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) |
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Live honestly and your reputation will grow over time 做人正直，名聲會慢慢累積 |
| Business | Fair prices and honest dealing keep a business going for years 價格公道、不欺客，生意做得長 |
| 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 | Mutual respect shows true feeling in ordinary days 互相尊重，平淡中見真心 |
| Travel | Treat people sincerely and the road will go smoothly 誠懇待人，路上自然順利 |
| Household | Do good often, and family values become the best shelter 多做善事，家風就是最好的庇蔭 |
| Seeking wealth | Earn with a clear conscience and rest easy 憑良心賺錢，賺得安心 |
| Luck of the times | Nothing in life is perfect, so just keep your heart in the right place 世事難求十全，把心擺正就好 |
| Lost items | It was not lost far away, so retrace your steps 掉的地方不遠，沿原路找找看 |
| Farming & livestock | Care for fields and livestock, and the autumn harvest looks promising 田裡與牲畜照顧好，秋收值得期待 |
| Lawsuits | State the facts evenly, and fairness speaks for itself 不偏不倚地說明事實，公道自在人心 |
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
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 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. 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.