Bingwu Tai Sui General Wen Zhe

Bingwu Tai Sui General Wen Zhe is one of the Sixty Jiazi Tai Sui deities who rotate annually in accordance with the sexagenary cycle. He assumes office during the Bingwu year (such as 2026 or 2086), overseeing human fortune, misfortune, blessings, and calamities for that year. The Bingwu year corresponds to the zodiac sign of the Horse; folk tradition holds that individuals born in the Year of the Horse experience benming nian (their natal year) during Bingwu, while those born in the Year of the Rat encounter chong tai sui (a direct clash with the Tai Sui). Both groups are advised to visit Daoist temples to perform the An Tai Sui (‘Stabilising the Tai Sui’) ritual and worship the Tai Sui Star Lord, thereby mitigating unfavourable influences for the year. The Tai Sui cult originates in ancient Chinese astronomy—specifically the Jupiter-based sexagenary calendar—and the taboo against disturbing earth where the Tai Sui ‘resides’ (as expressed in the saying ‘disturbing the earth above the Tai Sui’). It is believed that the Sixty Jiazi Tai Sui deities take turns serving as celestial overseers, monitoring human conduct and moral conduct across the realm; thus, during years of conflict with the Tai Sui, devotees offer sincere prayers and rituals to avert disaster, transform misfortune into blessing, and ensure safety, harmony, and smooth progress throughout the year.