Mazu Fortune Stick No. 14 · Guan Hexagram
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。 Ten years of hard study by the window; today you dust off your cap and set out in style. A long wind for ten thousand miles, and you are glad; you will reach the far shore, so do not worry.
The poem
十年窗下苦操修
Ten years of hard study by the window;
今日彈冠事壯遊
today you dust off your cap and set out in style.
萬里長風欣得意
A long wind for ten thousand miles, and you are glad;
直登彼岸不須愁
you will reach the far shore, so do not worry.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 14 第十四首 | Guan 觀 (Contemplation) |
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Years of study finally pay off, so sit your exams with confidence 多年苦讀終於有成，放心應試 |
| Business | Business thrives, with customers coming from all directions 生意興旺，客源四方而來 |
| 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 | United in heart, you can go far together 兩人同心，攜手走得遠 |
| Travel | A strong wind sends you off, and long journeys go smoothly 長風送行，遠行順暢 |
| Household | Happy news arrives at home and everyone rejoices 家中喜事臨門，人人歡喜 |
| Seeking wealth | Hard work brings returns, and income grows steadily 辛勤換來回報，收入穩定增加 |
| Luck of the times | The time is ripe, so boldly pursue what you have long prepared 時機成熟，準備已久的事大膽去做 |
| Lost items | No need to rush the search, just look ahead 不必急著找，往前看就好 |
| Farming & livestock | Working together as a family brings a fine harvest 一家同心經營，收成可觀 |
| Lawsuits | Sit down and talk properly, and it may wrap up soon 雙方好好坐下談，近期有望落幕 |
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
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.
Background: "Dusting off one's cap" means getting ready to take up office.
Reminder: Something you have prepared for a long time is ready. Go ahead.
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. 13; next: No. 15.
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. 14: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 14 say?
「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」 In English: Ten years of hard study by the window; today you dust off your cap and set out in style. A long wind for ten thousand miles, and you are glad; you will reach the far shore, so do not worry. It is paired with the Guan hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 14 mean?
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. Reminder: Something you have prepared for a long time is ready. Go ahead.