Mazu Fortune Sticks: All 100 Poems in Chinese and English

Mazu, the sea goddess known as the Holy Mother of Heaven, is one of the most widely worshipped deities in Taiwan. At her temples people ask questions by drawing a numbered bamboo stick and reading the poem that goes with it. Two sets of poems are common: the Sixty Jiazi set, and the hundred-poem set on this page, used at Tainan's Grand Matsu Temple, Lukang's Tianhou Temple and others. Each poem is paired with a hexagram from the Book of Changes and comes with short readings on career, business, marriage and more. Here are all 100, in Chinese with our English translation and meaning.

How to draw a lot

Light incense and tell Mazu your name, birth date and address, then state clearly the one matter you are asking about.
Cast the moon blocks (jiaobei, two crescent-shaped wooden blocks) to ask whether you may draw. One face up and one face down means yes; then pull one stick from the cylinder.
Cast the blocks again to confirm that this is your stick. Many temples ask for three yeses in a row; if not, put it back and draw again.
Collect the poem with the matching number. Read the whole poem, then find the topic below that fits your question. If it is unclear, ask the temple's interpreter.

Ask about one thing at a time; the more specific the question, the easier the poem is to apply.

The two sets at Mazu temples

	Sixty Jiazi set	Hundred-poem set (this page)
Poems	60	100
Numbered by	Stem-branch pairs (jiazi, jiayin …)	Numbers 1 to 100
Where you find it	Many Mazu and Earth God temples	Grand Matsu Temple (Tainan), Lukang and Penghu Tianhou temples, Baishatun Gongtian Temple
Extras	Often notes the Five Elements	A hexagram name and topic readings for each poem

When you draw a lot, check the number on the stick or the slip: a stem-branch pair such as 甲子 means the Sixty Jiazi set; a plain number up to 100 means this one.

All 100 poems

Lot	Hexagram	Poem	Meaning
No. 1	Zhen 震	曉日瞳瞳萬象融，河清海晏慶年豐，生逢盛世真歡樂，好把心田作化工	The sun is rising on peaceful, plentiful times. The moment is right: cultivate your heart well and things will go your way.
No. 2	Heng 恒	臣報君恩子報親，五倫無愧感神明，一帆順境憑君去，災患消除福祿生	Do right by your elders and those you serve, and live with a clear conscience; the gods take note. From here you sail with the wind: troubles fade and blessings grow.
No. 3	Feng 豐	前生結下好姻緣，今日相逢赤線牽，多福多男並多壽，一門喜慶此為先	A bond made in a past life is tied with the red thread today: many blessings, long life and a joyful household.
No. 4	Yu 豫	喜逢春令雨沾濡，草木萌芽正及時，志士經商皆得意，農夫多黍女多絲	Spring rain, fresh shoots, perfect timing: scholars and merchants prosper and farm households reap a good harvest.
No. 5	Xiao Guo 小過	却喜東風一夜催，萬花萬卉各爭開，黃金台上逢知己，酌酒看花意氣恢	The east wind opens every flower overnight. You meet someone who truly values you, and there is wine, blossoms and high spirits.
No. 6	Yu 豫	造物由來總好生，君今求我語分明，西風凜冽東風煖，自把存心仔細評	Heaven favors life. Whether the wind turns cold or warm depends on what is in your own heart.
No. 7	Gui Mei 歸妹	滿目風雲咫尺迷，胡為惘惘欲何之，不如急把船頭轉，省得狂波破膽時	Storm clouds everywhere, and you cannot see even what is close. Turn the boat back now, before the wild waves hit.
No. 8	Da Zhuang 大壯	積德如君幾十年，何須禮拜問神仙，一帆順境誰能及，利有攸往涉大川	Someone who has done good for many years hardly needs to ask the gods. The wind is behind you; any undertaking goes well.
No. 9	Xie 解	世事怎能獲萬全，總憑一點好心田，吉凶禍福惟人召，我本無私亦不偏	Nothing in life is perfect; what counts is a good heart. Good and bad fortune are largely what people bring on themselves.
No. 10	Xiao Guo 小過	泰極否來汝不知，循環往復道無私，回思昔日風光好，却悔今朝禱告遲	At the peak of good times comes the downturn; the cycle spares no one. You remember the glory days and regret not praying sooner.
No. 11	Yi 益	驚風駭浪失西東，一盞神燈照碧空，急向前途求解脫，上天憫惻是愚蒙	Lost in a storm, you see a holy lamp light the sky. Look for a way out quickly; heaven has pity on the bewildered.
No. 12	Xun 巽	汝曹逐末泛重洋，順意遊行自主張，得利須知尋退步，免教失足悔難當	You sail off to trade and go as you please. When you have made money, know when to pull back, or one misstep will leave you with bitter regret.
No. 13	Jia Ren 家人	天生富貴洵堪誇，畢竟相承積善家，告汝要言無別事，再能培植慶無涯	You were born fortunate, thanks to generations of good deeds. Keep doing good and the celebrations will never end.
No. 14	Guan 觀	十年窗下苦操修，今日彈冠事壯遊，萬里長風欣得意，直登彼岸不須愁	After ten years of hard study your time has come. Ride the long wind straight to the far shore; there is nothing to worry about.
No. 15	Jian 漸	種稻高原逢旱歲，插苗低畝遇霖年，欲晴不晴雨不雨，天不絕人人絕天	Plant on high ground and drought comes; plant low and floods come. Nothing goes your way. But heaven never gives up on people; people give up on heaven.
No. 16	Guan 觀	君看靈旗忽轉東，定知好事與從容，神天庇佑須思報，一炷心香帝座通	The sacred banner swings east: good things are on their way, without rush. Remember to give thanks for heaven's protection; one sincere stick of incense is enough to be heard.
No. 17	Zhong Fu 中孚	求名從此是亨衢，求利剛逢是利區，但許一心求一事，不容兩念並馳驅	The roads to fame and profit are both open. But pursue one thing with your whole heart; you cannot chase two at once.
No. 18	Xiao Chu 小畜	汝是懸崖一樹梅，一塵不染向春開，待得綠葉成蔭後，結子滿枝調鼎來	Like a plum tree blossoming clean on a cliff edge, you keep your integrity. Once the leaves grow thick, you will bear fruit and do great things.
No. 19	Huan 渙	渭川頭白一漁翁，遇合時來便不同，莫道蹉跎心便冷，須從忍耐付窮通	Jiang Ziya was an old man fishing on the Wei River until the right ruler found him. Do not lose heart over lost years; be patient and wait for your moment.
No. 20	Jian 漸	制虎降龍靜煉丹，從今縱躍出玄關，前途一片風光好，不到蓬萊只等閒	The hard inner work is done, and now you break through. The road ahead is beautiful.
No. 21	Shi He 噬嗑	汝今行運未全通，且待來春萬象融，疾病漸痊元氣復，自然事事稱心胸	Your luck has not fully opened yet. Wait for spring, when everything renews itself; your strength will come back and things will go the way you hope.
No. 22	Ding 鼎	福祿從來未易求，枉勞心力費鑽謀，到頭無益徒貽笑，疾病相侵萬事休	Fortune is never easy to come by. Scheming and maneuvering only get you laughed at and add worries.
No. 23	Li 離	行船共識賴神明，舵椗常教要小心，莫道急流方着力，閒中打點免災侵	A ship needs the gods, but also a careful hand on the rudder. Do not wait for the rapids to start trying; get things in order while it is calm.
No. 24	Jin 晉	共道今年勝舊年，家門氣象覺熙恬，勸君得隴毋望蜀，省却中懷似火煎	This year is better than last, and home feels happy and calm. Having gained something, do not immediately want more, or you will burn with impatience.
No. 25	Lü 旅	太阿在手凜然寒，碧眼胡兒仰面看，從此進身高處立，一呼百諾指揮間	With a legendary sword in hand you command respect, even from outsiders. From here you rise step by step, and people answer your call.
No. 26	Jin 晉	克勤克儉有嘉謀，為利須廉十倍收，急把紫鞭鞭紫馬，看君絲帛積山邱	Work hard, live frugally, plan well and keep your dealings clean, and the returns multiply. Act promptly and your goods will pile up like hills.
No. 27	Kui 睽	公子王孫作主人，豈愁豪俠與頑囂，官清馬瘦休懷恨，到底身貧道不貧	With noble people behind you, you need not fear bullies. If honesty keeps you poor, do not resent it; you may be short of money, but not of principle.
No. 28	Da You 大有	養癰成疽切自防，莫教蔓衍恐難當，幾多白眼人相顧，暗地穿窬作計長	A small problem left alone becomes a big one, so deal with it early. Many people are watching coldly, and someone may be plotting against you in secret.
No. 29	Wei Ji 未濟	作善應須降百祥，門庭具盛事非常，濟人初願君無負，看此堂前桂子香	Doing good brings a hundred blessings, and your household thrives. Keep your original promise to help others, and your children will do well.
No. 30	Lü 旅	歛黛佳人仰看天，堂前鶴去月空圓，天淵浩浩津涯遠，迅浪痴風恐覆船	A beauty looks sadly at the sky; the crane has flown and the moon is full for no one. The water is deep, the shore far, and storms may capsize the boat.
No. 31	Fu 復	寒窓儒士遇昌時，天日清明奴隸知，朝野和歡魚鳥樂，狀元拜相慶雍熙	A struggling scholar finds himself in a golden age: clear skies, harmony everywhere, and the prospect of top honors.
No. 32	Sheng 升	九轉丹砂功已成，臨風牽動覺身輕，有人問我前程事，名利途中總稱情	The long refinement is complete and you feel light on your feet. As for your future: both reputation and gain go your way.
No. 33	Ming Yi 明夷	甜言巧語似開懷，纔入牢籠撥不開，酒色錢財宜早戒，貪求不免有非災	Sweet words look sincere, but once you are caught in the trap you cannot get out. Give up drink, lust and greed early; greed invites disaster.
No. 34	Kun 坤	人生定業固無訛，引頸迎刀復奈何，若向空門閑寄蹟，恩波雨露不勝多	Some things in life are fated and cannot be changed. If you let go of your attachments and turn to spiritual practice, you will find a great deal of grace.
No. 35	Qian 謙	蓬窗草舍暫淹留，知命樂天休謾悲，竚看震雷驚曲竇，直教群蟄盡回頭	You are staying in a humble place for now. Accept your lot, stay cheerful and do not despair; when the spring thunder rolls, everything that was sleeping wakes.
No. 36	Kun 坤	富潤屋兮德潤身，綽然由義後居仁，安如山岳難移動，百福千祥日日臻	Wealth makes a home comfortable; virtue makes a person whole. Build on kindness and righteousness, stay as steady as a mountain, and blessings arrive every day.
No. 37	Lin 臨	骨肉緣何有異心，自因疾病苦相侵，勸汝改圖行孝悌，挽回造化莫因循	Why is there friction in the family? Illness brings its own suffering too. Mend your ways and treat your family well; only that turns things around.
No. 38	Tai 泰	莫說神明事渺茫，誠心禱告降嘉祥，福緣善慶真無爽，天道昭昭曲直彰	Do not say the gods are remote. Sincere prayer brings blessings; kindness is rewarded, and heaven sees clearly what is right and wrong.
No. 39	Shi 師	我本慈帆大士身，扶危救苦濟紅塵，吉凶禍福雖前定，善念一萌神鬼欽	The merciful Guanyin rescues people in danger. Fortune may be set in advance, but even gods and ghosts respect a single good thought.
No. 40	Qian 謙	汝今心地不分明，枉向神前禱告頻，富貴榮華無爾分，官非口舌與逡巡	If your mind is muddled, praying more often will not help. Wealth is not on the cards, and there may be legal trouble and quarrels.
No. 41	Yi 頤	百工勤業各須專，自有財源漸漸添，遇得殘冬春又至，東風烘煖換新年	Focus on your own trade and your income will grow step by step. Winter ends and spring returns.
No. 42	Gu 蠱	十分財喜到君家，從此謀為事事嘉，管取一生康且泰，東風看徧上林花	Wealth and happiness come to your home, and every plan goes well. A healthy, peaceful life lies ahead, full of success.
No. 43	Bi 賁	夏秋未免多啾唧，冬至方教境遇昌，莫近細人增口舌，好修陰騭却災殃	Summer and autumn bring some small disputes; things pick up around the winter solstice. Stay away from petty people and quietly do good to keep trouble away.
No. 44	Bo 剝	看來黑白要分明，棋子縱橫布滿枰，汝却不知先一著，枉勞心力總難贏	Like a game of Go, you have to know black from white. If you do not see the key move ahead, no amount of effort will win.
No. 45	Gen 艮	官爵巍巍未可量，君恩隆重世無雙，船頭助汝風帆穩，萬里封侯大吉昌	Unlimited promotion and generous favor from those above; the wind is behind you all the way to high honors.
No. 46	Bo 剝	孤蹤飄泊等浮萍，欲渡無舟枉問津，若使當年行善事，何須今日叩神明	Drifting alone like duckweed, you want to cross but have no boat. If you had done more good in the past, you would not need to plead with the gods now.
No. 47	Sun 損	同舟共命總成然，究竟中分善惡緣，却看一輪明月照，清光照徹見媸姸	People in the same boat will still be separated by good and bad in the end. When the bright moon shines, beauty and ugliness are plain to see.
No. 48	Da Chu 大畜	千方百計總皆空，枉費心機不見功，直待雪消紅日上，別開局面漸亨通	All your schemes have failed and your effort has been wasted. Wait for the snow to melt and the sun to rise, then start fresh; things will gradually go well.
No. 49	Meng 蒙	貴人相見便相親，真覺風光遠過人，無限榮華從此始，青春努力莫辭辛	You meet someone influential and quickly become close; your prospects look better than anyone's. Great things start here, so work hard while you are young.
No. 50	Gen 艮	神仙事業由前定，行向東來更向南，取坎填離成大業，長生不老是奇男	Great things are fated. Head east and then south; through self-cultivation you will achieve something major.
No. 51	Fu 復	天河清淺不成波，歲歲雙星安穩過，今屆秋期風浪發，恐驚織女起婆娑	The Milky Way has always been calm and the lovers met every year, but this autumn a storm may disturb the Weaver Girl.
No. 52	Sheng 升	寶鏡塵埋久未磨，一朝拂拭起光華，本來神物稱奇秘，魑魅潛形洵足誇	A treasured mirror, long covered in dust, shines again once it is wiped. Evil has nowhere to hide.
No. 53	Ming Yi 明夷	急水灘前快着篙，艄公把舵更應牢，須教出得風波險，方見舟師手段高	Racing through the rapids, the boatman must hold the rudder firmly. Getting through the storm is what proves his skill.
No. 54	Kun 坤	從前做事總糊塗，此後修為要切磋，若得一心行正道，自然災悔盡消磨	You used to be careless in how you handled things; from now on, correct yourself properly. Walk the right path wholeheartedly and trouble will fade away.
No. 55	Qian 謙	千倉米粟積如山，分惠饑貧事不難，勸爾殷勤培善果，盛衰興廢本循環	Your granaries are full, so sharing with the poor is easy. Keep growing good deeds; prosperity and decline come in cycles.
No. 56	Kun 坤	種得藍田玉一雙，鳳凰相感為翱翔，貴人真有非常遇，代代兒孫保吉昌	A pair of fine jades grows in Lantian and phoenixes fly together. You will meet an exceptional patron, and your descendants will prosper.
No. 57	Lin 臨	生平冷淡知音少，靜養壽真葆善根，共羨一枝黃菊好，秋深籬落自芬芳	A quiet life with few kindred spirits. Keep calm and look after your goodness; like a chrysanthemum by the fence in late autumn, you have your own fragrance.
No. 58	Tai 泰	四月十日風浪平，告君際遇在庚辛，凡事須循天理去，自然家室得康寧	By the tenth day of the fourth month the waves settle; your chance comes at the time of geng and xin. Follow what is right and your family will be healthy and at peace.
No. 59	Shi 師	不為工商不為農，黃卷青燈自苦攻，若問終身休咎事，試看龍虎起風雲	Not a merchant or a farmer, you study hard by lamplight. As for your whole life's fortune, watch for the moment when dragon and tiger stir the wind and clouds.
No. 60	Qian 謙	常憑寶劍斬妖邪，十五年來事足誇，此去更宜韜悔好，磽磽易缺理無差	For fifteen years you have fought evil with your sword, and you deserve credit. Now it is time to sheathe it; what is too hard breaks easily.
No. 61	Sui 隨	熟讀黃庭愛學仙，果然得遇好姻緣，秋風吹逐月中桂，看汝飛昇上九天	Devoted to study and spiritual practice, you meet a good partner. The autumn wind carries you upward; your prospects reach the sky.
No. 62	Da Guo 大過	小智而今莫漫施，損人自損豈非痴，上天報應原無爽，風雨雷電詎有私	Stop the petty cleverness; harming others harms you too. Heaven's justice is exact and plays no favorites.
No. 63	Ge 革	我今與子說分明，此去崎嶇路不平，救得難中人一個，卻憑陰騭免災生	The road ahead is rough. But if you help one person in trouble, that good deed will protect you from harm.
No. 64	Cui 萃	爭名奪利竟何如，鏡裡看花總是虛，處世惟存忠厚好，閉門安樂享豐餘	Chasing fame and profit is like looking at flowers in a mirror. Be loyal and kind, and enjoy a quiet, comfortable life at home.
No. 65	Xian 咸	褻凟三光多造孽，汝今求禱歎無因，欲逃此日風波險，改過虔誠奉斗真	You have disrespected heaven and earth and done wrong, so praying now is hard. The only way through the storm is to sincerely change.
No. 66	Cui 萃	陰謀詭計日益精，神目如電雷霆驚，人有千籌天一算，自作自受最分明	Your schemes may get cleverer, but the gods see like lightning. People plan a thousand ways, heaven only once; you get what you give.
No. 67	Dui 兌	暑月途中熱不勝，忽沾雨露頓心清，勸君更俟涼風動，管取飄飄兩腋輕	Traveling in unbearable summer heat, you are suddenly refreshed by rain. Wait a little more for the cool wind and you will feel light and free.
No. 68	Guai 夬	忽見蛟龍起海中，騰雲致雨浪滔空，善人遇此心安定，庸俗相逢膽戰忡	A dragon rises from the sea and brings the rain. Good people who see it feel calm; those with bad intentions tremble.
No. 69	Kun 困	兒童竹馬喜相迎，共說神君吏治明，從此五風兼十雨，家家戶戶慶豐登	Children come out to welcome you and everyone praises good governance. From now on the weather is kind and every household has a good harvest.
No. 70	Xian 咸	許汝三天有順風，開船平穩任西東，財源輻輳何須說，一路榮華命運通	Three days of fair wind: set sail wherever you like. Money comes from every direction and you ride a lucky streak.
No. 71	Wu Wang 无妄	今朝坐賈勝行商，莫向江頭趁野航，待得陽生冬至後，出門事事見榮昌	For now it is better to run your business from home than to trade on the road; do not rush off on an uncertain boat. After the winter solstice, when yang energy returns, everything goes well.
No. 72	Gou 姤	貧窮疾病倍傷神，失脫官非罪一身，若求此籤無一可，閉門靜守度秋春	Poverty, illness, losses and legal trouble all at once: nothing is favorable with this lot. Stay home, keep quiet and wait for the seasons to change.
No. 73	Tong Ren 同人	故人寄我一封書，約去他鄉共販絲，若遇龍潭須謹慎，平安全仗佛扶持	An old friend invites you to start a business together far from home. If you run into danger, be careful; your safety depends on divine protection.
No. 74	Pi 否	與子當年有宿因，同舟共濟勝周親，若能竟把真心托，添喜添財孰比倫	You share a bond from a previous life, and in hard times you stand by each other more closely than family. Trust each other fully and joy and wealth increase.
No. 75	Da You 大有	萬里長空一雁飛，欲求同侶悵無依，勸君且就蘆洲宿，籌待秋風振羽儀	A single goose flies across a vast sky, looking for companions and finding none. Rest among the reeds for now and wait for the autumn wind to fly again.
No. 76	Pi 否	萬頃波濤一葉舟，安如磐石自夷猶，吉人原有神明佑，何必臨危事禱求	A tiny boat on a vast sea sits as steady as a rock. Good people are protected by the gods; there is no need to wait for a crisis to pray.
No. 77	Lü 履	欲知此去真消息，說汝聽時莫膽寒，過得雪山千萬疊，別開生面與君看	Here is the truth about what lies ahead; do not be alarmed. Once you cross those endless snowy mountains, a new world opens up.
No. 78	Qian 乾	龍宮貝闕最森嚴，君去行商趂一航，財積如山人共羨，到家正值燕呢喃	Braving the dragon's realm, you go off to trade and come home with a fortune everyone envies, just as the spring swallows return.
No. 79	Song 訟	紫誥黃封耀古今，祥雲擁護使星臨，太平景象神人悅，海若咸懷效順心	Imperial honors shine and auspicious clouds gather. The world is at peace and all submit willingly.
No. 80	Dun 遯	前生逋欠我深知，此日相償數適宜，莫便生嗔兼悔恨，塞翁失馬未為奇	Debts from a past life are being repaid now, and it is right that they are. Do not be angry or regretful; like the old man who lost his horse, a loss may turn out well.
No. 81	Zhun 屯	季子歸來意氣驕，家人匍伏畏雄豪，豈知富貴榮華事，一似朝潮與暮潮	Su Qin came home proud and powerful, and his family bowed before him. But wealth and glory come and go like the tides.
No. 82	Jing 井	鴻雁來時汝運通，吳頭越尾好從容，更看明月圓如鏡，遇得神仙便御風	When the geese arrive your luck opens up and you move freely wherever you go. When the moon is full you meet a helper and rise on the wind.
No. 83	Ji Ji 既濟	萬里橋頭送客行，一番辛苦不須論，憑將三寸蘇張舌，唾手功成獨讓君	You see a traveler off; the struggle behind you needs no description. With a gift for persuasion, success comes easily.
No. 84	Bi 比	青蚨盈萬積如山，收拾無從歎不休，好把一繩穿貫去，教君怕是更何求	You have piles of money but no way to keep it in order. String it together on one cord and you will want for nothing.
No. 85	Jian 蹇	命犯孤辰只合休，鴛鴦兩下逐溪流，枯楊豈肯重生葉，風雨飄零空自愁	A lonely fate: the pair of ducks drift apart, the dead willow will not bloom again, and you grieve alone in the storm.
No. 86	Bi 比	生長江河慣御船，誰知翻覆有多端，青龍若遇當無恙，白虎相沖心膽寒	Even a seasoned boatman cannot predict every way a boat can overturn. With a lucky sign you are fine; with an unlucky one you tremble.
No. 87	Jie 節	長舌之言不可聽，世間最毒婦人心，汝今問我凶和吉，同氣三人可斷金	Ignore gossip and slander; people's hearts are hard to read. As for fortune: three people of one mind can cut through metal.
No. 88	Xu 需	有人販得洞庭紅，鉅萬財源頃刻通，男子運來難預料，今朝送汝一帆風	Someone sold a boatload of oranges and made a fortune overnight. When luck turns, it is impossible to predict; today the wind is behind you.
No. 89	Kan 坎	東舍烹牛禱不靈，不如西舍點青燈，上天感應憑方寸，一念精誠神鬼歆	The house that sacrifices an ox is not heard, while the house that lights a simple lamp is. Heaven responds to the heart; one sincere thought is enough.
No. 90	Jian 蹇	梓匠輪輿一事耑，養家餬口足盤餐，莫生奢望思遷業，惹得風波反不安	A carpenter who sticks to his craft earns enough to support his family. Do not get ambitious and switch careers; it will only bring trouble.
No. 91	Yi 頤	分明一樹牡丹花，正欲開時豔若霞，忽遇妬花風雨至，摧殘頃刻委泥沙	A peony is about to open in all its glory when a sudden storm destroys it in an instant.
No. 92	Gu 蠱	萬事如無忍最宜，勸君三思細尋思，逢人切莫輕唐突，須學留侯進履時	Patience is best in everything; think carefully. Do not be rude to anyone; remember Zhang Liang, who humbly fetched an old man's shoe and was rewarded.
No. 93	Bi 賁	泰華峯巔覓住家，果然地位廻堪誇，豈知歷盡登臨苦，方占山頭一片霞	Living on the peaks of the sacred mountains is a lofty position, but you only get there after an exhausting climb.
No. 94	Bo 剝	漁翁昔日入桃源，雞黍相留笑語喧，今日再來無覓處，都因福薄與緣慳	A fisherman once found the Peach Blossom Spring and was treated as an honored guest, but when he tried to return he could not find it: his luck and his bond with the place had run thin.
No. 95	Gen 艮	墻圍竹木稻盈田，雞犬桑麻境地偏，完却官糧無別事，太平世界一神仙	A walled farm with full rice fields, chickens, dogs and crops. With the taxes paid and nothing else to worry about, you live like an immortal in peaceful times.
No. 96	Bo 剝	到處生財人莫知，何須奢望遠求之，一兩黃金四兩福，無如命運本參差	There is money to be made everywhere if you look; why chase it far away? It takes luck to hold on to gold, and people's luck differs.
No. 97	Sun 損	目今雖遇颶風狂，雞犬逢時免禍殃，依舊一天晴色好，教君安穩樂徜徉	A storm is raging, but your household comes through safely. The sky will clear and you will feel safe and happy again.
No. 98	Da Chu 大畜	榮華富貴爵巍峨，忠孝之人感太和，不遇風波無患難，元亨利貞福來多	Wealth, glory and high rank. People who are loyal and devoted move heaven itself; no storms, no troubles, and plenty of blessings.
No. 99	Meng 蒙	簷前忽聽鵲聲喧，知有佳音到汝門，官職遷陞行客至，百凡順遂不須論	Magpies chatter at the eaves: good news is on the way. Promotion, the return of someone far away, everything going well.
No. 100	Gen 艮	此籤一百最難逢，氣象巍巍是不同，識得謙冲持滿意，萬人頭上逞英雄	The hundredth lot is the hardest to draw and has a grand air. Stay humble and do not overreach, and you will rise above everyone.

Chinese text from the Grand Matsu Temple of Tainan website, checked line by line against temple-in-taiwan.com (Tianhou Temple hundred lots), Ganghu Tianyuan Temple and Baishatun Gongtian Temple. English translations are our own.

Versions and corrections

The same hundred poems circulate from temple to temple, and the wording often varies. We follow the Grand Matsu Temple website and change a character only where it is clearly a copying error (for example 滿日風雲 corrected to 滿目風雲 in No. 7, and 李子歸來 to 季子歸來 in No. 81). In all, 57 lines across 47 poems were corrected, and in No. 67 the line order was restored; each poem's page shows the temple's original wording. The version used at Baishatun Gongtian Temple and Ganghu Tianyuan Temple has twelve different poems at numbers 25 to 36, and those pages show both.

About the hexagrams

Every poem carries the name of one of the 64 hexagrams of the Book of Changes (No. 1 is Zhen, No. 2 is Heng), and the same hexagram can appear more than once. The pairing is traditional and we record it as it stands; we do not read extra fortune from the hexagram itself. The poem and its topic readings are what matter.

About the old wording

These poems come from an older world. The pregnancy readings often speak of sons, and a few lines repeat proverbs that would not be written today. We translate what the text says and note it where it matters; we do not claim the old assumptions as our own.

Three common misunderstandings

Mazu's fortune sticks are the Sixty Jiazi set.

Mazu temples commonly use two sets: the Sixty Jiazi poems and this hundred-poem set. Whether the number is a stem-branch pair or a plain number tells you which.

This set has fixed "best" and "worst" lots.

The Holy Mother of Heaven poems carry no grades, and we do not add any. Read the whole poem, then the topic that matches your question.

The poem tells you what will definitely happen.

A fortune poem is guidance and a reminder within a faith, not a prophecy. Make important decisions on the facts in front of you.

Browse by number

No. 1 · ZhenThe dawn sun glows and all the world grows warm, No. 2 · HengThe subject repays his lord, the child repays his parents; No. 3 · FengA good match was tied in a former life; No. 4 · YuGlad spring has come and the rain soaks deep; No. 5 · Xiao GuoHow good: the east wind blew all night, No. 6 · YuThe Maker has always loved all living things; No. 7 · Gui MeiStorm clouds fill your eyes; you cannot see a step ahead. No. 8 · Da ZhuangYou have stored up virtue for decades; No. 9 · XieHow could anything in life be perfect? No. 10 · Xiao GuoYou did not see that peak fortune turns to decline; No. 11 · YiIn howling wind and towering waves you lose east from west; No. 12 · XunYou chase trade across the wide ocean, No. 13 · Jia RenBorn to wealth and rank, truly something to boast of, No. 14 · GuanTen years of hard study by the window; No. 15 · JianPlant rice on the highland, and drought comes; No. 16 · GuanSee, the sacred banner suddenly swings east: No. 17 · Zhong FuSeeking fame, you are on the open highway; No. 18 · Xiao ChuYou are a plum tree on the cliff's edge, No. 19 · HuanBy the Wei River, a white-haired old fisherman: No. 20 · JianYou tamed the tiger, subdued the dragon, quietly refined the elixir; No. 21 · Shi HeYour luck is not yet fully open; No. 22 · DingFortune and rank were never easily won; No. 23 · LiEveryone knows a ship relies on the gods, No. 24 · JinAll agree this year beats the last; No. 25 · LüThe Tai'e sword in hand, cold and awe-inspiring; No. 26 · JinDiligent and thrifty, with a sound plan; No. 27 · KuiWith lords and princes as your hosts, No. 28 · Da YouA boil left to fester turns to an abscess; guard against it, No. 29 · Wei JiDo good, and a hundred blessings must descend; No. 30 · LüA lovely woman, brows knit, gazes at the sky; No. 31 · FuThe poor scholar at his cold window meets a flourishing age; No. 32 · ShengThe nine-times-refined cinnabar is finished at last; No. 33 · Ming YiSweet talk and clever words seem open-hearted, No. 34 · KunThe karma fixed for a life is surely no mistake; No. 35 · QianFor now you linger in a thatched hut by a reed window; No. 36 · KunWealth enriches the house, virtue enriches the self; No. 37 · LinWhy are flesh and blood at odds with each other? No. 38 · TaiDo not say the gods are distant and vague; No. 39 · ShiI am the Great Being who sails the ship of mercy, No. 40 · QianYour heart right now is not clear, No. 41 · YiEvery craftsman must work hard and keep to his trade; No. 42 · GuWealth and joy in full measure come to your home; No. 43 · BiSummer and autumn bring some petty squabbles; No. 44 · BoBlack and white must be clearly told apart; No. 45 · GenYour rank will rise beyond all measure; No. 46 · BoAlone and adrift like duckweed on the water, No. 47 · SunAll in one boat, sharing one fate, No. 48 · Da ChuA thousand schemes, and all come to nothing; No. 49 · MengYou meet a noble helper and soon grow close; No. 50 · GenThe work of immortals is fixed from the start; No. 51 · FuThe River of Heaven runs clear and shallow, without a wave; No. 52 · ShengA precious mirror, long buried in dust, unpolished; No. 53 · Ming YiAt the rapids, quick, drive in the pole; No. 54 · KunIn the past you did things carelessly; No. 55 · QianA thousand granaries piled high as mountains; No. 56 · KunIn Lantian you planted and grew a pair of jades; No. 57 · LinYour life has been quiet, with few who understand you; No. 58 · TaiOn the tenth of the fourth month the waves grow calm; No. 59 · ShiNeither craftsman, merchant, nor farmer, No. 60 · QianWith your treasured sword you have cut down evil; No. 61 · SuiYou know the Yellow Court scripture well and love the path of immortals; No. 62 · Da GuoStop playing your petty tricks now; No. 63 · GeLet me tell you plainly now: No. 64 · CuiFighting for fame and grabbing for gain: what is it worth? No. 65 · XianYou profaned the sun, moon and stars and did much wrong; No. 66 · CuiYour plots and schemes grow sharper by the day, No. 67 · DuiTraveling in the summer months, the heat is too much; No. 68 · GuaiSuddenly a dragon rises from the sea, No. 69 · KunChildren on bamboo horses gladly come to greet you; No. 70 · XianI promise you three days of fair wind; No. 71 · Wu WangFor now, keeping shop beats trading on the road; No. 72 · GouPoverty and illness wear you down twice over; No. 73 · Tong RenAn old friend sends me a letter, No. 74 · PiYou and I share a bond from long ago; No. 75 · Da YouAcross ten thousand miles of sky, one goose flies alone, No. 76 · PiOn a sea of endless waves, a single leaf of a boat No. 77 · LüYou want the truth about the road ahead; No. 78 · QianThe Dragon King's shell-built palace is guarded strict and grand; No. 79 · SongPurple edicts and yellow seals shine through the ages; No. 80 · DunI know well the debts you left from a past life; No. 81 · ZhunJizi comes home, proud and full of swagger; No. 82 · JingWhen the wild geese return, your luck opens; No. 83 · Ji JiAt Wanli Bridge you see a traveler off; No. 84 · BiGreen-beetle coins by the ten thousand, piled like hills, No. 85 · JianYour fate crosses the lonely star; best to let it rest. No. 86 · BiRaised on the rivers, you are used to steering boats, No. 87 · JieDo not listen to the wagging tongues; No. 88 · XuSomeone traded in Dongting red oranges, No. 89 · KanThe east house slaughters an ox, and its prayers go unheard; No. 90 · JianCarpenter, joiner, wheelwright: each sticks to one trade, No. 91 · YiThere stands a peony tree in bloom, No. 92 · GuIn all things, nothing serves like patience; No. 93 · BiSeeking a home on the peaks of Tai and Hua, No. 94 · BoLong ago a fisherman found the Peach Blossom Spring; No. 95 · GenBamboo and trees for walls, rice filling the fields, No. 96 · BoEverywhere there is money to be made, though no one sees it; No. 97 · SunA wild typhoon is blowing now, No. 98 · Da ChuGlory, wealth and honor; your rank stands high. No. 99 · MengSuddenly magpies chatter at the eaves; No. 100 · GenThis hundredth lot is the rarest to draw;

A straight word: fortune poems are a matter of faith, and the meanings here are ours

The Chinese text, hexagram names and topic readings follow the Grand Matsu Temple of Tainan, checked line by line against three other sources; we only corrected obvious copying errors, and every page shows the temple's original wording wherever we changed it. The English translations and the plain-English meanings are our own reading of the words, not the temple's official interpretation. For a real reading, ask at 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 poem: your own chart

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Mazu fortune sticks: questions

How is the Mazu hundred-poem set different from the Sixty Jiazi set?

The hundred-poem set has 100 poems numbered 1 to 100, each with a hexagram and topic readings. The Sixty Jiazi set has 60 poems labeled with stem-branch pairs. Both are common at Mazu temples.

What is Mazu fortune stick No. 1?

No. 1, the Zhen hexagram: 「曉日瞳瞳萬象融，河清海晏慶年豐，生逢盛世真歡樂，好把心田作化工」 The dawn sun glows and all the world grows warm, the rivers clear, the seas at rest, a bumper year. Born into good times, what joy is yours: now till the field of your heart and let it grow.

Which temples use the Mazu hundred poems?

The Grand Matsu Temple in Tainan, the Tianhou temples of Lukang and Penghu, Baishatun Gongtian Temple and others. The Baishatun version differs at numbers 25 to 36.

What if I cannot understand my poem?

Ask the interpreter at the temple where you drew it. Every poem on this site has an English translation and a plain-English meaning you can read first.