The everyday oracle of Minnan and Taiwanese temples: hold the crescent blocks, silently ask your question, and cast — one flat side and one curved side is the sacred answer.
| Verdict | Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Sacred (Shèng) | One flat, one curved | Approved — proceed |
| Laughing (Xiào) | Both flat sides up | Question unclear or heart not sincere — ask again calmly |
| Negative (Yīn) | Both curved sides up | Not granted — postpone or change course |
| Standing (Lì) | A block stands on edge | Extremely rare, a grave omen — utmost caution |
Ask one clear, present-tense question at a time — not "how is my year", but "should I accept this offer today". One question is completed by three consecutive throws: three sacred answers mean yes, two mean proceed with effort, one means grudgingly, none means no. A laughing verdict usually means the question was vague or the heart undecided.
Prefer a richer answer? Try Guanyin fortune sticks or I Ching coins.
Jiaobei (筊杯) are two crescent-shaped wooden blocks — the flat side is yang, the curved side yin, embodying the dance of the two primal forces. The practice dates to Tang-dynasty China and traveled with Minnan emigrants to Taiwan and Southeast Asia, where temple courtyards still echo with the click of blocks on stone. English speakers know them as jiaobei, poe, or moon blocks.