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In Year of the Snake 2025, is bad luck predicted for you? 5 ways to change your fortunes

Every lunar year, certain Chinese zodiac animals offend the ruling deity and risk bad luck. Fortunately, there are ways to appease the deity

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Every year in the Chinese lunisolar calendar, some zodiac signs clash with the guardian deity, bringing bad luck to people born under those signs. But there are things they can do to improve their luck. Photo: Getty Images
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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Have you ever been warned that a certain year means bad luck for your Chinese zodiac?

Underscoring such warnings is the concept of fan tai sui, or offending the Grand Duke of Jupiter, a concept rooted in Chinese astrology where deities are linked to stars and constellations.

There are 60 deities in Chinese astrology – one for each of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs (which correspond to Jupiter’s roughly 12-year orbital cycle) combined with the five elements of Chinese astrology (metal, wood, earth, fire and water).

These deities reign one by one over a 60-year cycle, replaced with the passing of each year. The current reigning deity is known as the Grand Duke of Jupiter, or tai sui, for that year.

Chinese people like to learn their future by visiting a fortune-teller. If bad luck awaits some in the Year of the Snake, there are steps they can take to improve their prospects. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese people like to learn their future by visiting a fortune-teller. If bad luck awaits some in the Year of the Snake, there are steps they can take to improve their prospects. Photo: Shutterstock
A birth sign clashing with that year’s tai sui signifies potential adversity – usually around four of the zodiac animals fan tai sui every year. For the Year of the Snake, those are the Snake itself, Monkey, Pig and Tiger.
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