Lot 13 (Upper) from the Guanyin Oracle (观音灵签) draws on the allusion "Wang Mian Learns to Paint" — Wang Mian was poor, herded cattle and self-taught painting lotuses, becoming a famous artist who took the plum blossom as his model of spirit.
Lot 13
UpperPoem
Plum blossoms defy the snow, releasing pure fragrance
Only when chilled to the bone do you know the plum's scent
After bitterness comes sweetness — heaven rewards the diligent
Work hard and stay upright — blessings flow endlessly
Wáng Miǎn Xué Huà
Historical Allusion
Wang Mian Learns to Paint
Wang Mian was poor, herded cattle and self-taught painting lotuses, becoming a famous artist who took the plum blossom as his model of spirit.
General Guidance
A good lot. After trials the path brightens; walk the right road and achievement will come.
General Guidance
Career
After trials, success will come.
Love
Genuine feeling moves the heart.
Health
Good health; keep it up.
Wealth
Financial luck gradually improves.
Travel
Travel is auspicious.
Litigation
Reasonable and principled; you can win.
- Tradition
- Guanyin 100 Oracle (观音灵签 / 观音一百签) — a traditional divination practice at Guanyin temples across East Asia, drawing on classical Chinese allusions (典故) as reflective mirrors.
- Source
- Follows the widely circulated 100-lot text commonly printed at Chinese and Taiwanese Guanyin temples. No single canonical edition exists; minor wording variations occur across temple printings.
- Translation
- Chinese preserves traditional phrasing. English renderings are Cihang's adaptations for bilingual devotional reading, not scholarly translations.
- Note
- Reflection, not prediction. The oracle invites contemplation of the lot's historical allusion as a mirror for your present circumstances; it does not claim divinatory certainty.
- Last reviewed