Tai Sui

rdf:langString Tai Sui

rdf:langString great years

rdf:langString tʰɑiH siuᴇiH

rdf:langString tàisuì

rdf:langString Tai Sui is a Chinese term for the stars directly opposite the planet Jupiter (木星 Mùxīng) during its roughly 12-year orbital cycle. Personified as deities, they are important features of Chinese astrology, Feng Shui, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism to a lesser extent. The 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac are based on divisions of the Jovian orbital cycle, rather than—as with the western zodiac—the apparent motion of the sun relative to the celestial sphere. The star thought to oppose Jupiter during each year of the cycle was personified as a Heavenly General (zh:甲子神列表) or Cycle God. These were believed to assist the Jade Emperor in controlling the mortal world. In the Warring States period, Tai Sui had become gods in the popular astronomy, but there is no record of worshiping the Tai Sui in the documents before the Han dynasty, with the earliest record found in Wang Chong's Lunheng. There are several legends related to it, usually about people disrespecting or ignoring Tai Sui and suffering disaster. Their number was later quintupled to sixty, based on the combinations of the twelve divisions (reckoned using the earthly stems) with the five Chinese elements of fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each of the gods' features and attributes signifies the well-being of that year. For example, if the Tai Sui of the year holds a pen, it signifies political unrest for that particular year. On the other hand, if the Tai Sui of the year holds a Spear or Sword, it signifies the need to work hard and excel for that year. Yin Jiao is the leader of those sixty Taisui Xingjun gods. Yin Jiao doesn't govern any year in the 60-year cycle, and every year is governed by one of the 60 subordinate Taisui. Yin Jiao in particular is referred to in this context as Taisui Tongling Yin Yuanshuai (Commander of Tai Sui General Yin). In Japan and Japanese folklore however, "Taisui Xingjun" is considered a singular god.