In Taoism, a group of seventy-two stars that exert influence over earthly affairs, each associated with a specific deity or star-spirit; they are often summoned by Taoist priests during rituals; later used in the novel "Water Margin" to represent seventy-two of the rebel leaders of Liangshan Marsh

(metaphorical) Used to describe a group of fierce, dangerous, or difficult-to-deal-with individuals