Jichou Tai Sui General Fu You

Jichou Tai Sui General Fu You is one of the Sixty Jiazi Tai Sui deities who assume annual duty in the Jichou year (e.g., 2009, 2069), overseeing all human fortune and calamity for that year. As the Ox is the zodiac sign associated with Jichou, those born in the Year of the Ox enter their benming nian—their birth-year cycle—and thus sit directly beneath the Tai Sui; those born in the Year of the Goat, meanwhile, clash with the Tai Sui (chong tai sui). According to folk custom, both groups are advised to visit temples to install and venerate the Tai Sui image with sincere devotion, seeking the Star Lord’s protection and mitigation of adverse influences. The Tai Sui originates from the ancient stellar calendar based on Jupiter’s twelve-year orbital cycle (the ‘Year Star’ or Sui Xing); the saying ‘Dare not disturb the earth above the Tai Sui’ reflects the deep-rooted belief in the Tai Sui as the supreme divine authority governing the year. Devotees commonly attend Daoist temples on the 8th day of the 1st lunar month to worship the Tai Sui, praying for disaster avoidance, longevity, and smooth passage through the year.