Guanyin Fortune Stick 86 (Upper Lot)

"Spring comes, the flowers open and shine upon the terrace fair..." So opens lot 86 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):

Spring comes, the flowers open and shine upon the terrace fair;
from ten thousand miles the ships come in with treasure in their care.
You leap across the Dragon Gate's three tiers of rolling waves,
like a clap of thunder on flat ground that everyone engraves.

The story: Shang Lu of the Ming came first in all three levels of the imperial examination, a feat achieved by only a handful of people in history.

The other version

Guanyin lots circulate in two common wordings. For this lot the other version reads 「春來花發映陽臺，萬里車來進寶財，若得禹門三級浪，恰如平地一聲雷」. 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

Spring flowers in full bloom and ships sailing home laden with treasure; you leap the Dragon Gate like thunder out of a clear sky.

A tip: At a time of great fortune, give it everything you have.

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 85. Next lot: Lot 87.