In the year 217 AD, Liu Bei went on an eastern campaign in Shu. In February, he set out from Zigui and camped at Yidao. In June, a yellow gas appeared in Zigui, stretching for more than ten miles and rising dozens of zhang. More than ten days later, Liu Bei was defeated by Lu Yi, which is likely related to the earlier appearance of yellow gas. When it comes to the ominous signs associated with this yellow gas, there are quite a few. During the Zhengshi era of the Wei Kingdom under King Qi, Zhou Nan, the King of Zhongshan, was appointed as the magistrate of Xiangyi County. One day, an old mouse ran out of its hole and said, "Zhou Nan, you will die on a certain day!" Zhou Nan paid it no mind, and the mouse went back into the hole. On that day, the mouse reappeared wearing a hat and black clothing, saying, "Zhou Nan, you will die at noon today!" Zhou Nan still ignored it, and the mouse went back into the hole. After a while, the mouse came out again and repeated the same words. As noon approached, the mouse kept coming out and going back in, repeatedly saying the same thing. At noon, the mouse said, "Zhou Nan, since you ignore me, why should I say more!" After it spoke, the mouse died, and its hat and clothing fell away. Upon closer examination, it looked just like an ordinary mouse. Ban Gu's book also records similar incidents, all falling under the category of yellow gas omens. At that time, Cao Shuang was in power and was in conflict with others, resulting in these strange occurrences. In December 300 AD, during the fourth year of Emperor Huidi Yuankang, there was a dense fog. At that time, the emperor was incompetent, and political affairs were not in his hands, resulting in these strange occurrences. In August 317 AD, during the fourth year of Emperor Yuandi's reign, yellow fog spread everywhere, obscuring the sky with dust and fog. In October 318 AD, during the first year of Emperor Yongchang, there was a dense fog in the capital, with black smoke rising into the sky, blocking out the sun. In the first month of 326 AD, on the day of Gisi in the first year of Emperor Mingdi Taining, yellow fog spread. In February, there was another spread of yellow fog. At that time, Wang Dun was in power, and the conspiracy to rebel grew increasingly serious.
In March of 347 AD, during the seventh year of Emperor Mu's Yonghe reign, a strong wind swept through Liangzhou, blowing down all the trees and a yellow dust storm swept in. At that time, Zhang Chonghua fell for slander and demoted Xie Ai to be the prefect of Jiuquan, appointing unsuitable officials, which ultimately led to Xie Ai's death nine years later and the murder of his son, fulfilling the previous omens. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" says: "Not accepting good advice is called ignorance; the omen is a yellow mist, the consequence is loss of hearing, and the disaster is the extinction of descendants. This yellow mist represents the turbid air that fills the world, obscuring the wise and talented, blocking the way, so disasters will affect future generations."
In the year 373 AD, in the eighth year of Emperor Xiaowu Taiyuan, on the day of the 28th of the second month, a yellow fog pervaded. At that time, Xie An held power and was surrounded by treacherous sycophants, and the court was in a state of chaos.
In the year 405 AD, in the first year of Emperor An's Yuanxing, on the first day of the tenth month, a yellow fog pervaded, the sky darkened, and no rain fell. This was seen as an omen of Huan Xuan's impending rebellion.
In the eleventh month of the fifth year of Yi Xi, a dense fog pervaded. In the eleventh month of the tenth year, there was another dense fog. At that time, the court was weak, the ministers had great power, and the military and land were basically not under the emperor's control. All these were omens of celestial phenomena!
Liu Xiang once said: "Earthquakes occur when the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are disturbed." Boyang Fu also said: "The qi of heaven and earth operates according to its own laws; when these laws are disrupted, it leads to turmoil in the human realm. When the yang qi is suppressed and cannot rise, and the yin qi is forced upwards and cannot descend, earthquakes will occur."
In the fourth year of Sun Quan's Huangwu era, earthquakes occurred successively in the Jiangdong region. At that time, Sun Quan accepted the title from the Wei kingdom, was titled Grand General and King of Wu, changed his era name to Emperor, consolidated power for himself, and disregarded the advice of his courtiers. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "Even if the courtiers act rightly, if there is absolute power and arbitrary decision-making, earthquakes will definitely occur. The signs of earthquakes are waves on water, swaying trees, and falling tiles on houses. If the laws of the court are distorted and the emperor trusts treacherous officials, this reflects the disturbance of Yin forces, which will cause earthquakes and shake the palace. If the laws of the court are distorted and the emperor does not listen to advice, this is not following the principles of Yin virtue, which will cause earthquakes, shake the mountains, and cause springs to well up. If the heir lacks virtue but enjoys wealth, this goes against the natural order, which will cause earthquakes, shake the hills, and cause springs to well up." Liu Xiang also said: "When the power of the courtiers is strong and they are about to cause trouble, this is a sign that disaster is about to occur!"
In the second year of Qinglong during the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, an earthquake occurred in the capital, coming from the east, and faint sounds were heard as tiles fell from the roofs.
In the first year of Jingchu, in the sixth month of the year of Wushen, another earthquake occurred in the capital. In that autumn, Wu general Zhu Ran surrounded Jiangxia, but was driven back by Hu Zhi, the Inspector of Jingzhou. Additionally, Gongsun Yuan rebelled, declared himself King of Yan, changed his reign title to Emperor, and established officials. The following year, he was subdued by the court.
In the sixth year of Jiahe, in the fifth month, an earthquake occurred in Jiangdong.
In the second year of Chiwu, in the first month, another earthquake occurred. At that time, Lv Yi was abusive and arrogant in his authority. Bu Zhi submitted a memorial saying: "I’ve heard that Director Lv Yi is nitpicking and scheming to frame others, all to achieve his goal of total control. Many innocent people have been harshly punished by him, and even high officials do not earn his trust. If this continues, how can there not be changes in the heavens and earth! Therefore, the successive earthquakes are a sign of the abuse of power by courtiers! I hope Your Majesty will take this as a warning and think carefully about the situation!" Ultimately, Lv Yi faced failure.
In November of the second year of the Zhengshi era under King Wei Qi, an earthquake hit Nanan County. In the seventh month of the third year, yet another earthquake struck Nanan County. In December, an earthquake also occurred in Wei County. In the second month of the sixth year, another earthquake struck Nanan County. At that time, Cao Shuang was in power and relocated the Empress Dowager to Yongning Palace, where she and the Emperor said their tearful goodbyes. These continuous earthquakes were seen as omens of these events!
In February 248, during Sun Quan's reign, an earthquake occurred in the Jiangdong region. At that time, Sun Quan was deceived by treacherous officials and dismissed Zhu Ju from his position and deposed the Crown Prince.
In 248, during the reign of Liu Shan, the last ruler of Shu Han, an earthquake also occurred. At that time, the eunuch Huang Hao held power and monopolized authority. As Sima Biao remarked, "Eunuchs lack masculine energy, much like women." Huang Hao's actions mirrored those of the eunuchs during Emperor He of Han’s reign. That winter, Shu Han was destroyed.
On Xinyou day in April 269, an earthquake struck. That winter, the Di and Qiang tribes in Xinping rose in rebellion. The following year, Sun Hao sent a large army into Guokou. On Bingshen day in June 271, another earthquake hit.
On Gengchen day in August 276, earthquakes were reported across Henan, Hedong, and Pingyang. On Dingwei day in June 278, earthquakes struck Yinping and Guangwu, and once more on Jiazi day.
In February 281 AD, an earthquake occurred in Huainan and Danyang. On January 1, 284 AD, an earthquake also occurred in Luoyang. On the seventh day of the seventh month of 285 AD, another earthquake occurred. In July 286 AD, earthquakes occurred in Nan'an and Jianwei. In August, there was an earthquake in Jingzhao. On the fifth day of the fifth month of 287 AD, there was an earthquake in the Jian'an area; in July, there was an earthquake in the Yinpings area; in August, there was an earthquake in the Danyang area. In January 288 AD, there were earthquakes in Kuaiji, Danyang, and Wuxing; on the day of Xinyou in April, earthquakes occurred in eight counties including Changsha and Nanhai; from July to August, there were four more earthquakes, three of which sounded like thunder; in September, there was an earthquake in the Linhe area, and another one in December. On the day of Jihai in December 289 AD, there was an earthquake in the Danyang area.
In January 290 AD, another earthquake occurred. From the ascension of Emperor Sima Yan of Western Jin to the end of Yang Jun's dictatorship, the court was controlled by flatterers and greedy individuals seeking their own interests. In the later period of Western Jin, the quality of talent employed by the court declined, leading to frequent earthquakes, which defied reason and ultimately led to the downfall of Western Jin.
On the day of Xinyou in December 291 AD, an earthquake occurred in Luoyang. That summer, Empress Jia ordered Prince Sima Wei of Chu to kill Prince Sima Liang of Runan and the Grand Tutor Wei Guan, which reflected the imbalance between yin and yang.
In the second month of the fourth year, earthquakes occurred in Shanggu, Shangyong, and Liaodong. In May, landslides occurred in Shu County; Shouchun in Huainan experienced a major flood, causing landslides and the destruction of cities. In August, there was another earthquake in the Shanggu area, accompanied by flooding that caused the death of hundreds. In October, the capital Luoyang experienced another earthquake. In November, Xingyang, Xiangcheng, Ruyin, Liangguo, Nanyang, and other places experienced ongoing tremors. In December, the capital Luoyang experienced another earthquake. At that time, Empress Jia held absolute power, leading to chaotic governance and ultimately the downfall of the country, with these earthquakes acting as omens.
During the regency of Empress Dowager Deng of the Han Dynasty, earthquakes occurred in various places. Li Gu analyzed and said, "The earth is associated with yin and should remain calm. But now it goes against the nature of yin and follows yang's dominance, so earthquakes occur." This explanation was quite in line with the situation at that time. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan," "When troublemakers create chaos, disasters like collapsing mountains and splitting earth will happen, indicating yin overcoming yang and the weak triumphing over the strong." He also said, "If yin betrays yang, it will lead to the earth splitting, mountains collapsing, separation of fathers and sons, and even minority uprisings."
In the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Wu in the Han Dynasty, earthquakes occurred on the day of Ding Chou in May. In June, Jincheng also experienced an earthquake. In the sixth year, earthquakes occurred on the day of Ding Chou in January and on the day of Bing Chen in the first month of the eighth year.
In the first year of Tai'an, earthquakes occurred in October, confirming the dictatorship of King Qu Jiong. In the second year, earthquakes occurred on the day of Bing Chen in December, a sign of the impending dictatorship of Wang Yi, the King of Changsha.
In the third year of Emperor Xiaohuai's Yongjia reign, earthquakes occurred in Jingzhou and Xiangzhou in October during Sima Yue's rise to power. In the fourth year in April, earthquakes occurred in Yanzhou. In May, Shi Le attacked Jijun, captured the governor Hu Chong, crossed the Yellow River, and advanced south, all of which were signs of the earthquakes.
In the second year of Emperor Min's Jianxing reign, earthquakes occurred on the day of Jia Chen in April. In the third year, earthquakes occurred on the day of Ding Mao in June in Chang'an. At that time, the young emperor faced turmoil, chaos reigned, and wars raged, all of which were signs of earthquakes.
In the first year of Emperor Yuan's Taixing reign, earthquakes occurred in Xiping in April, with water gushing forth. In December, earthquakes occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiling, with water gushing forth and mountains collapsing. Gan Bao believed this was a sign that Wang Dun was on the verge of rebellion.
In the second year, earthquakes occurred on the day of Ji Chou in May in Qishan, causing the collapse of the mountain and the death of many people. At that time, Prime Minister Wang Bao of Nanyang was in Qishan, and some claimed this was a sign that Prince Jin was doomed. In the third year on the day of Geng Yin in May, earthquakes occurred in Danyang, Wujun, and Jinling.
In the second month of the second year of Emperor Cheng's Xianhe reign, earthquakes occurred in Jiangling. In the third month, earthquakes occurred in Yizhou. On the day of Ji Wei in April, earthquakes struck Yuzhang. In a significant turn of events, that year, Su Jun rebelled. In the ninth year, on Ding You day in March, earthquakes struck Kuaiji.
In June of the first year of Yonghe (345 AD), there was an earthquake! At that time, Emperor Mu was still a child, and his mother was in control, with actual power in the hands of the ministers, so the earthquakes continued. In the second year, in October, there was another earthquake. In the third year, in the first month of Bingchen, there was another earthquake! In September, the ground shook again. In the fourth year, in October, there was another earthquake.
In January of the year 349 AD, in the month of Gengyin, there was another earthquake. At this time, that guy Shi Jilong usurped the throne and declared himself emperor, which was likely an ominous sign. In the ninth year, in the eighth month of Dingyou, there was an earthquake in Chang'an City, with a thunderous sound. In the tenth year, in the first month of Dingmao, there was an earthquake, with a thunderous sound, causing both domestic and wild chickens to squawk in alarm. In the eleventh year, in the fourth month of Yiyu, there was an earthquake; in the fifth month of Dingwei, there was another earthquake.
In the second year of Shengping, in the eleventh month of Xinyou, there was an earthquake. In the fifth year, in August, there was also an earthquake in Liangzhou.
In the first month of the first year of Aid Emperor Longhe, in the month of Jiaxu, there was an earthquake. At that time, power rested with the generals, and the emperor was merely a figurehead.
In the first month of the first year of Xingning, in the month of Jiaxu, there was an earthquake in Yangzhou, resulting in flooding of rivers and lakes. In the second year, in the second month of Gengyin, there was an earthquake in Jiangling. At this time, Huan Wen held power in the court and the country.
In the second month of the first year of Haixi Gong Taihe, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou, with water gushing out! This was likely a sign of Haixi Gong's impending downfall.
In the second year of Emperor Jianwen Xian'an, in the tenth month of Xinwei, there was an earthquake in Ancheng. That year, the emperor died.
In the first month of the first year of Emperor Xiaowu Ningkang, in the tenth month of Xinwei, there was an earthquake. In the second year, in the second month of Dingsi, there was an earthquake. In July, in the month of Jiawu, there was another earthquake in Liangzhou, causing mountains to collapse! At that time, the emperor was still young, and power was in the hands of the ministers, which was likely a sign of the dominance of yin and the decline of yang.
In the second year of Taiyuan, in the extra month of the third month, on the day of Renwu, an earthquake struck. In the fifth month of Dingchou, another earthquake struck. In the eleventh year, in the sixth month of Jimao, an earthquake struck. In the following years, the generals along the Yellow River fought every year, and the people suffered greatly, which may have been partly due to the earthquakes. In the fifteenth year, on the night of the new moon in the third month of Jiyu, an earthquake struck. In August, there was an earthquake in Chang'an City. In the twelfth month of Jiwei, an earthquake struck. In the seventeenth year, in the sixth month of Guimao, an earthquake struck. In the twelfth month of Jiwei, there was another earthquake! At that time, the lower classes were in power, and the hearts of the people were in turmoil. In the first month of the eighteenth year, on the new moon of Guihai, an earthquake struck. In the night of the second month of Yiwei, there was an earthquake.
In the fourth month of the fourth year of Long'an, in the month of Yimao, an earthquake struck. In the ninth month of Guichou, another earthquake struck. At that time, the emperor was still young and ignorant, as all power rested with the ministers.
In the year 408 AD, on the night of Renzi in the first month, oh, there was an earthquake, and it roared like thunder! In the tenth month of Guihai, another earthquake struck. In the first month of the year 409, on the night of Wuxu, there was an earthquake in Xunyang, and it sounded like thunder. The following year, Lu Xun's failed rebellion occurred. In the year 412, from the first month to the fourth month, there were four earthquakes in a row in the Nankang and Luling areas! In the following year, Wang Lu led his troops westward to Jingzhou and Yizhou. In the third month of the year 415, there was another earthquake.
In August of the year 240 AD, the mountains in Danyang, Jurong, Guzhang, and Ningguo in the state of Wu collapsed, causing widespread flooding! Liu Xiang once said, "Mountains represent positive energy, symbolizing the monarch; water represents negative energy, symbolizing the people. This celestial phenomenon predicts: the collapse of the ruler's mandate, and the people will lose their support!" The collapse of Liangshan during the Spring and Autumn Period, and the many mountain collapses and floods in the states of Qi and Chu during the Han Dynasty, all follow the same principle. In ancient times, the ancestral rites of the Three Dynasties did not exceed the tombs of the ancestors, and good and bad fortunes were traceable. Although Sun Quan declared himself emperor, he remained a vassal state. The disaster in Danyang was indeed a heavenly omen! Liu Xin also said, "The rise and fall of a country is closely related to mountains and rivers. Mountain collapses and river droughts are all signs of destruction." Indeed, two years later, Sun Quan died, and twenty-six years later, the state of Wu fell.
In February of the year 265 AD, the collapse of Taihang Mountain signaled the impending fall of the state of Wei! That winter, the Jin Dynasty unified the country.
In March of the year 273 AD, the collapse of Dashishan occurred. The following July, Mount Tai collapsed, affecting an area within a three-mile radius. Jing Fang in the "Yi Zhuan" once said, "The collapse from top to bottom corresponds to the phenomenon of stones falling from Mount Tai, which foretells the rise of a sage king and the capture of the ruler." Eventually, the emperor died, the power of the imperial family declined, Emperor Hui was weak and incompetent, and Emperors Huai and Min were captured to the north. The country fell to the north until Emperor Yuan revived in the south, all fulfilling that statement.
In May of the year 285 AD, the temple of Emperor Xuan sank. The following year in October, the newly formed mountain in Nan'an collapsed, releasing a large amount of water. In February of 287 AD, the collapse of Dulu Mountain in Zhuti damaged the county offices, and the Chouchi Cliff in Yinping also collapsed. In July of 288 AD, a heavy rain caused the land in front of the imperial palace to collapse, about five feet in diameter and several feet deep, with even a wrecked ship found inside!
In 284 AD, there was a landslide in the Shu region, resulting in many deaths. On the ninth day of the fifth month, Shouchun also experienced a landslide, causing floods, the collapse of city walls, and the formation of a huge pit measuring thirty zhang on each side, which also resulted in casualties. In June, Shouchun was hit by a severe thunderstorm, causing landslides and cracks in the earth, burying many homes. Similar incidents occurred in Shangyong. In August, cracks appeared near Juyong Pass, stretching eighty-four zhang in length and thirty-six zhang in width, with a large amount of water gushing out from underground, leading to severe famine. Landslides occurred in various places in the Shangyong region, forming a large pit one hundred and thirty zhang long and thirty zhang wide, causing floods and resulting in many deaths. All these disasters were signs of the chaos caused by Empress Jia's misrule!
In April of 285 AD, there was a landslide in Xizhong.
In March of 307 AD, the ground sank in Buguanli northeast of Luoyang. Two years later, on the twenty-ninth day of August, the city wall of Juancheng inexplicably collapsed more than seventy zhang, which seemed very ominous to Sima Yue, so he moved the capital to Puyang. This was truly a disaster! Sima Yue eventually died due to damage to his tomb. On the twenty-seventh day of July in 308 AD, the ground cracked in three locations in Dangyang, with cracks three zhang wide and over three hundred steps long. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes Commentary": "Ground cracking symbolizes the ministers' disloyalty and lack of virtue, unwilling to cooperate with each other." Later, Sima Yue and Gou Xi had a falling out, the various feudal lords acted independently, and the Western Jin Dynasty eventually perished. In the same year in October, Yidu Yidao experienced a landslide. In April of 309 AD, the Black Stone Mountain in Ling County, Xiangdong, collapsed.
In February of 326 AD, there were earthquakes and landslides in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiyang regions. In the following year in May, Qishan experienced an earthquake, landslide, and many deaths. In 328 AD, there was a landslide in Nanping County, and thousands of catties of realgar gushed out from the ground. At that time, Wang Dun was arrogant and overbearing, but the emperor tolerated him, which was truly like raising a tiger to cause trouble! In August of 329 AD, there was a landslide in Changshan, causing floods, the waters of the Huhe River surged, and large trees were knocked down.
In October of the year 337 AD, the cliffs of Lu Mountain in Chaisang collapsed. In December, Liu Yin was killed by Guo Mo.
In September of the year 349 AD, Junping Ling and Chongyang Ling collapsed. In November of the twelfth year of the reign, the court sent the Cavalier Attendant, Che Guan, to repair Junping Ling, but during the excavation of the tomb pathway, a landslide occurred, killing dozens of people.
In February of the year 357 AD, near South Yemun Gate, a horse's hoof sank into the ground, unearthing a bell inscribed with four characters. (The poem couplet here is not translated)
On the second day of April in the year 386 AD, Haowei Mountain collapsed, signaling the failure of Zhang Tianxi.
On a day in March of the year 392 AD, the Shanyin area suddenly experienced subsidence, covering an area of four square zhang and emitting a loud noise like thunder. Four years later, on a day in May of the year 396 AD, the ground near the Ximing Gate also collapsed, causing a surge of water that damaged the gate and threshold. These events all indicate unfavorable earth energy. Two years later, in May of the year 397 AD, a landslide occurred in Huoshan, rolling out six copper bells from the mountain. In July of the year 399 AD, there was a thunderous roar near the water in Chenggu County, Han Zhong, followed by the collapse of the riverbank, from which twelve copper bells emerged.
These incidents are quite frightening, aren't they? Let's talk about one night in June of the year 302 AD, when there was a sudden heavy rain and thunder. The pillars of Jia Mi's family shrine suddenly sank into the ground, collapsing his bed and canopy. This indicates that even wood can be affected by earth energy, and the land has lost its normal load-bearing capacity. Strange, isn't it? Interestingly, Jia Mi was killed the following year.
The last incident occurred in May of the year 806 AD when the underground of Fanyang Province caught fire, with flames large enough to cook food! This is undoubtedly an abnormal manifestation of earth energy. At that time, the world was in turmoil, and the power of rituals and music was held by various feudal lords.
The book says that if the emperor does not adhere to the Middle Way, then he has not established a firm foundation, and the consequences are severe, resulting in continuous dark punishments that ultimately weaken the nation's strength. Sometimes there will be incidents of monster shootings, sometimes dragons and snakes will cause chaos, sometimes horses will injure people, sometimes subordinates will rebel, and sometimes the movements of the sun, moon, and stars will be disrupted. If the emperor does not maintain balance, then he has not established a firm foundation. "Huang" refers to the emperor, "ji" refers to the Middle Way, and "jian" refers to establishing a firm foundation. If his words, actions, thoughts, feelings, and emotions are problematic in five areas, failing to find the right balance and unable to manage various affairs, it is because he is incompetent and unpredictable, which leads to such consequences. A ruler should inherit the principles of heaven and govern everything. Clouds rise from the mountains and spread across the sky; if the celestial signs are in disarray, there will be continuous dark punishments. Some believe that if those in power fail to maintain balance, those below may gain strength and cloud the ruler's judgment.
The "I Ching" states: "The soaring dragon has regrets; the noble will lose their position, the high will lose their people, and the wise will be in a low position and lose their support." If this is the case, although the emperor holds a high position and great power, he will not receive any help from others and will ultimately become very weak. The energy of the flourishing yang develops rapidly. According to the rites, a grand archery ceremony should be held in spring to align with the yang energy. If the upper class is weak and powerless, the lower class will rise up in rebellion, leading to incidents of slaying monsters. The "I Ching" says: "The clouds follow the dragon." It also states: "The dragon and snake hide to preserve their lives." The activity of yin energy incites dragons and snakes to cause chaos. In the "I Ching," the "Qian" hexagram symbolizes the ruler and also signifies horses. If there is excessive reliance on military force, the ruler's authority will be undermined, resulting in horses harming people. Some also say that the mass death of horses or their transformation into monsters follows this principle. If the ruler is foolish and weak, he will be betrayed by his people and forsaken by heaven. If there is no wise ruler to punish, incidents of usurpation and assassination will occur, leading to rebellions by subordinates. In summary, if the ruler's authority is compromised, it will affect celestial phenomena. The text does not attribute the disturbances in heaven to the five elemental energies, but instead states, "The sun and moon move chaotically, the stars move in reverse," because the lower class does not dare to say that heaven has sent down disasters, just as in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" it says, "The royal army was defeated by the Maorong," not mentioning the faults of the defeated army, but using "self-defeat" as an indirect expression, which implies respect. Liu Xin's "Huangji Zhuan" states that there are symptoms of the lower body being born from above. This means that when subordinates rebel, divine punishment has already occurred, and it can no longer be attributed to illness. In the third year of Taiping, Sun Liang of Sun Wu experienced continuous rain starting in August, with over forty days without rain. At that time, he was about to execute Sun Zhen, but the plan was leaked. On the day of Wuyin in September, Sun Zhen surrounded the royal palace with troops and deposed Sun Liang as King of Kuaiji, which was a punishment of prolonged darkness.
In the twelfth month of the first year of Baoding, during Sun Hao's reign, the astronomers reported that it had not rained for a long time, foretelling that conspiracies and treachery were afoot. Upon hearing this, Sun Hao was greatly alarmed. At that time, Lu Kai and others plotted to overthrow Sun Hao while he was at the temple making sacrifices. However, when the moment came to execute the plan, Liu Ping, leading the troops, refused to participate, causing the scheme to fail. Sun Hao was excessively cruel and tyrannical, and his subordinates were all contemplating rebellion, which ultimately led to the downfall of Sun Wu.
Deng Zhi, the General of Chariots and Cavalry of Shu, went to battle in Fuling and saw a black ape on the mountain and shot it with an arrow. The black ape pulled out the arrow, wrapped leaves around the wound to staunch the bleeding. Deng Zhi said, "Oh! I have violated the laws of nature; I am probably going to die!" Not long after, he died; this is what it means to slay a demon! Some say the black ape was cradling a child, and Deng Zhi shot the child, who pulled out the arrow and used leaves to block the wound. Deng Zhi sighed deeply and cast his crossbow into the water, fully aware that his fate was sealed.
When Emperor Gong of Jin was the Prince of Langye, he had a penchant for peculiar and bizarre games. Once, he confined a horse behind a gate and had his attendants shoot at it to see how many arrows it would take to bring it down. Someone nearby advised him, "The horse is a symbol of the royal family! Shooting it now would be inauspicious!" So he stopped, but the horse had already taken over ten arrows. This too could be seen as slaying a demon! Soon after, he abdicated the throne in favor of Emperor Wu of Song.
On the day of Jia Shen in the first month of the first year of the Qinglong reign under Emperor Ming of Wei, a green dragon appeared in the Mopei Well in Jia County. Generally speaking, when auspicious signs appear at the wrong time, they become ominous, and being trapped in a well is definitely not a good sign. Because of this incident, the Wei state changed its era name, which was actually unnecessary. Gan Bao said: "From the time of Emperor Ming of Wei until the fall of the Wei dynasty, the appearances of the green and yellow dragons were tied to the rise and fall of the Wei state. The state fortune of Wei belongs to wood and is represented by the color green, but it cannot compare to gold. The appearance of the yellow dragon and the disappearance of the green dragon symbolize the loss of green's position and the gaining of yellow's position. The frequent appearances of the green dragon suggest internal strife within Wei's fortunes. Hence, the noble Duke of Gao Gui ultimately faced defeat and death." Liu Xiang stated that the dragon is a symbol of nobility, yet being trapped in a well is a portent of the lords being imprisoned. In the Wei dynasty, dragons frequently appeared in wells, signaling the oppression of the common people by the rulers. The "Qianlong Poetry" written by the noble Duke of Gao Gui conveys this meaning.
On the day of Wu Xu in October of the first year of the Zhengyuan era, a yellow dragon appeared in the well of Ye City.
On the day of Xin Chou in the first month of the first year of the Ganlu era, a green dragon appeared in a well in Zhi County; in June of the same year, the green dragon appeared again in a well in Yuancheng County; in the second year, the green dragon appeared in a well in Wen County; in the third year, both the yellow dragon and the green dragon appeared simultaneously in the wells of Dunqiu, Junxian, and Yangxia counties; in the first month of the fourth year, the yellow dragon appeared twice in the wells of Ningling County.
In recent years, sightings of dragons in wells have become common, and it is unclear what this signifies.
On the day of Jia Shen in December of the first year of the Jingyuan era under Emperor Yuan, a yellow dragon appeared in the well of Huayin County; in the third year, a dragon appeared in the well of Zhi County.
Years later, a dragon was seen in the well again, and this dragon really seems to come and go mysteriously.
During the Tian Ce years of Sun Hao in Wu, a dragon cub appeared in a well in Changsha, even stealing chickens. In Jing Fang's "Yi Yao," it is said: "When a dragon shows up in a household's well, it means those in power will fall to common status." Later, Sun Hao was indeed overthrown by the Jin dynasty. This dragon seems linked to the rise and fall of imperial power.
In the second year of the Xianning era under Emperor Wudi, on the day of Bingwu in June, two white dragons appeared in a well in Jiuyuan. In the fifth year of the Taikang era, on the day of Guimao in January, two dragons appeared in a well in Wuku. When the emperor saw this, he felt quite pleased, and the ministers were all ready to congratulate him. However, Liu Yi was the only one to submit a memorial stating, "In the past, when dragons appeared in the courtyard of the Xia Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty faced trouble; when dragons appeared at the gates of the Zheng State, Zichan did not congratulate." The emperor replied, "My virtuous governance has not yet been established, and I am not qualified to accept such auspicious signs." As a result, no one congratulated him. Sun Sheng said, "Dragons are creatures of the water; what does it have to do with humans! Zichan is right. But if the dragon appears in a place where it shouldn't be, it is a sign of disaster. The appearance of a dragon is indeed an auspicious sign; it should soar in the sky, but now it is hidden in a well, which is not a good omen." In the second year of the Huidi era, two dragons appeared in the well of Lanling, and historical records indicate that this was a precursor to the death of Prince Zhaoyou. Wuku is where the imperial weapons are stored; it is a deep and secretive place, certainly not where a dragon belongs. Seven years later, the vassal kings began to kill each other, and twenty-eight years later, two individuals with the surname Long rebelled and usurped the throne. This dragon truly did come true.
In the second year of the Jianning era under Emperor Mindi, in the eleventh month, a courtesan from the Qiang ethnic group in Fanghan gave birth to a dragon child, with colors like brocade, often breastfeeding, and could see divine light, but rarely clearly. This was a sign that the emperor's reign was declining, and indeed the emperor was eventually overthrown.
In the final years of Lu Zuan's reign, a dragon rose from the well in the eastern wing, coiled in front of his palace, and disappeared the next morning. Then, a black dragon flew onto his palace gate. Lu Zuan believed this was a good omen. Some remarked, "Dragons are yin creatures that appear in a pattern; now appearing one after another, surely someone is going to rebel." Later, Lu Zuan was indeed killed by Lu Chao. This dragon truly is a sign.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, in the Xianning period, two large snakes appeared in the Minister of Works' manor, each over ten zhang long, living on the beams of the office building without anyone realizing it. For several years, there were reports of missing children and livestock in the residence, raising alarm. One night, one of the snakes came out and was injured by a person and couldn't escape, which led to their discovery. The residents quickly attacked the snake, taking quite a while to finally bring it down. The Minister of Works' manor oversees education, and this incident indicates poor governance by the court, leading to such strange occurrences. During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, there were also snakes in the palace, with Yang Ci attributing it to the emperor's indulgence in pleasures of the flesh. During the Wei and Jin periods, there were a lot of palace maids, particularly in Yan, where the emperor indulged in pleasure, which signaled trouble. The Book of Songs says: "Only snakes and vipers, are the disasters of women," which explains this principle.
On the guisi day in the third month of the fifth year of Emperor Huidi's Yuankang reign, a large snake over ten zhang long appeared in Linzi, with two smaller snakes in tow, entering the city through the north gate, passing through the market directly into the Han Jing Prince's temple, and then disappeared. This was a heavenly warning: although Prince Jing of Han had made great achievements in the past, he couldn't keep his integrity and caution intact, ultimately losing his position and achievements. Now, although Prince Qi Jiong has also made contributions, his arrogance has brought disaster, which is a bad sign.
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Han, in the period of Taining, a large snake appeared in Wuchang, living in a hollow tree at an old temple, often sticking its head out for people to feed it. Jing Fang in "Yi Yao" said, "When snakes show up in the city, there'll be a big war within three years." Not long after that, Wang Dun staged a rebellion.
In the first year of Emperor Wu's reign during the Tai Xi period, a horse with long horns appeared in Liaodong, its horns measured three inches long and grew beneath its ears. Liu Xiang said this was a sign of war. Indeed, after the emperor passed away, the royal family faced military calamities, fulfilling this omen. Jing Fang wrote in the "Book of Changes": "When ministers defy the mandate of heaven and governance becomes chaotic, strange occurrences like a horse growing horns will happen, indicating a lack of wise men!" It also stated: "When the emperor personally goes to war, the horse will grow horns." The "Lüshi Chunqiu" also mentioned: "When a ruler loses the way, the horse will grow horns." After Emperor Hui ascended the throne, being foolish and incompetent, and personally leading a campaign to Chengdu, this was all fulfilled.
In the eighth year of Emperor Hui's Yuan Kang era, in December, the crown prince was to hold a sacrificial ceremony. The Grand Tutor Zhao Wang Lun rode in a carriage to the southern city gate, but the horse suddenly stopped, and despite several people pushing, it wouldn't budge. Wang Lun had no choice but to get into a smaller carriage to continue on. This was a calamity brought about by the horse! Heaven was warning: Wang Lun lacked understanding of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame, and would ultimately rebel; he was not someone who taught others to pay respect.
On the Wu Yin day in November of the ninth year, a stallion suddenly ran into the interrogation hall of the Ting Wei in a panic, let out a mournful cry, and died. This was undeniably a warning from heaven, seemingly mourning those who had died unjustly. Could the horse's entrance into the interrogation hall signify heaven's will?
In February of the sixth year of Yong Jia, a celestial horse neighed at the southern city gate. In September of the second year of Jian Xing, a bizarre event occurred in Puzi County where a horse reportedly gave birth to a human! Jing Fang mentioned in the "Book of Changes": "When the emperor dies and the feudal lords attack each other, strange phenomena like horses giving birth to humans will occur." At that time, the royal family was in decline and precarious, with Hu and Di people constantly invading, and the flames of war drawing nearer, not long after the emperor fell, which is why such strange omens appeared.
In the second year of Tai Xing, a horse belonging to the official Pu Yang Yan in Dan Yang County gave birth to a two-headed foal, where the heads split from the front of the neck, which died at birth. Sima Biao explained, "This signifies the power falling into private hands and symbolizes 'two heads'." Later, Wang Dun indeed rebelled.
On the Jia Xu day in May of the eighth year of Xian Kang, a totally blood-red horse appeared, running straight from Xuan Yang Gate to the front of the palace. After circling the palace, it ran away, and everyone chased it but could not find it. By the day of Ji Mao, the emperor felt unwell. In June, the emperor passed away. This red horse was both a sign of disaster and an omen. In the same year, Zhang Chonghua in Liangzhou prepared to execute Zhang Xiang, the governor of Xihe, and surprisingly, all the horses in his stable gave birth to tailless mutants at the same time!
In the tenth month of the fourth year of Long An, a bizarre event happened in Liangzhou when a horse grew horns. The inspector Guo Quan reported this to Huan Xuan. Liu Xiang stated that horses shouldn't grow horns, just as Huan Xuan shouldn't have raised troops to rebel. Huan Xuan did not heed this warning and ultimately met with the fate of his clan being exterminated.
When Shi Jilong was in Ye City, a horse had its tail singed. It entered through the Zhongyang Gate of the palace and exited through the Xianyang Gate. The folks in the Eastern Palace couldn't get in, and it ran northeast, disappearing shortly after. The fortune-teller Fo Tu Cheng sighed, "Disaster is coming!" The following year, Shi Jilong died, and his state perished as well.
During the Huangchu era of Emperor Wen of Wei, Song Shizong's mother from Qinghe turned into a turtle and submerged into the water.
In the third year of the Taihe reign of Emperor Ming, a peasant girl named Qiu Xi died and came back to life. This happened in the camp of Cao Xiu's troops. Around the same time, someone opened an ancient tomb from the Zhou Dynasty and found a buried woman who began to breathe after a few days. Although she couldn't explain what had happened, and according to the inscription on the tombstone, she was about thirty years old. The text "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" states: "The yin becomes yang, the lower becomes the upper." This was a sign of the rise of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty! Similar incidents occurred during the reigns of Emperor Ping and Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, which were seen as omens of the rise of Wang Mang and Cao Cao.
In the fourth year of the Yong'an reign of Sun Xiu, a man named Chen Jiao from Anwu County died and came back to life seven days later and crawled out of his grave. Gan Bao said: "This is similar to the situation of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty. Marquis of Wucheng, Hao, inherited the family business of the deposed imperial descendants, which was a positive omen for his rise to power!"
In the first year of the Baoding reign of Sun Hao, there was a man named Xuan Qian in Danyang. When his eighty-year-old mother was taking a bath, she transformed into a large turtle. Xuan Qian and his brothers quickly closed the door to protect their mother. They dug a large pit in the hall, filled it with water, and the large turtle went in to swim. For a day or two, it kept stretching its neck to look outside. When they slightly opened the door, the turtle turned around and jumped out on its own, swimming to a distant pond and never returning. This was reminiscent of the incident involving the mother of the Huang clan during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, which was a sign of the impending downfall of the Wu state.
In the second year of the Xianxi reign of Emperor Wei, in the eighth month, someone in Xiangwu County reported seeing a giant man over ten feet tall, with footprints measuring over three feet, white hair, wearing a yellow headscarf and yellow robe, leaning on a crutch, calling out the name "Wang Shi" and proclaiming, "Now there will be peace!" Later, the Jin Dynasty replaced the Wei Dynasty.
In the fifth year of Emperor Wu of the Tai Shi era, a seventy-year-old man in Yuancheng grew horns. This was probably a sign of the usurpation of the throne by Zhao Wang Lun!
In the twelfth month of the second year of Xianning, a man named Yan Ji in Langye died of illness. He had been buried for quite some time, but his family dreamt that Yan Ji said, "I am coming back to life, quickly open the coffin!" So the family opened the coffin, and Yan Ji gradually could eat and drink, bend and stretch, and see and hear, but could not walk or speak. Two years later, he died again. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" says, "The extreme of darkness becomes light, the lower becomes the upper, the demonized man dies and is reborn." Later, Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le rebelled, ultimately overthrowing the Jin dynasty, fulfilling the prophecy of "the lower becoming the upper."
During the Yuan Kang period of Emperor Hui, there was a woman named Zhou Shining in Anfeng. At the age of eight, she gradually turned into a man, and by the age of seventeen or eighteen, she had taken on a man's temperament. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" says, "A woman turns into a man; this is referred to as the rise of yin and the lowly becoming kings." This was also a precursor to the chaos caused by Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le!
During the Yongning period, Prince Qi Jiong, under the guise of a rebellion, executed traitors and their ilk, and reinstated the emperor, enjoying great prestige for a while. But at this time, a woman ran to the gate of the Grand Marshal's mansion, asking to leave her baby there. When asked by the gatekeeper what was happening, the woman casually replied, "I’ll be on my way as soon as I give birth." At that time, Prince Qi Jiong was praised by everyone for supporting the royal family, but some perceptive individuals sensed he was headed for trouble. Indeed, later on, Qi Jiong was killed.
On the day of Jiazi in the twelfth month of the first year of Yongning, an old man with white hair ran to the Grand Marshal's mansion of Prince Qi Jiong, shouting loudly, "There will be a great army coming, within ten days!" In a fit of rage, Prince Qi Jiong ordered his execution. As a result, on the day of Wuchen in the twelfth month of the following year, Prince Qi Jiong was defeated, just as the old man had predicted ten days earlier!
In the first month of the first year of Tai'an, on the Guichou day in April, a man claiming to have come from Longmen ran to the front of the palace, kowtowed twice to the north, and said, "I should be the Chief of the Imperial Secretariat!" He was immediately arrested and executed after making this claim. Gan Bao commented on this incident: "The imperial palace is a place of great nobility and mystery. Now, a lowly person can easily enter, while the guards did not notice at all. This indicates that the palace is on the verge of emptiness, and it is a sign of the demon that the lower class will dominate the upper class!" Later, the emperor relocated to Ye City, and then to Chang'an, and the imperial palace was finally empty.
In the Yuankang period, there was a woman from the Liang Kingdom who was engaged to someone, and they had already received the betrothal gifts. However, shortly after, her husband was conscripted to Chang'an and did not return for several years. Her family then arranged for her to marry someone else. Reluctant to marry, she was pressured by her parents, so she had no choice but to go. Sadly, she passed away soon after. When her husband eventually returned and asked about her, her family told him what had happened. He ran to his wife's grave, heartbroken, and shockingly dug her up. Surprisingly, his wife was alive, so they returned home together. Later, when the new husband found out, he filed a complaint with the government, but the officials were at a loss. The Secretary Wang Dao suggested, "This is a unique case that defies common sense. She should be returned to her former husband." The court adopted his suggestion.
During the reign of Emperor Hui, a maid in Du Xi's house died, and for some reason, she was not buried in time. Ten years later, the grave was opened for a joint burial, and surprisingly, the maid was alive! Initially, she appeared to be asleep, but after a while, she slowly woke up and remarked that it felt like she had only slept for two days. The maid was buried at the age of fifteen or sixteen, and when the grave was opened, she was still fifteen or sixteen years old. Eventually, she married, had children, and lived a normal life.
In the first year of Guangxi, there was a woman named Xie Zhen in Kuaiji who gave birth to a child with a very large head, hair, feet pointing upwards, and both male and female genitalia. The child let out a man's cry at birth and died a day later. This indicated that the emperor's rule was ineffective, and the lower class wanted to resist the ailments of the upper class, leading to signs of rebellion among the princes.
During the reign of Emperor Hui, there was a person in Luoyang who exhibited both male and female traits, was able to have sexual relations with both men and women, and had a particularly strong sexual desire. These were all bizarre phenomena that emerged during turbulent times. From the time of Xianning and Taikang, male favorites became all the rage, even more than women, with officials and nobles competing for them. People all over the world followed suit, resulting in divorces, bitterness, and chaos between the sexes, which led to the appearance of demons and monsters.
In the first year of Yongjia, a servant girl named Wan Xiang in Wu County gave birth to a monster: a bird head, horse hoof legs, only one hand, no hair, and a yellow tail, about the size of a pillow. This was yet another ominous sign of the chaos to come.
In May of the fifth year, a prostitute of the county magistrate Yan Gen in Fanghan gave birth to a dragon, a daughter, and a goose. The "Yi Zhuan" attributed to Jing Fang states: "When a human gives birth to something unnatural, it is a sign of a large-scale war about to break out in the world." At that time, the emperor inherited the throne from Emperor Hui, and soon the world fell into chaos, eventually being killed by the barbarians in Pingyang. This was truly a portent!
In the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Ming Jiande, the wife of Ren Qiao, an official in Xinchai County, gave birth to two daughters. Their stomachs and hearts were connected, with their chests above and their bellies below, yet separated. This was an unprecedented occurrence! At that time, the Grand Historian Lu Hui reported, "According to the records of the 'Rui Ying Tu', when roots are joined, it is referred to as intertwined branches, and when two ears of grain grow from the same plant, it is called auspicious. Even the strange phenomena of connected plants are considered auspicious, not to mention when two people are of one mind and heart. The 'Book of Changes' says 'Two people of one mind, their benefits are like breaking gold.' This is a sign of peace in the realm!" At that time, everyone thought he was being ridiculous. However, not long after, the world fell apart and the emperor died.
In the early years of the Emperor Yuan's reign, there was a woman whose genitals were on her stomach, below her navel. She came from the Central Plains to Jiangdong and was known for her promiscuity, but could not conceive. Another woman had her genitals on her head, who appeared at a ferry crossing in Yangzhou, also with a promiscuous nature. Jing Fang's 'Yi Yao' says, "When a person gives birth and their genitals are on their head, the world will be in chaos; if on the stomach, major events will occur; if on the back, there will be no descendants." At that time, Wang Dun occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and planned to rebel, which served as a portent!
In December of the third year, the wife of Shangshu Zou Xie Ping gave birth to a daughter who emitted a "bi bi" sound as soon as she was born, and then died shortly after. Her nose and eyes were on the top of her head, her face resembled a neck, with teeth on her mouth all connected, her chest was like a turtle shell, and her hands and feet were clawed like a bird's, all bent downwards. This was yet another unprecedented occurrence of birthing something non-human. Two years later, the defeat of the Stone Soldiers took place.
In July of the second year of the Ming Emperor Taiping, the wife of Ji, the Marquis of Danyang Jiangning, died, and three days later came back to life.
In April of the year 340 AD, Wang He from Xia Pi in Xuzhou moved to Danyang. His daughter, who was twenty years old, claimed to have descended from heaven and said she had received an imperial jade seal bestowed by the heavens, and that she would become the mother of the world in the future. The Prefect of Danyang thought this was an aberration and had her arrested and imprisoned. In November, a man with a mulberry wood staff and wearing crimson clothes arrived at the gate of the palace, claiming to be a sage sent to see the emperor. The guard recorded his words, and this man named Lv Ci said that there were seven stars under the right foot of Wang He's daughter, each with hair and seven inches long, and that heaven intended to make her the mother of the world. After this was reported, Lv Ci was executed, and Wang He's daughter was also put to death.
In October of the year 341 AD, General Wei Guowang led his troops to camp at the Chen Du Women's Platform, where a soldier's foot bore the words "Mother of the World," which became even more pronounced after moxibustion. This caused a stir in the capital, and the soldier was arrested and reported to the authorities. However, the soldier soon escaped from Jiankang prison. The following year, the emperor passed away, and the Empress Dowager assumed control of the government, which was probably a sign.
Around the year 379 AD, in Ling County, Nanzhou State, there was a woman named Tang who gradually transformed into a man.
In the year 405 AD, in Wuxi, there was a man named Zhao who suddenly grew to eight feet tall and developed a beard at the age of eight, but died three days later.
Between the years 405 and 410 AD, in Dongyang, a family surnamed Mo had a daughter who was not raised and was buried for several days. However, the cries of a baby were heard emanating from the ground, and when they dug her out, the child was miraculously found to be alive.
Around the year 410 AD, in Yuzhang, there was a place called Er Yang Dao, where multiple pairs of twins were born consecutively.
In the year 418 AD, in Jian'an, there was a place called Yang Dao, where a headless baby was born but miraculously developed into a normal person, although with a body resembling that of a woman.
