Mazu Fortune Stick No. 51 · Fu Hexagram
天河清淺不成波，歲歲雙星安穩過，今屆秋期風浪發，恐驚織女起婆娑。 The River of Heaven runs clear and shallow, without a wave; year after year the two stars cross in peace. But this autumn the wind raises waves, and the Weaver Girl may be startled from her dance.
The poem
天河清淺不成波
The River of Heaven runs clear and shallow, without a wave;
歲歲雙星安穩過
year after year the two stars cross in peace.
今屆秋期風浪發
But this autumn the wind raises waves,
恐驚織女起婆娑
and the Weaver Girl may be startled from her dance.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 51 第五十一首 | Fu 復 (Return) |
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Things look calm but hidden changes remain, so prepare a little more 局面看似平穩，暗處仍有變數，多做一分準備 |
| Business | Partnerships may hit turbulence, so settle the terms clearly first 合作關係容易起波折，條件先講清楚 |
| 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 | Ripples may stir in love, so talk things through early 感情可能起風波，有話及早說開 |
| Travel | Waters are rough for now, so stay home if the trip can wait 這段時間風浪較多，能延後就待在家 |
| Household | Watch for mood swings at home and offer company rather than argument 留意家人情緒起伏，多陪伴少爭執 |
| Seeking wealth | Take what you are sure of early instead of waiting for things to shift 有把握的就早點收，別拖到變數出現 |
| Luck of the times | There are undercurrents beneath the calm, so plan one step ahead 平靜中有暗湧，凡事提早一步安排 |
| Lost items | No need to panic, sit quietly and recall where you last put it 不必慌張急找，靜下來回想最後放在哪裡 |
| Farming & livestock | Watch for autumn storms and secure your fields in advance 秋季留意風雨，提早加固田間設施 |
| Lawsuits | Sitting down to talk it over beats letting it drag on 雙方坐下來好好談，比一直拖著好 |
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
The Milky Way has always been calm and the lovers met every year, but this autumn a storm may disturb the Weaver Girl.
Background: The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, two stars on either side of the Milky Way, may meet only once a year, on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month.
Reminder: Relationships or partnerships may hit turbulence; talk things through early.
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. 50; next: No. 52.
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. 51: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 51 say?
「天河清淺不成波，歲歲雙星安穩過，今屆秋期風浪發，恐驚織女起婆娑」 In English: The River of Heaven runs clear and shallow, without a wave; year after year the two stars cross in peace. But this autumn the wind raises waves, and the Weaver Girl may be startled from her dance. It is paired with the Fu hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 51 mean?
The Milky Way has always been calm and the lovers met every year, but this autumn a storm may disturb the Weaver Girl. Reminder: Relationships or partnerships may hit turbulence; talk things through early.