Yue Lao Oracle Lot 46 · Fair to good

不愧於天，不怍於人。 Nothing to be ashamed of before Heaven, nothing to blush for before others.

The lot

Text notes (in Chinese): 《孟子》原作「仰不愧於天，俯不怍於人」.

Background: what the original says

Mencius named this as one of a gentleman's three joys: looking up with no shame before Heaven, and looking down with none before other people.

This is the well-known passage on "the three joys of the gentleman" in the Mencius (Jin Xin, part one). Mencius says the gentleman has three joys, and ruling the world is not among them. That his parents are both alive and his brothers are well is the first. That he can look up without shame before Heaven and look down without shame before other people is the second. That he can find the most gifted people in the world and teach them is the third. Then he repeats, for emphasis, that ruling the world is not one of them.

There is no story behind it; Mencius is simply stating what he values. Whether one's parents and brothers are well depends on fate, and finding brilliant students depends on luck; only the second joy lies entirely in one's own hands. That is the line chosen here, and on a marriage oracle it speaks to how a person conducts himself, whatever the outcome.

What it means

When your relationship is open and your conscience is clear, you have nothing to fear from gossip.

Reminder: Do what is fair to yourself and fair to the other person.

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 45; next: Lot 47.