"Am I offending Tai Sui this year?" is a common New Year question. What is Tai Sui, how are the rules set, and which signs does tradition mention for 2027, the Ding Wei Goat year?
Where Tai Sui comes from
Ancient astronomers saw Jupiter circle the sky in about twelve years and used its position to count years, calling it the "Year Star". Because it moves opposite to the twelve-branch order, they imagined a counterpart moving the other way at a steady pace — Tai Sui (also Sui Yin or Tai Yin) — advancing one branch per year. Its branch became the basis for counting years and later merged with stem-branch years.
Folk religion personified it as sixty Tai Sui deities, one per year. By the popular list, the Ding Wei deity is Miao Bing (some sources give the name Miao Jian).
The five ways of "offending Tai Sui"
- Same year (zhi): your branch equals the year's — your zodiac year.
- Clash (chong): Zi–Wu, Chou–Wei, Yin–Shen, Mao–You, Chen–Xu, Si–Hai.
- Punishment (xing): Yin-Si-Shen, Chou-Xu-Wei, Zi–Mao, and self-punishment of Chen, Wu, You, Hai.
- Harm (hai): Zi–Wei, Chou–Wu, Yin–Si, Mao–Chen, Shen–Hai, You–Xu.
- Break (po): Zi–You, Chou–Chen, Yin–Hai, Mao–Wu, Si–Shen, Wei–Xu.
Regions and schools differ — some count only the first two — so lists vary.
Signs mentioned for 2027
The year branch is Wei:
- Same year: Goat (Wei).
- Clash: Ox (Chou).
- Punishment: within Chou-Xu-Wei, Ox and Dog are often mentioned; sources differ on details.
- Harm: Rat (Zi).
- Break: Dog (Xu).
So tradition mentions Goat, Ox, Rat and Dog most; Ox has both clash and punishment, Dog both punishment and break. Note the boundary: folk custom uses Chinese New Year (6 February 2027), the stem-branch calendar uses Lichun (4 February 2027).
Understanding it
- It is a structural relationship within a symbol system.
- It is not a real-life outcome — people of one sign live very different lives.
- Related customs are culture, like wearing red in your zodiac year.
- Base important decisions on reality and professional advice.
Summary
Tai Sui comes from an imagined body used to count years with Jupiter, later merged with stem-branch years and five folk rules. For 2027 Ding Wei, tradition most often names Goat, Ox, Rat and Dog. For cultural reference only.
This article is for cultural reference only and is not advice for any decision.