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How Monkeys can survive Year of the Snake when their zodiac clashes with guardian deity

Lunar New Year in 2025 means conflict between its guardian deity and some Chinese zodiac signs, including Monkey. What they can do

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The Lantern Festival in Yu Garden, Shanghai, during the last Year of the Monkey in 2016. The zodiac sign clashes with the guardian deity in the coming Year of the Snake, spelling big trouble. Find out how to head it off. Photo: Shutterstock
From snake-themed events to whether your luck is in: discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year in our Year of the Snake 2025 series.
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Anyone who reads their Chinese zodiac would have come across the term tai sui or found their sign in conflict with, or offending, the tai sui – the guardian deity for that year.

The 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac are tied to Jupiter’s 12-year orbital cycle, with each lunar year associated with a celestial figure believed to oppose Jupiter. This figure is known as the heavenly general, cycle god, Grand Duke of Jupiter, or tai sui.

If your zodiac sign clashes with the tai sui, it is thought to herald a period of adversity or upheaval. A detailed chart outlines which zodiac sign conflicts with one of the 60 tai sui deities and, based on their attributes, predicts the nature of the challenges you might face.

Boys dressed as monkeys join a Chinese new year parade in Paris, France. Monkeys need to watch their backs and make the right moves in the Year of the Snake, an inauspicious one. Photo: Shutterstock
Boys dressed as monkeys join a Chinese new year parade in Paris, France. Monkeys need to watch their backs and make the right moves in the Year of the Snake, an inauspicious one. Photo: Shutterstock

To appease the tai sui, the most common practice is to visit a temple with a dedicated shrine to perform a ritual known as sip tai sui. This ceremony grants a protective talisman to shield you from misfortune in the coming year.

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