Mazu Fortune Stick No. 48 · Da Chu Hexagram
千方百計總皆空，枉費心機不見功，直待雪消紅日上，別開局面漸亨通。 A thousand schemes, and all come to nothing; your cleverness wasted, nothing to show. Wait until the snow melts and the red sun rises, then open a new game, and things will go well.
The poem
千方百計總皆空
A thousand schemes, and all come to nothing;
枉費心機不見功
your cleverness wasted, nothing to show.
直待雪消紅日上
Wait until the snow melts and the red sun rises,
別開局面漸亨通
then open a new game, and things will go well.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 48 第四十八首 | Da Chu 大畜 (Great Taming) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | More haste, less speed; wait quietly for good news 欲速不達 靜守佳音 |
| Business | Many twists; do not be greedy 奇逢多變 切勿貪求 |
| Pregnancy | Rest and stay calm; all will be well 宜安小產 寬心大安 |
| Marriage | No rush; take the steady way 不必著急 推求穩當 |
| Travel | Do not fret; your time comes later 不必焦燥 後面有期 |
| Household | Hard first, easy later; flowers bloom in time 先難後易 時到花期 |
| Seeking wealth | Know your place and it will come 安己守分 求之自有 |
| Luck of the times | Hard first, gain later; do not force it 先難獲後 勿可強求 |
| Lost items | Search on a Rooster or Dog day and you may find it 酉戌兩日 查覓可得 |
| Farming & livestock | Spring and summer steady, better after autumn 春夏平穩 秋後更佳 |
| Lawsuits | Do not worry; it will be fine 不必多疑 安全無事 |
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
All your schemes have failed and your effort has been wasted. Wait for the snow to melt and the sun to rise, then start fresh; things will gradually go well.
Reminder: If the old road is blocked, take another.
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. 47; next: No. 49.
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. 48: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 48 say?
「千方百計總皆空，枉費心機不見功，直待雪消紅日上，別開局面漸亨通」 In English: A thousand schemes, and all come to nothing; your cleverness wasted, nothing to show. Wait until the snow melts and the red sun rises, then open a new game, and things will go well. It is paired with the Da Chu hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 48 mean?
All your schemes have failed and your effort has been wasted. Wait for the snow to melt and the sun to rise, then start fresh; things will gradually go well. Reminder: If the old road is blocked, take another.