During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei in the Taihe era, there was a popular song in the capital called "The Song of the Bell-Ringing Cao," with lyrics singing "What can you do about it?" This song foretold of misfortune! Later, Cao Shuang was killed, and the Cao family fell into decline from that point forward.
During the Jingchu era, there was a nursery rhyme circulating among the people: "Grandfather drives a horse carriage, unexpectedly crossing the river to the east; what will happen when Grandfather returns!" When Emperor Xuan returned from Liaodong and arrived at Baiwu, preparing to return to Chang'an, the emperor fell seriously ill and urgently summoned him back to the capital. He then crossed the Yellow River on a fast carriage, and the nursery rhyme's prophecy was fulfilled.
During the reign of King Jia of Qi, a rumor appeared: "The white horse gallops to the southwest; who rides it is Zhu Hu." This "Zhu Hu" was a nickname for the King of Chu. Wang Ling and Linghu Yu, upon hearing this rumor, conspired to support the King of Chu, Sima Biao. The conspiracy was uncovered, and Wang Ling and others were executed, while Sima Biao was also sentenced to death.
In the early years of Sun Liang's reign in Wu, there was a nursery rhyme circulating among the people: "Oh you Ke, what to do, wearing a reed single cloth bound with ropes, seeking the Constant Son Pavilion." "Constant Son Pavilion" is a euphemism, referring to a stone pit. Later, Zhuge Ke was indeed killed, his body wrapped in reed mats, bound with bamboo ropes, and thrown into the stone pit. It was only later that Zhuge Ke's former subordinates found his body in the stone pit.
In the early years of Sun Liang's reign, there was an occurrence of white toads croaking in the Gong'an area. At that time, there was a nursery rhyme saying: "White toads chirp, turtle back flat. In the city of Nanjun, one can escape quickly, guarding against death without honor." "In the city of Nanjun, one can escape quickly" refers to escaping quickly. The following year, Zhuge Ke was defeated; his brother Zhuge Rong, stationed in Gong'an, was also attacked. Zhuge Rong removed his gold seal, wore a turtle shell battle robe, and died. Toads have scales, symbolizing military forces; the color white is also considered a symbol of good fortune.
In the second year of Yong'an under Sun Xiu, the hostages kept by the generals were playing together when suddenly a strange child ran over and said, "The Three Dukes are plowing, just like Sima." He then added, "I am not human; I am a comet." After saying this, he ascended into the sky, and when looked up at, he seemed to be dragging a white ribbon, and soon disappeared. Gan Bao said, "Four years later, the Shu state will perish, six years later, the Wei state will perish, and twenty-one years later, the Wu state will perish." Thus, the world came under the Jin dynasty. The three states of Wei, Wu, and Shu waged war against each other, and the phrase "The Three Dukes are plowing, just like Sima" foretold this war.
Sun Hao sent someone to the shrine to the demons at the foot of Shiyin Mountain to worship, and that person wrote this sentence in vermilion on the Dan Cliff: "The Chu state has lakes in nine provinces, the Wu state has land in nine provinces. A scholar emerged from Yangzhou and became the emperor. Four generations in power, and the world is at peace!" Upon hearing this, Sun Hao grew even more arrogant and said, "From the Great Emperor to me, it has already been four generations. If we talk about the peaceful emperor, who else but me!" He further intensified his tyrannical rule and soon died, which was almost a fulfillment of that ominous prophecy.
During Sun Hao's reign, a nursery rhyme circulated among the people: "Ah Tong, oh Ah Tong, wandering with a knife by the river. Not afraid of the beasts on the shore, just afraid of the dragon in the water." When Emperor Wu of Jin heard this nursery rhyme, he awarded Wang Jun the title of "Dragon Soaring General." When it came time to campaign against Wu, other armies had no particularly notable achievements, but it was only Wang Jun who first captured Jianye (Moling).
In the third year of the Taikang reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, after the destruction of Wu, children's rhymes began to circulate in Jiangnan: "Flesh shrinks into a lump, eyes look askew, the Central Plains will surely fall, and the Wu kingdom is destined to rise again." There were also sayings like: "The pillars of the palace will all decay, the Wu kingdom will revive, in thirty years." And also: "Even the crowing of the rooster does not flap its wings, the revival of the Wu kingdom will not require effort." At that time, the people of Wu believed these prophecies pointed to the descendants of the Sun family, so those who wanted to rebel emerged one after another. The term "Hengmu" spanned nearly forty years from the fall of the Wu kingdom to the establishment of the Jin Dynasty by Emperor Yuan, who started his career in Jiangdong, just as the children's rhymes had predicted. Emperor Yuan was known for his hesitance and indecisiveness, which was what "shrinking flesh" referred to.
In the later years of the Taikang era, a song called "Breaking Willow Branches" became popular in the capital, singing about the cruelty and hardships of war at first, and ending with the capture and execution of prisoners. During that time, the three Yang clans held immense power but ultimately faced extermination, with the empress dowager also being deposed and dying in the harem, which echoed the themes of "Breaking Willow Branches."
During the Yongxi reign of Emperor Hui, a madman emerged in Wen County, Henan, who wrote down these words: "Bright and long texts, a large halberd as a wall. Though poison may be administered, the halberd will ultimately harm itself." He also wrote: "Two fires without a place, alas, autumn orchids. Returning to the street post, ultimately becoming a topic of lamentation." This referred to Yang Jun controlling the inner palace, using the halberd guards to protect himself, but ending up dying under the halberd as well. After Empress Yang was deposed, Empress Jia cut off her food and drink for eight days, causing Empress Yang to starve to death and be buried north of the street post pavilion, with the common people sympathized with her. "Two fires" referred to the taboo name of Emperor Wu, and "autumn orchids" was the style name of Empress Yang.
During that time, there was also a children's rhyme circulating: "At the end of the second month, beginning of the third month, the Jingbi and Yangban issue decrees, the noble steeds in the palace are treated like donkeys." This was referring to Yang Jun's monopoly of power, with the Prince of Chu also holding real power, hence the reference to "Jingbi and Yangban." If these two individuals were not eliminated, the relationship between ruler and subjects would be turned upside down, hence the reference to "treating noble steeds like donkeys."
In the Yuankang era, there was a nursery rhyme circulating in Luoyang: "The southern wind rises, blowing white sand, looking far to the Lu state, how lofty, the ancient skull sprouts teeth." It also said: "The son in the east of the city, don’t hum, compared to next year, entangled with the women." "Nan Feng" refers to Jia's Empress, "white" refers to the Jin Dynasty, "sand" is the prince's nickname, and "Lu" is Jia Mi's feudal state. This nursery rhyme predicts that Jia Hou will rebel with Jia Mi, endangering the prince, while Zhao Wang will take the opportunity to suppress the loyalists, eventually usurping the throne, but ending up with a miserable fate.
During the Yuankang period, all merchants and farmers were focused on the Zha Ri tax system. At that time, there was a nursery rhyme circulating: "Tusu covers the two ears, when a blind child becomes emperor." Later, Zhao Wang Lun usurped the throne, and his eyes did have problems; he was blind. After Zhao Wang Lun usurped the throne, there was another nursery rhyme circulating in Luoyang: "A beast from the north, sweat dripping from its snout, the dragon comes from the south, scaling the city walls, the water comes from the west to flood the river." A few months later, the princes of Qi, Chengdu, Hejian, and others rose up in arms to unite against Zhao Wang Lun. Chengdu Wang was in Ye, to the west, so it was said "the beast comes from the north"; Qi Wang was in Xuchang, to the east, so it was said "the dragon comes from the south"; Hejian Wang's water source was in Guanzhong, to the west, so it was said "the water comes from the west." Qi Wang stayed behind to assist in governance, living in the west of the palace, and harbored ambitions of usurping the throne, hence "climbing the city walls to observe."
During the Taian period, there was a nursery rhyme circulating among the people: "Five horses cross the river, one horse turns into a dragon." Later, there was great chaos in the Central Plains, and many royal family members died; only a few royal members, including Langya Wang, Runan Wang, Xiyang Wang, Nandun Wang, and Pengcheng Wang, managed to escape to Jiangdong, and eventually the Yuan Emperor inherited the throne.
After Sima Yue returned to Luoyang, another nursery rhyme appeared: "A large rat in Lu, two feet long; if you don't leave early, a big dog will come." When Gou Xi was about to defeat Ji Sang, another nursery rhyme appeared: "The Yuan brothers have a major falling out, Shang Sang hits the Shans for Gou." As a result, Sima Yue developed a dislike for Gou Xi, seized his Yanzhou, and the conflict between them escalated.
When Emperor Min just ascended the throne, there was a children's song that said, "Where is the emperor in the bean fields?" In the fourth year of Jianxing, Emperor Min surrendered to Liu Yao, which indeed took place in the bean field camp to the east of the city. During the Jianxing period, a folk song was circulating in the Jiangnan region: "It goes: 'Like a broken white pit, Hong gathers to hold as a pot. Yangzhou is defeated, Wuxing is overturned.'" To explain, in this song, "white" refers to the Jin Dynasty, and "pit" refers to a large pot with a mouth; the pot is sturdy, resembling metal. "Like a broken white pit" refers to both capital cities, Luoyang and Jiankang, being captured, with the royal family suffering immense devastation. "Gathered to hold as a pot" refers to Emperor Yuan gathering the remaining subjects to support the court, but failing to reclaim the Central Plains and only managing to hold onto Jiangnan, hence the metaphor. Later, the Battle of Shi Cheng occurred, with the Jin army suffering a major defeat, soldiers looting the capital, even reaching the imperial palace. Three years later, Qian Feng attacked the capital again, establishing defenses by the rivers, stalemating for over a month, ultimately setting fire to the city, filling wells and destroying trees. After Qian Feng and others retreated in defeat, Shen Chong fled back to Wuxing with his accomplices, pursued by the official army, trampling counties along the way. Shen Chong and his son were killed, along with hundreds of others. In the folk song, "Yangzhou is defeated, Wuxing is overturned," "pot" also refers to a pottery vessel, smaller than a "pot." During the reign of Emperor Ming in the Taiping era, another children's song appeared: "Sad and strong, release the horse on the mountain side. The big horse dies, the small horse is hungry. The high mountain collapses, the stone breaks on its own." Later, Emperor Ming died, and Emperor Cheng was still young, pressured by Su Jun, forced to move to Shi Cheng, not even having enough food to eat; this illustrates "the big horse dies, the small horse is hungry." "High mountain" refers to Su Jun, and "stone" refers to Su Jun's brother Su Shi. After Su Jun's death, Su Shi occupied Shi Cheng, later being defeated by the imperial army, fulfilling the prophecy that "the high mountain collapses and the stone breaks on its own."
When Emperor Chengdi was about to die, a nursery rhyme suddenly echoed: "Boom, boom, the carriage enters the imperial tomb." Not long after, the emperor passed away, and the imperial carriage came to a stop.
In the twelfth month of the second year of Xiankang, a folk saying circulated in Hebei: "When wheat is buried in the ground, Shi Le and Shi Wu will be killed." Later, this saying turned out to be true.
When Yu Liang was first stationed in Wuchang, passing by Shitoucheng, the common people sang songs by the riverside, singing: "Lord Yu goes to Wuchang, as light as a bird in flight; Lord Yu returns to Yangzhou, with a white horse drawing the banners." Some also sang: "Lord Yu just took office, as swift as a flying crow; Lord Yu returns to Yangzhou, with a white horse pulling tassels." Eventually, Yu Liang was summoned by the court several times, but he never went, and finally died in the place where he was stationed. After he died, his coffin was returned to the capital for burial, exactly as sung in the folk songs.
During the Shengping period of Emperor Mu, children suddenly began singing a song called "Azifen" in the street. After singing the song, they asked, "Azifen, did you hear it?" Not long after, the emperor passed away, and the Empress Dowager cried and said, "Azifen, did you hear it?" It was just as the song had foretold.
Towards the end of the Shengping period, a song called "Liang Ge" suddenly became popular among the people. After hearing it, a man named Hu Qian remarked, "Liang means to approach. The song sings 'Approaching the white gate, approaching the palace courtyard,' both inside and outside are approaching; this poses a significant taboo for the state!" Not long after, Emperor Mu passed away.
At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Aidi Longhe, a nursery rhyme went: "Shengping is not even worth a bushel, how long can Longhe last! Duke Huan entered Shitoucheng, and Your Majesty fled barefoot." The court was incensed upon hearing this, and quickly changed the reign title to Xingning. As a result, people began to sing: "Although it has been changed to Xingning, the days are still just as sad." Not long after, Emperor Aidi passed away. Emperor Mu passed away in the fifth year of Shengping, not even a bushel, marking less than ten years of the Shengping period.
During the reign of Haixi Gong in the Taihe period, the common folk sang a song: "Green willows line the imperial road, white horse with purple reins. You are not the Crown Prince, how can you have sweet nectar?" Those who understood said, "'White' symbolizes gold, 'horse' represents the royal family. Purple is the color of usurping the orthodox, using purple to indirectly refer to red." Not long after, Haixi Gong was deposed, his three sons were not his biological sons, and in the end, they were strangled to death using horse reins. The day after his death, the south surprisingly offered sweet nectar.
As the end of the Taihe period approached, a nursery rhyme sang: "Plowing oxen plow the imperial road, planting wheat at the white gate." After Haixi Gong was deposed, the common folk actually plowed and planted wheat at his doorstep, just like the nursery rhyme.
When Haixi Gong had a son, the common folk sang a song: "The phoenix gives birth to a chick, the world is all delighted. Originally thought to be a colt, now confirmed as a dragon son!" These song lyrics are written really well, and the meaning is profound. In fact, Haixi Gong did not have a son of his own; he had someone around him have a child with a eunuch from the palace and then claimed the child as his own.
When Huan Shimin was the inspector of Jingzhou, stationed at Shangming, the common folk suddenly began singing a song: "Yellow Tanzi!" The song also sang: "Yellow Tan Ying, the great Buddha of Yangzhou comes to Shangming." Not long after, he died, and Wang Chen replaced him as the inspector of Jingzhou. "Yellow Tanzi" was Wang Chen's nickname; his nickname was Big Buddha, and "the great Buddha comes to Shangming" was how it came about.
In the late years of Emperor Xiaowu's reign, there was a rumor circulating in Jingkou: "Yellow hen, don't imitate the rooster's crow. Once the feathers are shed, you must roost in a desolate nest." Not long after, Wang Gong raised troops to kill Wang Guobao, but was quickly defeated by Liu Laozhi, thus the saying "roost in a desolate nest."
King Sima Daozi of Kuaiji built an earthen mound in the Eastern Palace and named it Lingshuo Mountain. Not long after, Sun En rebelled and recaptured Kuaiji. Kuaiji was the title bestowed upon Daozi. Lingshuo was Sun En's nickname.
Yǔ Kǎi defended Liyang, and the common people sang: "Zhong Luo Li, Zhong Luo Li, Your Excellency heads south without returning." Later, Yǔ Kǎi fled south to seek refuge with Huán Xuán, only to be killed by him.
Yīn Zhòngkān was in Jingzhou when the children's song went: "Máng lóng yǎn, shéng fà dù. Yīn dāng bài, Huán dāng fù." Not long after, Yīn Zhòngkān was defeated, and Huán Xuán took over Jingzhou.
Wáng Gōng defended Jīngkǒu and raised an army to kill Wáng Guóbǎo. The common people spread a rumor: "Last year we ate white rice, this year we eat wheat bran. The heavens are going to punish you, causing discomfort in your throat. Throat discomfort, and more discomfort; Jīngkǒu fails again and again." Those in the know said: "Last year we ate white rice, which means he was in a good position. This year we eat wheat bran, which is rough and lacks essence, indicating he is about to fail, and the heavens are going to punish him. Throat discomfort, gasping for breath, is a sign of impending doom. Failing again and again is a repeated warning." Wáng Gōng soon died, and a cough illness spread in the capital, accompanied by sore throats.
When Wáng Gōng was stationed at Jīngkǒu, a rumor suddenly spread among the common people: "The yellow-haired child is plotting a rebellion; fortunately, Grandpa (referring to Wáng Gōng) is in the city and has caught him." Some also said: "The yellow-haired little man wants to rebel, thanks to the golden blade (referring to Wáng Gōng's power) protecting us." Notice how adding the character "gōng" above "huáng" forms "Wáng Gōng," and adding "gōng" below "xiǎo rén" also forms "Wáng Gōng." This rumor is quite accurate!
During the reign of Emperor An of the Jin Dynasty, the common people suddenly sang a song called "Ao Nao", which says: "Grass can be gathered at will, women can also be picked at will." Not long after, Huan Xuan usurped the throne, and his rebel army captured the capital on the second day of the third month. Huan Xuan was killed. Huan Xuan's palace maids, as well as the families, children, and concubines of the rebels, were all considered spoils of war and distributed among the soldiers. From the Ou Yue in the east to the Huai Si region in the north, everyone had a share. Therefore, the song says "grass can be collected," referring to the situation at that time; "women can be chosen," referring to those women who were rewarded.
After Huan Xuan usurped the throne, there was a nursery rhyme: "Grass grows as high as a horse's belly, crows peck out Huan Xuan's eyes." After Huan Xuan's failure, he fled to Jiangling, which was exactly in mid-May, fulfilling the rhyme's prophecy.
In the early years of the reign of Emperor Yi of the Jin Dynasty, there was a nursery rhyme that said: "The reeds raised by the court turned into rushes, the reeds grew more and more, piling up like mountains." At that time, the court heavily favored Lu Long, giving him high-ranking positions and rich rewards, granting him prosperous states and counties, and treating him extremely well. However, Lu Long repaid kindness with enmity, rebelled, and became an enemy of the court. "The reeds grew more and more, piling up like mountains" accurately predicted that after Lu Long's failure, his followers would be executed, piled up like so much grass and brush.
Lu Long took over Guangzhou, and the common people composed a folk song for him: "Reeds grow endlessly, reaching halfway to the sky." Later, Lu Long controlled several states upstream of the Yangtze River, and his army approached the capital, fulfilling the saying of "reaching halfway to the sky."
In the second year of the Yixi era, the children would raise their hands and chant "Lu Jianjian" when they met on the road, then say "Dou Tan Dou Tan," and finally say "Weng Nian Lao Weng Nian Lao." Back then, no one understood what it meant. Later, when Lulong attacked the capital, the rivers were crowded with ships, and "Jianjian" symbolized Lulong's formidable military strength. When Lulong reached Chapu, he repeatedly challenged the court to battle, and "Dou Tan" was also fulfilled. "Weng Nian Lao" referred to many high-ranking officials in the court who were already elderly, signaling that the rebellion would soon be suppressed. A rumor circulated at the time: "Lu Chengcheng, floating with the current, when the east wind suddenly rises, where can anyone still enter Shitou City!" Lulong ultimately suffered defeat and indeed did not enter Shitou City.
Wen Qiao said to Yu Liang, "Guo Jingchun's divination is very accurate, but he didn't say it all. Our fates are tied to the nation, and he only said 'great fortune and great profit,' suggesting that their plans were bound to succeed." Thus, they together eliminated Wang Dun.
When Fu Jian first came to power, there was a nursery rhyme that went: "Fu Jian has been in power for thirty years, if he is to be defeated, it will be by the riverside." Fu Jian ruled for exactly thirty years and was defeated in the Battle of Feishui, thus fulfilling this nursery rhyme. There was also a rumor that said, "The river water is clear again, Fu Jian dies in New City." Later, Fu Jian was killed by Yao Chang and died in New City, which also fulfilled this nursery rhyme. Another song said, "Fish and sheep rise, to destroy Qin." Those who understood believed that "fish and sheep" referred to delicacies, and "rise" referred to the lowly; Fu Jian claimed to be Qin, meaning that those who would destroy him were the Xianbei. His ministers advised him to kill all the Xianbei, but he did not listen. As a result, after the defeat in the Battle of Huainan, he was first attacked by Murong Chong and then killed by Yao Chang, resulting in his death and the collapse of his state.
In the sixth year of Emperor Wu of the Tai Kang period, two fierce, two-legged beasts were presented from Nanyang, leading to an unusual event. A knowledgeable person wrote an article saying, "Emperor Wu's image has been damaged, the golden beast has lost its grace, the holy ruler is following the will of heaven; what could this strange occurrence mean?" This is considered a sign of impending turmoil. Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" states, "A lack of feet indicates an inability to support below." Gan Bao believed, "Beasts symbolize Yin essence, residing in a Yang realm; they are golden beasts. Nanyang is associated with fire. The golden essence loses its form when it enters the fire; this foretells unrest within the royal family." The number six represents water; when water reaches its peak, the malevolent force of fire will emerge. In the ninth year of Yuan Kang, the crown prince was assassinated, fourteen years after the presentation of the beast. Fourteen, the product of two and seven, symbolizes a fire that continues to multiply. From Emperor Wu's ascension to Emperor Min Hui being deposed, a total of thirty-five years have passed.
In the seventh year of Tai Kang, on the day of Bing Chen in November, a four-horned beast appeared in Hejian, which was presented by King Yong. The heavenly warning seemed to indicate that horns symbolize weapons, while four horns represent the four cardinal directions, and there will be uprisings from all directions. Later, King Yong of Hejian indeed united the armies of the four directions, thus fulfilling this prophecy.
In the fifth year of the Yongjia period of Emperor Huai, a strange creature appeared in Yanling. According to Guo Jingchun's divination, "In the county east of this prefecture, there will be a demon who wants to claim the throne, but he will soon meet his demise." Later, Xu Fu of Wuxing rebelled, killed the commandant Yuan Xiu, and was quickly eliminated, thus fulfilling this prophecy.
On a certain day in January of the year 326 AD, a deer unexpectedly appeared at the Le Xian Hall in Kuaiji Commandery during a ceremony to honor exemplary filial sons. They caught it, and Sun Sheng believed it was an auspicious sign. These exemplary filial sons were indeed rare talents; Le Xian Hall was built to nurture and place such talents. However, following the turmoil, societal morals have declined, and these exemplary filial sons who took the exams struggled to meet the passing standards in all four subjects. The sudden appearance of the deer might be related to this!
In the year 327 AD, on a day in October, a sika deer ran into the mansion of the Eastern Sea King. The townsfolk buzzed about it, saying, "A sika deer ran into the Eastern Sea King's mansion!" Those in the know found it odd. Later, the Eastern Sea King was dethroned, and then it became clear that the sika deer had run into his mansion.
In the year 367 AD, on a day in April, after the sacrificial activities ended, a rabbit ran into the ancestral temple. It felt like heaven was sending us a warning: a rabbit is a wild animal, and it ran into the ancestral temple; this was a terrible omen!
A dog raised by Gongsun Wenyi's family actually wore a hat, wearing red garments, and ran onto the roof! This is a dog disaster! The roof is a high and perilous place. It felt like heaven was sending us a warning: being high and mighty, looking down on others, a dog even wearing a hat! Later, Gongsun Wenyi proclaimed himself as the King of Yan, and was indeed destroyed by the State of Wei. As stated in the Book of Changes, "When the ruler is not upright, the ministers will have thoughts of usurping the throne, and there will be demonic dogs appearing outside the court gates."
Ying Qu, the attendant of the State of Wei, suddenly saw a white dog running out of his residence while he was on duty, but when he asked others, no one had seen it. A year later, Ying Qu died, likely another sign of canine misfortune.
Zhuge Ke of the State of Wu returned from his expedition to Huainan and was on his way to a court meeting, but his dog kept biting his clothes. Zhuge Ke remarked, "Is the dog trying to stop me?" So he sat back down. After a while, he got up again, and the dog bit his clothes again. So he ordered the dog to be driven away, then got on the carriage, only to meet his demise the moment he entered the palace.
In the year 284 AD, a dog appeared in Youzhou that had dug over three hundred furrows in the ground with its nose. It felt like heaven was sending us a warning: at that time, the emperor did not listen to the advice of He Qiao, and instead made Hui Di the emperor, leading to the decline of the country. This was the consequence of ignoring wise counsel!
During the reign of Emperor Hui in the Yuan Kang period, a family in Lou County, Wu County, heard the sound of puppies barking underground. They dug it up and found one male and one female puppy. They put the puppies back in the hole and covered it with a millstone, but overnight, the puppies disappeared. It seemed like a warning from heaven: the emperor was weakening, and the princes were fighting each other, so the dog disaster occurred.
In the year 317 AD, the dog in the home of Zhu Kui, the governor of Danyang, gave birth to three puppies, but all three puppies were born without heads. Later, Zhu Kui was killed by Cao Wu, the governor of Yangzhou.
In the fifth year of Yongjia, there was a person named Zhang Lin in Jiaxing, Zhejiang. His dog actually said, "People all over the world are going to starve to death!" As a result, the "Erhu Rebellion" indeed occurred; there was a severe drought in the world, and a famine broke out. Isn't it strange?
In the first year of Jianxing, dogs and pigs actually mated! This is not a good sign! Similar incidents occurred during the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, as recorded in the "Book of Han." It was said to be a sign of chaos in the world, known as the "dog-pig calamity," where dogs represent military disasters and pigs represent the Xiongnu in the north. These two animals should not be together, and by mixing them together, it's bound to bring trouble! Shortly after, the emperor was killed by the Xiongnu, fulfilling the prophecy!
During the reign of Emperor Yuan, Zhang Mao, the governor of Wu County, frequently heard dogs barking under his bed in the meditation room, but couldn't find anything after searching for a long time. Later, the ground suddenly cracked open, revealing two puppies within. Zhang Mao rescued them and brought them home, but both puppies died. Shortly thereafter, Zhang Mao was murdered by Shen Chong. The "Book of Changes" states, as Jing Fang noted, "When treacherous ministers are present, dogs will cause disturbances."
In the fourth year of the Taixing era, there was a man named He Xu in Lujiang's Lin County. Suddenly, they suddenly heard barking from underground. They dug and found a skinny, gray female dog that ran into the bushes and disappeared. Two puppies were left behind, one male and one female. He Xu raised them; the female dog died, but the male dog survived and grew particularly fierce, able to kill wild animals. Later, the village where He Xu lived was destroyed by barbarians.
During the Long'an period of Emperor An, every night in Wu County, dogs could be heard barking and gathering on the bridge. There were more dogs than households combined! Someone sneaked out at night to take a look and said, "It looks like one dog has three or four heads, all barking at once!" Not long after that, Sun En started a rebellion in the Wu County area. At that time, General Fuguo Sun Wuzhong lived in Jiyang, and the sound of puppies barking was heard underground at his home. Upon digging, two puppies, one male and one female, both white, were found. Despite being raised, both puppies eventually died. Eventually, Sun Wuzhong met his end at the hands of Huan Xuan. "Shizi" says, "There are dogs underground, called earth wolves." "Summer Dingzhi" says, "Digging out a dog from the ground, called Jia." These are all natural phenomena that shouldn't happen but did, leading to disasters caused by dogs!
Huan Xuan was on the verge of being crowned King of Chu; the throne was prepared for the coronation ceremony, and all the ministers were waiting. However, before Huan Xuan could make his appearance, a dog suddenly ran up and urinated on his seat! Everyone was frightened. Huan Xuan, who was devoid of virtue, was attempting to seize the throne, and the dog urinating on his seat served as a warning that he couldn't hold that position securely! Eighty days later, Huan Xuan met his downfall!
In the year 233 AD, on a certain day in January, a meteorite fell in the Shouguang area. According to the records of "Zuo Zhuan," which means that meteorites are stars that have fallen. Historian Liu Xin believed that the falling of stars in the Song State foreshadowed that while Duke Xiang of Song would receive support from the vassals, he would ultimately not succeed. A similar meteorite event occurred during the reign of Qin Shi Huang, and Ban Gu believed that meteorites belonged to the Yin classification and were "white auspicious signs," indicating that ministers would pose a threat to the monarch, and later Emperor Xuan of Han was able to take power.
In May of the year 284 AD, two meteorites fell in Wen County and the Heyang area; in the following year in January, three meteorites fell in Wen County. In May of the year 300 AD, a star fell in the Feixiang area; in the following year in January, two meteorites fell in Liangzhou area. In May of the year 250 AD, a large stone appeared in Yangxian County, standing upright on its own. Jing Fang noted in the "Yi Zhuan," "A commoner signifies good fortune for the emperor," meaning that if the stone stands on the mountain and shares the same surname as the emperor, it is a good omen; if it stands on flat ground and shares a different surname than the emperor, it is not a good omen. Gan Bao believed that this was a sign that Sun Hao, who came from a humble background, could become emperor, and some said it was a good omen for Sun Xiu to become emperor.
In the year 289 AD, a stone emerged in the Yiqiu area west of the Luoyang Palace. Initially, it was only three feet high, shaped like a censer, but later it took on the shape of a hunchbacked person, flat and thin, impossible to excavate. Liu Xiang believed this was a "white calamity," an inauspicious sign. The following year, there was a mishap with the palace carriage, the emperor passed away, and the royal family began to descend into chaos, ultimately leading to the downfall of the country. Jing Fang also said in the "Yi Zhuan," "A stone standing like a person, a commoner becomes a hero of the world," which aligns closely with the circumstances surrounding this stone.
In December of the year 305 AD, a stone also appeared in Yiniangli. In the year 306 AD, it was reported in Xiangyang Prefecture that a singing stone was discovered; when struck, its sound could be heard for seven to eight li. In the year 309 AD, a large stone appeared in Xiajia Lake in Danyang County, floating for two hundred steps before reaching the shore. The common people panicked and exclaimed to each other, "The stone has arrived!" Gan Bao said that an incident occurred in which ice-like stones fell into Jianye.
The Eastern Wu King Sima Teng was transferred from Bingzhou to Ye City, passing through Zhending. At that time, the snow was very thick, but in front of his mansion's gate, the snow melted. Sima Teng found this peculiar, so he ordered it to be dug up and discovered a jade horse, about a foot tall, missing its mouth and lacking teeth. Sima Teng believed that the horse was a symbol of the country, so he presented the jade horse to the emperor, believing it to be auspicious. However, a horse without teeth cannot eat, which is an ominous sign foretelling decline. This is known as "white auspiciousness," an ill omen. Later, Sima Teng was killed by Jisang, leading to chaos across the land.
In the year 265 AD, during the eighth year of the Taishi reign of Emperor Wu of Western Jin, a strange rain of white hairs fell in Shu! This was indeed an auspicious omen! At that time, the Inspector of Yizhou, Huangfu Yan, was leading troops to attack the Hu people in the Wenshan area. His subordinate He Lü vehemently advised against it, but Huangfu Yan did not listen. As a result, soldiers like Zhang Hong exploited the discontent among the troops, falsely accused Huangfu Yan of rebellion, and led to his downfall. Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" says, "First joy, then sorrow, this strange phenomenon is feathers falling from the sky." It also says, "When the wicked rise to power, the good flee, feathers will fall from the sky." His "Yi Yao" also says, "Feathers falling from the sky, the nobleman will flee." All three predictions were fulfilled.
In the first year of Emperor Hui of Jin, Emperor Yongning, Prince Qi Jiong launched a righteous army. In the army, there was a child from Fanchang County in Xiangcheng, only eight years old, with white hair and skilled in fortune-telling, very knowledgeable about the "Hong Fan." This was yet another auspicious sign.
During the early years of Emperor Cheng of the Jin Dynasty, hair began to grow on the ground, similar to the phenomenon of white hair rain, both regarded as auspicious omens. Sun Sheng interpreted this as a sign of the people's suffering. Later, after the downfall of Shi Le, the Central Plains began to stabilize, and the court ministers behaved themselves. However, local governors were frequently replaced, and border garrisons were frequently relocated, often with thousands of soldiers. During this time, conscription and taxation continued year after year, leaving the populace exhausted and filled with grievances.
In June of the third year of Xiankang, hair appeared on the ground again. In May of the second year of Taiyuan of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, hair appeared on the ground in the capital. Four years later, the rebel army of the Di tribe attacked Xiangguo, besieged Pengcheng, and approached Guangling, forcing the court to resume conscription, leading to continuous warfare.
In April of the fourteenth year of Taiyuan, hair appeared on the ground in the capital again. By this time, Fu Jian had already been defeated, and the court was busy handling various matters, which was also a sign of the people's suffering. In April of the seventeenth year, hair appeared on the ground again.
In the fourth month of the fourth year of Long'an of Emperor An of Jin, hair appeared on the ground, some were white and some were black. In May of the third year of Yuanxing, hair also appeared on the ground in Jiangling, which was subsequently attacked, resulting in ongoing conflict.
In March of the third year of Yixi, white hair appeared on the ground. In March of the tenth year, hair appeared on the ground again. The following year, Wang Lu went west to campaign against Sima Xiuzhi, then the next year, he went north to sweep the Guanluo area.
During the reign of Wei Qi Wang Zhengshi, Li Sheng, the magistrate of Henan, had a small piece of wood fall from his office, hitting the head of the official Shi Biao and killing him, a disaster of wood overpowering metal! Li Sheng failed shortly after.
In May of the eighth year of Yuankang of Emperor Huidi of Jin, the stones at the suburban altar cracked in two, another disaster of wood overpowering metal. The suburban altar was a place for praying for children, and its unexplained destruction foreshadowed danger for the crown prince. The following year, the compassionate crown prince was indeed overthrown and soon after met his demise.
In April of the year 385 AD, Xie An was appointed as the Prefect of Guangling. As soon as he set out from Shitoucheng, the army's drums inexplicably cracked. This was a strange phenomenon of wood defeating metal, a heavenly omen! It appeared that the heavens were warning Xie An: "You, young man, don't just boast about grand plans; in the end, you will achieve nothing. If even these drums cannot sound, it is a sign!"
A month later, Xie An fell ill and returned to the capital, where he soon passed away. The text states: "Not being able to see clearly is unwise. Its fault lies in laxity; its punishment is the enduring heat, ultimately leading to illness. Sometimes there may be disasters from grass demons, sometimes from locusts, sometimes from sheep, sometimes from eye diseases, sometimes from redness and swelling. Only floods and fires are exceptions." Unable to see clearly, this is unwise. "Zhe" means wise. As the Classic of Poetry says: "Your virtue is unclear, resulting in the downfall of courtiers and ministers. Your virtue is unclear, leading to betrayal and overthrow." This means that when the upper leadership is unwise, foolish, and ignorant, they cannot distinguish between good and evil, kin and stranger, similar and dissimilar. Those who should be punished are rewarded, those who should be executed are spared; officials are in chaos, the root of the problem is laxity. In the height of summer, the days are long and hot, nurturing life; affairs of state are lax, hence its punishment is the enduring heat. The heat causes winters to be warmer, unharmonious springs and summers, resulting in numerous injuries and illnesses, ultimately culminating in disease.
When punishment is not enforced, frost will not kill wild grass; when killing is inappropriate, grass demons will arise. Any entity considered demonic adorns itself with clothing, its speech is expressed in poetry, and its voice deceives with music. Unable to see colors clearly, the five colors are crucial for distinguishing between good and bad fortune. Therefore, the sages believe that grass demons are a manifestation of losing the ability to distinguish things. A warm and humid environment will breed insects, so there will be pestilence, referring to insects such as moths and locusts that either survive when they shouldn't or multiply excessively, causing disaster. Liu Xin believes this is related to excessive thinking and mental unrest. In the Book of Changes, the firm and the yielding are represented by the Li hexagram, which symbolizes fire and also the eyes. With horns pointing down and hooves pointing up, embodying both firmness and yielding, sheep have large but dull eyes, leading to impaired vision; hence, there will be disasters involving sheep. Another explanation is that in hot years, sheep are prone to epidemics and die, which can also lead to strange appearances.
If it affects people, this will result in an increase in eye diseases among them. Since fire is red, this leads to red eye diseases. Eye injuries are caused by fire, and such injuries can lead to water-related disasters. Those who ultimately suffer from illnesses, by adhering to its principles, may be blessed with longevity. Liu Xin said in "Vision Transmission" that disasters can arise from feathered insects and chickens. He explains that the southern Vermilion Bird star, associated with birds, is linked to feathered insects. Disasters can also arise from feathers, thus relating to chickens. Chickens are associated with the Xun hexagram in the Book of Changes, making this explanation incorrect.
Liu Xiang said, "The 'Spring and Autumn Annals' only record major events; minor events are not recorded, and only major abnormal weather conditions are noted. For example, it is recorded that 'there was no ice,' which means that winter that year was unusually warm. Jing Fang also made similar observations in the 'Yi Zhuan'; he said, 'Not following the rules is deception, which creates chaos, resulting in warm and humid conditions that breed pests. When officials are at ease and enjoy themselves, this leads to disorder. Knowing that a crime has been committed but not punishing it is a form of indulgence, resulting in people dying from heat in summer and not being able to grow anything in winter. Repeatedly making mistakes without punishment is a sign of an impending collapse of the state; cold should appear, but instead, there is unexpectedly warm weather for six days.'"
In the first year of Jianxing in September of Sun Liang of Wu, peach and plum trees unexpectedly bloomed! At that time, Sun Quan was in power, taxes were heavy, and the people were enduring great hardship. Zhuge Ke had just started his role in the government; he lightened the burden on officials, exempted overdue taxes, abolished tolls and bridges, and implemented a lenient policy, which was a response to the social conditions at that time. Some people also said that the out-of-season blooming of peach and plum trees was seen as an ominous sign of disaster, attributed to evil spirits.
In the third year of Jingyuan in October of the young emperor of Wei, peach and plum trees also bloomed. At that time, the young emperor enacted benevolent policies, reflecting a lenient approach to governance, which should also be a reflection of the political situation at that time.
In the second month of the second year of Yuankang of Emperor Hui, the grass in Baxi County bloomed, producing edible grains resembling wheat. At that time, the emperor had just ascended the throne; King Sima Wei of Chu forged an imperial edict and executed King Sima Liang of Runan and Grand Tutor Wei Guan, but the emperor was unable to discern the truth. The out-of-season fruiting of grass and trees served as a punishment for the political chaos stemming from the lenient policies of the time.
In the twelfth month of the ninth year of Yonghe of Emperor Mu, peach and plum trees bloomed again. At that time, Emperor Jianwen was assisting in political affairs, and the political climate was relatively lenient, which was also a response to the social conditions at that time.
In the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an during the reign of Emperor Xian of Han, Cao Cao, the Wei Emperor, built Jian's Palace in Luoyang. When cutting down the Zhaolong tree, blood oozed out. When digging and relocating the pear tree, the roots also bled. Cao Cao was disturbed by this incident and fell ill, eventually dying within that month. This might have been the work of malevolent spirits and an ill omen. This year was the first year of Huangchu in the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei.
In the first year of Sun Liang's reign, known as Wufeng, in the sixth month, the grass in Jiaozhi inexplicably transformed into rice. In ancient times, when the Sanmiao tribe was about to perish, the grains also mutated, which was similarly attributed to malevolent spirits. Later, Sun Liang was deposed.
In the fifth year of Jingyao during the reign of Liu Chan of Shu, a large tree in the palace suddenly snapped. Qiao Zhou was very worried and, not knowing who to consult, wrote on a pillar: "When many come together, great things happen. When things are prepared and handed over, how can they be restored?" This meant that the Wei forces were strong and the world was about to be unified. Wei had the strength to rule the world, so what could Shu Han possibly do? Shu Han indeed perished, just as Qiao Zhou had said, which was also the work of evil spirits.
During the first year of Tianxi when Sun Hao was in power, Linping Lake in Wu County had been silted up since the end of the Han Dynasty, blocking it all along. One night, it miraculously opened up, and there was not a single weed in the lake. The elders said: when this lake is blocked, chaos reigns; when it opens, peace prevails. Indeed, shortly thereafter, Wu fell, and the world was united.
In the third year of Tianji, in August, in Jianye City, a craftsman named Huang Gou unexpectedly grew a peculiar vegetable, which attached itself to a jujube tree, more than a zhang long, with a stem that is four inches thick and two inches wide. At the same time, in the home of craftsman Wu Ping, a peculiar lettuce grew, four feet tall, shaped like a loquat, with a round top, a diameter of one foot eight inches, a stem five inches thick, and leaves on both sides, shiny green. Upon consulting the illustrations in the "Dongguan Hanji," it was discovered that this "ghost-eyed vegetable" was the legendary zhi grass, and the "maicai" was the pinglv grass. The emperor thus appointed Huang Gou as "Zhilang" and Wu Ping as "Pinglulang," both receiving silver seals and green ribbons. Gan Bao said: In the second year, the State of Wu was destroyed, and Wang Jun's fleet happened to stop at "Pingzhu" (flat land), the names 'Huang Gou' and 'Wu Ping' and the signs of these events were clearly fulfilled! Huang Gou, inheriting the land of the Han Dynasty, initially had the auspicious sign of the yellow dragon. In the later years of the State of Wu, there appeared the eerie plant of ghost-eyed vegetable, growing in Huang Gou's home. The names remained the same, but the status was quite different. This is truly a reflection of the delicate workings of fate!
In the second year of Huide Sima Zhongyuan, in the spring, bamboo flowers bloomed in Baxi County, purple flowers that produced wheat-like fruits, green on the outside and red and white inside, with a sweet taste.
In the ninth year of Yuankang, on the day of Gengzi in June, a mulberry tree grew in the East Palace West Chamber, growing more than a foot in just one day before dying on Jia Chen. Similar to the bizarre events that occurred during the time of the Yin and Shang dynasties, Crown Prince Sima Yu failed to grasp the omens, and was later deposed and killed. As Ban Gu noted: "When wild trees suddenly grow in the court, it is a sign that villains will occupy ministerial positions, endangering the country and the people, and the court will turn into ruins!" Later, Sun Xiu and Zhang Lin seized power, leading to great chaos.
In April of the first year of Yongkang, Sima Zang was established as the Crown Prince. On the Jiazi day of May, Sima Zang entered the Eastern Palace, and a mulberry tree grew in the west wing. The next year, Prince Zhao Lun usurped the throne and poisoned Sima Zang to death. This is similar to the mourning of the Crown Prince; these events are all omens of misfortune! In the same month, the mulberry tree in the state of Zhuangwu (Zhang Hua's fiefdom) turned into a cypress tree, and Zhang Hua was also killed.
In the winter of the second year of Yongjia, the mulberry tree in Xiang County emitted sounds like wood being chopped, and people said it was crying. Liu Xiang once said, "Mulberry" means "mourning," and this sound of crying is very foreboding. At that time, the capital was weak, barbarian invasions occurred, and the King of Donghai, Yue, had no intention of defending the country. In the winter of the fourth year, he headed south, and in the spring of the fifth year, he died in the city. Shi Le led his army to surround him, shot him with arrows, resulting in the deaths of over ten thousand people, from nobles to commoners. Shi Le also opened Yue's coffin and burned his body. This disastrous defeat left no refuge in the Central Plains, and Luoyang was quickly captured, fulfilling the omen of the crying mulberry tree.
In May of the sixth year, four dogwood trees suddenly appeared in Wuxi County, their branches intertwined, resembling a pair of entwined branches. Previously, Guo Jingchun divined for the rats in Yanling, and the result was the 'Lin' hexagram with the 'Yi' changing line. He said, "In the future, there will be demonic trees that look auspicious but are actually poisonous and harmful trees. If this happens, there will surely be chaos within hundreds of miles." After these trees appeared, Xu Fu indeed rebelled, another kind of ominous sign. Guo Jingchun also believed that "trees that are not straight or bent" were also ominous signs. In July, a camphor tree in Yuzhang Commandery, which had been dead for a long time, suddenly flourished. This, similar to the revival of the dead sacred tree in Changyi during the Han Dynasty, is an ominous sign, foreshadowing the downfall of Emperor Huaimin and the resurgence of Emperor Yuan.
In the first year of the Ming Emperor's Tai Ning era, in September, a tree appeared in Shanyin County, Kuaiji, with patterns on its bark resembling a human face. Later, Wang Dun rebelled and ultimately failed. During the reigns of Emperor Ai and Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, such strange trees also appeared, and their shapes resembled human faces even more closely, causing greater disasters. Now, this tree merely resembles a human face, so the chaos it caused is relatively lesser.
On the Guihai day in May of the sixth year of Emperor Cheng's Xianhe era, a willow tree in Qu'a had been dead and fallen for six years, but on this day it suddenly grew back. By the day of the Jiaxu in May of the ninth year, a dead elm tree in the home of Wu Xiong in Wuxian also regrew because of wind and rain, which is quite similar to the willows in the Han Dynasty's Shanglin Garden that regrew after being cut. Initially, Emperor Kang was the King of Wu; although he was later reappointed as the King of Langya, he still took Wu County as his fief, indicating the emperor's return to Wu territory. Qu'a was also part of Wu territory, implying that the Wu Xiong family in Wu County—could this be a sign from heaven?
On a certain day in May of the year 1 BC, a dead chestnut tree in the home of Xiu Ming in Xichang County, Luling, Jiangxi, suddenly came back to life and started to grow. At that time, Emperor Xianwu of Han was just four years old. Not long after, Emperor Ai of Han died, and Wang Liu Xuan ascended the throne but was soon deposed. Emperor Jianwen, who was Liu Heng, inherited the throne from his position as a vassal king, but he did not reign for more than two years before passing away, followed by Emperor Xianwu's ascension. Emperor Xianwu's name was Liu Changming, and some knowledgeable individuals secretly said that the auspicious omen of Xichang Xiu Ming—a place and emperor's name—was reflected in the emperor's name, which was similar to the situation of Emperor Xuan of Han.
In the year 1 BC, a remarkable phenomenon was observed in Liangzhou, where pine trees were growing on poplar trees. It seemed that heaven was warning: the branches and leaves of pine trees do not easily change, while poplars are weak trees. Now that pine trees grow on poplars, could it indicate that a long-term endeavor is facing danger and potential destruction? At that time, Zhang Tianxi was dominating Liangzhou, but soon after, he capitulated to Fu Jian.
In June of the year 373, after a dead tree in Tongle County, Jianning Prefecture, split, it surprisingly reattached and stood up again. Jing Fang's "Commentary on the I Ching" states: "Straying from the right path to indulge in licentious acts will lead to strange phenomena such as trees breaking and then reconnecting. If the consorts hold power, trees will fall and then stand up again." At that time, the imperial court was in chaos, and later, after the emperor's death, everyone blamed the Zhang family for the responsibility.
In the year 403, at the border between Jingzhou and Jiangzhou, bamboo unexpectedly bore fruit that looked like wheat.
In September of the year 405, a soldier named Chen Gai in the camp of General Yangwu had a bitter lettuce plant grow in his home, with a stem measuring four feet six inches tall, three feet two inches wide, and three inches thick; this too was considered a strange plant. This was probably similar to the omen at the fall of the Wu Kingdom. Some believed that "bitter lettuce" referred to the suffering that was endured, as wars continued year after year, causing the people to suffer greatly; this was indeed the purchase of suffering! More than a decade later, when Yao Hong was defeated, the wars finally ceased, confirming the omen of the bitter lettuce.
During the Yixi era (405-418 AD), thorns had overtaken the palace walls and flanked both sides of the imperial road. The thorns were so dense that people could not pass. They grew on the palace walls and the imperial road, as if heaven were warning: if the ruler neglects governance, even with palaces and roads, they would be treated as if abandoned.
In May of the year 223, a flock of herons arrived at our Lingzhi Pool. According to Liu Xiang, this is not a good omen; it is the "evil of winged creatures" and an ominous sign in green. The Emperor proclaimed, "This is just like what the poem refers to as 'polluted marshes.' The 'Cao Poems' say, 'The noble is far from the petty man,' so does this mean that virtuous and talented individuals are being overlooked? Otherwise, why would these birds come here? We must quickly carry out a nationwide search for talented and virtuous gentlemen who are independent and upright, to respond to Cao Zhi's criticism!" Thus, people like Yang Biao and Guan Ning were recommended; this is what is known as "seeing the omen and knowing fear!" However, even so, the court still failed to cultivate honest and upright individuals, instead favoring those with selfish motives. Jing Fang's "Commentary on the Changes" states, "Excluding the upright will lead to the rise of evil, just like water birds flocking to the capital."
In the year 220, a young hawk that hatched from a swallow actually flew into Weiyang Palace, with a red beak and red claws. This is similar to the situations of King Zhou of Shang and King Yin of Song; both are ill omens.
In the year 226, in the household of Li Gai in Wei, a swallow gave birth to a gigantic chick that looked like a hawk but had a beak like a swallow; this is yet another instance of the "evil of winged creatures" and an ill omen in red. Gao Tanglong said, "This is a great ill omen for the State of Wei; we must be cautious of ambitious ministers looking to seize power and create chaos in the court." Later, Wei Xuan Emperor Cao Mao raised an army and executed Cao Shuang, and only then did the State of Wei achieve stability.
In the year 208 AD, a hoopoe landed in the pond at Fanglin Garden behind the Wenchang Hall in the Ye Palace. The following year, Emperor Wei Wudi Cao Cao died. In 222 AD, the bird flew to the pond at Fanglin Garden in Luoyang. In 226 AD, it came again. That summer, Emperor Wei Wendi Cao Pi also died. Towards the end of the Jianchu period, the bird appeared once more in the pond at Fanglin Garden. Each time it appeared, an emperor died, and the emperors despised the bird. That year, Emperor Wei Mingdi Cao Rui also died. In October of 231 AD, from Jiangyang to Jiangzhou, thousands of birds flew from the south to the north but couldn't make it across and drowned in the water. At that time, Zhuge Liang had been leading troops in battles for several years, aiming to conquer the Central Plains, but he died in Weinan without achieving his goal. Moreover, the generals of Shu were fighting among themselves, causing significant losses in soldiers and horses. The birds that failed to cross the river and drowned seem to mirror these events! Zhuge Liang ultimately failed to cross the Wei River; couldn't this be seen as an omen? This is similar to the story of a crow falling into the Sishui River during the Han Dynasty in Chu. In 134 BC, during the first year of Emperor Jing's reign, when construction of the Lingxiao Pavilion in the imperial palace had just begun, a black-and-white magpie began building a nest on it. This magpie was seen as an ominous sign in ancient times, although some considered it auspicious. The emperor consulted Gaotang Long about this, and Gaotang Long replied, "In the Book of Songs, it says 'only magpies build nests, only doves dwell in them.' Now that the palace has just begun construction and a magpie has come to build a nest, it foretells that before the palace is completed, others will come to occupy it. This is a warning from the heavens, indicating that the palace is not yet finished and other surnames may come to control it, so it was important to consider carefully." After hearing this, the emperor's face changed dramatically.
In the year 239 AD, in the twelfth year of Sun Quan's Chiwu era in the Kingdom of Wu, in April, two crows dropped a magpie at the Eastern Pavilion. Sun Quan ordered Chancellor Zhu Ju to burn the magpie and perform sacrificial rites. According to Liu Xin, this was considered an ominous sign, foreshadowing punishments of blurred vision and diminished hearing. At that time, Sun Quan was indulgent and extravagant, his virtue was in decline, he was immersed in pleasure, was swayed by slander, and indiscriminately killed the innocent. His two sons were also in danger, and the ministers in court were precarious, yet Sun Quan ignored these ominous signs and even ordered the burning of the magpie, which was incredibly foolish. The following year, the crown prince was deposed from his position, King Lu was granted death, Zhu Ju was demoted, and Lu Yi died from excessive worry, all of which fulfilled the earlier omens. The Eastern Pavilion was an educational institution of the Wu Kingdom; did the magpie falling there also serve as a warning from heaven?
In the year 240 AD, in the second year of the Taiyuan era of Sun Quan, in the first month, Sun Quan made the former crown prince the King of Nanyang and sent him to Changsha, only to find that a magpie's nest had been built on his ship's sail. The crown prince and the former palace officials were very worried upon hearing this, believing it to be a symbol that the ship would capsize and could not last long. As a result, the crown prince ultimately met a tragic end.
In the year 252 AD, in the second year of the Jianxing era of Sun Liang, in November, five large birds appeared in Chunshen (a place name). The people of Wu believed these were phoenixes. The following year, Sun Liang changed the era name to "Five Phoenixes." During the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, five-colored large birds also appeared, and Sima Biao said: "Political decline and loss of virtue lead to the inability to see the true phoenix; what appears is just the mischief of lesser birds." Sun Liang did not implement any good governance, and Sun Jun was also arrogant and cruel, which closely mirrored the situation during Emperor Huan of Han. The Book of Auspicious Signs records that there is more than one type of large bird resembling a phoenix that is an ominous sign, so these situations fulfilled the records in the book.
In the year 270 AD, in the third year of the Jianheng era of Sun Hao, someone in the Western Garden claimed a phoenix had appeared, and Sun Hao changed the era name to reflect this, similar to the situation of Sun Liang.
In the year 274 AD, during the fourth year of the Tai Shi era of Emperor Wu of Jin, a zhaji flew over the Changhe Gate. This signified that the Changhe Gate was not a place for the zhaji to linger, just as the omen of a pheasant perching on a cauldron during the Shang Dynasty was also an ominous sign.
In 291 AD, Zhao Wang Lun seized power, and a strange bird appeared in the capital, that nobody could identify. Zhao Wang Lun had someone carry the bird around the city asking people for its name, and after several days, a child in the west of the palace recognized it and said, "This is the 'Fu Liu Bird'." That person hurried back to tell Zhao Wang Lun, who then sent someone to find it, and sure enough, the bird was seen again. So, the bird was captured in the palace, and the child was also locked up. The next day, both the bird and the child had vanished. This bird was indeed an ominous sign! At that time, Zhao Wang Lun developed an eye tumor, and the words "Fu Liu" implied that Zhao Wang Lun would pay the price for his crimes. Not long after, Zhao Wang Lun was killed.
In 307 AD, after Zhao Wang Lun's usurpation, a quail flew into the Taiji Hall, and a wild chicken perched in the East Hall. This was truly a warning from heaven! Both the Taiji Hall and the East Hall were places where the emperor handled state affairs, and the simultaneous appearance of the quail and the wild chicken indicated that Zhao Wang Lun should not be in that position. The Book of Songs states: "The magpie calls loudly, the quail flies hastily; with such poor character, how can I support him as my ruler?" This was probably referring to this matter! Soon after, Zhao Wang Lun was destroyed.
In February of 307 AD, the ground in Buguangli, located northeast of Luoyang, collapsed, and two geese of different colors appeared—one gray, flying high, and the other white, remaining still. Once again, disaster was heralded by birds, and with the presence of black and white colors, the fortune was hard to predict! Dong Yang from Chenliu said, "Buguang is the place of the Diquan alliance meeting during the Zhou Dynasty. The white color represents gold, which is a symbol of the state; the gray color symbolizes the Hu people; need I say more?" Later, Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le revolted one after another, resulting in widespread chaos.
In the year 329 AD, on the Gengxu day in August, two huge black birds appeared, with wings spanning fourteen feet wide. One landed at the Situ Mansion and was shot dead by people, while the other landed on a family's house in the northern part of the city and was also caught. It was another disaster brought by birds, and they were black, which was considered ominous! On the Wuzi day of the intercalary month, the emperor died, and later there were rebellions by Su Jun and Zu Yue.
In the year 330 AD, in January, five seagulls landed in the palace courtyard; this time, they were white, a good omen. At that time, Yu Liang went against the opinions of everyone and wanted to summon Su Jun. Some argued that his actions were reckless, so this good omen appeared. In the second month of the third year after that, Su Jun indeed rebelled; the palace was burned down and turned into ruins, fulfilling the previous omens.
In July of the year 344 AD, a white egret landed on the roof of the palace. At that time, Emperor Kang had just ascended the throne, which was seen as an ominous sign! Not long after, the emperor died. Liu Xiang once said, "When wild birds fly into the palace, the palace will be empty." This prediction indeed came true.
Not long after Emperor Haixi ascended the throne in the second month of Xingning's third year, wild chickens gathered near the court. This was seen as an ominous sign! Not long after, he was indeed overthrown by Huan Wen.
During Emperor Xiaowu's reign, in the sixth month of the sixteenth year of Taiyuan, magpies built nests at the eastern end of the Taiji Hall and also built nests at the western side of the National University. By the eighteenth year, the East Palace had just been completed, and in the first month of the nineteenth year, magpies built nests at the west gate of the East Palace. This situation mirrored similar events from the early years of the Wei Jing Dynasty! The National University is a place where education and culture converge, and the west side corresponds to the metal element in the Five Elements, which should be a good omen. However, later on, the emperor passed away, Emperor An succeeded to the throne, Huan Xuan usurped the throne, education and culture declined, and the metal element lost its advantage, which ultimately confirmed the earlier omens.
In the third year of Emperor An's reign, General Zhu Yi of Longxiang was stationed in Shouyang. A maid was cooking when suddenly many crows flew to the stove, competing to peck at the food, and the maid could not drive them away. Later, a hunting dog killed two crows, but the remaining crows actually pecked the dog to death and ate its flesh, leaving only bones. This was yet another disaster brought on by birds, serving as an ominous sign! In June of the following year, Zhu Yi died, and this omen was fulfilled!
In the second year of Emperor Cheng's Xianhe reign, in May, a sheep in the stable of Minister Wang Dao gave birth to a lamb without hind legs, which was a calamity foretold by the sheep! Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" states: "Those with missing feet cannot perform their duties." The following year, Su Jun breached the capital, and Wang Dao and the emperor were trapped in Shitou City, narrowly escaping disaster; this omen was also fulfilled!
During Gongsun Wuyi's reign, a stone that had flesh growing on it appeared in the northern market of Xiangping, complete with a head, eyes, and mouth, but no hands or feet, yet it could move on its own. This was a troubling red omen! The diviners said: "Formless yet tangible, silent yet substantial; its nation will perish." Indeed, Gongsun Wuyi was soon killed by the Wei state.
The Wu state's general Deng Xi sacrificed a pig to the gods, and after the sacrifice, he hung the pork up, when suddenly he saw a human head eating the pork. Deng Xi quickly drew his bow and shot it; the thing made a "za za" sound and circled the house for three days, which was also seen as a troubling red omen. Later, someone reported that Deng Xi was plotting a rebellion, and his entire family was killed. Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" states: "When the mountain is seen as a treasure, and the river as a city, if the city has troops shaped like a human head, it is red."
In the fifth year of Emperor Wu's Taikang reign, on the day of Renzi in April, the waters of Lu State turned a bloody red. In October of the seventh year, red snow fell over two acres in Heyin. All of these were ominous red signs! Four years later, the emperor passed away, and the royal family fell into chaos.
In March of the year 300, an unusual occurrence took place in Lü County: blood flowed on the ground for more than a hundred paces, an ominous sign indeed! By the end of the Yuan Kang era, the world was in chaos, with dead bodies everywhere, and reports of bloodshed became even more frequent, fulfilling the earlier bloodshed. Gan Bao said, "Eight years later, a rebellion broke out in Xuzhou, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands," which was the fulfillment of the earlier bloodshed.
In March of the year 300, Weishi experienced blood rain. If the political situation in the country is lax and punishments are too light, such ominous red phenomena are likely to occur. In that year, in the first month, Crown Prince Minhuai was imprisoned in the palace of Xuchang. It seemed as though Heaven was sending a warning: one must not be overly lenient with treacherous officials, otherwise the Crown Prince would die unjustly. Emperor Hui was foolish and incompetent, not understanding this principle, and that month, Crown Prince Minhuai died. From then on, internal strife within the royal family intensified, and chaos spread throughout the country. On the day King Min of Qi was killed by Nao Chi, there was also blood rain from the sky, splattering onto his clothes. This was Heaven's warning; this is what is referred to as "the response of Heaven to humanity," right? Both Jing Fang and the "Book of Changes" state: "If someone commits a crime and is imprisoned without release, this signifies a pursuit of accountability for the crime; hence Heaven sends blood rain. This indicates that the ruler is not close to virtuous ministers, and there are evildoers beneath him; his family will face ruin within three years." It is also said: "When treacherous and sycophantic ministers receive high positions and rich rewards, while meritorious ministers are killed, this explains the blood rain from Heaven."
In December of the year 314 AD, an earthquake occurred in the Hedong region, accompanied by a rain of meat. On the day of Bingyin in December 318 AD, the Chancellor's court executed the Transport Minister Chunyu Bo; his blood supposedly flowed upward, splattering onto the pillars and reaching a height of twenty-three feet, which was seen as an ominous sign. At that time, General Chu Pou was stationed in Guangling, and the Chancellor declared an intention to march north. Chunyu Bo was executed according to military law for delays in transport and for accepting bribes. Before his death, Chunyu Bo proclaimed his innocence, saying, "My transport duties have been completed without any delays, and the charges of bribery and corruption do not justify a death sentence. According to military strategy, one should first seize the initiative before taking real action; we are currently only in a defensive position and are not preparing for war. Transport has been stagnant for four years, yet no military law has been applied." None of his colleagues came to his defense. Later, circumstances changed, and the Inspector-General brought charges against numerous officials, but Emperor Yuan ignored it, resulting in three consecutive years of devastating drought. Gan Bao believed this was divine retribution for Chunyu Bo's wrongful execution. Guo Jingchun stated, "Blood is a form of water, belonging to the Kan hexagram in the Eight Trigrams. The Kan hexagram represents law, and water flows downward, not upward. This indicates a political problem."
In January of the year 304 AD, a great earthquake struck Pingyang City, and the Chongming Temple collapsed into a large water pit filled with blood-red water, while red gas shot up into the sky. A red dragon ascended into the sky and swiftly vanished. At that moment, a meteor flew in from near the Cowherd Star, heading straight for the Purple Star. The meteor twisted and coiled like a dragon, illuminating the ground, and eventually fell ten miles north of Pingyang City.
Even more bizarrely, there were always cries coming from the meat, day and night, endlessly. After a few days, Liu Cong's wife Liu Shi gave birth to a snake and a wild beast, both of which roamed around hurting people and were incredibly fast. People searched high and low, and finally found them next to the fallen meat! At that time, Liu Cong married all three daughters of Liu Yin, making them his empresses. This was undoubtedly a warning from the heavens! Liu Cong himself had the surname Liu, and the three empresses also had the surname Liu; this was a serious breach of ethical norms and moral principles! The calamities caused by the fallen meat and those monsters were immense! Soon after, Liu Cong's empress, Liu Shi, passed away, and the cries finally ceased.
