Mazu Fortune Stick No. 8 · Da Zhuang Hexagram
積德如君幾十年，何須禮拜問神仙，一帆順境誰能及，利有攸往涉大川。 You have stored up virtue for decades; why bow and ask the gods at all? Who can match you, sailing with the wind: it is good to go on, good to cross the great river.
The poem
積德如君幾十年
You have stored up virtue for decades;
何須禮拜問神仙
why bow and ask the gods at all?
一帆順境誰能及
Who can match you, sailing with the wind:
利有攸往涉大川
it is good to go on, good to cross the great river.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 8 第八首 | Da Zhuang 大壯 (Great Power) |
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Years of effort are being noticed, and humility earns more trust 長年的努力被看見，謙虛些更受器重 |
| Business | Supply and demand are both flowing, so ship steadily 貨源與買氣都順，穩穩出貨 |
| 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 | You share similar character, a bond worth cherishing 兩人品性相近，是值得珍惜的緣分 |
| Travel | Long trips go well, and kindness smooths the way 遠行有利，待人和氣處處順 |
| Household | The family is richly blessed, safe and happy 家中福氣厚，平安和樂 |
| Seeking wealth | Money flows freely, so gather it with a calm mind 財運通順，心平氣和地收成 |
| Luck of the times | Good deeds are paying back, so move ahead freely 積累的善行開始回饋，可以放手前進 |
| Lost items | No need to fret, a patient search will turn it up 不必煩心，耐心找會出現 |
| Farming & livestock | The harvest is ample, so set some aside for lean times 收成充足，記得留些以備不時之需 |
| Lawsuits | Even if you are in the right, settle and let them save face 即使佔理也宜和解，替人留顏面 |
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
Someone who has done good for many years hardly needs to ask the gods. The wind is behind you; any undertaking goes well.
Background: "Good to go somewhere, good to cross the great river" are stock phrases from the Book of Changes meaning that a venture will go well.
Reminder: Everyday kindness is the best insurance you have.
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 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. 8: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 8 say?
「積德如君幾十年，何須禮拜問神仙，一帆順境誰能及，利有攸往涉大川」 In English: You have stored up virtue for decades; why bow and ask the gods at all? Who can match you, sailing with the wind: it is good to go on, good to cross the great river. It is paired with the Da Zhuang hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 8 mean?
Someone who has done good for many years hardly needs to ask the gods. The wind is behind you; any undertaking goes well. Reminder: Everyday kindness is the best insurance you have.