Two clocks reset this month. The Xin-chou 辛丑 (Xīn-chǒu) month runs until February 3. On February 4, Lichun 立春 (Lìchūn, Spring Commences) starts the Ren-yin 壬寅 (Rén-yín) month and, by the BaZi count, the Ding-wei 丁未 (Dīng-wèi) year. The Lunar New Year follows on February 6.

The year turns against the Ox’s branch

Tai Sui 太岁 (Tài Suì, the year’s guardian star in folk belief) sits in wei 未 (wèi), the Goat branch, through 2027. Chou and wei sit opposite each other on the branch circle and form a clash 冲 (chōng). They also belong to the chou-xu-wei group of three punishments 三刑 (sān xíng). That trio carries the traditional name of the punishment of relying on power 恃势之刑 (shì shì zhī xíng), a name only, not a forecast. Traditionally, the clash marks a year of more change than usual for Ox-born people, with plans that benefit from slack.

That is the backdrop. February is the month it first appears.

Wood pressing on earth

The month pillar has its own story. Yin 寅 (yín), the Tiger branch, is wood, and wood restrains earth. The Ox’s chou is earth, so the branch is pictured as pushing on the Ox. There is no named relation between chou and yin, which keeps the pressure mild. The stem ren is water. Earth restrains water, so in the stem the Ox holds the upper hand.

Put together, February looks like a month of being nudged into motion. Spring growth pushes through soil. Many people take this as a reminder that some change can be useful, even when staying put feels more comfortable.

Focus for the month

  1. Add slack to your spring plans. Wherever a schedule is tight, widen it by a few days. It matches the clash-year reading.
  2. Say yes to one small change. A new route, a new tool, a different seat at the meeting. Let the wood month move you a little.
  3. Keep New Year promises modest. One habit, clearly defined, is easier to keep through a changeable year than five.

One thing to go easy on

Treating every disruption as a problem. A clash year invites the mind to see each shift as a setback. You might note the changes that actually turned out fine.

The Ox in January 2027 looks at the Ox’s own month that came before. The Ox in March 2027 continues the spring. For the full Tai Sui picture, see the Ox 2027 forecast and the 2027 Year of the Fire Goat overview. The BaZi calculator shows how the year pillar is counted from Lichun.

Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.