Mazu Fortune Stick No. 23 · Li Hexagram
行船共識賴神明，舵椗常教要小心，莫道急流方着力，閒中打點免災侵。 Everyone knows a ship relies on the gods, but rudder and anchor still need constant care. Do not wait for the rapids to pull hard; set things in order while it is calm and keep trouble away.
The poem
行船共識賴神明
Everyone knows a ship relies on the gods,
舵椗常教要小心
but rudder and anchor still need constant care.
莫道急流方着力
Do not wait for the rapids to pull hard;
閒中打點免災侵
set things in order while it is calm and keep trouble away.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 23 第二十三首 | Li 離 (The Clinging Fire) |
Text notes: line 2: the base text reads 舵錠常教要小心.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Be content in your role and do not aim too high too fast 安於本位，不必好高騖遠 |
| Business | Modest comfort is enough, so do not expand too quickly 求小康就好，別擴張過快 |
| 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 bond is not settled yet, so observe more before deciding 緣分尚未定，多觀察再決定 |
| Travel | Prepare fully in calm times before you set out 平時就把行前準備做足，再上路 |
| Household | Things are steady at home, so use quiet days to put things in order 家中平順，閒時把大小事打點好 |
| Seeking wealth | Money luck fluctuates, so do not force it 財運浮動，不宜強求 |
| Luck of the times | Pray sincerely, but keep your own eyes open for a turn 誠心祈求，也要自己留意轉機 |
| Lost items | Hard to say if it will come back, so do not cling to it 能否找回難說，別太執著 |
| Farming & livestock | Work within your means and take precautions in advance 量力而為，平日就做好防範 |
| Lawsuits | If both sides give a little, a settlement works out best 雙方各退一步，和解最圓滿 |
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
A ship needs the gods, but also a careful hand on the rudder. Do not wait for the rapids to start trying; get things in order while it is calm.
Reminder: Prepare in ordinary times; do not scramble at the last minute.
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. 22; next: No. 24.
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. 23: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 23 say?
「行船共識賴神明，舵椗常教要小心，莫道急流方着力，閒中打點免災侵」 In English: Everyone knows a ship relies on the gods, but rudder and anchor still need constant care. Do not wait for the rapids to pull hard; set things in order while it is calm and keep trouble away. It is paired with the Li hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 23 mean?
A ship needs the gods, but also a careful hand on the rudder. Do not wait for the rapids to start trying; get things in order while it is calm. Reminder: Prepare in ordinary times; do not scramble at the last minute.