Mazu Fortune Stick No. 9 · Xie Hexagram
世事怎能獲萬全，總憑一點好心田，吉凶禍福惟人召，我本無私亦不偏。 How could anything in life be perfect? It all rests on a little goodness of heart. Good and bad fortune are what people call to themselves; I have no favorites and take no sides.
The poem
世事怎能獲萬全
How could anything in life be perfect?
總憑一點好心田
It all rests on a little goodness of heart.
吉凶禍福惟人召
Good and bad fortune are what people call to themselves;
我本無私亦不偏
I have no favorites and take no sides.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 9 第九首 | Xie 解 (Deliverance) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Keep an upright heart and your name travels far 存心正直 名揚四海 |
| Business | Be fair and careful; never cheat 公平保守 切莫欺心 |
| Pregnancy | Keep goodness in your heart and heaven sends a son 心田存善 天送麟兒 |
| Marriage | A good match; a respectful, loving pair 良緣配合 既案齊眉 |
| Travel | Do good and be blessed; treat people honestly 為善得福 誠實待人 |
| Household | Blessings follow kindness; hidden good deeds count most 福緣善慶 陰德最佳 |
| Seeking wealth | An even mind brings blessings; do not deceive yourself 平心多福 幸勿欺心 |
| Luck of the times | Wealth flows; a patron backs you 財利通達 貴人扶持 |
| Lost items | Not lost far away; search and you can find it 遺失不遠 查尋可覓 |
| Farming & livestock | Fields and livestock; autumn is better still 田畝六畜 秋成更佳 |
| Lawsuits | Lucky stars shine; everything goes smoothly 吉星高照 事事順利 |
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
Nothing in life is perfect; what counts is a good heart. Good and bad fortune are largely what people bring on themselves.
Reminder: Before asking the gods, ask your own heart.
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. 8; next: No. 10.
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. 9: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 9 say?
「世事怎能獲萬全，總憑一點好心田，吉凶禍福惟人召，我本無私亦不偏」 In English: How could anything in life be perfect? It all rests on a little goodness of heart. Good and bad fortune are what people call to themselves; I have no favorites and take no sides. It is paired with the Xie hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 9 mean?
Nothing in life is perfect; what counts is a good heart. Good and bad fortune are largely what people bring on themselves. Reminder: Before asking the gods, ask your own heart.