Mazu Fortune Stick No. 55 · Qian Hexagram
千倉米粟積如山，分惠饑貧事不難，勸爾殷勤培善果，盛衰興廢本循環。 A thousand granaries piled high as mountains; sharing with the hungry poor is no hard thing. Be diligent in growing the fruit of good deeds: rise and fall, boom and bust, all turn in a circle.
The poem
千倉米粟積如山
A thousand granaries piled high as mountains;
分惠饑貧事不難
sharing with the hungry poor is no hard thing.
勸爾殷勤培善果
Be diligent in growing the fruit of good deeds:
盛衰興廢本循環
rise and fall, boom and bust, all turn in a circle.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 55 第五十五首 | Qian 謙 (Modesty) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Luck is with you; success 運逢得意 功名成就 |
| Business | Fair and honest; blessings come 公平取義 萬福來宜 |
| Pregnancy | Good deeds bear fruit; a harmonious home and fine children 善果堅固 家和子成 |
| Marriage | Good for the home; harmony like zither and lute 宜爾室家 琴瑟和鳴 |
| Travel | Keep moving; do not hesitate 更宜出入 切莫遲疑 |
| Household | A house that does good; cassia in bloom 積善之家 桂子飄香 |
| Seeking wealth | Wealth enough; the road is open 財恒足矣 利路亨通 |
| Luck of the times | Fate brings a revival; it will come 命合重興 求之必有 |
| Lost items | Not far; search and you will find it 失物不遠 尋之即得 |
| Farming & livestock | Green fields; a big harvest in autumn 田園綠油 秋至大收 |
| Lawsuits | Lucky stars shine; everything goes well 福星高照 諸事順利 |
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
Your granaries are full, so sharing with the poor is easy. Keep growing good deeds; prosperity and decline come in cycles.
Reminder: When you have more than enough, share it; the good comes back.
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. 54; next: No. 56.
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. 55: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 55 say?
「千倉米粟積如山，分惠饑貧事不難，勸爾殷勤培善果，盛衰興廢本循環」 In English: A thousand granaries piled high as mountains; sharing with the hungry poor is no hard thing. Be diligent in growing the fruit of good deeds: rise and fall, boom and bust, all turn in a circle. It is paired with the Qian hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 55 mean?
Your granaries are full, so sharing with the poor is easy. Keep growing good deeds; prosperity and decline come in cycles. Reminder: When you have more than enough, share it; the good comes back.