The five yearly afflictions
- Tai Sui (太岁, Grand Duke Jupiter) — occupies the 15° sector of the year's earthly branch. Traditionally you don't face it directly for important work or confront it with renovation. For the Goat year 2027 it is Wei, 202.5°–217.5° (Southwest 1).
- Sui Po (岁破, Year Breaker) — the sector directly opposite the Tai Sui. Treated with the same caution.
- Three Killings (三煞) — a whole 90° cardinal direction, set by which of the four "three harmony" groups the year's animal belongs to. The rule of thumb is to avoid sitting with your back to it and to avoid starting construction there.
- Five Yellow (五黄) — wherever the annual flying star 5 lands. Usually taken as the most serious annual affliction.
- Two Black (二黑) — wherever the annual flying star 2, the illness star, lands.
The Tai Sui, Sui Po and Three Killings follow the twelve-year animal cycle; the Five Yellow and Two Black follow the nine-year cycle of the annual flying stars. All of them change at the start of spring, not on 1 January.
Year-by-year table
| Year | Animal | Starts (CST) | Tai Sui | Sui Po | Three Killings | Five Yellow | Two Black |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dragon | 4 Feb 16:27 | SE1 Chen (112.5–127.5°) | NW1 Xu | South | West | Southeast |
| 2025 | Snake | 3 Feb 22:10 | SE3 Si (142.5–157.5°) | NW3 Hai | East | Northeast | Centre |
| 2026 | Horse | 4 Feb 04:02 | S2 Wu (172.5–187.5°) | N2 Zi | North | South | Northwest |
| 2027 | Goat | 4 Feb 09:46 | SW1 Wei (202.5–217.5°) | NE1 Chou | West | North | West |
| 2028 | Monkey | 4 Feb 15:31 | SW3 Shen (232.5–247.5°) | NE3 Yin | South | Southwest | Northeast |
| 2029 | Rooster | 3 Feb 21:20 | W2 You (262.5–277.5°) | E2 Mao | East | East | South |
| 2030 | Dog | 4 Feb 03:08 | NW1 Xu (292.5–307.5°) | SE1 Chen | North | Southeast | North |
| 2031 | Pig | 4 Feb 08:58 | NW3 Hai (322.5–337.5°) | SE3 Si | West | Centre | Southwest |
| 2032 | Rat | 4 Feb 14:48 | N2 Zi (352.5–7.5°) | S2 Wu | South | Northwest | East |
| 2033 | Ox | 3 Feb 20:41 | NE1 Chou (22.5–37.5°) | SW1 Wei | East | West | Southeast |
| 2034 | Tiger | 4 Feb 02:41 | NE3 Yin (52.5–67.5°) | SW3 Shen | North | Northeast | Centre |
| 2035 | Rabbit | 4 Feb 08:31 | E2 Mao (82.5–97.5°) | W2 You | West | South | Northwest |
| 2036 | Dragon | 4 Feb 14:19 | SE1 Chen (112.5–127.5°) | NW1 Xu | South | North | West |
| 2037 | Snake | 3 Feb 20:11 | SE3 Si (142.5–157.5°) | NW3 Hai | East | Southwest | Northeast |
| 2038 | Horse | 4 Feb 02:03 | S2 Wu (172.5–187.5°) | N2 Zi | North | East | South |
| 2039 | Goat | 4 Feb 07:52 | SW1 Wei (202.5–217.5°) | NE1 Chou | West | Southeast | North |
| 2040 | Monkey | 4 Feb 13:39 | SW3 Shen (232.5–247.5°) | NE3 Yin | South | Centre | Southwest |
Using it at home
To know which rooms are affected, you need to know which part of your home lies in each direction. Measure the facing with the facing finder, then lay the compass bagua over your plan. If building work in an afflicted sector can't wait, a common traditional approach is to start the work from an unaffected sector and move towards it.
Questions
What is "offending the Tai Sui"?
That's a separate idea from the direction: people whose zodiac animal is the same as, or clashes with, the year's animal are said to "offend" the Tai Sui that year. In 2027 that traditionally includes Goat and Ox.
Do these apply to the whole house or each room?
Traditionally both — to the whole plot, and to large rooms measured from their own centre. Most people only consider the house as a whole.