Yue Lao Oracle Lot 50 · Fair

兩世一身，形單影隻。 Two generations, and only I remain, alone, with only my shadow for company.

The lot

Text notes (in Chinese): 流通本作「形單影支」，依原文改「影隻」.

Background: what the original says

In a memorial for his nephew, Han Yu recalls that in his generation only he was left, and in the next only this nephew, one person for each generation, lonely with no one to lean on; now the nephew is gone too.

"A Requiem for My Nephew, the Twelfth Son," generally dated to 803, is Han Yu's funeral address for his nephew Han Laocheng. Han Yu lost his father as a small child and was raised by his eldest brother and sister-in-law. When his brother died in the south, the young Han Yu and his nephew followed her home for the burial, then went south together to make a living, rarely apart.

Han Yu recalls that his three elder brothers had all died early. Of the sons' generation only he remained, and of the grandsons' only Laocheng: two generations, one person each, a lone figure with a lone shadow. His sister-in-law once said these two were all the family had left. As a grown man Han Yu moved from post to post, meaning to settle and send for his nephew, until word came that Laocheng had died, on a date no one could tell him for certain. The phrase became a common way to describe being alone.

What it means

You are on your own for now, and the right match has not yet arrived; take good care of yourself while you wait for your chance.

Reminder: When you feel lonely, spend more time with friends instead of shutting yourself away.

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 49; next: Lot 51.