Yin Jiao and His Master
Inauspicious
The poem
Original: 不成理论不成家 / 水性痴人似落花 / 若问君恩须得力 / 到头方见事如麻
The story
Yin Jiao, son of the tyrant Zhou, studied under the immortal Guangchengzi and swore on parting that he would never help his father do evil. Talked round on the road, he turned back to serve the tyrant, and when his master came to reason with him the two fought. He was finally crushed between two mountains, exactly as his own oath had specified.
What it means
The image is a foolish man with the road blocked: hold what you have and wait. What is not built on sense cannot be built into a career or a household, and a mind that drifts like a blossom on water ends in a tangle. The point of this lot is the broken oath and the lost centre. If you agreed to something, decided something, and then let the first persuasive voice turn you around, that is where the trouble comes from. A straight heart and sound reasoning keep you out of danger; keep to the measure you originally set.
By area of life
Wealth
Gain is obstructed and deals are hard. To succeed in investing, keep to your rules and your discipline; the exception is where the loss happens.
Love
Marriage must wait. Before seeking a match, straighten your own character; understanding, care and generosity are what make a match possible.
Work
Look for honest work and run things by honest means. A crooked attitude closes the road; conduct that accords with decency avoids disaster.
Health
The condition carries real risk. Seek help immediately, follow medical advice and the rules of convalescence, and do not improvise.
Travel
Weigh your own capability before going far. If it is not sufficient, staying where you are serves you far better.
Advice
Keep the promise you made to yourself, and do not let a few persuasive words turn you off your road.