Yue Lao Oracle Lot 69 · Fair

天下多負人，何必是。 The world is full of people let down, why must it be this one?

The lot

Background: what the original says

Warning the minister Zifan not to marry the notorious Lady Xia, Wuchen of Chu said: the world is full of beautiful women, so why must it be this one? The lot swaps "beautiful women" for "people who let you down".

The exact source of this line has not been traced. The closest wording is a remark in the Zuo Zhuan: "The world has many beautiful women; why must it be this one?" After a noble of Chen killed his ruler, King Zhuang of Chu invaded and captured the murderer's mother, the beauty Xia Ji. The king wanted her, but his minister Wuchen talked him out of it. When the general Zifan wanted her, Wuchen called her ill-omened, linked to several deaths and the fall of Chen, and spoke the line above. Zifan let it go.

The irony came later. Wuchen sent Xia Ji home to Zheng, then years afterward used a diplomatic mission to flee with his household, marry her himself and settle in Jin. Zifan killed Wuchen's kin, and Wuchen retaliated by teaching Wu chariot warfare, keeping Chu on the run for years. The oracle swaps "beautiful women" for "those who let you down," keeping only the tone of "why must it be this one?"

What it means

Being let down happens to people everywhere, and there is no need to fixate on one person. Letting go is what makes a new beginning possible.

Reminder: Do not let one hurt make you give up on everyone.

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 68; next: Lot 70.