Mazu Fortune Stick No. 11 · Yi Hexagram
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。 In howling wind and towering waves you lose east from west; a single holy lamp lights up the sky. Hurry on and seek a way out: heaven takes pity on the lost.
The poem
驚風駭浪失西東
In howling wind and towering waves you lose east from west;
一盞神燈照碧空
a single holy lamp lights up the sky.
急向前途求解脫
Hurry on and seek a way out:
上天憫惻是愚蒙
heaven takes pity on the lost.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 11 第十一首 | Yi 益 (Increase) |
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Progress has stalled for now, so firm up your foundation 一時沒有進展，先把根基打穩 |
| Business | Things are quiet, so control costs and wait for a turn 景況冷清，先控制成本再圖轉機 |
| Pregnancy | For pregnancy and childbirth, please follow your doctor's advice and prenatal checkups 懷孕生產請遵從醫師與產檢 |
| Marriage | The relationship is shaky, so calm down and talk it through 關係動搖，靜下心來好好溝通 |
| Travel | The way is unclear, so travel with someone who knows the route 方向未明，找熟悉的人帶路再出發 |
| Household | Family members are scattered, so stay in touch and look out for each other 家人各自奔波，多聯繫、互相照應 |
| Seeking wealth | Luck goes up and down, so stick to your main work 運勢起伏，守住本業最實在 |
| Luck of the times | When lost, look for a light and ask someone reliable for help 迷茫時找一盞燈，向可靠的人求助 |
| Lost items | Rather than searching everywhere, wait quietly for news 四處亂找不如靜待消息 |
| Farming & livestock | Yields are lower, so plant within your means and cut waste 收成偏少，量力耕種、減少浪費 |
| Lawsuits | Communication is blocked, so find a go-between first 溝通管道不順，先找中間人協調 |
These short reminders are written by us from the poem and its hexagram; they are not the readings printed on the temple's slip, so for a real reading go by the temple where you drew the lot. The temple's list also has an "illness" topic, which we leave out, and the pregnancy topic is always a reminder to follow your doctor. If you feel unwell, please see a doctor.
What it means
Lost in a storm, you see a holy lamp light the sky. Look for a way out quickly; heaven has pity on the bewildered.
Reminder: In a crisis, steady yourself first and find someone reliable to show you the way.
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. 10; next: No. 12.
A straight word: fortune poems are a matter of faith, and the meanings here are ours
The Chinese text and hexagram names follow a widely circulated edition, checked line by line against three other versions; we only corrected obvious copying errors, and every page shows the base text's original wording wherever we changed it. The topic reminders, English translations and plain-English meanings are our own reading of the words and the hexagram, not the temple's readings or 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. 11: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 11 say?
「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」 In English: In howling wind and towering waves you lose east from west; a single holy lamp lights up the sky. Hurry on and seek a way out: heaven takes pity on the lost. It is paired with the Yi hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 11 mean?
Lost in a storm, you see a holy lamp light the sky. Look for a way out quickly; heaven has pity on the bewildered. Reminder: In a crisis, steady yourself first and find someone reliable to show you the way.