Folk customs in Guanzhong, Shaanxi Province: The legend of Tuwang's power

There is a proverb in Guanzhong, Shaanxi: "If the soil is prosperous, it will break the head, and you will not need an ox for 18 days." What does this mean? It means that you should avoid rain on this day. If it rains on a prosperous day, the weather will always be bad or rainy continuously for 18 days. As for "Tuwang", it is a proper term, which is called "Tuwang takes power" in the almanac. There are four such days every year, arranged in the third, sixth, ninth and twelfth months of the lunar calendar. Eighteen days after the prosperity of the soil is counted as the prosperity of the soil. It is taboo to move soil. It is not advisable to build walls to build houses, build soil villages, dig kilns and holes, and build stoves and kang beds. Especially in the first three days, it is even more strictly prohibited. Otherwise, if you encounter "Tai Sui", the family will be uneasy and even a disaster will come. As the saying goes,"Who dares to make trouble on the head of Tai Sui?"

Folk legend: The Jade Emperor had five sons. The first four were conferred as Emperor Qing, Emperor Red, Emperor Bai, and Emperor Xuan respectively. They managed government affairs in spring, summer, autumn and winter. Only the young Taisui was not awarded. Tai Sui saw that several of his brothers had governance areas, managed seasons and seasons, and were able to benefit the world and enjoy fireworks. However, he had only his bare hands. In a rage, he went to the Jade Emperor to talk to him. The Jade Emperor was speechless by Tai Sui's question. On the basis of doing the work of several eldest sons, he granted Tai Sui the responsibility for the last 18 days of government affairs in each quarter of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, for a total of 72 days four times a year. During the period of Tai Sui's administration, it was called "Tuwang". People thought that Tai Sui must be a very powerful god if he dared to confront the Jade Emperor, so he did not dare to break soil during the prosperous period, for fear that he would bump into Tai Sui and cause trouble for them.

In fact, there is no inevitable connection between Tuwang and Taisui. Ancient books such as Erya, Huainanzi, Lunheng, and Shiji all contain accounts of Tai Sui. Taisui is the star name assumed by ancient astronomers, corresponding to Jupiter. Jupiter is Jupiter. In ancient times, it was believed that twelve years had a cycle, because the ecliptic was divided into twelve equal parts, the part where the Jupiter was located was used as the name of the year. However, the direction of Jupiter's movement is from west to east, which is the opposite direction that divides the ecliptic into twelve branches. In order to avoid this inconvenience, it is assumed that Taisui moves in the opposite direction to the actual movement of Jupiter, and the year is counted according to the part where Taisui is located every year. For example, Tai Sui called Shatige in Yin, and Shan E in Mao. Later, it was combined with ten-year-old yang to form the ten trunk branches of heaven to count the years. Later, alchemists regarded the location of Tai Sui as the most dangerous place, and there were superstitious sayings such as avoiding the development of civil buildings or migrating houses.