Mazu Fortune Stick No. 81 · Zhun Hexagram
季子歸來意氣驕，家人匍伏畏雄豪，豈知富貴榮華事，一似朝潮與暮潮。 Jizi comes home, proud and full of swagger; his family crawls before him, awed by his power. Little do they know that wealth and glory are like the morning tide and the evening tide.
The poem
季子歸來意氣驕
Jizi comes home, proud and full of swagger;
家人匍伏畏雄豪
his family crawls before him, awed by his power.
豈知富貴榮華事
Little do they know that wealth and glory
一似朝潮與暮潮
are like the morning tide and the evening tide.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 81 第八十一首 | Zhun 屯 (Difficulty at the Beginning) |
Text notes: line 1: the base text reads 李子歸來意氣驕; line 2: the base text reads 家人匍仗畏豪饒.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Stay humble when you succeed so others do not think less of you 有成就時更要謙虛，別讓人看輕 |
| Business | Treat people with modesty and customers will keep coming back 謙和待人，客人才會長久往來 |
| 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 | Feelings keep shifting; make sure of each other before going further 心意反覆不定，先確認彼此再說 |
| Travel | Come back early once your business is done 事情辦完就早點回來 |
| Household | When the family is doing well, cultivate yourself and do good together 家運好時更要修身，帶家人一起行善 |
| Seeking wealth | Money that comes fast can leave fast, so keep some aside 錢來得快也去得快，記得留一些 |
| Luck of the times | Luck rises and falls like the tide; do not get carried away in good times 起落像潮水，順時別得意忘形 |
| Lost items | Keep an eye on your belongings; a moment's lapse is easy 隨身物品多留心，容易一時疏忽 |
| Farming & livestock | Later harvests will beat earlier ones; be patient 後面的收成會比前面好，耐心等 |
| Lawsuits | Do not walk into trouble yourself; be careful in everything 別自己往麻煩裡跳，凡事謹慎 |
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
Su Qin came home proud and powerful, and his family bowed before him. But wealth and glory come and go like the tides.
Background: Su Qin, styled Jizi, was mocked by his family while he was poor; when he came home as chancellor of six states, they bowed to the ground before him.
Reminder: Do not get arrogant when things go well; wealth and status never last.
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. 80; next: No. 82.
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. 81: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 81 say?
「季子歸來意氣驕，家人匍伏畏雄豪，豈知富貴榮華事，一似朝潮與暮潮」 In English: Jizi comes home, proud and full of swagger; his family crawls before him, awed by his power. Little do they know that wealth and glory are like the morning tide and the evening tide. It is paired with the Zhun hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 81 mean?
Su Qin came home proud and powerful, and his family bowed before him. But wealth and glory come and go like the tides. Reminder: Do not get arrogant when things go well; wealth and status never last.