Guanyin Fortune Stick 48 (Middle Lot)

"The kun bird, in the autumn light, is changed into the peng..." So opens lot 48 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 kun bird, in the autumn light, is changed into the peng;
it soars with joy and rises high, as if it were a king.
It flies straight up ten thousand miles beyond the clouds and sky,
and none of all the other birds can follow it so high.

The story: Han Xin, once humiliated as a poor young man, was made supreme commander by Liu Bang and won the wars that founded the Han dynasty.

The other version

Guanyin lots circulate in two common wordings. For this lot the other version reads 「昆鳥秋來化作鵬，好游快樂喜飛騰，翱翔萬里雲霄去，餘外諸禽終不能」. 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

The small kun bird turns into the great peng and flies ten thousand miles; no other bird can keep up.

A tip: Change is good here. When the chance comes, rise to it boldly.

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 47. Next lot: Lot 49.