Cast & Chart

Omikuji lot 45 of 100

Orchids Along the Road

吉 Kichi, Good fortune

有意興高顯

禄馬引前程

得遇雲中箭

芝蘭滿路生

Minded to rise high and be seen,

the stipend horse leads along the road ahead.

Meeting an arrow among the clouds,

fragrant herbs and orchids grow all along the way.

What this lot says

An intention to rise into public view sets things moving, and a horse tied to official pay goes in front. An arrow is encountered up in the clouds. The road then fills on both sides with scented plants.

Good fortune is the printed reading in the book: Kichi. Ambition has company at every stage of this verse, and the final line turns the whole route into a garden.

As a thing to think about today, the verse ties an ambition to the pleasantness of the way there. If the road itself were lined with what you value, what would be growing on it?

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.