as a hugely generous spirit. Jackie is a proud and noted charity fund raiser for the needy and the youth in his home city of Hong Kong.
Moving onto the second t-square which connects a Jupiter Mars opposition to Mercury in Pisces. This is a very far reaching t-square showing boundless ideas and desires, a constant need for action and progress in one’s life. Mars in Sagittarius aims literally for the stars and Jupiter helps get you there. Jackie’s mind is flexible and musical, and his intuition and imagination will be very good with Mercury in Pisces. Jackie has recorded several albums over the years in Mandarin, Cantonese and in English. The Mars Mercury square might make him a little demanding and critical, and Jackie could be quite argumentative when upset, but this is such an inspiring and positive chart that one could forgive such indiscretions within him. Mercury trines to Uranus so he has a very quick brain and reactions, a good sense of fun and humor and independence of thought; Jackie will be inspirational to everyone he encounters.
Venus in Taurus opposes Saturn in Scorpio, so despite being a bit reserved Jackie will be very steadfast in love. Venus in Taurus needs harmony and loyalty, and Saturn in Scorpio fears being emotionally vulnerable. He married actress Lin Feng-Jiao in 1982 and unusually for couples in the film world and despite the pressures and temptations, they have stayed together ever since. Jackie’s Mars makes a solid trine to Venus which makes him a very loving and romantic guy.
Finally I look in this section at Jackie’s Moon sitting alone in Gemini conjunct his Ascendant. Peregrine planets dominate the horoscope, and this Moon sitting in rather unemotional Gemini confirms that Jackie’s emotions are rationally and logically based. This tells me that firstly Jackie is his own man and will want to do things his way (Uranus square to his Sun increases this independent streak), and secondly his emotions generally will not tend to get the better of him. Especially in doing dangerous stunts, and Jackie has done most of own himself without the use of a stunt double, one needs to keep calm, focused and unemotional of the dangers involved. In this case, this Moon helps him concentrate without worrying about any consequences.
I still haven’t focused on why Jackie Chan became a martial arts expert in film yet, but looking at the fixed stars I aim to show why. Jackie was born with the fixed star Alderamin which sits in the constellation of Cepheus (the King) at his Midheaven when he was born. This star is associated with gentle power allied with quiet dignity. At the same time Uranus which on his natal chart is conjunct his South Node was at the nadir when he was born, just as the star Hamal (in Aries) was rising. I have highlighted their positions on the chart with Hamal hitting the horizon line as Uranus is conjunct the Nadir (IC in red).
Hamal is a star which displays force, will and determination and connections with the Nodes and Uranus show an independent guy who uses his athleticism and strength in a powerful and public (Nodes) manner. The specific Hamal/Node connection also can indicate hero status, the good guy who saves the day. In his films, this is exactly what Jackie Chan represents. Remember that Uranus/Nodal Axis conjunction is square to the Aries Sun/Neptune in Libra opposition which highlights action done in a gentle and dignified manner. Put it all together we see the controlled use of force, the hero martial arts warrior who fights and defeats evil. Martial arts of course were founded in the Orient and are also associated with those who practice the peaceful Buddhist faith. Action and films, faith and heroism, independence and stardom. It all fits together rather nicely, doesn’t it?
There are two indications on this chart that Jackie is feeling it is time to change his priorities. The transiting South Node is conjunct his Moon, so emotionally he is feeling a bit down and melancholy. Whenever the South Node is moving through one’s first house one naturally feels physically a bit drained and soon it will hit his Ascendant (the nodes move clockwise) signalling inner changes. Secondly, transiting Saturn is soon to enter his 6th house and has been conjunct Jackie’s Neptune. This again will sap his strength, and as Saturn enters the 6th one does adjust one’s daily routine and look more closely at one’s wellbeing. Saturn hitting his Neptune, the basis of his film career, brings a maturing in his outlook and the roles he can play. Jackie is also approaching his second Saturn return, a realisation that he cannot do what he once did and he will have to adapt.
