The Old Man Who Lost His Horse
Remember the old Shepherd who lost his horse.
How he rejoiced over what he had lost!
For something lost would mean something gained, Today's puzzle would be in future explained.
Asking about: General
The Story Behind This Stick
This sign tells the famous story of Sai Weng, an old man living near China's northern frontier. When his prized horse ran away, neighbors came to console him. Instead of mourning, he simply said, 'Who knows?
This might be a blessing.' Weeks later, the horse returned with a wild stallion. Now neighbors congratulated him on his good fortune.
Again he replied, 'Who knows? This might bring misfortune.' His son tried to tame the wild horse and broke his leg.
When war broke out, all able-bodied young men were conscripted, but his injured son stayed home and survived. The story became a cornerstone of Taoist philosophy about the unpredictable nature of fortune and the wisdom of accepting both gains and losses with equanimity.
The Reading
Sai Weng's horse runs off, comes back with a stallion, throws his son, saves his son from the draft. The verse names him because you arrived at the temple sorting something into the wrong column. Something has happened, or is about to, and you have already labelled it. Loss. Setback. Wrong turn. The stick is asking how confident you are in that label, given that you are standing in front of it asking for a second opinion.
A grade of 中平 is honest here. The stick isn't promising the lost horse comes back with a stallion in tow; it's saying the story isn't finished, and your current chapter heading may not survive the next one. What you call the problem today might be the reason something else becomes possible in three months. What you are quietly congratulating yourself on might be the thing you have to unwind later. The reflection is less about optimism and more about holding your verdicts loosely, especially the loud ones formed in the first 48 hours.
Notice where you have already closed the file on a recent event. That premature closing is what the verse is reaching toward, more than the event itself.
What To Do Next
Pick the one situation you have most firmly labelled good or bad in the last month, and write a sentence describing it without that label. Delay any irreversible decision tied to it by two weeks if you can. Talk it through with someone who knew you before the situation began, not someone caught up in it now.
Watch your language for absolutes like ruined, saved, finally, never. The point isn't to flip your reading of events; it's to keep the file open long enough for the rest of the story to arrive.
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FAQ
- Is Stick #70 (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 #70 for general?
- 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.