Mazu Fortune Stick No. 88 · Xu Hexagram
有人販得洞庭紅，鉅萬財源頃刻通，男子運來難預料，今朝送汝一帆風。 Someone traded in Dongting red oranges, and a fortune opened up in a moment. When a man's luck turns, no one can foresee it; today I send you a fair wind in your sail.
The poem
有人販得洞庭紅
Someone traded in Dongting red oranges,
鉅萬財源頃刻通
and a fortune opened up in a moment.
男子運來難預料
When a man's luck turns, no one can foresee it;
今朝送汝一帆風
today I send you a fair wind in your sail.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 88 第八十八首 | Xu 需 (Waiting) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Born to wealth; your ambitions fulfilled 天生富貴 圖名遂心 |
| Business | Trade prospers; your guesses keep proving right 貨殖豐賜 億則屢中 |
| Pregnancy | Congratulations, a remarkable son, with divine protection 恭喜奇男 更兼神佑 |
| Marriage | Joy at the door; happily married 喜慶臨門 宴爾新婚 |
| Travel | Luck on the road; big money 出門逢吉 大得鉅金 |
| Household | New members and doubled blessings 命合添丁 福祿倍增 |
| Seeking wealth | Big profits; ask and you have it 財利大進 求之必有 |
| Luck of the times | It is working now; seek well 在即行通 善求為佳 |
| Lost items | All clear; it will soon be back 一片光明 物將回手 |
| Farming & livestock | Double harvests; livestock abundant 田產倍收 禽獸成群 |
| Lawsuits | A patron is on your side; you can win 貴人有緣 必可勝訴 |
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
Someone sold a boatload of oranges and made a fortune overnight. When luck turns, it is impossible to predict; today the wind is behind you.
Background: The line recalls a Ming-dynasty story in which a down-on-his-luck man carries Dongting oranges overseas and sells them for a fortune.
Reminder: Opportunities arrive suddenly; be ready to move fast.
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. 87; next: No. 89.
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. 88: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 88 say?
「有人販得洞庭紅，鉅萬財源頃刻通，男子運來難預料，今朝送汝一帆風」 In English: Someone traded in Dongting red oranges, and a fortune opened up in a moment. When a man's luck turns, no one can foresee it; today I send you a fair wind in your sail. It is paired with the Xu hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 88 mean?
Someone sold a boatload of oranges and made a fortune overnight. When luck turns, it is impossible to predict; today the wind is behind you. Reminder: Opportunities arrive suddenly; be ready to move fast.