Yue Lao Oracle Lot 18 · Good

非獨內德茂也，蓋亦有外戚之助焉。 It was not only their own virtue that flourished, but also the help of their consorts' families.

The lot

Text notes (in Chinese): 流通本作「蓋亦以外感之助焉」，依《史記》改「蓋亦有外戚之助焉」.

Background: what the original says

The historian Sima Qian observes that the rise of each dynasty's rulers depended not only on their personal virtue but also on the support of the families of their empresses and consorts.

This is the opening sentence of the chapter on the consorts' families in Sima Qian's Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian). In his preface Sima Qian observes that founders of dynasties and the rulers who kept their legacy owed their success not only to their own virtue but to their queens' families. The Xia rose with the Tushan clan and its last king fell because of Moxi; the Shang rose with the Yousong clan and its last king died because of Daji; the Zhou rose with Jiang Yuan and Tairen, and fell into disgrace through Baosi. The bond of husband and wife, he writes, is the greatest of human relationships. Yet the love between spouses is something a ruler cannot command of his ministers nor a father of his son; people can spread the Way, but cannot overrule fate. The lot reads the first sentence as a match needing others' help; Sima Qian dwells more on how little of marriage can be forced.

What it means

A good match does not come from your own effort alone; you also need friends, relatives, and helpful people to bring you together. Spend more time with the people around you.

Reminder: Ask friends or elders you trust to keep an eye out and make introductions for you.

This is a plain reading of the words and their source. How it applies to your own question is best settled with the interpreter at the temple where you drew it.

How to ask Yue Lao for a lot

1. Yue Lao, the Old Man under the Moon, usually has a side shrine inside a larger temple, such as a City God temple or a Mazu temple. Follow the temple's route: pay respects to the main deity first, then go to Yue Lao.
2. Tell Yue Lao your name, birth date and address, describe where you are in love right now, and state the one question you want to ask (for example, "Will this relationship last?" or "When will I meet someone?").
3. 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 and cast again to confirm it. Many temples ask for three yeses in a row; if not, draw again.
4. Collect the slip with the matching number. Yue Lao lots are quotations from old books, so the meaning often depends on the original passage. If it is unclear, ask the temple's interpreter.

Ask about one thing at a time; the more specific the question, the easier the lot is to apply. Yue Lao lots are for love and marriage only; for other matters, use the temple's general fortune poems.

Common misunderstandings

Previous: Lot 17; next: Lot 19.