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Chinese culture
LifestyleChinese Zodiac

How Oxen can avoid bad luck in the Year of the Horse 2026 as they clash with the tai sui

A fortune-teller shares how Oxen can mitigate the negative effects of clashing with the tai sui deity in the coming Year of the Fire Horse

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Oxen face a minor tai sui clash in 2026, but auspicious stars offer career and financial luck. Photo: Shutterstock
Lisa Cam
Are your loved ones in luck this year? See our predictions for all the zodiac signs in the Year of the Horse.

Anyone familiar with their Chinese zodiac sign is likely to have encountered the term tai sui and discovered that their animal sometimes conflicts with this guardian deity.

The 12 zodiac signs correspond to Jupiter’s 12-year orbit of the sun. Each lunar year is also linked to a different celestial figure that opposes Jupiter, called the heavenly general, the cycle god, the Grand Duke of Jupiter or the tai sui.

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A clash between one’s zodiac sign and the tai sui is traditionally seen as a portent of difficulty or disruption. Detailed charts specify which sign conflicts with which of the 60 tai sui deities to foretell the challenges one might encounter.

According to Chinese mythology, the most widespread custom to appease the tai sui is to conduct the sip tai sui ritual at a temple with a dedicated shrine. This ceremony provides a protective talisman believed to guard against misfortune in the year ahead.

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It is considered essential to return to the temple before the following Lunar New Year to offer thanks; not doing so could extend the period of bad fortune.

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