Guan Yin lot 56 of 100
A small stream over rough stones
Even (中平). Grade from the related Goodfate edition. Grades differ between temples, and many Taiwanese temples print none.
澗小石粗流水響
力勞撐駕恐損傷
路須指出前江去
風靜潮平儘不妨
The stream is small, the stones are rough, the water roars.
Pole hard and push, and you may do the boat some harm.
The way must be pointed out to the river ahead.
When wind is still and tide is level, all is well.
What this lot says
A small boat in a rocky stream makes a lot of noise and little progress. Push harder and you risk the hull. The verse asks you to stop forcing it and find out where the channel opens into wider water.
Someone may need to show you that route, and calm weather helps. Both suggest waiting a little and asking.
If a project or a conversation keeps scraping against the same obstacles, ease off and get advice from someone who has passed that way. Move again when tempers and deadlines have settled.
A lot is a prompt for reflection. It cannot promise a result, and it is no substitute for medical, legal or financial advice.
The story behind it
An Lushan's rebellion (安祿山謀反)
An Lushan, a favored Tang general who held three northern garrisons, rebelled in 755, and the war ran until 763. It stands here as a long, damaging passage through rough water before calm returned.
Source: Wikipedia, An Lushan rebellion
Where this text comes from
This verse is a traditional temple text with no known author. No single original edition is known and wording differs between temples, so we compare named witnesses and record where they differ.
Míguāng (覓光) (the text shown above)
澗小石粗流水響 / 力勞撐駕恐損傷 / 路須指出前江去 / 風靜潮平儘不妨
Retrieved 2026-11-08
Jiěqiān Gé (解籤閣)
澗小石粗流水響 / 力勞撐駕恐損傷 / 路須指出前江去 / 風靜潮平儘不妨
Retrieved 2026-11-08
Goodfate (今日運勢), a related edition
澗小石粗流水響 / 力勞撐駕恐參傷 / 路須指出前江去 / 風靜潮平盡不妨
Retrieved 2026-11-08
Where the sources differ
- Line 2 reads 力勞撐駕恐參傷 in the related Goodfate edition.
- Line 4 reads 風靜潮平盡不妨 in the related Goodfate edition.
English translation and commentary are by Cast & Chart.