Mazu Fortune Stick No. 31 · Fu Hexagram
寒窓儒士遇昌時，天日清明奴隸知，朝野和歡魚鳥樂，狀元拜相慶雍熙。 The poor scholar at his cold window meets a flourishing age; the sky so clear that even servants see it. Court and country in harmony, fish and birds content: top of the exam, then chief minister, in times of peace.
The poem
寒窓儒士遇昌時
The poor scholar at his cold window meets a flourishing age;
天日清明奴隸知
the sky so clear that even servants see it.
朝野和歡魚鳥樂
Court and country in harmony, fish and birds content:
狀元拜相慶雍熙
top of the exam, then chief minister, in times of peace.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 31 第三十一首 | Fu 復 (Return) |
No. 31 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:
神明感格在虔誠
The gods are moved by true devotion;
爾未誠心禱豈靈
you pray without sincerity, so how could it work?
速向隱微求改悔
Quickly search your hidden faults and repent,
免教旦夕禍災生
before disaster strikes any day now.
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 | Years of study meet the right moment; go sit the exam with confidence 多年苦讀正逢好時機，放心去應考 |
| Business | The market is clear; hard work in business will pay off 市面清明，肯吃苦經營會有回報 |
| 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 | Get your own footing first and the right partner will appear 先把自己站穩，合適的對象自然出現 |
| Travel | Be sincere and keep your word, and you will be welcome anywhere 待人誠懇守信，到哪裡都受歡迎 |
| Household | The home is cheerful and happy news keeps arriving 家中和樂，喜事接連上門 |
| Seeking wealth | Work steadily and your income will climb 踏實努力，收入穩穩往上走 |
| Luck of the times | The timing is good; your effort is easy to notice now 天時正好，用心容易被看見 |
| Lost items | It is probably right beside you; calm down and take a look 多半就在身邊，靜下心看一眼 |
| Farming & livestock | The weather is kind; bring in this season's harvest well 風調雨順，好好收割這一季 |
| Lawsuits | Explain calmly and things will move in a good direction 語氣放緩、好好說明，事情會往好的方向走 |
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 struggling scholar finds himself in a golden age: clear skies, harmony everywhere, and the prospect of top honors.
Reminder: The right moment has arrived; your effort will be noticed.
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. 30; next: No. 32.
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. 31: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 31 say?
「寒窓儒士遇昌時，天日清明奴隸知，朝野和歡魚鳥樂，狀元拜相慶雍熙」 In English: The poor scholar at his cold window meets a flourishing age; the sky so clear that even servants see it. Court and country in harmony, fish and birds content: top of the exam, then chief minister, in times of peace. It is paired with the Fu hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 31 mean?
A struggling scholar finds himself in a golden age: clear skies, harmony everywhere, and the prospect of top honors. Reminder: The right moment has arrived; your effort will be noticed.