Cao Cao and the Plum Grove
Neutral
The poem
Original: 莫听闲言说是非 / 晨昏只好念阿弥 / 若将狂话为真实 / 书饼如何止得饥
The story
Marching in a dry season, Cao Cao's soldiers were failing from thirst. He told them a great grove of plums lay just ahead where they could quench themselves. Their mouths watered and they pushed on to the next real water. The phrase quenching thirst by imagining plums has meant the same ever since as feeding on a painted cake.
What it means
The image is a painted cake and an empty stomach: much appearance and little substance. The promise you have heard and the prospect you can see are mostly painted; treating wild talk as fact does not reduce your hunger by anything. The lot advises two things. Close your ears and stop following gossip and disputes. Then settle your mind, keep to your practice, repent, hold your discipline and build up quiet merit. Things fall through here largely because of old debts, and the change has to begin with you.
By area of life
Wealth
Losses are likely and investment is unwise. If you want to turn this around, keep discipline and give generously to break the run.
Love
Do not force a match; one obtained by pressure ends in frustration, and reconciliation only adds grief. Quiet devotion settles you better.
Work
Work and business are consistently obstructed and the gains evaporate. Keep to your role, repent, hold discipline and do good to change it.
Health
Doctor after doctor brings no improvement. Repentance and discipline reduce the suffering, and fulfilling an old vow settles the mind.
Travel
Staying put is wiser. Distant ventures yield nothing now, so do not pin your hopes on a change of scenery.
Advice
Stop trying to eat a painted cake, settle your mind, and start with quiet good deeds.