Speaking of these legendary figures: Wu Daorong, Wang Chun, Xin Dufang, Song Jingye, Xu Zun, Wu Zunshi, Zhao Fuhua, Huangfu Yu, Xie Faxuan, Wei Ning, Qi Mu Hua Wen, Zhang Zixin, and Ma Siming, their stories are quite fascinating. The "I Ching" states: "To determine the fortunes of the world and achieve great undertakings, nothing is better than yarrow stalks and turtle shells." Thus, Heaven created these miraculous things, and the sages are adept at utilizing them. Shen Nong and Tong Jun studied the medicinal properties in "The Classic of Herbs," while Huangdi and Qibo explained the symptoms and treatments of diseases, which were of great importance to the sages. Sima Qian wrote "Turtle Strategies," "The Sun," and "The Biographies of Bian Que and Cang Gong" to widely disseminate this knowledge for future generations. Since the rise of the Qi state, there was a wide recruitment of talented individuals, and anyone with talent would be given significant positions. Now, the deeds of these individuals are now recorded as a supplement to the book "Fang Ji."
My name is Dao Rong, and I hail from Langya. Since childhood, I have had a passion for Daoist teachings and, together with like-minded individuals, went to Changbai Mountain and Taishan to retreat and practice cultivation, learning various Daoist arts. I also went to the Zoulu area to study Confucian classics. There was a man from Jinyang who, hearing about my impressive abilities, searched for me everywhere. He typically did physical labor, and no one was aware of his skills; it took a long time for him to find me. He was proficient in Daoist talismans, incantations, yin-yang calendars, astronomy, and herbal properties, and was well-versed in all things. Since I was eager to learn, he shared all his knowledge with me. This man said to me, "I was originally an immortal on Mount Heng, but I made a minor mistake and was demoted to the mortal realm by the heavenly officials. Now my time is up, and I must return; you should escort me to the Fen River." When we reached the riverbank, the water surged violently, the bridge was broken, and even the ferry was unable to cross. This man walked along the water's edge, performed a ritual, and threw a talisman into the water, causing the river to immediately stop flowing. After a while, the water began to rise again, almost flooding the sky, yet this man slowly walked across the rocky riverbed. Only I, Dao Rong, witnessed this scene; the others were astonished to see how high the water had risen, yet he could walk across it. I retreated to Langya Mountain to live a life of seclusion, fasting and subsisting on pine nuts and poria, seeking the secret of immortality. Eventually, Emperor Xianzhu summoned me back to Jinyang. In the mountains of Liaoyang, we were pursued by fierce beasts chasing our horses, closing in within ten steps, and my companions were terrified and wanted to flee. I drew a fire pit in the ground with my cane, and the beasts fled immediately. Eventually, the country fell, and I returned to the Zhou Dynasty. I passed away during the early years of the Sui Dynasty.
According to another account, a man named Zhang Yuanyou, during the reign of Emperor Xianzhu, was assigned, along with other practitioners, to refine the Nine-Transformation Golden Elixir. Once it was successfully refined, Emperor Xianzhu placed it in a jade box and said, "I am too attached to worldly pleasures to ascend to immortality right away; I will take it when the time comes for me to die."
Wang Chun, from Hedong, loved studying the I Ching and divination since childhood. He was knowledgeable in astronomy and astrology, often traveled between the states of Zhao and Wei, and was even able to communicate with the heavens using talismans. When Liu Bang mustered his forces in Xindu, he summoned Wang Chun to be his advisor. During the Battle of Hanling, Liu Bang's army was surrounded and fought from dawn until noon, losing three engagements. Just as Liu Bang was about to retreat, Wang Chun stopped his horse and advised, "Before the hour of Wei (1 PM to 3 PM), we will definitely achieve a great victory!" To show his determination, he even tied up his own son and sent him to Liu Bang as a hostage, pleading with Liu Bang to execute him if they were defeated. Soon after, the enemy was routed. From that point on, Wang Chun's predictions proved highly accurate in every campaign. Later, he eventually rose to the position of Governor of Xuzhou and passed away.
Xin Dufang is from Hejian. He has been skilled in mathematical calculations since childhood and is quite famous locally. He is very ingenious and becomes deeply engrossed in problem-solving, often losing track of time and neglecting to eat or sleep, and even falling into ditches. He once told others, "The wonders of mathematics are intricate and subtle; when I'm deep in thought, I can't even hear the thunder!" This shows how focused he was. With his mathematical talent, he became an advisor to Liu Bang and later served as the minister of military affairs. Zu Ting once told Xin Dufang, "The technique of blowing dust off a pipe is very exquisite and has been lost for a long time. I can't understand it; can you try to figure it out?" Xin Dufang thought seriously about it, and after more than ten days, he said, "I've figured it out, but it ultimately requires ash from the reeds produced in Hanoi." He later obtained the ash from the reeds of Hanoi and tried his method, which worked perfectly, while the other ashes remained motionless. Unfortunately, people at the time overlooked him, and his method was ultimately not passed down, so the technique was lost. Xin Dufang also organized ancient materials on intricate instruments such as the armillary sphere, seismometer, inclinometer, and water clock, and he drew diagrams, naming it "Standards of Instruments." He also authored "Book of Music," "Dun Jia Classic," and "Four Arts of Zhou Bi." Xin Dufang privately compiled a calendar book called "Ling Xian Calendar," in which he calculated the lunar cycles with remarkable accuracy, and solar eclipses always occur on the new moon, with strong evidence. He often said, "He Cheng Tian also studied this method, but it wasn't detailed enough. If the 'Ling Xian Calendar' is completed, it will settle any disputes for a hundred generations." Unfortunately, he died before completing the book.
Song Jingye was from Guangzong. He was an expert in the "I Ching," studied the yin-yang calendar and divination techniques, and had knowledge of astronomy and calendar calculations. In the late Wei dynasty, he served as the governor of Beiping. After Gao Huan became the prime minister, he stationed himself in Jinyang. Because of Gao Huan's high moral standing and reputation, Song Jingye offered him advice, saying: "The 'Yijing Jilan Tu' states: 'The "Ding" hexagram, in May, the sage shall govern, and heaven grants longevity; in the northeastern waters, a commoner shall become king, and the Gao family will gain it.' Upon careful consideration, the northeastern waters refer to the Bohai Sea, and the Gao family obtaining it means they will achieve dominion over the world." At that time, it was May in the eighth year of the reign of Wei Wu. Gao Huan, Xu Zhichai, and others persuaded him to follow the mandate of heaven and accept the abdication, so Gao Huan went to Ye City. Upon reaching Pingcheng, present-day Datong, many ministers opposed this plan and wanted to return. He Ba Ren and others even said, "Song Jingye misled the king; he should be executed to atone for his actions." Gao Huan said, "Song Jingye should be my royal teacher in the future; how could we possibly kill him?" After returning to Jinyang, Gao Huan had Song Jingye perform divination, and the divination results were the "Qian" and "Ding" hexagrams. Song Jingye said, "The 'Qian' hexagram represents the ruler, which is heaven. The 'I Ching' states, 'At the right time, ride the six dragons to ascend to heaven.' The 'Ding' hexagram is the hexagram associated with May. You should choose an auspicious day in midsummer to follow the mandate of heaven and accept the abdication." Someone said, "The yin-yang scholars claim that one cannot take office in May; those who violate this will die in their official position." Song Jingye replied, "This is a great auspicious sign; the king will become the Son of Heaven, and there will be no further aspirations for advancement; how could he possibly die in office?" Gao Huan was very pleased to hear this. Starting from the Tianbao era, Song Jingye was appointed as an attendant to the emperor.
Another person named Jing Cide was also knowledgeable in divination and fortune-telling. He predicted the success and failure of Er Zhu Rong and said that the dynasty that would replace the Wei would be Qi. After hearing this, Ge Rong declared himself the King of Qi. He treated Jing Cide with great favor and frequently consulted him about heavenly will and human affairs. Jing Cide replied, "The Qi dynasty is about to rise, and the emperor will come from the East Sea. You are currently occupying the Bohai Sea, which is the land of Qi. Moreover, the simultaneous appearance of Venus and the moon means you should quickly mobilize your troops; if you delay, it will bring bad luck." Ge Rong did not heed his advice.
Xu Zun was from Gaoyang. He was proficient in the "I Ching," particularly accurate in divination, and also understood astronomy, meteorology, physiognomy, and fortune-telling, with an almost divine accuracy in his predictions. Emperor Gaozu treated him as a guest of honor, and Xu Zun himself claimed that his fate was not destined for great wealth or a violent death, so he lived his life as he pleased, often rubbing people the wrong way, but Emperor Gaozu was always very tolerant of him. During the Battle of Mangyin, Xu Zun remarked to Li Ye Xing, "They have set up a fire formation, and we have set up a wooden formation; fire defeats wood; we are definitely going to lose." And indeed, it turned out just as he said. Later, King Yue of Qinghe appointed him as the head of the agricultural department. After Yue was enfeoffed as king, he informed Xu Zun, who replied, "Even bees can become rulers." Later, when Yue was to lead troops to rescue Jiangling, Xu Zun said, "This trip is bound to end badly; you'd be better off pretending to be sick and staying behind." Yue said, "The situation forces me to go, but I will take you with me." Xu Zun replied, "I'd rather be with the living than go along with the dead." Thus, he did not go. As a result, King Yue died in the capital.
Emperor Xianzu became increasingly tyrannical, and Xu Zun said to others, "I've done the calculations, and I'm curious when this tyrant will meet his end." He then laid out all his divination tools and proclaimed loudly, "If it doesn't happen before winter begins, I won't be around to see it." Emperor Xianzu died in October, and Xu Zun died in September.
Wu Zunshi, courtesy name Jixu, was originally from Bohai. He had a deep understanding of the "I Ching" from a young age and later went to Hengshan to live with reclusive Daoists. After a few years, he suddenly saw an old man who said to him, "I will pass the talisman of joy to you." Zunshi knelt down to receive it and consumed it, and from then on, he became proficient in divination. Later, he traveled to the capital, Luoyang, and became famous for his fortune-telling. When Emperor Wei Wu was about to ascend the throne, he sent someone to invite Wu Zunshi to do a divination, which resulted in the hexagram "Mingyi" and the "Ben" line, saying, "First ascends to heaven, then enters the earth." The emperor asked him what it meant, and Zunshi replied, "First ascending to heaven means becoming emperor. Entering the earth means it cannot last long." The outcome turned out just as he had predicted. When Shizong was serving as chancellor in the capital, he felt uneasy and feared rebellion, wanting to rebel. Every night, he used yarrow stalks to divine, seeking Wu Zunshi's advice. Wu Zunshi said, "No need to rebel; there will be great joy." Not long after, Prince Zhao of Jun was ordered by the empress dowager to summon Shizong back to court with a decree. After Shizong ascended the throne, he appointed him as a secretary of the Central Secretariat, but he declined, citing illness.
Zhao Fuhe was originally from Qingdu. He was very proficient in the "I Ching" in his youth and was skilled in divination, often visiting others' homes to do fortune-telling. When Emperor Gaozu of Northern Wei passed away in Jinyang, the burial date had already been determined. Emperor Shizong ordered that Xianzhu personally go to the northwest of Ye City to choose the site for the tomb. Xianzhu and Wu Zunshi together selected the site, but after multiple divinations, none proved auspicious. They arrived at another place, and Zunshi did a divination, resulting in the "Ge" hexagram. Zunshi and dozens of others said this place was not suitable. Fuhe, the youngest among them, stood at the back, stepped forward, and said, "The 'Ge' hexagram is unfavorable for everyone; only the royal family can use it to achieve great fortune. The commentary on the 'Ge' hexagram says: 'Tang and Wu revolted, complying with heaven and following the people.'" Xianzhu immediately climbed into the carriage and turned to say, "Let’s choose this place." This became the later Yiping Tomb.
Once, there was a man whose father was seriously ill. The man went to Zhao Fuhe's home and asked a friend to request Zhao Fuhe to perform a divination for his father. As a result, the divination resulted in the "Tai" hexagram, and the diviner said, "This hexagram is very auspicious; your father will definitely recover." The man was very pleased. Afterward, Zhao Fuhe remarked to the diviner, "The 'Tai' hexagram has 'Qian' below and 'Kun' above; doesn’t that mean burial?" Sure enough, the father's condition deteriorated, and he sadly passed away. During the Danning and Wuping periods of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Zhao Fuhe conducted divinations for the imperial harem on matters such as the birth of sons or daughters and auspicious dates, all of which proved to be very accurate, which earned him a position as a regular official.
Huangfu Yu, it's unclear where he is from. He is very skilled at physiognomy and often visits the homes of princes and nobles. When Emperor Shizong returned triumphantly from Yingchuan, Xianzhu followed behind. Huangfu Yu carefully observed from the roadside and told others, "This general is not an ordinary person; he will be the one in the North known for his runny nose." Later, Xianzhu ascended to the throne and wanted to test Huangfu Yu's skills in physiognomy, so he covered his eyes with a silk cloth and let him feel everyone's faces. When he touched Xianzhu, he said, "This is the highest-ranking official." When he touched Wang Rencheng, he said, "He will become a prime minister in the future." When he touched Wang Changshan and Wang Changguang, he also predicted they would rise to prominence in the future, and he discreetly pinched them. When he touched Shidong Tong, he said, "This one is a fool." When he touched the person in charge of meals, he said, "He is only good at eating and drinking." Huangfu Yu once told Gao Guiyan, "You will be in a high position, but be careful not to rebel." Gao Guiyan asked, "Why would I rebel?" Huangfu Yu replied, "It's not that you want to rebel, but you have a rebellious nature." Huangfu Yu told his wife, "I won't last in the palace for two years." His wife told this to the attendant Husiqing, who then reported it to the emperor. The emperor was enraged and ordered Huangfu Yu's arrest. Upon his capture, he told his wife, "I won't be coming back th
He listened to Liu Taozhi's voice and said, "This person has backing and will be very wealthy in the future; many princes and high officials will die at his hands, just like hunting dogs obeying their masters." After hearing Zhao Daode's voice, he said, "This person also has support and will be wealthy, but he pales in comparison to the previous one." After hearing Taiyuan Gong's voice, he said, "This person will become an emperor in the future." Then, Emperor Shizong asked Wu Shi to listen to his voice, but Wu Shi said nothing. At that moment, Cui Xian discreetly pinched him, and Wu Shi then mumbled, "He's also an emperor." Emperor Shizong thought to himself, "If even my servant can become extremely wealthy, let alone myself!"
The method of selection comes from Hanoi. He has been proficient in face reading since childhood and is particularly accurate in reading people; his words always come true. He has often read fortunes for He Shikai, and as a result, He Shikai was appointed as a military advisor.
Wei Ning, from Julu. Because he is skilled at predicting people's fates, he was summoned as a guest of the court. Emperor Wucheng personally tested his abilities, and he guessed correctly every time. Later, Emperor Wucheng disguised himself using someone else's birth date to ask him, and Wei Ning said, "You will be very wealthy, but you will die this year." Emperor Wucheng was startled and said, "Is it me!" Wei Ning quickly changed his words, saying, "If it is the emperor, it's all in the hands of fate." Wei Ning also understood the art of Yangzi and once told someone, "There is a saying, 'Lu sixteen, zhi fourteen, qianzi patted head thirty-two,' this is a great number of four-eight days, the lifespan of the retired emperor, which likely won't exceed that number." Later, Emperor Wucheng died at the age of thirty-two.
Qi Mu Huaiwen, his origins unclear, served Emperor Gaozu with his Daoist skills. During the Wuding era, the official army clashed with Emperor Wen of Zhou's forces at Mangshan. At that time, the official army's flags were red, while the western army's were black. Qi Mu Huaiwen advised Emperor Gaozu, "Red represents fire, and black represents water; water can extinguish fire, so we should not use red to confront black. Earth can control water, so we should change the flags to yellow." Emperor Gaozu then changed the flags to ochre yellow, referred to as the Heyang Banner. He also invented a method for forging a type of iron sword called Su Tie, which involved repeatedly hammering heated fine iron over several nights to harden it, using soft iron for the back of the sword, soaking it in the urine of five different livestock, and quenching it with the fat of five different livestock. This sword could cut through more than thirty layers of armor. The Su Tie made by the ironworkers in Xiangguo today still uses his method, but the sharpness of today's swords is inferior to those he crafted. Qi Mu Huaiwen also noted, "Nanganzi City in Guangping County is known as the place where Gan Jiang forged swords; the soil there is ideal for sharpening blades." Qi Mu Huaiwen later rose to the position of Governor of Xinzhou.
A man named Sun Zhengyan told others, "I served as an official in Guangzhou during the Wuding era. I heard that there was a man named Cao Puyan in the city who claimed that among Gao Wang's sons, A Bao would eventually become emperor, and when Gao De ascends the throne, he will abolish A Bao's era name." A Bao refers to Tian Bao, Gao De refers to De Chang, and the abolished era name is Chengguang, indicating Gao De's rise to power.
Zhang Zixin, a Henan native, was a tranquil individual with a strong knowledge of literature. He gained early fame for his medical skills and chose to live in seclusion on Bailu Mountain. Later, he visited the capital for pleasure, and prominent figures like Wei Shou and Cui Jishu held him in high regard, exchanging several poems with each other. Subsequently, the Northern Wei court appointed him as a Grand Minister but permitted him to return to the mountain regularly, so he spent minimal time in Ye City. He was also adept in divination and feng shui.
Once, General Wu Wei, Xi Yongluo, and Zhang Zixin were sitting together when suddenly a magpie called out from a tree in the courtyard and fell down while fighting. Zhang Zixin said, "The magpie's call is an ominous sign. If the southwest wind blows this evening and reaches the eaves, there will be gossip and conflict. If someone calls for you tonight, you must not go, even if it’s an imperial decree; just say you are ill and refuse." After Zhang Zixin left, the southwest wind indeed began to blow, just as he had said. That evening, King Langya sent five messengers to urgently summon Xi Yongluo, saying it was an imperial decree. Xi Yongluo considered getting up, but his wife firmly stopped him, claiming she had fallen off a horse and injured her back. The next morning, Xi Yongluo indeed found it hard to move. Zhang Zixin later passed away during the fall of the Qi dynasty.
Ma Siming was from Hanoi. He had been exceptionally skilled in medicine since childhood and could recite various medical texts, including the "Classic of the Pulse," "Suwen," "Mingtang," and "Compendium of Materia Medica," from memory. When he treated patients, he could predict life and death a year in advance just by taking their pulse.
Once, when Xing Shao's son, Daba, contracted typhoid, Ma Siming diagnosed him and told Yang Yin, "Although this typhoid can heal on its own, the pulse indicates he is certain to die within a year. It was discovered too late; there was no saving him." At that time, both Yang Yin and Xing Shao were attending a banquet in the palace, where Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi said, "Zicai, I want him to go to a certain prefecture to take up an official position." Yang Yin believed Ma Siming was still too young for an official position. After the banquet, he submitted a request saying, "Ma Siming said that Daba's pulse is very dangerous, and he may die within a year. If he is sent to a distant place for an official position, it would be hard to find a suitable doctor to treat him." Therefore, the matter was put on hold. Not long after, Daba indeed passed away.
Later, Yang Yin developed a painful swelling in his back. Ma Siming used a paste made from stone to treat him, and he was quickly cured. The method Ma Siming used to make the stone paste was as follows: he took a rough yellow stone the size of a goose egg, burned it until it was red-hot, then ground it into powder in vinegar, burning it repeatedly until the stone was reduced to powder. He then dried the stone powder and ground it into a fine powder, mixing it with vinegar to apply to the swollen and painful area, which was said to cure all ailments.
Later, Ma Siming was promoted and became an imperial attendant. The acupuncture points he used often did not align with those recorded in the "Mingtang Jing."
Once, he accompanied the emperor to Jinyang and saw several notices in the Liaoyang Mountains, stating that a girl was ill and that anyone who could cure her would receive a reward of 100,000 coins. Many famous doctors had examined her but were too afraid to proceed after learning about her condition. Only Ma Siming dared to take on the task. After clarifying the cause of her illness, he learned that the girl had once harvested wheat with her hands and had seen a two-inch-long red object that resembled a snake had drilled into her finger, which caused her to collapse. Her arm then swelled painfully, gradually swelling to half her body, leaving her in great pain, groaning day and night. Ma Siming prescribed her a remedy and instructed her to take the decoction. When Ma Siming returned to the capital with the emperor, the girl had already recovered. Ma Siming passed away in the early years of the Sui Dynasty.
