Fortune sticks
Fortune sticks, or kau cim: shake the tube, let one stick fall, read its poem.
How to draw a stick at a temple
Ask one clear thing
Stand or kneel before the deity. Silently give your name and birth date, then ask about one specific matter.
Shake until one falls
Tilt the tube and shake it gently until a single stick slips out. If two fall, start again.
Confirm, then read
Many temples have you toss two moon blocks to confirm the stick. Then match its number to a poem and ask the interpreter.
One question, one stick, one poem.
Buying a set
Fortune sticks are a temple tradition for reflection. Do not use them as a basis for medical, legal or money decisions.
Fortune sticks
Hand-picked pieces are on the way.
Good to know
What are Chinese fortune sticks?
They are numbered bamboo sticks shaken from a tube to draw a poem. The practice is kau cim in Cantonese and qiu qian in Mandarin. Western shops often call them chi chi sticks.
What do moon blocks mean?
One flat side up and one round side up means yes. Both flat sides up means the gods are laughing, so ask again. Both round sides up means no.
What if I draw a bad fortune stick?
Read it as a caution, not a sentence. Slips are graded from high to low, and an interpreter treats a low one as advice on what to watch or change.
