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 base text reads 欲渡無舟枉問程.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Finding your way alone is hard; build solid fundamentals first 靠自己摸索較辛苦，先打好基本功 |
| Business | Integrity is your capital; do not trade your credibility for quick gains 誠信是本錢，別為短利失了信用 |
| 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 | The bond is faint; do not force it, and focus on living well yourself 緣分較淡，不必強求，先把自己過好 |
| Travel | Without anyone to receive you, do not set out rashly; arrange support first 缺少接應時別貿然出發，先找好依靠 |
| Household | Do more good and show more care, and home will grow warmer 多做好事、多關心人，家裡會熱絡起來 |
| Seeking wealth | Money is hard to make now; control spending first 現在不容易賺，守住開支為先 |
| Luck of the times | You feel adrift for now; start doing good deeds from today 一時無依，從今天起多行善事 |
| Lost items | It is hard to recover; treat it as a lesson learned 難以找回，就當學了一課 |
| Farming & livestock | When the harvest is poor, rest the soil and repair your tools 收成不佳時，先養地、修整農具 |
| Lawsuits | Do not let your conscience trouble you; resolve the dispute early 別讓良心不安，盡早化解糾紛 |
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
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 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. 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.