Guanyin Fortune Stick 49 (Middle Lot)
"All your plans and schemes are like thin ice upon the stream..." So opens lot 49 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
營圖萬事若冰澌
何必慳貪苦所為
只好靜心閑處坐
待他興變復奚疑
In English (our translation):
All your plans and schemes are like thin ice upon the stream;
why be grasping, why be greedy, why work toward that dream?
Better just to calm your heart and sit in idle ease,
and wait for change and growth to come: why doubt it, if you please?
| Lot | Grade | Palace | Story |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 49 | Middle lot | Hai palace (亥宮) | Wang Xiang Seeks Carp (王祥求鯉) |
The story: One of the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars: in the depth of winter, Wang Xiang lay on the ice to melt it so he could catch carp for his stepmother.
The other version
Guanyin lots circulate in two common wordings. For this lot the other version reads 「天寒地凍水成冰，何須貪吝取功名，只好守己靜處坐，待葉興盛自然明」. The wording differs in places, but the sense stays close to the version above.
- In version two, 興盛 is also written 興樊.
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.
| Item | Original | English |
|---|---|---|
| Shiyi | 此卦水結成冰之象。凡事不用枉求也。 | The image of water frozen into ice. There is no use forcing things. |
| Jieyue | 水結成冰。冰消成水。若是營謀。到底如是。 | Water freezes into ice; ice melts back into water. If you are making plans, in the end it is just so. |
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.
| Your question | Original | In English |
|---|---|---|
| Home and family | 不安 | Unsettled |
| Yourself | 祈保 | Pray for protection |
| Money | 難 | Difficult |
| Deals and trade | 阻 | Blocked |
| Marriage | 不合 | Not a match |
| Pregnancy | 險 | Risky |
| Someone away from home | 遲 | Late |
| Crops and silkworms | 虧 | You lose out |
| Livestock | 損 | Losses |
| Finding someone | 見 | Will be found |
| Lawsuits | 和 | Settle |
| Moving | 守舊 | Keep to the old |
| Lost items | 空 | Gone |
| Family graves | 大吉 | Very favorable |
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
What you want to do is frozen solid for now. Do not force it; sit quietly, and when the ice melts, things will change.
A tip: The time is not right yet. Forcing it only wastes your effort.
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
- Light incense and tell Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion, your name, birth date and address, then state one question clearly.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
A lower lot means the thing will certainly fail.
A lower lot is usually a signal to pause, hold what you have, or change your approach. The same poem can mean different things for different questions.
You can keep drawing on the same question until you get an upper lot.
By custom you ask once per question. If you still have doubts, ask the temple for an interpretation, or ask again after some time has passed.
Previous lot: Lot 48. Next lot: Lot 50.
A straight word: the lots are a matter of faith, and the plain meanings are ours
The original poems, shiyi, jieyue and counsel items follow the 100 Guanyin lots compiled by the Jieqian Ge (解籤閣) site, checked lot by lot against two other sources; temples differ slightly in wording and in grades. The English verse, the plain meanings and the tips are our own readings of the words on the page, not a temple's official interpretation. For a real reading, ask the temple where you drew the lot. For legal, medical or financial questions, see a professional, and if you feel unwell, see a doctor. Everything on this site is for reference and entertainment.
Beyond the lot: your own chart
Enter your birth date to cast your free BaZi Four Pillars chart and see your Five Elements and Ten Gods.
Guanyin lot 49: common questions
Is Guanyin fortune stick 49 a good or bad lot?
It is a middle lot, Hai palace (亥宮), and its story is "Wang Xiang Seeks Carp."
What does the poem of Guanyin lot 49 say?
In Chinese: 「營圖萬事若冰澌，何必慳貪苦所為，只好靜心閑處坐，待他興變復奚疑」. In our English: All your plans and schemes are like thin ice upon the stream; why be grasping, why be greedy, why work toward that dream? Better just to calm your heart and sit in idle ease, and wait for change and growth to come: why doubt it, if you please?
What does Guanyin lot 49 mean?
What you want to do is frozen solid for now. Do not force it; sit quietly, and when the ice melts, things will change. A tip: The time is not right yet. Forcing it only wastes your effort.