Mazu Fortune Stick No. 7 · Gui Mei Hexagram
滿目風雲咫尺迷，胡為惘惘欲何之，不如急把船頭轉，省得狂波破膽時。 Storm clouds fill your eyes; you cannot see a step ahead. Why wander so lost, and where would you go? Better to turn the bow around at once, before the wild waves break your nerve.
The poem
滿目風雲咫尺迷
Storm clouds fill your eyes; you cannot see a step ahead.
胡為惘惘欲何之
Why wander so lost, and where would you go?
不如急把船頭轉
Better to turn the bow around at once,
省得狂波破膽時
before the wild waves break your nerve.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 7 第七首 | Gui Mei 歸妹 (The Marrying Maiden) |
Text notes: line 1: the temple website reads 滿日風雲咫尺遠.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Not meant for you; wishful thinking helps nothing 與爾無分 妄想何益 |
| Business | Broken reeds and weeds; no life in the trade 逢斷草蓬 定無生意 |
| Pregnancy | Take great care near the birth; mend your ways at once 臨產危險 急速改過 |
| Marriage | Two tigers fight; one is sure to be hurt 兩虎相鬥 必有一傷 |
| Travel | Walls on every side; hard to get anywhere 四面皆墻 難予行走 |
| Household | Worry for spirits and people alike; tears at home 鬼愁人愁 妻泣子哭 |
| Seeking wealth | Gains and losses uncertain; profit hard to find 得失無憑 財利難求 |
| Luck of the times | A crooked path; the timing is against you 命途乖舛 時運不濟 |
| Lost items | A time of losses; no news in the end 時遇破財 終無音訊 |
| Farming & livestock | Trouble from heaven and from people; it all falls through 天禍人為 皆歸失敗 |
| Lawsuits | Let heaven judge; let things take their course 循其天照 聽其自然 |
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
Storm clouds everywhere, and you cannot see even what is close. Turn the boat back now, before the wild waves hit.
Reminder: When you cannot see clearly, step back instead of forcing your way.
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.
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. 7: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 7 say?
「滿目風雲咫尺迷，胡為惘惘欲何之，不如急把船頭轉，省得狂波破膽時」 In English: Storm clouds fill your eyes; you cannot see a step ahead. Why wander so lost, and where would you go? Better to turn the bow around at once, before the wild waves break your nerve. It is paired with the Gui Mei hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 7 mean?
Storm clouds everywhere, and you cannot see even what is close. Turn the boat back now, before the wild waves hit. Reminder: When you cannot see clearly, step back instead of forcing your way.