Yue Lao Oracle Lot 19 · Fair

或十年，或七八年，或五六年，或三四年。 Some for ten years, some for seven or eight, some for five or six, some for three or four.

The lot

Text notes (in Chinese): 《尚書》原作「或四三年」; 旗山天后宮本等第作「上」.

Background: what the original says

The Duke of Zhou warns the young King Cheng that rulers who indulged in pleasure never reigned for long: some for ten years, others for seven or eight, five or six, or only three or four.

Wuyi (Against Idle Ease) is a chapter of the Book of Documents (Shangshu), traditionally read as the Duke of Zhou's warning to the young King Cheng. A ruler, the duke begins, must not seek comfort, and must first understand the hard labour of sowing and harvest. He then reviews the kings of Shang. Zhongzong revered Heaven's mandate, and reigned seventy-five years. Gaozong had toiled among the common people in his youth and kept three years of silent mourning on taking the throne, and reigned fifty-nine years. Zujia had also lived long among humble folk, and reigned thirty-three years. The kings after them were born into ease and pursued only pleasure, and none reigned long: some ten years, some seven or eight, some five or six, some only three or four. King Wen, by contrast, worked from dawn past noon without time to eat, and reigned fifty years. The passage contrasts diligence with indulgence; lifted out of context, its list of years reads as a wait of uncertain length.

What it means

The timing of love is hard to predict, and you may have to wait a while longer. It cannot be rushed, but that does not mean it will not come. The original text is a warning against complacency, a reminder that love also takes care and effort to last.

Reminder: Do not set a hard deadline for yourself, and do not stop growing while you wait.

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 18; next: Lot 20.