Mazu Fortune Stick No. 22 · Ding Hexagram
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 and rank were never easily won; you wear out mind and body scheming in vain. In the end it gains nothing but ridicule, and when illness strikes, all plans stop.
The poem
福祿從來未易求
Fortune and rank were never easily won;
枉勞心力費鑽謀
you wear out mind and body scheming in vain.
到頭無益徒貽笑
In the end it gains nothing but ridicule,
疾病相侵萬事休
and when illness strikes, all plans stop.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 22 第二十二首 | Ding 鼎 (The Cauldron) |
Text notes: line 4: the temple website reads 痴病相侵萬事休.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Wealth and rank are up to heaven; scheming is useless 富貴在天 營謀何益 |
| Business | For all your cleverness, the road runs out 用盡心機 終歸了路 |
| Pregnancy | Exhausting; take great care near the birth 勞心勞力 臨產艱難 |
| Marriage | Not compatible; why force it 配偶不合 何必強求 |
| Travel | Rushing through wind and rain for nothing 奔馳風雨 碌碌徒勞 |
| Household | Many burdens at home; look after yourself 家門多累 且自安身 |
| Seeking wealth | Hard going; big losses 辛苦辛難 大大有失 |
| Luck of the times | The wealth path is dark; no luck to ride 財源黑暗 無運可行 |
| Lost items | A stone sunk in the sea; no need to chase it 石沈大海 無必再追 |
| Farming & livestock | Fields run wild; livestock fail 田園荒蕪 圭犬不能 |
| 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
Fortune is never easy to come by. Scheming and maneuvering only get you laughed at and add worries.
Reminder: Stop maneuvering; returning to your own work is the safest course.
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. 21; next: No. 23.
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. 22: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 22 say?
「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」 In English: Fortune and rank were never easily won; you wear out mind and body scheming in vain. In the end it gains nothing but ridicule, and when illness strikes, all plans stop. It is paired with the Ding hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 22 mean?
Fortune is never easy to come by. Scheming and maneuvering only get you laughed at and add worries. Reminder: Stop maneuvering; returning to your own work is the safest course.