Guanyin Oracle · Lot 60

Cautionary

What it means

A cautionary lot: you want to fix something, but the method is wrong and makes it worse. What you need now is calm, not action. Liu Bei attacked in anger and lost everything to fire. Stop, cool down, and don't decide in the heat of emotion.

By matter

Line by line

1. 抱薪救火火增烟
   Carrying firewood to a fire only makes more smoke.
2. 燒卻三千及大千
   It burns through all the worlds.
3. 若問營謀併出入
   If you ask about plans and comings and goings,
4. 不如收拾莫憂燃
   better to stop, and don't let the fire start.

Classic commentary

此卦抱薪救火之象。凡事亦自謹防也。

有千般計。一旦相惹。不如莫動。恐惹禍身。

The image: carrying firewood to fight a fire; guard yourself in everything. The verdict: you may have a thousand schemes, but once stirred, trouble is hard to contain; better not to move, lest it fall on you.

The story · Liu Bei's Linked Camps

After Guan Yu was killed and Zhang Fei murdered by his own men, Liu Bei ignored Zhuge Liang's advice and attacked Wu for revenge, stringing his camps seven hundred li through the forest. Lu Xun of Wu waited for dry, windy weather and set them ablaze; the Shu army was routed, and Liu Bei withdrew to Baidicheng, where he soon died.

Reference: Lot 60 of the Guanyin Oracle at Mengjia Longshan Temple, Taipei, with its traditional image, verdict, guidance and story. Story summaries are our own.