Mazu Fortune Stick No. 87 · Jie Hexagram
長舌之言不可聽，世間最毒婦人心，汝今問我凶和吉，同氣三人可斷金。 Do not listen to the wagging tongues; the old saying claims no poison matches a woman's heart. You ask me now about fortune good and ill: three of one mind can cut through metal.
The poem
長舌之言不可聽
Do not listen to the wagging tongues;
世間最毒婦人心
the old saying claims no poison matches a woman's heart.
汝今問我凶和吉
You ask me now about fortune good and ill:
同氣三人可斷金
three of one mind can cut through metal.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 87 第八十七首 | Jie 節 (Limitation) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | No hope of success; only daydreams 功名無望 徒自思想 |
| Business | Of one mind; partnership brings big money 同氣共志 合夥大財 |
| Pregnancy | Guard against hidden harm; stay safe at the birth 切戒暗毒 臨產保安 |
| Marriage | A poor match; it ends in hurt 姻緣不合 終必割傷 |
| Travel | Get along with people; take the profit and come back quickly 人情當合 得利急旋 |
| Household | Keep to your role; peace of mind brings luck 事依本分 平心吉祥 |
| Seeking wealth | Of one heart; it will come 同氣同心 求之必有 |
| Luck of the times | Earth can turn to gold; do good 土能變金 須積善行 |
| Lost items | Lost from a high place; it will not come back 高處失脫 無法回籠 |
| Farming & livestock | Bad this year; better next year 今年不利 新歲方好 |
| Lawsuits | Peace is precious; then all is well 以和為貴 方能平安 |
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
Ignore gossip and slander; people's hearts are hard to read. As for fortune: three people of one mind can cut through metal.
Background: The second line repeats an old misogynistic proverb. We translate it as written; we read it as a warning against malice and slander from anyone.
Reminder: Tune out gossip and work with people you can trust.
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. 86; next: No. 88.
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. 87: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 87 say?
「長舌之言不可聽，世間最毒婦人心，汝今問我凶和吉，同氣三人可斷金」 In English: Do not listen to the wagging tongues; the old saying claims no poison matches a woman's heart. You ask me now about fortune good and ill: three of one mind can cut through metal. It is paired with the Jie hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 87 mean?
Ignore gossip and slander; people's hearts are hard to read. As for fortune: three people of one mind can cut through metal. Reminder: Tune out gossip and work with people you can trust.