Yue Lao Oracle Lot 67 · Good

再，斯可矣。 Twice: that is enough.

The lot

Background: what the original says

Ji Wenzi thought everything over three times before acting, and when Confucius heard this he said that thinking it over twice is enough.

Ji Wenzi was a leading minister of the state of Lu, famous for caution and frugality; the Zuo Zhuan notes that at his death his household had no concubines in silk and no horses fed on grain. One story shows his carefulness: before a mission to the state of Jin, he had his staff look up the rites for attending a funeral, explaining that preparing for the unexpected was sound old advice. That same year the ruler of Jin died.

The Analects records that Ji Wenzi thought three times before acting, and Confucius remarked, "Twice is enough." Since Ji Wenzi died before Confucius was born, the comment must reflect his reputation. The Song scholar Cheng, quoted in Zhu Xi's commentary, explained that two rounds of thought are careful enough; by the third, self-interest creeps in and only adds confusion. Decisions about love often stall in exactly that endless weighing, which is why the oracle borrows the line.

What it means

Give it some thought, but there is no need to keep wavering; once you have thought it through, go ahead.

Reminder: Think it over twice, then decide, and do not keep putting it off.

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 66; next: Lot 68.