What is Tai Sui? 什麼是太歲?

According to legend, when Yellow Emperor (Huang Di 黃帝) and Tribal Leader of the Nine Li tribe (Chi You 蚩尤) were on war in the Central Plains, there were 60 generals and officials around the Yellow Emperor. After Yellow Emperor won the war, he rewarded and assigned his 60 generals and officials with annual guardian duty, and the sixty generals are now called the Tai Sui Generals (太歲大將軍).

Tai Sui is the Yearly Guardian and the 60 generals each take turns to fulfil this duty. Tai Sui is in charge of astrology, weather and our well-being. He is like the duty officer in army, who has a lot duties and responsibility, and therefore usually has little patience.

Traditional Chinese calendar is also made up of 60 years cycle known as Jiazi (甲子), and therefore each 60 Duty Officer or Tai Sui, rotates to look after each year within a Jiazi cycle.

In the year when your zodiac is same as Tai Sui, commonly known as sitting (坐) on Tai Sui, you have to be additional careful as you may agitate our annual duty officer. Similarly for those with zodiac that has poor relationship (犯太歲) with Tai Sui (clash 沖, punish 刑, hurt 害, breakout 破) will have to appease Tai Sui (安太歲), and pray for peace and smooth throughout the year.