Cast & Chart

Omikuji lot 44 of 100

Black and White Stones

吉 Kichi, Good fortune

盤中黑白子

一箸要先機

天龍降甘澤

洗出舊根碁

Black and white stones on the board.

One move must seize the first advantage.

A heavenly dragon sends down sweet rain,

and washes out the old root of the game.

What this lot says

A board game is under way, with black and white pieces set out, and one early move matters most. The printed word in the second line means chopstick, and we read it as a near twin meaning a move in the game. A dragon in the sky then lets fall a gentle rain that rinses away the game's old roots, a phrase we find unclear.

As for the grade, the book prints Kichi, Good fortune. Skill opens the verse and rain from above closes it, and both favor whoever is at the board.

Reading it now, the board suggests a situation with an existing layout and a few moves that count more than the others. What old position might be better cleared than defended?

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

Where the 1684 printing differs

  • Line 2, character 2: 1684 printing has 著.
  • Line 2, character 4: 1684 printing has 機.
  • Line 2, character 5: 1684 printing has 先.

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.