Mazu Fortune Stick No. 91 · Yi Hexagram
分明一樹牡丹花，正欲開時豔若霞，忽遇妬花風雨至，摧殘頃刻委泥沙。 There stands a peony tree in bloom, just about to open, bright as sunset clouds; then jealous wind and rain arrive at once, and in a moment it lies broken in the mud.
The poem
分明一樹牡丹花
There stands a peony tree in bloom,
正欲開時豔若霞
just about to open, bright as sunset clouds;
忽遇妬花風雨至
then jealous wind and rain arrive at once,
摧殘頃刻委泥沙
and in a moment it lies broken in the mud.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 91 第九十一首 | Yi 頤 (Nourishment) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Hard to succeed; you miss the list 功名難舉 名落孫山 |
| Business | Business just starting; a rival appears 生理初興 怨遇對手 |
| Pregnancy | The pregnancy is here; take great care 胎孕已成 慎防小產 |
| Marriage | A lovely woman; beware of an engagement falling through 窈窕淑女 防退頭婚 |
| Travel | Think three times; do not rush 三思而行 不宜急切 |
| Household | Guard against leaning on luck; see it through 事宜防僥 有始有終 |
| Seeking wealth | A rough road; sought but not found 運途乖舛 求而不得 |
| Luck of the times | Bad people around; your time has not come 每遇匪人 時運未到 |
| Lost items | Lost; do not look 已失莫尋 不必再想 |
| Farming & livestock | Fields turning to desert 田園將蕪 如同沙漠 |
| Lawsuits | You already know; why ask again 心內有數 何必再問 |
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
A peony is about to open in all its glory when a sudden storm destroys it in an instant.
Reminder: Be most careful just as things are about to succeed; guard against sudden change.
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. 90; next: No. 92.
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. 91: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 91 say?
「分明一樹牡丹花，正欲開時豔若霞，忽遇妬花風雨至，摧殘頃刻委泥沙」 In English: There stands a peony tree in bloom, just about to open, bright as sunset clouds; then jealous wind and rain arrive at once, and in a moment it lies broken in the mud. It is paired with the Yi hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 91 mean?
A peony is about to open in all its glory when a sudden storm destroys it in an instant. Reminder: Be most careful just as things are about to succeed; guard against sudden change.