A RECORD OF ALL THINGS UNDER HEAVEN
As gathered from the oldest accounts that remain
PROLOGUE — CHAPTER FOURTEEN
On the Matter of Taisui — 太歲 — the Grand Duke Jupiter
His name is Taisui — 太歲.
Tai — 太 — means great. Grand. Supreme.
Sui — 歲 — means year. Years of age. The measure of time in years.
Together — 太歲 — the Grand Year. The Supreme Year.
He is also called the Grand Duke Jupiter — 歲星 — Sui Xing — the Year Star.
He is also called Taisui Xingjun — 太歲星君 — the Star Lord of the Grand Year.
He is also called Sui Jun — 歲君 — the Lord of the Year.
He is not one god.
He is sixty gods.
Each governs one year in the sixty year cycle — 六十甲子 — Liu Shi Jia Zi — the Sexagenary Cycle.
When one year ends, that god's duty ends.
The next god takes over.
This continues without interruption.
It has continued for more than two thousand years.
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On the origin of Taisui in astronomy.
The planet Jupiter — 木星 — Mu Xing — circles the sun once every eleven years and eight months.
The ancient astronomers observed this.
They divided the sky into twelve sections — 十二次 — Shi Er Ci — one for each year of the approximate twelve year cycle.
They called Jupiter the Year Star — 歲星 — Sui Xing — because its position in the sky indicated the year.
A problem arose.
Jupiter circles the sun in eleven years and eighty-six hundredths of a year. Not exactly twelve years. Over time the planet drifted. It skipped sections. The calendar became inaccurate.
The astronomers solved this by creating an imaginary star.
They called it Taisui — 太歲.
Taisui moved in the opposite direction from Jupiter. It circled the sky in exactly twelve years. It never drifted. It never skipped sections. It corrected the error that Jupiter's irregular orbit created.
Taisui was not real.
It was a calculation device.
It became a god anyway.
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On the sixty year cycle — 六十甲子 — Liu Shi Jia Zi.
The twelve sections of the sky governed twelve years.
The astronomers needed more precision.
They introduced the Ten Heavenly Stems — 十天干 — Shi Tian Gan.
The Ten Heavenly Stems are: Jia — 甲, Yi — 乙, Bing — 丙, Ding — 丁, Wu — 戊, Ji — 己, Geng — 庚, Xin — 辛, Ren — 壬, Gui — 癸.
They paired the Ten Heavenly Stems with the Twelve Earthly Branches — 十二地支 — Shi Er Di Zhi.
The Twelve Earthly Branches are: Zi — 子, Chou — 丑, Yin — 寅, Mao — 卯, Chen — 辰, Si — 巳, Wu — 午, Wei — 未, Shen — 申, You — 酉, Xu — 戌, Hai — 亥.
The pairings produced sixty unique combinations.
After sixty years the combinations repeat.
This is the Sexagenary Cycle — 六十甲子 — Liu Shi Jia Zi.
Each of the sixty combinations was assigned a deity.
Each deity governs one year.
These are the sixty Taisui — 六十太歲 — Liu Shi Taisui.
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On Yin Jiao — 殷郊 — the Supreme Commander of all sixty.
Above the sixty Taisui stands one being who commands them all.
His name is Yin Jiao — 殷郊.
He is also called Taisui Tongling Yin Yuanshuai — 太歲統領殷元帥 — Commander of all Taisui, Marshal Yin.
He does not govern any single year in the sixty year cycle.
He governs all sixty years.
He governs all sixty generals.
He is their supreme commander.
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On who Yin Jiao was.
He was the firstborn son of King Zhou — 紂王 — Zhou Wang — of the Shang dynasty — 商朝 — Shang Chao.
King Zhou was the last emperor of the Shang dynasty. He is recorded in the old texts as the most cruel ruler in Chinese history. His crimes are recorded in the Fengshen Yanyi — 封神演義 — Investiture of the Gods.
His consort Queen Jiang — 姜后 — was murdered on his orders.
Yin Jiao and his brother Yin Hong — 殷洪 — sought to avenge their mother's death.
They killed the minister Jiang Huan — 姜桓 — who carried out the order.
For this act of revenge, the king sentenced both sons to death.
They were saved by two passing immortals.
Guang Chengzi — 廣成子 — took Yin Jiao as his disciple.
Chijingzi — 赤精子 — took Yin Hong.
Yin Jiao trained for several decades.
Guang Chengzi gave him the Fantian Yin — 番天印 — the Seal That Overturns Heaven — and other weapons.
He instructed Yin Jiao to assist Jiang Ziya — 姜子牙 — and the Zhou forces against the Shang.
On the way to the Zhou camp, Yin Jiao met the immortal Shen Gongbao — 申公豹.
Shen Gongbao persuaded him to return and defend his father's dynasty instead.
Yin Jiao had no social experience.
He accepted Shen Gongbao's suggestion.
He fought against the Zhou forces.
He fought against the instructions of his own teacher.
He was ultimately defeated by Guang Chengzi and Jiang Ziya.
He was killed.
After the war ended, Jiang Ziya assembled the new celestial order.
He placed Yin Jiao on the Fengshen Platform — 封神台 — Fengshen Tai.
He gave him the title: Supreme Commander of all Taisui — 太歲統領 — Taisui Tongling.
Yin Jiao became the god he is.
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On his appearance.
In the old records he is depicted with three heads — 三頭 — san tou — and six arms — 六臂 — liu bi.
He carries many skulls — 骷髏 — kulo — around his neck.
He carries a golden bell — 金鐘 — jin zhong — called the Bell of Fallen Souls — 落魂鐘 — Luo Hun Zhong. When it sounds, enemies' souls separate from their bodies.
He has a fierce appearance — 面目猙獰 — mianmu zhengnin.
This is the original depiction.
In later periods his image was softened.
He is now more often depicted as a small boy — 小男孩 — xiao nanhai — holding a banner.
The banner reads: Dang Nian Taisui — 當年太歲 — Taisui of the Current Year.
Or: Zhi Nian Taisui — 值年太歲 — Taisui on Duty This Year.
Both depictions exist in the temples today.
The old fierce form stands in some halls.
The small boy stands in others.
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On what happens when Taisui is offended — 犯太歲 — Fan Taisui.
Fan — 犯 — means to violate. To offend. To go against.
Fan Taisui — 犯太歲 — means to offend the Grand Duke Jupiter.
There are four ways to offend Taisui.
The first is Chong — 沖 — direct opposition. When a person's birth year zodiac stands directly opposite the reigning Taisui's position. The Rat opposes the Horse. The Rabbit opposes the Rooster. Opposition brings conflict.
The second is Xing — 刑 — punishment. When a person's birth year zodiac stands at a punishing angle to the Taisui's position.
The third is Po — 破 — destruction. When a person's birth year zodiac stands at a destructive angle.
The fourth is Hai — 害 — harm. When a person's birth year zodiac stands at a harmful angle.
Any of these four conditions means the person is in conflict with the Taisui of that year.
The conflict brings instability. It brings obstacles. It brings the potential for disaster.
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On the greatest taboo — 太歲頭上動土 — Taisui Tou Shang Dong Tu.
The phrase is: Taisui Tou Shang Dong Tu — 太歲頭上動土.
It means: to disturb the earth above Taisui's head.
It means: to do something of great recklessness. To provoke a power that must not be provoked.
In practical terms it refers to construction. Digging. Breaking ground.
In the direction where Taisui stands in the current year, no earth should be broken. No foundations should be dug. No trees should be uprooted. No renovations should begin.
Wang Feng — 王豐 — a man who did not believe in these taboos — once dug a pit in the direction corresponding to Taisui.
He found a lump of flesh — 肉塊 — rou kuai — the size of a bushel in the pit.
The flesh was wriggling.
He filled the pit.
The flesh kept emerging as he filled it.
He was frightened.
He abandoned it.
Overnight the flesh grew. It filled the courtyard.
Within a few days Wang Feng and his brothers and their servants all died suddenly.
One daughter survived.
This account is preserved in the Youyang Zazu — 酉陽雜俎 — Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang.
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On the lump of flesh.
The lump of flesh is identified in some texts as Taisui itself.
Taisui has no fixed form. It is not a body. It is a force. It is a concentrated mass of heavenly energy — 天地元氣 — tiandi yuanqi — that accumulates in the direction corresponding to the current year.
When the ground in that direction is broken, the energy is disturbed.
The disturbed energy takes physical form.
The physical form is the lump of flesh.
The lump of flesh grows if not properly appeased.
The consequences fall on those who disturbed it.
This account is recorded. Whether it is literal or symbolic is not stated in the texts.
Both readings have been held by different scholars.
Both are recorded here.
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On how Taisui changes direction.
Each year on Li Chun — 立春 — the Beginning of Spring — Taisui enters a new position.
A new general takes over.
The old general's year of duty ends.
The direction of Taisui shifts.
The taboos shift with it.
What was safe to build in one direction last year may be forbidden this year.
What was forbidden last year may now be permitted.
This is why the fortune reading — 算命 — suanming — is performed at the beginning of each lunar year.
The reader determines: in which direction does Taisui stand this year? Which zodiacs are in conflict? Which directions must be avoided?
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On reading the appearance of each Taisui general.
Each of the sixty generals is depicted differently.
What a general carries signals the nature of the year.
A general who holds a pen — 筆 — bi — signals political unrest for that year.
A general who holds a spear or sword — 矛或劍 — mao huo jian — signals a need to work hard and excel.
A general who holds agricultural tools signals a year of good harvests.
A general who holds weapons signals conflict.
The appearance is read before the year begins.
The reading determines the precautions people take.
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On how Taisui is appeased — 安太歲 — An Taisui.
An — 安 — means to pacify. To settle. To make peace with.
An Taisui — 安太歲 — means to pacify the Grand Duke Jupiter.
This is done at the beginning of each lunar year.
Worshippers go to a Taisui temple — 太歲廟 — Taisui Miao.
They identify which of the sixty generals governs the current year.
They make offerings to that general specifically.
They make offerings to all sixty generals as well in some traditions.
They receive a protective talisman — 護符 — hufu — from the temple.
The talisman protects them for one year.
At the end of the year a gratitude ritual is performed.
It is called Xie Taisui — 謝太歲 — Thanking the Grand Duke Jupiter.
Offerings are made to thank the departing general for the year of protection.
The cycle completes.
The next general takes over.
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On the temples.
The Taisui Temple of Beijing — 北京太歲廟 — Beijing Taisui Miao — was built in the Ming dynasty — 明朝 — Ming Chao.
It was ordered by the Yongle Emperor — 永樂帝 — Yongle Di.
It contains sixty statues — one for each of the sixty Taisui generals.
The statues are arranged in a great hall.
Each statue corresponds to one year in the sixty year cycle.
Each statue has a plaque identifying the year it governs.
Worshippers who visit identify their birth year. They find the corresponding statue. They make their offerings there.
In Taiwan — 台灣 — Taiwan — the ceremony An Taisui — 安太歲 — is one of three primary religious services performed for protection against misfortune.
The other two are: lighting a peace lamp — 安太平燈 — and worshipping the Big Dipper — 拜北斗星 — Bai Beidou Xing.
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On the complete list of the sixty generals.
The sixty generals and the years they govern are recorded here.
Year of Jiazi — 甲子 — Jin Bian Grand General — 金辨大將軍 — Jin Bian Da Jiangjun.
Year of Yichou — 乙丑 — Chen Cai Grand General — 陳材大將軍 — Chen Cai Da Jiangjun.
Year of Bingyin — 丙寅 — Geng Zhang Grand General — 耿章大將軍 — Geng Zhang Da Jiangjun.
Year of Dingmao — 丁卯 — Shen Xing Grand General — 沈興大將軍 — Shen Xing Da Jiangjun.
Year of Wuchen — 戊辰 — Zhao Da Grand General — 趙達大將軍 — Zhao Da Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jisi — 己巳 — Guo Can Grand General — 郭燦大將軍 — Guo Can Da Jiangjun.
Year of Gengwu — 庚午 — Wang Ji Grand General — 王濟大將軍 — Wang Ji Da Jiangjun.
Year of Xinwei — 辛未 — Li Su Grand General — 李素大將軍 — Li Su Da Jiangjun.
Year of Renshen — 壬申 — Liu Wang Grand General — 劉旺大將軍 — Liu Wang Da Jiangjun.
Year of Guiyou — 癸酉 — Kang Zhi Grand General — 康志大將軍 — Kang Zhi Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jiaxu — 甲戌 — Shi Guang Grand General — 施廣大將軍 — Shi Guang Da Jiangjun.
Year of Yihai — 乙亥 — Ren Bao Grand General — 任保大將軍 — Ren Bao Da Jiangjun.
Year of Bingzi — 丙子 — Guo Jia Grand General — 郭嘉大將軍 — Guo Jia Da Jiangjun.
Year of Dingchou — 丁丑 — Wang Wen Grand General — 汪文大將軍 — Wang Wen Da Jiangjun.
Year of Wuyin — 戊寅 — Lu Xian Grand General — 魯先大將軍 — Lu Xian Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jimao — 己卯 — Long Zhong Grand General — 龍仲大將軍 — Long Zhong Da Jiangjun.
Year of Gengchen — 庚辰 — Dong De Grand General — 董德大將軍 — Dong De Da Jiangjun.
Year of Xinsi — 辛巳 — Zheng Dan Grand General — 鄭但大將軍 — Zheng Dan Da Jiangjun.
Year of Renwu — 壬午 — Lu Ming Grand General — 陸明大將軍 — Lu Ming Da Jiangjun.
Year of Guiwei — 癸未 — Wei Ren Grand General — 魏仁大將軍 — Wei Ren Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jiashen — 甲申 — Fang Jie Grand General — 方傑大將軍 — Fang Jie Da Jiangjun.
Year of Yiyou — 乙酉 — Jiang Chong Grand General — 蔣崇大將軍 — Jiang Chong Da Jiangjun.
Year of Bingxu — 丙戌 — Bai Min Grand General — 白敏大將軍 — Bai Min Da Jiangjun.
Year of Dinghai — 丁亥 — Feng Ji Grand General — 封濟大將軍 — Feng Ji Da Jiangjun.
Year of Wuzi — 戊子 — Zou Dang Grand General — 鄒鐺大將軍 — Zou Dang Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jichou — 己丑 — Fu You Grand General — 傅佑大將軍 — Fu You Da Jiangjun.
Year of Gengyin — 庚寅 — Wu Huan Grand General — 鄔桓大將軍 — Wu Huan Da Jiangjun.
Year of Xinmao — 辛卯 — Fan Ning Grand General — 范甯大將軍 — Fan Ning Da Jiangjun.
Year of Renchen — 壬辰 — Peng Tai Grand General — 彭泰大將軍 — Peng Tai Da Jiangjun.
Year of Guisi — 癸巳 — Xu Dan Grand General — 徐單大將軍 — Xu Dan Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jiawu — 甲午 — Zhang Ci Grand General — 章詞大將軍 — Zhang Ci Da Jiangjun.
Year of Yiwei — 乙未 — Yang Xian Grand General — 楊仙大將軍 — Yang Xian Da Jiangjun.
Year of Bingshen — 丙申 — Guan Zhong Grand General — 管仲大將軍 — Guan Zhong Da Jiangjun.
Year of Dingyou — 丁酉 — Tang Jie Grand General — 唐傑大將軍 — Tang Jie Da Jiangjun.
Year of Wuxu — 戊戌 — Jiang Wu Grand General — 姜武大將軍 — Jiang Wu Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jihai — 己亥 — Xie Tai Grand General — 謝太大將軍 — Xie Tai Da Jiangjun.
Year of Gengzi — 庚子 — Lu Mi Grand General — 盧秘大將軍 — Lu Mi Da Jiangjun.
Year of Xinchou — 辛丑 — Yang Xin Grand General — 楊信大將軍 — Yang Xin Da Jiangjun.
Year of Renyin — 壬寅 — He E Grand General — 賀諤大將軍 — He E Da Jiangjun.
Year of Guimao — 癸卯 — Pi Shi Grand General — 皮時大將軍 — Pi Shi Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jiachen — 甲辰 — Li Cheng Grand General — 李誠大將軍 — Li Cheng Da Jiangjun.
Year of Yisi — 乙巳 — Wu Sui Grand General — 吳遂大將軍 — Wu Sui Da Jiangjun.
Year of Bingwu — 丙午 — Wen Zhe Grand General — 文哲大將軍 — Wen Zhe Da Jiangjun.
Year of Dingwei — 丁未 — Miu Bing Grand General — 繆丙大將軍 — Miu Bing Da Jiangjun.
Year of Wushen — 戊申 — Xu Hao Grand General — 徐浩大將軍 — Xu Hao Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jiyou — 己酉 — Cheng Bao Grand General — 程寶大將軍 — Cheng Bao Da Jiangjun.
Year of Gengxu — 庚戌 — Ni Mi Grand General — 倪秘大將軍 — Ni Mi Da Jiangjun.
Year of Xinhai — 辛亥 — Ye Jian Grand General — 葉堅大將軍 — Ye Jian Da Jiangjun.
Year of Renzi — 壬子 — Qiu De Grand General — 丘德大將軍 — Qiu De Da Jiangjun.
Year of Guichou — 癸丑 — Zhu De Grand General — 朱得大將軍 — Zhu De Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jiayin — 甲寅 — Zhang Chao Grand General — 張朝大將軍 — Zhang Chao Da Jiangjun.
Year of Yimao — 乙卯 — Wan Qing Grand General — 萬清大將軍 — Wan Qing Da Jiangjun.
Year of Bingchen — 丙辰 — Xin Ya Grand General — 辛亞大將軍 — Xin Ya Da Jiangjun.
Year of Dingsi — 丁巳 — Yang Yan Grand General — 楊彥大將軍 — Yang Yan Da Jiangjun.
Year of Wuwu — 戊午 — Li Qing Grand General — 黎卿大將軍 — Li Qing Da Jiangjun.
Year of Jiwei — 己未 — Fu Dang Grand General — 傅黨大將軍 — Fu Dang Da Jiangjun.
Year of Gengshen — 庚申 — Mao Zi Grand General — 毛梓大將軍 — Mao Zi Da Jiangjun.
Year of Xinyou — 辛酉 — Shi Zheng Grand General — 石政大將軍 — Shi Zheng Da Jiangjun.
Year of Renxu — 壬戌 — Hong Chong Grand General — 洪充大將軍 — Hong Chong Da Jiangjun.
Year of Guihai — 癸亥 — Yu Cheng Grand General — 虞程大將軍 — Yu Cheng Da Jiangjun.
These are the sixty generals.
Each governed one year.
Each will govern again.
The cycle does not end.
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On the proverb.
There is a proverb in Chinese.
It says: Mo zai Taisui tou shang dong tu — 莫在太歲頭上動土.
It means: do not disturb the earth above Taisui's head.
It is used in daily speech.
When a person attempts something recklessly dangerous, someone will say this proverb.
They are not speaking of construction.
They are speaking of the danger of provoking a power that does not forgive disturbance.
The proverb has been in use for two thousand years.
It is still used today.
END OF CHAPTER FOURTEEN