Wong Tai Sin Sign 39夷齊讓園The Righteous Brothers' Sacrifice
You're facing a situation where your principles are being tested against practical considerations.
Denouncing the favour of the Chau Dynasty, The saintly brothers took mountain fern for food.
Their names should forever be remembered, For they died for the principle and for the good.
Seven Short Readings
- CareerThe stick puts Boyi and Shuqi in front of you, two brothers who walked away from a throne and later starved on mountain ferns rather than eat grain from a dynasty they considered tainted.READ
- WealthHolding the line is the work. Flat income isn't failure — it's quiet discipline.READ
- LoveBoyi and Shuqi did not flee to the mountain because they hated the throne.READ
- HealthThe verse holds Bo Yi and Shu Qi on Shouyang Mountain, chewing wild fern rather than swallowing grain they couldn't reconcile with.READ
- StudyYour learning journey right now mirrors these ancient brothers — you're being asked to choose between taking shortcuts and maintaining your standards.READ
- FamilyYour family situation is asking you to examine what you truly value.READ
- The whole situationYou're facing a situation where your principles are being tested against practical considerations.READ
The Righteous Brothers' Sacrifice
This story comes from ancient China, around 1100 BCE. Brothers Bo Yi and Shu Qi were princes of a small kingdom called Guzhu.
When their father died, each brother refused the throne, insisting the other should rule instead. Eventually they fled together.
Later, when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the corrupt Shang Dynasty, the brothers were horrified — not because they supported Shang, but because they believed overthrowing any ruler, even a tyrant, was morally wrong. They refused to eat grain from the new Zhou kingdom, considering it tainted.
Instead, they retreated to Mount Shouyang and survived on wild ferns. They eventually starved to death, becoming symbols of unwavering moral principles.
Chinese culture remembers them as examples of integrity taken to its ultimate extreme.
Traditional Notes
These topic-by-topic notes preserve an older reading format. Use them as cultural context while you consider the situation in front of you.
Read the traditional notes
- Geomancy
- ill luck puts away success and prosperity.
- Lost property
- difficult to recover lost items.
- Personal well-being
- hard times seem inevitable.
- Future prospect
- mishaps cannot be predicted.
- Traveling
- Traveling will be disadvantageous.
Traditional categories translated into English for cultural reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Wong Tai Sin Sign 39 mean?
This sign is graded Average. You're facing a situation where your principles are being tested against practical considerations.
What does Sign 39 say about love?
Boyi and Shuqi did not flee to the mountain because they hated the throne. Read the full answer
Is Wong Tai Sin Sign 39 good or bad?
Sign 39 is graded Average. This is the middle grade. The situation is mixed, so timing and practical choices carry more weight.
What does Sign 39 say about career?
The stick puts Boyi and Shuqi in front of you, two brothers who walked away from a throne and later starved on mountain ferns rather than eat grain from a dynasty they considered tainted. Read the full answer
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