How to protect yourself, your family and your business during the year of the Yang Fire Horse (Bing Wu), by avoiding the wrath of Tai Sui, the Grand Duke, Sui Po, and all of the other annual Feng Shui afflictions.

© Written and updated by Daniel Hanna 2025

Every year, as Chinese New Year approaches, we face a long list of tasks to tackle throughout our home, office, workspace, shop, and garden. It can feel overwhelming at first glance, but once everything is done, you’ll often notice the energy shifting for the better surprisingly quickly.

When we enter the year of the Yang Fire Horse on the 4^th of February, we will need to adapt to the fast pace of this year, as Fire Horse years are known for their instability and intensity. This year, it is important to prepare early for the Horse year, or you could find yourself falling behind once this influence gets going. Entering the year on the right foot will allow you to make the most of the Fire Horses impact, and use if to your advantage.

The location of the annual Flying stars is changing on 4th February 2026 around every building in the world and with regard to the annual afflictions this year, they will be concentrated in two compass sectors, making the north and south the most important areas of your home and business to keep settled throughout the year.

Tai Sui location for 2026 – South (172.5 – 187.5)
Three killings location for 2026 – North (322.5 – 37.5)
Annual five yellow location for 2026 – South Palace
Sui Po location for 2026 – North 352.5 – 7.5)

The Three Killings, Tai Sui, the annual five, and Sui Po can all be disturbed by noisy building work such as renovations, construction, development, or heavy hammering and drilling. Fortunately, we’ve put together guidance on how to prevent triggering these annual afflictions in your home or workplace for 2026.

Over the past few years, we have received thousands of emails asking for advice on how to avoid disturbing Tai Sui, Sui Po or the three killings when drilling holes in the home or even when doing a home workout where the annual five star is located, as these activities can all disturb the afflictions. Knowing where the yearly afflictions are in future years will help plan future jobs around the home, office and workplace and help avoid all sorts of problems that the annual afflictions can bring.

Our Period 9 Academy of Feng Shui software can easily do this for you, enabling you to become super organised and empowered and be able to enhance all areas of your life. However, in this article, we will discuss the annual afflictions for 2026, including where they are and how to avoid them.

The Three Killings also goes by the name of “Three Sha” and is an exact translation from the Chinese “San Sha”. Although the perception of the Three Killings is associated with the three earthly branches, its position is defined according to one of the four cardinal compass directions, namely North (water), East (wood), South (fire) and West (metal).

The four groups of harmonious alliances (trinities) separate the twelve earthly branches. If we are to establish the location of The Three Killings, we must first explore the trinities of the earthly branches and their phases.

Please do not get the earthly branches confused with The Three Killings; they merely designate the position of The Three Killings. The Three Killings sits in the opposite cardinal direction (spanning 90 degrees) of the phase represented by the year’s earthly branch.

For example:

The 2004 earthly branch was the Monkey. The Monkey belongs to the trinity of the water phase to the north. As such, the Three Killings sits in the south. Ie. 135.5º to 225.5º.

Another example:

The 2005 earthly branch was the Rooster belonging to the trinity of the metal phase to the west, which means that the Three Killings sat in the east during 2005.

What can I do to avoid the Three Killings in 2026?

The best way to avoid the wrath of the Three Killings during 2026 would be to not disturb the north of your home or workplace during the year of the Horse, although, for most of us, this will not be possible, and in 2026 it is even more important as we also have Sui Po located in the same sector, making this a particularly troublesome area when activated.

The north of my home falls into my sons bedroom upstairs and luckily, he will only be three this year, and does not spend a great deal of time in his bedroom while he is awake. The north of our downstairs fall between half of our kitchen and the dining room where we have a rear door from the kitchen to the garden. I will be making sure I avoid slamming this door as much as possible this year, and will be placing my Fuqi Baota Three-Tier Pagoda bell here to both weaken the Three Killings, Sui Po and also enhance the annual #6 which is also located here.

Bells have the ability to clear negative Qi, and to help activate this cure, you should try to chime the bell whenever you walk past this to promote fresh energy into this area.

If you are confused about what should and shouldn’t be done in the north palace for 2026, I’ve written a few examples to hopefully give you a better idea.

• Installing a pond or swimming pool in the north – not advised and if unavoidable, make sure you place annual Feng Shui cures.
• Using a main door in the north – not advised and if unavoidable, make sure you place annual Feng Shui cures.
• Replacing windows or doors in the north  – not advised and if unavoidable, make sure you place annual Feng Shui cures.
• Play drums in the north  as loud as possible – not advised and if unavoidable, make sure you place annual Feng Shui cures.
• Drilling into walls in the north  (single holes for hanging pictures should be fine) – not advised and if unavoidable, make sure you place annual Feng Shui cures.
• Lay a new patio or deck in the north  – not advised and if unavoidable, make sure you place annual Feng Shui cures.

• Planting small plants with a hand spade in the north  – fine to do so but still place annual cures
• Using a main door in the north  quietly, avoiding slamming the doors – fine to do so
• Watching television or listening to music in the north  at a reasonable volume – fine to do so
• Painting and decorating a bedroom in the north  – fine to do so

If you have a task that you’re not sure about, send me a message in the comments section below, and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can.

With the annual afflictions, there is always a way to work around this issue and carry out the work and not cause problems. We bought a new home during lockdown that required quite a bit of modernisation, and I renovated the hallway in 2020, which is located in the east, which had the Three Killings visit in order to avoid causing any problems, I made sure all of the annual Feng Shui cures and enhancers were in place in the east for the year and then carefully removed the Parquet flooring myself with hand tools so that there was minimal noise and activity in the east and nearly no power tools used to refit the whole hallway. By placing the relevant annual cures and enhancers, taking care of and avoiding making noise in the hall, we did not suffer any issues from the Three killings in 2020.

The three killings can bring health and financial issues when it is activated, which are areas of our lives that we cannot afford to take chances with during the year of the Horse in 2026, making it an extremely important area to take care this year.

I would also recommend placing the Gongwanxingman Sheng Chi Cure, as this will help to enhance the auspicious energy of the annual #6, which is located in the north this year, helping to keep the energy in this area pure.

If you read through this article and follow the advice that I’ve given, you can avoid the issues associated with disturbing the Three Killings in the north, which can range from health issues, financial loss, injuries and, in extreme case, fatalities.

If your main door is located in the north or south in 2026, it’s likely to create some disturbance within the home or workplace. The most effective remedy is to ensure the door isn’t slammed when used. It also helps to oil the hinges and adjust the alignment so the door doesn’t catch on the frame. More often than not, Feng Shui involves practical, everyday adjustments just as much as it involves placing cures and enhancers.

The ideal choice would be to use another door to enter the home in an area that is not afflicted in 2026, although this is very rarely an option. If you have a shop or business entrance door in the north or south, I would suggest installing a soft close hinge along with the annual Feng Shui cures and enhancers, as this will save you from a lot of issues throughout the year. If the door is not slammed often in an afflicted area, you should not activate the nasty effects of the Three Killings or Sui Po.

How can I avoid problems caused by garden work in 2026?

Cutting the grass and hedges cant be avoided around the home, and I personally won’t be leaving certain compass sectors of my grass uncut during 2026. The traditional cure to place when cutting the grass, cutting down trees, trimming hedges or any other noisy activity this year is to place a six-rod hollow metal wind chime outside of your home, between the building and where the work is being carried out; you should place this before you start and leave it for a few hours after you have finished. If you do not have a wind chime, temporarily place a weighty metal object between the home and where the work is being done; good metal items to use are heavy pots and pans or a metal dumbbell.

Another powerful cure is to place a symbol statue of a deity, such as the god of wealth, which is also known as ‘Tsai Shen Yeh’. Tsai Shen Yeh is one of the most potent and popular Chinese Gods of Wealth, who is usually depicted wearing a Dragon robe and sitting on a tiger. He is also known at times as Lu Hsing, the Star God of Wealth.

The Tsai Shen Yeh carries a gold ingot and a sword on him. After he returned from a forest after studying the Tao, he was seen riding along on the back of a black tiger in all directions and carrying a sword to ward off evil influences around him. He is not meant to be worshipped but is there to symbolise money and wealth and attract the same into the house.

Is it better to face the Three Killings or sit with my back to it?

When you are spending time in one position, such as sitting at your work desk, watching television or sleeping, you should try to avoid sitting with your back towards the Three Killings in 2026, as this will disturb the Three Killings. We receive many emails and phone calls regarding this subject, with many wondering if they should move their sofa chairs in the living room to avoid facing the Three Killings area.

When you are spending time in one position, such as sitting at your work desk, watching television or sleeping, you should try to avoid sitting with your back towards the north in 2026, as this will disturb the Three Killings. We receive many emails and phone calls regarding this subject, with many wondering if they should move their sofa chairs in the living room to avoid facing the Three Killings area.

Do not sit facing the south if you can avoid it (back to Three Killings).

You can face the north this year, as this will also balance with Tai Sui. (facing Three Killings).

It is always best to avoid having your back towards the north (facing south) in 2026 for periods longer than two hours, although I would not worry if you are sitting down for dinner with your back to the north if this is under 2-4 hours. If you do sit with your back to the north (facing south) for prolonged periods, you may find yourself feeling fatigued, lacking concentration and being the victim of gossip and rumours. If you have no choice but to sit with your back to the Three Killings during the year of the Horse, please make sure that you have the relevant annual Feng Shui cures and enhancers in place for the year.

To summarise, try to avoid sitting so that you are facing towards the south in 2026, as this will have your back to the Three Killings. As we have Tai Sui located in the south in 2026, it is advised that you do not face him, as this can cause disrespect and is likely to activate Tai Sui.

Should I face Tai Sui or sit with my back to it in 2026?

Tai Sui, also known as Grand Duke of Jupiter and named the Year Star. Its position is signified by the earthly branch (Chinese animal) of the year. The locations of the twelve earthly branches are: Rat (North), Ox and Tiger (Northeast), Rabbit (East), Dragon and Snake (Southeast), Horse (South), Sheep and Monkey (Southwest), Rooster (West) Dog and Pig/Boar (Northwest)

Tai Sui, or Grand Duke Jupiter, is unrelated to the planet Jupiter. However, there are some astrological reasons why it became the benchmark where Tai Sui was located; therefore, it was also called Grand Duke Jupiter.

Unlike San Sha Three Killings, I would not recommend facing Tai Sui during the year of the Horse as this will likely anger Tai Sui.

During 2026, please try to avoid facing towards the south, as this direction is in conflict with Tai Sui and the Three Killings this year. Anything under two hours will be fine, but make sure you get up and move about briefly in between. You can face the north in 2026, as this will put your back to Tai Sui for support and also appease the Three Killings.

An essential and powerful cure to appease Tai Sui in the south this year and also weaken the annual #5 star, which is also located in the south is to place a Wen Zhe Tai Sui gold plated plaque in the south palace to appease Tai Sui, avoiding the negative influences that could take place.

If you can avoid it, please do not disturb the ground in the south during 2026, as this will activate the malevolent energy of Tai Sui and the #5 star; if this can’t be avoided, please make sure that you have your Annual Cures and Enhancers in place for the year. If you would like to find out the best seating positions and everything else to do with your Personal Feng Shui, you can take a look at our customised Feng Shui Report

The 2026 Annual Feng Shui Afflictions:

The Three Killings – north (337.5 – 22.5)

Please avoid noisy renovations in the north of your home or workplace whenever possible in 2026, as we have the Three Killings located here for the year, along with Sui Po. Try to avoid major digging, such as foundations, in this area this year. However, digging small holes for plants or fence posts will be acceptable.

If you have no option but to perform work in the north during 2026, I would strongly recommend placing a six-hollow rod metal wind chime while the work is being carried out and for a few days after. We take this very seriously at the Feng Shui Store, as we’ve witnessed some disturbing events over the past 45 years when this energy has been disrupted. We have included the Fuqi Baota Three-Tier Pagoda bell in both the Annual and Deluxe kits this year to help weaken the influence of the Three Killings and Sui Po.

If you have a door located in the north this year, please take care when opening and closing the door to ensure it is not slammed. Avoid the influence of the Three Killings by opening and closing the door calmly, or by installing a soft-close hinge.

Urgent repairs to your home or office in the north will need a cure to prevent any negative consequences. You can place a six-rod hollow metal rod wind chime between the building and where the work is being carried out, or ideally, contact a professional Feng Shui Consultant to select an auspicious date to start the work.

Annual #5 yellow Flying star – South Palace.

From the 4th of February 2026, the annual five yellow star will fly into the south of every home, office and building for the year. When activated by noise or frequent close traffic, this inauspicious influence can bring disaster, illness, lawsuits, and significant financial issues, making it a crucial area to remain calm during the year of the Horse. We also have Tai Sui located in the same palace as the annual #5 this year, and extra care and attention will be needed in this sector.

It is highly recommended that you keep the south of your home or office calm and settled as often as possible during 2026 to avoid activating this area and avoid any building work or noisy activities. To control and weaken the influence of the annual five star, place a set of six Chinese i-ching coins tied with red ribbon, a six-rod hollow metal wind chime and a salt water cure in the south to avoid the problems that are associated with the #5 yellow disaster star.

A powerful and vital cure to place in the south of your home or office during 2026 is to place a set of six Chinese coins tied with a red ribbon in your building to weaken and appease the annual #5 yellow star, which is why we have included it in all of our Annual Cures and enhancers kits this year.

Tai Sui (The Grand Duke of Jupiter) – south (172.5 – 187.5)

Like the Three Killings, Tai Sui should never be disturbed. The influence of Tai Sui can bring either positive or negative effects, depending on the annual Flying Stars that align with its location each year.

If your front door is located in the south during 2026, take care to avoid slamming or forcefully closing it, as this is one of the quickest ways to offend Tai Sui. Likewise, if your main bedroom or living area falls in the south sector, try to keep noise levels moderate — avoid playing music or television so loudly that everyday conversation becomes difficult.

The traditional way to appease Tai Sui during the Year of the Horse (2026) is to place a Wen Zhe Tai Sui Plaque in the south sector of your home or workplace for the entire year. This cure helps to honour and appease the Grand Duke, while also weakening the annual #5 Misfortune Star, which shares the same location in 2026.

By showing respect to the Grand Duke of Jupiter (Tai Sui), we can reduce obstacles, avoid misfortune, and invite greater harmony throughout the year.

Sui Po (Year Breaker) – north 352.5 – 7.5)

In 2026, Sui Po, the Year Breaker, will occupy the north sector of your home or workplace. This area directly opposes Tai Sui, and it is also home to the Three Killings, making it particularly sensitive to noise and disturbance throughout the year. Too much activity in the north can lead to challenges for those living or working there.

To help settle this energy, you can place your Fuqi Baota Three-Tier Pagoda Bell in the north and gently chime it whenever you walk past. This will help to calm the energy and maintain balance in this area.

Please try to avoid excessive noise, ground-breaking, or renovation in the north during 2026. When Sui Po is disturbed, it can lead to health concerns, particularly for elderly occupants, so please take extra care to keep this sector quiet and undisturbed throughout the year.

Please do not panic if the north or south of your home or workplace has a bedroom, office, living room or other regularly used room in one of these areas; start preparing to place your 2026 cures and enhancers kit as of the 4^{th of} February to ensure a trouble-free year and also cleanse any old cures that you will be reusing this year. To give you even better control, use our advanced Feng Shui period 9 software, as this provides a sophisticated analysis of every home or office facing any direction in any part of the world.

Where are the rest of the bad Flying Stars in 2026?

With the Flying stars, we have a mix of auspicious and inauspicious stars. For 2026, we have four inauspicious stars fly into the different compass sectors, which will need to be weakened with the relevant cures and elements to make sure that they do not bring any negative energy to our homes and workplaces.

• 3 star – This can be found in the west palace in 2026
• 4 star – This can be found in the northeast in 2026
• 5 star – This can be found in the south in 2026
• 7 star – This can be found in the southwest in 2026

it is crucial that we cure and neutralise the inauspicious stars with the relevant Annual Cures and Enhancers for the year, as when disturbed or left untreated, they can cause all sorts of problems related to wealth, stress, illness, disputes, legal issues, death and much more so please make sure that you read through carefully on how to avoid issues during the year of the Horse.

If one of the inauspicious stars falls into your spare room, bathroom, storage cupboard or other lesser-used room, this will help avoid activating the star this year. However, please be sure to treat this area accordingly to help weaken the negative energy for the year.

How far do we take the advice we give with regard to the Feng Shui Annual afflictions?

For 2026, we will all be placing the relevant cures and enhancers for the year of the Horse in every sector of our home to make sure that the inauspicious stars are weakened and the auspicious stars are as powerful as they can be.

I’m not personally worried about the annual afflictions during the year of the Horse, as I know where they are located and will be careful when carrying out tasks in these areas throughout the year. Having good Feng Shui is equally about being aware of potential dangers and making allowances. By doing this and also placing cures, you can and will avoid many problems as avoidance and preparation are two potent tools in Feng Shui.

What should I do if I need to repair a driveway or have a similar renovation?

If your garden falls into the north or south this year, the best course of action would be to avoid building an extension or changing a patio in 2026. However, I appreciate that some things just can’t be left or avoided, such as an overgrown hedge or a collapsed pipe in the ground. If you can’t avoid building work or digging, use the following rules to reduce any harm that may result.

Back in 2008, we had to replace our large driveway that fell in the north, northwest and northeast. While some of these areas were affected, 2008 was the best year to do the work, and if we had carried out the work in 2026), it would have caused us many problems as the Three Killings and Sui Po are located in the north.

We employed extra builders (6 in total) to ensure the work was done over six days, as even the monthly stars can have an influence. By placing all the cures in 2008 and also placing a six-rod wind chime in the NW, we had no problems at all. So, don’t worry too much if you can’t avoid work in the north or south in 2026.

Place a six-rod metal wind chime between your house and building while the work is being done.

Start trimming or mowing from a different corner of the garden. Let us say your garden is in the north of the property where the Three Killings is located in 2026. You should remember to start your garden work from the northwest, east or southeast corner of the garden as this carries an auspicious energy during the year of the Horse.

The simple thing to remember is to AVOID doing heavy work here and no digging or breaking ground, I have seen some nasty repercussions created from disturbing these afflictions in a year, way too many times.

Visit the pages below for further details on the 2026 Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year 2026 ** How to make your own Ang Pow ** Chinese Talismans for 2026 ** Chinese animal predictions for 2026 ** Flying star Xuan Kong 2026 ** Avoid the fury of the Grand Duke, three killings in 2026 ** Chinese New Year world time converter 2026 ** 2026 Cures and enhancers kits ** How to take a compass reading ** How to determine your facing direction ** Feng Shui software updated for period 9 ** Feng Shui resource **  Feng Shui Blog ** Chinese culture **

© Daniel Hanna – Feng Shui Store 2026

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