Stick No. 55
吳隱之除官歸隱
Asking about Health · one of the deck's middle grade signs
The short answer
Your health situation mirrors Wu Yinzhi's dilemma — you might be accepting things that seem beneficial but could actually be creating problems.
Reviewed 2026-06-08
Full readingA governor of Kwangtung accepted a small gift from his people, Which served as a token of thanks for his just administration.
But suddenly a storm arose while on board a departing ship.
He prayed and forsook the gift in exchange for a joyous trip.
Wu Yinzhi was a Jin Dynasty official known for his incorruptible character. When appointed governor of Guangdong, he famously refused to drink from the Greedy Spring, believing its waters would corrupt his moral nature. After years of just rule, his people offered him parting gifts when he left office — a gesture of genuine gratitude, not bribery.
But as his ship departed, a fierce storm threatened to sink them. Wu realized that accepting gifts, even well-intentioned ones, created spiritual burdens. He threw the presents overboard and prayed for safe passage.
The storm immediately calmed. This story became a powerful metaphor about how even good intentions can create unexpected complications, and sometimes letting go is the path to peace.
Your health situation mirrors Wu Yinzhi's dilemma — you might be accepting things that seem beneficial but could actually be creating problems. That supplement everyone swears by? The workout routine your friend insists you try?
The advice from well-meaning family? Sometimes what looks like help becomes a burden. A friend in Hong Kong once told me about her mother constantly bringing her herbal tonics, each promising miraculous results.
She felt guilty refusing, but juggling twelve different remedies was making her anxious and sick. The storm in your health journey might be this accumulation of "good" things. Your body is asking for simplification, not more additions.
Like Wu's ship, you're carrying extra weight that's making the journey harder. The grade of "Average" suggests you're not facing a crisis, but you're not thriving either. This is often the result of trying too hard rather than too little.
Your healing process needs space to breathe.
Start eliminating rather than adding. Make a list of all health-related things you're currently doing — supplements, routines, restrictions, advice you're following. Choose the top three that genuinely make you feel better and let the rest go.
Stop reading contradictory health advice for two weeks. Trust your body's signals over external opinions. If something creates stress or guilt around your health choices, it's probably not serving you right now.
