Guanyin Fortune Stick 94 (Lower Lot)

"Tell the petty from the noble, the worthy from the fool..." So opens lot 94 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):

Tell the petty from the noble, the worthy from the fool;
when things go wrong, then right and wrong will clash and rule.
When the zither meets the one who knows its tune, then play:
otherwise it's better to be still and calm, and win that way.

The story: The zither master Boya found in the woodcutter Zhong Ziqi the one listener who truly understood his music; when Zhong Ziqi died, Boya broke his zither and never played again.

The other version

Guanyin lots circulate in two common wordings. For this lot the other version reads 「君子莫體小人為，事若差池惹是非，琴鳴須用知音聽，守常安靜得依稀」. The wording differs in places, but the sense stays close to the version above.

• In version two, 惹 originally read 各.

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

Tell the good from the petty; when things go wrong, disputes follow. Play the zither only for someone who understands it; otherwise, stay quiet and still.

A tip: Stay out of other people's affairs, and wait for the person who really understands you.

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 93. Next lot: Lot 95.