Meng Haoran Seeking Plum Blossoms
On the Southern Hill, plum flowers begin to bloom, Sipping the goblet of wine with crystal petals flown.
Early arrives the traveller on donkey's back, with page ahead presenting a scene of glamour of spring.
Asking about: Study
The Story Behind This Stick
Meng Haoran was an 8th-century poet during the Tang Dynasty, famous for his nature poetry and reclusive lifestyle. Unlike many scholars who pursued government careers, he chose to wander the mountains seeking inspiration from natural beauty. This story captures a classic scene: the poet riding his donkey through winter fields, searching for the first plum blossoms that announce spring's arrival.
In Chinese culture, plum blossoms represent perseverance and hope because they bloom in the harshest conditions, pushing through snow and ice. The image of Meng Haoran with wine cup in hand, catching flower petals as they fall, became a symbol of the scholarly pursuit of beauty and wisdom. His journey represents the patient search for knowledge and enlightenment, finding profound meaning in simple moments.
The Reading
Meng Haoran rides out before the plum trees have fully opened. He doesn't know which branch will bloom first, or whether today's ride will reward him at all. He goes anyway, wine cup in hand, page boy ahead, trusting that beauty rewards the one who shows up in the cold. That is the posture this stick reflects back to you about your studies right now.
The verse is honest that this is a 中平 reading, not an auspicious one. You are in the patient stretch of learning where nothing has obviously bloomed yet. The chapter you re-read for the third time still feels opaque. The mock score didn't move the way you hoped. The donkey-ride part of the journey is the part most students try to skip, and it is exactly the part the stick is asking you to settle into. Plum blossoms open in the cold; they don't open because you stared harder at the branch.
What the stick is mirroring is less a question of ability and more a question of stamina and attention. You already half-know the material is workable. You also half-know you have been looking for a dramatic shift in understanding when the real progress is quieter, granular, the kind that only shows up when you stop measuring it daily.
What To Do Next
Pick one subject where you feel most stuck and commit to a fixed daily window for the next two weeks, short enough that you will actually keep it. Stop checking whether you feel smarter after each session; track only whether you showed up. Re-read your weakest topic from a different source rather than the same notes again, and write a one-paragraph summary in your own words afterwards.
Talk the hardest concept through with a classmate or tutor once this week. The plum branch is closer than it looks from the saddle.
Recommended Articles
Further Reading
FAQ
- Is Stick #13 (Average) good or bad?
- "Average" is a middle-tier fortune. It suggests your situation has room for growth but requires attention and direction. The real value is in the specific guidance — fortune sticks are tools for self-reflection, not prediction.
- How accurate is Wong Tai Sin Stick #13 for study?
- Fortune sticks work as a mirror for self-reflection rather than prediction. If the interpretation resonates with you, that's the stick doing its job — revealing what you already sense but haven't articulated.
- Can I draw fortune sticks for the same question again?
- Traditionally, you should ask about the same matter only once. Drawing repeatedly often means you're seeking the answer you want rather than the guidance you need. To explore different angles, try a different life topic for the same stick number.