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 temple website reads 李子歸來意氣驕; line 2: the temple website reads 家人匍仗畏豪饒.
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Success; do not be proud 功名顯達 莫得驕傲 |
| Business | Humility is your strength; much profit 謙德之柄 利益許多 |
| Pregnancy | Children may be hard to raise; do good for long life 多生少養 作福長生 |
| Marriage | Hesitant; comes in the morning, gone by night 婚姻遲疑 朝來夕去 |
| Travel | Far to go; turn back once you have succeeded 前途遇遠 得意即回 |
| Household | Even in good times, cultivate virtue 時勢縱好 更加修德 |
| Seeking wealth | Money comes like the sea; it is in hand 財如海來 求之入手 |
| Luck of the times | Comes and goes like the tide; ordinary luck 朝來暮去 時運平常 |
| Lost items | Be careful; it will be lost in the end 自須小心 終須失脫 |
| Farming & livestock | The later harvest beats the earlier 田園收穫 後勝前期 |
| Lawsuits | You walk into the net; be careful 自投羅網 宜小心之 |
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
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, 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. 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.