Guanyin Fortune Stick 47 (Upper Lot)

"Flowers added to brocade make its colors brighter still..." So opens lot 47 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):

Flowers added to brocade make its colors brighter still;
your luck brings rank and fortune both, and joy at your will.
Let no one be surprised that honors come to you so late:
in one attempt you top the lists, and all the world will relate.

The story: Legend says the Song scholar Liang Hao kept sitting the imperial examination all his life and came first in his eighties, the classic example of late success.

The other version

Guanyin lots circulate in two common wordings. For this lot the other version reads 「錦上添花色愈鮮，運來祿馬喜雙全，時人莫恨功名晚，一舉登科四海傳」. 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

Flowers on brocade, fame and fortune together. The honors come late, but when they come, they come all at once.

A tip: Late bloomers bloom too. Do not compare your timing with other people's.

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 46. Next lot: Lot 48.