Guanyin Fortune Stick 18 (Upper Lot)

"The golden crow sinks in the west, the jade hare climbs the east..." So opens lot 18 in our translation. Below are the Chinese original, the full English, the story behind the poem, the traditional counsel and what it means in plain English.

The poem

In English (our translation):

The golden crow sinks in the west, the jade hare climbs the east;
day and night go round and round, from ancient times at least.
For monk and Daoist drawing this, there's nothing that goes wrong;
and scholar, farmer, craftsman, merchant each may go along.

The story: Cao Guojiu, brother of a Song empress, grew ashamed of his family's misdeeds, gave up his wealth and became one of the Eight Immortals.

The other version

Guanyin lots circulate in two common wordings. For this lot the other version reads 「金烏西墜兔東昇，日夜循環至古今，僧道得知無不利，士農工商各從心」. The wording differs in places, but the sense stays close to the version above.

Shiyi and jieyue

The shiyi (詩意, "meaning of the poem") names the image in one line; the jieyue (解曰, "the reading") is a short four-character commentary.

Sacred counsel, item by item

The sacred counsel (聖意) gives a short verdict for each kind of question. Find the row that matches what you asked.

The traditional counsel also has an "Illness" item, which we do not list. If you feel unwell, please see a doctor.

What it means in plain English

Sun and moon keep turning without end. People in every walk of life can find satisfaction, and what you do produces results.

A tip: Work with the rhythm of things; like an arrow on the string, release when the moment comes.

This is our reading of the words on the page. For how it applies to your own question, go by the temple where you drew the lot.

How to draw a Guanyin lot

1. Light incense and tell Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion, your name, birth date and address, then state one question clearly.
2. Ask permission by casting the two crescent-shaped moon blocks (筊, jiao). One flat side up and one round side up is a "yes." Then shake the bamboo cylinder until a single numbered stick falls out.
3. Confirm the stick with the blocks. A common custom is to ask for three "yes" throws in a row; if you do not get them, draw again.
4. Collect the poem slip with the same number. Read the whole poem first, then look up the counsel item that matches your question. If it is unclear, the temple staff can interpret it for you.

Ask about one thing at a time. The more specific the question, the easier the poem is to apply.

Common misunderstandings

Previous lot: Lot 17. Next lot: Lot 19.