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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Jin （晉書）

Published: 02 January 2025

Created: 02 January 2025

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When Sun Hao was in power, a wild boar broke into the military camp of Grand Marshal Ding Feng, which was a bad omen. Later, Ding Feng was ordered to attack Guyang but ended up losing and had to retreat. Sun Hao was furious and had Ding Feng's guide executed. After that, Sun Hao led a large army northward. Ding Feng, Wan Yu, and the others conspired, saying, "If we make it to Huali, we’ll have to save ourselves." Their plan got out, and even though Ding Feng was already dead, Sun Hao still pursued the matter of the Guyang battle, killing Ding Feng's son Ding Wen. Ding Feng's entire family was exiled to a distant place, which fulfilled the omen of the wild boar in the camp! Gong Sui once said, "When wild beasts from the mountains and fields enter the palace, the palace will be empty." This is quite similar to Ding Feng's situation.

In the Yongjia era of Jin's Emperor Huai, a pig was born in Shouchun City, but it didn’t last long and died. Zhou Fu went to check them out, and those who understood these things said, "Pigs are northern livestock, a symbol of the barbarians. Two pigs, without a leader, they’re born dead, and things cannot be accomplished. This is a warning from above, don’t scheme for your own gain, or you’ll end up ruining yourself!" Zhou Fu did not listen and still wanted to welcome the emperor and command the vassals, but he was quickly defeated by Emperor Yuan, proving the warning right. Then, Shi Le crossed the Huai River, and ninety-nine percent of the common people died.

In the first year of Jianwu of Emperor Yuan of Jin, an eight-legged pig was born, a punishment for ignoring warnings and a sign of being controlled by evil forces. Then, Liu Kui's rebellion broke out.

In the sixth month of the sixth year of Xianhe of Emperor Cheng of Jin, there was a pig farmer in Qiantang who had a sow give birth to two piglets with human faces that looked like barbarians, but still had pig bodies. Jing Fang said in "Yi Yao," "A pig with a human head and a pig body is a sign of trouble and disorder. Now, this sow having piglets like that is really strange!"

In the tenth year of the Taiyuan era of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, in April, a small pig with two spines and eight legs appeared in the capital. Thirteen years later, a family's sow in the capital gave birth to a piglet, which also had two bodies and eight legs, as bizarre as the incident during the Jianwu era. Later, Prime Minister Shen Xu was indifferent to state affairs, and those close to him wielded power and disrupted governance, leading the country gradually toward chaos and ultimately toward collapse.

In December of the fifth year of the Yongjia era of Emperor Xiaohuai of Jin, black mist enveloped the city, an ominous sign. Soon after, the emperor was captured, and the royal family was overthrown; did this not come to pass?

On the first day of the first month in the second year of the Jianxing era of Emperor Mindi of Jin, thick black fog blanketed the capital, with black mist casting a shadow over day and night. This lingered throughout the night and dissipated only after five days; this was also an ominous sign. Four years later, the emperor ultimately surrendered to Liu Yao.

In October of the first year of the Yongchang era of Emperor Yuandi of Jin, the ponds in Rencheng and the state of Lu turned a deep blood-red. According to Liu Xiang, this was due to a nearby fire, resulting in the water turning foul, a punishment for not heeding loyal advice. Jing Fang in the "Book of Changes" also stated: "When a ruler is obsessed with women and the wise retreat, the state is on the brink of disaster, such a phenomenon of red water will appear." This indicates that the red water serves as a divine warning to the ruler!

In February of the year 360, a fire erupted in a pond east of Liangzhou City. By April of the year 361, the water in the Guzang Marsh also caught fire. These were all disasters affecting the water, resulting in strange phenomena. The following year, Zhang Tianxi assassinated the Central Guard Commander Zhang Yong, who was a high-ranking official!

In October of the year 402, the water of Linping Lake in Qiantang also turned red. Huan Xuan suggested to the officials of Wu Commandery that this was a good omen for him, and they should celebrate it. However, not long after, Huan Xuan was defeated, which truly reflected the saying "joy often leads to sorrow"!

The book says, if you can't move on and feel trapped, then you cannot be considered a saint, and the consequences are very serious! On the lighter side, various misfortunes may follow you, and on the heavier side, you might meet an early death. For example, you might experience bizarre occurrences, such as demons appearing at night, abnormal plant growth, strange happenings with cattle, suffering from heart pain, a yellowing complexion, or being influenced by the energies of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

You see, if you can't move on and feel trapped, then you cannot be considered a saint. "Thinking" here refers to a person's thoughts and ideas. "Tolerance" refers to being understanding. Confucius once said, "How can I see him if the leader is not forgiving?" This means that if a leader is not tolerant and magnanimous, subordinates will find it difficult to attain the position of a sage. The way we see, hear, think, and speak is all guided by the heart. If these four aspects go wrong, the mind will become confused, leading to misfortune.

Whether it's windy, rainy, cold, or hot, it's all related to the wind. If these four types of weather go awry, disaster will strike. Strong winds can ruin crops, causing early deaths for both humans and animals. Injuries to humans are called "fierce," premature death of livestock is called "short-lived," and withered plants are called "broken." Some say that "fierce" refers to premature death; if an older brother dies, it's considered short-lived, and the death of a father's son is called premature death. If a person has a lot of fat around their belly, covering up their heart like grease, their heart will be clouded, resulting in strange experiences. Others say that nighttime demons are like oil stains on clothes, symbolizing bad luck. Another saying is that demons appearing at night are like a storm, dark and foreboding, resembling typical wind-related disasters.

When the weather is warm and windy, pests such as moth larvae will emerge. Liu Xiang believes that in the Book of Changes, the "Xun" hexagram signifies the period in March and April when yang energy begins to rise, governing the flowering and fruiting of trees. If the wind is too strong, in autumn and winter, the trees will bloom again, which indicates abnormal growth patterns in plants. Some believe this occurs when the earth's energy is excessively strong, causing trees to bloom again in autumn and winter. Another interpretation suggests that "Hua" refers to color, and soil represents internal matters, suggesting that it reflects women's errors.

In the Book of Changes, the "Kun" hexagram represents earth and oxen. Oxen have big heads but lack intelligence, and when they are ill-tempered, unusual occurrences take place. Some people say that oxen often die inexplicably or exhibit strange phenomena, which is also the reason. When people get sick, most of the time it is due to heartache, resulting in heart-related issues. Soil is yellow, which can lead to a yellowing of the body.

In conclusion, if a person cannot let go of their worries, it will negatively impact the earth's energy. When the earth's energy is disturbed, metal, wood, water, and fire will invade it, leading to the influence of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. It is not just one type of energy attacking, but multiple factors working together, signifying a serious condition. If a person can release their worries, misfortunes can be avoided, and they will eventually live a long life. Liu Xin said in the "Si Xin Chuan" that there is another type of pest, which is pests like moth larvae.

In November of the year 248 AD, in the Wei Kingdom, following several days of fierce winds, houses collapsed and trees were blown down. By the 12th day of the twelfth lunar month, the wind was even stronger, even causing the east wing of the Taiji Hall to sway.

This is truly a natural disaster! On the first day of the Lunar New Year the following year, the northwest wind blew again, damaging houses and trees, with yellow dust swirling in the air and visibility extremely low. Mr. Guan Lu said that this was a punishment from the heavens for the powerful ministers, a bad omen for the rulers. At that time, Cao Shuang was exceedingly arrogant and indulgent, and despite several warnings from the heavens, he refused to change, showing himself to be utterly stubborn and ignorant; therefore, he suffered this great wind disaster. Not long after, Cao Shuang was executed—he got what he deserved! In the "Yi Zhuan," Jing Fang also stated: "When the common people rise up and morality declines, unusual wind disasters will occur. These wind disasters block roads, crops do not grow, and a little rain causes great losses. Political violations of morality harbor signs of chaos; these wind disasters manifest as strong winds without rain, which suddenly escalate into storms that blow down houses and trees. Upholding justice yet unable to make progress is a sign of incompetence; these wind disasters manifest as wind and clouds appearing together, breaking the stems of crops. Ministers disobeying the monarch's orders is called disobedience; these wind disasters manifest as strong winds blowing down houses. Unreasonable taxation is called calamity; these wind disasters are characterized by the wind stopping and then warming up, leading to pests. Princes governing independently is called lack of control; these wind disasters manifest as strong winds but trees remain still and crops do not grow. Rulers not considering the interests of the people is called lack of grace; these wind disasters manifest as wind not blowing on trees, drought without rain, and damaged crops. Officials only concerned with personal interests is called chaos; these wind disasters are characterized by warm winds that breed pests, endangering crops. Abandoning political duties to indulge in pleasure is known as decadence; these wind disasters manifest as warm winds, breeding pests that harm beneficial things to humans. Princes not paying respects to the emperor is called betrayal; these wind disasters manifest as unpredictable winds, red soil, and rain causing harm." This is truly an accurate prediction of the political climate of that era!

In August of the year 249, a great wind swept through the state of Wu under Sun Quan's rule. The rivers rose, and the water in the low-lying areas reached a depth of eight feet. Over two thousand large trees were uprooted, stone tablets were blown down, and the city gates of Wu were damaged. Mr. Hua He suggested that this was a result of the heavy corvée labor and excessive taxes imposed by Sun Quan, which the common people could no longer bear, leading to divine retribution. The following year, Sun Quan died.

On December 12 of the year 252, while Sun Liang was in power, another great wind blew, accompanied by thunder and lightning. That year, the state of Wei launched a three-pronged attack on Wu. Zhuge Ke managed to defeat a Wei army unit at Dongxing, while the other two forces retreated. However, the next year, Zhuge Ke launched an attack on Xincheng, sustained heavy losses, and was killed upon his return.

In the first year of Sun Xiu's reign, specifically on November 11 of the first year of Yong'an, the wind howled fiercely, blowing repeatedly for four or five times without letting up, and there was fog for several days. At that time, all five members of Sun Zhen's family held high positions, holding power that surpassed even the emperor's. This wind disaster mirrored the fate of the powerful families like the Five Hou, Ding, and Fu during the Han Dynasty. On the night of December 4, a great wind picked up, knocking down trees and sending sand swirling everywhere. The next day, Sun Zhen was killed.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Western Jin, in the fifth year of the Taishi era, on the first day of the fifth month, a strong wind swept through the Guangping area, resulting in the collapse of over a thousand homes and uprooting trees. In the first year of Xianning, in the month of May, a strong wind blew through Xiapi and Guangling areas, resulting in trees being blown down. On the day of Jia Shen in the same month, Guangling, Siwu, and Xiapi experienced another strong wind, resulting in trees being blown down. In the eighth month of the third year, a strong wind swept through the Hejian area, uprooting trees. In the second year of Taikang, in the month of May, Jinan was struck by a storm, causing damage to trees and crops. In June, a strong wind blew through the Gaoping area, uprooting trees and damaging more than forty government offices. In July, Shangdang area was hit by a strong wind, inflicting severe damage on the autumn harvest. In the sixth month of the eighth year, eight regions across the country experienced strong winds. In the first month of the ninth year, hail fell in the capital, resulting in houses being overturned and trees being uprooted. Two years later, the emperor passed away.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, in the fourth year of Yuankang, in the month of June, a strong wind and rain swept through, uprooting trees. In the fourth month of the fifth year, on the night of Gengyin, a storm blew through, causing waves in the eastern channel to surge, and many people were swept away. In July, Xiapi was hit by a strong wind, resulting in houses collapsing. In September, Yanmen, Xinxing, Taiyuan, and Shangdang areas were hit by disastrous strong winds, causing damage to crops. The following year, the Di and Qiang tribes rebelled, and the court sent a large army to suppress them. In the sixth month of the ninth year, a gust of wind blew Jia Mi's court attire hundreds of feet high. The following year, Jia Mi was killed. On the first day of the eleventh month of Jiazi, the capital experienced continuous strong winds, resulting in houses collapsing and trees being blown down. In December, the Crown Prince was overthrown and confined in Xuchang.

In February of the first year of Yongkang, a strong wind uprooted trees. In the third month, the Crown Prince was murdered, and the nation mourned. On the day of Jimao (the 21st day of the Chinese lunar calendar), his coffin was transported back from Xuchang to Luoyang. On that day, there was another strong wind and thunderstorm, which ripped the canopy covering the coffin. In the fourth month, Zhang Hua's house was struck by a fierce wind, breaking trees, blowing away fabrics, and damaging many doors and windows. That same month, Zhang Hua was murdered as well. On the day of Wuwu in the eleventh month, a fierce wind swept in from the northwest, breaking trees and causing sand and stones to fly everywhere, which lasted six days before finally subsiding. In the second year, in the first month, Prince Zhao Lun seized the throne.

In the eighth month of the first year of Yongning, strong winds blew in three places across the country. In the first month of the first year of Yongxing, a strong wind blew from the northwest. During Zhao Lun's first year in power, on the day of Guichou in the first month of Jianshi, when Zhao Lun was offering sacrifices at the ancestral temple, a sudden gust kicked up sand and stones, obscuring everything in sight. In April of that year, Zhao Lun was executed.

In the seventh month of the first year of Yongchang, a strong wind blew, toppling trees and sending roof tiles flying in all directions. By the eighth month, a storm struck, toppling over a hundred willow trees on both sides of the imperial road. The wind howled from every direction, as if it were coming at them from all sides. At that time, Wang Dun held absolute power and also killed officials such as Diao Xie and Zhou Yi, thus the wind howled so fiercely, as if it were coming from multiple sources. This chaos stemmed from the emperor's incompetence and the feudal lords' defiance. Later that year, in November, the emperor passed away.

In the third month of the fourth year of Xiankang, a strong wind swept through Chengdu, damaging houses and breaking trees. In the fourth month, Li Shou killed Li Qi and declared himself emperor. In the first year of Jianyuan, in July, Jinling and Wu counties also suffered disasters, with strong winds. In the first year of Shengping, in August, He Shi was made empress, and on that day, a strong wind blew. Later, Huan Xuan usurped the throne and demoted the empress to the Countess of Lingling, which was a sign of the emperor's poor judgment. In the fifth year of Shengping, in January, another strong wind blew. In the sixth year of Taihe, in February, a fierce wind blew, and that year, the emperor was deposed. In the first year of Ningkang, in March, a strong wind and a fire broke out in the capital. At that time, Huan Wen entered the capital with intentions of usurpation; the emperor was young, and everyone was worried. These were all signs of the emperor's poor judgment. In the third year, in March, a fierce storm blew in, first from the east and then unexpectedly from the west, with flying sand and rolling stones, creating a terrifying scene. In the second month and intercalary third month of the second year of Taiyuan, violent winds and heavy rains damaged houses and trees. In the sixth month of the third year, a strong wind blew in Chang'an, knocking down the trees in Fu Jian's palace. Later, Fu Jian went to fight in the south and faced a crushing defeat at the Battle of Feishui; he was killed and the country perished. In the eighth month of the fourth year, another strong wind blew, raising sand and stones. In the twelfth year of Taiyuan, a strong wind blew in the middle of the night; in July, the wind broke the trees; in the twelfth month of the thirteenth year, the wind turned the sky dark. Later, the emperor died, the princes disobeyed, Yuan Xian seized power, and Huan Xuan usurped the throne; these were all bad omens. In the sixth month of the seventeenth year, a strong wind blew, breaking trees. In the second month of the second year of Yuanxing, a strong wind blew in the middle of the night, followed by heavy rain, and the roof tiles of Dahaomen, the palace gate, were blown away. The following year, Huan Xuan usurped the throne, entering through that very gate.

In January of the year 393 AD, Huan Xuan set off on a grand journey south but was caught in a fierce storm that wrecked his carriage canopy. Three months later, Huan Xuan returned to Jiangling in disgrace. In May, a powerful wind swept through Jiangling, snapping many trees. In the same month, Huan Xuan met his complete downfall on Zhengrong Island, leaving no trace of his body. On November 11th, another fierce wind struck Jiangling, causing numerous fatalities.

In November of the year 397 AD, a fierce wind blew from the northwest. In 398 AD, on the day of the leap tenth month, many houses had their roofs blown off by a strong wind. The following year, Lu Xun arrived at Caizhou. On May 19th in the year 399 AD, a strong wind blew down centuries-old trees in the northern suburbs, as well as the archery halls of Langye and Yangzhou. On that day, Lu Xun's grand ship was also sunk. On Jiaxu day, another fierce wind tore off roofs and uprooted trees. That winter, the court dispatched troops on a southern campaign. In January of the year 402 AD, a strong wind damaged the pillars of the White Horse Temple's pagoda. On April 1, 403 AD, a strong wind blew down trees. On June 20th, another strong wind blew down trees. In July, the northern Huai region was ravaged by strong winds, destroying many houses. The following year, the court dispatched Sima Xiuzhi on a western campaign.

On January 25th in the year 252 AD, Emperor Jing launched a campaign against Guanqiu Jian, leading to a fierce wind and darkening skies, making people on the road lie down, thinking it was a sign of evil spirits appearing at night. Liu Xiang said, "It is daytime but turned dark, indicating that yin energy had overpowered yang, a sign of ministers usurping the monarch's power."

In October of the year 260 AD, a major earthquake occurred in the capital, making the day as dark as night, which was also interpreted as a sign of evil spirits. Ban Gu said, "Night demons appear when clouds and wind come together, causing the sky to darken, similar to ordinary winds." Liu Xiang in "Spring and Autumn Annals" said, "Heaven warns that hereditary positions should be abolished, urging officials to focus on their duties. The day turning into night signals the court's decline." The Wei Kingdom interpreted these ominous signs as a portent that the Jin Dynasty was poised to unify the realm.

In the year 311 AD, on the Xinmao day in October, it became dark during the day and remained so until the Gengzi day, which was an ominous sign. The following year, Liu Yao attacked Luochuan, and the imperial troops suffered repeated defeats at the hands of the rebel forces, forcing the emperor to flee to Pingyang.

In the year 388 AD, on the Yiwei day in December, a strong wind arose, and the sky turned dark. Later, the emperor died, the feudal lords became disobedient, and civil wars broke out continuously. Power shifted to Yuan Xian, and ultimately, the chaos was caused by Huan Xuan.

In Jing Fang's "Commentary on the I Ching," it is said: "Officials who are content with the status quo and only think about promotion and wealth are considered greedy, and disasters will gnaw at crops' roots like worms do. If virtue is unstable and erratic, it is called chaotic, and disasters will gnaw at the leaves of crops like worms. Lacking ability and virtue is called ineptitude, and disasters will gnaw at the stems of crops like worms. Not farming according to the seasons is called going against the seasons, and disasters will gnaw at the stalks of crops like worms. Covering up evil and allowing wickedness to flourish is called deep sin, and disasters will gnaw at the hearts of crops like worms."

In the first year of the Xian Ning era of the Western Jin Dynasty, in July, locust swarms ravaged various regions. By September, Qingzhou experienced another locust plague. In that month, crops across many states and counties were ravaged by caterpillars. Four years later, more than twenty states and counties, including Sizhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Jingzhou, and Yangzhou, suffered locust plagues again.

In the fourth year of Tai Kang, the locusts and crabs in Kuaiji County transformed into an overwhelming number of mice, which multiplied greatly and devoured a large amount of rice, causing widespread devastation. By August of the ninth year, locust plagues occurred again in twenty-four states and counties. In September, insect plagues harmed the autumn harvest crops. At that time, the emperor trusted slanderous words and favored Jia Chong and Yang Jun, which led to the locust disaster; this was the consequence of their "lack of ability and virtue."

In the third year of the Yuan Kang era of Emperor Hui, in September, six counties including Daifang experienced locust plagues, and the grain leaves were completely stripped bare.

In July of the first year of Yongning, there was a locust plague in the three provinces of Liangzhou, Yizhou, and Liangzhou. At that time, Prince Qi Jiong was in power, and this was the consequence of his greed and cruelty. In October, locusts in Qingcheng, Baxi, Jiangyang, Taiyuan, Xinxing, Beihai, and other places gnawed on the leaves, resulting in severe losses of fifty to sixty percent of the crops. In December, locust plagues occurred in six more counties.

In the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Jin Dynasty, the strange phenomenon of cows speaking in northern Youzhou indicated that a disaster involving cows was about to happen. "Cows give birth to monsters!" At that time, the emperor was very ill and constantly thinking about his successor, but the matter of choosing a successor was handled unfairly, which was a retribution for his incompetence and injustice. As Shi Kuang once said: "When the people's grievances spread, strange things will happen among the people." This echoes the saying in the Book of Changes: "Without guilt, monsters are born." The Book of Changes says: "Unjust killings will lead to monsters."

During the reign of Emperor Hui, there lived a man named Zhang Cheng in Jiangxia, whose cow suddenly spoke, saying, "The world is about to be in chaos, where are you riding me to escape?" Zhang Cheng was frightened and quickly turned back home. Then his dog barked, "Why are you back so soon?" Not long after, the cow stood up and walked on its hind legs! Zhang Cheng quickly found a fortune teller to divine, and the fortune teller said: "There will be a war in the world; this disaster is not just a matter of one or two families." That year, Zhang Chang rebelled, and the first target of his attack was Jiangxia. Zhang Cheng was a general at the time, and as a result, the five provinces descended into chaos, and Zhang Cheng's family was wiped out. The Book of Changes by Jing Fang says: "Cows can speak, and their words can predict good or bad fortune." The Book of Ye Mengqi Shu also says: "If those in power do not treat talents well, adorn horses with luxurious clothing, and feed dogs and wolves with human food, then livestock will start speaking." At that time, the emperor and the nobles ignored the welfare of the common people, so these strange occurrences were fulfilled.

In the first year of the Jianwu era under Emperor Yuan, in the seventh month, a cow in Jinling Chenmen gave birth to a calf with two heads. According to the Book of Changes by Jing Fang, it is written: "If a cow gives birth to two heads, it is a sign of the world splitting apart!" At that time, Emperor Min was trapped in Pingyang and later killed by the Hu people. When Emperor Yuan declared himself emperor in Jiangdong, the world was split in two, fulfilling the prophecy.

In the first year of the Taixing era, a cow from the home of Wang Liang, the Prefect of Wuchang, gave birth to a calf with two heads, eight legs, and two tails on one body, and it died three years later. There was also a cow with only one leg but three tails, and they all died shortly after birth. Sima Biao said, "A cow with two heads symbolizes power in private hands, with no distinction between upper and lower levels." The Book of Changes by Jing Fang states: "Having many legs signifies the inability to bear responsibility; having few legs signifies insufficient ability." Later, Wang Dun and others disrupted the political power, which was a premonition of the political turmoil.

In the twelfth month of the fourth year, the ritual cow died. Liu Xiang explained in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" that the death of the ritual cow signified, "Duke Xuan was incompetent and unjust, so heaven did not accept his sacrifices." The success of Emperor Yuan's revival was actually a plan devised by Wang Dao. Liu Wei flattered the emperor and gained his favor, while Wang Dao was alienated, which led to disastrous incompetence and injustice.

In the second year of the Xianhe era of Emperor Cheng, in the fifth month, a cow from the household of the army protector gave birth to a calf with two heads and six legs. In that winter, Su Jun rebelled. Seven years later, a cow from the household of Yuan Rong in Jiude also gave birth to a calf with two heads, eight legs, and two tails on one body.

Huan Xuan went to Jingzhou to visit Governor Yin Zhongkan. On his way past He Xue, he encountered an old man driving a strikingly colored green ox. Huan Xuan immediately exchanged his own riding ox for the green ox from the old man. Riding this green ox, he arrived at Lingling Jingxi, where the ox ran like the wind. When they stopped to let the ox drink water, it ran straight into the river and wouldn’t come out. Huan Xuan sent out a search party, but after a full day, they still hadn’t found it. Later, Huan Xuan was defeated and killed.

In the second year of Liu Bei's Zhangwu era in the Shu Han, he launched an eastern expedition. In February, he set out from Zigui and camped at Yidao. In June, yellow mist appeared in Zigui, stretching over ten miles and wide for dozens of zhang. More than ten days later, Liu Bei was defeated by Lu Yi, which was significant as it coincided with the appearance of the yellow mist.

During the Zhengshi years of King Qi of Wei, King Zhou Nan of Zhongshan served as the magistrate of Xiangyi County. A mouse came 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 its hole. On that day, the mouse came out wearing a hat and dressed in black, saying, "Zhou Nan, you will die at noon today!" Zhou Nan still paid it no mind, and the mouse went back into its hole again. After a while, the mouse came out again and repeated the same words. As noon approached, the mouse came out and went back in several times, saying the same thing. At noon, the mouse said, "Zhou Nan, you don’t pay attention to me, what else can I say?" After saying this, it died, falling to the ground, its hat and clothes falling off. Upon picking it up, it looked just like an ordinary mouse. Ban Gu's book states that this was an ominous sign of bad luck. At that time, Cao Shuang was in power, and they were competing with each other, so the mouse foreshadowed this change.

In the fourth year of the Yuankang era of Emperor Hui, in December, a thick fog enveloped the area. The emperor was foolish and ineffectual, and political affairs were not decided by himself, which led to this strange phenomenon.

In the fourth year of the Taixing era of Emperor Yuan, in August, yellow mist spread everywhere, and dust obscured the sky and sun.

In the first year of Yongchang, in October, there was heavy fog in the capital, with black mist rising straight to the clouds, hiding the sun.

In the first year of the Ming Emperor's reign, Tai Ning, on the day of Gui Si in the first month, yellow mist spread everywhere. In the second month, the yellow mist reappeared. At that time, Wang Dun held power, and the rebellion grew increasingly serious.

In the seventh year of the Yong He era of the Mu Emperor, in the third month, a fierce wind swept through Liangzhou, toppling trees and bringing down yellow mist mixed with dust. At that time, Zhang Chonghua heeded slander and demoted Xie Ai to the governorship of Jiuquan, and the officials he appointed were ill-suited. As a result, Xie Ai died nine years later, and his son was also killed, which fulfilled the earlier omen. The "Book of Changes" states: "Hearing good advice but not adopting it is called ignorance; the omen is yellow mist, the consequence is ignoring good counsel, and the disaster is the loss of future generations. The yellow mist refers to yellow, murky air spreading throughout the land, obscuring the virtuous and blocking the roads, thus the disaster will affect future generations."

On a certain day in February 378, yellow mist enveloped the sky, shrouding the sun. At that time, Daozi held absolute power, relying heavily on treacherous advisors, and the court had descended into chaos. This scene truly resonated with the saying, "The mountain rain is about to come, the wind fills the building!"

On a certain day in October 402, once again, yellow mist enveloped the area, dark and devoid of rain. At this time, Huan Xuan was secretly plotting rebellion! This ominous sign foretold that significant events were on the horizon!

In November 408 and November 410, there were two instances of thick fog. At that time, the court was weak, with officials wielding significant power, and land and armies were almost out of the emperor's control. This was clearly a sign of impending chaos! Liu Xiang noted, "Earthquakes are disasters arising from the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth." Bo Yangfu remarked, "The qi of heaven and earth follows its own rules; if these rules are disrupted, chaos will ensue."

In the year 223 AD, there were consecutive earthquakes in the Jiangdong region. At that time, Sun Quan accepted the title from the Wei Kingdom, declared himself Grand General and King of Wu, changed his title to Emperor, and ruled dictatorially, failing to act as a loyal vassal. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes Commentary": "Even if the vassal does things properly, excessive power can lead to earthquakes. The manifestation of earthquakes is waves on water, swaying of trees, and falling tiles on houses. If there is a deviation in the court's policies and the ministers hold too much power, it will lead to a disruption of yin energy, causing earthquakes that shake the palaces. If the court's policies are unstable and the ministers hold too much power, it will lead to insufficient yin energy, causing earthquakes, shaking mountains, and spring water surging. If the heir lacks virtue but seizes power, this will lead to disasters, shaking hills, and spring water gushing out." Liu Xiang also said: "When the power of the ministers is strong and they are about to cause trouble, it is a sign of disaster!"

In November of the year 230 AD, an earthquake occurred in the capital, with the shaking coming from the east and a faint sound heard, causing the roof tiles to fall off. In June of the year 231 AD, another earthquake occurred in the capital. That autumn, Wu general Zhu Ran besieged Jiangxia, but was defeated by Hu Zhi, the Inspector of Jingzhou. Additionally, Gongsun Yuan rebelled, declared himself King of Yan, changed his title to Emperor, and established officials. The court managed to restore order the following year.

In May of the year 231 AD, earthquakes occurred in Jiangdong; and in January of the year 233 AD, there were earthquakes again in Jiangdong. At this time, Lv Yi was acting with arrogance and abusing his power. Bu Zhi wrote a memorial saying: "I've heard that officials are being nitpicky and trying to frame others to assert their power. Many innocent people have been sentenced to heavy punishments, and even the ministers cannot gain the Emperor's trust. If this keeps up, how can there not be disturbances in the heavens and earth? Therefore, the consecutive earthquakes are a sign of the ministers' abuse of power! I hope Your Majesty will take this as a warning and reflect on the situation!" Ultimately, Lv Yi faced defeat.

In 241 AD (the second year of Wei Qi Wang's Zhengshi reign), an earthquake occurred in Nanan County in November. In 242 AD (the third year of Zhengshi), another earthquake struck Nanan County on the Jia Shen day in July. In December of the same year, an earthquake also happened in Wei County. In 245 AD (the sixth year of Zhengshi), another earthquake occurred in Nanan County on the Ding Mao day in February. At that time, Cao Shuang held absolute power and moved the Empress Dowager to Yongning Palace, where the Empress Dowager and the Emperor bid farewell tearfully. The series of earthquakes were likely a sign of divine omens.

In 258 AD (the eleventh year of Wu Sun Quan's Chiwu), an earthquake also occurred in the Jiangdong region in February. At that time, Sun Quan was swayed by slander and deposed the crown prince Zhu Ju.

In 263 AD (the first year of Shu Liu Shan's Yanxing), an earthquake occurred in Shu. At that time, the eunuch Huang Hao was in power. As Sima Biao said, "Eunuchs lack masculine energy, much like women." Huang Hao's dominance was reminiscent of the eunuchs' power during Emperor He of Han's reign. That winter, the Shu Han dynasty fell.

In 275 AD (the fifth year of the reign of Western Jin Wu Di), an earthquake occurred on Xin You day in April. That winter, the Di and Qiang tribes in Xinping launched a rebellion. The next year, Sun Hao dispatched a large army to Guokou. In 277 AD (the seventh year of Tai Shi), another earthquake occurred on Bing Shen day in June.

In 278 AD (the second year of Xian Ning), an earthquake occurred in the three counties of Henan, Hedong, and Pingyang on Geng Chen day in August. In 280 AD (the fourth year of Xian Ning), an earthquake hit the counties of Yinping and Guangwu on Ding Wei day in June, and another quake occurred on Jia Zi day.

In the year 282 AD (2nd year of the Taikang era), on the 15th day of the second month, an earthquake struck in Huainan and Danyang commanderies. In the year 285 AD (5th year of the Taikang era), on the 1st day of the first month, there was an earthquake in the capital city. In the year 286 AD (6th year of the Taikang era), on the 7th day of the seventh month, another earthquake occurred. In the year 287 AD (7th year of the Taikang era), in July, there were earthquakes in Nan'an and Jianwei commanderies; in August, there was an earthquake in Jingzhao commandery. In the year 288 AD (8th year of the Taikang era), on the 20th day of the fifth month, there was an earthquake in Jian'an commandery; in July, there was an earthquake in Yinping commandery; in August, there was an earthquake in Danyang commandery. In the year 289 AD (9th year of the Taikang era), in January, there were earthquakes in Kuaiji, Danyang, and Wuxing commanderies; on the 28th day of April, there were earthquakes in Changsha, Nanhai, and eight other commanderies. From July to August, there were four more earthquakes, three of which sounded like thunder; in September, there was an earthquake in Linhe commandery, and another in December. In the year 290 AD (10th year of the Taikang era), on the 12th day of the twelfth month, there was an earthquake in Danyang commandery. In the year 290 AD (1st year of the Taixi era), in January, there was another earthquake. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Western Jin, from Jia Chong to Yang Jun's administration, factions misled the court, motivated by personal gain, seizing control of the court. Over time, the quality of appointed officials declined, leading to a series of earthquakes over several years, surpassing the usual pattern, ultimately leading to the downfall of Western Jin. In the year 291 AD (1st year of the Huide era), on the 28th day of the twelfth month, there was an earthquake in the capital city. That summer, Empress Jia ordered the King of Chu, Sima Wei, to kill the King of Runan, Sima Liang, and the Grand Tutor Wei Guan. This was a consequence of the imbalance between yin and yang.

In the fourth year of the era, in the second month, there were earthquakes in Shanggu, Shangyong, and Liaodong. In May, the mountains in Shu County surprisingly shifted! Shouchun in Huainan was flooded, mountains collapsed, and cities were destroyed. In August, Shanggu had another earthquake, with water surging forth, and over a hundred people lost their lives. In October, the capital Luoyang also experienced an earthquake. In November, Xingyang, Xiangcheng, Ruyin, Liangguo, and Nanyang were all shaken. In December, Luoyang was hit by another earthquake. At that time, Empress Jia held power, leading to chaos in the court, and these earthquakes were a sign of her corrupt rule! When Empress Dowager Deng ruled the court, earthquakes also occurred in various places. Li Gu analyzed and said, "The earth belongs to Yin and should be calm. But now it goes against the Yin nature, practicing a policy of masculinity, hence the earthquakes." This interpretation holds some merit. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan," "When the wrongdoers cause chaos, disasters such as mountains collapsing and the earth splitting will occur, indicating that Yin has triumphed over Yang and the weak have prevailed over the strong." He also said, "When Yin betrays Yang, the earth will split, mountains will collapse, fathers and sons will be separated, and barbarians will rebel." In the fifth year of the era, in May, there was an earthquake. In June, Jincheng experienced an earthquake. In the sixth year of the era, in the first month, there was an earthquake. In the eighth year of the era, in the first month, there was an earthquake. In the first year of the reign of Taian, in October, there was an earthquake. This was a portent of Prince Qi Jiong's rule! In the second year of the era, in December, there was an earthquake. At that time, Prince Changsha Yi was in power, who was also known for his unruliness. In the third year of the reign of Emperor Xiaohuai, in October, there were earthquakes in Jingzhou and Xiangzhou. At that time, Sima Yue was in power, and the court was in disarray. In the fourth year of the era, in April, there was an earthquake in Yanzhou. In May, Shi Le attacked Jijun, captured the governor Hu Chong, and then crossed the Yellow River to the south, which could also be interpreted as a portent of an earthquake. In the second year of the reign of Emperor Min, in April, there was an earthquake. In the third year, in June, Chang'an was hit by another earthquake. At that time, the emperor was still young, and power lay in the hands of lower officials, and there were continuous wars and chaos everywhere; these earthquakes were all omens of turbulent times.

In April of the first year of Emperor Yuan's Tai Xing era, there was an earthquake in Xiping, with water surging out and mountains collapsing as well. Gan Bao interpreted this as a sign of Wang Dun's impending rebellion.

On the day of Ji Chou in May of the second year, there was an earthquake in Qishan, causing mountains to collapse and many people to die. At that time, Wang Bao, the Prime Minister from Nanyang, was in Qishan, and some believed this indicated that the Jin royal family was doomed. On the day of Geng Yin in May of the third year, additional earthquakes struck Danyang, Wu County, and Jinling.

In February of the second year of the Xianhe era of Emperor Cheng, there was an earthquake in Jiangling. In March, there was an earthquake in Yizhou. On the day of Ji Wei in April, there was an earthquake in Yuzhang. That year, Su Jun rebelled. In March of the ninth year, on the day of Ding You, there was an earthquake in Kuaiji.

In 346 AD, on a day in June, there was an earthquake. At that time, the emperor was still young, and his mother held the reins, while actual power was held by the ministers, leading to frequent earthquakes. In October of the following year, there was another earthquake. In the first month of the third year, there was an earthquake; in September, there was again an earthquake. In October of the fourth year, there was another earthquake.

In the first month of 347 AD, there was another earthquake. At this time, Shi Jilong usurped the throne and declared himself emperor, which likely served as another ominous sign. In August of 351 AD, there was an earthquake in the capital, with thunderous sounds. In the first month of the following year, there was an earthquake, with sounds like thunder that frightened both chickens and wild chickens into crowing. In April of 353 AD, there was an earthquake; in May, there was another earthquake.

In November of 358 AD, there was an earthquake. In August of 360 AD, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou.

In April of 362 AD, there was an earthquake. At that time, power was in the hands of the generals and ministers, and the emperor was nothing more than a figurehead.

In April of 365 AD, there was an earthquake in Yangzhou, resulting in rivers and lakes overflowing. In February of the following year, there was an earthquake in Jiangling. At that time, Huan Wen held all power.

In February of 372 AD, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou, with water surging out. This signaled the imminent downfall of the Sea West.

In October of 374 AD, there was an earthquake in Ancheng. That year, the emperor passed away.

In October of 375 AD, there was an earthquake. In February of the following year, there was an earthquake; in July, there was another earthquake in Liangzhou, causing mountains to collapse. At that time, the emperor was still young, and power rested with the ministers. This indicated a decline of yang and a rise of yin.

In the year 377 AD, there was an earthquake in the third lunar month, followed by another in May. In June of 386 AD, there was another earthquake. After that, the generals along the Yellow River fought for several years, causing great hardship for the people, which was probably also due to the earthquakes. On the first night of the lunar month in 389 AD, there was an earthquake; in August, the capital city was shaken; and in December, there was another earthquake. In June of 391 AD, there was an earthquake; in December, there was another earthquake. At that time, corrupt officials held power, leading to widespread fear among the populace. On the first day of January in 392 AD, there was an earthquake; and on a night in February, there was another earthquake.

In April of 399 AD, there was an earthquake; in September, there was another earthquake. At that time, the emperor was young and inexperienced, with power in the hands of the ministers.

In the first few days of January in 408 AD, there was a sudden earthquake with a loud rumble. Later in the same year, there was another earthquake in October. On a certain night in January of 409 AD, there was an earthquake in Xunyang, with a sound like thunder. The following year, Lu Xun's failed rebellion occurred. In 412 AD, from January to April, there were four consecutive earthquakes in the Nankang and Luling areas. The following year, Wang Zhen led an unsuccessful rebellion in Jingzhou and Yizhou. On a certain day in March of 415 AD, there was another earthquake.

In August of 240 AD, the mountains in Danyang, Jurong, Guzhang, and Ningguo caved in, causing devastating floods. As noted in the writings of Liu Xiang, "Mountains represent the positive energy, symbolizing the ruler; water represents the negative energy, symbolizing the people. The heavens warn that if the ruler's rule collapses, the people will lose their support!" The collapse of Liangshan during the Spring and Autumn Period, and the occurrence of landslides and floods in many mountains of the Qi and Chu states during the Han Dynasty, all follow the same principle. In ancient times, the sacrificial rituals to ancestors were never beyond the scope of their tombs. Good and bad fortunes have their reasons and do not happen by chance. Although Sun Quan proclaimed himself emperor, he was merely a feudal lord, and the disasters in Danyang were all part of divine will. Liu Xin also said, "The rise and fall of a country is closely related to its mountains and rivers. When mountains collapse and rivers dry up, it signals that the country is on the verge of collapse." Two years after Sun Quan's death, the Wu state was destroyed twenty-six years later.

In February 265 AD, the Taihang Shan collapsed, a sign that the Wei Kingdom was on the brink of collapse! That winter, the Jin Dynasty unified the country.

In March 274 AD, the Dashishan collapsed. In July 275 AD, Mount Tai collapsed, with a collapse area spanning three miles. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes": "Collapse from top to bottom, the corresponding sign is the stones rolling down from Mount Tai, the sage king receives the mandate, and the ruler is captured." Later, the emperor passed away, and the imperial power was usurped; Emperor Hui was weak and ineffective, and both Emperor Huai and Emperor Min were captured to the north. The country fell until Emperor Yuan reestablished political power in the south, all fulfilling Jing Fang's prophecy.

On a day in May 285 AD, the temple of Emperor Xuan collapsed. In October 286 AD, the Xinxiang Mountains in Nan'an collapsed, which resulted in flooding. In February 287 AD, the Dulu Mountains in Zhuti collapsed, damaging houses in the county, and the Chouchi Cliff in Yinping also collapsed. In July 288 AD, heavy rain fell, causing the ground in front of the imperial palace to collapse, measuring five feet wide and several feet deep, containing a broken ship.

In 211 AD, a landslide occurred in Sichuan, resulting in many fatalities. On the ninth day of the fifth month, Shouchun also experienced a landslide, causing a flood, the city walls collapsed, and the ground collapsed over an area of about thirty meters, resulting in many fatalities. In June, heavy rain fell in Shouchun, accompanied by thunder, landslides and cracks occurred, burying many households; a similar incident occurred in Shangyong. In August, a large crack opened in Juyongguan, thirty-six meters wide and eighty-four meters long, as underground water gushed out, resulting in a severe famine. Landslides and ground collapses were reported across various locations in Shangyong, thirty meters wide and one hundred thirty meters long, causing floods and many fatalities. These disasters stemmed from the Empress Dowager's tyranny and mismanagement!

In April 212 AD, the walls of Xizhong fell.

In March of the year 307 AD, Buguanli, located northeast of Luoyang, collapsed unexpectedly. Two years later, on August 27, the city wall of Juancheng collapsed, over seventy zhang long. Sima Yue felt it was an omen of disaster, so he moved to Puyang. Sima Yue later suffered misfortune while repairing his tomb. In July 309 AD, three locations in Dangyang experienced ground fissures, each measuring three zhang wide and over three hundred steps long. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "When the earth cracks, it represents the subjects' disloyalty and lack of virtue, unwilling to cooperate with each other." Later, Sima Yue and Gou Xi quarreled, and the governors of various regions acted independently, leading to the ultimate downfall of the Western Jin Dynasty. In October of the same year, Yidu Yidao Mountain experienced a landslide. In April of 310 AD, Heishi Mountain in Ling County, Xiangdong, experienced a landslide.

In February of 318 AD, earthquakes and landslides occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiyang. In May of the following year, Qishan experienced an earthquake and landslide, resulting in many deaths. In 320 AD, there was a landslide in Nanping County, exposing several thousand catties of realgar. At that time, Wang Dun was arrogant and domineering, but the emperor was very tolerant of him, which was akin to raising a tiger that would eventually become a threat! In August of 321 AD, Changshan experienced a landslide, followed by a flood, causing the waters of the Huhe River to surge and many large trees to be washed away.

In October of 334 AD, the northwest cliff of Lushan in Chaisang collapsed. In December, Liu Yin was killed by Guo Mo.

In September of 350 AD, Junping Tomb and Chongyang Tomb both collapsed. In November of the twelfth year of his reign, the court sent the Cavalier Attendant Chen Guan to repair Junping Tomb, but during the excavation of the tomb passage, the mountain gave way, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people.

In February of 359 AD, near the South Yamen, a horse's hoof sank into the ground, revealing a bell bearing four inscribed characters.

On April 22, 366 AD, Haowei Mountain experienced a landslide, foretelling the downfall of Zhang Tianxi.

In the year 402 AD, on a day in March, the Shanyin region suddenly collapsed, with a collapsed area of approximately sixteen square meters. At that time, a loud noise was heard, like thunder. Four years later, in May of 406 AD, the ground at Ximing Gate collapsed as well, gushing forth a large volume of water, damaging the gate leaves and threshold. These events are all signs of disturbing earth energy. A year later, in May of 407 AD, there was a landslide in Huoshan, and six bronze bells rolled out of the mountain. In July of 409 AD, there was a thunderous roar near the river in Chenggu County, Han Zhong, followed by the collapse of the river bank, from which twelve bronze bells emerged.

These incidents are quite frightening, right? One night in June of 300 AD, a sudden heavy rain and thunder occurred. The pillars of Jia Mi's fasting house sank into the ground, crushing his bed and canopy. This indicates that even wood is affected by the earth's energy, and the soil's properties have changed, making it impossible for objects to be supported. Strangely, the following year, Jia Mi was killed.

In May of 805 AD, there was a fire underground in the Fanyang region, and the fire was so intense that it could be used for cooking. This is another sign of unfavorable earth energy, suggesting that fire has encroached upon the land. During that time, chaos ensued; the feudal lords acted independently, rituals and music were in ruins, and wars continued.

It is said in books that if the emperor behaves improperly, the country cannot stand firm, a concept referred to as "not establishing." The consequences are severe, and punishment from the heavens will be received, resulting in a decline of national strength and suffering for the common people. Sometimes demons and monsters appear, dragons and snakes cause trouble, horses injure people, subordinates rebel, and the sun, moon, and stars behave abnormally. If the emperor behaves improperly, the country cannot stand, with "emperor" referring to the monarch, "extreme" referring to moderation, and "establish" referring to establishment. If the monarch deviates from the right path in speech, behavior, thoughts, and consciousness, and cannot achieve moderation and harmony, then major national matters cannot be effectively managed. The issue stems from incompetence and erratic behavior, leading to such consequences.

The king must emulate the heavenly way and align with the will of the people. Like clouds rising from the mountains, the clouds eventually spread across the sky. If the heavenly signs are abnormal, there will be ongoing punishment from above, just as the book states, "When the ruler behaves improperly, his subordinates will grow strong and obscure his vision." The "I Ching" also says: "The soaring dragon has regrets; the noble loses his position, the high lose their people, and the wise are in lower positions and lose their support." This means that if the king, despite his high status and power, cannot gain anyone's assistance, he will be very weak. The vigorous energy of summer is swift, light, and fierce. In ancient times, a grand archery ceremony was held in spring to align with the rising yang force. If the ruler is weak, the subordinates will be restless, leading to chaos caused by monsters and demons. The "I Ching" states: "Clouds follow the dragon," and also says: "The hibernation of dragons and snakes serves for self-preservation." With the prevalence of yin energy, dragons and snakes will cause disturbances. In the "I Ching," the "Qian" hexagram represents the ruler and also represents horses. If the ruler excessively relies on military force, jeopardizing his own fortune, disasters involving horses harming people will occur. Some say this is due to the mass death of horses, which turn into monsters that wreak havoc.

If the ruler is foolish and incompetent, the people will betray him, and heaven will abandon him. If there is no wise king to punish these treacherous ministers, incidents of usurpation and regicide will occur, which represents rebellion by the subordinates. In short, if the path of the ruler is compromised, it will affect the heavenly signs. The book does not directly say that the five elements lead to abnormal heavenly signs, but rather states, "The sun and moon move chaotically, and the stars move in reverse," suggesting that the subordinates hesitate to directly call it divine punishment, just as "The royal army suffered defeat at the hands of the Maorong" in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" does not explicitly mention the army's defeat but uses implicit language to express it, which signifies respect. Liu Xin's "The Transmission of the Supreme Pole" states that the rebellion of subordinates is a punishment from heaven, which can no longer simply be described as a disease.

During Sun Liang's reign, in the third year of Taiping, it rained continuously starting in August, and it hadn't rained for over forty days. At that time, there was a plan to execute Sun Zhen, but the plan was leaked. On September 5, Sun Zhen surrounded the imperial palace with troops and deposed Sun Liang, making him the King of Kuaiji; this was a relentless punishment from heaven.

When Sun Hao was in power, in the first year of Baoding, in December, the astronomers reported that the weather had been gloomy and there had been no rain for a long time, fearing that a conspiracy was about to occur. Sun Hao was terrified when he heard this. At that time, Lu Kai and others planned to depose Sun Hao during his sacrificial rites. However, when Lu Kai and his group set out, they had Liu Ping lead the charge. Lu Kai had informed Liu Ping about the plan in advance, but Liu Ping disagreed, so the plan ultimately failed. Sun Hao later became increasingly tyrannical, and many ministers harbored rebellious thoughts; in the end, Sun Wu indeed perished.

Deng Zhi, Shu's General of Chariots and Cavalry, went to Fuling to fight and saw a black ape on the mountain, so he shot it with an arrow. The black ape pulled out the arrow and used leaves to staunch the wound. Deng Zhi said, "Ah, I have gone against the natural order; I fear I will die!" Not long after, he died, which is considered an act of shooting a demon. There are also claims that the black ape was a mother holding her child, and Deng Zhi shot the child, who pulled out the arrow and used leaves to staunch the wound. Deng Zhi sighed and threw his crossbow into the water, knowing he was going to die.

When Emperor Gong of Jin was the King of Langya, he enjoyed playing strange games. One time, he locked a horse inside a door and had people shoot it to see how many arrows it would take to bring it down. Someone nearby advised him, saying, "The horse is a symbol of the royal family! Shooting it now would be bad luck!" So he stopped, but the horse had already taken over ten arrows. This was likely another sign of shooting a demon. Not long after, he abdicated in favor of Emperor Wu of Song.

In the first month of the first year of the Qinglong era during the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, a Qinglong appeared in Mobei Well in Jiaxian. Generally, when auspicious signs appear at the wrong time, they bodes ill, especially when trapped in a well. Emperor Ming of Wei changed the era name because of this, but this was not the correct response. Gan Bao said, "From Emperor Ming of Wei to the downfall of the Wei Dynasty, the appearances of Qinglong and Huanglong are related to the rise and fall of the Wei Dynasty. The national fortune of Wei is associated with wood and is represented by the color blue, but it cannot withstand metal. The appearance of Huanglong and the disappearance of Qinglong symbolize the decline of blue and the rise of yellow. The frequent appearance of Qinglong indicates internal strife within Wei's national fortune. Therefore, Gaoguixianggong ultimately met his demise in battle." Liu Xiang's interpretation is that the dragon is a symbol of nobility, but being trapped in a well is a sign that the princes will suffer imprisonment. During the Wei Dynasty, dragons always appeared in wells, which was the result of rulers suppressing each other. The "Hidden Dragon Poem" written by Gaoguixianggong conveys this meaning.

On Wuxu day in the tenth month of the first year of Zhengyuan under Gaoguixianggong, a Huanglong appeared in a well in Ye City.

In the first month of the first year of Ganlu, a Qinglong appeared in a well in Zhixian. In the sixth month, a Qinglong appeared in a well in Yuancheng County. In the second year, a Qinglong appeared in a well in Wen County. In the third year, a Huanglong and a Qinglong appeared together in wells in Dunqiu, Guanjun, and Yangxia counties. In the first month of the fourth year, a Huanglong appeared twice in wells in Ningling County.

Over the years, reports of dragons appearing in wells have been frequent across various locations, but their significance remains unclear.

In the first month of the first year of the Jingyuan era under Emperor Yuan, a Huanglong appeared in a well in Huayin County. In the second month of the third year, a dragon appeared in a well in Zhixian.

These dragons really do seem to show up quite often.

During the reign of Sun Hao of the Wu Kingdom, dragon milk bubbled up from a well in Changsha, and they even consumed chicken embryos. Jing Fang wrote in "Yi Yao," "If dragon milk shows up in someone's home, it signifies that those in power will become ordinary folks." Later, Sun Hao was indeed overthrown by the Jin Dynasty. This interpretation turned out to be spot on.

In the second year of Emperor Wu's Xianning reign, in the sixth month on the day of Bingwu, two white dragons appeared in the well of Jiuyuan. The dragons appeared at different times and places; some consider it auspicious, while others view it as an omen of disaster. In the fifth year of Taikang, in the first month on the day of Guimao, two dragons appeared in the well of the armory. The emperor was delighted by this, and all the officials were ready to congratulate him, except for Liu Yi, who submitted a report: "In the past, when dragons appeared in the courtyard of the Xia Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty faced troubles; when dragons appeared at the gates of the Zheng State, Zichan did not congratulate." The emperor replied, "My governance is not yet fully established; I am not worthy of such auspicious signs." Therefore, he did not congratulate. Sun Sheng said, "Dragons are creatures of water; what does it have to do with people? Zichan is right. But the location of the dragon's appearance is inappropriate; it signifies disaster. Dragons should fly and appear to be considered auspicious, but now they are lurking in dark places, which is not a good sign." In the second year of Emperor Hui's reign, two dragons appeared in the well of Lanling; the "Book of Han" considered this as a precursor to the death of Prince Zhao You. The armory is where the emperor stores weapons; the building is heavily fortified, not a fitting place for dragons. Seven years later, the princes began to kill each other, and twenty-eight years later, two individuals with the surname Long rebelled and seized power, which indeed came to pass. These dragons, appearing at different times and places, can really predict some events. In the second year of Jianxing of Emperor Min, in the eleventh month, a prostitute from the Qiang tribe in Fuhang gave birth to a dragon child, with colors like patterns on brocade, often nursing from the mother, and a divine light could be seen on his body, but rarely clearly. This was also because the emperor did not do well, so Emperor Min ultimately failed. This dragon child sounds quite miraculous. When Lv Zuan was close to death, a dragon emerged from the well in the eastern wing and coiled in front of his palace, disappearing by dawn. Shortly after, a black dragon flew over his palace gates. Lv Zuan took this as a good omen. Some remarked, "Dragons are yin creatures that appear at regular intervals; their frequent appearances now suggest someone must be planning a rebellion." Later, Lv Zuan was indeed killed by Lv Chao. The frequent appearances of these dragons are indeed not a good sign.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han in the Xian Ning era, two large snakes appeared in the residence of the Minister of Education, each over ten zhang long, coiled on the beams of the hearing hall, yet surprisingly, no one noticed them. For several years, children, pigs, and dogs often went missing from the residence. Later, one snake came out at night, was injured by a person, and could not escape, which led to their discovery. Consequently, everyone joined forces, and after considerable effort, they finally killed the snake. The Minister of Education's residence is responsible for overseeing education, indicating that the court's political situation was failing, resulting in such strange occurrences. During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, snakes also appeared in the palace; Yang Ci said this was due to the emperor's indulgence in wine and women. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, the palace was filled with women, and the Yan kingdom was even worse, indulging in pleasure all day long; all these chaotic phenomena led to this. The Book of Songs states, "Only the viper, only the snake, is a sign of women," which illustrates this principle.

On the Gui Si day of the fifth year of Emperor Hui's Yuan Kang era, a large snake over ten zhang long appeared in Linzi, accompanied by two smaller snakes, entering the city through the north gate, passing directly through the market, and entering the shrine of King Jing of Han, before disappearing. This is a heavenly warning! Although King Jing of Han had achieved great merit, he failed to uphold integrity and loyalty, ultimately losing his position and his accomplishments. Now, King Jiong of Qi also does not learn from this lesson; despite having made contributions, he is arrogant and proud, ultimately inviting disaster—this is a clear omen!

In the early years of Emperor Ming's Tai Ning reign, a large snake appeared in Wuchang, residing in an old temple on a hollow tree, often poking its head out to beg for food. Jing Fang stated in "Yi Yao": "When a snake appears in the city, within three years there will be a large-scale war, and the nation will face a significant crisis." Later, the rebellion of Wang Dun indeed occurred.

In the first year of the reign of Emperor Wu Di Tai Xi, a horse with long antlers appeared in Liaodong, with antlers three inches long under its ears. According to Liu Xiang, "this is a sign of military disaster." Later, following the emperor's death, the imperial family indeed suffered a military disaster, confirming this omen. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "If subordinates oppress their superiors and the politics are not smooth, strange things like horses growing horns will happen, indicating a lack of virtuous scholars!" He also said: "When the emperor personally goes to war, horses will grow horns." "The Lüshi Chunqiu" also said: "When the ruler loses virtue, horses will grow horns." Later, Emperor Hui ascended the throne, was incompetent, and personally led troops to Chengdu, all of which were fulfilled.

In the eighth year of Emperor Hui's Yuan Kang, in December, the crown prince was to hold a sacrifice ceremony. The Grand Tutor, Prince Zhao Lun, went by carriage. When he reached the south gate, the horse suddenly stopped, and several people could not move it no matter how hard they tried. Wang Lun had to change to a small carriage before continuing. This was a calamity heralded by the horse! This was a warning from the heavens: Wang Lun did not understand the principles of dealing with people and would eventually rebel and cause chaos, not being a qualified person to assist the monarch and preside over ceremonies.

On a certain day in November of an unspecified year, a horse suddenly ran into the courtyard of the Ministry of Justice, neighed mournfully before collapsing, and died. It seemed like a warning from the heavens, pitying those who died unjustly! Look, this horse ran into the courtyard of the Ministry of Justice, isn't that a sign from the heavens?

In the second month of the sixth year of Emperor Huai's Yongjia, a divine horse neighed at the south gate.

In the ninth month of the second year of Emperor Min's Jianxing, there was a strange event in Puzi County where a horse gave birth to a human-like creature. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "When the emperor dies, the vassals will fight each other, leading to strange phenomena like horses giving birth to humans." At that time, the imperial family was declining, in danger, with the Xiongnu and Di people constantly invading, and the flames of war getting closer day by day. Shortly thereafter, the emperor fell, resulting in these bizarre occurrences.

In the second year of the Yuan Emperor's reign, there was an official named Puyang Yan in Danyang Commandery. His horse gave birth to a two-headed foal, split from the front of the neck, but it was stillborn. Sima Biao explained, "This indicates that power in the court is held by private individuals; it is a sign of the 'two-headed horse.'" Later, Wang Dun indeed rebelled.

In the eighth year of Emperor Cheng's reign during the Xiankang era, on a day in May, a horse as red as blood appeared, running straight from Xuanyang Gate to the front of the palace, circling around the palace and running away, and no one could catch up. A few days later, the emperor fell ill and died in June. This horse was a harbinger of disaster, and its red color was an ominous sign. That same year, in Liangzhou, Zhang Chonghua was about to execute Zhang Xiang, the Prefect of Xihe. Suddenly, all the horses in his stable lost their tails!

In the fourth year of Emperor An's Long'an reign, in October, a horse with long horns appeared in Liangzhou. Governor Guo Quan reported this to Huan Xuan. Referring to Liu Xiang's explanation, horses are not supposed to have long horns, just as Huan Xuan should not have rebelled. Huan Xuan failed to comprehend this and was ultimately exterminated.

While Shi Jilong was in Ye City, a horse's tail was burned. It entered through Zhongyang Gate and exited through Xianyang Gate; people from the East Palace were unable to enter, and it ran straight to the northeast and disappeared shortly thereafter. The fortune teller Fotu Cheng sighed, "Disaster is on the way!" More than a year later, Shi Jilong died, and his kingdom was also destroyed.

During the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei in the Huangchu period, Song Shizong from Qinghe transformed into a turtle and swam away.

In the third year of the Taiping era under Emperor Ming, a peasant girl named Qiu Xi died and, after seven days, came back to life. This happened in the camp of Cao Xiu's troops. At that time, a tomb of an emperor from the Zhou Dynasty was opened, and a buried woman was found inside. A few days later, she began to breathe again. Though she couldn't speak for several months, Empress Dowager Guo adopted her. Moreover, in Taiyuan, someone dug up a grave and found a living woman inside her coffin. When asked what had happened, she herself didn't know. According to the inscription on her tombstone, she was probably around thirty years old. The "Jingfang Yichuan" says, "Yin becomes Yang, and the lower becomes the upper." This was a sign of Emperor Xuan of Han's rise to power! Similar events also occurred during the reigns of Emperor Ping and Emperor Xian of Han, which were seen as omens of the rise of Wang Mang and Cao Cao.

In the fourth year of the Yong'an era of Sun Xiu, a man named Chen Jiao from Anwu County died and, after seven days, crawled out of his grave. Gan Bao remarked, "This is akin to what occurred during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han. Wucheng Marquis Hao inherited the family business of the deposed imperial descendants, which is an auspicious sign of gaining power!"

In the first year of Baoding of Sun Hao, a man named Xuan Qian in Danyang saw his eighty-year-old mother turn into a giant turtle while bathing. Xuan Qian and his brother quickly closed the door to keep her safe. They dug a large pit in their living room and filled it with water, and the giant turtle went in to swim. It kept stretching its neck to look outside for a day or two. When the door was slightly opened, it turned around, jumped out on its own, and ran to a distant pond, never returned. This was reminiscent of the incident involving Huang's mother during the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, a sign of the downfall of the Wu Kingdom.

In the second year of the Xianxi era of Emperor Yuan of Wei, in August, someone in Xiangwu County claimed to have seen a giant man over three meters tall, with footprints more than a meter long, white hair, wearing a yellow headscarf and a yellow robe, leaning on a cane and shouting the name "Wang Shi," saying, "It will be peaceful now." Eventually, the Jin Dynasty succeeded the Wei Dynasty.

In the fifth year of the Tai Shi reign of Emperor Wu, a seventy-year-old man in Yuancheng grew horns. This likely signaled that Zhao Wang Lun was about to usurp power and create chaos.

In the second year of Xian Ning, in December, a man from Langya named Yan Ji fell ill and died. The coffin was already buried, but his family all dreamed that Yan Ji told them, "I want to come back to life, quickly open the coffin!" So the family opened the coffin, and Yan Ji gradually could eat and drink, could bend and stretch, could see things, but he could neither walk nor speak. Two years later, he died again. The "Jingfang Yi Zhuan" states: "The deepest yin transforms into yang, the lower becomes the upper, the evil spirit causes death and resurrection." Later, Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le rebelled, ultimately destroying the Jin Dynasty, fulfilling the prophecy of "the lower becoming the upper."

During the reign of Emperor Hui in the Yuan Kang period, there was a woman named Zhou Shining in Anfeng who gradually became a man at the age of eight, and by seventeen or eighteen, she had taken on a man's character. The "Jingfang Yi Zhuan" states: "A woman transforms into a husband, this signifies the flourishing of yin, the lowly become kings." This was also a portent of Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le sweeping the world!

During the Yong Ning period, Qi Wang Jiong, under the banner of rebellion, executed corrupt officials and reinstated the emperor, enjoying great glory for a time. At this moment, a woman suddenly ran to the gate of the Grand Marshal's residence, saying she wanted to leave her child there. The guard stopped her. The woman replied, "I will leave after giving birth." At that time, Qi Wang Jiong was credited with restoring the royal family, but wise individuals had foreseen his impending misfortune. Sure enough, later Qi Wang Jiong was killed.

On the day of the Jiazi in December of the first year of Yong Ning, an old man with white hair burst into Qi Wang Jiong's Grand Marshal's residence, shouting loudly: "There are great troops planning to rebel, within ten days!" Qi Wang Jiong had the old man killed. As a result, on the day of Wuchen in December of the following year, Qi Wang Jiong failed, which was exactly ten days after the Jiazi!

In the first year of Tai'an, on the Guiyou day in April, someone claimed to have come from Longmen, ran to the front of the hall, bowed twice facing north, and said, "I should be appointed as the Minister of the Central Secretariat." He was promptly captured and executed. Gan Bao remarked, "The palace and its forbidden gardens are extremely noble and mysterious places; now a lowly individual can easily enter, and the guards did not notice. This is a sign that the palace is about to become empty, and the lower ranks are surpassing the higher ranks!" Later, the emperor moved north to Ye City, then to Chang'an, and the palace eventually fell into emptiness.

During the Yuan Kang period, a woman from the Liang Kingdom was promised to someone, and the betrothal gifts had already been exchanged. However, not long 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. The woman was unwilling to marry, but her parents forced her, and with no other choice, she reluctantly complied. Soon after, she fell ill and died. Later, her husband returned, inquiring about his wife's whereabouts, and his family informed him of the situation. He ran to his wife's grave, heartbroken, and even dug up her grave, which miraculously brought his wife back to life! He took his wife home with him. Later, her ex-husband found out and reported it to the authorities to reclaim his wife, but the officials were unsure of what to do. The secretary Lang Wang Dao said, "This is an extremely rare occurrence; it cannot be judged by common sense, and she should be returned to her ex-husband." The court took his advice.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, a maidservant in the Du family died, and due to a mistake, she was not buried together. Ten years later, the family opened the grave for a joint burial, only to discover that the maidservant was miraculously still alive! At first, she appeared to be asleep, and after a while, she woke up. When asked, she replied that it felt like she had only slept for two days. The maidservant was fifteen or sixteen years old when buried, and when dug up, she was still fifteen or sixteen, and later she got married and had children.

In the first year of the Guangxi era, in Kuaiji, a woman named Xie Zhen gave birth to a child with a very large head, who was born with hair, and with its feet turned upward. Remarkably, the child exhibited both male and female physical characteristics and let out a man's cry at birth, dying a day later. This was a sign of the decline of imperial power and the lower classes rebelling against their rulers, leading to a series of uprisings by various kings.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, some individuals in Luoyang simultaneously possessed male and female characteristics and could engage in relations with both men and women, displaying exceptionally strong sexual appetites. These were strange occurrences brought on by the chaotic times. Beginning in the Xian Ning and Tai Kang eras, male favorites became prevalent, even surpassing the affection for women. High-ranking officials and nobles took pride in having male favorites, which led to a nationwide trend, resulting in broken marriages and widespread grievances. Thus, the relationships between men and women became chaotic, and demons and monsters began to appear.

In the first year of Yongjia, in Wu County of Wu Prefecture, a maid named Wan Xiang gave birth to a strange child with a bird's head, two legs like horse hooves, only one hand, no hair, and a tail as large as a pillow. This was also another sign of abnormality, a portent of great turmoil in the world.

In May of the fifth year, a prostitute of the county magistrate Yan Gen in Fuhan gave birth to a dragon, a girl, and a goose. The "Book of Changes" by Jing Fang states: "The birth of beings that are not human is a sign of impending large-scale war." At that time, the emperor succeeded Emperor Hui's throne, resulting in widespread chaos, and he soon found himself in Pingyang, where he was killed by the Hu people, which was indeed a portent.

In the fourth year of the Ming Emperor Jianxing, the wife of Ren Qiao, an official from Xinchai County, gave birth to two daughters. Their abdomens and hearts were connected, but separated from the chest upwards and the belly button downwards. This was truly an unprecedented phenomenon! At that time, historian Lv Hui reported: "According to the records of the Auspicious Response Chart, plants with different roots but growing together are called 'connected branches', and rice grains from different plants but in the same ear are called 'auspicious grains'. Even the strange phenomena of plants are considered auspicious signs. Now, these two girls are united in heart and body. The Book of Changes says, 'Two people with the same heart can break metal.' This is truly an auspicious sign of unity and virtue in the world!" At that time, everyone thought he was joking around. Not long after, the world fell into chaos and the emperor died.

In the early years of the Yuan Emperor Taixing, there was a woman whose genitals were on her abdomen, near the navel. She came from the Central Plains to Jiangdong, who had a strong sexual desire but was unable to conceive. Another woman had her genitals on her head and appeared at the Yangzhou ferry terminal, also with a strong sexual desire. Jing Fang's "Yi Yao" said: "If a child is born with genitals on their head, the world will be in great chaos; if on the abdomen, great events will occur in the world; if on the back, the family line will be cut off." At that time, Wang Dun occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and attempted to rebel, which served as a sign of impending turmoil.

In December of the third year, the wife of the Minister Zu Xie Ping gave birth to a daughter who let out a "puffing" sound upon being born and died shortly after. Her nose and eyes were on the top of her head, her face resembled a neck, her mouth had teeth all connected, her chest was like a turtle shell, her hands and feet had claws like bird claws, all bent downwards. This was also an unprecedented phenomenon of giving birth to a non-human entity. Two years later, the defeat of the Stone Rebellion occurred.

In July of the second year of the Ming Emperor Taiping, the wife of Ji, the Marquis of Danyang Jiangning, died and came back to life three days later.

In the fourth month of the fifth year of Xiankang, Wang He, a man from Xiapi, moved to Jiyang to live. His daughter, twenty years old, claimed to have come back from the heavens and said she had received the seal bestowed by the heavens, wanting to become the mother of all under heaven. The Prefect of Jiyang thought this was misleading the public and had her arrested and imprisoned. In November, a person wearing red clothes and holding a wooden staff ran to the palace gate, claiming to be sent by a sage to see the emperor. The gatekeeper recorded his words, and this person claimed to be named Lu Ci, saying that Wang He's daughter had seven stars under her right foot, each star with hair and seven inches long, and that the heavens wanted to make her the mother of all under heaven. This incident was reported to the emperor, and Wang He's daughter was killed, and the Prefect of Jiyang was held accountable.

In October of the second year of Jianyuan, the Camp Commander under General Wei inspected near the Nü Tai in Chendu and discovered a soldier with the phrase "Mother of the World" inscribed on his foot, which became even clearer after moxibustion. This news spread to the capital, causing a stir, and the authorities arrested this person and reported the case to the court. Shortly after, this person escaped from the prison in Jiankang County. The following year, the emperor passed away, and the Empress Dowager assumed control of the government, which was probably a sign.

During the Ningkang period, in Nanjun Zhoul, there was a woman named Tang who gradually turned into a man.

In the seventh year of Andi Yixi, there was a person named Zhao in Wuxi who suddenly grew to eight feet tall at the age of eight, grew a beard, and died three days later.

During the Yixi period, a family surnamed Mo in Dongyang gave birth to a daughter, did not raise her, buried her for several days, and they heard the cry of a baby coming from the ground. They dug her out, and she was miraculously alive.

Towards the end of the Yixi period, in Eryang Dao in Wuping, Yuzhang, people there often gave birth to twins.

In the first year of Yuanxi, there was a place called Yangdao in Jian'an, where a child was born without a brain, but later miraculously grew one, and the body that was originally meant to be female.

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Jin （晉書）

Published: 02 January 2025

Created: 02 January 2025

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In the "Spring and Autumn Annals," it is said that there were many locusts. Liu Xin believed that this, much like the excessive breeding of insects and the sudden abundance of fish, was a sign of impending disaster. In the third year of Emperor Wen of Wei, in July, there was a locust plague in Jizhou, and the common people were left starving. Some people cited the view of Cai Yong, saying that the locust plague was caused by the greed and cruelty of those in power. At that time, Sun Quan was a vassal of Wei, but Emperor Wen of Wei seized the opportunity presented by Sun Quan's previous battles in Xiling to lead a large army against him, resulting in Sun Quan's rebellion. In the tenth year of Emperor Wu, in June, there was another locust plague. At that time, Xun and Jia were in power, and their unjust rule led to widespread public resentment. In the first year of Emperor Hui of Wei, several states and counties suffered from locust plagues. In the fourth year of Emperor Huai, in May, a large-scale locust plague occurred, from Youzhou, Bingzhou, Sizhou, Jizhou to Qinzhou, Yongzhou, where every last crop was devoured! At that time, the country was in chaos, and the common people could only survive by fishing and hunting. The only ones able to stabilize the situation were Sima Yue and Gou Xi. However, they were both extremely cruel and governed the country with brutal disregard for order, which led to this disaster. In the fourth year of Emperor Min, in June, there was another major locust plague. The previous year, Liu Yao had attacked Beidi and Fengyi several times, and Qu Yun and others led troops to resist, but were still defeated by Liu Yao, leading to the fall of Xijing. In the fifth year, the Emperor was stationed in Pingyang, and there were large numbers of locusts in Sizhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Yongzhou. In the first year of Emperor Yuan, in June, there was a locust plague in Lanling and Hexiang, where every last crop was devoured. On the Yiwei day, locusts swarmed across three hundred miles in Dongguan, devastating all crops. In July, locusts in Donghai, Pengcheng, Xiapai, and Linhuai counties devoured rice seedlings and beans. In August, there were locust plagues in Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Xuzhou, where all green grass was completely consumed, and this calamity persisted into the following year. At that time, the Central Plains region was in chaos, as various riots escalated.

In May of the second year of the era, locusts in the five counties of Huailing, Linhuai, Huainan, Anfeng, and Lujiang consumed the autumn wheat. On the Gui Chou day of that month, several counties west of the Yangtze River in Xuzhou and Yangzhou also suffered from locust plagues, resulting in many common people in Wu County dying of starvation. That year, Wang Dun also served as the Inspector of Jingzhou, which marked the beginning of his brutal rule.

In the fifteenth year of Emperor Xiaowu's Taiyuan era, in August, Yanzhou experienced a locust plague. At that time, the Murong clan was advancing toward Henan, and the court was constantly conscripting soldiers, which contributed to this disaster. In May of the sixteenth year, locusts flew in from the south, gathering near Tangyi County, and the crops were once again consumed. In the spring of that year, the court transferred two thousand soldiers and six to seven thousand family members from Jiangzhou to the capital to guard the army and the Eastern Palace, but they eventually scattered, leading to the loss of nearly the entire army. Additionally, the border commanders were continually conscripting soldiers, leading to further locust plagues.

During Sun Hao's rule, a wild boar intruded into the camp of Grand General Ding Feng, which signaled impending trouble. Later, Ding Feng was ordered to attack Guyang but returned defeated. Enraged, Sun Hao executed Ding Feng's guide. Subsequently, Sun Hao led his troops north, and Ding Feng and his associates secretly conspired, "If we reach Huali, we must escape separately." This plan was betrayed, and although Ding Feng had already died by that time, Sun Hao still held him accountable for the events at Guyang, killing his son Ding Wen and exiling Ding Feng's entire family, fulfilling the omen of the wild boar's intrusion into the camp. As Gong Sui said, "When wild beasts from the mountains and fields run into the palace, the palace will become empty," this indeed came to pass!

During the Yongjia period of Emperor Huai of Jin, in the city of Shou Chun, two-headed pigs were born, but they died shortly after. When Zhou Fu went to see them, experts said, "Pigs are livestock from the north, symbolizing the northern tribes. Two-headed pigs, without a leader; born only to die, unable to achieve anything. This is a warning from heaven: do not entertain thoughts of monopolizing profits, otherwise you will bring destruction upon yourself!" Zhou Fu ignored the warning, still preoccupied with welcoming imperial orders, and soon was defeated by Emperor Yuan, which proved the warning true. Shi Le also took advantage to cross the Huai River, and ninety-nine percent of the common people died.

In the first year of Jianwu of Emperor Yuan of Jin, a pig with eight legs was born, a punishment for ignoring advice and a sign of employing treacherous individuals. Later, the rebellion of Liu Kui indeed happened.

In the sixth year of Xianhe in the reign of Emperor Cheng of Jin, in June, a sow in Qiantang gave birth to two piglets, both with human faces resembling the northern tribes, with pig bodies. Jing Fang said in "Yi Yao," "A pig with a human head and a pig's body is a portent of danger and chaos. Now this sow has given birth to such piglets; this is truly strange!"

In the tenth year of Taiyuan in the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, in April, a piglet with two spines and eight legs was born in the capital. Thirteen years later, a sow in the capital gave birth to piglets, also featuring two bodies and eight legs, reminiscent of the Jianwu period phenomenon. Later, Prime Minister Shen Xu neglected state affairs, only favoring cronies, gradually corrupting the country's laws, ultimately leading to the decline of the country.

In the twelfth month of the fifth year of Yongjia in the reign of Emperor Xiaohuai of Jin, black air filled the air, a sign of misfortune. Later, the emperor was captured, and the royal family was reduced to ruins, fulfilling the omen!

In the first month of the second year of Jianxing of Emperor Min of Jin, on the first day, black fog enveloped the people like ink, lasting all night and lingering for five days, also a sign of misfortune. Four years later, Emperor Min surrendered to Liu Yao.

In the first month of the first year of Yongchang of Emperor Yuan of Jin, in October, the capital was shrouded in thick fog, blackness obscuring the sky, with no light from the sun or moon. By November, the emperor had died.

It is said that in June of the fifth year of Taikang during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Jin Dynasty, the ponds in Rencheng and Lu turned blood-red. According to Liu Xiang, this was due to the water near the fire being affected, as a warning to those who ignored counsel. Jing Fang also mentioned in the "Yi Zhuan": "When the ruler indulges in lust, the wise men retreat, and the country is in danger, strange phenomena like red water will appear." "When the ruler indulges in lust, the wise men hide, the country is in danger, and the water flows red."

Moving on to the time of Emperor Mu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, in the second month of the third year of the Shengping reign, a fire broke out in the ponds to the east of Liangzhou City. In the fourth month of the fourth year, the water in the Gezang marsh also caught fire. These were signs of water being influenced by evil spirits. In the following year, Zhang Tianxi assassinated Zhang Yong, the Zhonghujun. Zhang Yong was a person in power.

In the tenth month of the second year of the Yuanxing reign of Emperor An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the water of Linping Lake in Qiantang turned red. Huan Xuan implied to the officials of Wu County that this was a good omen for him, but soon after, Huan Xuan faced defeat.

Ancient books say: "If you can't make room for others in your thoughts, you're not a sage, and the consequences are severe! At best, you'll be plagued by all sorts of misfortunes, and at worst, you'll have a short and tragic life." What does this mean? It means that if one's heart is narrow and cannot accommodate others, then one is not a sage. Just think, Confucius once said: "If a leader is not tolerant and magnanimous, how can I look up to him?" This means that if a leader is not tolerant, subordinates cannot become sages. In our daily lives, our observing, listening, speaking, and thinking are all shaped by our inner selves. If any of these four aspects go wrong, the mind becomes confused, leading to misfortune.

Climate changes such as rain, drought, and temperature fluctuations are all related to the wind. If the climate becomes chaotic, it will lead to strong winds, which can harm both people and property, leading to early demise. "Fierce and harmful" refers to people getting hurt, "short" refers to animals dying prematurely, and "break" refers to plants withering. There is another saying that "fierce" means dying prematurely; when an elder brother dies, the younger brother is referred to as "short," and when a father dies, the son is referred to as "break." If a person has a fat belly that wraps around the heart, like grease, it obscures the heart, resulting in various strange occurrences. There is also a saying that strange phenomena occur at night, like grease staining clothes, symbolizing lewdness. Another saying is that strange phenomena at night happen when clouds and wind appear together, creating an eerie atmosphere akin to a typical strong wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it can result in the outbreak of pests and insect infestations.

Liu Xiang explained that in the "I Ching," the "Xun" hexagram represents wind and wood, which governs the flowering and fruiting of trees during March and April. When the wind is too strong, trees might bloom again in autumn and winter, leading to pest infestations. Another interpretation indicates that an excess of earth energy can also lead to trees blooming again in autumn and winter. Additionally, "Hua" refers to color, while "Tu" represents inner matters, which indicates disasters for women. In the "I Ching," the "Kun" hexagram represents earth and cattle. Cattle have large brains but lack thought, which damages their spirits and leads to disasters involving cattle. Another interpretation suggests that cattle frequently die or turn into strange beings, which conveys a similar idea. When a person falls ill, it is mostly due to internal ailments, leading to such diseases. The earth is yellow, which can result in yellow disasters or auspicious omens. In summary, those who are troubled in their hearts will damage the earth's energy; when the earth's energy is harmed, metal, wood, water, and fire will all be impacted, leading to various disasters. It doesn't say "only," but rather "there are times when," which indicates that it's not just climate change that causes this, and there are many types of disasters with significant effects. If these challenges can be overcome, the final result will be a favorable outcome. Liu Xin mentioned in "Si Xin Chuan" that there is also a type of pest infestation referring to pests like the rice borer.

In the ninth year of the reign of King Wei Qi, strong winds blew for several days, collapsing houses and breaking trees. By the new moon on December 5th, the wind had intensified even more, shaking the eastern pavilion of the Tai Chi Hall.

After this, on the first day of the first month in the first year of Jiaping, a northwest wind howled, as yellow dust filled the sky, shrouding the earth in darkness. Guan Lu remarked that this was heaven's punishment for the powerful ministers, a dire omen for those in power. At that time, Cao Shuang was in power, his arrogance had reached new heights, and signs of heavenly punishment had appeared multiple times, yet he showed no signs of repentance. This was due to his lack of wisdom, which led to his punishment by the fierce winds. Not long after, Cao Shuang was executed. Jing Fang stated in the "I Ching": "When people go against the principles of unity and harmony, the highest moral standards become obscured, resulting in abnormal winds. This kind of wind will abruptly cease, crops will fail to thrive, and rain will cause damage. When politics defies morality and chaos lurks beneath, such winds will blow, followed by a storm that will bring down houses and trees. Upholding justice but not progressing is termed incompetence. When such winds and clouds converge, crops will be destroyed. When ministers go against the king's orders, this is termed disobedience. This kind of wind is a violent gale that topples houses. Unjust taxes and burdensome labor are termed disasters, which will destroy crops. When it abates, warmth will set in, fostering pestilence. When feudal lords act independently, it is called disunity. This wind is fierce, yet the trees remain still and the crops struggle to grow. When rulers do not consider the people's interests, it is called lack of grace. This wind may not topple trees, but drought will wreak havoc on crops. When officials only care about personal gain, it is called chaos. This wind is weak yet warm, giving rise to pests that threaten crops. Abandoning political affairs for pleasure is called confusion. This wind is warm, leading to a proliferation of pests that threaten beneficial crops. When feudal lords do not pay homage, it is called rebellion. This wind is erratic, turning the land crimson, and even the rain can be deadly."

In the first year of the Taiyuan era, on August 1, during Sun Quan's reign in the Wu kingdom, a great wind arose, and the rivers and seas were in turmoil. The water in the fields rose to eight feet deep, more than two thousand tall trees were uprooted, and stone tablets shook incessantly. The two gates of Wu City were blown away. According to Hua He's analysis, this was due to Sun Quan's heavy labor demands and excessive taxes, which was seen as a punishment from heaven. The following year, Sun Quan died.

In the first year of Jianxing, on December 3, a great wind arose, accompanied by lightning. That year, the Wei kingdom launched an attack with troops from three directions. Zhuge Ke defeated the Dongxing forces of the Wei army, and the other two armies also retreated. The following year, Zhuge Ke attacked Xincheng, sustaining heavy losses, and was executed after his return.

In the first year of Yong'an, under Sun Xiu's rule, on November 11, a series of strong winds blew, followed by days of thick fog. At that time, Sun Zhen and his five family members all held high official positions, holding power greater than that of the King of Wu. This wind and fog disaster echoed the situation of the powerful Ding Fu and the Five Marquis during the Han dynasty! On the night of December 4, another great wind blew, toppling trees and sending sand swirling everywhere. The following day, Sun Zhen was killed.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty, in the fifth year of the Taishi era, on the first day of the fifth month, a strong wind blew in the Guangping area, breaking trees. In the first year of the Xianning era, in May, a gale swept through the Xiapi and Guangling areas, causing over a thousand households to be destroyed and trees to be blown down. On the day of Jia Shen in the same month, the Guangling, Siwu, and Xiapi areas were hit by strong winds again, causing trees to be blown down. In the eighth month of the third year, a strong wind blew in the Hejian area, breaking trees. In the second year of the Taikang era, in May, a storm struck the Jinan area, breaking trees and damaging crops. In June, a gale ravaged the Gaoping area, breaking trees and damaging over forty official residences. In July, a strong wind blew in the Shangdang area, causing severe damage to autumn crops. In the sixth month of the eighth year, several counties were hit by strong winds. In the first month of the ninth year, hail fell in the capital, causing houses to be overturned and trees to be uprooted. Two years later, the emperor passed away.

During the reign of Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty, in the fourth year of the Yuankang era, in June, a strong wind and rain blew, uprooting trees. In the fourth month of the fifth year, on the night of Gengyin, a sudden storm rose, causing the waves in the eastern part of the city to reach dangerous heights, and many people were swept away. In July, a strong wind blew in the Xiapi area, causing houses to collapse. In September, the Yanmen, Xinxing, Taiyuan, and Shangdang areas all suffered windstorms, with severe damage to crops. In the following year, the Di and Qiang tribes rebelled, and the court sent a large army to the west to suppress the rebellion.

In the ninth year of the Yuankang era, in June, a gust of wind blew Jia Mi's court clothes up into the sky, flying hundreds of feet away. The following year, Jia Mi met his demise. On the first day of the eleventh month of the Jiazi year, the capital endured several days of strong winds, causing houses to collapse and trees to be blown down. In December, the deposed Crown Prince, Prince Minhuai, was imprisoned in Xuchang.

In the second month of the first year of Yongkang, a strong wind uprooted all the trees. In the third month, the Crown Prince was murdered. On the day of Jimao, his coffin was transported from Xuchang back to Luoyang. On that day, another strong wind blew, accompanied by thunder and lightning, tearing the curtains of the hearse. In the fourth month, Zhang Hua's residence was attacked by a violent wind; trees were broken, brocade was blown away, and many door hinges were broken. In the same month, Zhang Hua was also killed. On the first day of the eleventh month of Wuyue, a strong wind blew from the northwest, breaking trees, and sand and stones flew in the sky, blowing for six days before stopping. In the first month of the second year, Zhao Wang Lun seized the throne.

In the eighth month of Yongning's first year, several counties were hit by strong winds. On the day of Yichou in the first month of the first year of Yongxing, a strong wind blew from the northwest. On the day of Guiyou in the first month of the first year of Jian Shi, Zhao Wang Lun went to the ancestral temple to pay his respects, and suddenly a strong wind blew, raising dust and darkening the sky. In that year's fourth month, Zhao Wang Lun was executed.

In the seventh month of the first year of Yongchang, a super typhoon struck, with such force that it blew down all the trees and roof tiles on houses. In the eighth month, another storm came, this time blowing down more than a hundred willow trees on both sides of the royal road! The wind raged back and forth, as if blowing from all directions at once. At that time, Wang Dun held power and also killed the Minister of Works Diao Xie and the Supervisor Zhou Ye, so the wind seemed wild and aimless, swirling everywhere. This was all because of the emperor's incompetence and the rebelliousness of the feudal lords! In the eleventh month of the same year, the emperor passed away.

In the third month of the fourth year of Xiankang, Chengdu was also hit by a strong wind, destroying houses and breaking trees. In the fourth month, Li Shou seized the opportunity amidst the chaos to kill Li Qi and declare himself emperor. In the seventh month of the first year of Jianyuan, Jinling and Wu counties also faced devastating winds.

In the first year of Shengping, in August, the emperor appointed He Shi as empress, and on the same day, a fierce wind arose. Later, Huan Xuan usurped the throne, demoting her to the title of Lady of Lingling, all due to the emperor's lack of wisdom! In the first month of the fifth year of the Shengping era, a fierce wind blew again. In the sixth year of Taihe, in February, a fierce and violent storm struck, and that year, the emperor was deposed.

In the first year of Ningkang, in March, a fierce wind swept through the capital, causing a devastating fire. At that time, Huan Wen entered the capital, ambitious and wanting to usurp power; the emperor was still young, and everyone was very worried and fearful; this fierce wind was seen as an ominous sign! In March of the third year, a storm blew again, the wind came from the east and soon switched to the north, whipping up sand and stones; the scene was truly frightening.

In February and the intercalary March of the second year of Taiyuan, there were storms and heavy rain, damaging houses and trees. In June of the third year, a fierce wind blew in Chang'an, even the trees in Fu Jian's palace were uprooted. Later, Fu Jian again marched south to attack Jin, but faced a crushing defeat at the Battle of Feishui, leading to his death and the fall of his state. In August of the fourth year, a sandstorm arose again.

In the first month of the twelfth year, a storm arose at midnight; in July, the strong wind broke trees; in December of the thirteenth year, the wind darkened the sky. Later, the emperor died, and the feudal lords refused to obey; Yuan Xian usurped power, and Huan Xuan followed suit, all of which had long been foretold! In June of the seventeenth year, a fierce wind blew again, breaking trees.

In February of the second year of Yuanxing, a fierce wind blew at midnight, along with heavy rain, blowing the tiles off the Great Navigation Gate. In the following year, Huan Xuan usurped the throne, entering the palace through this Great Navigation Gate.

In January of the year 398 AD, Huan Xuan went out for leisure, took a boat to Dahangnan, and ended up being caught in a fierce wind that blew off the boat's coverings. Three months later, Huan Xuan returned to Jiangling, defeated. That same month, a strong wind uprooted many trees in Jiangling. He was defeated at Zhengrongzhou and subsequently killed, and his body was dismembered. On Dingshen Day in November, a strong wind blew again, resulting in many deaths in Jiangling.

In the year 408 AD, on Xinmao Day in November, a fierce wind blew from the northwest. In the year 409 AD, on Dinghai Day in the intercalary tenth month, many houses had their roofs torn off due to a strong wind. The following year, Lu Xun arrived at Caizhou. On Renshen Day in May of the year 410 AD, a fierce wind uprooted centuries-old trees in the northern suburbs and also destroyed the archery halls in Langye and Yangzhou. On the same day, Lu Xun's large ships were capsized by the wind. On Jiaxu Day, the wind blew again, overturning roofs and breaking trees. That winter, the imperial army marched south to quell the rebellion. In January of the year 413 AD, a strong wind toppled the pillars of the pagoda at Baima Temple. On Jichou Day in April of the year 414 AD, trees were uprooted by a strong wind. On Xinhai Day in June, more trees were uprooted by a strong wind. In July, a fierce wind in the Huainan region caused damage to many houses. The following year, the imperial court launched a campaign against Sima Xiuzhi.

In January of the year 260 AD, on Wuxu Day in the first month, Emperor Jing launched a campaign against Guanqiu Jian, and a strong wind blew, causing darkness and forcing people on the road to lie down. This was indeed an ominous sign! Liu Xiang said, "It turned dark in broad daylight, with yin overpowering yang; it was as if a minister was suppressing the ruler!"

In October of the year 263 AD, a major earthquake occurred in the capital, making it as dark as night. This is an ominous sign! Ban Gu said, "Night demons appear when clouds and wind come together, causing the sky to darken, just like with ordinary wind." Liu Xiang stated in "Spring and Autumn Annals," "Heaven warns us not to let the nobles inherit official positions, but to focus on their work. Day and night, the government is in decline." The emergence of these ominous signs in the Wei Kingdom foretold the rise of the Jin Dynasty.

On Xin Mao Day in October 311 AD, it remained dark until Geng Zi Day. This is also a sign of evil! The following year, Liu Yao attacked Luochuan, and the imperial army suffered repeated defeats, with the emperor fleeing to Pingyang.

On Yi Wei Day in December 396 AD, a strong wind blew and the sky darkened. Later, the emperor died, the lords defied the emperor's commands, civil war broke out, Yuan Xian seized power, Huan Xuan rebelled, and a great disaster ensued.

Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" states, "Officials who are content with their positions and yet greedy will bring calamity upon their realm, like bugs gnawing at the roots of crops; lack of moral integrity will lead to chaos, like bugs eating away at the leaves; lack of ability and moral integrity will result in bugs devouring the main trunk; working out of season will lead to bugs eating away at the stems; concealing sins and fostering calamity will result in bugs eating the heart of the crops." This refers to those in power, for if they fail to fulfill their duties, the common people will suffer.

It is said that in the first year of Emperor Han Wudi's Xianning reign, there was a locust plague in various regions in July; in September, Qingzhou was hit by a locust plague; and this month, locusts were eating crops in all counties. By the fourth year, more than twenty counties in Sizhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Jingzhou, Yangzhou, and others were affected by locust plagues, leading to complete crop failure and immense suffering for the common people.

In the fourth year of Taikang, the crabs and Peng Qi in Kuaiji County turned into mice in large numbers and began to eat rice in large quantities, resulting in a catastrophic disaster. In August of the ninth year, twenty-four counties experienced locust plagues; in September, the pests attacked the autumn crops. At that time, the emperor was misled by slander and favored individuals like Jia Chong and Yang Jun, which led to the plague of pests; this was a punishment for "lacking both ability and virtue"!

In the third year of Huide in September, Fang and six other counties also suffered locust disasters, and the leaves of the seedlings were completely devoured.

In July of the first year of Yongning, the three states of Liangzhou, Yizhou, and Lanzhou all experienced locust disasters. At that time, Prince Qi Jiong was in power; he was greedy and cruel, which served as a harbinger of disaster! In October, locusts in Nan'an, Baxi, Jiangyang, Taiyuan, Xinxing, Beihai, and other places ate the leaves of the crops, and in severe cases, ten plants could be eaten by five or six. In December, locust disasters occurred in six counties, and the people's lives were truly difficult!

In the ninth year of Emperor Han Wudi Taikang, there were strange occurrences of cows talking in the north of Youzhou, which foreshadowed a disaster related to cattle. At that time, the emperor was unwell and preoccupied with his legacy, but when it came to entrusting his legacy, he failed to do so justly, reflecting the turmoil in the court during that period. Just like Shi Kuang said: "When resentment spreads among the people, strange occurrences will arise." This is the same principle as what Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "When innocents are slain, monsters will emerge."

During the reign of Emperor Hui in the Tai'an era, there was a man named Zhang Cheng in Jiangxia. One day, the cow he was riding suddenly said: "The world is about to be in chaos, where are you going while riding me?" Zhang Cheng was so frightened that he quickly turned back home. As a result, his dog chimed in, "Why are you back so soon?" Before long, the cow actually stood up on two legs! Zhang Cheng hurriedly sought out a fortune teller, who said, "There will be chaos in the world, and this disaster won't just affect one or two families." Sure enough, that year Zhang Chang rebelled, and the first place he attacked was Jiangxia. As a general, Zhang Cheng found himself amidst chaos across five provinces, and he himself faced the ruin of his family. The "Yi Zhuan" by Jing Fang mentioned: "If a cow can speak, one can predict fortune and misfortune based on its words." The "Yi Meng Qi Shu" also recorded: "If the ruler does not treat the scholars well and instead adorns warhorses with splendid brocade while allowing dogs and wolves to eat human food, then all livestock will begin to speak." At that time, the emperor and the lords did not take the well-being of the people seriously, so the cow's speaking incident came true.

In July of the first year of the Jianwu era under Emperor Yuan, a cow at the Chen Gate in Jinling gave birth to a calf, which was quite peculiar, having two heads on one body. Referring to Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan," it states: "A cow giving birth to a two-headed calf is an omen of the world about to split!" At that time, Emperor Min was in exile in Pingyang, who was later killed by the Hu people. Emperor Yuan declared himself emperor in Jiangdong, and from then on, the world truly split into two halves, which was indeed the fulfillment of that omen.

In the first year of Tai Xing, Wang Liang's cow, the governor of Wuchang, gave birth to a calf, but this calf was extraordinary: it had two heads, eight legs, and two tails sharing one body, and it died three years later. There was another cow that had only one leg but three tails, which also died at birth. Sima Biao once said, "A two-headed cow symbolizes that power is in the hands of private individuals, without distinction between ranks." Jing Fang's "Commentary on the I Ching" also stated: "Those with many legs cannot bear heavy responsibilities; those with few legs also cannot bear heavy responsibilities." Later, when Wang Dun and others seized power and caused chaos, didn't these anomalies reflect those claims?

In December of the fourth year, the sacrificial cow died. Liu Xiang explained the meaning of the death of the sacrificial cow in "Spring and Autumn": "Duke Xuan of Lu was foolish and incompetent, which is why heaven did not accept his sacrifices." The successes of Emperor Yuan's revival were largely thanks to Wang Dao's efforts. Liu Wei gained the emperor's favor through flattery, while Wang Dao was marginalized. Doesn't this confirm that incompetence leads to disaster?

In May of the second year of Emperor Cheng's Xianhe era, the cow of the military protector gave birth to a two-headed, six-legged calf. That winter, Su Jun rebelled. Seven years later, the cow of Yuan Rong, a man of the Nine Virtues, gave birth to a two-headed, eight-legged calf with two tails sharing one body.

At that time, Huan Xuan was in Jingzhou visiting Inspector Yin Zhongkan. When he reached He Xue, he encountered an old man herding a strange-looking green cow. Without a second thought, Huan Xuan exchanged his own riding cow for that green cow. As he rode the green cow to Lingling Jingxi, it ran very fast, and when it stopped to drink water, it directly ran into the river and did not come out. Huan Xuan sent people to search for it, but after a whole day, they found nothing. Eventually, Huan Xuan was defeated and killed.

In the second year of the Zhangwu reign of the Shu Han dynasty, Liu Bei marched eastward. In the second month, he departed from Zigui and stationed his troops at Yidao. In the sixth month, a yellow mist appeared in Zigui, stretching over ten miles in length and several dozen yards in width. Shortly after the appearance of the yellow mist, Liu Bei was defeated by Lu Yi.

During the Zhengshi era of the Qi Kingdom of Wei, Zhou Nan, the Lord of Zhongshan, served as the county magistrate of Xiangyi. A mouse came out of its hole and said, "Zhou Nan, you will die one day!" Zhou Nan ignored it, and the mouse went back into its hole. On the day it had predicted, the mouse reappeared, wearing a hat and looking neatly dressed, saying, "Zhou Nan, you will die at noon today!" Zhou Nan still ignored it, and the mouse returned to its hole. After a while, the mouse came out again and repeated the same thing. As noon approached, the mouse came out and went back in several times, saying the same words. At noon, the mouse said, "Zhou Nan, if you ignore me, how can I say anything!" Then it died, falling over and losing its hat and clothes. Upon inspection, it turned out to be just an ordinary mouse. Ban Gu's book says that this phenomenon was caused by the yellow gas. At that time, Cao Shuang was in power, leading to disputes and power struggles, which explained the mouse's strange behavior.

In the twelfth month of the fourth year of the Yuankang era of Emperor Hui of Jin, a dense fog covered the land. Emperor Hui was incompetent and did not make decisions on his own, leading to this strange phenomenon.

In the eighth month of the fourth year of the Taixing era of Emperor Yuan of Jin, yellow mist spread everywhere, obscuring the sky.

In the tenth month of the first year of the Yongchang era of Jin, the capital was enveloped in thick fog, with black mist rising high into the sky, blocking out the sun.

On the day of Guisi in the first month of the first year of the Taining era of Emperor Ming of Jin, yellow mist spread throughout the land. In the second month, yellow mist once again spread throughout the land. At that time, Wang Dun was consolidating his power and plotting rebellion.

In the seventh year of Yonghe during the reign of Emperor Mu of Jin, in March, a strong wind swept through Liangzhou, toppling trees and bringing down yellow mist filled with dust. At that time, Zhang Chonghua, believing malicious rumors, demoted Xie Ai to the position of governor in Jiuquan, and the officials he appointed were all incompetent. As a result, Xie Ai died nine years later, and his son was also killed, which fulfilled the earlier ominous signs. In the "Book of Changes," Jing Fang said: "Hearing good advice but not adopting it is called ignorance. When yellow signs appear, it leads to auditory dysfunction, ultimately resulting in the decline of descendants. Yellow refers to the yellow turbid air that spreads across the world, blinding the talented and blocking the roads, which leads to destruction."

In the eighth year of Taiyuan, on the day of Guiwei in February, yellow mist filled the air, obscuring the sky and blocking the sun. At that time, Daozi held all the power and was surrounded by sycophants, leading to chaos in the government.

In the first year of Yuanxing, on the day of Bingshen in October, there was again yellow mist everywhere, gloomy and without a drop of rain. During this period, Huan Xuan was secretly scheming to rebel.

In the fifth year of Yixi, in November, there was heavy fog; in the tenth year of Yixi, there was again heavy fog. At that time, the emperor's authority was declining, and the ministers were all powerful, holding land and military power, almost beyond the emperor's control. These were all ominous signs from the heavens.

Liu Xiang once said: "Earthquakes occur when there is a problem with the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth." Bo Yangfu also said: "The qi of heaven and earth has its own rules of operation; if these rules are disrupted, chaos will ensue in the human realm. When yang qi is suppressed and cannot rise, while yin qi presses down, that is when earthquakes happen."

In the fourth year of the Huangwu era of Sun Quan, Jiangdong experienced a series of earthquakes. At that time, Sun Quan accepted titles from the Wei state, becoming the Grand General and King of Wu, and he changed the era name to declare himself emperor, ruling with absolute power without regard for his actions. Jing Fang stated in the "Book of Changes": "Although the power of ministers is legitimate, if power becomes overly arbitrary, earthquakes will surely occur. These earthquakes, on the water, manifest as towering waves; in the trees, they appear as swaying branches and rustling leaves; on the roofs, they result in falling tiles. When the court's great laws are distorted and ministers wield power, this is due to malevolent forces, causing earthquakes to rock the palaces; when the court's great laws are distorted and ministers are disobedient, this is due to malevolent forces being out of order, causing earthquakes to shake the mountains and spring forth waters; when the heir lacks virtue but enjoys the salary alone, this is disorder, causing earthquakes to shake the hills and spring forth waters." Liu Xiang also remarked: "When subordinates gain too much power, it will stir up trouble; this is a sign of impending chaos!"

In the second year of Qinglong under Wei Mingdi, in November, an earthquake occurred in the capital, originating from the east, with faint sounds heard, and the tiles on the rooftops were shaken loose. In the first year of Jingchu, on the fifth day of the sixth month, another earthquake struck the capital. That autumn, the Wu general Zhu Ran besieged Jiangxia, but Hu Zhi, the governor of Jingzhou, managed to repel him. Additionally, Gongsun Wuyi rebelled, proclaiming himself King of Yan and declaring himself emperor, establishing officials. The following year, he was subdued.

In the sixth year of Jiahe under Sun Quan, in May, there was an earthquake in Jiangdong. In the second year of Chiwu, in January, another earthquake occurred. At that time, Lü Yi was domineering and wielding excessive power. Bu Zhi submitted a memorial stating: "I have heard that the officials in charge are nitpicking and trying to undermine others to enhance their own authority, leading to many innocent people suffering heavy punishments, and even ministers cannot gain the emperor's trust. If this continues, how can the heavens and earth not change? Therefore, the ongoing earthquakes are a sign of subordinates abusing their power! I hope Your Majesty can seriously consider the implications of this matter!" Ultimately, Lü Yi faced defeat.

In the year 241 AD, in the eleventh month of the second year of the Zhengshi era under King Qi of the Wei Kingdom, an earthquake occurred in Nan'an County. In the seventh month of the third year, Nan'an County was hit by another earthquake. In the same year, in the twelfth month, an earthquake also occurred in Wei County. Then, in the second month of the sixth year of Zhengshi, Nan'an County experienced another earthquake. At that time, Cao Shuang wielded absolute power and relocated the Empress Dowager to Yongning Palace, where she tearfully said goodbye to the Emperor. The continuous earthquakes were probably the reason for this.

In the year 248 AD, during the eleventh year of Chiwu under the reign of Sun Quan, an earthquake occurred in the Jiangdong region. At that time, Sun Quan fell for the slander of unscrupulous individuals, dismissed Zhu Ju, and deposed the Crown Prince.

In the year 263 AD, during the reign of Liu Shan of Shu Han, in the first year of Yanxing, an earthquake occurred in the Shu region. At that time, the eunuch Huang Hao held power. Just as Sima Biao said, "Eunuchs lack masculine energy, just like women." Huang Hao's dominance resembled the situation during the reign of Emperor Andi of Han. That winter, the Shu Han state fell.

In the year 274 AD, during the fifth year of Taishi under the reign of Emperor Wu of Western Jin, an earthquake struck on the Xinyou day of the fourth month. That winter, the Di and Qiang tribes in Xinping staged a rebellion. The following year, Sun Hao sent a large army to enter Guokou. In the sixth month of the seventh year of Taishi, another earthquake struck.

In the year 276 AD, on the Gengchen day of the eighth month of the second year of Xianning, earthquakes occurred in Henan, Hedong, and Pingyang counties. In the sixth month of the fourth year of Xianning, Yinpíng and Guangwu counties experienced earthquakes, and another earthquake struck on the Jiazi day.

In the year 281 AD, on the Gengshen day in the second month of the second year of Taikang, earthquakes occurred in Huainan and Danyang counties. On the Renshen day of Taikang's fifth year, an earthquake struck the capital (Luoyang). On the Jichou day of the seventh month of the sixth year of Taikang, another earthquake struck. In the seventh month of the seventh year of Taikang, earthquakes occurred in Nan'an and Jianwei counties; in August, there was an earthquake in Jingzhao county; on the Renshi day of the fifth month of the eighth year, there was an earthquake in Jian'an county; in July, there was an earthquake in Yinping county; in August, there was an earthquake in Danyang county; in the first month of the ninth year, earthquakes occurred in Kuaiji, Danyang, and Wuxing counties; on the Xinyou day of the fourth month, Changsha, Nanhai, and eight other counties experienced earthquakes; from July to August, four more earthquakes occurred, with three of them sounding like thunder; in September, there was an earthquake in Linhe county, and another one in December; on the Jihai day of the twelfth month of the tenth year, there was an earthquake in Danyang county.

In the year 289 AD, in the first month of the first year of Taixi, another earthquake occurred. Starting from the reign of Emperor Wu Sima Yan, from Jia Chong to Yang Jun, these powerful officials formed factions, pursued personal gain, and took over the government. As time went on, the officials they appointed became increasingly incompetent, resulting in frequent earthquakes that occurred more frequently than usual, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Western Jin Dynasty.

In the year 291 AD, on the Xinyou day of the twelfth month of the first year of Yuankang under Emperor Hui Sima Zhong's reign, an earthquake occurred in the capital city of Luoyang. That summer, Empress Jia ordered Prince Chu Sima Wei to kill Prince Runan Sima Liang and Grand Guardian Wei Guan. This might have been due to an imbalance of yin and yang.

In the year 234 AD, earthquakes occurred in Shanggu, Shangyong, and Liaodong regions in February. In May, a landslide occurred in Shu county; Shouchun in Huainan was hit by floods, landslides, destroying buildings and homes. In August, another earthquake struck the Shanggu region, causing floods and over a hundred deaths. In October, Luoyang (the capital) experienced an earthquake. In November, earthquakes occurred in Xingyang, Xiangcheng, Ruyin, Liangguo, Nanyang, and other places. In December, Luoyang was hit by another earthquake. At that time, Empress Jia's abuse of power and misrule eventually led to the nation's downfall, and these earthquakes were a sign of the impending disaster.

During the regency of Empress Dowager Deng of the Han Dynasty, earthquakes occurred in various places. Li Gu analyzed the situation and remarked, "The earth belongs to Yin and should remain calm. Now, however, going against the Yin nature and enforcing arbitrary Yang policies, this is why earthquakes occur." This explanation is consistent with the situation at that time. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes," "When villains seize the people's homes, disasters such as landslides will occur, which signifies Yin overcoming Yang and the weak triumphing over the strong." He also said, "When Yin betrays Yang, the earth will crack, fathers and sons will be separated, and barbarians will rebel."

In May of 235 AD, an earthquake struck on the day of Dingchou. In June, there was an earthquake in Jincheng. In January of 236 AD, earthquakes occurred on the day of Dingchou. In January of 238 AD, earthquakes occurred on the day of Bingchen.

In October of 260 AD, an earthquake occurred, which signaled the rise of Prince Qi. In December of 261 AD, an earthquake occurred on the day of Bingchen, when Prince Yi of Changsha was in power.

In October of 307 AD, earthquakes occurred in Jingzhou and Xiangzhou. At that time, Sima Yue held power. In April of 308 AD, earthquakes occurred in Yanzhou. In May, Shi Le attacked Jijun, captured the governor Hu Chong, and crossed the Yellow River south, which coincided with the earthquakes.

In April of 314 AD, an earthquake occurred on the day of Jiachen. In June of 315 AD, another earthquake occurred in Chang'an. At that time, the emperor was young, power was in turmoil, and the earthquakes indicated a period of great chaos.

In April of 318 AD, an earthquake occurred in Xiping, with springs erupting. In December, earthquakes occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiling, with springs erupting and landslides occurring. Gan Bao believed this was a sign of Wang Dun's impending rebellion.

On the day of Jichou in May of 319 AD, Qishan experienced an earthquake, causing casualties due to landslides. At that time, the Prime Minister, Prince of Nanyang, was in Qishan, and some interpreted it as a sign that the Prince of Jin was doomed. On the day of Gengyin in May of 320 AD, earthquakes occurred in Danyang, Wu County, Jinling, and other places.

In February of the year 326 AD, an earthquake occurred in Jiangling. In March, an earthquake struck Yizhou. On the day of Jiwai in April, an earthquake happened in Yuzhang. That year, Su Jun rebelled. In March of the year 330 AD, on the day of Dingyou, an earthquake occurred in Kuaiji.

In the first year of Yonghe, on the day of Guihai in June, there was an earthquake. At that time, the emperor was still young, and his mother was in power; the actual authority was in the hands of the ministers, so earthquakes were frequent. In October of the following year, another earthquake occurred. In the third year, on the day of Bingchen in January, there was an earthquake; in September, another earthquake happened. In the fourth year, an earthquake occurred in October on the day of Jiwai.

In the fifth year, on the day of Gengyin in January, there was another earthquake. At that time, the usurper Shi Jilong declared himself emperor, which was indicative of the chaos. In the ninth year, on the day of Dingyou in August, the capital experienced an earthquake, with a sound like thunder. In the tenth year, on the day of Dingmao in January, there was an earthquake, and the sound was also like thunder, causing both domestic and wild chickens to squawk in fear. In the eleventh year, there was an earthquake in April on the day of Yiyou; in May, another earthquake occurred.

In the second year of Shengping, on the day of Xinyou in November, there was an earthquake. In the fifth year, in August, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou.

In the first year of Emperor Ai's Longhe era, on the day of Jiaxu in April, there was an earthquake. At that time, power was held by the generals and ministers, and the emperor was merely a puppet.

In the first year of Xingning, on the day of Jiaxu in April, there was an earthquake in Yangzhou, leading to the flooding of lakes and rivers. In the second year, on the day of Gengyin in February, Jiangling experienced an earthquake. At that time, Huan Wen held absolute power.

In the first year of Duke Haixi's Taihe era, in February, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou, with water gushing out. This was a portent of Duke Haixi's impending downfall.

In the second year of Emperor Jianwen's Xian'an era, on the day of Xinwei in October, there was an earthquake in Ancheng. That year, the emperor died.

In the first year of Emperor Xiaowu's Ningkang era, on the day of Xinwei in October, there was an earthquake. In the second year, on the day of Dingsi in February, there was an earthquake; in July, on the day of Jiawu, Liangzhou experienced another earthquake, causing mountains to collapse. At that time, the emperor was still young, and power was in the hands of the ministers, which signified a decline in yang and a rise in yin.

In the second year of Taiyuan, in the intercalary third month, on Renwu day, there was an earthquake; in the fifth month, on Dingchou day, there was an earthquake; in the eleventh year, in the sixth month, on Jimao day, there was an earthquake. After that, the generals along the Yellow River fought for several years in a row, a sign of the people's suffering. In the fifteenth year, in the third month, on the night of Jiyu, there was an earthquake; in the eighth month, there was an earthquake in the capital; in the twelfth month, on Jiwei day, there was an earthquake; in the seventeenth year, in the sixth month, on Guimao day, there was an earthquake; in the twelfth month, on Jiwei day, there was another earthquake. At that time, corrupt officials held power in the court, and the people's hearts were filled with fear. In the first month of the eighteenth year, on Guihai day, there was an earthquake; in the second month, on the night of Yiwei, there was an earthquake.

In the fourth month of the fourth year of Long'an, on Yimao day, there was an earthquake; in the ninth month, on Guichou day, there was an earthquake. At that time, the emperor was young and inexperienced, and all power was in the hands of the ministers.

In the year 408 AD, in the first month, on the night of Renzi, there was a sudden earthquake, accompanied by a thunderous sound. In the same year, in the tenth month, on Guihai day, there was another earthquake. In the year 409 AD, in the first month, on the night of Wuxu, there was an earthquake in the Xunyang area, with a sound as loud as thunder. The following year, Lu Xun faced defeat. In the year 412 AD, from the first month to the fourth month, four earthquakes struck consecutively in the Nankang and Luling regions. The following year, Wang Lu led his forces westward into Jingzhou and Yizhou. In the year 414 AD, in the third month, on Wuyin day, another earthquake occurred.

In August of the year 240 AD, landslides and floods occurred in Danyang, Jurong, Guzhang, Ningguo, and other places in the state of Wu. Liu Xiang wrote: "Mountains symbolize the yang, representing the monarch; water symbolizes the yin, representing the people. The warning from the heavens is like saying: when the monarch's righteousness collapses, the people will lose their support!" During the Spring and Autumn period, the collapse of Liangshan, and during the Han Dynasty, many mountains in the states of Qi and Chu experienced landslides and floods, all for the same reason. The sacrificial offerings of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties could not exceed the rank of the deities. Good and bad fortune all have reasons, not occurring by chance. Although Wu claimed to be an emperor, it was actually still one of the vassal states. The disaster occurred in Danyang; this is a sign from heaven! Liu Xin also said: "The rulers of a country are closely related to the mountains and rivers. When mountains collapse and rivers dry up, it is a sign that the country is about to perish." Two years later, Sun Quan died, and twenty-six years later, the state of Wu perished.

In February of the year 265 AD, the collapse of Taihang Mountain signaled the downfall 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. In July of the year 274 AD, Taishan collapsed, covering an area of collapse of three li. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes": "The collapse from top to bottom is called 'beng', corresponding to the phenomenon of stones from Mount Tai rolling down. When the sage king rises, the monarch is captured." When Emperor Wu of Jin died, the country's wealth was lost, Emperor Hui was weak and incompetent, Emperor Huai and Emperor Min were both captured in the north, the country was divided until Emperor Yuan revived in the south, all fulfilling Jing Fang's prophecy.

In May of the year 281 AD, the temple dedicated to Emperor Xuan sank. In October of the year 282 AD, there was a landslide in the newly developed mountain in Nan'an, with a torrent of water gushing forth. In February of the year 283 AD, the collapse of the Dalu Mountain in Zhuti County damaged buildings in the county, and the cliff of Chouchi Mountain in Yinping also collapsed. In July of the year 284 AD, heavy rain fell, causing the area in front of the palace to sink, covering an area of five square feet and several feet deep, and a broken ship was even discovered at the site.

In the year 284 AD, during the fourth year of Emperor Hui of Jin's Yuankang era, a landslide occurred in Sichuan, which resulted in numerous deaths. On the ninth day of the fifth month, another landslide happened in Shouchun, causing flash floods, the collapse of city walls, and ground subsidence measuring thirty zhang in radius, leading to many fatalities. In June, Shouchun faced a severe thunderstorm, with landslides and ground fissures, which buried many households. The same incidents occurred in Shangyong. In August, the ground at Juyong Pass split open with a large crack, thirty-six zhang wide and eighty-four zhang long, as underground water gushed out, leading to a severe famine. In the Shangyong area, landslides were widespread, with ground subsidence measuring thirty zhang wide and one hundred thirty zhang long, and flash floods causing numerous deaths. These disasters were seen as retributions for Jia's misrule.

In 285 AD, a landslide also occurred in Xiyong.

In 291 AD, in the first year of Emperor Huai of Jin's Yongjia era, in March, the ground in Buguangli, northeast of Luoyang, subsided. On August 28 two years later, the city wall of Juancheng inexplicably collapsed by over seventy zhang. Sima Yue felt this was particularly ominous and moved to Puyang. These unusual disasters were certainly alarming! Later, Sima Yue suffered misfortune due to damage to his family tomb. On July 28 of Yongjia's third year, three areas in Dangyang experienced ground fissures, with cracks that were three zhang wide and over three hundred steps long. The "Yizhuan" commentary by Jing Fang states: "When the ground cracks, it indicates that the subordinates are divided in heart and do not cooperate with each other." Later, Sima Yue had a falling out with Gou Xi, and the various lords across the regions became fragmented, which ultimately led to the downfall of the Western Jin dynasty. In October of Yongjia's third year, a landslide occurred in Yidu Yidao. In April of Yongjia's fourth year, Heishi Mountain in Ling County, eastern Hunan, collapsed as well.

In the year 318 AD, in February of the first year of Emperor Yuan of Jin, earthquakes and landslides occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiyang. In May of the following year, there was an earthquake in Qishan, accompanied by landslides, causing many casualties. In the third year of Taihing, landslides happened in Nanping County, where several thousand jin of realgar surfaced from the landslide. At that time, Wang Dun was arrogant and overbearing, yet the emperor tolerated him, which was like raising a tiger that would eventually bite back! In August of the fourth year of Taihing, there was a landslide in Changshan, causing floods as the Huitao River surged, uprooting large trees.

In the year 337 AD, during the fourth year of Emperor Cheng of Jin's reign, in October, the cliffs northwest of Lushan in Chaisang gave way. In December, Liu Yin was murdered by Guo Mo.

In the year 350 AD, during the seventh year of Emperor Mu of Jin's reign in September, both Junping Tomb and Chongyang Tomb collapsed. In November of that year, the court sent the royal attendant Che Guan to repair Junping Tomb, but as they were digging the tomb passage, a landslide occurred, killing dozens of people.

In the year 357 AD, at the South Ye Gate, a horse's hoof sank into the ground, and a bell was excavated, which bore four characters. (This part is a direct quote from the original text, not to be translated.)

In the year 365 AD, on April 14 of the first year of Emperor Ai of Jin's reign, Haohui Mountain collapsed, a sign of Zhang Tianxi's impending defeat.

In early March of 382 AD, a sudden ground subsidence occurred in Shanyin, creating a massive pit about four zhang wide, and the sound was like thunder. By early May of 386 AD, there was also an incident at Ximing Gate, where a large crack opened underground, releasing a lot of water that damaged the door panels and threshold. This water was emerging from the ground, suggesting a disturbance in the earth's energy. A few years later, in May of 387 AD, there was a landslide in Huoshan, and six bronze bells were unearthed from the ground. In July of 389 AD, strange occurrences continued by the river in Chenggu County, Hanzhong, where a thunderous noise was first heard, followed by the riverbank collapsing, unearthing twelve bronze bells from the riverbank.

One evening in June of the year 309 AD, there was suddenly a violent thunderstorm, causing the pillars of Jia Mi's study to collapse directly into the ground, crushing his bed and tent. The wood had been affected by the earth's energy, causing the soil underneath to change and could no longer support the structure. Ironically, the following year, Jia Mi was executed.

In May of the year 806 AD, a fire broke out underground in the region of Fanyang, with flames shooting up high enough to be used for cooking. This fire was also a result of the earth's unfavorable energies. During that time, the world was in chaos, with various feudal lords controlling rituals, music, and military campaigns.

It is said in books that if an emperor fails to practice moderation, it signifies that the rules have not been properly set. The consequences are severe and may lead to divine retribution, resulting in a gloomy and weakened nation. Sometimes there may be demons causing trouble, natural disasters like dragons and snakes, horses injuring people, subordinates rebelling, or abnormal movements of the sun, moon, and stars. If an emperor fails to achieve moderation, it signifies that the rules have not been properly established. The term "huang" signifies the emperor, "ji" denotes moderation, and "jian" means to establish. If the emperor's words, actions, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all problematic and lack moderation, nothing can be accomplished, and the issues stem from excessive extremism and deviation, leading to such consequences.

A king inherits the principles of heaven from the ground up to govern all things. When celestial phenomena are chaotic, they are punished with continuous rain. There's a saying: if upper leadership fails to maintain balance, the lower ranks will grow powerful and obscure the leader's vision. The Book of Changes states: "The proud dragon has regrets; though noble, it loses its position, and while high, it loses its people. The wise man in a lower position loses his support." The energy of the sun rises, light and swift. According to etiquette, a grand archery event should be held in spring to align with the yang energy. If the upper level weakens, the lower level will be restless, so there will be monsters and demons creating chaos. The Book of Changes says: "Clouds come from the dragon," and also states: "The dragon and snake hibernate to preserve themselves." Yin energy prevails, so there will be disasters like dragons and snakes. In the Book of Changes, the hexagram "Qian" represents the monarch, as well as horses. Excessive reliance on military force will undermine the monarch's authority, resulting in disasters where horses injure people. Another saying is that if a large number of horses die or turn into monsters, it is also for this reason. If the monarch is foolish and weak, he will be betrayed by the people and abandoned by heaven. If there is no wise monarch to punish, usurpation and regicide will occur, prompting rebellion among subordinates. In short, if the way of the monarch is damaged, it will affect celestial phenomena. The text does not claim that the five elements' energy angers heaven; rather, it states, "the sun and moon are in disorder, and the stars move retrograde," because the lower ranks do not dare to say they have angered heaven, just like in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" where it says "the king's army suffered defeat in Maorong," not saying they were defeated, but using "suffered defeat" to express it euphemistically, which reflects a sense of respect. Liu Xin's "Imperial Transmission" says that the affliction of the lower body stems from the upper, meaning that the subordinates rebel, the heavenly condemnation has been determined, and it can no longer be called an illness.

In the third year of the Taiping era, during Sun Liang's reign, starting from August, there was continuous rain, and it did not stop for over forty days. At that time, he was about to execute Sun Zhen, but the plan was leaked. On the day of Wu Wu in September, Sun Zhen surrounded the palace with troops and deposed Sun Liang, declaring him King of Kuaiji; this was the punishment for the prolonged rain.

When Sun Hao was in power, in December of the first year of Baoding, the astronomers reported that it hadn't rained for a long time, foretelling that conspiracies were afoot. Upon hearing this, Sun Hao was terrified. At that time, Lu Kai and others planned to depone Sun Hao during his temple visit. However, as Lu Kai left, he instructed Liu Ping to lead the charge, but Liu Ping opposed the plan, leading to its failure. Sun Hao later became increasingly tyrannical, and those under him harbored thoughts of rebellion, ultimately leading to the downfall of the state.

In the Shu state, General Deng Zhi went to Fuling to fight and saw a black ape on the mountain, shooting it with an arrow. The black ape pulled out the arrow and used leaves to block the wound. Deng Zhi exclaimed, "Oh no! I've gone against the natural order; I’m likely to die!" Not long after, Deng Zhi died, an event later referred to as "shooting a demon!" Some say that the black ape was a mother with her child, and Deng Zhi shot the child, who pulled out the arrow and used leaves to block the wound. Deng Zhi sighed and threw his crossbow into the water, realizing his fate was sealed.

When Emperor Gong of Jin was the King of Langya, he had a penchant for peculiar games. Once, he confined a horse outside and had his men shoot arrows at it to see how many arrows it would take to kill it. Someone nearby advised him, "The horse is a symbol of the royal family! Shooting it now is inauspicious!" So he stopped, but the horse had already been shot with more than ten arrows. This could also be seen as "shooting a demon!" Shortly thereafter, he abdicated in favor of Emperor Wu of Song.

On the day of Jiashen in the first month of the first year of Emperor Ming of Wei, a blue dragon appeared in the Mobai well in Ji County. Generally speaking, when auspicious signs appear at inopportune times, they are often bad omens, especially when trapped in a well, which is an even worse sign. As a result, Wei changed its reign title, though it proved ineffective. Gan Bao said: "From Emperor Ming of Wei to the downfall of the Wei Dynasty, the appearance of blue and yellow dragons is related to the rise and fall of Wei. The fate of Wei is associated with wood, represented by the color blue, but it pales in comparison to gold. When the yellow dragon appears and the blue dragon disappears, it is a symbol of the blue dragon losing its position and the yellow dragon gaining its position. The frequent appearances of the blue dragon signify internal strife within Wei's fate. This is why the Noble Duke of Gaogui ultimately met his demise in battle." According to Liu Xiang, the dragon symbolizes nobility, but being trapped in a well signifies calamity and imprisonment for the feudal lords. Throughout the Wei Dynasty, dragons frequently appeared in wells, indicating that rulers were under duress. The Noble Duke of Gaogui once wrote a poem called "Hidden Dragon," which conveys this meaning.

On the day of Wuxu in October of the first year of the Noble Duke of Gaogui, a yellow dragon appeared in a well in Ye City.

On the day of Xinchou in the first month of the first year of Ganlu, a blue dragon appeared in a well in Zhixian. In the sixth month of the year of Yichou, a blue dragon appeared in a well in Yuancheng County. In the second month of the second year, a blue dragon appeared in a well in Wen County. In the third year, yellow and blue dragons simultaneously appeared in wells in Dunqiu, Guanjun, and Yangxia counties. In the first month of the fourth year, a yellow dragon appeared twice in wells in Ningling County.

In recent years, blue and yellow dragons have appeared frequently in wells across various locations, which feels quite miraculous, though their significance remains unclear.

On the day of Jiashen in the twelfth month of the first year of Emperor Yuan of Wei, a yellow dragon appeared in a well in Huayin County. In the second month of the third year, a dragon appeared in a well in Zhixian.

In recent years, dragons have also appeared several times, in different locations.

During the reign of Sun Hao of the Wu Kingdom, a dragon in a Changsha household gave birth to dragon offspring and even ate chicks. Jing Fang said in "Yiyao": "When a dragon gives birth in a household, it indicates that those in power will become common people." Later, Sun Hao was indeed overthrown by the Jin Dynasty. This dragon truly seems a bit prophetic!

In the second year of the Xianning reign of Emperor Wu, on the day of Bingwu in the sixth month, two white dragons appeared in the well of Jiuyuan. This sighting of the white dragons was unlike any previous ones. In the fifth year of Taikang, on the day of Guimao in the first month, two dragons appeared in the well of the Imperial Arsenal. The emperor was very happy to see them, and the ministers were all prepared to offer their congratulations, except for Liu Yi, who submitted a memorial stating: "In the past, when dragons appeared in the courtyard of the Xia Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty encountered trouble; when dragons appeared at the gates of the Zheng State, Zichan did not congratulate." The emperor replied, "My virtuous governance is not yet established; I am not qualified to accept such an auspicious sign." Thus, he refrained from offering congratulations. Sun Sheng said: "Dragons are creatures of the water; what does it have to do with humans! Zichan is right. But the location where the dragon appears is wrong; it is actually a disaster. The appearance of a dragon is auspicious; it should be flying in the sky. Hiding in a well is not a good sign." In the second year of Emperor Huidi, two dragons appeared in the well of Lanling. The Book of Han believed this was a precursor to the death of King You of Zhao. The Imperial Arsenal is a secretive place where the emperor kept his weapons, not a place where dragons should be. Seven years later, the princes began to kill each other, and twenty-eight years later, two people with the surname Long rebelled and seized power; this indeed came to pass! The appearance of dragons in the Imperial Arsenal did indeed come true; it is genuinely chilling to contemplate. In the second year of Jianxing of Emperor Mindi, in the eleventh month, a prostitute from the Qiang ethnic group in Fuhans gave birth to a dragon child, whose color was like brocade. He often drank breast milk and could even be seen surrounded by divine light, very few people could witness this. This was also a result of the emperor's failure to cultivate virtue, and in the end, Emperor Mindi also met his demise. The birth of this dragon child also foretold misfortune. In the closing years of Lv Zuan's reign, a dragon emerged from the well in the eastern wing and lay in front of his palace, only to vanish the next morning. Later, a black dragon flew to the gate of his palace. Lv Zuan believed this was a good sign. Some remarked, "Dragons are considered yin creatures; there is a time pattern to their appearance. Now they are appearing frequently; there must be someone planning to rebel." Later, Lv Zuan was indeed killed by Lv Chao. The emergence of this dragon ultimately signaled ill omens.

During the Xian Ning period of Emperor Wu of Han, two large snakes appeared in the Sima's residence, each over ten zhang in length, living on the beams of the office building, unnoticed by anyone. For several years, children, pigs, and dogs kept disappearing in the residence. Later, one of the snakes came out at night, got injured and couldn't escape, only then were the snakes discovered. Everyone quickly rushed to attack the snakes, and it took a while before they were finally killed. The Sima's residence is in charge of education, indicating that the emperor lacked virtue, leading to such strange incidents. During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, there were also snakes in the palace, and Yang Ci said this was due to the emperor's indulgence in wine and women. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, there were many women in the palace, especially in Yan State, living in indulgence and pleasure all day, which was a root cause of disaster. The Book of Songs says, "Only snakes and vipers, auspicious for women," which is the reason behind this.

In the fifth year of Emperor Hui's Yuankang reign, on the day of Guisi in the third month, a large snake over ten zhang long appeared in Linzi, with two small snakes, entering the city from the north gate, passing through the market directly into the temple of Prince Jing of Han in Chengyang, and then disappeared. This is a warning from above! Although Prince Jing of Han had made great contributions, he did not pay attention to maintaining his integrity and loyalty, resulting in loss of office and credit. The current Prince Qi, despite also contributing to the revival, is arrogant and has brought calamity upon himself; this is a bad omen!

At the beginning of the Taiping period of Emperor Ming, a large snake appeared in Wuchang, living in a hollow tree at an old temple, often poking its head out to be fed. Jing Fang stated in "Yi Yao": "There will be a large-scale war within three years, and the nation will face great calamities." Later, Wang Dun's rebellion indeed occurred.

In the first year of the Tai Xi era under Emperor Wu, a horse with long horns appeared in Liaodong, with the horns measuring three inches long and growing between its ears. According to Liu Xiang, "This is a sign of military disaster." Later, after the emperor passed away, the royal family indeed suffered from military disasters, confirming this omen. Jing Fang stated in the "Book of Changes": "When ministers oppress their superiors and political affairs are not going smoothly, strange occurrences like horses growing horns will appear, indicating a lack of wise men!" He also said, "When the Son of Heaven personally goes to war, the horse will grow horns." The "Lüshi Chunqiu" also mentioned: "When a ruler loses virtue, horses will grow horns." After Emperor Hui ascended the throne, his incompetence and moral corruption led him to personally lead troops against Chengdu, which ultimately came to fruition!

In December of the eighth year of the Yuan Kang era of Emperor Hui, 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 several strong men could not move it. Wang Lun had no choice but to switch to a lighter sedan chair to continue. This was a disaster caused by the horse! Heaven was warning that Wang Lun lacked the understanding of how to be a proper person and would ultimately rebel; he was not someone who could teach others to bow and pay respects!

On the day of Wu Yin in November of the ninth year, suddenly a stallion rushed into the Ting Wei's interrogation hall in panic, let out a mournful cry, and died. This was undoubtedly a warning from heaven, as if mourning the death of the wronged! You see, this interrogation hall of the Ting Wei, could it have been specially arranged by heaven?

In February of the sixth year of the Yongjia era of Emperor Huai, a strange horse called out at the southern city gate.

In September of the second year of the Jianxing era of Emperor Min, there was an astonishing occurrence in Puzi County where a horse gave birth to a human being! Jing Fang had said in the "Book of Changes": "When the Son of Heaven passes away and the feudal lords fight each other, strange phenomena like horses giving birth to humans will occur." At that time, the royal family was in decline, precarious, with constant invasions from the Hu and Di tribes, and the flames of war were drawing closer. It wasn't long before the emperor fell, which explains the appearance of such strange phenomena.

In the second year of Emperor Yuan's reign, the horse of Puyang Yan, an official from Danyang County, gave birth to a foal that had two heads, splitting from the front of its neck, and died shortly after birth. Sima Biao said: "This indicates that power is in private hands; it is a sign of power being in private hands." Later, Wang Dun indeed rebelled.

On the Jiaxu day of May in the eighth year of Emperor Cheng's Xiankang era, a horse as red as blood was reported, running straight from Xuan Yang Gate to the front of the palace, circling the palace and then running out. No one was able to catch up, and it was unknown where it went. On the day of Jimao, the emperor fell ill, and in June, he passed away. This horse was an ominous sign, and a red one at that! In the same year, Zhang Chonghua in Liangzhou planned to kill Zhang Xiang, the Prefect of Xihe. All the horses in his stable suddenly lost their tails!

In the fourth year of Long'an during the reign of Emperor An, in October, a horse with long horns was reported in Liangzhou. The governor Guo Quan reported this to Huan Xuan. According to Liu Xiang, horses should not have horns, just like Huan Xuan should not have rebelled. Huan Xuan ignored the advice and ultimately faced a downfall, losing his reputation.

When Shi Jilong was in Ye City, one of his horses had its tail burned, entering through the Zhongyang Gate and exiting through the Xianyang Gate. People from the Eastern Palace were unable to enter, and the horse ran off toward the northeast and quickly vanished. The fortune teller Fotu Cheng sighed and said: "Disaster is coming!" Over a year later, Shi Jilong died, and his kingdom was also destroyed.

In the Huangchu era during Emperor Wen's reign in Wei, the mother of Song Shizong from Qinghe transformed into a turtle and swam away.

In the year 234 AD, under the command of Cao Xiu, there was a soldier named Qiu Xi, whose family’s servant woman died and then came back to life, which caused a significant sensation at the time. Around the same time, someone opened the tomb of an emperor from the Zhou dynasty and found a woman buried inside, who began to breathe after a few days. Although she was unable to speak for several months, Empress Dowager Guo adopted the woman. In addition, in Taiyuan, someone excavated a grave and discovered a living woman inside a coffin. When asked what had happened, she herself did not know. According to the inscription on the tombstone, she was around thirty years old. The "Jingfang Yizhuan" states, "The Yin becomes Yang, the lower becomes the upper." This was a portent of the rise of Emperor Xuan of Han. Similar strange occurrences also happened during the reigns of Emperor Ping and Emperor Xian of Han, and people at that time believed these were omens of the rise of Wang Mang and Cao Cao.

In the year 261 AD, a man named Chen Jiao from Anwu County died and returned to life after seven days, crawling out of his grave. Gan Bao said, "This is similar to what happened during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han. Marquis of Wucheng, Hao, inherited the royal family business that was deposed, which is an auspicious omen for succession to the throne!" This means that Chen Jiao's resurrection foreshadowed someone inheriting the throne.

In the year 266 AD, in Danyang, a man named Xuan Qian had an eighty-year-old mother who unexpectedly transformed into a soft-shelled turtle while bathing. Xuan Qian's brothers promptly closed the door to shield her. They dug a large pit in the hall and filled it with water, and the turtle played in it. For a day or two, it would frequently stretch its neck to look outside. As soon as the door was slightly ajar, it would immediately turn around, jump into a distant pond, and never return. Similar to the incident involving Empress Dowager Huang's mother during the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, this was a portent of the downfall of the Wu Kingdom.

In August of the year 264 AD, someone in Xiangwu County reported seeing a giant over three zhang tall, with footprints three chi and two cun long. The giant had white hair, wore a yellow headscarf and a yellow robe, leaned on a cane, shouted the name "Wang Shi," and said, "Now there will be peace!" Subsequently, the Jin Dynasty replaced the Wei Dynasty.

In the year 271 AD, a seventy-year-old man in Yuancheng grew horns. This was likely an omen of Zhao Wang Lun's usurpation.

In December of the year 276 AD, a man named Yan Ji from Langya died of illness. His coffin was already buried, but his family dreamed that Yan Ji said, "I am going to resurrect, quickly open the coffin!" So his family opened the coffin, and Yan Ji gradually regained the ability to eat and drink, bend his limbs, see and hear, but he was unable to walk or speak. Two years later, he died again. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" said: "To change from yin to yang, from lowly to superior, this signifies the resurrection of a spirit." Later, Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le rebelled, ultimately overthrowing the Jin Dynasty, fulfilling the prophecy of "from lowly to superior."

During the reign of Emperor Huide during the Yuan Kang era, there was a woman named Zhou Shining in Anfeng. At the age of eight, she gradually transformed into a man, and by the age of seventeen or eighteen, she had fully adopted a masculine personality. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" said: "When a woman becomes a man, this signifies the rise of yin, and a lowly person becoming a king." This also foreshadowed the chaos brought about by Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le sweeping across the world.

During the Yongning era, Prince Qi Jiong rose in rebellion under the banner of justice, executed traitors and restored the emperor, enjoying great glory for a while. At that time, a woman suddenly ran to the gate of the Grand Marshal's residence, saying she wanted to leave her child there. The gatekeeper stopped her and asked what was going on, to which the woman nonchalantly replied, "I will leave after giving birth to the child." At that time, Prince Qi Jiong was praised by all for his efforts to support the royal family, yet some perceptive individuals foresaw his impending retribution. Indeed, later on, Prince Qi Jiong was killed.

In the first year of Yongning, on the Jiazi day in December, an old man with white hair barged into the residence of Grand Marshal Qiwang Jiong, shouting: "There are great soldiers planning to rebel, within ten days!" Qiwang Jiong had him killed. Consequently, on the day of Wuchen in December of the next year, Qiwang Jiong was defeated in battle, exactly ten days after the Jiazi day.

In the first year of Tai'an, on the day of Guiyou in April, a man claiming to have come from Longmen ran to the palace entrance, kowtowed twice towards the north, and said: "I should be appointed as the Minister of the Central Secretariat!" Upon saying this, he was captured and killed. Gan Bao commented on this incident: "The palace is a forbidden area, heavily guarded. This person was able to easily break in, and the guards did not notice, indicating that the palace is on the verge of becoming empty, and the subordinates are about to surpass the superiors, a sign of chaos!" After that, the emperor first moved the capital to Ye City, and later to Chang'an, and the palace eventually fell into emptiness.

During the Yuankang period, a woman from the Liang state was engaged to someone, and the betrothal gifts had already been received. However, her husband was drafted to Chang'an and did not return for several years. Her family arranged for her to marry someone else. The woman was reluctant, but her parents forced her to comply, and she had no choice but to go. Not long after, she fell ill and died. Later, her first husband returned, looking for her, and her family informed him of the situation. He ran to his wife's grave, heartbroken, and dug up her grave, resulting in his wife coming back to life. They both returned home together. Later, her new husband discovered this and reported it to the authorities, but the officials were at a loss about what to do. Secretary Wang Dao said: "This is a truly rare event; it can't be judged by ordinary logic; she should be returned to her former husband." The court agreed with his suggestion.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, a maidservant in the Du household passed away. For some reasons, she couldn't be buried promptly, and the grave was reopened for reburial ten years later, only to find that the maid was still alive! At first, she appeared to be asleep, and after a while, she slowly woke up. When asked what happened, she said it seemed she had only slept for two days. She was fifteen or sixteen years old when buried, and when the grave was opened, she still looked like she was fifteen or sixteen. Later, she eventually got married and had children.

In the first year of the Guangxi era, there was a man named Xie Zhen from Kuaiji who gave birth to a child with a large head, born with hair, feet pointing upwards, with both male and female features. It let out a man's cry at birth and died the next day. This indicates a moral failing of the emperor, and the signs of rebellion from the lower class against the upper class have emerged, leading to signs of power struggles among the princes.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, there were people in Luoyang who exhibited both male and female characteristics, could engage with both men and women, and had particularly strong sexual desires. This is a portent of great chaos to come! Starting from the Xianning and Taikang eras, male favorites became widespread, surpassing the favor for women. Officials and nobles emulated this behavior, and people followed suit, resulting in marital discord, widespread resentment, and a disruption of the balance of yin and yang between genders, leading to the appearance of various monsters and demons.

In the first year of Yongjia, a maidservant named Wan Xiang in Wu County, Wu Commandery, gave birth to a strange child with a bird's head, horse hoof-like legs, only one hand, no hair, and a yellow tail the size of a pillow. This too is a sign of impending chaos!

In the fifth year of Yongjia, in May, a courtesan of Yan Gen, the magistrate of Fanghan County, gave birth to a dragon, a girl, and a goose. The "Yi Zhuan" by Jing Fang says: "When a human gives birth to non-human things, it is a sign of a large-scale war about to happen in the world." At that time, the emperor inherited the throne from Emperor Hui, and the world descended into chaos, ultimately being defeated in Pingyang and slaughtered by the barbarians. This was indeed a clear omen!

In the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Ming Jianxing, the wife of Ren Qiao, an official from Xinchai County, gave birth to two daughters whose bellies and hearts were connected, separated above the chest and below the navel. This was an unprecedented occurrence! At the time, the Grand Historian Lu Hui reported, "According to the records of the 'Ruiying Diagram,' plants with different roots but growing together are called 'lianli branches,' wheat ears growing together in different fields are called 'jiahe,' and strange phenomena in plants are considered auspicious. Now, these two girls share the same heart and body. The 'Book of Changes' says, 'When two people share the same heart, their benefits are as strong as breaking gold.' This should be an auspicious sign of unity in the world!" At that time, people found his words laughable. Shortly after, the world fell into chaos and the emperor died.

In the early years of the Yuan Emperor Taixing, there was a woman whose genitals were on her stomach, below the navel. She came from the Central Plains to Jiangdong, had a promiscuous nature, but could not conceive. Another woman had her genitals on her head, at the ferry in Yangzhou, and also had a promiscuous nature. Jing Fang's "Yiyao" states, "When a child is born with genitals on the head, the world will be in great turmoil; on the stomach, major events will occur in the world; on the back, the world will face the end of descendants." At that time, Wang Dun occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and was preparing to rebel against the ruling powers, which was an ominous sign of chaos to come!

In December of the third year of Taixing, the wife of the Shangshu Zou Xieping gave birth to a daughter who emitted a sound like "bi bi" as soon as she was born and died shortly after. Her nose and eyes were on the top of her head, her face resembled her neck, her mouth had teeth all connected, her chest was like a turtle, and her hands and feet were like bird claws, all bent downwards. This was also an unprecedented phenomenon of giving birth to non-human beings. Two years later, the Battle of Stones occurred.

In the seventh month of the second year of the Ming Emperor Taining, the wife of Ji, the Duke of Danyang Jiangning, died and came back to life three days later.

In April of the year 339 AD, a man named Wang He from Xiapi moved his family to Jiyang. His twenty-year-old daughter claimed to have descended from the heavens and been resurrected, stating that she had received a heavenly seal and a jade stamp and would become the mother of the world in the future. The Jinling Prefect considered this to be heretical nonsense and arrested her, imprisoning her. In November, a man claiming to be Lv Ci, wearing red clothes and leaning on a wooden staff, ran to the gate of the palace, claiming to be a saint sent to see the emperor. The gatekeeper, upon hearing him, said that there were seven stars beneath Wang He's daughter's right foot, each adorned with hair and measuring seven inches long, and heaven intended to proclaim her as the mother of the world. After this was reported to the court, Lv Ci was executed, and Wang He's daughter was also executed.

In October of the year 374 AD, when the camp supervisor of the Wei general was inspecting the Chen Du Female Platform, he found the words "Mother of the World" on a soldier's foot. After moxibustion, the writing became even clearer. This incident stirred up quite a commotion in the capital, and the authorities apprehended the soldier and reported the incident to the court. Consequently, the soldier managed to escape from the Jiankang County prison. The following year, the emperor passed away, and the Empress Dowager assumed control of the government, which was probably also a kind of omen.

During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu in the Ningkang period, a woman named Tang from Nanjunzhou Ling gradually transformed into a man.

In the year 405 AD, a man named Zhao in Wuxi suddenly reached a height of eight feet at just eight years old, grew a beard, and died three days later.

During the Yixi period, a family surnamed Mo in Dongyang gave birth to a daughter, but unable to care for her, they buried her for a few days. Yet, the sound of a baby crying emanated from the ground, so they unearthed her, and miraculously, she survived.

In the later Yixi period, in Eryangdao in Wuping, Yuzhang, there was a continuous birth of children.

In the year 413 AD, there was a place called Yangdao in Jian'an, where a headless infant was born, but later astonishingly regained its head and grew into a woman.

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Jin （晉書）

Published: 02 January 2025

Created: 02 January 2025

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In the fourth year of Jiapin during the reign of King Qi of the Wei state, in May, two fish suddenly appeared on the roof of the armory, which was not a good omen! Wang Su looked at it and said, "Fish should live in water, but now they have come to the roof. These fish have scales and shells; haven’t they lost their proper place? This probably indicates that a military coup is about to happen!" Sure enough, later there was a disastrous defeat in the Battle of Dongguan. Gan Bao also believed this was a sign that Duke Xiang was about to encounter military disaster. Both interpretations aligned with Ban Gu's viewpoint.

Then, during the Tai Kang period of Emperor Wu, there were two more instances of carp appearing on the roof of the armory. Gan Bao analyzed, "The armory is a place for storing weapons, and fish, with their scales and shells, resemble weapons. Fish are a yin creature, while the roof is full of sunlight; the appearance of fish on the roof symbolizes a yin entity challenging the yang of the sun through military disaster. By the early reign of Emperor Hui, Yang Jun was executed, the empress dowager was deposed, and arrows were flying chaotically in the palace. During the Yuan Kang period, Jia Hou falsely accused the crown prince, who was ultimately executed and deposed as well. In a decade, there were two incidents of the empress dowager being deposed, which all came true as foretold by the earlier omens! Since then, the world has become a chaotic mess." Jing Fang also mentioned in the "Book of Changes," "When fish leave the water and fly onto the road, war is about to break out." The "Spring and Autumn Annals" recorded a situation where the insect "zhong" appeared in large numbers. Liu Xin believed that the disaster caused by this insect was similar to the fish omen.

In the third year of Huangchu during the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei, there was a severe locust plague in Jizhou, leaving the people hungry. Cai Yong said, "The locust plague is caused by the greed and cruelty of those in power." At that time, Sun Quan pledged allegiance to the Wei state, and Emperor Wen, because Sun Quan had taken Xiling, led a large army to attack him, which ultimately led to Sun Quan's rebellion.

In the tenth year of Tai Shi during Emperor Wu's reign, there was another locust plague. At that time, Xun and Jia were in power; they had hardline policies and suppressed honest officials.

During the first year of Emperor Hui's Yongning reign, locust plagues occurred all over the country. In May of the fourth year of Emperor Huai's Yongjia reign, a major locust plague occurred from Youzhou to Bingzhou, Sizhou, and Jizhou, all the way to Qinzhou and Yongzhou. All plants, livestock, and even their fur were completely devoured! At that time, the country was in chaos, and the people could only barely survive by fishing and hunting. Only Sima Yue and Gou Xi managed to maintain any order. However, both were cruel and ineffective rulers, contributing to the disaster. In June of the fourth year of Emperor Mindi's Jianxing reign, another locust plague occurred. Last year, Liu Yao attacked Beidi and Fengyi several times, and Qiu Yun and others led a large army to resist, but they were still defeated by Liu Yao, resulting in the fall of the Western Capital. In the fifth year of Jianxing, the emperor was in Pingyang when a large number of locusts appeared in Sizhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Yongzhou. In June of the year 313 AD, the locust plague in the Lanling area was particularly severe, and the crops failed. On the same year's Yimao day, locusts ravaged Dongguan, spreading over an area of three hundred miles, causing heavy losses to crops. In July, Donghai, Pengcheng, Xiapu, and Linhuai four counties all suffered locust plagues, with all crops completely devoured. In August, Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Xuzhou also experienced locust plagues, with locusts eating up all the green grass, and the plague persisted for two years. At that time, the Central Plains descended into chaos, and various riots were escalating. In May of the year 314 AD, Huailing, Linhuai, Huainan, Anfeng, and Lujiang five counties suffered locust plagues again, and all the wheat in autumn was eaten by locusts. On the same Guichou day of the month, locust plagues also occurred in Xuzhou and Yangzhou in Jiangnan, and tragically, many people in Wu County starved to death. During that year, Wang Dun was appointed governor of Jingzhou, marking the beginning of his arrogant and tyrannical rule.

In August of the year 376 AD, a locust plague occurred in Yanzhou. At that time, the Murong clan's army was advancing on Henan, and the ongoing warfare resulted in this disaster. In May of the year 377 AD, locusts flew in from the south and gathered near Tangyi County, causing crops to be destroyed once again. In the spring of that year, the court mobilized two thousand soldiers from Jiangzhou and six to seven thousand family members to protect the court's army and the Eastern Palace, but nearly all of them eventually deserted. In addition, border generals kept conscripting soldiers, which contributed to the locust plague.

In the year 280 AD, the first year of Sun Hao's reign, a wild boar entered the camp of the Right Grand Marshal Ding Feng, signifying a bad omen. Later, Ding Feng was ordered to attack Guyang, but returned empty-handed. In a fit of rage, Sun Hao executed Ding Feng's guide. When the army retreated north, Ding Feng, Wan Yu, and others conspired in secret, saying, "If we reach Huali, we will have to flee for our lives." This plan was soon discovered, and although Ding Feng was already dead by then, Sun Hao still held Ding Feng responsible for the defeat at Guyang and killed Ding Feng's son Ding Wen, with his family being exiled, which fulfilled the omen of the wild boar's arrival in the camp. Gong Sui once said, "When wild beasts from the mountains and fields run into the palace, the palace will be empty," which is exactly the truth.

During the reign of Emperor Huai of the Jin Dynasty, in the Yongjia era, a two-headed pig was spotted in the city of Shou Chun, but it did not live long. Zhou Fu went to see it, and at that time, knowledgeable people said, "Pigs are livestock from the north, representing the northern tribes. A two-headed pig symbolizes a lack of a ruler; being born and dying immediately symbolizes bad luck. This serves as a warning from Heaven, not to engage in treachery; otherwise, destruction will be self-inflicted." Zhou Fu did not heed the advice, still wanting to welcome the emperor and command the vassals, but he was swiftly defeated by Emperor Yuan, thereby fulfilling the omen of the two-headed pig. Following that, Shi Le crossed the Huai River, and ninety-nine percent of the populace perished.

In the year 36 AD, which was the first year of the Jianwu era under Emperor Guangwu, it was said that a sow gave birth to a pig that had eight legs. This was believed to be a punishment from the heavens, a sign of impending disaster for not heeding warnings. Sure enough, the usurpation of power by Liu Kui happened shortly after.

In the year 331 AD, during the sixth month of the sixth year of Emperor Cheng's reign, there was a pig farmer in Qiantang who had a sow that gave birth to two piglets. These piglets had human faces that looked like those of Westerners, but their bodies were that of pigs. Jing Fang wrote in "Yi Yao": "A pig giving birth to a pig with a human head signifies great turmoil and chaos for the country." The birth of such strange piglets was truly bizarre!

In the year 375 AD, during the fourth month of the tenth year of Emperor Xiaowu's reign, a pig with two spines and eight legs appeared in the capital. Thirteen years later, another family's pig in the capital gave birth to a monster with two bodies and eight legs, similar to the incident during the Jianwu era. Later, Prime Minister Shen Chong ignored state affairs, leading to corruption by his close advisors, gradual decay of the country's laws, and eventual collapse.

In the year 311 AD, during the twelfth month of the fifth year of Emperor Xiaohuai's reign, black mists were seen everywhere, what a bad omen! Shortly after, the emperor lost his country, and the royal family fell into ruins, fulfilling the prophecy.

In the year 314 AD, on the first day of the first month of the second year of Emperor Min's reign, a black fog covered the people like ink for several consecutive days, dispersing only after five days. This was a particularly ominous sign! Four years later, Emperor Min was defeated by Liu Yao.

In the year 318 AD, during the tenth month of the first year of Emperor Yuan's reign, a thick fog covered the capital, obscuring the sun and the moon. By the eleventh month, the emperor died.

In the year 285 AD, during the sixth month of the fifth year of Emperor Wudi's reign, the ponds in Rencheng and the region of Lu turned blood red. According to Liu Xiang, this was a sign of calamities involving water and fire, a punishment for not heeding advice. Jing Fang also mentioned in "Yi Zhuan": "When rulers are obsessed with pleasure, virtuous individuals are buried, and the country is in danger, strange phenomena like rivers turning red occur."

In the year 363 AD, in the third year of Emperor Mu's reign of Shengping in February, a fire broke out in a pond to the east of Liangzhou City. In the following year, in April, a fire broke out in the pond at Guzang Ze. These are all examples of water and fire disasters! In the year 402 AD, in the second year of Emperor An's reign of Yuanxing in October, the water in Linping Lake, Qiantang, turned red. Huan Xuan misled the officials of Wu County, saying that this was a good omen for his upcoming rise to power, but not long after, Huan Xuan faced defeat. Ancient books say, "If you can't accept things and your mind is troubled, this reflects a lack of wisdom, and the consequences are severe! Lightly, there will be repeated disasters, and severely, there will be premature death." These disasters can take various forms, sometimes clouding the mind like grease, sometimes causing abnormal growth of plants, sometimes causing strange behavior in cattle, sometimes causing internal diseases, and sometimes causing issues with the earth's energies, leading to an imbalance of metal, wood, water, and fire. As you can see, if you can't accept things and your mind is troubled, this reflects a lack of wisdom. This "thoughtful mind" refers to a person's thoughts and ideas; "acceptance" refers to tolerance. Confucius once said, "If a leader lacks tolerance, how can one truly see their virtues?" This means that if a leader is not magnanimous, it is difficult for his subordinates to flourish. In our daily lives, our observations, listening, speaking, and thinking are all guided by the mind. If these four aspects are problematic, then confusion will arise, and that’s why disasters happen.

As for the disasters of drought, flood, cold, and heat, the root cause is in the wind. That's why it faces the wrath of strong winds. Strong winds harm people and objects, resulting in early death. Injuries to humans are termed "ominous," while injuries to animals are "short-lived," and injuries to plants are described as "broken." Some people say that if an older brother dies, it's considered short-lived, and the death of a father is termed premature. If a person has too much fat on their stomach, wrapping around the heart like a layer of grease, the mind becomes clouded, inviting evil spirits. Some believe these evil spirits are akin to grease that stains clothes, unclean. Another theory is that these evil spirits are like a sudden gust of wind at night, darkening the sky, much like any typical strong wind. When the weather is warm and windy, pests such as moths tend to emerge. According to Liu Xiang in the Book of Changes, the "Xun" hexagram represents wind and wood, which is in March and April when yang energy starts to rise, governing the growth of trees. If the wind is too strong, in autumn and winter, trees will bloom again, referred to as "Hua Nie." Some say this is due to an overabundance of earth energy, leading to flowers blooming in autumn and winter. Some interpret "Hua" as relating to color, with earth symbolizing internal matters, referring to mistakes made by women. In the Book of Changes, the "Kun" hexagram represents earth and cattle. Cows have big heads but lack thought; their spirits are damaged, resulting in disasters involving cows. Some say that cows often die violently or behave strangely for this reason.

As for people, they are more likely to suffer from internal ailments, which is why there are such ailments. The earth is yellow, which is why there are yellow calamities and auspicious omens. In short, as long as the heart is troubled, it will affect the energy of the earth; if the energy of the earth is damaged, it will lead to an imbalance of metal, wood, water, and fire, and this is why it is said, "At the right time, there are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth." The omission of the word "only" and the direct use of "at the right time" indicates that this is not a disaster caused by a single type of energy, highlighting its significant harm. If one can align with the will of the heavens, those premature deaths and calamities can be averted, ultimately allowing for a natural conclusion to life. Liu Xin mentioned in "Thoughts on the Heart" that there is also a type of pest, namely pests like the rice borer.

In the ninth year of King Wei Qi's reign, in November, strong winds blew for dozens of days, collapsing houses and breaking trees. On the day of Wuyou in December, the last day of the month, the winds intensified even further, shaking the eastern attic of the Taiji Hall.

After this, on the first day of the first month in the first year of the Jiaping era, the northwest wind howled, wreaking havoc on houses and trees, and the sky was choked with yellow dust, obscuring everything. Guan Lu at that time said that this was heaven's punishment for the corrupt ministers, a dire omen for the rulers! At that time, Cao Shuang was in power, arrogantly overstepping all bounds. The heavens gave him so many warnings, but he did not change; this is why he acted unwisely and faced the wrath of the fierce wind. Before long, Cao Shuang and his followers met their demise. Jing Fang noted in the "Book of Changes": "When no one listens, the highest morals become obscured, strange winds will appear. This kind of wind cannot prevail; things cannot grow well. Although it rains, it will cause damage. When politics go against morals, this is the beginning of chaos; this wind first blows without rain, then there is a big storm, strong enough to topple houses and trees. Upholding justice without progress is foolishness; this wind, along with the clouds, will snap the stalks of crops. Ministers disobeying the orders of the monarch is disobedience; this wind is a great storm, strong enough to topple houses. Unreasonable taxation is disaster; this wind will wreak havoc on everything; once it subsides, the weather warms, and insects will emerge. Princes governing independently is disunity; this wind is very strong, but the trees do not shake, and the crops do not grow well. Rulers not considering the interests of the people is lack of grace; this wind blows without stirring the trees; drought reigns without rain, leaving the crops damaged. Officials only concerned with their own interests is chaos; this wind is gentle yet warm, inviting pests that harm the crops. Abandoning politics and indulging in pleasure is confusion; this warm wind will summon pests that threaten what is beneficial. Princes not coming to pay respects is betrayal; this wind is erratic; the earth will turn red, and the rain will bring death."

In the first year of Taiyuan (太元), on the first day of the eighth month, a great wind arose in the state of Wu, causing the rivers to swell, and the water in the plains rose to a depth of eight feet. More than two thousand tall trees were uprooted, stone tablets trembled, and the city gates of Wu were blown away. Huahuo's analysis stated that this was a result of Sun Quan's heavy labor and excessive taxation, a divine punishment. The following year, Sun Quan died.

On Bing Shen day in the twelfth month of Jianxing's first year, a great wind arose, accompanied by thunder and lightning. That year, the Wei state sent three armies to attack, and Zhuge Ke defeated one of the Wei armies at Dongxing, while the other two retreated. The following year, Zhuge Ke attacked Xincheng, sustaining heavy losses, and was killed upon his return.

In the first year of Yong'an, on Jia Wu day in the eleventh month, several strong winds blew, followed by several days of thick fog. At that time, the Sun family was extremely powerful, with all five brothers holding high office and practically ruling the realm. This calamity of wind and fog mirrored the fate of the powerful Ding and Fu families during the Han dynasty! On the night of Ding Mao in December, strong winds blew again, toppling trees and whipping up sand. The next day, Sun Zhen was killed.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Jin Dynasty, in the fifth month of the fifth year of the Taishi era, a strong wind blew in the Guangping area, uprooting all the trees. In the first year of Xianning in May, a strong wind blew in the Xiapi and Guangling areas, causing the collapse of over a thousand houses and the uprooting of trees. On the day of Jiashen in the same month, Guangling, Siwu, and Xiapi were struck by strong winds again, uprooting all the trees. In the eighth month of the third year, a strong wind blew in the Hejian area, uprooting the trees. In the second year of Taikang in May, a violent storm hit the Jinan area, uprooting trees and damaging the wheat crops. In June, a strong wind in the Gaoping area uprooted trees and destroyed over forty official residences. In July, a strong wind blew in the Shangdang area, resulting in significant losses to the autumn harvest. In the sixth month of the eighth year, eight places across the country were hit by strong winds. In the first month of the ninth year, hail fell in the capital, houses were overturned, and trees were uprooted. Two years later, Emperor Wu of Jin passed away.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, in the fourth year of Yuankang in June, a strong wind and rain caused trees to fall. In the fifth year in April on the night of Gengyin, a sudden storm rose, causing huge waves in the eastern channels of the city, and many people were swept away and drowned. In July, a strong wind in the Xiapi area caused houses to collapse. In September, strong winds blew in Yanmen, Xinxing, Taiyuan, Shangdang, and other areas, causing damage to crops. The following year, the Di and Qiang tribes rebelled, forcing the court to send a large army to suppress the rebellion.

In the ninth year of Yuankang in June, a gust of wind blew Jia Mi's court robes hundreds of feet high. The following year, Jia Mi was executed. On the day of Jiazi in November, the capital was battered by continuous strong winds, causing houses to collapse and trees to be uprooted. In December, the deposed Crown Prince was confined in Xuchang.

In February of the first year of Yongkang, a strong wind uprooted trees. In March, the death of the crown prince was mourned. On the day known as Jimo, his coffin was transported back to Luoyang from Xuchang. On that day, another strong wind blew, accompanied by thunder and lightning, ripping the canopy covering the coffin. In April, Zhang Hua's house was struck by a fierce wind, toppling trees, blowing away cloth, and breaking many door and window hinges. Zhang Hua was also murdered that month. On the day of Wuyue in November, a strong wind blew from the northwest, snapping trees and sending sand and stones flying, lasting for six days before stopping. In January of the following year, Prince Zhao Lun usurped the throne.

In August of the first year of Yongning, strong winds swept through three regions of the country. On the day of Yichou in January of the first year of Yongxing, a strong wind blew from the northwest. On the day of Guiyou in January of the first year of Jianshi after Zhao Lun became emperor, a sudden strong wind blew as Zhao Lun was making sacrifices at the ancestral temple, with dust swirling and the sky turning dark. In that year's fourth month, Zhao Lun was put to death.

In July of the first year of Yongchang, a violent wind howled, toppling trees and tearing off roof tiles. By August, the wind intensified, snapping over a hundred willow trees on both sides of the imperial road in the palace. The wind howled chaotically, as if it were coming from all directions. During that time, Wang Dun was in power and also killed the Minister of Works Diao Xie and the Supervisor Zhou Yi, resulting in a chaotic wind. This was all a result of the emperor's poor judgment in appointing officials and the vassals' disobedience, a divine punishment! In the eleventh month of the same year, the emperor died.

In the third month of Xiankang's fourth year, Chengdu was also struck by a strong wind, damaging buildings and uprooting trees. In April, Li Shou unexpectedly murdered Li Qi and declared himself emperor.

In July of the first year of Jianyuan, disasters hit Jinling and Wu counties, with strong winds blowing.

In the first year of Shengping, in August, the emperor appointed He Shi as the empress. On that day, a strong wind arose, which was a punishment for the emperor's lack of wisdom! In the fifth year, in January, there was another strong wind.

In the sixth year of Taihe, in February, a fierce wind howled, and that year, the emperor was dethroned. In the first year of Ningkang, in March, a strong wind and a fire broke out in the capital. At that time, Huan Wen entered the capital, his ambitions clear as he sought to seize power; the emperor was young, and everyone was on edge; these were all bad omens! In the third year, in March, there was another storm, the wind first blew from the east, then changed direction and blew from the north, with sand and stones flying everywhere; it was truly terrifying!

In the second year of Taiyuan, in February and the intercalary third month, there were strong winds and heavy rain, causing havoc to houses and trees. In the third year, in June, a strong wind blew in Chang'an, toppling all the trees in Fu Jian's palace. Later, Fu Jian led a campaign in the south, but suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Feishui; he was killed, leading to the fall of his kingdom. In the fourth year, in August, there was another strong wind, lifting sand and stones.

In the twelfth year, a fierce wind swept through in the dead of night; in July, another strong wind broke all the trees; in the thirteenth year, in December, a strong wind darkened the sky during the day! Later, the emperor died, the princes disobeyed, Yuan Xian seized power, Huan Xuan rebelled again, all results of the signs of the strong winds! In the seventeenth year, in June, another strong wind broke all the trees.

In the second year of Yuanxing, in February, a strong wind and heavy rain blew in the middle of the night, blowing off the roof tiles at Dahangmen. The following year, Huan Xuan seized power, making his entrance through that very gate.

In January of the year 396 AD, Huan Xuan went to Dahang Nanbian for a visit, but ended up getting caught in a strong wind that damaged his carriage. Three months later, Huan Xuan returned to Jiangling in disgrace. In May, another strong wind blew through Jiangling, uprooting many trees. In the same month, Huan Xuan met his demise on Zhengrong Island and was killed. On Dingyou Day in November, many people in Jiangling lost their lives due to another strong wind.

On the first day of the eleventh month of the year 407 AD, a strong wind blew from the northwest. On the day of Dinghai in the extra tenth month of the year 408 AD, many houses had their roofs ripped off by a strong wind. The following year, Lu Xun invaded Cai Zhou. On Renshen Day in May of the year 409 AD, a strong wind uprooted centuries-old trees in the northern suburbs and also destroyed the shooting ranges in Langye and Yangzhou. On that day, Lu Xun's large ships were all sunk by the wind. On Jiaxu Day, roofs were torn off and trees were shattered. That winter, the imperial army marched south to suppress a rebellion. In January of the year 412 AD, a strong wind destroyed the pagoda pillars of the White Horse Temple. On the first day of Jichou in April of the year 413 AD, trees were blown down by a strong wind. On the day of Xinhai in June, more trees were uprooted by the strong winds. In July, a strong wind in the Huainan region caused many houses to collapse. The following year, the imperial court marched west to suppress a rebellion against Sima Xiuzhi.

On the day of Wuxu in January of the year 240 AD, Emperor Jing marched to suppress Guanqiu Jian, but a strong wind arose, darkening the sky and causing people on the road to lie down. This was seen as an ominous sign! Liu Xiang said, "It is a bad omen when the day turns dark, with yin overpowering yang and subjects suppressing their rulers."

In October of the year 261 AD, a major earthquake occurred in the capital, transforming day into night, yet another ominous sign! Ban Gu said, "What is known as the 'night demon' appears when clouds and wind come together, causing the sky to darken, just like a normal wind." In his work "Spring and Autumn Annals," Liu Xiang said, "Heaven is warning that hereditary officials should not hold office, and they should focus on their duties. Day turning into night indicates the decline of the imperial court." The state of Wei interpreted these ominous signs as a forewarning that the Jin Dynasty was destined to unify the country.

In the year 311 AD, on the 10th day of the 10th lunar month, it became dark during the day until the day of the 7th lunar month, which was seen as an ominous sign. The following year, Liu Yao attacked Luoyang, and the imperial army faced repeated defeats, forcing the emperor to flee to Pingyang.

In the year 398 AD, on the 12th day of the 12th lunar month, a strong wind blew and the sky darkened. Later, the emperor died, the vassals rebelled, and civil war broke out. Yuan Xian was overthrown, and Huan Xuan ultimately failed.

Jing Fang's "Commentary on the I Ching" states: "Officials who are content with the status quo and only seek to preserve their own positions are greedy; disasters will gnaw at the roots of crops just as insects do. If there is neither ability nor virtue, insects will gnaw at the roots. If virtue is unstable and inconsistent, it leads to disturbances, and insects will gnaw at the leaves. Failure to cultivate in time will result in insects gnawing at the stems. Concealing evil and allowing wickedness to grow will lead to insects gnawing at the heart of the crops." This passage means that if rulers are greedy and lack virtue, it will lead to various disasters.

In the first year of the Xianning reign of Emperor Wu of Han, locust plagues occurred in various regions. In the ninth month, a locust plague struck Qingzhou. In that month, crops in many counties were eaten by locusts. Four years later, more than twenty counties in Sizhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Jingzhou, and Yangzhou suffered from locust plagues. This indicates that for several consecutive years, severe locust plagues severely impacted crop yields.

In the fourth year of the Taikang reign, Peng Qi and crabs in Kuaiji County turned into mice in large numbers, eating a large amount of rice, resulting in a significant disaster. In the eighth month of the ninth year, twenty-four counties suffered from locust plagues again. In the ninth month, pests damaged the autumn crops. At that time, the emperor was swayed by slander, favored Jia Chong and Yang Jun, leading to disasters of pests and locusts as punishment for their "lack of ability and virtue."

In the third year of Emperor Hui of the Yuan Kang era, in September, a locust plague appeared in six counties, and all the crop leaves were eaten. This shows that even with a change in emperors, locust plagues still exist, indicating the impact of a ruler's virtues on the country.

In the first year of Yongning, in July, locust plagues appeared in the three provinces of Liangzhou, Yizhou, and Liangzhou. At that time, Prince Qi Jiong was in power, and this was a consequence of his greed and cruelty. In October, in places like Nan'an, Baxi, Jiangyang, Taiyuan, Xinxing, and Beihai, locusts were consuming crop leaves, with severe areas losing 50 to 60 percent of their crops. In December, locust plagues occurred in six counties. This passage records the locust plagues in many places in the first year of Yongning, attributing them to the greed of Prince Qi Jiong.

In the ninth year of Emperor Han Wudi's Taikang era, reports of cows speaking were noted in the northern border of Youzhou, foreshadowing impending disaster. At that time, the emperor, frequently ill and anxious about the future, was unjust in his governance, a sign of impending chaos. Ancients believed that cows speaking was a sign of supernatural events, foretelling the ruler's misconduct and the instability of the country. Shi Kuang once said, "When grievances accumulate in the hearts of the people, strange phenomena that cannot be expressed in words will appear." This is consistent with Jing Fang's statement in the "Book of Changes Commentary" that "killing the innocent will lead to the appearance of monsters." This passage summarizes the emergence of these strange phenomena and connects them to the rulers' virtues and the nation's fate.

During the reign of Emperor Hui of Han in the Tai'an era, a man named Zhang Cheng from Jiangxia rode out on a cow when suddenly the cow spoke: "The world is about to be in chaos, where are you going while riding me?" Zhang Cheng was so frightened that he hurried home. Then, his dog followed up by saying, "Why are you back so soon?" Before long, the cow surprisingly stood up and walked on two legs! Zhang Cheng quickly sought out a fortune teller for an interpretation. The fortune teller said, "There will be military chaos in the world, and disaster will not stop at just one family." That year, Zhang Chang rebelled, and the first place he targeted was Jiangxia. Zhang Cheng participated as a general, and as a result, five provinces fell into turmoil, and Zhang Cheng's family was wiped out. The "Book of Changes" by Jing Fang states: "If a cow can speak, one can predict fortune and misfortune based on its words." The "Yimeng Qishu" also records: "If the ruler does not treat the scholars well but lets warhorses wear splendid brocade and allows dogs and wolves to eat human food, then the livestock will start to speak." At that time, the emperor and the feudal lords neglected to treat the common people well, so these strange phenomena came to pass.

In the first year of the Jianwu era of Emperor Yuan, in July, in Chenmen of Jinling, a cow gave birth to a calf, but this calf had two heads! Looking through Jing Fang's "Book of Changes," it states that "A cow giving birth to a calf with two heads is a sign that the world is about to split!" At that time, Emperor Min was besieged in Pingyang and was later killed by the Hu. Emperor Yuan proclaimed himself emperor in Jiangdong, and the world was indeed split in two, confirming the omen.

In the first year of the Tai Xing era, a cow owned by Wang Liang, the governor of Wuchang, gave birth to a calf with two heads, eight legs, and two tails sharing a single belly, which died three years later. There was also another cow that had only one leg but three tails, and all these calves died at birth. Sima Biao explained, "Two-headed cows symbolize power held by private individuals, with no distinction between ranks." The "Book of Changes" by Jing Fang says: "Those with many legs cannot bear heavy responsibilities; those with few legs cannot fulfill them." Later, Wang Dun and others created chaos in the regime, confirming these strange phenomena as well.

In December of the fourth year, the ox used for sacrifices to the gods died. Liu Xiang explained in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" that the death of the ox used for sacrifices to the gods meant: "Duke Xuan is incompetent and corrupt, so heaven does not accept his sacrifices." The successes of Emperor Yuan’s reign were actually orchestrated by Wang Dao. Liu Wei sought to curry favor with the emperor and gained the emperor's favor, while Wang Dao was alienated, which exemplifies the consequences of incompetence and corruption! In the second year of Xianhe in the reign of Emperor Cheng, in May, the army's protector's ox gave birth to a two-headed, six-legged calf. That winter, Su Jun rebelled. Seven years later, Yuan Rong's ox from the Nine Virtues also gave birth to a two-headed, eight-legged calf with a shared belly. At that time, Huan Xuan was in Jingzhou, visiting the provincial governor Yin Zhongkan. When he reached near He Cave, he encountered an old man driving an odd-looking green ox. Huan Xuan exchanged his own ox for it without saying a word. Riding the green ox to Lingling Jingxi, the ox ran very fast. When resting, the ox drank water and then ran straight into the river and never returned. Huan Xuan sent people to search the river all day but found nothing. Later, Huan Xuan was defeated in battle and killed. In the second year of the Zhangwu era of Shu Han, Liu Bei launched an eastern campaign. In February, he set out from Zigui and camped in Yidao. In June, a yellow mist emerged in Zigui, stretching over ten miles long and several dozen yards wide. A few days later, Liu Bei was defeated by Lu Yi, which might be connected to the yellow mist.

During the Zhengshi period of King Qi of the Wei Kingdom, Zhou Nan served as the magistrate of Xiangyi County. A mouse ran out of a hole and said, "Zhou Nan, you will die on a certain day." Zhou Nan ignored it, and the mouse went back into the hole. On that day, the mouse came out again wearing a hat and black clothes, 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 said the same thing. At noon, the mouse said, "Zhou Nan, if you don't listen to me, how can I continue!" After speaking, the mouse died, and its hat and clothes fell off. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be just an ordinary mouse. Ban Gu once said that this was an ominous sign. At that time, Cao Shuang was in power and competing with each other, so the mouse came out to cause trouble.

In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Yuankang during Emperor Hui's reign, a dense fog covered the sky. At that time, the emperor was pretty inept, and political affairs were not decided by him personally, leading to such strange phenomena.

In the eighth month of the fourth year of Taixing during Emperor Yuan's reign, yellow fog spread all around, blocking out the sky.

In the tenth month of the first year of Yongchang, the capital was covered in dense fog, with black fog rising straight into the sky, making the sun completely disappear.

In the first month of the first year of Taining during Emperor Ming's reign, yellow fog spread everywhere. In the second month, yellow fog spread again. Back then, Wang Dun was in power, and the rebellion was getting worse.

In the third month of the seventh year of Yonghe during Emperor Mu's reign, a strong wind blew in Liangzhou, toppling trees and sending yellow fog mixed with dust swirling down. At that time, Zhang Chonghua fell for slander and demoted Xie Ai to be the governor of Jiuquan. The people he appointed were not suitable, and as a result, Xie Ai died nine years later, and his son was also killed, fulfilling the previous omens. Jing Fang in the Yi Zhuan said, "Ignoring good advice is considered ignorant, leading to the appearance of yellow ominous signs, which can lead to disasters that might even affect future generations. Yellow refers to the yellow turbid air spreading all over, obstructing the wise and talented, blocking the way, thus causing disasters."

In February of the year 373 AD, a yellow mist filled the sky, obscuring the sun. At that time, Daozi consolidated power, favoring treacherous officials, resulting in governmental chaos. In October of the year 402 AD, a yellow mist shrouded the land, with prolonged drought and no rain. At this time, Huan Xuan was conspiring to rebel.

In November of the year 408 AD and November of the year 410 AD, there were two instances of heavy fog. At that time, the court was in a state of decline, with powerful ministers gaining unprecedented power, and both the land and the army no longer obeying the emperor's orders—all of these were portents! Liu Xiang remarked: "Earthquakes are disruptions of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth." Boyang Fu also stated: "The qi of heaven and earth operates according to its own principles; if these principles are broken, it will cause chaos in the world. When yang qi is repressed and cannot rise, and yin qi is pressing down and cannot descend, an earthquake will occur."

In the year 225 AD, a series of earthquakes struck the Jiangdong region. During this time, Sun Quan accepted titles from the Wei Kingdom, being appointed as Grand General, King of Wu, and later Emperor, centralizing power while neglecting virtue. Jing Fang stated in the "Yi Zhuan": "Even if the actions of the subjects are correct, absolute power will lead to earthquakes. The signs of an earthquake are waves on water, swaying of trees, and falling tiles from rooftops. If the laws of the court are abolished and treacherous officials are favored, this is referred to as the disturbance of yin qi, leading to earthquakes and shaking the palace. If the laws of the court are abolished and treacherous officials are not favored, this is called going against yin qi, leading to earthquakes, shaking mountains, and springs gushing out. If the heir lacks moral conduct but enjoys wealth alone, this is called going against, leading to earthquakes, shaking hills, and springs gushing out." Liu Xiang also said: "When the power of the subjects is strong, they are about to cause trouble, which is a sign of disaster."

In November of the year 230 AD, an earthquake occurred in Luoyang, with seismic waves coming from the east and faint sounds heard, causing tiles to fall from rooftops. In June of the year 239 AD, another tremor hit Luoyang. In the autumn of that year, Wu general Zhu Ran besieged Jiangxia, but was successfully repelled by Hu Zhi, the Inspector of Jingzhou. At the same time, Gongsun Yuan rebelled, declaring himself King of Yan, establishing his own rule, and appointing officials. The following year, Gongsun Yuan was subdued.

In May of the year 238 AD, an earthquake was struck in Jiangdong. In January of the year 239 AD, Jiangdong was struck by another earthquake. At that time, Lv Yi was overbearing and misused his power, and Bu Zhi submitted a memorial saying: "I’ve heard that the inspection official is overly critical and quick to frame others to show his own power. Many innocent people have suffered severe punishment, and even the high officials cannot gain trust. If this keeps up, how can there not be upheaval in the heavens and earth? Therefore, the consecutive earthquakes are a sign of the abuse of power by the officials! I hope Your Majesty can take this as a warning and think carefully about the reasoning behind it!" Later, Lv Yi ultimately failed.

In November of the year 241 AD (the second year of Zhengshi in the Wei Qi Wang era), an earthquake occurred in Nan'an commandery. In the following year (the third year of Zhengshi), on the day of Jiashen in July, Nan'an commandery experienced another earthquake. In the same year in December, Wei commandery also had an earthquake. By the day of Dingmao in the second month of the sixth year of Zhengshi, Nan'an commandery experienced another earthquake. At that time, Cao Shuang held absolute power and moved the Empress Dowager to Yongning Palace, where the Empress Dowager and the Emperor bid farewell in tears. The consecutive earthquakes were likely a warning from heaven.

In February of the year 248 AD (the eleventh year of Wu Chiwu), an earthquake also occurred in the Jiangdong region. At that time, Sun Quan believed the slander of evil people, dismissed Zhu Ju, and abolished the Crown Prince.

In the year 263 AD (the first year of Yanxing in Shu), an earthquake occurred in Shu. At that time, the eunuch Huang Hao held absolute power. Sima Biao once said: "Eunuchs lack the vigor of men, much like women." Huang Hao's abuse of power closely mirrored that of the Han He Emperor’s reign. That winter, the Shu Han dynasty perished.

In April of the year 274 AD (the fifth year of Jin Wudi Taishi), an earthquake struck on the day of Xinyou. That winter, the Di and Qiang tribes in Xinping rebelled. In the following year, Sun Hao sent a large army to Wokou. On the day of Bingshen in June of the seventh year of Taishi, another earthquake struck.

In August of the year 276 AD (the second year of Xianning), earthquakes struck Henan, Hedong, and Pingyang. On the day of Dingwei in June of the fourth year of Xianning, earthquakes occurred in Yinping and Guangwu, and another earthquake struck on Jiazi day.

In the year 280 AD (2nd year of the Taikang era), on the Gengshen day of the second month, earthquakes struck Huainan and Danyang. On the Renchen day of the first month in the fifth year of Taikang, the capital also experienced an earthquake. On the Jichou day in the seventh month of the sixth year of Taikang, another earthquake struck. In the seventh year of Taikang, earthquakes struck Nan'an and Jianwei in July, and Jingzhao in August; on the Renzi day in May of the eighth year, an earthquake struck Jian'an; in July, there was an earthquake in Yinping; in August, there was an earthquake in Danyang; in the first month of the ninth year, earthquakes occurred in Kuaiji, Danyang, and Wuxing; on the Xinyou day in April, eight counties including Changsha and Nanhai experienced earthquakes; from July to August, there were four more earthquakes, three of which were as loud as thunder; in September, there was an earthquake in Linhe, and another one in December; on the Jihai day in the same year, Danyang experienced another earthquake.

In the year 289 AD (1st year of the Taixi era), another earthquake struck in January. Starting from the time of Emperor Wu, from Jia Chong to Yang Jun, these people formed factions, sought personal gain, and seized the power of the court. In the later period, the talents they employed became increasingly worse, so earthquakes persisted for several consecutive years, surpassing normal frequency, ultimately leading to the downfall of the country.

In the year 291 AD (1st year of the Huidi Yuankang era), on the Xinyou day in December, there was an earthquake in the capital. That summer, Empress Jia instructed Sima Wei, the Prince of Chu, to kill Sima Liang, the King of Runan, and Wei Guan, the Grand Guardian, due to a disturbance in the balance of yin and yang.

In the fourth year, in February, earthquakes occurred in Shanggu, Shangyong, and Liaodong. In May, there was a massive landslide in Shu County; floods and landslides devastated Shou Chun, Huainan, destroying buildings and homes. In August, there was another earthquake in Shanggu, with water gushing forth, resulting in the deaths of hundreds. In October, the capital Luoyang also experienced an earthquake. In November, places like Xingyang, Xiangcheng, Ruyin, Liangguo, and Nanyang continued to shake. In December, Luoyang experienced another earthquake. During that time, Empress Jia wielded absolute power and mismanaged the government, and these earthquakes were likely a divine warning against her misrule.

When Empress Dowager Deng was in power during the Han Dynasty, earthquakes occurred in various places. Li Gu analyzed at the time and said, "The earth belongs to yin, so it should be calm and stable. But now it goes against the nature of yin, dominated by yang, which is why earthquakes occur." This explanation is similar to later interpretations. Jing Fang also said in the "Yi Zhuan": "When wrongdoers cause chaos and houses are destroyed, disasters such as landslides occur, showing that yin has triumphed over yang, and the weak have overcome the strong." He also said, "When yin energy betrays yang energy, there will be earthquakes and landslides, father and son separation, and even ethnic uprisings."

In the fifth year of the Han Dynasty, in the first month of the lunar calendar, an earthquake occurred. In the sixth month, Jincheng also experienced an earthquake. In the sixth year, in the first month of the lunar calendar, an earthquake occurred. In the eighth year, in the first month of the lunar calendar, an earthquake occurred.

In the first year of Taian, in October, an earthquake occurred, likely a sign of Prince Qi's growing power. In the second year, in the twelfth month, an earthquake occurred. At this time, Wang Yi, the Prince of Changsha, was in power, which contributed to the instability.

In the third year of Yongjia, in October, earthquakes occurred in Jingzhou and Xiangzhou. At that time, Sima Yue held power, and the court was in disarray. In the fourth year, in the fourth month, an earthquake occurred in Yanzhou. In May, Shi Le attacked Jijun, captured the prefect Hu Chong, and crossed the Yellow River southward, which may have also indicated the earthquake.

In the second year of Jianxing, in April, an earthquake occurred. In the third year, in the sixth month, Chang'an experienced another earthquake. At that time, the emperor was still young, with power concentrated among lower officials, continuous wars in various places, and people suffering. These earthquakes were signs of the chaos that was about to engulf the realm.

In the first year of Taixing, in April, an earthquake occurred in Xiping, with water erupting. In December, earthquakes occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiling, with water erupting and landslides occurring. Gan Bao believed this signaled Wang Dun's impending rebellion.

In the second year, in May, an earthquake occurred in Qishan, with many casualties due to landslides. At that time, Prime Minister Wang Bao of Nanyang was in Qishan, and some claimed this indicated that Prince Jin would not meet a peaceful end. In the third year, in May, earthquakes occurred in Danyang, Wu County, and Jinling.

In the second month of the second year of Emperor Chengdi's Xianhe reign, there was an earthquake in Jiangling. In the third month, there was an earthquake in Yizhou. On the Jiwei day of the fourth month, there was an earthquake in Yuzhang. In the same year, Su Jun rebelled. On the Dingyou day of the third month in the ninth year, another earthquake struck in Kuaiji.

In the year 346 AD, there was an earthquake in June! At that time, the young emperor's mother was in charge, and real power lay with the ministers, which led to a series of earthquakes. In October of the following year, another earthquake occurred. In January of the third year, there was an earthquake; in September, there was another earthquake! In October of the fourth year, there was an earthquake.

In January of the year 349 AD, there was another earthquake! That year, Shi Jilong usurped the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, a clear sign of impending chaos. In August of 353 AD, there was an earthquake in the capital, with thunderous sounds. In January of 354 AD, there was an earthquake, with thunderous sounds, scaring both farm and wild fowl. In April and May of 355 AD, there were two consecutive earthquakes.

In November of 358 AD, there was an earthquake. In August of 360 AD, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou.

In April of 366 AD, there was an earthquake. At that time, power was in the hands of generals, and the emperor was just a figurehead.

In April of 371 AD, there was an earthquake in Yangzhou, and the rivers and lakes overflowed. In the second month of the following year, there was an earthquake in Jiangling. At that time, Huan Wen held power.

In February of 372 AD, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou, and water gushed out. This was a sign of the impending removal of the Hai Xi Gong.

In October of 375 AD, there was an earthquake, and the emperor passed away that year.

In October of 376 AD, there was an earthquake. In the second month and July of the following year, there were more earthquakes, with the earthquake in Liangzhou even triggering landslides! At that time, the emperor was still naive and powerless, and power was in the hands of the ministers, a sign of decline.

In March and May of 378 AD, there were earthquakes. In June of 386 AD, there was an earthquake. Afterwards, the generals along the Yellow River engaged in yearly battles, driven by the overexertion of the populace! In March of 389 AD, there was a midnight earthquake; in August, there was an earthquake in the capital; in December, there was another earthquake! In June and December of 391 AD, there were two consecutive earthquakes. At that time, unscrupulous officials were in power, leaving the populace in a state of anxiety. In January and February of 392 AD, there were earthquakes again!

In April and September of 399 AD, there were earthquakes. At that time, the young emperor was still naive and powerless, with power in the hands of the ministers.

In the first few days of January 408 AD, there was a sudden earthquake with a loud rumbling sound. In the same year, another earthquake occurred in October. In the first few days of January 409 AD, Xunyang also felt an earthquake, sounding like thunder. The following year, Lu Xun's rebellion failed. In 412 AD, from January to April, the Nankang and Luling areas experienced four consecutive earthquakes. The following year, Wang Zhenxi marched west to Jingzhou and Yizhou. In March of 415 AD, there was another earthquake.

In August of 240 AD, Danyang, Jurong, as well as the mountains in Guzhang and Ningguo collapsed, causing widespread flooding. Liu Xiang wrote in his book: "Mountains represent the yang, symbolizing the monarch; water represents the yin, symbolizing the people. The warning from heaven is clear: when the ruler's reign collapses, the people will lose their support!" During the Spring and Autumn Period, when Liangshan collapsed, many mountains in the Qi and Chu states during the Han Dynasty experienced disasters of mountain collapse and flooding, all for the same reason. In the ancient three dynasties, when ancestors were worshiped, they dared not cross the ancestors' tombs. There are reasons behind good and bad fortune. Although Sun Quan claimed to be emperor, he was still one of the vassal states. The disaster in Danyang was a sign of fate! Liu Xin also said: "The rise and fall of a country is closely related to mountains and rivers. When mountains collapse and rivers dry up, it is a sign that the country is about to perish." Two years later, Sun Quan died, and twenty-six years later, the Wu state perished.

In February 265 AD, the collapse of the Taihang Mountains signaled the impending fall of the Wei state. That winter, the Jin Dynasty unified the country.

In the first few days of March 273 AD, Dashishan collapsed. In July of 274 AD, Mount Tai collapsed, with a collapse range of about three miles. Jing Fang stated in the "Book of Changes": "The collapse from top to bottom is called a collapse, and its corresponding sign is that the stones of Mount Tai roll down from the mountain, the sage king receives the mandate, while the monarch is captured." Later, the emperor passed away, the imperial power was usurped, Emperor Hui was weak and incompetent, Emperors Huai and Min were captured to the north, and the country fell to the north, until Emperor Yuan reestablished power in the south, which ultimately fulfilled Jing Fang's prophecy.

In May 285, the foundation of Emperor Xuan's temple collapsed. In October 286, Xinxing Mountain in Nan'an collapsed, releasing a large amount of water. In February 287, the Great Lushan Mountain in Zhu Ti County collapsed, damaging houses in the area, and the cliffs of Qiu Chi in Yinping also collapsed. In July 288, there was heavy rain, and the ground in front of the palace collapsed, creating a sinkhole five feet on each side and several zhang deep, where a broken ship was found in the collapsed area.

In 284, there was a landslide in Sichuan, causing numerous fatalities. On the ninth day of May, Shouchun also experienced a landslide, triggering a flood that brought down the city walls and creating a massive pit measuring thirty zhang on each side, resulting in many casualties. In June, there was a heavy thunderstorm in Shouchun, causing landslides and fissures, burying many homes, and a similar incident occurred in Shangyong. In August, the ground at Juyong Pass cracked open with a fissure thirty-six zhang wide and eighty-four zhang long, releasing floodwaters and causing a great famine. In Shangyong, there were landslides and sinkholes everywhere, with fissures thirty zhang wide and one hundred thirty zhang long, flooding and drowning many people. These disasters were a consequence of Jia Hou's misrule!

In April 289, the city wall of Xiyong collapsed. In March 307, the ground in Buguangli, northeast of Luoyang, sank. Two years later, on August 29, the city wall of Juancheng inexplicably fell, collapsing over seventy zhang. Sima Yue felt this was very ominous and moved to Puyang, suggesting that these disasters were a harbinger of chaos. Later, Sima Yue perished as a result of troubles related to his tomb. On July 27 of 309, there were three places in Changyang where the ground cracked, each fissure three zhang wide and over three hundred steps long. Jing Fang's commentary in the Book of Changes notes: "The ground cracks open, suggesting that the subordinates were divided and unwilling to cooperate." Later, Sima Yue fell out with Gou Xi, and the various feudal lords fell into disarray, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Western Jin dynasty. In October of the same year, Yidu Yidao Mountain collapsed. In April 310, Heishi Mountain in Ling County, Xiangdong, collapsed.

In February of the year 318, earthquakes and landslides occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiyang. In May of the following year, an earthquake struck Qishan, causing landslides and resulting in many deaths. In the third year (319 AD), landslides occurred in Nanping County, exposing several thousand jin of realgar. During that time, Wang Dun was arrogant and overbearing, yet the emperor was very lenient towards him, which was, in fact, nurturing the signs of impending disaster! In August of the year 322, Changshan collapsed, and a flood broke out, causing the Hutuo River to swell dramatically, toppling large trees.

In October of the year 334, the cliffs northwest of Chaisang and Lushan collapsed. In December, Liu Yin was murdered by Guo Mo.

In September of the year 350, both Junping Tomb and Chongyang Tomb collapsed. In November of the twelfth year of the reign, a palace attendant named Che Guan was sent to repair Junping Tomb, and while they were excavating the tomb passage, a landslide occurred, crushing dozens of people.

In February of the year 359, a horseshoe sank into the ground at Nanye Gate, revealing a bell engraved with four characters. (Original text of poetry couplets)

On the first day of April in the year 366, Haohai Mountain collapsed, heralding the downfall of Zhang Tianxi.

On a certain day in March of the year 392, the ground in Shanyin County suddenly collapsed, creating a pit four zhang wide, accompanied by a thunder-like roar. Four years later, on a certain day in May of the year 396, the ground at Ximing Gate also collapsed, gushing forth a torrent of water that damaged the gate and threshold. All of this indicates a disturbance in the earth's energy. Two years later, in May of the year 397, a landslide occurred in the Huoshan area, revealing six copper bells. In July of the year 399, a thunderous sound was heard by the riverside in Chenggu County, Hanzhong, followed by a collapse of the riverbank, from which twelve copper bells emerged.

These strange occurrences continued one after another, truly alarming. On a night in June of the year 309, a sudden downpour occurred, accompanied by thunder. In the study room of Jia Mi's home, the pillars unexpectedly sank into the ground, collapsing his bed and tent. This suggests that even the wood had been impacted by the earth's energy, as the land lost its normal bearing capacity. The following year, Jia Mi met his demise.

In May of the year 806 AD, a fire broke out underground in the country of Fanyang, with a large blaze that was intense enough to burn things! This was a manifestation of disturbed earth energy, signaling impending disaster. At that time, the realm was in turmoil, with various feudal lords wielding control over ceremonies and military campaigns.

According to historical texts, if the emperor fails to maintain balance, the country will falter, resulting in grave consequences, ongoing misfortune, and ultimately a decline in national strength. Sometimes malevolent spirits will wreak havoc, sometimes calamities akin to dragons and serpents will occur, sometimes horses will injure people, sometimes subordinates will rebel, and sometimes the sun, moon, and stars will behave abnormally. If the emperor fails to maintain balance, the nation will falter. Here, '皇' denotes the emperor, '极' signifies balance, and '建' indicates establishment. If the emperor's words, actions, thoughts, and demeanor encounter issues in any area, and boundaries are not properly upheld, it will be impossible to govern the country well, leading to various mistakes and disasters.

A king must align with the principles of heaven and govern all things. Just like clouds rising from the mountains eventually blanket the sky, when the celestial phenomena are chaotic, this serves as a form of punishment. Another saying goes: if the emperor fails to maintain the right balance, those beneath him will grow powerful and blind the emperor's eyes. The "I Ching" states: "The overreaching dragon regrets its actions; the noble will lose their status, and the powerful will lose their followers, while the wise will be in a lower position and lose their support." If this happens, even though the emperor holds a high position and great power, he will receive no assistance, and the state will become very weak. Strong yang energy can lead to rashness and impatience. In ancient times, a grand archery ceremony was held in spring to align with the yang energy. If the emperor is weak, those beneath him will stir restlessly, resulting in the rise of demons and monsters. The "I Ching" says: "Clouds follow the dragon," and also states: "The hibernation of dragons and snakes is for self-preservation." When yin energy dominates, calamities such as dragons and snakes emerge. In the "I Ching," the "Qian" hexagram represents the ruler and also horses. Excessive reliance on military power undermines the ruler's authority, resulting in disasters involving horses. Some also say that the mass death of horses or their transformation into monsters is due to this principle.

When an emperor is foolish and weak, the people will rebel, and heaven will abandon him. If a wise ruler is absent to punish these treacherous ministers and rebels, incidents of usurpation and regicide will occur, which can lead to revolts among subordinates. In summary, as long as there are issues with the ruler's governance, it will affect celestial phenomena. The texts do not attribute the influence on celestial phenomena to the five elements, but rather state "the sun and moon behave erratically, and the stars appear to move backward." This is because subordinates dare not admit that the abnormal celestial phenomena are caused by them, similar to how the "Spring and Autumn Annals" states "the royal army suffered defeat at the hands of the Miao," not stating the army's defeat directly but using "suffered defeat" as a euphemism, which implies respect. Liu Xin's "Treatise on the Supreme Extreme" states that there are ailments arising from the lower body, indicating a rebellion among subordinates, and divine punishment has already occurred, thus it can no longer be considered a mere disease.

During Sun Liang's reign as emperor in the third year of Taiping, starting in August, there was continuous rain for over forty days without a break. At that time, Sun Liang was about to execute Sun Zhen, but the plan was leaked. On September 5th, Sun Zhen surrounded the imperial palace with troops and deposed Sun Liang, and made him the King of Kuaiji; this was interpreted as a punishment for the unending rain.

When Sun Hao was in power, in December of the first year of Baoding, the astronomers reported that the sky had been overcast for a long time without rain, fearing that a conspiracy was about to occur. Upon hearing this, Sun Hao was deeply alarmed. At that time, Lu Kai and others planned to depose Sun Hao while he was at the temple for a sacrifice. When they emerged, Liu Ping led the troops to clear the way, and Lu Kai had informed Liu Ping of this plan beforehand, but Liu Ping did not agree, so the plan ultimately failed. Sun Hao was extremely brutal, and his subjects were all harboring thoughts of rebellion, which ultimately led to the downfall of the Wu state.

In the Shu state, General Deng Zhi was campaigning in Fuling when he saw a black ape on the mountain and shot it with an arrow. The black ape pulled out the arrow and used leaves to stop the bleeding. Deng Zhi said, "Alas! I have gone against the laws of nature; I fear I will die!" Not long after, he died; this exemplifies the consequences of shooting a monstrous being! Some say that the black ape was a mother holding her child, and Deng Zhi shot the child, who then pulled out the arrow and used leaves to stop the wound. Deng Zhi sighed and cast his crossbow into the water, knowing he was going to die.

When Emperor Gong was the King of Langya, he had a penchant for bizarre games. Once, he locked a horse inside a gate and had his attendants shoot at it, wanting to see how many arrows it would take to kill it. Someone nearby advised, "The horse is a symbol of the royal family! Shooting it now is inauspicious!" So he stopped, but the horse had already been shot with over ten arrows. This might also be considered an act of shooting a monstrous being! Not long after, he abdicated the throne to the Song dynasty.

In the first month of the inaugural year of Emperor Ming of Wei, on the Jia Shen day, an azure dragon appeared in the well of Mobei in Ji County. Generally speaking, when auspicious signs appear at the wrong time, they become evil omens. Moreover, being trapped in a well is particularly ominous. Wei changed its reign title because of this incident, though it was arguably unwarranted. Gan Bao said, "From Emperor Ming of Wei to the downfall of the Wei dynasty, the appearances of the azure and yellow dragons have confirmed the fate of the rise and fall of Wei. Wei's national destiny is associated with wood, represented by azure, yet it cannot contend with gold. The appearance of the yellow dragon and the disappearance of the azure dragon symbolize the decline of the azure and the rise of the yellow. The repeated appearances of the azure dragon indicate internal strife within Wei's national destiny. Therefore, Gao Guixiangong was ultimately defeated and died in battle." Liu Xiang's interpretation is that dragons are originally symbols of nobility, but being trapped in a well signifies that nobles will face the calamity of imprisonment. During the Wei dynasty, dragons always appeared in wells, which was the consequence of rulers being suppressed. Gao Guixiangong's "Hidden Dragon Poem" encapsulates this idea. On the day of Wuxu in the tenth month of the first year of Zhengyuan of Gao Guixiangong, a yellow dragon appeared in the well of Ye City. In the first month of the inaugural year of Ganlu, a blue dragon appeared in the well of Zhixian. In the sixth month of the year, a blue dragon appeared in the well of Yuancheng County. In the second month of the second year, a blue dragon appeared in the well of Wen County. In the third year, yellow and blue dragons appeared at the same time in the wells of Dunqiu, Guanjun, and Yangxia counties. In the first month of the fourth year, a yellow dragon appeared twice in the wells of Ningling County. These records indicate that during the Ganlu period, dragons frequently appeared in wells in various places. At the time, this would have likely been seen as an auspicious sign. In the twelfth month of the first year of Jingyuan of Emperor Yuan, on the Jia Shen day, a yellow dragon appeared in the well of Huayin County. In the second month of the third year, a dragon appeared in the well of Zhixian. During the reign of Emperor Yuan, dragons also appeared multiple times. This indicates that society was relatively stable at that time, and the lives of ordinary people were relatively stable. During the reign of Sun Hao of Wu, a dragon reportedly emerged from a family's well in Changsha and even devoured a chick. Jing Fang's "Yi Yao" states, "When a dragon is born into a family, the king will fall to common status." Later, Sun Hao was indeed defeated by the Jin dynasty.

This passage tells the story of Sun Hao, the last emperor of the Wu kingdom, where the appearance of dragons in wells signifies the dynasty's downfall.

In the second year of the Xian Ning era of Emperor Wu, on the Bingwu day in June, two white dragons appeared in a well in Jiuyuan. In the fifth year of the Tai Kang era, on the Gui Mao day in January, two dragons appeared in a well in the armory. The emperor was quite pleased to see this, and all the officials were ready to congratulate him, but only Liu Yi submitted a memorial stating, "Previously, when dragons appeared in the courtyard of the Xia dynasty, it led to trouble for the Zhou dynasty; when dragons appeared at the city gates of Zheng, Zichan did not offer congratulations." The emperor said, "My virtuous governance has not yet been accomplished; I do not deserve such auspicious signs." Therefore, no congratulations were given. Sun Sheng said, "Dragons are creatures of water; what do they have to do with humans? Zichan was right. If dragons appear in places they should not be, it is an omen of calamity. Dragons flying and showing themselves is auspicious; now they are lurking in dark places, which is an ominous sign." In the second year of Emperor Hui of Han, two dragons appeared in a well in Lanling, which the "Book of Han" believed was a precursor to the death of King Zhao. The armory is where the emperor stores weapons, and its deep chambers are not places for dragons to dwell. Seven years later, the feudal lords turned against each other, and twenty-eight years later, indeed, two individuals with the surname Long rebelled and usurped the throne, indicating that the appearance of dragons truly foretold misfortune.

In this account, the emperor was pleased to see the dragons, but Minister Liu Yi raised opposing views, citing historical precedents, believing that the appearance of dragons in unusual places signified bad things. In the second year of the Jianxing era of Emperor Min, in November, a courtesan from the Qiang ethnic group gave birth to a dragon offspring, whose color resembled the patterns on brocade, often consuming his mother's milk and occasionally exhibiting divine light, though few could see it clearly. This also reflected the emperor's lack of wisdom, leading to the eventual downfall of Emperor Min.

In this account, the birth of a dragon offspring by a courtesan similarly signifies the decline of the dynasty.

In the final years of Lv Zuan, a dragon emerged from the well in the eastern chamber and lay coiled in front of his palace, disappearing at dawn. After a while, another black dragon flew to his palace gate. Lv Zuan saw this as a good omen. Some people remarked, "Dragons are associated with yin and usually appear at specific times, but now they are appearing frequently; someone must be planning a rebellion." Later, Lv Zuan was ultimately killed by Lv Chao.

In the story of Lv Zuan, the appearance of the dragon was considered auspicious, but some ministers predicted a political upheaval, and in the end, Lv Zuan was killed. During the Xianning period of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty, two large snakes appeared in the Grand Secretariat, each over ten zhang long, coiled on the main beam, unnoticed by anyone. For several years, children and livestock kept going missing from the Grand Secretariat. Later, one of the snakes came out at night, was injured by a person, and couldn't escape, which led to its discovery. Eventually, everyone banded together to kill the snake after a while. The Grand Secretariat is responsible for education, and this incident indicates that the court's rule was not effective, leading to such strange occurrences. During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, snakes also appeared in the palace, which Yang Ci attributed to the emperor's indulgence in women. During the Wei and Jin periods, there were many palace maids, and the emperor of Yan indulged in pleasure, all of which were bad omens. The Book of Songs says, "Only snakes and serpents, the auspiciousness of women," which illustrates this point.

In the fifth year of Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty, on the Guisi day of the third month, a large snake over ten zhang long appeared in Linzi, carrying two small snakes and entered the city from the north gate, passing through the market directly into the ancestral hall of Prince Jing of Chongyang in the Han Dynasty, and then disappeared. It seemed like a divine warning: although Emperor Jing of Han had accomplished great feats, he had not remained cautious and ultimately lost his position and accomplishments. The current Prince Qi Jiong failed to learn from this; despite his achievements, he was arrogant and proud, and would ultimately bring about disaster. This is a sign!

During the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, a large snake appeared in Wuchang, residing in an old temple within a hollow tree, frequently poking its head out to be fed by passersby. Jing Fang wrote in "Yi Yao": "When a snake appears in the city, within three years there will be a large-scale war and the country will face a great disaster." Later, Wang Dun's rebellion indeed occurred.

In the first year of Emperor Wu of the Western Jin Dynasty, a horse with a three-inch-long horn growing beneath its ear appeared in Liaodong. According to Liu Xiang, "This is a sign of military disaster." After the death of Emperor Wu, the imperial family indeed suffered military disasters, fulfilling this omen. Jing Fang wrote in "Yi Zhuan": "If ministers disobey the monarch and political affairs are in disorder, strange occurrences like horses growing horns will happen, indicating a shortage of virtuous scholars." He also said, "When the emperor personally goes to war, horses will grow horns." "The Annals of Lu Buwei" also states: "When the ruler is immoral, horses will grow horns." Later, Emperor Hui ascended the throne, was incompetent, and personally led troops to attack Chengdu, all fulfilling the previous omens.

In the twelfth month of the eighth year of Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty, the crown prince was to hold a sacrificial ceremony. The Grand Tutor, King Zhao, went in a carriage, but when they reached the south gate, the horse suddenly stopped and could not be moved no matter how hard they pushed. King Zhao had to switch to a lighter carriage to continue. This was a calamity caused by the horse. It seemed like heaven was warning: King Zhao did not understand the ways of the world and would eventually rebel; he was clearly unfit to assist the emperor.

On a day in the eleventh month of the ninth year, a stallion suddenly ran in panic into the interrogation hall of the Ministry of Justice, let out a mournful cry before collapsing, and died. It seemed like heaven was showing compassion for those who died unjustly! Look, this horse ran into the interrogation hall of the Ministry of Justice; could this not be the will of heaven?!

In the second month of the sixth year of Yongjia, a horse was neighing at the south gate. In the ninth month of Jianxing, a strange event of horses giving birth to humans unexpectedly occurred in Puzi County! Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "When the emperor dies, the vassals fight each other; strange phenomena, such as horses giving birth to humans, will occur." At that time, the royal family was declining, on the verge of collapse, with the Hu and Di people constantly invading, and the flames of war drawing closer every day. Soon the emperor fell, and that's why such a strange scene appeared.

In the second year of Taixing, there was an official named Puyang Yan in Danyang County. His horse gave birth to a two-headed foal, with the heads split from the neck, and it died shortly after birth. Sima Biao explained: "This heralds that power is held by private individuals; it is a double-headed monster." Later, Wang Dun did indeed rebel.

In the eighth year of Xiankang, in the fifth month of Jiaxu, a horse as red as blood appeared, running straight from Xuanyang Gate to the front of the palace, circling around the palace and then running away, with no one able to catch it. On the day of Jimao, the emperor fell ill, and by June, he had passed away. This horse was both a sign of disaster and a red omen of misfortune! In the same year, Zhang Chonghua in Liangzhou wanted to kill Zhang Xiang, the Prefect of Xihe. Several dozen horses in his stable all gave birth to tailless monsters at the same time!

In the fourth year of Long'an, in October, a horse with horns appeared in Liangzhou. The governor Guo Quan reported this to Huan Xuan. According to Liu Xiang, horses should not have horns, just like Huan Xuan should not have rebelled. Huan Xuan did not listen and ultimately faced destruction.

When Shi Jilong was in Ye City, a horse had its tail burnt; it entered by the Zhongyang Gate and exited through the Xianyang Gate. Officials from the East Palace couldn't enter, and the horse ran northeast and disappeared in a while. The fortune teller, Fotu Cheng, sighed, "Disaster is coming!" The next year, Shi Jilong died, and his country was also destroyed.

During the Huangchu era, Song Shizong's mother from Qinghe unexpectedly transformed into a turtle and swam away.

In the year 239 AD, a peasant woman named Qiu Xi died and then came back to life, which happened in a region governed by Cao Xiu. At that time, a tomb of an emperor from the Zhou Dynasty was opened, and an entombed woman was found inside. A few days later, she started to breathe, and although she could still breathe after several months, she could not speak. Empress Dowager Guo took her in and raised her. Additionally, in Taiyuan, someone dug up a tomb and found a living woman lying in a coffin. When asked what had happened, she was unsure, but according to the inscription on the tombstone, she was probably around thirty years old. The book "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" states: "Yin becomes Yang, the lower becomes the upper." This was a sign of Emperor Xuan of Han's rise to power! Similar incidents also occurred during the reigns of Emperor Ping of Han and Emperor Xian of Han, which were seen as omens of the rise of Wang Mang and Cao Cao.

In the year 261 AD, a man named Chen Jiao from Anwu County died and crawled out of his grave after seven days. Gan Bao said: "This incident resembles that of Emperor Xuan of Han. Marquis Wu Chenghao inherited the family business of the deposed emperor, which is an auspicious sign for him to ascend to the throne!"

In the year 276 AD, a man named Xuan Qian from Danyang saw his 80-year-old mother turn into a giant tortoise during her bath. Xuan Qian and his brothers quickly closed the door to protect her. They dug a large pit on the ground, filled it with water, and the giant tortoise played in the pit. It would stretch its neck to peek outside for a day or two. When they slightly opened the door, the tortoise would flip over and jump out, running into a distant pond, never to return. This was akin to the incident involving Empress Huang’s mother during the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, which was a sign of the impending downfall of the Wu Kingdom.

In August of the year 264 AD, someone in Xiangwu County reported seeing a giant, over three zhang in height, with footprints three chi two cun long, white hair, wearing a yellow headscarf and yellow robe, with a cane, proclaiming, "Peace is coming!" Later, the Jin Dynasty replaced the Wei Dynasty.

In the year 271 AD, a seventy-year-old man in Yuancheng grew horns. This was likely an omen of Zhao Wang Lun's usurpation!

In December of the year 276 AD, a man named Yan Ji in Langya fell ill and died. After the coffin was buried, his family dreamed that Yan Ji was telling them, "Hurry and open the coffin! I can still come back to life!" So the family opened the coffin, and he gradually regained the ability to eat, drink, move, and see, but he couldn't walk or speak. Two years later, he died again. The "Yijing Commentary" says, "The extreme yin turns into yang, the lower becomes the upper, the wicked die and come back to life." Later, Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le rebelled, and the Western Jin Dynasty fell, fulfilling the prophecy of "the lower becomes the upper."

During Emperor Hui of Jin's Yuan Kang period, 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 the temperament of a man. The "Yijing Commentary" says, "A woman becomes a husband, this is called yin prosperity, a lowly person becomes a king." This was also a portent of Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le's rise to power!

During the Yongning period, Prince Qi Jiong, under the guise of rebellion, executed traitors and rebels, and reinstated the emperor, enjoying great success. However, at that time, a woman ran to the gate of the Grand Marshal's Mansion and said she wanted to leave her child there. When asked why, she replied, "I will leave after giving birth." At that time, although Prince Qi Jiong was praised for supporting the royal family, some astute observers sensed that he was headed for trouble. Indeed, later, Prince Qi Jiong was killed.

On the day of Jiazi in December of the first year of Yongning, an old man with white hair burst into Prince Qi Jiong's Grand Marshal's Mansion, shouting, "There will be a rebellion with a great army, within ten days!" Prince Qi Jiong had him killed. Sure enough, on the day of Wuchen in the following year, Prince Qi Jiong met his downfall—exactly ten days later.

In the first year of Tai'an, on the day of Guichou in April, a man claimed he had come in from Longmen, ran to the front of the palace, knelt and kowtowed twice facing north, and said, "I should be the Supervisor of the Palace Library." After saying this, he was seized and executed. Gan Bao commented, "The imperial palace is an extremely noble and mysterious place. Now, a lowly person can easily enter, and the guards did not notice. This is a bad omen of the palace becoming vulnerable and subordinates rising above their superiors!" After this, the emperor first moved the capital to Ye City, and later moved it to Chang'an, and the imperial palace eventually fell into disuse.

During the Yuankang period, in the Kingdom of Liang, a woman was betrothed to someone, and the betrothal gifts were already received. 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. The woman did not want to, but her parents forced her, so she had no choice but to marry, and she passed away not long after. Later, when her husband returned and inquired about his wife's whereabouts, her family told him what had happened. He ran to his wife's grave, overcome with grief, and actually dug up the grave. To his astonishment, his wife was alive, so they returned home together. Later, the former husband found out and went to the government to report it, but the officials were at a loss for what to do. The secretary Wang Dao suggested, "This is a very rare occurrence and cannot be judged by common sense. She should be returned to her former husband." The court agreed with his suggestion.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, a maid in Du Xi's household died. When she was buried, due to some mishaps, her burial was delayed. Ten years later, the coffin was opened for a joint burial, and to everyone's shock, the maid was alive! At first, she appeared to be asleep, but after a while, she slowly woke up and said that it felt like she had only slept for two days. She had been fifteen or sixteen at the time of her burial, and after the coffin was opened, she was still fifteen or sixteen. Eventually, she married and started a family.

In the first year of the Guangxi era, there was a man named Xie Zhen in Kuaiji who gave birth to a child with an unusually large head, long hair, feet turned upwards, and two bodies, one male and one female. The child emitted male cries at birth and died the next day. This was a sign of the decline of imperial power and rebellion of the lower class against the upper class, which led to numerous princes rising in revolt.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, there were individuals in Luoyang who exhibited both male and female traits, were sexually active, and exhibited lewd behavior, reflecting the social unrest. From the time of Xianning and Taikang, male favorites became popular, even surpassing the love for women. Officials and nobles competed to pursue them, resulting in marital discord and chaos, which led to the emergence of monsters and demons.

In the first year of Yongjia, a maid named Wan Xiang in Wu County, part of Wu Commandery, gave birth to a creature with a bird's head, horse hooves for legs, a single hand, no hair, and a tail as large as a pillow. This was also an evil omen indicating a coming great chaos in the world.

In the fifth month of the fifth year, a prostitute under the jurisdiction of Yan Gen in Fohan County gave birth to a dragon, a girl, and a goose. According to Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan," the birth of non-human beings is a portent of impending disaster. The emperor at the time inherited the throne from Emperor Hui, leading to unrest and eventually the calamity of Pingyang, during which he was slain by barbarian invaders, fulfilling the prophecy.

In the fourth year of Jianxing, the wife of Ren Qiao, an official in Xinchai County, gave birth to two girls connected at the abdomen and heart, separated from the chest upwards and the navel downwards, a phenomenon never before seen. The Imperial Historian Lü Hui reported, "According to the records of the 'Ruiyingtu,' connected roots are referred to as 'Lianli Branches,' and two ears of grain growing from the same plant are called 'Jiahe.' Even the strange phenomena of plants and trees are seen as auspicious signs, so two people being of one heart and mind, as the 'Yijing' says, 'When two people are of one heart and mind, their strength can break metal,' should be regarded as a promising sign of unity in the world." However, people at the time ridiculed him. Soon after, the realm descended into chaos, and the emperor perished.

In the early years of Emperor Yuan's Tai Xing, there was a woman who had her genitals in her abdomen, below her navel. She came from the Central Plains to Jiangdong, was promiscuous in nature, but could not bear children. There was another woman whose genitals were on her head, at the Yangzhou ferry, who was equally promiscuous. According to Jing Fang's "Yi Yao," "When a person gives birth to a child with genitals on the head, the world will fall into great chaos; if on the abdomen, great events will occur in the world; if on the back, there will be no descendants in the world." At that time, Wang Dun occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and wanted to rebel, which was certainly an omen.

In December of the third year, the wife of Minister Zou Xie Ping gave birth to a daughter who let out a sound like "bi bi" upon birth and died shortly after. Her nose and eyes were on the top of her head, her face was like a neck, her mouth had teeth, all were connected together, her chest looked like a turtle, and her limbs had claws like a bird, all bending downwards. This was yet another case of giving birth to something non-human, an unprecedented strange occurrence. Two years later, the defeat at Shitou took place.

In July of the second year of Emperor Ming's Tai Ning, the wife of Duke Ji of Jiangning died and was resurrected three days later.

In April 340, a man named Wang He from Xia Pi moved to Ji Yang. His daughter, twenty years old, claimed to be from heaven and said she had received a heavenly seal to become the mother of the world. The governor of Jinling believed she was a monster and had her arrested and imprisoned. In November, a man dressed in crimson and carrying a staff made of zhe wood came to the palace gate, claiming to be a sage sent to meet the Son of Heaven. The guards noted his words; he introduced himself as Lü Ci. He said that Wang He's daughter's right foot had seven stars, each star covered in hair, seven inches long, and that heaven intended to appoint her as the mother of the world. After this was reported, Lü Ci was executed immediately, and Wang Ke of Jinling was executed as well.

In October of the year 344 AD, while General Wei was inspecting the Chen Du Nu Tai, he discovered a soldier's foot with the words "Mother of All" carved on it. The words became even more visible after moxibustion. The capital city was immediately stirred up, and the authorities arrested the soldier and reported him to the court. As a result, the soldier soon escaped from the prison in Jiankang. The following year, the emperor passed away, and the empress dowager assumed power, which was likely a bad omen.

Around the year 373 AD, there was a woman named Tang from Nanjun who gradually turned into a man.

In the year 401 AD, there was a man named Zhao in Wuxi who suddenly grew to eight feet tall and developed a beard at the age of eight, only to die three days later.

During the Yi Xi period, a family surnamed Mo in Dongyang had a daughter who was not raised and was buried for several days. However, cries of a baby were heard coming from the ground, so they dug her up and took care of her.

In the later period of the Yi Xi period, there was a place called Er Yang Dao in Yuzhang, where two children were born consecutively.

In the year 412 AD, there was a place called Yang Dao in Jian'an, where a headless figure appeared, but later returned to normal, taking on a woman's form.

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Jin （晉書）

Published: 02 January 2025

Created: 02 January 2025

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In the ninth year of Emperor Huidi Yuankang's reign, in the third month, a sound resembling a cow's moo suddenly appeared, coming from Xuchang City. In December, Emperor Huidi removed Crown Prince Minhui from power and imprisoned him in Xuchang Palace. In the following year, Empress Jia sent the palace eunuch Sun Lü to kill the Crown Prince by beating him with a pestle, and the sound was heard outside, confirming the earlier omen of the cow's moo.

When Su Jun was encamped outside Liyang City, the drum in his camp suddenly beat as if someone were playing it. Su Jun personally smashed the drum, saying, "If this happened back home, the city would be empty." Not long after that, he rebelled and was ultimately defeated, a punishment for ignoring advice.

When Shi Jilong was close to death, nine li northwest of Luoyang City, there was a stone ox that suddenly let out a loud moo, and the sound carried forty li away. Shi Jilong had the ox's ears and tail cut off, and its four feet nailed down with iron nails. Shortly after, Shi Jilong passed away.

On the first day of the third month of the fifteenth year of Emperor Xiaowu's Taiyuan reign, a sound like thunder came from the northeast. According to Liu Xiang's records, he stated, "If there’s thunder without clouds, it signals that the ruler is ignoring the people, and a rebellion is on the horizon." Later, the emperor died, and chaos started to unfold, with Sun En and Huan Xuan stirring up trouble near the capital.

On Xiajia Mountain of the Changcheng in Wuxing, there's a stone drum, more than a zhang long and about three chi wide, with a stone serving as its base. When it sounds, it’s like a golden drum, signaling trouble in the Three Wu regions. During the Long'an reign of Emperor An, this stone drum sounded loudly once, and soon after, Sun En rebelled.

In the fourth year of the reign of King Jia Ping of Wei, in the month of May, two fish gathered on the roof of the armory, a bad omen. Wang Su said, "Fish live in water, but they have come to the roof. These scaly creatures have strayed from where they belong. This could mean trouble on the borders!" Later, the Dongguan Battle indeed ended in defeat. Gan Bao also believed this was a sign of the disaster of the noble troops. Both of these views were consistent with Ban Gu's perspective.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Tai Kang period, two carp appeared on the roof of the armory. Gan Bao believed, "The armory is where weapons are stored; fish have scales, just like weapons. Fish belong to Yin, and the roof is a place exposed to sunlight. If fish appear on the roof, it symbolizes extremely Yin forces clashing with Yang. In the early period of Emperor Hui, Yang Jun was executed, the empress dowager was deposed, arrows filled the sky, and the palace was chaotic. In the late period of the Yuankang era, Empress Jia falsely accused and killed the crown prince, and she was later executed and deposed. Within ten years, the empress dowager faced troubles twice, which confirmed the previous omens, and from then on calamity began." Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" says, "When fish leave the water and fly to the road, warfare is about to occur."

The "chongsi" mentioned in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" were abundant. Liu Xin believed that the overpopulation of "chongsi" insects, just like the overpopulation of fish, were both ominous signs.

In the third year of the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei, in the month of July, a great locust plague occurred in Jizhou, and the people were left hungry. Someone cited an old saying by Cai Yong, saying that the locust plague was caused by the greed and tyranny of those in power. At that time, Sun Quan paid homage to the Wei Kingdom, but due to Sun Quan's involvement in the Battle of Xiling, Emperor Wen led a large army to attack him, and as a result, Sun Quan rebelled.

In the tenth year of the reign of Emperor Wu of the Taishi period, in the month of June, another locust infestation struck. At that time, Xun and Jia were in power, and they ruled with an iron fist.

In the first year of the reign of Emperor Hui of the Yongning period, several prefectures and counties were hit by locust swarms.

In the fourth year of the Yongjia era of Emperor Huai, in May, a severe locust plague occurred, spreading from Youzhou, Bingzhou, Sizhou, and Jizhou all the way to Qinzhou and Yongzhou, devouring all the crops and the fur of cattle and horses. At that time, the country was in chaos, and the people could only survive by fishing and hunting, with only Sima Yue and Gou Xi managing to keep things under control. However, both of them ruled tyrannically and had no real governance, leading to this disaster.

In the fourth year of the Jianxing era of Emperor Min, in June, another severe locust plague occurred. The year before, Liu Yao repeatedly attacked Beidi and Fengyi, with Ju Yun and others leading a large army in resistance, but they were defeated by Liu Yao, resulting in the fall of the Western Capital. In the fifth year of his reign, the Emperor was in Pingyang, and locusts appeared in large numbers in Sizhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Yongzhou.

In the first year of the Taixing era of Emperor Yuan, in June, the Hexiang area of Lanling was hit by a locust plague, leading to a total crop failure. On the day of Yiwei, locusts spread three hundred miles in the Dongguan area, resulting in a complete loss of crops. In July, locusts ravaged the fields in Donghai, Pengcheng, Xiapai, and Linhuai. In August, locust plagues occurred in Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Xuzhou, consuming all greenery and continuing for two years. At that time, the Central Plains were in chaos, with various uprisings becoming increasingly severe.

In the second year, in May, locusts devoured the autumn wheat in Huailing, Linhuai, Huainan, Anfeng, and Lujiang. On the day of Guichou in that month, locust plagues occurred in various counties west of the Yangtze River in Xuzhou and Yangzhou, causing many people to starve to death in Wu County. That year, Wang Dun took on the role of Governor of Jingzhou, signaling the start of his brutal rule.

In the fifteenth year of the Taiyuan era of Emperor Xianwu, a locust plague occurred in Yanzhou. At that time, the Murong clan was approaching Henan, and wars were incessant, causing this disaster. In May of the sixteenth year, locusts flew in from the south and gathered within the borders of Tangyi County, ruining the crops. In the spring of that year, the court dispatched two thousand soldiers and six or seven thousand family members from Jiangzhou to protect the army and the Eastern Palace, but most of them later scattered. Additionally, the border generals continuously recruited soldiers, leading to yet another locust plague.

During Sun Hao's rule, a wild boar burst into the camp of Grand General Ding Feng, an ominous sign indeed! Later, Ding Feng was sent to attack Guyang but returned with nothing to show for it. Sun Hao erupted in anger and killed Ding Feng's guide. Subsequently, as Sun Hao led his troops north, Ding Feng and others, including Wan Yu, whispered privately, "If we reach Huali, we will have to escape for our lives!" This scheme was leaked, and although Ding Feng had already died by that time, Sun Hao still blamed him for the Guyang campaign, killing Ding Feng's son Ding Wen and exiling the other members of the Ding family. This was all payback for the wild boar bursting into the camp! As Gong Sui once said, "When wild beasts from the mountains and fields enter the palace, the palace will fall empty," and isn't this exactly the meaning?

During the Yongjia period of Emperor Huai of Jin, a pig with two heads appeared in Shouchun City, but it didn’t last long. Zhou Fu had the pig brought over for a closer look, and those familiar with such matters said, "The pig is livestock from the north, representing the Hu people. Two heads indicate a lack of a central figure; being born only to die signifies that the matter cannot be accomplished. Heaven warns us not to make foolish calculations, or else we will bring about our own destruction!" Zhou Fu completely ignored this and instead thought about greeting the emperor and commanding the lords, only to be quickly defeated by Emperor Yuan. Wasn’t this a clear sign of that warning? Later on, Shi Le also crossed the Huai River, and ninety-nine percent of the common folk perished.

In the first year of Jianwu, a pig with eight legs was born, which served as a punishment for ignoring warnings and a portent of corrupt officials. This was followed by the rebellion led by Liu Kui.

In June of the sixth year of Xianhe during Emperor Jin Cheng's reign, a pig farmer in Qiantang reported that his sow gave birth to two piglets, both with human faces and pig bodies, resembling the Hu people, yet retaining their pig-like bodies. Jing Fang's "Yi Yao" stated: "A pig born with a human head and pig body is a sign of danger and turmoil. Now that this sow has given birth to such piglets, it is a very bad omen!"

In the tenth year of Taiyuan in the reign of Emperor Jin Xiaowu, in April, a piglet with two spines and eight legs appeared in the capital. Thirteen years later, another sow in the capital gave birth to a piglet with two bodies and eight legs, similar to the strange pig that appeared in the Jianwu era. After that, Prime Minister Shen Xu neglected state affairs, only favoring his cronies, gradually destroying the country's laws, ultimately leading to the country's decline.

In the fifth year of Yongjia in the reign of Emperor Jin Xiaohuai, in December, there was black air everywhere, which was an ominous omen. Shortly after, the emperor was captured, and the royal family was destroyed, which fulfilled the ominous signs.

In the second year of Jianxing in the reign of Emperor Jin Min, on the first day of the first month, black fog enveloped the air, lingering throughout the night and dispersing after five days, also an ominous omen. Four years later, Emperor Min surrendered to Liu Yao.

In the first year of Yongchang in the reign of Emperor Jin Yuan, in October, the capital was shrouded in thick fog, with dark clouds obscuring the sky, leaving the sun and moon in darkness. In November, the emperor passed away.

Legend has it that in the sixth month of the fifth year of Taikang during Emperor Jin Wu's reign, the waters of Rencheng and the state of Lu turned blood red, just like blood. Liu Xiang's book explained that this was caused by the proximity of a fire to the water, as a punishment for those who ignore warnings. Jing Fang also mentioned in the "Yi Zhuan" that "When a ruler indulges in beauty, virtuous people retreat, and the country is on the brink of danger, strange phenomena, such as red water, will manifest." This describes the scene at that time!

In the third year of the reign of Emperor Jin Mu, in February, a fire broke out in a pond to the east of Liangzhou City. By the fourth year, in April, the water in Guzang Marsh caught fire. This was all caused by the influence of malevolent energy in the water! And what was the result? In the following year, Zhang Tianxi killed the Central Guard General, Zhang Yong. Zhang Yong was a high-ranking official in the court at that time.

In the second year of the reign of Emperor Jin An, in October, the water of West Lake in Qiantang turned red. Huan Xuan took this opportunity to inform the officials of Wu County that this was a divine sign, indicating his future prosperity. And what happened? Not long after, Huan Xuan failed, proving the saying "Heaven's punishment may be slow, but it is inevitable; it arises from one's own actions."

Ancient texts state that if one cannot accept situations and fails to let go, they cannot be considered a sage, and the consequences are severe! This could lead to various misfortunes or even a short life. Specifically, strange spirits and creatures may emerge, plants may grow wildly, livestock may fall ill, one may suffer from mysterious ailments, or even face various natural disasters.

As you can see, if one cannot accept situations and fails to let go, they are not a sage. "Thinking in the heart" refers to how one thinks and considers issues, while "tolerance" means being magnanimous. Confucius once said, "How can I tell if a leader is a sage if they are not tolerant?" This implies that a leader's lack of tolerance makes it hard for their subordinates to thrive. A person's expressions, words, actions, and perceptions are all governed by their heart. If any of these four areas go awry, the mind becomes confused, resulting in misfortune.

Rain, drought, cold, and heat are all related to the wind. If the climate of the four seasons becomes chaotic, it will lead to severe wind disasters. Strong winds can destroy everything, which can cause people to have short lives. Hurting people is called "disastrous," hurting livestock is called "short," and hurting plants is called "broken." There is also a saying that "disastrous" means dying young; when an older brother dies, the younger brother's life is considered "short," and similarly, when a father dies, the son's life is seen as "broken." If a person has too much fat on their stomach, it wraps around the heart like a layer of oil, obscuring the heart's judgment, which leads to encounters with demons and monsters. Another saying is that the appearance of demons and monsters at night is like oil stains dirtying clothes, making them unclean. Yet another saying is that the appearance of demons and monsters at night is caused by strong winds and heavy rain, similar to regular wind disasters.

When the weather is warm and windy, pests like the corn borer will emerge. Liu Xiang believed that the "Xun" hexagram in the "I Ching" represents wind and wood; this hexagram appears in March and April when the yang energy starts to flourish, governing the growth and fruiting of trees. If the wind is too strong, trees may bloom again in autumn and winter, which is called "floral calamity." There is another saying that if the earth's energy is too strong, trees will bloom again in autumn and winter. Additionally, "floral" pertains to color, while "earth" signifies internal matters, often relating to women's misfortunes. In the "I Ching," the "Kun" hexagram represents earth and cattle. Cattle are large but do not think, and when their spirit is bad, disasters related to cattle may arise. There is also a saying that cattle are prone to dying or causing strange incidents. For people, this translates to being prone to heart ailments. The earth is yellow, so there will be yellow disasters and auspicious signs. In summary, if one cannot find peace of mind, it will harm the earth's energy, and when this energy is compromised, the elements of metal, wood, water, and fire will also suffer.

In the book, it says "there are times," not "only," meaning that it's not just one disaster, but rather multiple disasters occurring simultaneously, indicating a very serious situation. If you can get rid of the pessimistic mindset, you can lead a long and fulfilling life. Liu Xin mentioned in "Si Xin Zhuan" that there is another kind of pest, like the cutworm.

In the ninth year of Zhengshi of King Wei Qi, in the eleventh month, there were strong winds for several days, toppling houses and snapping trees. On the last day of the month, the winds intensified even further, causing the eastern attic of the Taiji Hall to sway.

On the first day of the first month in the first year of Jiaping, a fierce northwest wind howled, bringing down houses and snapping trees as dust swirled and the sky darkened. Guan Lu at the time said that this was heaven's punishment for the corrupt ministers, a bad omen for the rulers! At that time, Cao Shuang was outrageously arrogant and indulgent; despite so many warnings from heaven, he did not change due to his corrupt mindset, and thus faced the wrath of the fierce wind. Not long after, Cao Shuang and his followers were killed. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes": "When everyone does not follow the same opinion, the highest morality will be hidden, and abnormal winds will appear. This wind blows so fiercely that it makes it hard for people to walk, and crops struggle to grow. Even when it rains, it brings destruction. When politics defies morality, chaos ensues; this wind first holds back rain, then escalates into a storm, blowing down houses and trees. Upholding justice yet unable to advance is a sign of incompetence; this wind comes with dark clouds, toppling crops. Officials not obeying orders from superiors is called disobedience; this wind is powerful enough to topple houses. Unreasonable taxes lead to disaster; this wind can devastate crops, with fluctuating weather leading to pests that ravage grains. Princes exercising power independently is called disunity; this wind blows strongly, but the trees do not move, and crops do not grow well. Rulers not seeking the welfare of the people is called lack of grace; this wind blows so hard that even trees do not move, causing drought and damage to crops. Officials only caring about their own interests is called chaos; this wind may be small, but it's scorching, resulting in pests that threaten beneficial crops. Abandoning governance and indulging in pleasure is called confusion; this wind is hot, causing pests to harm things beneficial to humans. Princes not coming to pay respects is called rebellion; this wind is erratic, turning the soil red, and the rain can be lethal."

In the first year of Taiyuan under Sun Quan of Wu, on the first day of the eighth month, a strong wind arose. The rivers, lakes, and seas swelled, with water levels rising to eight feet in low-lying areas. Over two thousand tall trees were uprooted, and stone tablets were blown down. Two of Wu's city gates were also blown away. According to Hua He’s analysis, this was because Sun Quan imposed heavy corvee labor and high taxes, so it was a divine punishment! The following year, Sun Quan died.

On the day of Bingshen in the twelfth month of the Jianxing era of Sun Liang, a strong wind arose, accompanied by thunder and lightning. That year, the Wei kingdom sent three large armies to attack Wu. Zhuge Ke defeated the East Xing army of Wei, and the other two armies retreated. The next year, Zhuge Ke attacked Xincheng, suffered heavy losses and was killed shortly after returning.

In the eleventh month of Yong'an’s first year, when Sun Xiu was in power, on the day of Jiawu, several rounds of strong winds arose, accompanied by several days of heavy fog. At that time, the Sun family held immense power, with all five brothers holding marquis titles and challenging the emperor of Wu. The wind and fog disasters were similar to the fates of the five marquises and the Dingfu family during the Han dynasty. On the night of Dingshen in the twelfth month, a sudden strong wind blew, toppling trees and kicking up dust. The next day, Sun Chen was killed.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Jin Dynasty, on the first day of the fifth month of the fifth year of the Taishi era, a strong wind swept through the Guangping area, snapping trees. In the first month of Xianning’s first year, a strong wind blew through the Xiaping and Guangling areas, leading to the collapse of over a thousand homes and the breaking of trees. On the day of Jiashen that month, Guangling, Siwu, and Xiaping were hit by another strong wind that broke trees. In the eighth month of the third year, a strong wind swept through the Hejian area, snapping trees.

In May of the second year of Taikang, a violent storm raged in the Jinan area, uprooting trees and damaging crops. In June, the Gaoping area was hit by strong winds that broke trees and destroyed over forty government office buildings. In July, the Shangdang area experienced strong winds, causing severe damage to autumn crops. In the sixth month of the eighth year, strong winds swept through eight regions nationwide. In the first month of the ninth year, hail fell in the capital, overturning houses and uprooting trees. Two years later, the emperor passed away.

In June of the fourth year of Huidi Yuankang, strong winds and rain uprooted trees. In the fourth month of the fifth year, on a night in the Gengyin year, a sudden storm arose, causing huge waves in the eastern canal, and many people were swept away and drowned. In July, the Xuping area was hit by strong winds that caused houses to collapse. In September, Yanmen, Xinxing, Taiyuan, Shangdang, and other regions were hit by disaster winds, which resulted in severe damage to crops. The following year, the Diqiang tribe rebelled, forcing the court to send a large army to suppress the rebellion.

In the sixth month of the ninth year of Yuankang, a gust of wind blew away Jia Mi's court robes, flying hundreds of yards away! The following year, Jia Mi was killed. On the first day of the eleventh month of Jiazi, the capital experienced continuous strong winds, causing houses to collapse and trees to break. In December, the deposed Crown Prince was imprisoned in Xuchang.

In the first month of Yongkang, strong winds uprooted all the trees. In March, the deposed Crown Prince was murdered. On the day of Jima, his coffin was transported from Xuchang back to Luoyang, and on that day, there were strong winds and thunderstorms, tearing the curtains of the hearse. In April, Zhang Hua's house was struck by a violent storm; trees were broken, fabrics were blown away, and numerous axles broke. In the same month, Zhang Hua was also murdered. On the first day of November in the Wuwu year, a strong wind blew in from the northwest, breaking trees, blowing sand and stones, and lasting for six days before stopping. In the first month of the following year, Prince Zhao Luen seized the throne.

In August of the first year of Yongning, there were three places across the country where strong winds blew. In the first month of Yongxing, on the day of Yichou, a strong wind blew from the northwest. On Guichou in the first month of the Jian Shi era, Prince Zhao Lun made sacrifices at the ancestral temple when suddenly a violent storm with rain and dust suddenly darkened the sky. In the fourth month of that year, Prince Zhao Lun was executed.

In July 304 AD, a strong wind hit Chengdu, damaging houses and snapping trees. In August, another storm blew down more than a hundred willow trees on both sides of the imperial road. The wind howled chaotically, as if blowing from all directions. At that time, Wang Dun held absolute power and caused the deaths of officials such as Diao Xie and Zhou Yi, so the wind blew indiscriminately. This was all a sign of the emperor's incompetence and the vassals' defiance! In November of the same year, the emperor died.

In March 340 AD, a strong wind hit Chengdu, damaging houses and snapping trees. In April, Li Shou killed Li Qi and proclaimed himself emperor. In July 344 AD, Jinling and Wu County suffered disasters due to a strong wind.

In August 357 AD, Empress He was enthroned and a strong wind blew the same day. Later, Huan Xuan usurped the throne and reduced the empress to a county lord, all because of the emperor's poor judgment! In January 360 AD, another strong wind blew. In February 366 AD, a fierce wind blew, and that year, Haixi Gong was deposed.

In March 373 AD, a strong wind and a massive fire erupted in the capital. At that time, Huan Wen entered the capital with ambitions of usurping the throne, and with the young emperor, everyone was worried and afraid, a clear sign of the emperor's poor judgment! In March 375 AD, another violent storm blew, first from the east and then changing direction to the north, with flying sand and rolling stones, a terrifying sight.

In February and March of the year 376 AD, fierce storms and heavy rain damaged houses and snapped trees. In June of the year 377 AD, a strong wind in Chang'an toppled the trees in Fu Jian's palace. Later, Fu Jian launched another campaign against Jin and faced a crushing defeat at the Battle of Feishui, which led to his death and the fall of the state. In August of the year 378 AD, another fierce storm kicked up sand and stones.

In January and July of the year 386 AD, strong winds snapped the trees. In December of the year 387 AD, a strong wind made the day as dark as night. Later, the emperor died, the nobles became unruly, power fell to Yuan Xian, and finally Huan Xuan seized power, coming through this gate. In June of the year 390 AD, strong winds snapped the trees.

In February of the year 402 AD, a strong wind and heavy rain blew away the roof tiles of the main gate. The following year, Huan Xuan seized power, coming through this gate.

In January of the year 399 AD, Huan Xuan went out for a leisure trip, took a boat to the south, encountered a strong wind, and tore the cover on the boat. Three months later, Huan Xuan returned in defeat to Jiangling. In May, a strong wind in Jiangling snapped many trees. In the same month, Huan Xuan was defeated at Zhengrongzhou, killed, and his body was dismembered. On the Dingyou day in November, a strong wind resulted in many deaths in Jiangling.

In the eleventh month of the year 407 AD, on the day of Xinyou, a fierce wind blew in the northwest. By the day of Dinghai in the intercalary tenth month of 408 AD, the strong wind blew many houses away. The following year, Lu Xun arrived at Cai Zhou. On the day of Renshen in May of 409 AD, a strong wind uprooted centuries-old trees in the northern suburbs and also blew off the roofs of the archery venues in Langye and Yangzhou. On that day, Lu Xun's large ships were all blown underwater. On the day of Jiaxu, the wind blew again, flipping houses and breaking trees. That winter, the imperial army marched south to quell the rebellion. In January of the year 412 AD, a strong wind damaged the pillars of the White Horse Temple's pagoda. On the day of Jichou in April of 413 AD, a strong wind uprooted trees. On the day of Xinhai in June, trees were uprooted again. In July, a strong wind blew in the northern Huai region, damaging many houses. The following year, the imperial court launched an expedition to the west to subdue Sima Xiuzhi.

On the day of Wuxu in January of the year 251 AD, Emperor Jing launched a campaign against Guanqiu Jian, resulting in a strong wind blowing, the sky turned dark, and people on the road lying down; this was truly a supernatural sign! Liu Xiang said, "It's daylight and it's dark, the yin energy overwhelms the yang energy; this is like a minister suppressing the monarch!"

In October of the year 261 AD, a major earthquake occurred in the capital, turning day into night; this was yet another supernatural sign! Ban Gu said, "Night demons, when clouds and wind appear together, the sky darkens, just like with ordinary winds." Liu Xiang said in his "Spring and Autumn Annals," "Heaven seems to be warning: do not allow hereditary titles for officials; let them focus on their work. Day and night are the same, signifying the court's decline." The Wei Kingdom saw this supernatural sign as a sign that the Jin Dynasty was going to unify the world.

On the day of Xinmao in October of the year 311 AD, day turned into night until the day of Gengzi; this was also a demonic phenomenon! The following year, Liu Yao attacked Luochuan, and the imperial army was repeatedly defeated by the enemy, with the emperor fleeing to Pingyang.

On the day of Yiwu in December of the year 398 AD, a strong wind blew, darkening the sky. Later, the emperor died, the vassals rebelled, internal warfare broke out, Yuan Xian was overthrown, Huan Xuan rebelled, which ultimately resulted in a catastrophic downfall.

In the "Yi Zhuan" by Jing Fang, it says: "When officials become complacent in their positions, it is called greed; disasters are like pests devouring the roots of crops. The absence of consistent virtue leads to chaos; pests consume the leaves of crops. Failing to correct mistakes and lacking virtue is akin to pests consuming the stems of crops. Working out of season, competing with farmers, disregards the natural timing; pests eat the stalks of crops. Concealing sins breeds calamity; pests eat the heart of crops." This reflects the circumstances of that era.

In the first year of the Xianning reign of Emperor Wu, locust plagues swept through various counties and states. That month, crops in various counties were also ravaged by locusts. Four years later, twenty counties and states including Sizhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Jingzhou, and Yangzhou were all plagued by locust disasters. During these years, crops truly suffered as insect plagues were rampant.

In the fourth year of Emperor Hui's Taikang reign, Kuaiji's fields were overrun by countless mice and crabs, resulting in widespread devastation. In the eighth month of the ninth year, locust disasters occurred in twenty-four counties and states. In September, insect disasters damaged the autumn harvest crops. During that time, the emperor was swayed by slander and showed favoritism towards Jia Chong and Yang Jun, leading to the calamities of insects and locusts as punishment for "failing to correct mistakes and lacking virtue."

In the third year of Emperor Hui's Yuankang reign, locust disasters occurred in six counties including Daifang, and the rice leaves were entirely devoured. This pestilence was exceptionally harsh! In the first year of the Yongning reign, locust disasters occurred in three provinces of Liangzhou, Yizhou, and Liangzhou. At that time, Prince Qi Jiong held power, and this was the consequence of his greed and cruelty. In October, locusts in places like Nan'an, Baxi, Jiangyang, Taiyuan, Xinxing, and Beihai ate the rice leaves, with as much as 50 to 60 percent of the crops consumed. In December, locust disasters occurred in six counties. This was nothing short of a continuous disaster!

In the ninth year of the Tai Kang era under Emperor Wu, a strange incident occurred in the northern frontier of Youzhou where a dead cow spoke, which foretold a disaster related to cattle. At that time, the emperor was often ill and constantly preoccupied with his legacy, but his preparations for the future were flawed, a clear sign of confusion and incompetence. As Shi Kuang said, “When resentment spreads among the people, strange phenomena that cannot be expressed in words will occur.” This aligns with what Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": “Killing the innocent will result in cattle giving birth to monsters.”

During the Tai An era under Emperor Hui, there was a man named Zhang Cheng in Jiangxia, whose cow suddenly spoke: “The world is about to be chaotic, where do you think you're going riding me?” Zhang Cheng was so startled that he rushed home. When he got home, his dog remarked, “Why are you back so soon?” Soon after, that cow actually stood up and walked on two legs! Zhang Cheng quickly invited a fortune teller for divination, and the fortune teller said, “A military rebellion is about to occur, and the calamity will not only affect your family.” Indeed, that year, Zhang Chang rebelled, and the first target of his attack was Jiangxia. As a general, Zhang Cheng found that all five provinces were plunged into chaos, and ultimately, his entire family was wiped out. Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" states: “If a cow can speak, one can divine good and bad fortune based on its words.” The "Yi Meng Qi Shu" also records: “If the ruler does not value wise men, but instead adorns war horses with splendid brocade and allows dogs and wolves to eat human food, then livestock will begin to speak.” At that time, the emperor and the lords did not take the welfare of the people seriously, and the incident of the talking cow was a direct fulfillment of the prophecies in the texts.

In the first year of the Jianwu era under Emperor Yuan, in July, in Jinling, a cow gave birth to a calf, but this calf had two heads! According to Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan," it states: “A cow giving birth to a two-headed calf is a portent of the coming division of the world.” At that time, Emperor Min was trapped in Pingyang and was later slain by the Hu. Emperor Yuan declared himself emperor in Jiangdong, and from then on, the world was divided in two, which indeed came to pass.

In the first year of Taixing, Wang Liang, the governor of Wuchang, had a cow that gave birth to a bizarre calf. This calf had two heads, eight legs, and two tails sharing one body! It died three years later. There was another cow with only one leg, but three tails, and it also died shortly after being born. Sima Biao interpreted, "The two-headed cow symbolizes political power in the hands of private individuals, with no distinction between upper and lower levels." Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" also states, "Those with more legs cannot bear heavy responsibilities; those with fewer legs lack ability." Later, Wang Dun and others disrupted political power; isn't this a fulfillment of the prophecy?

In the twelfth month of the fourth year, the cow used for sacrificial offerings died. Liu Xiang explained in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" that the death of the sacrificial cow meant, "Duke Xuan was incompetent and unjust, so heaven did not accept his sacrifices." Now, the revival of the Yuan Dynasty relies heavily on Wang Dao's strategies. Liu Kui flattered the emperor and gained favor, while Wang Dao was alienated; this situation is a clear sign of incompetence and injustice!

In the second year of Xianhe, in May, the military commander's cow gave birth to a calf with two heads and six legs. That winter, Su Jun rebelled. Seven years later, in the household of Yuan Rong from Jiande, a calf was born with two heads, eight legs, and two tails sharing one body.

During the time when Huan Xuan was in Jingzhou visiting the governor Yin Zhongkan, he encountered an old man driving an odd-looking green cow near Crane's Nest. Without a word, Huan Xuan traded his cow for the green one. Riding the green cow to Lingling Jingxi, the cow ran so fast that when it stopped to drink, it dashed straight into the river and never resurfaced. Huan Xuan sent out search parties, but they couldn’t find it. Later, Huan Xuan was defeated and killed in battle.

In the second year of Zhangwu in Shu Han, Liu Bei embarked on an eastern campaign. In February, they set off from Zigui and camped at Yidao. In June, a yellow gas appeared in Zigui, stretching over ten miles long and several dozen yards wide. A few days later, Liu Bei was defeated by Lu Yi, which closely followed the appearance of the yellow gas.

During the reign of King Qi of Wei Kingdom, Zhou Nan, the King of Zhongshan Province, became the magistrate of Xiangyi County. A mouse emerged from its hole and said, "Zhou Nan, you will die one day." Zhou Nan paid it no mind, and the mouse scurried back into its hole. On the predicted day, the mouse came out wearing a hat and black clothes, saying, "Zhou Nan, you will die at noon today." Zhou Nan still paid it no mind, and the mouse went back into its hole. After a little while, the mouse reemerged, repeating the same warning. As noon approached, the mouse came out and went back in several times, always saying the same thing. When noon arrived, the mouse exclaimed, "Zhou Nan, if you keep ignoring me, how can I go on?" After speaking, the mouse died, falling over with its hat and clothes falling off. Upon examination, it turned out to be just an ordinary mouse. According to Ban Gu, this was a disaster attributed to yellow gas. At that time, Cao Shuang held power and engaged in mutual competition, which is why the mouse came out to foretell disaster.

In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Emperor Hui's Yuankang reign, a thick fog enveloped the land. The emperor was ineffectual at the time, and governmental affairs were not decided by him personally, leading to these strange occurrences.

In the eighth month of the fourth year of Emperor Yuan's Taixing reign, yellow fog spread everywhere, blanketing the sky in dust and fog.

In the first month of the first year of Emperor Ming's Taiping reign, on the day of Guisi, yellow fog spread everywhere. In the second month, yellow fog spread once again. At that time, Wang Dun held power, and the conspiracy of rebellion became more pronounced.

In the seventh year of Emperor Mudie’s Yonghe reign, in the third month, a fierce wind swept through Liangzhou, toppling all the trees, and yellow mist filled the air, mixed with dust. At that time, Zhang Chonghua fell for slander and demoted Xie Ai to be the prefect of Jiuquan, and the officials he appointed were all unfit. As a result, Xie Ai died nine years later, and his son was killed as well, which fulfilled the earlier omens. Jing Fang in the "Book of Changes" stated: "Ignoring good advice when it is heard is ignorance; witnessing yellow omens will lead to deafness; the resulting disaster will lead to the extinction of descendants. Yellow gas refers to the yellow, murky air spreading across the land, obscuring the wise talents and blocking the way, so disasters will affect future generations." On a certain day in February 399, yellow mist enveloped the sky. At that time, Daozi held great power alone, promoted villains, and the court was in chaos. This was a true manifestation of that saying. On a certain day in October 402, yellow mist shrouded the sky, and the region had been suffering from a prolonged drought. At that time, Huan Xuan was plotting a rebellion, and this celestial phenomenon hinted at significant events to come. In November 418, dense fog blanketed the area; in November 420, dense fog appeared again. At that time, the court was weak, the ministers were powerful, and the land and army were no longer under the control of the emperor. All of these were ominous signs from the heavens! Liu Xiang said: "An earthquake is a disaster linked to the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth." Boyang Fu also said: "The qi of heaven and earth follows its own natural laws; if these laws are disrupted, it can lead to chaos on earth. When yang qi is suppressed and unable to rise, and yin qi is forced and unable to descend, earthquakes will follow."

In the year 225 AD, there were consecutive earthquakes in the Jiangdong region. At that time, Sun Quan received a title from the Wei Kingdom, being appointed as Grand General and King of Wu, renaming his reign to that of emperor, ruled despotically and ignored moral virtue. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes": "Even if the power of the ministers is legitimate, excessive tyranny will inevitably lead to earthquakes. The signs of earthquakes are turbulent waves on water, swaying trees, and falling tiles on houses. If the laws of the court are abolished and the ministers hold excessive power, this is the disturbance of Yin energy, which will cause earthquakes and shake the court. If the laws of the court are shaken and the ministers hold excessive power, this is out of alignment with heavenly principles, which will cause earthquakes, shaking mountains and gushing springs. If the heir lacks virtue but seizes power, this is not in accordance with heavenly principles, which will cause earthquakes, shaking hills and gushing springs." Liu Xiang also said: "When the ministers have grown powerful and are poised to create turmoil, this is a sign of disaster."

In November of the year 232 AD, an earthquake occurred in the capital, with tremors originating from the east, accompanied by distant rumblings, causing tiles to fall from houses.

On a day in June of the year 233 AD, the capital experienced another earthquake. That autumn, Wu general Zhu Ran besieged Jiangxia, but was driven back by Hu Zhi, the governor of Jingzhou. At the same time, Gongsun Yuan rebelled, declaring himself King of Yan, changing his reign to emperor and establishing officials. The following year, Gongsun Yuan was subdued.

In May of the year 238 AD, there was an earthquake in Jiangdong.

In January of the year 239 AD, Jiangdong experienced another earthquake. At that time, Lv Yi was overbearing and tyrannical, with Bu Zhi writing a memorial saying: "I have heard that officials are nitpicking and eager to frame others to showcase their authority, leading to the harsh punishment of many innocent individuals. Even high-ranking officials cannot gain trust. If this continues, how can we expect there to be no disturbances in heaven and earth? Therefore, the series of earthquakes is a harbinger of the ministers' tyranny! I hope Your Majesty will seriously consider the significance of this matter!" Ultimately, Lv Yi met with failure.

In the year 241 AD, in the second year of King Qi's Zhengshi era in the Wei state, an earthquake occurred in Nan'an Commandery in November. On the seventh day of the seventh month in the third year, another earthquake struck Nan'an Commandery. In December of the same year, an earthquake also occurred in Wei Commandery. Then, on the dingmao day of the second month in the sixth year of Zhengshi, Nan'an Commandery experienced another earthquake. At that time, Cao Shuang held absolute power and moved the Empress Dowager to Yongning Palace, where the Empress Dowager and the Emperor said their tearful goodbyes. The continuous earthquakes were probably a warning from the heavens.

In 248 AD, in the eleventh year of the Chuwu era during Sun Quan's reign, an earthquake also occurred in the Jiangdong region. At that time, Sun Quan was misled by slanderous words and dismissed Zhu Ju, deposing the crown prince. It was truly a time of turmoil.

In 263 AD, during the first year of the Yanxing era under Liu Shan, the final emperor of Shu Han, an earthquake struck Shu territory. At that time, the eunuch Huang Hao wielded significant power. Sima Biao once said, "Eunuchs lack masculinity, just like women." Huang Hao's rise to power mirrored the situation during the reign of Emperor He of Han. That winter, Shu Han was destroyed. This was probably also the will of the heavens.

In 274 AD, on the xinyou day of the fourth month in the fifth year of Emperor Wu's Taishi era in the Western Jin, an earthquake occurred. That winter, the Di and Qiang tribes revolted in Xinping. The following year, Sun Hao marshaled a large army into Guokou. On the bingshen day of the sixth month in the seventh year of Taishi, another earthquake occurred.

In 276 AD, on the gengchen day of the eighth month in the second year of Xian Ning, earthquakes struck the three commanderies of Henan, Hedong, and Pingyang. In the fourth year of Xian Ning, on the dingwei day of the sixth month, earthquakes struck Yinping and Guangwu commanderies, and there was another earthquake at the jiazi hour that same day. These earthquakes struck one after another, instilling great fear and anxiety.

In the year 280 AD, on the Gengshen day of the second month in the second year of Taikang, an earthquake occurred in Huainan and Danyang counties. On the Rencheng day of the first month in the fifth year of Taikang, an earthquake also occurred in the capital. On the Jichou day of the seventh month in the sixth year of Taikang, another earthquake occurred. In the seventh year of Taikang, earthquakes occurred in Nan'an and Jianwei counties in July; in August, Jingzhao experienced an earthquake. On the Renshi day of the fifth month in the eighth year of Taikang, Jian'an experienced an earthquake; in July, there was an earthquake in Yinpíng; in August, there was an earthquake in Danyang. In the ninth year of Taikang, Kuaiji, Danyang, and Wuxing counties experienced earthquakes in January; on the Xinyou day of the fourth month, Changsha, Nanhai, and other counties experienced eight earthquakes; from July to August, four more earthquakes occurred, three of which sounded like thunder. In September, there was an earthquake in Linhe, and in December, there was another one. On the Jihai day of the twelfth month in the tenth year of Taikang, there was another earthquake in Danyang. These earthquakes just never seem to end!

In the year 289 AD, another earthquake occurred in the first month of the first year of Taixi. From the reign of Emperor Sima Yan to the time when Yang Jun was in power, it was a period when sycophants and greedy individuals controlled the court. As time went on, the people they appointed became worse and worse, leading to frequent earthquakes. This occurred because they did not cultivate moral virtues, which led to the wrath of both heaven and the people, ultimately leading to the downfall of Western Jin.

In the year 291 AD, the capital experienced an earthquake on the Xinyou day of the twelfth month in the first year of Yuankang during the reign of Emperor Sima Zhong. That summer, Empress Jia instructed Prince Chu, Sima Wei, to kill Prince Runan, Sima Liang, and Grand Guardian Wei Guan. This was largely attributed to the imbalance of yin and yang.

In February of 4 AD, earthquakes occurred in places such as Shanggu, Shangyong, and Liaodong. In May, there was a large-scale displacement of the mountains in Shujun, Sichuan, as if the mountains themselves had shifted; in Huainan, Shouchun, there were severe floods, landslides, and many cities and residences were greatly damaged. By August, there was another earthquake in the Shanggu area, which also resulted in a large amount of water, leading to the deaths of over a hundred people. In October, the capital Luoyang experienced an earthquake. In November, earthquakes occurred in places such as Xingyang, Xiangcheng, Ruyin, Liangguo, and Nanyang. By December, Luoyang was shaken again. At that time, Empress Jia was wielding power, leading to chaos in the government, and these earthquakes were a retribution for her disruption of state affairs!

During the regency of Empress Dowager Deng of the Han Dynasty, earthquakes also occurred in various places. Li Gu analyzed, "The earth is associated with Yin, and governing the country should be based on the principle of tranquility. Now, however, it goes against the nature of Yin and pursues a policy of Yang, which is why earthquakes occur." This analysis aligns with later interpretations. Jing Fang also mentioned in the "Book of Changes": "When the common people stir up trouble, houses are destroyed, and disasters manifest as landslides; this is a sign of Yin energy overcoming Yang energy, the weak triumphing over the strong." He further stated, "When Yin energy betrays Yang energy, it leads to cracks in the earth, separation of fathers and sons, and rebellions among minority groups."

On Dingchou day in May of 5 AD, an earthquake occurred. In June, there was also an earthquake in Jincheng. On Dingchou day in the first month of 6 AD, an earthquake occurred. On Bingchen day in the first month of 8 AD, an earthquake occurred.

In the first year of the Tai'an era, in October, an earthquake occurred. This signaled the downfall of Qi Wang Jiong's tyranny. On Bingchen day in December of 2 AD, an earthquake occurred. This was retribution for the tyranny of Wang Yi in Changsha.

In the third year of the Yongjia era of Emperor Xiaohuai, in October, earthquakes occurred in Jingzhou and Xiangzhou. At that time, Sima Yue held power. In April of 4 AD, an earthquake occurred in Yanzhou. In May, Shi Le attacked Jijun, captured the governor Hu Chong, and then crossed the Yellow River southward, which also coincided with the earthquake.

In the second year of the reign of Emperor Min, on the Jiachen day in April, an earthquake occurred. In the sixth month of the third year, another earthquake struck Chang'an. At that time, the emperor was still young, and power was in the hands of lower-ranking officials, with ongoing warfare across the regions causing great chaos; these earthquakes were a reflection of that situation.

In the first year of the reign of Emperor Yuan, in April, there was an earthquake in Xiping, which also caused water to gush forth. In December, earthquakes occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiling, with water gushing forth and landslides occurring. Gan Bao believed this was an omen of Wang Dun's impending rebellion.

On the day of Jichou in May of the second year, an earthquake struck Qishan, causing landslides and many deaths. At that time, Prime Minister Wang Bao was in Qishan, and some believed this was a sign that the King of Jin was doomed. In the fifth month of the third year, earthquakes occurred again in Danyang, Wujun, and Jinling.

In the second year of the reign of Emperor Cheng, in February, there was an earthquake in Jiangling. In March, there was an earthquake in Yizhou. On the day of Jiwuwei in April, there was an earthquake in Yuzhang. That year, Su Jun rebelled. In the ninth year of the reign, on the day of Dingyou in March, there was an earthquake in Kuaiji.

In the year 346, in June, there was an earthquake! At that time, the emperor was still young, and his mother was in charge; actual power lay in the hands of the ministers, so earthquakes were frequent. In October of the following year, there was another earthquake. In the first month of the third year, there was an earthquake; in September, another earthquake occurred. In the fourth year, in October, there was yet another earthquake.

In the first month of the year 347, there was an earthquake. That year, Shi Jilong usurped the throne and declared himself emperor, which was likely another bad omen. In August of the year 351, there was an earthquake in the capital, with a thunderous sound. In the first month of 352, there was an earthquake, the sound resembling thunder, causing both domestic and wild chickens to cry out in fear. In April and May of 353, there were two consecutive earthquakes.

In November of 358, there was an earthquake; that same year, in August, there was also an earthquake in Liangzhou. In April of 360, there was an earthquake. At that time, political power was held by the generals and ministers, and the emperor was little more than a figurehead.

In April of 361, there was an earthquake in Yangzhou, causing rivers and lakes to flood. In February of 362, there was an earthquake in Jiangling. At that time, Huan Wen wielded all the power. In February of 370, there was an earthquake in Liangzhou, with water surging forth. This likely foreshadowed the impending downfall of Haixi.

In October of the year 373, the earthquake in Ancheng occurred, and that year the emperor died. In October of 374, there was another earthquake; in February and July of 375, earthquakes occurred, and a landslide also happened in Liangzhou. At that time, the emperor was still young, and power was in the hands of the ministers, which could be seen as a sign of the decline of yang and the rise of yin.

In March and May of 376, there were earthquakes. In June of 382, there was another earthquake. After that, the generals along the Yellow River engaged in battles year after year, leading to hardship for the people, possibly contributing to the earthquakes. In March of 387, there was an earthquake at midnight; in August and December, there were two consecutive earthquakes in the capital. In June and December of 389, there were more earthquakes. At that time, petty officials were in control of the government, leaving the people in a state of panic. In January and February of 390, there were more earthquakes.

In April and September of 399, there were earthquakes. At that time, the emperor remained young and inexperienced, and the power of the court was entirely in the hands of the ministers.

In the middle of the night on the renzi day of January 408, there was a sudden earthquake, and the loud rumbling was terrifying. In October of the same year, there was another earthquake on the guihai day. On the wuxu night of January 409, Xunyang also experienced an earthquake, with the sound like thunder. The next year, Lu Xun's rebellion was crushed. From January to April of 412, four earthquakes struck consecutively in the Nankang and Luling regions. By the next year, Wang Lu had embarked on an expedition to Jingzhou and Yizhou. In March of 415, there was another earthquake.

In August of the year 240 AD, landslides occurred and floods ravaged the areas of Danyang, Jurong, Guzhang, and Ningguo in the state of Wu. According to the book by Liu Xiang, "Mountains represent yang energy, symbolizing the monarch; water represents yin energy, symbolizing the people. When disasters strike, it is like a warning: the collapse of the ruler's authority signals that the people will lose their support!" During the Spring and Autumn Period, the collapse of Liang Mountain and the occurrence of landslides and floods in many mountains of the Qi and Chu states during the Han Dynasty were all for the same reason. In the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, ancestor worship was conducted very carefully, not daring to violate the rituals, so fortunes and misfortunes all had reasons. Although Wu proclaimed itself an empire, it was essentially one of the vassal states. The disaster that occurred in Danyang was heaven's will! Liu Xin also said, "The rise and fall of a country is closely related to the mountains and rivers; the collapse of mountains and the drying up of rivers are all signs of the country's demise." Indeed, two years later, Sun Quan died, and twenty-six years later, Wu was destroyed.

In February of the year 265 AD, the collapse of Taihang Mountain was a sign that the state of Wei was on the verge of collapse! That winter, the Jin Dynasty unified the country.

In March of the year 273 AD, the collapse of Dashishan occurred. In the following year, in July, Mount Tai collapsed, with rocks rolling for three miles. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan," "The top-down collapse corresponds to the falling rocks of Mount Tai, indicating the mandate of the sage king and the capture of the ruler." Later, the emperor died, power slipped away from the royal family; Emperor Hui was weak and incompetent, and Emperors Huai and Min were captured to the north, leading to the country's split, until Emperor Yuan revived in the south, all of which fulfilled this passage.

In May of the year 285 AD, the temple of Emperor Xuan sank. In the following year, in October, the newly formed mountain in Nan'an collapsed, releasing a large amount of water. In February of the year 287 AD, the collapse of Dalu Mountain in Zhuti caused damage to the county government, and the Chouchi Cliff in Yinping also collapsed. In July of the year 288 AD, there was a heavy rainfall, causing the ground before the imperial palace to cave in, spanning five feet wide and plunging several feet deep, inside which there was even a broken ship!

In the fourth year of Emperor Hui of Han's Yuan Kang era, there was a landslide in Sichuan, leading to many deaths. On the ninth day of the fifth month, there was also a landslide in Shouchun, accompanied by a massive flood that caused the city walls to collapse and the ground sank, measuring thirty zhang wide, leading to many casualties. In June, Shouchun experienced an exceptionally heavy thunderstorm, causing further landslides and cracking of the ground, burying many homes, and the same happened in Shangyong. In August, the ground at Juyong Pass cracked open, with a fissure thirty-six zhang wide and eighty-four zhang long, causing water to gush out, which led to a severe famine. Throughout Shangyong, landslides occurred everywhere, with sunken areas measuring thirty zhang wide and one hundred thirty zhang long, also resulting in numerous deaths. These disasters were all caused by the mismanagement by Empress Jia.

In the first year of Tai'an, in April, there was a landslide at Xiyong.

In the first year of Emperor Huai's Yongjia era, in March, the ground sank in Buguangli, northeast of Luoyang. On August 29 two years later, the city wall of Juancheng inexplicably collapsed by more than seventy zhang. Sima Yue deemed this very ominous and moved to Puyang, signifying unusual calamities. Later, Sima Yue also faced misfortune related to tomb construction. On July 27 in the third year of Yongjia, several places in Changyang cracked open, each fissure three zhang wide and over three hundred steps long. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes": "When the ground cracks, it signifies disloyalty and the unwillingness of subjects to cooperate." Later, Sima Yue fell out with Gou Xi, and the various lords began to act independently, leading to the downfall of the Western Jin dynasty. In October of the third year of Yongjia, there was a landslide in Yidu. In April of the fourth year, there was also a landslide at Lingheishi Mountain in eastern Hunan province.

In the second month of Emperor Yuan's Tai Xing era, earthquakes occurred in Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiyang, and landslides occurred. In May two years later, there was an earthquake in Qishan, causing landslides that killed many people. In the third year, there was a landslide in Nanping County, which yielded several thousand pounds of arsenic sulfide. At that time, Wang Dun was arrogant and domineering, yet the emperor was very lenient towards him, which was actually inviting trouble by nurturing a tiger. In August of the fourth year, Changshan collapsed, and water surged out, flooding the Huotuo River, knocking down many large trees.

In October of the fourth year of Emperor Cheng's Xianhe era, the cliffs northwest of Chaisang collapsed, along with those of Lushan. In December, Liu Yin was killed by Guo Mo.

In September of the seventh year of Emperor Mu's Yonghe era, both Junping Tomb and Chongyang Tomb collapsed. In November of the twelfth year, a team was dispatched to repair Junping Tomb, but while they were digging a tunnel, the mountain gave way, killing dozens of people.

In February of the fifth year of the Shengping era, a horseshoe sank into the ground near South Yemo Gate, and when it was excavated, a bell was found with four characters inscribed on it. (The poetry couplet here is not translated.)

On April 14 of the first year of Emperor Ai's Longhe era, Haohai Mountain collapsed, and Zhang Tianxi was defeated in battle.

On a certain day in March 402 AD, a sinkhole occurred in the Shanyin area, and that pit was a full four zhang wide! The sound at that time was like thunder, shaking the heavens.

A few years later, on a certain day in May 406 AD, the ground suddenly cracked open near the Ximing Gate, gushing out a lot of water that damaged the door panels and threshold. This water was a disaster resulting from an imbalance in the earth's energy. Two years later, in May 407 AD, there was a landslide on Huoshan, and six bronze bells were actually excavated from within! Later, in July 409 AD, there was also a thunderous roar by the riverside in Chenggu County, Hanzhong, followed by the riverbank collapsing, from which twelve bronze bells were also unearthed!

One night in June 299 AD, there was suddenly a heavy rain, accompanied by thunder! The pillars of the house where Jia Mi lived sank into the ground, directly collapsing his bed and tent. The sinking wood indicated a problem with the soil beneath; it had lost its load-bearing capacity and could no longer support weight. Interestingly, the following year, Jia Mi met his end.

In May 806 AD, there was a fire underground in the Fanyang Kingdom, and the flames were raging, hot enough to cook with! This fire was a disaster caused by the imbalance of earth energies. During this time, the world was in turmoil; the feudal lords acted independently, traditional rites and music had fallen into disarray, and wars were rampant.

The book says that if the emperor does not maintain balance, the country cannot endure. This is because the emperor himself has issues, leading to punishment, resulting in the nation's decline. Sometimes there is chaos caused by demons and monsters, sometimes there are disasters like dragons and snakes, sometimes horses injure people, sometimes subordinates rebel, and sometimes the sun, moon, and stars behave abnormally. If the emperor does not maintain balance, the country cannot endure. In this context, "皇" refers to the emperor, "极" refers to balance, and "建" refers to establishment. If the emperor's appearance, words and actions, vision and hearing, and thoughts all have problems and cannot maintain balance, then major affairs of the state cannot be accomplished, and the problem lies with him, and as a result, he will be punished. The emperor should harmonize with the will of heaven to govern the realm. Clouds rise from the mountains and spread across the sky, causing chaos in the heavenly phenomena, resulting in persistent rain as a form of punishment. Some say that if the emperor loses balance, those beneath him will grow powerful and eclipse the emperor's light. The "I Ching" states: "The dragon in excess has regret, the noble will lose his position, the high will lose the people, the virtuous will be at a low position and lose their support." Although the emperor holds a high position and great power, without support, he becomes exceedingly vulnerable. Excessive yang energy can lead to recklessness and illness. In ancient times, a grand archery ceremony was held in spring to align with the yang energy. If the emperor is weak, those below will become restless, resulting in the rise of chaos from demons and monsters. The "I Ching" says: "The cloud comes from the dragon," and also says: "The hibernation of dragons and snakes is for self-preservation." With the prevalence of yin energy, disasters like dragons and snakes will occur. In the "I Ching," the "Qian" hexagram represents the emperor and also represents horses. If there is excessive reliance on military force, the emperor's authority will be undermined, leading to incidents of horses injuring people. Some also say that the mass deaths of horses or their transformation into monsters are attributed to this. If the emperor is foolish and weak, he will lose the hearts of the people, and heaven will forsake him. If there is no wise ruler to punish, usurpation and regicide may ensue, leading to subordinate rebellions. In summary, when the emperor's governance falters, it will affect the heavenly phenomena. The book does not directly say that the five elements are in disarray, but instead says, "The sun and moon behave chaotically, the stars move in reverse." This is because those below do not dare to say that heaven is at fault, just as the "Spring and Autumn Annals" states, "The royal army suffered defeat at the hands of the Maorong," without directly mentioning the army's defeat but using the euphemistic term "defeat," to uphold the dignity of the sovereign. Liu Xin in the "Treatise on the Supreme Ultimate" says that there is a lower body born from an upper ailment, meaning that subordinate rebellions signify heaven's punishment, and it can no longer be attributed to disease.

In the third year of the Taiping era during Sun Liang's rule in Wu, starting from August, there was continuous rain for over forty days without stopping. At that time, Sun Liang was preparing to execute Sun Zhen, but the plan was leaked. On the day of Wuyin in September, Sun Zhen surrounded the imperial palace with troops, deposed Sun Liang and made him the King of Kuaiji; this was seen as punishment for the prolonged rain.

When Sun Hao was in power, in the twelfth month of the first year of Baoding, the astronomers reported that it hadn't rained for a long time, and there might be a conspiracy brewing. When Sun Hao heard this, he was greatly alarmed. At that time, Lu Kai and others planned to remove him from power during a sacrificial ceremony. Afterward, they had Liu Ping lead the charge, and Lu Kai had informed Liu Ping of the plan in advance, but Liu Ping did not agree, so the plan failed. Sun Hao was notoriously brutal, and many of his subordinates were plotting rebellion; in the end, Wu was indeed destroyed.

In the Shu Kingdom, General Deng Zhi went to Fuling to fight and saw a black ape on the mountain. He shot it with an arrow. The black ape pulled out the arrow and used leaves to block the wound. Deng Zhi said, "Ah, I have gone against the natural order; I may die!" Not long after, he died, a phenomenon known as "shooting a demon." Some say it was a mother black ape holding her child, and Deng Zhi shot the child, who pulled out the arrow and used leaves to block the wound. Deng Zhi sighed and tossed his crossbow into the water, knowing he was doomed.

When Emperor Gong of Jin was the King of Langya, he enjoyed playing bizarre games. Once, he locked a horse inside a gate and had his men shoot at it, wanting to see how many arrows it would take to kill it. Someone nearby advised him, "That horse is a royal symbol! Shooting it now is inauspicious!" So he stopped, but the horse had already been shot with over ten arrows. This could also be seen as shooting a demon. Not long after, he abdicated the throne in favor of Emperor Wu of Song.

In the first month of the first year of Emperor Ming of Wei, a green dragon appeared in the Mobo well in Ji County. Generally speaking, when auspicious signs appear at the wrong time, they turn into monsters, especially when trapped in a well, which is not a good omen. Wei changed its reign title because of this, but this was not the right approach. Gan Bao said, "From Emperor Ming of Wei to the downfall of the Wei Dynasty, the appearances of green and yellow dragons reflect the rise and fall of Wei. The national fortune of Wei is associated with wood, the color is green, but it cannot compete with gold. The appearance of the yellow dragon and the disappearance of the green dragon symbolize the latter's displacement by the former. The frequent appearances of the green dragon indicate internal conflicts within Wei's national fortune. Thus, Gao Guixiangong ultimately met his defeat." Liu Xiang's interpretation is that the dragon symbolizes nobility, yet being trapped in a well foreshadows the imprisonment of nobles. During the Wei Dynasty, dragons always appeared in wells, a reflection of suppressed rulers. Gao Guixiangong's "Hidden Dragon Poem" reflects this idea.

In the first month of the first year of Gao Guixiangong, a yellow dragon appeared in a well in Ye City. On the day of Xin Chou in the first month of the first year of Ganlu, a green dragon appeared in a well in Zhi County. In the sixth month of Yi Chou, a green dragon appeared in a well within the boundaries of Yuancheng County. By the second month of the second year of Ganlu, a green dragon appeared in a well in Wen County. In the third year of Ganlu, yellow and green dragons appeared simultaneously in wells within the boundaries of Dunqiu, Guanjun, and Yangxia counties. In the first month of the fourth year of Ganlu, yellow dragons appeared twice in wells within the boundaries of Ningling County.

These records all mention the appearances of green and yellow dragons in wells at various times and places. The ancients believed these were good omens, but we can’t say for certain today. In the twelfth month of the first year of Emperor Yuan of Jin, a yellow dragon appeared in a well in Huayin County. In the second month of the third year of Jingyuan, a dragon appeared in a well in Zhi County.

During the reign of Sun Hao of Wu, a dragon emerged from a household well and even ate chicks. Jing Fang's "Yi Yao" states, "When a dragon appears in a household, it signifies that those in power will become ordinary citizens." Eventually, Sun Hao was overthrown by the Jin Dynasty. In the sixth month of the second year of Emperor Wudi of Xianning, two white dragons surfaced in a well in Jiuyuan.

In the fifth year of the Taikang era, in the first month of the Gui Mao year, two dragons appeared in the well of the armory. The emperor was delighted to see this, and all the officials were ready to congratulate, except for Liu Yi, who voiced his opposition, saying, "In the past, when dragons appeared in the courtyard of the Xia Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty encountered troubles; when dragons appeared at the gates of the Zheng State, Zichan did not offer congratulations." The emperor said, "My virtuous rule has not yet been established, and I am not qualified to accept such auspicious signs." So he refrained from congratulating. Sun Sheng said, "Dragons are water creatures; what do they have to do with humans? Zichan is right. When dragons appear in places they shouldn't, it is actually a sign of disaster. Dragons flying in the sky is considered auspicious, but now lurking in dark places is not a good omen." In the second year of Emperor Hui of Han, two dragons appeared in the well of Lanling; "Han Shu" considered this a sign that King You of Zhao was going to die. The armory is a place where the weapons of emperors are stored, and the building is very tightly secured, not a place where dragons should stay. Seven years later, the vassal kings killed each other, and twenty-eight years later, two people with the surname Long indeed usurped the throne, indicating that these omens were predictive.

In the second year of Jianxing of Emperor Min, in the eleventh month, a prostitute from the Qiang tribe in Fanghan gave birth to a dragon son, with colors resembling brocade patterns, who often nursed from his mother and could even radiate divine light, and very few people were able to see him. This also indicated that the emperor was in decline, and later Emperor Min did indeed perish.

Toward the end of Lü Zuan's rule, a dragon emerged from the well in the east wing and lay in front of his palace, disappearing by daybreak. Soon after, a black dragon flew onto his palace gates. Lü Zuan saw this as a good omen. Some remarked, "Dragons are yin creatures, appearing in a pattern; now appearing one after another, there must be someone scheming to rebel." Later, Lü Zuan was indeed killed by Lü Chao.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Jin in the Xian Ning era, two large snakes appeared in the Minister's office, each more than ten zhang long, surprisingly residing on the beams of the office building without anyone noticing! For several years, children, pigs, and dogs kept going missing, which was quite odd. Later, one of the snakes came out at night and was injured by someone, unable to move, which led to them being discovered! Everyone quickly took immediate action to deal with the snake, and after quite a while, they finally succeeded in killing it. The Minister's office is a place for educating the people, and this incident shows that the court is fundamentally corrupt, which is why such monsters appear! During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, snakes also appeared in the palace, and Yang Ci said this was due to the emperor's indulgence in women. During the Wei and Jin periods, there were an overwhelming number of women in the palace, and Prince Yan was particularly addicted to drinking and pleasures, which were clear signs of disorder! The Book of Songs states, "Only the viper and the snake, the omen of women," which illustrates this idea.

On the day of Gui Si in March of the fifth year of Emperor Hui's Yuan Kang era, a large snake appeared in Linzi, more than ten zhang long, accompanied by two smaller snakes, entering the city through the north gate, directly crossing the market, and entering the shrine of King Jing of Han, then disappearing. This is a divine warning! King Jing of Han had made great contributions in the past, but later he neglected his moral integrity, resulting in his loss of office and title; he lost all his dignity. Now, Prince Jiong of Qi is no different; although he has made achievements, his arrogance has brought disaster, which is retribution!

At the beginning of the Tai Ning era during Emperor Ming's reign, a large snake appeared in Wuchang, often residing in an old temple on a hollow tree, often poking its head out for food. Jing Fang said in "Yi Yao": "If a snake appears in the city, there will surely be great military action within three years, and the country will face great difficulties." Not long after, Wang Dun rebelled, which turned out to be true!

In the first year of Emperor Wu Di Tai Xi, a horse with long horns appeared in Liaodong, with horns three inches long growing under its ears. According to Liu Xiang, "this is a sign of a military disaster." Later, the emperor passed away, and the imperial family indeed encountered disaster, fulfilling the prophecy! Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes Commentary," "If the ministers disobey the emperor and the government is in chaos, strange occurrences like horses growing horns will appear, indicating a lack of virtuous scholars!" He also said, "When the emperor personally goes to war, horses will grow horns." The "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" also said, "When the ruler loses virtue, horses will grow horns." Later, Emperor Hui ascended the throne, ruled poorly, and personally led troops to fight in Chengdu, which indeed proved to be true!

In the twelfth month of the eighth year of Emperor Hui Yuan Kang, the crown prince was to hold a sacrificial ceremony. The Grand Tutor Zhao Wang Lun went to the South Gate by carriage, but the horse stopped, and several strong men could not move it. Zhao Wang Lun had to get off the carriage and switch to a lighter one to continue. This is a calamity brought by the horse! This is a warning from heaven! Zhao Wang Lun did not grasp the principles of proper conduct, eventually rebelled, and was not a person who taught others about etiquette!

On the day of the eleventh month of Wuyin, a chestnut horse suddenly ran into the interrogation hall of the Court of Judicial Review in panic and died with a mournful cry. This appears to be a warning from heaven, as if pitying those who died unjustly. Could the horse's entrance into the Court of Judicial Review signify the will of heaven?

In the second month of the sixth year of Yongjia, a divine horse neighed at the South Gate. In the ninth month of the second year of Jianxing, an even stranger incident occurred in Puzi County where horses were said to give birth to humans! Jing Fang mentioned in the "Book of Changes Commentary," "When the emperor dies, the feudal lords fight each other, strange phenomena like horses giving birth to humans will occur." At that time, the imperial family was declining, on the brink of collapse, with the Xiongnu and Di people invading one after another, the flames of war drawing ever closer. Soon after, the emperor fell, and this strange phenomenon appeared.

In the second year of the Taixing era, an official from Danyang Commandery named Puyang Yan had a foal with two heads that split from the front of its neck, but it died shortly after birth. Sima Biao said, "This heralds power falling into private hands; it is an omen of a two-headed horse." Later, Wang Dun did indeed rebel.

In the eighth year of Xiankang, in the month of May, a horse as red as blood appeared, running straight from Xuanyang Gate to the front of the palace, circling around the palace before running off, and no one could catch up. On the day of Jima, the emperor became ill, and in June, the emperor passed away. This horse was a sign of disaster and also a bad omen due to its red color. In the same year, in Liangzhou, Zhang Chonghua wanted to execute Zhang Xiang, the Prefect of Xihe. Several dozen horses in his stable all simultaneously gave birth without tails!

In the fourth year of Long'an, in October, there was a bizarre occurrence in Liangzhou where horses grew horns. Governor Guo Quan reported this to Huan Xuan. According to Liu Xiang, horses should not grow horns, just like Huan Xuan should not have rebelled. Huan Xuan did not listen and ultimately met a disgraceful end.

When Shi Jilong was in Ye City, one of his horses had its tail burnt, entered through the Zhongyang Gate, and exited through the Xianyang Gate; people from the East Palace could not enter. The horse ran off towards the northeast and quickly vanished. The sorcerer Fotu Cheng lamented, "Disaster is coming!" More than a year later, Shi Jilong died, and his kingdom also fell.

During the Huangchu era, the mother of Song Shizong from Qinghe transformed into a turtle and vanished into the water.

In the year 233 AD, there was a farmer named Qiu Xi serving Cao Xiu, whose daughter died and then came back to life, causing quite a sensation at the time. Around the same time, someone opened the tomb of a nobleman from the Zhou Dynasty and found a woman buried with him; after a few days, she unexpectedly began to breathe, and although she still couldn't speak months later, Empress Guo took her in. Additionally, in Taiyuan, a grave was dug up, revealing a living woman inside the coffin; when asked what had happened, she didn’t know what had happened either. The tombstone inscription indicated she had lived for about thirty years. The "Jingfang Yizhuan" states, "The utmost yin becomes yang, the lower becomes the upper," which foreshadowed the rise of Emperor Xuan of Han. Similar strange events also occurred during the rule of Emperor Ping of Han and Emperor Xian of Han, and people at the time believed these were signs of the rise of Wang Mang and Cao Cao.

In 261 AD, a man named Chen Jiao from Anwu County came back to life seven days after dying, crawling out of his own grave. Gan Bao said, "This is reminiscent of the event involving Emperor Xuan of Han; it is an auspicious sign that the Marquis of Wucheng, Hao, would inherit the legacy of the deposed emperor and seize control of the realm." In 265 AD, a man named Xuan Qian from Danyang had an eighty-year-old mother who transformed into a giant turtle while bathing. Xuan Qian and his brothers quickly closed the door to protect their mother. They dug a large pit in the main room and filled it with water, allowing the giant turtle to swim in it; for a day or two, it frequently stretched its neck to peer outside. When they slightly opened the door, the turtle turned and jumped out on its own, swimming into a nearby pond and never returning. This was reminiscent of the incident involving Huang's mother during the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, which was also seen as an omen of the impending downfall of the Kingdom of Wu.

In August of the year 264 AD, people in Xiangwu County reported seeing a giant. The giant was more than thirty feet tall, with footprints measuring three feet and two inches long. He had white hair, wore a yellow headscarf and a yellow robe, leaned on a cane, and shouted the name "Wang Shi" while saying, "Now there will be peace." Eventually, the Jin Dynasty took over from the Wei Dynasty. In the year 275 AD, a seventy-year-old man in Yuancheng grew horns, which likely foreshadowed the chaos that would come from Zhao Wang Lun's power grab. In December of the year 276 AD, a man named Yan Ji from Langye died of illness. He had been in the ground for quite some time, but his family dreamt that he said to them, "I am going to come back to life, quickly open the coffin!" So his family opened the coffin, and Yan Ji slowly regained the ability to eat, drink, bend, stretch, see, and hear, but he could not walk or speak. Two years later, he died again. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" says, "The extreme of yin becomes yang, the lowly become exalted, and the monstrous man dies and is reborn." Later, Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le rebelled, ultimately overthrowing the Jin Dynasty, fulfilling the prophecy of "the lowly becoming exalted."

During the reign of Emperor Huai of the Yuan Kang era, there was a woman named Zhou Shinin in Anfeng. At the age of eight, she gradually transformed into a man, and by the age of seventeen or eighteen, her temperament was completely masculine. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" says, "A woman transforms into a man, this is referred to as yin prospering, the lowly becoming king." This was also a prelude to the ensuing chaos brought by Liu Yuanhai and Shi Le sweeping through the realm.

During the Yongning era, Prince Qi Jiong, under the guise of restoring the rightful emperor, raised an army to suppress rebels and reinstated the emperor, enjoying a brief moment of glory. At this time, a woman suddenly ran to the gate of the Grand Marshal's Mansion, claiming to leave a baby there for safekeeping. When the guards asked her what was going on, she replied, "I’ll be leaving right after I give birth." Thanks to his efforts to support the royal family, Prince Qi Jiong was credited with the achievements by the people, but some perceptive individuals sensed his impending downfall. Indeed, Prince Qi Jiong was later killed.

On the day of Jiazi in December of the first year of Yongning, an old man with white hair burst into Prince Qi Jiong's Grand Marshal's Mansion, shouting loudly, "A great army is coming, within ten days!" Prince Qi Jiong had him killed. As a result, on the day of Wuchen in December of the following year, Prince Qi Jiong indeed faced defeat, exactly ten days later.

In the first year of Tai'an, on the day of Guichou in the fourth month of the first year of Tai'an, a man claimed he had come in from Longmen, ran to the front of the palace, bowed twice to the north, and said, "I should be the Chief of the Imperial Secretariat." After saying this, he was arrested and killed. Gan Bao believed, "The Imperial Palace is a very noble place, but now a lowly person can easily enter, and the guards failed to notice. This is an ominous sign that the palace is becoming vulnerable, with commoners rising above the nobles!" Eventually, the emperor moved north to Ye City and then to Chang'an, leading to the eventual emptiness of the Imperial Palace.

During the Yuankang period, there was a woman in Liangguo who had been promised to someone, and the betrothal gifts had been received. However, not long after, her husband went to garrison the border in Chang'an and did not return for several years. Her family then arranged for her to marry someone else. The woman did not want to, but her parents insisted, leaving her no choice but to comply, and she died shortly thereafter. Later, her original husband returned and inquired about his wife's whereabouts. The family told him what had happened. He ran to his wife's grave, grief-stricken, and actually dug up the grave, only to find his wife alive. They then returned home together. Later, her second husband eventually found out and reported it to the authorities, who were unable to reach a decision. The Secretary Wang Dao said, "This is an extraordinary matter, and cannot be judged by common sense. The woman should be returned to her former husband." The court accepted his suggestion.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, a maidservant in Du Xi's family died. When they opened the grave ten years later to prepare for a joint burial, they found the maidservant was still alive! At first, she seemed to be sleeping, but gradually woke up and said she felt like she had only slept for two days. At the time of her burial, she was just fifteen or sixteen years old. Ten years later, when she was unearthed, she still looked fifteen or sixteen, and later got married and had children.

In the first year of Guangxi, there was a woman named Xie Zhen in Kuaiji who gave birth to a child with a large head, born with hair, feet pointing upwards, and both male and female physical traits. The child let out a man's voice and died one day later. This was a sign of the decline of imperial power, with the lower classes rebelling against the elite, leading to various princes rising up in rebellion.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, there were people in Luoyang who exhibited both male and female characteristics, had sexual relations with both men and women, and had a particularly strong sexual desire, all caused by social unrest. Beginning in the Xianning and Taikang eras, male favorites became all the rage, even overshadowing the affection for women, with officials and nobles vying for them, prompting widespread imitation across the nation, even causing marital separations and rising grievances. This disruption of male and female energies gave rise to demons and monsters.

In the first year of Yongjia, a servant girl named Wan Xiang in Wujin, Wu County, gave birth to a bizarre child with a bird's head, horse hooves for legs, a single hand, no hair, and a yellow tail roughly the size of a pillow. This too was a sign of the chaos that was about to unfold!

In May of the fifth year, a prostitute belonging to Yan Gen, the magistrate of Fanghan County, gave birth to a dragon, a girl, and a goose. The "Yi Zhuan" by Jing Fang says: "When a person gives birth to non-human things, it is a sign of a large-scale war about to happen in the world." At that time, the emperor inherited the throne from Emperor Hui, and the realm descended into chaos, only to be defeated in Pingyang and killed by the Hu people, thus fulfilling the prophecy!

In the fourth year of the Min Emperor Jianxing's reign, the wife of Ren Qiao, an official from Xincai County, gave birth to two girls. Their stomachs and hearts were connected, but they were separated from the chest up and the navel down. This was an extraordinary occurrence! At that time, the Grand Historian Lu Hui reported, "According to the records of the 'Auspicious Response Chart,' plants with different roots growing together are called liaison branches, and rice plants with different stems growing together in one ear are called auspicious grains. The strange phenomena of plants are regarded as auspicious signs. Now, these two girls are of one mind and heart. The Book of Changes says, 'When two people are of one mind, their strength can cut through metal.' This should be a sign of unity and harmony in the world!" At the time, everyone thought he was joking. Not long after, the world soon fell into chaos, and the Emperor passed away.

In the early years of Emperor Yuan's Taixing reign, there was a woman whose female genitalia were on her stomach, below the navel. She came from the Central Plains to Jiangdong, had a strong sexual desire, but could not conceive. There was another woman whose female genitalia were on her head, at the Yangzhou ferry, and she, too, had a strong sexual desire. According to Jing Fang's 'Yi Yao,' "If a child is born with the female genitalia on the head, the world will descend into chaos; if on the stomach, significant events will unfold in the world; if on the back, the world will end." At that time, Wang Dun occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and was about to rebel. This was a sign!

In the twelfth month of the third year, the wife of the Shangshu Zou Xie Ping gave birth to a daughter who made a "pipi" sound as soon as she was born and died shortly after. Her nose and eyes were on the top of her head, her face resembled a neck, she had teeth in her mouth, all connected, her chest was like a turtle, her hands and feet had claws like a bird's, all bent downwards. This was also an unprecedented phenomenon of giving birth to something non-human. Two years later, the Stone Rebellion ended in defeat.

In the seventh month of the second year of the Ming Emperor Taiping, the wife of Marquis Ji of Jiangning died, and three days later, she was resurrected.

In the fourth month of the fifth year of Xiankang, there were common people in Xiapi, one of whom was named Wang He, who moved to Jiyang. His daughter, aged twenty, claimed to have come from the heavens and said she had received the seal bestowed by the heavens, aspiring to be the mother of the world. The Jinling Prefect believed she was a demon and had her arrested and imprisoned. In November, a person wearing red clothes and carrying a wooden staff ran to the gate of the imperial palace, claiming to be a saint sent to see the emperor. When the gatekeeper inquired, he said his name was Lv Ci and mentioned that Wang He's daughter had seven stars under her right foot, each with hair seven inches long, and that she was to be made the mother of the world by the heavens. This was reported to the emperor, and Lv Ci was killed, along with Wang He's daughter.

In the tenth month of the second year of Jianyuan, the Guard General's camp supervisor found a woman at Chendu Female Platform bearing the inscription "Mother of the World" on her feet. After moxibustion treatment, the words became clearer. This caused a commotion in the capital, and she was captured by the authorities and reported to the emperor. The woman quickly escaped from Jiankang County's prison. The following year, the emperor died, and the Empress Dowager took over the reins of power, which may have been a portent of things to come.

During the Ningkang period, there was a woman in Nanzhou Ling named Tang Shi who gradually transitioned into a man.

In the seventh year of Yixi, there was a person in Wuxi named Zhao who, at the age of eight, suddenly shot up to eight feet tall and grew a beard, only to die three days later.

During the Yixi period, a family surnamed Mo in Dongyang had a daughter who was not raised and was buried for several days. However, crying sounds were heard coming from the ground, and the child was exhumed and raised.

Towards the end of the Yixi period, in a place called Eryang Dao in Wuping, Yuzhang, people were said to have repeatedly reincarnated.

In the first year of Yuanxi, there was a place in Jian'an called Yangdao where a headless person was eventually restored to normalcy, who originally had a female body.