Guanyin Fortune Stick 55 (Middle Lot)
"Handed down from age to age, the children sing its praise..." So opens lot 55 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
相傳罔替子孫贊
衣祿豐盈富在天
金馬玉堂人快樂
飢時吃飯困時眠
In English (our translation):
Handed down from age to age, the children sing its praise;
clothes and grain in plenty, wealth from heaven all your days.
In golden horse and jade hall, people live in joy,
eating when they're hungry, sleeping when they're tired, without annoy.
| Lot | Grade | Palace | Story |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 55 | Middle lot (some editions: Upper) | Chou palace (丑宮) | King Wu of Zhou Takes the Throne (周武王登位) |
The story: King Wu of Zhou overthrew the tyrant King Zhou of Shang and founded the Zhou dynasty, which lasted some eight hundred years.
The other version
Guanyin lots circulate in two common wordings. For this lot the other version reads 「父賢傳子子傳孫，衣食豐隆只靠天，堂上椿萱人快樂，饑飯渴飲困時眠」. The wording differs in places, but the sense stays close to the version above.
- In version two, "the toon and the day lily" (椿萱) stand for one's father and mother.
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 | 此卦接竹引泉之象。凡事謀望大吉也。 | The image of joining bamboo pipes to bring in spring water. Plans and hopes meet great fortune. |
| Jieyue | 接竹引泉。流傳不絕。君子謀望。無不欣悅。 | Join bamboo to bring in the spring, and the flow never stops. What a worthy person hopes for, nothing fails to please. |
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 | 欠安 | Not quite at ease |
| Yourself | 還願 | Fulfill your vows |
| Money | 利 | Favorable |
| Deals and trade | 成 | Will succeed |
| Marriage | 合 | A match |
| Pregnancy | 平安 | Safe and well |
| Someone away from home | 動 | On the move |
| Crops and silkworms | 吉 | Favorable |
| Livestock | 損 | Losses |
| Finding someone | 難 | Difficult |
| Lawsuits | 有貴人 | A helper will appear |
| Moving | 吉 | Favorable |
| Lost items | 見 | Will be found |
| Family graves | 安 | Peaceful |
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
Blessings passed down from generation to generation; plenty to wear and eat, comfort and joy, eating well and sleeping well.
A tip: Cherish your good fortune. Keeping what the family has built is itself a blessing.
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 54. Next lot: Lot 56.
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 55: common questions
Is Guanyin fortune stick 55 a good or bad lot?
It is a middle lot (some editions: Upper), Chou palace (丑宮), and its story is "King Wu of Zhou Takes the Throne."
What does the poem of Guanyin lot 55 say?
In Chinese: 「相傳罔替子孫贊，衣祿豐盈富在天，金馬玉堂人快樂，飢時吃飯困時眠」. In our English: Handed down from age to age, the children sing its praise; clothes and grain in plenty, wealth from heaven all your days. In golden horse and jade hall, people live in joy, eating when they're hungry, sleeping when they're tired, without annoy.
What does Guanyin lot 55 mean?
Blessings passed down from generation to generation; plenty to wear and eat, comfort and joy, eating well and sleeping well. A tip: Cherish your good fortune. Keeping what the family has built is itself a blessing.