Mazu Fortune Stick No. 76 · Pi Hexagram
萬頃波濤一葉舟，安如磐石自夷猶，吉人原有神明佑，何必臨危事禱求。 On a sea of endless waves, a single leaf of a boat rides steady as a rock, at ease. Good people have the gods' protection anyway; why wait for danger to pray?
The poem
萬頃波濤一葉舟
On a sea of endless waves, a single leaf of a boat
安如磐石自夷猶
rides steady as a rock, at ease.
吉人原有神明佑
Good people have the gods' protection anyway;
何必臨危事禱求
why wait for danger to pray?
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 76 第七十六首 | Pi 否 (Standstill) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Upright at heart; distinction will come 存心方正 榮顯有期 |
| Business | Steady mind; steady business 心術安常 生意安隆 |
| Pregnancy | Sons and daughters, firm as a mountain 生男育女 穩如山嶽 |
| Marriage | Well matched; a happy marriage 門當戶對 喜結良緣 |
| Travel | Good things come to you; no need to go out 好事臨門 何必出外 |
| Household | All plans go well; you meet a kindred spirit 凡謀百望 可遇知己 |
| Seeking wealth | Gold and silver double; seek through good 金銀倍增 善求必有 |
| Luck of the times | Heaven helps the good; do good 吉人天相 行善方佳 |
| Lost items | Lose a little, gain more; what was lost comes back 小往大來 失而復得 |
| Farming & livestock | Every harvest in; livestock thriving 萬寶告成 六畜俱旺 |
| Lawsuits | Good news; a win is certain 喜獲佳音 必有捷報 |
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
A tiny boat on a vast sea sits as steady as a rock. Good people are protected by the gods; there is no need to wait for a crisis to pray.
Reminder: Keep a good heart day to day, and you will stay calm when things happen.
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. 75; next: No. 77.
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. 76: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 76 say?
「萬頃波濤一葉舟，安如磐石自夷猶，吉人原有神明佑，何必臨危事禱求」 In English: On a sea of endless waves, a single leaf of a boat rides steady as a rock, at ease. Good people have the gods' protection anyway; why wait for danger to pray? It is paired with the Pi hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 76 mean?
A tiny boat on a vast sea sits as steady as a rock. Good people are protected by the gods; there is no need to wait for a crisis to pray. Reminder: Keep a good heart day to day, and you will stay calm when things happen.