Yue Lao Oracle Lot 57 · Excellent

是謂鳳凰于飛，和鳴鏘鏘。 This is called the phoenix pair in flight, singing together in ringing harmony.

The lot

Text notes (in Chinese): 《左傳》原作「鳳皇」.

Background: what the original says

A noble of the state of Chen consulted divination about marrying his daughter to Chen Wan, and the reading said the match was like a pair of phoenixes flying together, their calls ringing in harmony: highly auspicious.

This divination is recorded in the Zuo Zhuan (Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals) under 672 BC. That year the state of Chen put its crown prince, Yukou, to death, and Prince Wan of Chen, who was close to him, fled to Qi. Offered a ministerial post by Duke Huan of Qi, Wan declined as a refugee and became overseer of craftsmen instead.

The chronicle then looks back. Earlier, a Chen noble of the Yi family had consulted the oracle about marrying his daughter to Wan, and his wife read the result. Auspicious, she said: this is the phoenix pair in flight, calling in harmony with ringing voices. The Gui clan's descendants will flourish in a land of the Jiang clan; in five generations they will rank among the chief ministers, and after eight none will be greater. Wan's line became the Tian family of Qi, which in the early Warring States period replaced the Jiang rulers. "Phoenixes in flight" remains a wedding blessing today.

What it means

A first-rate match, with a couple in harmony, loving and walking side by side.

Reminder: Even a great match needs both of you to answer each other.

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 56; next: Lot 58.