The Sleepy Immortal

Chinese fortune poems, one page each

Mazu's Fortune Poems

Mazu Fortune Poem No. 48: A thousand plans, a hundred tricks, and all come to nothing.

Mazu Fortune Poem No. 48 is paired with the Da Chu · Great Taming hexagram. In plain words: When every plan falls through, don't be hard on yourself. Wait for the snow to melt and try a new way, and things will slowly open up.

Da Chu · Great Taming
A thousand plans, a hundred tricks, and all come to nothing.All that effort, and nothing to show for it.Wait until the snow melts and the red sun climbs.A new opening appears, and things slowly flow again.

Original Chinese

千方百計總皆空枉費心機不見功直待雪消紅日上別開局面漸亨通

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Questions people ask

Is Mazu Fortune Poem No. 48 a good fortune?

This set is not ranked from good to bad here. What matters is the reminder: When every plan falls through, don't be hard on yourself. Wait for the snow to melt and try a new way, and things will slowly open up. The choice is yours.

What does Mazu Fortune Poem No. 48 say in English?

A thousand plans, a hundred tricks, and all come to nothing. / All that effort, and nothing to show for it. / Wait until the snow melts and the red sun climbs. / A new opening appears, and things slowly flow again.

Different temples may use slightly different versions.

A fortune poem is a reminder, not an order. The choice is yours.

Chinese poem font: Wang Han-zong Li Shu (GPL v2), with a few added glyphs