An Tai Sui and Guangming Lamps in 2027: When to Go, Which Lamp, and How to Give Thanks
2027 is a Ding-Wei year, and the Tai Sui on duty is General Miao Bing (繆丙). The signs that offend Tai Sui are the Goat (same branch as Tai Sui), Ox (clashing Tai Sui), Dog (punishing Tai Sui and breaking Tai Sui) and Rat (harming Tai Sui). Most temples in Taiwan open registration for An Tai Sui (安太歲, "settling Tai Sui") and guangming lamps (光明燈, "lamps of light") before Lunar New Year and finish the installation around the Lantern Festival (Sat, Feb 20). Below, every date from sending off the gods to the Lantern Festival in 2027 is worked out, followed by the difference between a Tai Sui lamp and a guangming lamp, the Li Chun and New Year ways of counting, and how thanking Tai Sui closes the year.
The signs offending Tai Sui in 2027, and their birth years
Counted from the year's branch, Wei, these are the signs with a relation to Tai Sui in 2027. Birth years in the table change at Li Chun (the Start of Spring). When you register at a temple, simply give your Gregorian or lunar birthday.
| Sign | Relation to Tai Sui | Birth years |
|---|---|---|
| Goat (Wei 未) | same branch as Tai Sui | 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 |
| Ox (Chou 丑) | clashing Tai Sui | 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 |
| Dog (Xu 戌) | punishing Tai Sui and breaking Tai Sui | 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 |
| Rat (Zi 子) | harming Tai Sui | 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 |
The Dog forms both a punishment and a break with Wei, so some temples list it as punishing Tai Sui and others as breaking Tai Sui; they mean the same people. The Ox also belongs to the Chou-Xu-Wei punishment, but we, like most temples, count it as clashing Tai Sui. All five relations are explained in the Tai Sui overview; for the whole year of the Goat and the Dog, see the Goat in 2027 and the Dog in 2027.
Work it out first, then decide Show my Tai Sui years →
The 2027 timeline for An Tai Sui and temple lamps
Every date below is converted by our calendar code. There is no single nationwide day for An Tai Sui: some temples start taking names at the winter solstice or in the 12th lunar month, others only after New Year, and most finish the installation around the Lantern Festival. For actual registration periods, installation days and practice, follow each temple's own notice.
| When | Date | Lunar date | What it means for An Tai Sui and lamps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter solstice | Tue, Dec 22, 2026 | 11th month | Some temples start taking registrations for next year's An Tai Sui and guangming lamps |
| Weiya | Sat, Jan 23 | 12th month, day 16 | The last offering of the year to the Earth God; registrations often peak around now |
| Sending off the gods | Sun, Jan 31 | 12th month, day 24 | The Kitchen God and the other gods are seen off to heaven; many people thank this year's Tai Sui before this day |
| Li Chun (Start of Spring) | Thu, Feb 4 09:46 | 12th month, day 28 | In BaZi the Ding-Wei year begins at this moment, and the 2027 Tai Sui formally takes office |
| New Year's Eve | Fri, Feb 5 | 12th month, day 29 | This 12th month has only 29 days, so the eve falls on day 29 |
| Lunar New Year (day 1) | Sat, Feb 6 | 1st month, day 1 | The day the zodiac sign changes in everyday reckoning; many temples take most registrations over the holiday |
| Jade Emperor's Birthday | Sun, Feb 14 | 1st month, day 9 | Honoring Tiangong, the Lord of Heaven; in 2027 it falls on Valentine's Day |
| Lantern Festival | Sat, Feb 20 | 1st month, day 15 | Birthday of the Heavenly Official; most temples finish installing the year's Tai Sui around this day |
| Thanking Tai Sui | Wed, Dec 22, 2027 to Tue, Jan 25, 2028 | 11th to 12th month | Returning to the temple at year end to give thanks; usually before sending off the gods in 2028 (Jan 20) |
Tai Sui lamps and guangming lamps: what is the difference
The two lamps are often mentioned together, but they are addressed to different deities and serve different purposes. This is the common division in Taiwan; names and where the lamps are placed vary from temple to temple.
| Tai Sui lamp (An Tai Sui) | Guangming lamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Addressed to | The Tai Sui general on duty that year | Depends on the temple's main deity; a prayer for a safe, bright year ahead |
| Who it is for | People whose sign offends Tai Sui that year; some people do it every year regardless | Anyone, whatever their sign |
| How it works | You register your name and birth details; a name plaque or written petition is placed in the Tai Sui hall or before the Tai Sui tablet | You register your name, and a lamp is placed on the guangming lamp stand, lit for the whole year |
| At year end | Most people go back to thank Tai Sui for the year's protection | It simply ends after a year; practice differs by temple |
Besides these two, temples commonly offer Wenchang lamps for exams, God of Wealth lamps for work and business, and Yue Lao lamps for finding a partner. Which lamp to light, and how many, is a matter of personal belief; we do not compare efficacy and do not list prices. The one thing worth saying: when any claim says a large sum is needed to "resolve" something, the claim is what deserves doubt.
Li Chun or New Year: when does the 2027 year begin?
Folk custom has two ways to change the zodiac year. The Li Chun count changes it at the Start of Spring; BaZi charts and our Tai Sui lookup use this one. The New Year count changes it on day 1 of the lunar new year; that is how people usually talk about their sign, and many temples register by it. In 2027 Li Chun falls on Thu, Feb 4 at 09:46, two days before Lunar New Year (Sat, Feb 6). So anyone born after 09:46 on Feb 4 and up to Feb 5 is a Goat by the Li Chun count but still a Horse by the New Year count.
The difference only matters for people born between late January and mid-February. When you register at a temple, give your Gregorian (or lunar) birthday and let the temple apply its own custom; there is no need to work out the sign yourself. To see which sign you are under each count, use the zodiac sign lookup.
Thanking Tai Sui: closing out 2027
If you did An Tai Sui, it is customary to go back at year end to "thank Tai Sui" (謝太歲) for the year's protection; the temple then removes your name plaque or burns the petition. In 2027 this falls roughly between the winter solstice on December 22, 2027 and New Year's Eve on January 25, 2028, and many people do it before sending off the gods in 2028 (Thu, Jan 20). Many temples also thank Tai Sui on everyone's behalf at year end, so if you cannot go back, ask how the temple handles it.
After 2027 comes the 2028 Wu-Shen year, whose Tai Sui is General Xu Hao (徐浩). The signs with a relation to that Tai Sui are the Monkey (same branch as Tai Sui), Tiger (clashing Tai Sui), Snake (punishing Tai Sui and breaking Tai Sui) and Pig (harming Tai Sui). The list for every year ahead is in the year-by-year table of the Tai Sui overview.
What to prepare before you go
- Details: name and Gregorian or lunar birthday; most temples also ask for an address. If you are registering family members too, write down everyone's birthday first.
- Timing: the weeks before New Year and around the Lantern Festival are the busiest. To avoid the crowds, register early, or check whether the temple accepts registration online or by phone.
- Fees: these differ by temple; follow the temple's own notice. If you register online, use only the channels the temple itself publishes, and never pay in response to an unsolicited message or an account you cannot verify.
- How to worship: many temples now encourage less incense and good deeds in place of burning paper money; check the temple's rules before you go.
Where this site stands
Offending Tai Sui is a branch relation that can be calculated from the calendar; An Tai Sui and temple lamps are religious rituals, and whether to take part is a personal choice that we neither recommend nor oppose. If you want to look at the year through BaZi, the practical step is to check whether Tai Sui's element is favorable or unfavorable for you, and which of your four pillars it touches; the Tai Sui lookup lists the next twelve years at once. For where Tai Sui comes from and why temple lists differ, see An Tai Sui.
A straight word: offending Tai Sui is a branch relation, not a verdict
Offending Tai Sui only says which cell your birth-year branch and this year's branch land on in the table of twelve branch relations. It can tell you that a line in your life will be touched this year; it cannot tell you what happens once it is touched. That depends on the role the branch plays in your chart and on whether the year's element is favorable or unfavorable for you. Everything on this site is for reference and entertainment.
Work it out first, then decide
Enter your birth date to see which of the next twelve years touch your zodiac sign or your four pillars, and whether Tai Sui's element is favorable for you.
An Tai Sui 2027 FAQ
When should I go for An Tai Sui in 2027?
There is no single nationwide day. Most temples open registration before Lunar New Year and finish the installation around the Lantern Festival (February 20, 2027); some start taking names as early as the winter solstice (December 22, 2026). Follow each temple's own notice.
Which zodiac signs should consider An Tai Sui in 2027?
Counted from the year's branch, Wei, the signs that share, punish, clash, break or harm Tai Sui in 2027 are the Goat (same branch as Tai Sui), Ox (clashing Tai Sui), Dog (punishing Tai Sui and breaking Tai Sui) and Rat (harming Tai Sui). Temple lists vary in width; some name only the same branch and the clash.
Do I need both a Tai Sui lamp and a guangming lamp?
Not necessarily. A Tai Sui lamp is a prayer to the year's Tai Sui, usually by people who offend it; a guangming lamp is open to every sign and asks for a safe year. Whether to light one, and which, is a personal choice of belief.
Who is the Tai Sui of 2027?
The Tai Sui of the 2027 Ding-Wei year is General Miao Bing (繆丙); for the 2028 Wu-Shen year it is General Xu Hao (徐浩). The list of sixty Tai Sui generals is a commonly circulated folk version, and each temple's own tablets take precedence.
When do I thank Tai Sui?
At year end, roughly between the winter solstice on December 22, 2027 and New Year's Eve on January 25, 2028; many people go before sending off the gods on January 20, 2028. Many temples also give thanks on everyone's behalf, so ask first.