Yue Lao Oracle Lot 45 · Good

後生可畏，焉知來者之不如今也？ The young deserve our respect, how do we know those to come will not surpass the people of today?

The lot

Background: what the original says

Confucius said that the young deserve respect, since no one can know that they will not one day outshine the present generation.

This saying of Confucius is recorded in the "Zi Han" chapter of the Analects, with no note of whom he was speaking to or on what occasion. The full remark has two halves. First: the young deserve our respect, for how can we know that those who come after will not equal the people of today? Then the turn: if a man reaches forty or fifty and has made no name for himself, he is no longer worth such respect.

Read together, the two halves honor the promise of youth and warn that it does not last forever; it has to be turned into character and achievement over the years. Later generations usually quoted only the first half, which became a common compliment to a promising junior, while the sting of the second half faded. The marriage oracle, too, keeps only the first half, for questions about a partner who is still young and whose future is not yet clear.

What it means

The other person may be young and not yet accomplished, but shows real promise; do not judge only by what you see right now.

Reminder: Look at whether a person is growing, not just at who they are today.

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 44; next: Lot 46.