Mazu Fortune Stick No. 28 · Da You Hexagram
養癰成疽切自防，莫教蔓衍恐難當，幾多白眼人相顧，暗地穿窬作計長。 A boil left to fester turns to an abscess; guard against it, and do not let it spread beyond control. How many cold eyes are watching you, while someone quietly plots a break-in.
The poem
養癰成疽切自防
A boil left to fester turns to an abscess; guard against it,
莫教蔓衍恐難當
and do not let it spread beyond control.
幾多白眼人相顧
How many cold eyes are watching you,
暗地穿窬作計長
while someone quietly plots a break-in.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 28 第二十八首 | Da You 大有 (Great Possession) |
Text notes: line 1: the base text reads 養脊成疽切自防.
No. 28 in the Baishatun system
The hundred-poem set used at Baishatun Gongtian Temple, Ganghu Tianyuan Temple and some others has twelve different poems at numbers 25 to 36. In that system this number reads:
天生驥足豈尋常
Born with a racer's legs, no ordinary horse,
自幼生來骨格強
strong of frame from the day it was foaled;
馳騁康莊無絆礙
it gallops the open road without a snag,
一逢伯樂便稱良
and once Bole sees it, it is called the best.
If you drew your lot at one of those temples, go by that temple's poem.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Patch the small gaps in your work before talking about promotion 手上的小漏洞先補好，再談升遷 |
| Business | If anything in the books or contracts looks off, clear it up early 帳目與合約有疑點，趁早釐清 |
| 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 | Talk through small grievances early instead of bottling them up 心裡的小疙瘩及早說開，別悶著 |
| Travel | Check the details once more before leaving and do not rush 出發前把細節再核對一次，不要倉促 |
| Household | Settle small frictions at home the same day 家人間的小摩擦，當天就化解 |
| Seeking wealth | Avoid gains of unclear origin and protect your capital 來路不明的好處別碰，守住本錢 |
| Luck of the times | Watch for cold looks and gossip around you and keep a low profile 留意身邊的冷眼與閒話，低調行事 |
| Lost items | Check your doors, windows and storage habits, and lock up more carefully from now on 先檢查門窗與收納習慣，往後多上道鎖 |
| Farming & livestock | Deal with weeds and pests as soon as they appear, before they spread 雜草蟲害一冒頭就處理，別等它蔓延 |
| Lawsuits | Do not let the dispute grow; sit down early and talk it through 別任糾紛擴大，早點坐下來談和 |
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 small problem left alone becomes a big one, so deal with it early. Many people are watching coldly, and someone may be plotting against you in secret.
Background: In the Baishatun poem, Bole was a legendary judge of horses; "meeting Bole" means being discovered by someone who recognizes talent.
Reminder: Fix problems while they are small, and watch out for people who wish you harm.
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. 27; next: No. 29.
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. 28: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 28 say?
「養癰成疽切自防，莫教蔓衍恐難當，幾多白眼人相顧，暗地穿窬作計長」 In English: A boil left to fester turns to an abscess; guard against it, and do not let it spread beyond control. How many cold eyes are watching you, while someone quietly plots a break-in. It is paired with the Da You hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 28 mean?
A small problem left alone becomes a big one, so deal with it early. Many people are watching coldly, and someone may be plotting against you in secret. Reminder: Fix problems while they are small, and watch out for people who wish you harm.