Mazu Fortune Stick No. 10 · Xiao Guo Hexagram
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。 You did not see that peak fortune turns to decline; the wheel turns round, and the Way plays no favorites. Looking back on the glory of other days, you regret you came to pray so late.
The poem
泰極否來汝不知
You did not see that peak fortune turns to decline;
循環往復道無私
the wheel turns round, and the Way plays no favorites.
回思昔日風光好
Looking back on the glory of other days,
却悔今朝禱告遲
you regret you came to pray so late.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 10 第十首 | Xiao Guo 小過 (Small Excess) |
Text notes: line 1: the temple website reads 太極否來汝不知.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | This will not succeed; why dream of it 此舉不成 何須妄想 |
| Business | Money spreads thin; some loss is unavoidable 財多沖散 未免消耗 |
| Pregnancy | Children may be hard to raise; do good deeds 多生少養 當行善事 |
| Marriage | Not a match; hard to pair 但此不合 難以配匹 |
| Travel | A hard, risky road; not a good time to travel 行險艱辛 外出不吉 |
| Household | Much gossip; worry and resentment are hard to avoid 多生舌口 難免愁怨 |
| Seeking wealth | Luck is weak; many obstacles 命運不濟 事多阻隔 |
| Luck of the times | No wealth luck; poor timing 全無財氣 時機不佳 |
| Lost items | A stone sunk in the sea; let it go 石沈大海 既往莫查 |
| Farming & livestock | Fields run wild; chickens and dogs thin 田園荒蕪 雞犬俱瘦 |
| Lawsuits | Luck is low; trouble is hard to avoid 時衰運蹇 難免相侵 |
Readings follow the Grand Matsu Temple website; the English is our translation. The temple's list also has an "illness" reading; we leave it out. If you feel unwell, please see a doctor.
What it means
At the peak of good times comes the downturn; the cycle spares no one. You remember the glory days and regret not praying sooner.
Background: Tai (peace) and Pi (standstill) are two hexagrams of the Book of Changes; "at the height of Tai comes Pi" means good times carry the seed of their own reversal.
Reminder: Prepare for rain while the sun is out; do not wait for trouble before acting.
This is a plain reading of the words. How it applies to your own question is best settled with the interpreter at the temple where you drew it.
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.
Common misunderstandings
A gloomy poem means the matter is doomed.
Most poems are reminders and directions. The same poem means different things for different questions, so look at the topic that matches yours.
You can keep drawing on the same question until you get a good poem.
By custom you ask once per matter. If you are still unsure, ask the temple's interpreter, or wait a while and ask again.
Previous: No. 9; next: No. 11.
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
Enter your birth date to cast a free BaZi Four Pillars chart and see your Five Elements and Ten Gods.
Mazu fortune stick No. 10: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 10 say?
「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」 In English: You did not see that peak fortune turns to decline; the wheel turns round, and the Way plays no favorites. Looking back on the glory of other days, you regret you came to pray so late. It is paired with the Xiao Guo hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 10 mean?
At the peak of good times comes the downturn; the cycle spares no one. You remember the glory days and regret not praying sooner. Reminder: Prepare for rain while the sun is out; do not wait for trouble before acting.