Stick No. 6
蘇東坡遊滕王閣
Asking about Health · one of the deck's high grade signs
The short answer
Su Dongpo arriving at Tengwang Pavilion is the image of someone who has been travelling a long time — through exile, through weather, through his own restless thoughts — finally sitting down with people who know him.
Reviewed 2026-06-08
Full readingA bosom friend snails home alone from afar; With music and wine we welcome him alas.
How nice it is to chat with him.
Recalling the sweet old days gone by!
This sign references Su Dongpo (Su Shi), one of China's most beloved poets from the Song Dynasty, visiting the famous Tengwang Pavilion in Jiangxi province. Su Dongpo lived from 1037-1101 and was known for his warm personality and ability to find joy even during political exile. The Tengwang Pavilion was already legendary by his time, immortalized in classical poetry as a place where scholars gathered to appreciate beauty and friendship.
When Su Dongpo arrived there, he embodied the spirit of reunion and celebration — even after long travels and hardships, he could still appreciate good company and meaningful conversation. The image captures that moment when a weary traveler finally reaches a place of warmth and welcome, where old friendships are renewed and spirits are lifted through simple pleasures like music, wine, and heartfelt conversation.
Su Dongpo arriving at Tengwang Pavilion is the image of someone who has been travelling a long time — through exile, through weather, through his own restless thoughts — finally sitting down with people who know him. The verse drawing this stick from the cylinder suggests your body has been on a similar long road. You may not have noticed how far it has carried you while your attention was elsewhere: deadlines, family obligations, the small daily pretence of being fine. The grade is 上吉, but the kindness here is not a cure. It is the welcome.
The stick reflects a state where reunion is possible — between you and a body you have been treating as a tool rather than a companion. The wine and music in the verse are not luxuries; they are the warmth that lets a traveller actually arrive. Notice what your body has been quietly asking for that you keep postponing: the proper sleep, the appointment you rescheduled twice, the meal eaten sitting down rather than at a screen. Whatever it is, the verse points less to dramatic intervention and more to the simple act of being present with yourself the way Su Dongpo was present at that pavilion, grateful to have made it this far.
Book the check-up or follow-up you have been putting off, and do it this week rather than next. Eat one meal a day away from your phone, slowly enough to taste it. Reach out to the friend whose company genuinely steadies you, not the one who drains you, and make a real plan to meet.
Walk somewhere familiar without headphones, letting your body set the pace. The verse is gentle, but gentleness still asks you to show up.
