Cast & Chart

Omikuji lot 90 of 100

A Letter Flying Skyward

大吉 Dai-kichi, Great good fortune

一信向天飛

秦川舟自歸

前途成好事

應得貴人推

A letter flies off toward the sky;

from the rivers of Qin a boat comes home by itself.

The road ahead brings a good thing to completion;

it should gain the push of a person of standing.

What this lot says

A message sets off upward through the air. On the waters of Qin, a region of northwest China, a boat comes back unaided. The way forward is said to bring something good to a finish, and an honored person is expected to give it a push.

The poem has very little friction in it, and the book prints Dai-kichi, Great good fortune. The letter goes out, the boat returns on its own and a helper adds force.

As a contemporary reflection, consider the request sent off with little expectation that draws a reply and some backing. What have you already sent out, and what has come back without being fetched?

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.