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.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Top of the list; wealth and honor 獨占鰲頭 富貴榮華 |
| Business | Spare no effort and grow as rich as Tao Zhu 不辭勞苦 富匹陶朱 |
| Pregnancy | Hardship is over; heaven sends a son 艱難過盡 天賜麟兒 |
| Marriage | Stand on your own and you will find a good wife 能自樹立 必得賢妻 |
| Travel | Honest and respectful, welcome even among strangers 忠信篤敬 蠻貊可行 |
| Household | A kind household; luck and plenty 德門仁里 吉慶有裕 |
| Seeking wealth | Gold fills the chest; the wealth star is strong 黃金滿嬴 財星旺盛 |
| Luck of the times | Wealth grows daily; the road is open 財源日增 利路亨通 |
| Lost items | Right in front of you; nothing will be lost 只在眼前 百無一失 |
| Farming & livestock | Livestock thriving; grain plentiful 六畜旺盛 五穀豐稔 |
| Lawsuits | Stay calm and you will surely win 心平氣和 必可獲勝 |
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
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, 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. 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.