Mazu Fortune Stick No. 57 · Lin Hexagram
生平冷淡知音少，靜養壽真葆善根，共羨一枝黃菊好，秋深籬落自芬芳。 Your life has been quiet, with few who understand you; rest in stillness and guard the roots of goodness. Everyone admires the lovely yellow chrysanthemum: deep in autumn, by the fence, it is fragrant on its own.
The poem
生平冷淡知音少
Your life has been quiet, with few who understand you;
靜養壽真葆善根
rest in stillness and guard the roots of goodness.
共羨一枝黃菊好
Everyone admires the lovely yellow chrysanthemum:
秋深籬落自芬芳
deep in autumn, by the fence, it is fragrant on its own.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 57 第五十七首 | Lin 臨 (Approach) |
Text notes: line 4: the base text reads 秋深離落自芬芳.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | The early stretch is hard, results show up around autumn 前期較辛苦，到了秋天才見成果 |
| Business | Slow, careful work pays off, things pick up around autumn 慢工出細活，秋季前後較有起色 |
| 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 | No need to hurry, let it unfold gently and it will fall into place 不必急，緩緩相處自然水到渠成 |
| Travel | Wait for news first, setting out in autumn suits you better 先等消息，秋天再出發較合適 |
| Household | Home is quiet and peaceful, and autumn is good for a reunion 家中清靜平安，秋天適合團聚 |
| Seeking wealth | Finances are average, simply live within your means 財運平平，量入為出就好 |
| Luck of the times | Bitter first, sweet later, just bear the quiet stretch 先苦後甜，耐得住寂寞就好 |
| Lost items | It has been gone a while, no need to trouble yourself further 已經遺失一段時間，不必再費心 |
| Farming & livestock | Tend as usual through spring and summer, the late season yields better 春夏照常照顧，晚季收成較好看 |
| Lawsuits | Settle early and do not let it drag on 早點和解，別讓事情拖長 |
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
A quiet life with few kindred spirits. Keep calm and look after your goodness; like a chrysanthemum by the fence in late autumn, you have your own fragrance.
Background: The chrysanthemum by the fence recalls the poet Tao Yuanming, who gave up office for a simple country life.
Reminder: You do not need the spotlight; do your own thing well and you will be noticed.
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. 56; next: No. 58.
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. 57: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 57 say?
「生平冷淡知音少，靜養壽真葆善根，共羨一枝黃菊好，秋深籬落自芬芳」 In English: Your life has been quiet, with few who understand you; rest in stillness and guard the roots of goodness. Everyone admires the lovely yellow chrysanthemum: deep in autumn, by the fence, it is fragrant on its own. It is paired with the Lin hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 57 mean?
A quiet life with few kindred spirits. Keep calm and look after your goodness; like a chrysanthemum by the fence in late autumn, you have your own fragrance. Reminder: You do not need the spotlight; do your own thing well and you will be noticed.