Mazu Fortune Stick No. 34 · Kun Hexagram
人生定業固無訛，引頸迎刀復奈何，若向空門閑寄蹟，恩波雨露不勝多。 The karma fixed for a life is surely no mistake; if you stretch your neck to the blade, what then? But if you find a quiet place at the temple gate, grace will fall on you like endless rain.
The poem
人生定業固無訛
The karma fixed for a life is surely no mistake;
引頸迎刀復奈何
if you stretch your neck to the blade, what then?
若向空門閑寄蹟
But if you find a quiet place at the temple gate,
恩波雨露不勝多
grace will fall on you like endless rain.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 34 第三十四首 | Kun 坤 (The Receptive) |
No. 34 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:
君來未卜我先知
Before you draw, I already know:
欲向前途問險夷
you want to ask if the road ahead is rough or smooth.
好待桃花春浪發
Wait for the peach-blossom floods of spring;
龍門一躍是良期
the leap through the Dragon Gate is your moment.
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 | If results disappoint, a change of direction is also a way forward 結果不如意時，換個方向也是出路 |
| Business | No need to force growth; keeping to your proper scope is enough 不必強求擴大，守住本分即可 |
| 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 | A match cannot be forced; letting it take its course is better 緣分勉強不來，順其自然比較好 |
| Travel | The road is rough; shelve any trip that is not urgent 路途難走，不急的行程先擱下 |
| Household | Let kind deeds slowly dissolve old grudges in the family 家中的舊怨，以善行慢慢化開 |
| Seeking wealth | Wanting more now only wears you out; lower your expectations first 此時求多反而累，先降低期待 |
| Luck of the times | Let go of what you cannot change; peace of mind brings its own blessings 改變不了的事先放下，心安自有恩典 |
| Lost items | If it cannot be recovered, let it go and practice releasing it 找不回就隨它去，學著放手 |
| Farming & livestock | When the harvest falls short, rest the land and wait for next season 收成不理想時，讓地休養等下一季 |
| Lawsuits | A grievance may not be righted soon; set emotions aside and seek mediation 委屈一時難伸，先放下情緒再求調解 |
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
Some things in life are fated and cannot be changed. If you let go of your attachments and turn to spiritual practice, you will find a great deal of grace.
Background: In the Baishatun poem, carp that leap the Dragon Gate on the Yellow River are said to turn into dragons; it stands for a sudden rise in fortune.
Reminder: When something is beyond your power to change, learn to let it go.
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. 33; next: No. 35.
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. 34: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 34 say?
「人生定業固無訛，引頸迎刀復奈何，若向空門閑寄蹟，恩波雨露不勝多」 In English: The karma fixed for a life is surely no mistake; if you stretch your neck to the blade, what then? But if you find a quiet place at the temple gate, grace will fall on you like endless rain. It is paired with the Kun hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 34 mean?
Some things in life are fated and cannot be changed. If you let go of your attachments and turn to spiritual practice, you will find a great deal of grace. Reminder: When something is beyond your power to change, learn to let it go.