Detailed Introduction
Around Lunar New Year, the Tai Sui halls of the big temples are always packed with long queues -- people clutching their ID details, waiting to register for "an tai sui." Most of them share one thing in common: this year their zodiac sign clashes with Tai Sui, and they want to get through the year safely, turning misfortune into good fortune.
What Is Tai Sui?
The Tai Sui Star Deity governs the fortunes of a given year. "Tai Sui" originally referred to Jupiter, the "Year Star" -- the ancients noticed it takes about twelve years to circle the heavens, matching the twelve Earthly Branches, which grew into a system of sixty Tai Sui star deities taking turns on duty through the sixty-year cycle. Each year one of them presides, ruling that year's fortunes. As the folk saying goes, "When Tai Sui sits overhead, if there is no joy there will be disaster" -- meaning those who offend the year's Tai Sui tend to face a bumpy, obstacle-strewn year.
Who Needs to Pacify Tai Sui?
- Direct clash (zhi Tai Sui): your zodiac animal shares the Earthly Branch of the year's Tai Sui. In the Year of the Dragon, for example, those born in a Dragon year are in direct clash.
- Opposing clash (chong Tai Sui): your zodiac animal sits directly opposite the year's Tai Sui. In the Year of the Dragon, those born in a Dog year are in opposing clash.
- Partial clash: some traditions hold that signs in a "punishment," "destruction," or "harm" relationship should also pacify Tai Sui, though temples don't fully agree on the standard.
- Those in a rough patch: even without a clash, anyone who feels nothing is going their way can pacify Tai Sui simply for peace of mind.
How It's Done
The old way was to set up a spirit tablet or a strip of red paper bearing the presiding Tai Sui star deity's name on the family altar, offering incense morning and night. But modern life is busy, so most people register at a temple and let it make the offerings on their behalf. The process runs roughly like this:
1. Prepare your details: name, lunar date of birth (year, month, day, and hour), and address.
2. Register at the Tai Sui hall's service counter and pay the fee (it varies by temple, generally a few hundred to a few thousand NT dollars).
3. Temple staff inscribe your name and birth data on a Tai Sui lamp or tablet, enshrined in the Tai Sui hall.
4. Through the year, the temple regularly holds scripture-chanting assemblies to pray for blessings and ward off calamity for everyone registered.
5. At year's end, return to the temple to "thank Tai Sui" for the star deity's protection over the past year.
When to Register
Registration usually falls between the first and fifteenth days of the first lunar month (the Lantern Festival), with the ninth day -- the birthday of the Jade Emperor -- being the most popular. Some temples open registration before the New Year, and at renowned temples the Tai Sui lamp slots sell out fast, so book early.
Popular Temples for Pacifying Tai Sui
- Songshan Ciyou Temple, Taipei: the Tai Sui slots sell out every year.
- Longshan Temple, Wanhua: combines Tai Sui pacification with the lighting of bright lamps.
- Dajia Jenn Lann Temple, Taichung: the top choice for worshippers in central Taiwan.
- City God temples across the island: the City God oversees the judiciary of the underworld, and Tai Sui pacification falls within his purview.
After Pacifying Tai Sui
Pacifying Tai Sui doesn't mean you can rest easy. In a clash year it's best to do more good, avoid quarrels, and stay away from high-risk activities. Folk wisdom also warns against moving house, breaking ground for construction, or marrying in a clash year -- though by modern lights, mindset matters most. In the end, pacifying Tai Sui is about setting the heart at ease and serving as a reminder to tread carefully.