Yue Lao Oracle Lot 4 · Fair

斯人也，而有斯疾也！斯人也，而有斯疾也！ That such a man, should suffer such an illness! That such a man, should suffer such an illness!

The lot

Background: what the original says

When his disciple Boniu lay gravely ill, Confucius reached through the window to hold his hand and lamented that so good a person should be struck by such a sickness.

Boniu, whose personal name was Ran Geng, was a disciple of Confucius, ranked among the four most distinguished for virtue. When Boniu fell gravely ill, Confucius went to see him but did not enter the room. He reached in through the window, took Boniu's hand, and said that they were losing him, that this was fate; then twice over: that such a man should have such an illness. Why he stayed at the window has long been debated. One view holds that Boniu's disease kept him from receiving visitors. The Song scholar Zhu Xi gave a ritual reason: a sick man lay by the north window but was moved to the south window when a ruler visited, so the ruler could face south; Boniu's family received Confucius with this honour, and Confucius, declining a ruler's courtesy, stayed outside. It is a rare moment of open grief in the Analects. The lot reads the words as a good person with a flaw, while in the original they are a teacher's farewell.

What it means

Even the best people have flaws and burdens. The relationship can only go the distance if you both accept each other's shortcomings and are willing to work on your own.

Reminder: When you notice the other person's flaws, first ask yourself honestly whether you can live with them.

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 3; next: Lot 5.