Mazu Fortune Stick No. 92 · Gu Hexagram
萬事如無忍最宜，勸君三思細尋思，逢人切莫輕唐突，須學留侯進履時。 In all things, nothing serves like patience; think three times, and think it through. Never treat anyone rudely; remember how the Marquis of Liu fetched the old man's shoe.
The poem
萬事如無忍最宜
In all things, nothing serves like patience;
勸君三思細尋思
think three times, and think it through.
逢人切莫輕唐突
Never treat anyone rudely;
須學留侯進履時
remember how the Marquis of Liu fetched the old man's shoe.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 92 第九十二首 | Gu 蠱 (Repairing Decay) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Seek sincerely; success may come late 心誠求之 可望晚成 |
| Business | Stay in your place; do not ask too much 只宜安分 不可多求 |
| Pregnancy | Think three times; do not cling 三思而行 不宜執著 |
| Marriage | Do not rush; slow brings success 事不宜急 緩則有成 |
| Travel | Patience brings blessings; do not overthink 忍耐方福 切莫過思 |
| Household | Wait for the right person; news will come 且待時主 自由得音 |
| Seeking wealth | Be modest and kind; keep to good and gain 廉己愛人 守善而得 |
| Luck of the times | Help yourself; keep to your role 自求多福 自守本分 |
| Lost items | Search on a Rooster or Dog day and you may find it 酉戌之日 可尋得回 |
| Farming & livestock | Spring and summer average, autumn and winter better 春夏平平 秋冬好轉 |
| Lawsuits | No need to worry; it will be settled 勿必多慮 結果擺平 |
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
Patience is best in everything; think carefully. Do not be rude to anyone; remember Zhang Liang, who humbly fetched an old man's shoe and was rewarded.
Background: Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu, patiently fetched and put on an old man's shoe; the old man turned out to be a sage who gave him a book of strategy.
Reminder: A little patience and humility will bring you the right helper.
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. 91; next: No. 93.
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. 92: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 92 say?
「萬事如無忍最宜，勸君三思細尋思，逢人切莫輕唐突，須學留侯進履時」 In English: In all things, nothing serves like patience; think three times, and think it through. Never treat anyone rudely; remember how the Marquis of Liu fetched the old man's shoe. It is paired with the Gu hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 92 mean?
Patience is best in everything; think carefully. Do not be rude to anyone; remember Zhang Liang, who humbly fetched an old man's shoe and was rewarded. Reminder: A little patience and humility will bring you the right helper.