Chinese Zodiac Punishment Groups (Xiang Xing - 相刑)

Punishment (相刑) is a kind of incompatibility between zodiac signs, which means the two signs are quite unfit for each other. Punishment has traditionally been seen as more harmful than harming and offending. For example, if offending is compared to quarrel, then harming is to hurt and punishment is to fight. 

Three Punishment Groups

San Xing (三刑) means three punishment groups, including Rat and Rabbit; Tiger, Snake and Monkey; Sheep, Ox and Dog. In addition, there are four self-punishment  (Zi Xing 自刑) signs , namely Dragon, Horse, Rooster and Pig.
 
First Punishment Group
The match of a Rat and a Rabbit creates a punishment group, which is called ''impolite punishment'' in Feng Shui. The two signs together will affect each other.
 
Second Punishment Group
The punishment of Tiger, Snake and Monkey is called ''bullying punishment'' in Feng Shui, which means the match of either two signs will influence each other and end the good luck in life. 
 
Third Punishment Group
The punishment of Sheep, Ox and Dog is called ''ungrateful punishment'' in Feng Shui, which the match of two signs will affect the eight characters and make the merits and virtues accumulated by parents can't pass to children. 

Four Self-punishment Signs (Zi Xing 自刑)

Besides, there are four zodiac signs with the self-inflicting problem, including Dragon, Horse, Rooster and Pig. For example, those of Pig sign will suffer injury in the year of Pig. In terms of marriage, two people of the same sign mentioned above are not suitable for each other, otherwise it will be a dog-eat-dog match.
 
Based on practice analysis, Ox-Dog and Tiger-Snake are the worst punishment, followed by Tiger-Snake, Dragon-Dragon, Horse-Horse, Rooster-Rooster and Pig-Pig respectively.
In fact, the so-called punishment is a kind of mutual promotion and restraint between the five elements. For example, Rabbit will be punished when Rat is strong; Rabbit will be promoted when Rat is weak and it depends on the environment. Take the punishment group of Tiger, Snake and Monkey for another example, Tiger and Monkey are an offending group (Liu Chong) while Snake and Monkey are in the six compatible group (Liu He), so punishment will be created when the three signs are together, i.e. a Tiger parent, a Snake parent and a Monkey child form the punishment group and this will be a miserable family.

Related Reading