Mazu Fortune Stick No. 86 · Bi Hexagram
生長江河慣御船，誰知翻覆有多端，青龍若遇當無恙，白虎相沖心膽寒。 Raised on the rivers, you are used to steering boats, yet who knows how many ways a boat can capsize? Meet the Azure Dragon and you will come to no harm; clash with the White Tiger and your heart will freeze.
The poem
生長江河慣御船
Raised on the rivers, you are used to steering boats,
誰知翻覆有多端
yet who knows how many ways a boat can capsize?
青龍若遇當無恙
Meet the Azure Dragon and you will come to no harm;
白虎相沖心膽寒
clash with the White Tiger and your heart will freeze.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 86 第八十六首 | Bi 比 (Holding Together) |
Text notes: line 3: the base text reads 看龍若遇當無恙.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Do not mistake luck for skill; steady your footing first 別把運氣當實力，先穩住腳步 |
| Business | Head-on clashes leave both sides worse off; step back 和人硬碰硬只會兩敗，宜退一步 |
| 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 | Your temperaments clash; talk more or give each other space 個性相沖，多溝通或保持距離 |
| Travel | Staying home feels safer for now; avoid long trips unless necessary 近期留在家中較安心，非必要不遠行 |
| Household | Things are changing at home; keep to your role and wait 家中有變動，守住本分等時機 |
| Seeking wealth | Money luck is flat; act within your means 財氣平淡，量力而為 |
| Luck of the times | However skilled you are, do not be careless; keep a margin 再熟練也別大意，凡事多留一步 |
| Lost items | If it has gone far, let it go 已經走遠的東西，就別再追了 |
| Farming & livestock | The weather is unsettled; keep a closer eye on the crops 天候不穩，作物要多加照看 |
| Lawsuits | Right and wrong will be judged fairly; avoid going to court if you can 是非自有公論，能不打就別打 |
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
Even a seasoned boatman cannot predict every way a boat can overturn. With a lucky sign you are fine; with an unlucky one you tremble.
Background: In Chinese astrology the Azure Dragon is an auspicious sign and the White Tiger an ominous one.
Reminder: However skilled you are, do not get careless; watch the risks.
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. 85; next: No. 87.
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. 86: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 86 say?
「生長江河慣御船，誰知翻覆有多端，青龍若遇當無恙，白虎相沖心膽寒」 In English: Raised on the rivers, you are used to steering boats, yet who knows how many ways a boat can capsize? Meet the Azure Dragon and you will come to no harm; clash with the White Tiger and your heart will freeze. It is paired with the Bi hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 86 mean?
Even a seasoned boatman cannot predict every way a boat can overturn. With a lucky sign you are fine; with an unlucky one you tremble. Reminder: However skilled you are, do not get careless; watch the risks.