The Sleepy Immortal

Chinese fortune poems, one page each

The 60 Jiazi Fortune Poems

Jiazi Fortune Poem No. 42: Wen Zhong's Western Campaign and the Ten Traps

Jiazi Fortune Poem No. 42 is the Gengxu poem of the 60-year cycle, and its story is “Wen Zhong's Western Campaign and the Ten Traps”. In plain words: When the road is hard, you don't have to force it; stopping or taking a detour is fine. You're still on the way, so go on when the path clears.

Gengxu
One river, then one mountain, then another.Who knew the road ahead would be so hard?Try another way, and still you can't get through.Right and wrong stay tangled; peace is not yet here.

Original Chinese

一重江水一重山誰知此去路又難任他改求終不過是非到底未得安

What it says about…

Overall luck
Like climbing one mountain after another. Some say it steadies after the sixth lunar month.
Love
It can feel like a river and a mountain between you. Make time to talk and shrink that mountain.
Business
Not the time to charge ahead. If you haven't started, wait. If you have, give it six more months.
Work
Draw a stick for each job. If both get this one, stay where you are.
Buying a home
Wait a while. If you love it, visit on a rainy day to check for flooding.
Health
It may take a while to get better. Keep your follow-up visits.
Exams
A hard round. Sleep helps more than one more page. Try again next time.
Legal disputes
Settle if you can. Do your part and let time handle the rest.
Family
Different opinions can jam things up. Lay it all out, solve it together, and do some good deeds.

The story behind it

Wen Zhong's Western Campaign and the Ten Traps

Video

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Questions people ask

Is Jiazi Fortune Poem No. 42 a good fortune?

This set is not ranked from good to bad here. What matters is the reminder: When the road is hard, you don't have to force it; stopping or taking a detour is fine. You're still on the way, so go on when the path clears. The choice is yours.

What does Jiazi Fortune Poem No. 42 say about love?

It can feel like a river and a mountain between you. Make time to talk and shrink that mountain.

What does Jiazi Fortune Poem No. 42 say in English?

One river, then one mountain, then another. / Who knew the road ahead would be so hard? / Try another way, and still you can't get through. / Right and wrong stay tangled; peace is not yet here.

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