The Grand Duke
This year's general is the Ming dynasty figure Yang Xin. We caught up with him and asked how he'd been for the last 59 years of furlough, and what he was looking forward to during his one-year reign. Having lived between 1422 and 1478, he noted that he'd only been on the earth for 56 years. Thus, he was making the most out of the three extra years his hard work had afforded him in the afterlife. We asked him what qualities he brought to the job and he narrated his military career. He served nearly four decades out on the empire's northern frontiers, and with the Tai Sui sitting in the northeast this year, Yang Xin's experience will come to the fore. He also aided three successive emperors, rising gradually through the ranks. That’s the mark of a man who knows how to serve, and how to do so with distinction. For his faithful deeds, he was ennobled as a marquis on his death and given the posthumous title of 'martial and resolute'. Who better to have guarding our northeast this year?
So, who is in the firing line? Oxen, obviously as it's your year and he'll be sleeping right by your side. Opposite the Ox, and keeping company with the Tsui Po Year Breaker is the Goat, and then collateral damage to the Dog, Horse and Dragon, in that order. The usual edicts on not disturbing that region of the house/office/hotel room apply to all of us: don't sit there, don't sleep there, and keep it clean.
The Year Breaker
Keeping step with the Grand Duke, the Tsui Po moves to the southwest this year. While it can interrupt and change the course of your life, you may be able to turn this to your advantage. Direct confrontation may lower its antagonism. In any case, you would not want it peering over your shoulder and whispering less-than-sweet nothings in your ear. Leaving the area fallow this year will weaken the negative affects - perhaps don't mop the floor or vacuum in that sector each and every day. Keep the windows clean, but not too clean. Small metal pagodas will bring benefits this year so hiring in a child with an aluminium lego set might do the trick.
Three Killings
The east is hosting the Three Killings this year. The standard exclusions apply - no loud noises or heavy construction in this direction. And setting up a shrine with noise-cancelling headphones may not be enough to placate this beast. What else should be placed here? Qilin, pixiu and fu dogs should be in battle formation, and whatever you have in the way of strong yang properties (not limited to pictures of male body-builders). The three signs most affected by these murderous stars are the Tiger, Rabbit and Dragon - if you're one of these signs, you could do worse than to have one on the front of your mask.
Five Yellow
Place salt in the southeast corner of your residence to guard against Five Yellow. The star is associated with earth and so in a direction ruled by wood, its malevolence is augmented as it corrupts all that grows. The salt combats this negative influence by starving it. Some of you will turn the southeast sector of the home or office into a tequila shot room. Others may try to purchase relics of the original Lot's Wife from ebay to store in a shrine. Others again will salt and ferment kimchi for a year with the dual advantages of minimising evil while preparing food. There is no one-size-fits-all. Being earth, you'll know that metallic objects can also be used here to draw the strength out: anything from the change you find in your mother's purse to window bars will help.