Mazu Fortune Stick No. 73 · Tong Ren Hexagram
故人寄我一封書，約去他鄉共販絲，若遇龍潭須謹慎，平安全仗佛扶持。 An old friend sends me a letter, asking me to go far away and trade silk together. If you come to the dragon's pool, take great care: your safety rests on the Buddha's help.
The poem
故人寄我一封書
An old friend sends me a letter,
約去他鄉共販絲
asking me to go far away and trade silk together.
若遇龍潭須謹慎
If you come to the dragon's pool, take great care:
平安全仗佛扶持
your safety rests on the Buddha's help.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 73 第七十三首 | Tong Ren 同人 (Fellowship) |
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | A friend vouches for you, seize the chance to show what you can do 有知己引薦，把握機會一展所長 |
| Business | Partnering with an old friend holds promise, but settle the details 與老朋友合作有機會，但細節要談妥 |
| 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 | The bond is set and a happy occasion is in sight 緣分已定，喜事可期 |
| Travel | You may meet old friends on a long trip, take care near water and in unfamiliar places 遠行可遇故人，水邊與陌生地方多加小心 |
| Household | Home is harmonious and full of springlike warmth 家中氣氛和睦，春意盎然 |
| Seeking wealth | Good news is on the way, earn your money openly 好消息已在路上，取財要光明正大 |
| Luck of the times | You will meet people willing to help, just do not play games 會遇到願意幫忙的人，但別耍心機 |
| Lost items | Look again in a couple of days, it may turn up on its own 過兩天再找找，可能會自己出現 |
| Farming & livestock | The first half of the year is steady, the second half yields more 上半年平穩，下半年收穫較豐 |
| Lawsuits | No need to worry too much, simply handle it openly 不必多慮，坦然處理即可 |
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
An old friend invites you to start a business together far from home. If you run into danger, be careful; your safety depends on divine protection.
Reminder: Think the risks through before you go into partnership.
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. 72; next: No. 74.
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. 73: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 73 say?
「故人寄我一封書，約去他鄉共販絲，若遇龍潭須謹慎，平安全仗佛扶持」 In English: An old friend sends me a letter, asking me to go far away and trade silk together. If you come to the dragon's pool, take great care: your safety rests on the Buddha's help. It is paired with the Tong Ren hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 73 mean?
An old friend invites you to start a business together far from home. If you run into danger, be careful; your safety depends on divine protection. Reminder: Think the risks through before you go into partnership.