Mazu Fortune Stick No. 46 · Bo Hexagram
孤蹤飄泊等浮萍，欲渡無舟枉問津，若使當年行善事，何須今日叩神明。 Alone and adrift like duckweed on the water, you want to cross, but there is no boat to ask for. Had you done good deeds in years gone by, why would you need to knock on the gods' door today?
The poem
孤蹤飄泊等浮萍
Alone and adrift like duckweed on the water,
欲渡無舟枉問津
you want to cross, but there is no boat to ask for.
若使當年行善事
Had you done good deeds in years gone by,
何須今日叩神明
why would you need to knock on the gods' door today?
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 46 第四十六首 | Bo 剝 (Splitting Apart) |
Text notes: line 2: the temple website reads 欲渡無舟枉問程.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | You did not cultivate yourself early; hopes are in vain 不早修行 枉然妄想 |
| Business | Dishonest trade; capital drains away 貿易欺心 資本耗散 |
| Pregnancy | Children? As likely as the Yellow River running clear 欲求子息 黃河澄清 |
| Marriage | A thin bond; it will not happen 緣份淡薄 不能成就 |
| Travel | Hard to get across, like having no boat 過口難免 若無船楫 |
| Household | No good deeds; a deserted house 全無善功 門庭冷落 |
| Seeking wealth | Hard to make it work; sought but not found 經營難濟 求之不得 |
| Luck of the times | Bad everywhere right now 正在不佳 到處亦然 |
| Lost items | A time of loss; it will not come back 破財之時 安能回頭 |
| Farming & livestock | Nothing all year round 四季皆然 無一收利 |
| Lawsuits | Legal trouble in the chart; a scare is likely 身犯官符 恐有虛心 |
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
Drifting alone like duckweed, you want to cross but have no boat. If you had done more good in the past, you would not need to plead with the gods now.
Reminder: It is never too late to start doing good.
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. 45; next: No. 47.
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. 46: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 46 say?
「孤蹤飄泊等浮萍，欲渡無舟枉問津，若使當年行善事，何須今日叩神明」 In English: Alone and adrift like duckweed on the water, you want to cross, but there is no boat to ask for. Had you done good deeds in years gone by, why would you need to knock on the gods' door today? It is paired with the Bo hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 46 mean?
Drifting alone like duckweed, you want to cross but have no boat. If you had done more good in the past, you would not need to plead with the gods now. Reminder: It is never too late to start doing good.