Mazu Fortune Stick No. 72 · Gou Hexagram
貧窮疾病倍傷神，失脫官非罪一身，若求此籤無一可，閉門靜守度秋春。 Poverty and illness wear you down twice over; losses and lawsuits all land on you. Whatever you ask with this lot, nothing is favorable; close your door, stay quiet, and let the seasons pass.
The poem
貧窮疾病倍傷神
Poverty and illness wear you down twice over;
失脫官非罪一身
losses and lawsuits all land on you.
若求此籤無一可
Whatever you ask with this lot, nothing is favorable;
閉門靜守度秋春
close your door, stay quiet, and let the seasons pass.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 72 第七十二首 | Gou 姤 (Coming to Meet) |
Text notes: line 4: the temple website reads 閑門靜坐慶秋春.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Step back from the rush; rest and be safe 急流勇退 靜養安然 |
| Business | Hold on to your trade; nothing is favorable 且守本業 諸事不祥 |
| Pregnancy | No need to ask about children; look after yourself 子息免求 自保身體 |
| Marriage | The two sides do not fit; marriage is hard to settle 兩造不合 婚姻難定 |
| Travel | Every direction unfavorable; stay safe 四方不利 出保其身 |
| Household | Do good and do not fool yourself 盡德作福 切莫自欺 |
| Seeking wealth | The wealth path is dark; sought but not found 財運黑暗 求之不得 |
| Luck of the times | Forcing it hurts; a time of loss 強求反傷 運逢破財 |
| Lost items | Cannot be found; a time of loss 無法尋之 運逢破財 |
| Farming & livestock | Fields wither; such is the time and fate 田園凋萎 時也命也 |
| Lawsuits | Legal trouble in the chart; a scare, nothing more 身犯官符 一場虛驚 |
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
Poverty, illness, losses and legal trouble all at once: nothing is favorable with this lot. Stay home, keep quiet and wait for the seasons to change.
Reminder: In a low period, do less and put safety first.
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. 71; next: No. 73.
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. 72: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 72 say?
「貧窮疾病倍傷神，失脫官非罪一身，若求此籤無一可，閉門靜守度秋春」 In English: Poverty and illness wear you down twice over; losses and lawsuits all land on you. Whatever you ask with this lot, nothing is favorable; close your door, stay quiet, and let the seasons pass. It is paired with the Gou hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 72 mean?
Poverty, illness, losses and legal trouble all at once: nothing is favorable with this lot. Stay home, keep quiet and wait for the seasons to change. Reminder: In a low period, do less and put safety first.