In the spring of the year 220, during the first month, Cao Cao built the Hall of Beginnings in Luoyang. As a result, when he cut down the Zhuolong tree, the trunk oozed blood, and when he disturbed the pear tree, the roots also bled. Cao Cao felt very uncomfortable about this and soon fell ill, dying that month. What does this mean? The plants and trees exhibited strange phenomena, and it was a bad omen! That year, Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, changed the era name to Huangchu.
In June of the year 252, during the reign of Sun Liang in the state of Wu, the weeds in the Jiaozhi region miraculously turned into rice. In ancient times, when the Sanmiao clan was about to be destroyed, the grains also experienced mutations; these are all signs of strange happenings in nature! Later, Sun Liang was also deposed.
In the year 263, during the reign of Liu Shan, the final ruler of Shu Han, a large tree in the palace fell down inexplicably. Qiao Zhou was deeply worried about this and, unable to find anyone to discuss it with, wrote on a pillar: "Many and great, their gathering. Complete and bestow, how can it be reversed?" This means that the power of Cao Wei was strong, and the world would ultimately come together, while Shu Han had already lost the ability to turn things around. Shu Han indeed perished, just as Qiao Zhou had predicted, which was also a sign of strange happenings in nature.
In the year 277, during the reign of Sun Hao in the state of Wu, Linping Lake in Wu Commandery had been silted up since the end of the Han Dynasty. One night, it suddenly opened up, and there were no weeds. Elders passed down the saying: when this lake is blocked, the world will fall into chaos; when this lake is unblocked, the world will be peaceful. Soon after, the state of Wu fell, leading to the unification of the country.
In August of the year 279 AD, in the city of Jianye, the family of Huang Gou discovered a peculiar plant called "ghost's eye vegetable," which attached itself to a jujube tree, growing over ten feet long, with a stem four inches in diameter and two-tenths of an inch thick. The family of Wu Ping, on the other hand, grew a plant called "mugwort," a type of herb that stood four feet tall, resembling a loquat, with a round top measuring eighteen inches in diameter, a stem five inches wide, and leaves growing on both sides, a vibrant green color. The Dongguan Book records that the ghost's eye vegetable is a type of chaff flower, and mugwort is a type of common herb; thus, Huang Gou was appointed as "Shizhi Lang" (Gentleman of Chaff) and Wu Ping as "Pinglu Lang" (Gentleman of Common Herb), both granted silver seals and blue ribbons. Gan Bao stated: "The following year, when the Wu Kingdom was pacified, Wang Jun's fleet docked at a place called Pingzhu, which perfectly corresponds with the name and the event; this is a divine sign!" Huang Gou's name remained unchanged, but the disparity between rich and poor was significant; this is a subtle sign from heaven!
In the spring of 292 AD, bamboo bloomed within the borders of Baxi County, with purple flowers, and its fruits resembled wheat, with a green outer skin and red-white interior, tasting sweet.
On one day in June 283 AD, a mulberry tree suddenly grew in the western wing of the Eastern Palace, growing more than a foot high in a single day, which was quite alarming. After a few days, on the day of Jiachen in the lunar calendar, it withered and died. This was similar to the strange occurrences during the reign of Taiwu of the Shang Dynasty and was an ominous sign. The crown prince Sima Yun did not understand the implications and was later deposed and killed. Ban Gu once remarked, "When wild grass grows rampant in the court, and petty individuals occupy ministerial positions, it signals the impending downfall of the nation and family; the court will soon be in ruins!" Later, when Sun Xiu and Zhang Lin seized power, it indeed resulted in widespread chaos.
In April of the year 291 AD, the grandson of the emperor, Sima Zang, was designated as the crown prince. On a day in May, he moved into the Eastern Palace, and a mulberry tree sprouted in the Western Chamber. The following year, Prince Zhao Lun seized the throne and poisoned Sima Zang to death. This incident, similar to what happened during the reign of Emperor Min of Jin, was considered an ominous sign. In the same month, the mulberry tree in Zhuangwu Kingdom (Zhang Hua's fiefdom) transformed into a cypress tree, and Zhang Hua was also killed.
In the winter of 310 AD, the mulberry tree in Xiang County made a sound like a tree being chopped down, and people said it was the mulberry tree weeping. Liu Xiang historically said, "Mulberry" means "mourning," and combined with the weeping sound, it was a very bad omen. At that time, the defenses of the capital were weak, and the barbarians kept invading. Prince Sima Yue of Donghai also forsook the defense of the country, fleeing to the south in the winter of 313 AD and dying there in the following spring. Shi Le besieged him, shot him with arrows, leading to the deaths of over 100,000 people, from nobles to commoners. Shi Le also opened Sima Yue's coffin, burned his body, and after this defeat, no one in the Central Plains could seek help. Luoyang was quickly captured, realizing the prophecy of the mulberry tree weeping.
In May of that year, four jujube trees emerged in Wuxi County, growing intertwined with each other like entwined branches. Prior to this, Guo Jingchun divined with a tortoise shell and received the hexagram "Lin" with the changing line "Yi," indicating that in the future, there would be another manifestation of a demon tree that seemed auspicious but was actually poisonous. If such a tree appeared, there would definitely be a rebellion within a few hundred miles. After these four jujube trees emerged, Xu Fu indeed rebelled, yet another strange occurrence of plants coming to life. Guo Jingchun notably said, "Trees that are not straight or bent" were also ominous signs. In July of that year, a dead camphor tree in Yuzhang Commandery suddenly sprouted lush branches, similar to the omen of the dead shrine tree in Changyi County of the Han Dynasty coming back to life, foretelling the downfall of Emperor Huai Sima Chi and the restoration of Emperor Yuan Sima Rui.
In September of the year 329 AD, a tree in Shanyu County of Kuaiji developed a pattern on its trunk that looked like a human face. Later, Wang Dun rebelled, which ultimately led to his death. Similar strange occurrences also happened during the reigns of Emperor Ai and Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, where lifelike faces appeared on trees, causing significant chaos. This time, the face merely resembled a human face, resulting in relatively minor disturbances.
On the day of Guaihai in May of the year 331 AD (6th year of Emperor Cheng's Xianhe reign), a withered willow tree in the Qu'a area suddenly began to grow again after lying fallen for six years. Then, on the day of Jiaxu in May of the year 334 AD (9th year of Emperor Cheng's Xianhe reign), a withered elm tree in the home of Wu Xiong in Wuxian also started to grow again due to wind and rain. This phenomenon is similar to the resurrection of withered willow trees in Shanglin Park during the Han Dynasty! Earlier, Emperor Kang had been the King of Wu, and although later he was renamed as the King of Langya, he still considered Wu County as his fiefdom, suggesting that the emperor would return to Wu. Qu'a was also part of Wu in the past, and the resurrection of this tree in Wu Xiong's home might be a sign from heaven.
On the day of Guimao in May of the year 363 AD (3rd year of Emperor Ai's Xingning reign), a withered chestnut tree in Xiuming's home in Xichang County of Luling came back to life unexpectedly. At that time, Emperor Xiaowu was only four years old, and soon after, Emperor Ai passed away, followed by the rise and fall of Emperor Haixi. Emperor Jianwen inherited the throne from the position of a prince, ascended as emperor, and ruled for less than two years before Emperor Xiaowu took over. Emperor Xiaowu's name includes "Changming," and those who understood these signs privately mentioned that the revival of the chestnut tree in Xiuming's family in Xichang was seen as a good omen that manifested in the emperor's name. This event is very similar to an incident during the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty.
In the year 386 AD (the first year of Hai Xi Taihe), a miraculous phenomenon of pine trees sprouting from poplar trees appeared in Liangzhou. It seemed as if heaven was warning people: the pine tree branches were upright, the leaves would not easily fall off, while the wood of the poplar tree was soft and fragile. Now that the pine tree was growing on the poplar tree, doesn't that suggest that a long-standing rule is in danger? At that time, Zhang Tianxi was dominant in Liangzhou, but soon he was defeated by Fu Jian.
In June of the year 379 AD (the fourteenth year of Xiaowu Taiyuan), after a dead tree in Tongle County, Jianning Commandery broke, it miraculously reconnected by itself. Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" says: "Abandoning the right path for debauchery will lead to the strange phenomenon of trees reconnecting after breaking. When concubines wield power, the trees will fall and then stand up again." At that time, the court was in chaos, and later Lady Zhang was favored. After the emperor's death, people blamed the Zhang family for the ensuing chaos.
In the year 403 AD (the third year of Yuanxing of Emperor An), in the border area between Jingzhou and Jiangzhou, bamboo unexpectedly produced fruit that looked like wheat.
In September of the year 405 AD (the second year of Yixi), a soldier named Chen Gai in the camp of General Yangwu grew a bitter melon in his home, with a stem four feet six inches high, three feet two inches wide, and three inches thick, which was yet another strange plant. This was probably similar to the omen of the downfall of the Wu Kingdom. Those who understood these signs believed that the bitter melon represented the toil and suffering of the people. In the years that followed, with continuous wars, the people suffered greatly from the turmoil of war, which was indeed a form of "buying suffering"! Over a decade later, Yao Hong was defeated, and the war finally subsided, fulfilling the omen of the bitter melon.
During the Eastern Jin Dynasty under Emperor Yixi, the palace walls and both sides of the imperial road were covered with thistles, which were seen as ominous plants! Thistles have long thorns, making passage impossible. Growing on the palace walls and imperial road, it was truly a warning from heaven: if the emperor ignores state affairs, they might as well be abandoned! Therefore, thistles grew as a sign.
In the fourth year of the Huangchu era of Emperor Wei Wen, in May, a flock of pelicans appeared in Lingzhi Pool. According to Liu Xiang, this is an omen of disaster among birds, but it also signifies a good omen. The emperor issued a decree saying, "This aligns with what the poet referred to as 'polluted marshes.' The 'Cao Poems' mention 'the noble man keeps his distance from the petty man,' so have all the virtuous and capable individuals been marginalized? Otherwise, why would these birds come? Quickly recommend and promote those virtuous, talented, and noble gentlemen throughout the country to respond to the criticism in the Cao Poems!" Thus, people like Yang Biao and Guan Ning were recommended, which illustrates the idea of "seeing ominous signs and feeling alarmed!" However, Emperor Wei Wen still failed to cultivate tolerant and upright talents, instead favoring personal interests. Jing Fang's "Commentary on the I Ching" states, "Excluding virtuous individuals will lead to water birds gathering in the capital, resulting in omens."
In the first year of Huangchu, a swallow flew into the Weiyang Palace and gave birth to an eagle, with a red beak and claws, similar to the situation of King Zhou of Shang and King Yin of Song!
In the first year of Jingchu, a giant cuckoo bird was born in the home of Li Gai from the State of Wei, resembling an eagle with a beak like a swallow; this too is an omen of disaster among birds and a red sign of ill fortune. Gao Tanglong said, "This is a great omen of disaster for the Wei family; we should be on guard against ambitious individuals stirring up chaos in the palace!" Later, Emperor Xuan raised an army and executed Cao Shuang, allowing the Wei family to continue.
In the twenty-third year of the Jian'an era of Emperor Xian of Han, a vulture landed in the pond behind the Wenchang Hall of Ye Palace. The following year, King Wei Wu, Cao Cao, died. In the third year of Huangchu, this bird returned to the pond in the Fanglin Garden of Luoyang. Seven years later, the bird came again. That summer, Emperor Wei Wen also died. During the Jingchu years, this bird flew to the pond in Fanglin Garden again. In the previous two appearances, it was followed by great losses, and the emperor held a strong dislike for this bird. That same year, Emperor Wei Ming also met his demise.
During the ninth year of Jianxing in the Shu Han dynasty, in October, between Jiangyang and Jiangzhou, thousands of birds flew from the south to the north but failed to make it across the river, falling into the water and drowning. At that time, Zhuge Liang had been leading troops in battle for many years, with the ambition of conquering the Central Plains, but he ended up dying at Weinan without achieving his goal. His generals also fought amongst themselves, resulting in the loss of many soldiers. The fate of these birds, unable to cross the river and drowning, is quite similar to Zhuge Liang's! Could this not be seen as an omen? It's similar to the tale of the crows from Chu that fell into the Si River during the Han dynasty.
In the first year of the Jingchu era, when the palace was just beginning construction, a magpie nested on top. This magpie was black and white, which is seen as an ominous sign, but black and white also symbolize a mix of good and bad luck. The Emperor asked Gaotang Long about this, and Gaotang Long replied, "The Book of Songs says 'Only the magpie has a nest, only the dove resides there.' Now that the palace is just starting to be built and a magpie has come to build a nest, this suggests that the palace isn't finished yet, but someone has already taken residence. Heaven warns us that the palace isn't complete and others may take control of it, so we must seriously consider this issue." The Emperor's expression shifted when he heard this.
In the twelfth year of the Chihu era, Sun Quan of Wu saw two black crows with a magpie fall into the East Hall. Sun Quan ordered Prime Minister Zhu Ju to burn the magpie as an offering. According to Liu Xin, this is considered a bad omen among birds, symbolizing a sign of misfortune related to poor eyesight and hearing. At that time, Sun Quan was arrogant, and his moral standing was in decline. He believed in slander, had a penchant for violence, and his two sons were also in danger, as were his ministers. He failed to grasp the significance of this ominous sign, and even burned it as an offering, showing extreme confusion! The following year, the Crown Prince Sun He was deposed, the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba, was executed, Zhu Ju was demoted, and Lu Yi died from excessive worry. Isn’t this all a fulfillment of those omens? The East Hall served as a place for educating officials. Could it be that the magpie falling into the East Hall was also the will of heaven?
In the second year of Taiyuan, Sun Quan appointed the former Crown Prince Sun He as the King of Nanyang and sent him to Changsha. It was later discovered that there was a magpie nest in Sun He's sail. When Sun He's former colleagues heard about this, they were very worried, believing that the tilted sail was a bad omen for long-term stability. Later, Sun He did indeed die an untimely death.
In the second year of Jianxing, five large birds appeared in Chunshen, which the people of Wu believed to be phoenixes. The following year, the era name was changed to "Five Phoenixes." In the time of Emperor Huan of Han, there were also sightings of colorful large birds. Sima Biao noted, "When politics decline and there are no capable leaders, it attracts phoenixes, which are in fact bad omens among birds." Sun Liang failed to enact any positive policies, and Sun Jun's arrogance reached its peak, similar to the situation of Emperor Huan of Han! According to the 'Ruiyingtu' records, large birds resembling phoenixes, which are actually bad omens, have been sighted multiple times, so they should all be the same.
In the third year of Jianheng, someone in the West Park claimed to have seen a phoenix, so Sun Hao changed the era name accordingly, similar to Zhuge Liang's era name change.
In the fourth year of the Taishi reign of Emperor Wu, in the eighth month, a pheasant landed on the Chang'an Gate. It seemed like a warning from the heavens: the Chang'an Gate was not where the pheasant should be, just like the omen of a pheasant landing on a ceremonial tripod during the Yin Dynasty, which was an ominous sign.
In the first year of the Yongkang reign of Emperor Hui, after Prince Zhao Lun seized power, a strange bird appeared in the capital city, and no one could name it. Lun sent people to take the bird and go door to door to inquire about it. After several days, a child in the palace recognized it and said, "This is the 'fuliu bird'." The person hurried back to report to Prince Zhao Lun, who sent people to find it, and indeed saw the bird again. So, Lun caged the bird and confined the child. The next day, both the bird and the child were gone! It was like the birds were up to no good! At that time, Zhao Lun developed an eye tumor, and "fuliu" sounded like "Lun liu," implying Zhao Lun would face the consequences of his actions. Not long after, Zhao Lun was killed.
After Prince Zhao Lun seized power, a quail flew into the Taiji Hall, and a pheasant stopped in the East Hall. This strange occurrence seemed to serve as a warning: the Taiji Hall and East Hall are where the emperor conducted state affairs, and the quail and pheasant flying in together indicated that Zhao Lun should not be sitting in that position! As stated in The Book of Songs, "The magpie cries loudly, the quail flies in a panic, with a bad character, but I treat him as a king." Isn't that exactly what happened! Shortly after, Zhao Lun was wiped out.
In the first month of the second year of the Yongjia reign of Emperor Xiaohuai, the ground in Buguanli, located northeast of Luoyang, sank, and two geese of different colors appeared, one green, flying into the sky; one white, staying on the ground. This was yet another instance of birds signaling trouble, with black and white colors, making it difficult to determine good or bad luck! Chenliu native Dong Yang said, "Buguan is the place where the alliance of Di Quan in the Zhou Dynasty was held. White represents gold, the symbol of the country. Green represents the Hu people; what this foretells is hard to determine!" Following that, Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le raised armies and instigated chaos in the Central Plains.
In the third year of Emperor Ming's reign, in the eighth month on the day of Gengxu, two enormous black birds appeared, with their wings spread out to a width of fourteen feet. One landed at the office of the Grand Tutor and was shot dead; the other landed in the yard of a family in the north of the city and was also captured. This was both a disturbance and an ominous sign! On the day of Wuzi in the intercalary month, the emperor died, and later, the rebellions of Su Jun and Zu Yue occurred.
In January of the year 327, five white gulls flew into the palace, which was a good omen! However, at that time, Yu Liang did not heed everyone's advice and planned to summon Su Jun. Some said this was wrong, and that was why the good omen appeared first, indicating that bad things were about to happen. In February of that year, Su Jun indeed rebelled, resulting in widespread destruction of the palace.
In July of the year 342, a white egret landed on the roof of the palace. At that time, Emperor Kang had just ascended the throne, which was a bad omen. Not long after, Emperor Kang passed away. Liu Xiang once said: "When wild birds fly into the palace, it signifies that the palace will soon be empty." This was confirmed!
Emperor Haixi ascended the throne in February of the year 370, and at that time, a wild pheasant flew to Xiangfeng Terrace. This was an omen of impending chaos! Later, he was indeed deposed by Huan Wen.
In June of the year 393, magpies built nests on the eastern end of the Taiji Hall and also on the western end of the Guozixue (Imperial Academy). In 395, the Eastern Palace was completed, and in January of 396, magpies built nests again at the west gate of the Eastern Palace. This likely resembled the divination practices during the early years of Wei Jing. The Guozixue is a place where education gathers; the western end also signifies a good omen for the Jin lineage. As a result, after the previous emperor passed away, Emperor An ascended the throne, Huan Xuan usurped power, education deteriorated, and the Jin lineage lost its former prominence, fulfilling the earlier omens.
In the year 405 AD, General Zhu Yi of Longxiang was stationed in Shouyang. A maid was cooking when suddenly many crows flew to the stove, jostling to peck at the food, and the maid could not drive them away. A hunting dog killed two crows, but the remaining crows actually pecked the hunting dog to death and ate its meat, leaving only the bones. This was also an ominous sign of birds causing chaos, and a black, inauspicious omen! The following June, Zhu Yi died, fulfilling the omen!
In May of 327 AD, a sheep in the household of Minister Wang Dao gave birth to a lamb without hind legs; this was an ill omen brought by the sheep! The "Yizhuan" by Jing Fang states: "Insufficient legs and feet, those of lower status cannot fulfill their duties." The following year, Su Jun broke into the capital, and Wang Dao and the emperor were trapped in Shitou City, barely escaping a calamity, which came true!
During the tenure of Gongsun Wuyi, a strange piece of flesh appeared in the North Market of Xiangping, several feet long, with a head and a mouth, but no limbs, and it could move. This was a red and ominous sign! Divination said: "Form without substance, body without sound, the nation is on the brink of collapse." Later, Gongsun Wuyi was indeed killed by the state of Wei.
That scoundrel Deng Xi, a general of the state of Wu, after sacrificing a pig and hanging the pork, suddenly saw a human head gnawing on the pork! He grabbed his bow and arrow and shot it, and that thing made a ruckus and flew around the house for three days; this was a great inauspicious omen! Later, someone reported Deng Xi's conspiracy to rebel, and his entire family was killed.
In March of the fifth year of Emperor Hui's Yuan Kang era, blood actually flowed in Lü County, flowing for over a hundred paces! This is a great omen of misfortune! By the end of the Yuan Kang era, the world was in chaos, with killings everywhere; isn't this scene of bloodshed just a manifestation of corpses lying across the fields during a time of turmoil? Gan Bao said, “Eight years later, Feng Yun caused chaos in Xuzhou, killing tens of thousands,” isn't this a clear fulfillment of that prophecy?
In March of the first year of the Yong Kang era, blood rained down in Weishi. This indicates that the court's punishments were too lenient, resulting in such an ominous occurrence. In January of that year, Prince Minhuai was sent to Xu Palace for confinement. Heaven was warning that we must not be too lenient with evildoers, which led to the unjust death of the prince! Emperor Hui was foolish and incompetent, completely unaware that the prince would die this month. Now, the royal family is utterly doomed, and chaos has spread throughout the country. On the day King Min of Qi was killed by Nao Chi, blood rained from the sky and splattered onto his clothes. Heaven was warning him! Isn't this exactly what Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan"? The "Yi Zhuan" states: “When the case is not resolved, it is said to pursue the wrongdoers, and the blame falls on heaven as blood rains down. This signifies a lack of kinship, and within three years, there will be no heirs.” It also states: “Flatterers gain wealth, while meritorious ministers are punished; blood rains from heaven.”
In December of the first year of Jianxing, Hedong experienced an earthquake, and flesh rained down.
In the twelfth month of the fourth year, the prime minister's office executed the inspector of transportation, Shi Chunyu. Blood splattered against the pillar, reaching a height of over seven feet, and that was an ominous sign. At the time, General Chupo was stationed in Guangling, and the prime minister threatened to launch a northern expedition. Shi Chunyu was executed for delaying transportation, accepting bribes, and abusing his power. Before his death, Shi Chunyu pleaded, "The transportation work has been completed without any delay. I am not deserving of death for accepting bribes and abusing my power. In warfare, it's all about bluffing and posturing; there's no real intention to go to war. For the past four years, transportation and supplies have been at a standstill, and they have not followed the rules of warfare." His colleagues ignored him. Later, there were numerous accusations against officials, but the Emperor did not intervene, and as a result, there was a continuous drought for three years. Gan Bao believed this was karma for Shi Chunyu's unjust execution. Guo Jingchun remarked, "Blood is a type of water, associated with the Kan hexagram. The Kan hexagram symbolizes the law, and water flows downward; it shouldn't flow against the current. This indicates that there's a problem with the court's policies."
Liu Cong usurped the throne and proclaimed himself emperor. In the first month of his first year as emperor, an earthquake occurred in Pingyang, causing Chongming Temple to collapse into a pond of blood-red water. A red mist shot up into the sky, and a red dragon was seen darting away. A meteor streaked in from near the Cowherd Star, landing in the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, twisting and coiling like a dragon, its glow lighting up the earth, eventually landing ten miles north of Pingyang City. Upon inspection, it turned out to be a piece of meat, emitting a foul smell that pervaded Pingyang City. The piece of meat was thirty paces long and twenty-seven paces wide. There were cries nearby, day and night, without end. A few days later, Liu Cong's queen, a Liu, gave birth to a snake and a wild beast, both of which attacked people before disappearing. People searched high and low and later found them beside the fallen meat. At that time, Liu Cong had taken the three daughters of Liu Yin as wives, all of whom were titled as queens. It seemed as if heaven was warning him: by claiming the Liu surname and marrying three queens from the Liu family, he was defying the natural order of kinship and disrupting moral principles. The fallen meat and these monstrous entities were indeed great calamities! Not long after, the Liu family perished, and the cries ceased.
