Sign 39: Tao Yuanming Picks Chrysanthemums

Tao Yuanming served as magistrate of Pengze for over eighty days but refused to bow for five bushels of rice and returned to seclusion. In his garden, he planted chrysanthemums and composed poems, seeing the southern mountains in leisure. He wrote "Peach Blossom Spring," describing a utopia beyond the Qin dynasty's chaos. In his later years, though poor and ill, he rejected gifts from officials.

This medium sign indicates preserving simplicity. In career, it is wise to retreat to the fields and not strive for fame. In love, seek genuine sincerity and avoid vanity. Finances are lean; be content with poverty and virtue. Tao Yuanming's seclusion lies in self-contentment; it advises you not to be burdened by worldly affairs.