Fishing on the Wei River
Neutral
The poem
Original: 劝君耐守旧生涯 / 把定心肠勿起歹 / 直待有人轻着力 / 枯枝老树共再开
The story
Jiang Ziya withdrew from the chaos of the late Shang and lived by the Wei river at Panxi, fishing with a straight hook, for what he wanted was not fish but a king who would recognise him. King Wen heard of his wisdom and came in person to make him his teacher; he was eighty. The long-dead tree was waiting for exactly that gentle push.
What it means
The image is a withered tree flowering: matters come right of themselves. The verse asks you to keep patiently to your present livelihood and hold your heart steady, letting no crooked thought rise because the circumstances are hard. Then someone speaks a word for you, gives a light push, and the dead branches bloom across the whole garden. The strength of this lot lies in stillness: movement brings trouble, stillness brings none. This quiet stretch is not the ending; it is the wait for the person who will come for you, and you must still be here, and still straight, when he does.
By area of life
Wealth
Wait for gain; the present is a hard patch. Hold the heart steady and the turn will come. Deals can close, so do not sell cheap.
Love
A match needs the right moment and usually comes by introduction. Cherish what you have, and add warmth to recover what is strained.
Work
You have searched a long time and the hard patch is nearly over; a recommendation will produce the job. Hold steady and business turns.
Health
A settled mind is the medicine and an easy heart is the treatment. This cannot be hurried; rest, pray, and wait for the turn.
Travel
Travelling now runs into difficulty. Keep to your existing livelihood and go later, when the moment will actually support you.
Advice
Stay where you are and keep your heart straight, and when the light push comes the dead tree will flower.