Birth Year and Offending the Tai Sui.
In Feng Shui, the birth year is often considered an unlucky year. The folklore "Offending the Tai Sui in one's birth year, with the Tai Sui sitting overhead, brings either joy or disaster" best illustrates the unfavourability associated with the birth year. Therefore, the Han people commonly refer to the "birth year" as the "Hurdle Year," implying that passing through it is like stepping over a hurdle. During one's birth year, both adults and children are advised to wear red, believed to bring good luck and ward off evil, disasters, and mishaps. This reflects people's desires to ward off evil, avoid disasters, and pray for blessings.
Offending the Tai Sui refers to the situation where one's birth chart contains Five Elements that clash with the Heavenly Stem of the current year's Tai Sui. Traditional culture believes that being in the year of one's Tai Sui, or experiencing punishment, conflict, destruction, or harm from it, indicates that one's fortune may be affected, bringing numerous troubles. These can include legal disputes, relationship ups and downs, and accidental injuries.
People born under the zodiac sign of the Snake are those born in the following years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 and the upcoming year of 2025.
Zodiac and Traditional Culture.
The zodiac holds a significant place in traditional Chinese culture, intricately woven into the fabric of daily life and influencing various aspects such as literature, art, and spirituality. In folk traditions, there are many customs and myths surrounding the zodiac, including practices like wearing red underwear or displaying zodiac mascots during one's birth year. These actions are believed to bring peace and prosperity.
Moreover, the zodiac is often integrated with other traditional cultural elements, such as the Five Elements (Wu Xing) and the Eight Characters (Ba Zi), creating a more intricate system of destiny and fortune. It is believed that the zodiac sign of one's birth year plays a crucial role in shaping a person's character, fortune, and life path. By examining the traits and Five Element associations of each zodiac sign, it is thought that one can gain insights into an individual's personality, predict future events, and understand their luck or challenges.
Why Cinnabar?
Cinnabar is a bright red mineral that symbolizes good fortune and joy in traditional culture. Red has always been seen as a symbol of good luck and celebration, and cinnabar's color makes it particularly popular among the people. During festivals, many people choose to wear red cinnabar bracelets, symbolizing smooth lives and good health.
Cinnabar not only symbolizes joy and good fortune but also prosperity and success. Ancient emperors often used cinnabar powder to make ink for writing official documents, making cinnabar a national treasure in the eyes of successive emperors. When selecting the top-ranking scholar in imperial examinations, cinnabar was also used, symbolizing wealth and honor.
Cinnabar is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica," it treats convulsions, resolves fetal and smallpox toxins, drives away malaria, and promotes sweating. Therefore, it has the effects of calming the nerves, clearing heat, and detoxifying the body, symbolizing the warding off of evil and disasters.
