Mazu Fortune Stick No. 59 · Shi Hexagram
不為工商不為農，黃卷青燈自苦攻，若問終身休咎事，試看龍虎起風雲。 Neither craftsman, merchant, nor farmer, you toil over yellowed books by a dim blue lamp. If you ask of fortune for the rest of your life, watch the dragon and tiger raise the wind and clouds.
The poem
不為工商不為農
Neither craftsman, merchant, nor farmer,
黃卷青燈自苦攻
you toil over yellowed books by a dim blue lamp.
若問終身休咎事
If you ask of fortune for the rest of your life,
試看龍虎起風雲
watch the dragon and tiger raise the wind and clouds.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 59 第五十九首 | Shi 師 (The Army) |
Text notes: line 3: the temple website reads 若問修身休咎事.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Achievements known everywhere; ranked among the highest 功高四海 名列三公 |
| Business | Diligent and thrifty; build a home and career 勤儉操持 成家立業 |
| Pregnancy | Flowers in season, then fruit 時到花開 結子成實 |
| Marriage | Two fine people; set a good date 兩美必合 好定佳期 |
| Travel | Travel is fine; the right moment arrives 出門無咎 際會風雲 |
| Household | Family thriving; reunion ahead 家門興旺 會合有期 |
| Seeking wealth | Money comes in; it will come 大進資財 求之自有 |
| Luck of the times | Things come together; your luck is here 湊合永來 時運已到 |
| Lost items | Search and it may come back tomorrow 失物查覓 明即可回 |
| Farming & livestock | Rich crops; a surplus 田禾豐稔 收成盈餘 |
| Lawsuits | Yang grows, yin fades; the officials favor you 陽長陰消 必得官情 |
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
Not a merchant or a farmer, you study hard by lamplight. As for your whole life's fortune, watch for the moment when dragon and tiger stir the wind and clouds.
Reminder: Concentrate on your studies or craft and wait for your chance to shine.
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. 58; next: No. 60.
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. 59: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 59 say?
「不為工商不為農，黃卷青燈自苦攻，若問終身休咎事，試看龍虎起風雲」 In English: Neither craftsman, merchant, nor farmer, you toil over yellowed books by a dim blue lamp. If you ask of fortune for the rest of your life, watch the dragon and tiger raise the wind and clouds. It is paired with the Shi hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 59 mean?
Not a merchant or a farmer, you study hard by lamplight. As for your whole life's fortune, watch for the moment when dragon and tiger stir the wind and clouds. Reminder: Concentrate on your studies or craft and wait for your chance to shine.