Mazu Fortune Stick No. 15 · Jian Hexagram
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 rice on the highland, and drought comes; set seedlings in the lowland, and the rains pour. No sun when you want sun, no rain when you want rain: heaven does not abandon people; people abandon heaven.
The poem
種稻高原逢旱歲
Plant rice on the highland, and drought comes;
插苗低畝遇霖年
set seedlings in the lowland, and the rains pour.
欲晴不晴雨不雨
No sun when you want sun, no rain when you want rain:
天不絕人人絕天
heaven does not abandon people; people abandon heaven.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 15 第十五首 | Jian 漸 (Gradual Progress) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Idle dreams; a painted cake that cannot feed you 妄想痴心 徒成畫餅 |
| Business | Much effort, always empty-handed 勞心費力 總是空空 |
| Pregnancy | Things are out of balance; it comes to nothing 氣血不調 終事虛花 |
| Marriage | Lonely stars in the chart; the match brings hurt 孤辰寡宿 必有刑傷 |
| Travel | A long road over mountains and rivers; exhausted 山長水遠 人困馬疲 |
| Household | A bleak look; a deserted house 形容蕭條 門戶冷落 |
| Seeking wealth | Born at the wrong time; out of reach 命不逢時 求之不得 |
| Luck of the times | Still far away; when will it come 尚在遠行 何日得之 |
| Lost items | A time of loss; no need to search further 運為耗失 不必再覓 |
| Farming & livestock | Nothing grows; do not blame heaven 毫無生息 不必怨天 |
| Lawsuits | Trouble with the authorities; much goes wrong 犯上官符 事多弗意 |
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
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.
Reminder: When luck is against you, that is exactly when you must not give up on yourself.
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. 14; next: No. 16.
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. 15: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 15 say?
「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」 In English: Plant rice on the highland, and drought comes; set seedlings in the lowland, and the rains pour. No sun when you want sun, no rain when you want rain: heaven does not abandon people; people abandon heaven. It is paired with the Jian hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 15 mean?
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. Reminder: When luck is against you, that is exactly when you must not give up on yourself.