Cast & Chart

Omikuji lot 26 of 100

General Marching Far Afield

吉 Kichi, Good fortune

將軍有異聲

進兵萬里程

爭知臨敵處

道勝却虛名

A general of unusual renown

marches his troops ten thousand li.

Who could know that, at the place of facing the enemy,

the Way prevails and empty fame falls back?

What this lot says

A commander with an extraordinary reputation leads an army a vast distance. Then the verse brings him to the point of battle and asks a question. At that place the Way wins out, and hollow reputation retreats.

A long march ends with something truer than fame winning out. In print the book gives this lot Kichi, Good fortune, and the grade attaches to that outcome.

In the terms of modern life, this might be the point where a big reputation meets a real test. What would be left standing in your work if the name on it were taken away?

A lot is a prompt for reflection. It cannot promise a result, and it is no substitute for medical, legal or financial advice.

The printed text

No differences from the 1684 printing are recorded for this lot.

Credits

The verse and grade were read from the two scanned printings named here. The title, translation and reading are our own and modern.

Our own English. The kana commentary printed under each verse in the old books was not read.