Mazu Fortune Stick No. 50 · Gen Hexagram
神仙事業由前定，行向東來更向南，取坎填離成大業，長生不老是奇男。 The work of immortals is fixed from the start; go east, and then go south. Take from Kan to fill Li and the great work is done: deathless and ageless, a remarkable man.
The poem
神仙事業由前定
The work of immortals is fixed from the start;
行向東來更向南
go east, and then go south.
取坎填離成大業
Take from Kan to fill Li and the great work is done:
長生不老是奇男
deathless and ageless, a remarkable man.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 50 第五十首 | Gen 艮 (Keeping Still) |
Text notes: line 3: the base text reads 取坎真離成大業.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Cultivate yourself first; great undertakings need that foundation 先修身養性，大事業才有根基 |
| Business | Insist on fair dealing and the benefits come naturally 交易講求公平，利益自然到手 |
| 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 | Let things take their course and do not pressure the other person 順其自然，不必勉強對方 |
| Travel | Heading southeast goes more smoothly; be friendly to everyone 往東南走較順，和氣待人 |
| Household | The home is harmonious and everyone feels settled 家中和順，每個人都安穩 |
| Seeking wealth | There is cheer in the southeast; keep an eye in that direction 東南方向有喜氣，可以多留意 |
| Luck of the times | Good luck keeps flowing; putting virtue first matters most 好運接連而來，以德為本最重要 |
| Lost items | You can most likely just reach out and find it 多半一伸手就找得到 |
| Farming & livestock | The grain is plump and the livestock thrive 稻穀飽滿，家畜也長得好 |
| Lawsuits | With nothing to hide, you can face it calmly 心中無欺，自能安然面對 |
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
Great things are fated. Head east and then south; through self-cultivation you will achieve something major.
Background: Kan (water) and Li (fire) are trigrams; "taking from Kan to fill Li" is a Daoist inner-alchemy phrase for bringing the body's energies into balance.
Reminder: Cultivating yourself is the root of everything.
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. 49; next: No. 51.
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. 50: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 50 say?
「神仙事業由前定，行向東來更向南，取坎填離成大業，長生不老是奇男」 In English: The work of immortals is fixed from the start; go east, and then go south. Take from Kan to fill Li and the great work is done: deathless and ageless, a remarkable man. It is paired with the Gen hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 50 mean?
Great things are fated. Head east and then south; through self-cultivation you will achieve something major. Reminder: Cultivating yourself is the root of everything.