Jiawu Tai Sui General Zhang Ci

Jiawu Tai Sui General Zhang Ci is one of the Sixty Jiazi Tai Sui deities who take turns presiding annually over the human realm; he assumes office during Jiawu years—such as 2014 and 2074—and oversees all matters of fortune and misfortune for that year. The zodiac sign associated with the Jiawu year is the Horse; folk tradition holds that those born in the Year of the Horse are ‘in direct alignment with the Tai Sui’ (zhi tai sui), while those born in the Year of the Rat experience ‘clashing with the Tai Sui’ (chong tai sui). Both groups are advised to visit Daoist temples to perform the An Tai Sui (‘Stabilising the Tai Sui’) and Bai Tai Sui (‘Worshipping the Tai Sui’) rituals, offering reverence to the Tai Sui Star Lord to neutralise annual misfortunes. The Tai Sui cult originates in ancient Chinese stellar chronology centred on the planet Jupiter (Sui Xing, or ‘Year Star’) and the taboo against disturbing earth where the invisible Tai Sui deity was believed to reside—hence the saying ‘disturbing earth above the Tai Sui’ (tai sui tou shang dong tu). It is believed that the Sixty Jiazi Tai Sui deities rotate yearly, each serving as celestial overseers who monitor human conduct and moral deeds; thus, during years when one’s zodiac sign conflicts with the reigning Tai Sui, devout worship is undertaken to avert calamity, transform adversity into auspiciousness, and ensure peace and smooth progress throughout the year.