Fortune Sticks

Hold one question in mind, then draw a stick from the hundred lots of Guan Di.

What it answers
One matter, answered by a temple lot.
What you need
A question held in mind.
What you get
A Guan Di lot with its verse and plain words.

Lot number

1

Sample lot

1

Great fortune

漢高祖入關

巍巍獨步向雲間

玉殿千官第一班

富貴榮華天付汝

福如東海壽如山

A clear rise above others. Rank, wealth and long life are in reach.

The sage’s words

功名遂。福祿全。訟得理。病即痊。桑麻熟。婚姻聯。孕生子。行人還。

Su Dongpo’s reading

雲間獨步，拔萃超群，名登甲第，談笑功勳，終身光顯，皆天所相，祿厚壽高，意稱謀望。

The English line is our plain reading of the verse, not a translation. A temple tradition, shown for culture, not advice.

Understanding fortune sticks

In Chinese temples, people shake a tube of numbered bamboo sticks until one falls, then read the matching verse. This page uses the hundred lots of Guan Di, the god of loyalty and war, from a Qing printed edition.

How it works

  1. Think of one questionKeep it to a single matter.
  2. Draw a stickYour browser picks one of the hundred at random.
  3. Confirm itIn a temple you would throw moon blocks to confirm the stick.
  4. Read the verseEach lot has a story, a verse, the sage’s words and Su Dongpo’s reading.

How to read it

  1. Start with the verseIt sets the mood of the answer.
  2. Read the sage’s wordsShort lines cover work, money, health, lawsuits and marriage.
  3. Remember the storyEach lot is named after a figure from history or opera.
  4. Keep it in proportionA verse invites reflection and does not decide anything.

Our method

Text
The verse, grade, story, sage’s words and Su Dongpo’s reading come from the Wikisource text of the Guan Di lots.
Left out
The transcription adds modern notes on career, wealth and so on. We do not use them.
Random draw
Your browser’s secure random numbers. The draw happens on this page.
English
Written by us from the verse and the sage’s words.

Common questions

Why Guan Di and not Guanyin?

We could not find a reliable public text of the Guanyin lots, so we use the Guan Di set.

Can I draw again?

Temple custom is one question, one draw.

Is my lot saved?

No.

Sources

  • Guan Sheng Di Jun Ling Qian, Wikisource, with a Qing printed edition held at Harvard.