In the "Wu Xing Zhuan," it is said that if you like to fight, look down on the people, beautify the city, and invade the border, then gold will not behave properly. This implies that if gold's nature changes, disasters will come. The book also says that if no one listens to what is said, it means that governance is not good, and the consequences are continuous disasters, suffering of the common people, strange poetry, insect infestations, dog problems, and disputes, as well as various ominous signs. Ultimately, wood will overcome gold. The "jie chong" mentioned in the book, Liu Xin explained, refers to a caterpillar.
Gold not listening:
During the Wei Dynasty, an inscribed stone was unearthed in Zhangye. Although seen as a sign of the Jin Dynasty, it was interpreted as an ominous omen by the Wei Dynasty. The three emperors of the Wei Dynasty all liked to fight, despise the people, build cities, and invade the border. Liu Xin believed that gold and stones were of the same kind, and the unusual characters on this stone represented gold's disobedience. Later, the Jin Dynasty unified the realm, defeated Cao Wei, and the inscription on this stone reading "Da Tao Cao" came true. During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, there was extensive construction, and gold was brought from Chang'an for decoration. As a result, the Chenglu plate broke, and the sound could be heard for tens of miles, as if the gold was crying, so the gold had to be left in Ba City. This is how gold changed its nature and strange phenomena appeared.
During the Wu Kingdom, a stone with a hole that looked like a seal appeared in Liyang County, and everyone said it was a sign of "sealing the world and peace." In the first year of Tianxi of Sun Hao, this seal actually appeared. There is also a stone cave in Yangxian Mountain, over ten zhang long. Sun Hao initially built the Wuchang Palace and wanted to move the capital, since Wuchang was then a temporary palace. Ban Gu once said, "Temporary palaces, like cities, also occupy space." This highlights the importance of city construction. In the third year of Baoding, Sun Hao sent troops to Dongguan and sent Ding Feng to Hefei; in the third year of Jianheng, Sun Hao again mobilized troops to Huali. This constitutes an invasion of the border. Thus, when gold no longer obeyed, Sun Hao was ultimately captured, leading to the fall of the Wu Kingdom.
In the first year of the Yongxing era of Emperor Huidi of Jin, Chengdu attacked Changsha. Every night, the tips of the spears and halberds glowed with flames, like lit candles. This was a sign of disrespect for the lives of the people, a love for war, and gold had changed its nature, leading to strange occurrences. The heavens warned that war is like fire, and if not controlled, it will burn oneself. The people of Chengdu did not understand this truth and ultimately failed.
In the first year of Emperor Jin Huaidi Yongjia, a stone tablet belonging to Jia Kui, the Prefect of Yuzhou in Wei Kingdom, was discovered in Xiang County. Gold that could be mined grew out of the tablet. This was a sign that gold was behaving strangely. In May, the rebel Jisang rose up, and bandits rose up everywhere.
During the reign of Jin Dynasty's Prince of Qinghe, Tan, when he was still the Crown Prince, something that looked like millet suddenly sprouted from the gold bell he wore. His mother, Empress Dowager Kang, thought this was an ominous sign and destroyed the gold bell. Later, he became the Crown Prince under Emperor Huidi but never ascended the throne, and was eventually killed by Sima Yue.
In the first year of Emperor Jin Yuandi Yongchang, Gan Zhuo prepared to attack Wang Dun but later abandoned the plan. When he returned home, he experienced many strange occurrences, such as not being able to see his head in the mirror. The gold bell lost its essence and became a malevolent force. Gan Zhuo's fate mirrored that of the gold bell incident, as he was soon attacked by Wang Dun and his whole family was wiped out.
During Shi Hu's reign, two golden phoenixes flew into Zhanghe from the Fengyang Gate in Ye City.
During the reign of Emperor Jin Haixi Taihe, construction began on a warehouse in Shanyin County, Kuaiji Mountain. As darkness fell, the workers hurried to report to the authorities when they unearthed two large ships filled with circular coins of large denominations. The officials sent people to guard the site that night. However, to their dismay, the next morning, the money was gone, leaving only the two ships, which were covered in traces of money.
During the reign of Emperor Jin Andi Yixi, the Prefect of Dongyang, Yin Zhongwen, also could not see his head in the mirror and was later killed. His fate mirrored that of Gan Zhuo.
During the fourth year of Emperor Yuanhui of the Later Song Dynasty, strange occurrences took place in Yixi County and Jinling County where thunderous chariots fell from the sky. These thunderous chariots were like blue boulders, and wherever they landed, the vegetation withered.
Next, let's talk about the consequences of not heeding advice:
During the reign of King Jia of the Wei Dynasty, rumors spread in the East County that a demon horse emerged from the White Horse River. It would neigh near the government stables at night, causing the other horses to whinny in response. The next day, people discovered footprints as large as a hu (an ancient unit of measurement), stretching for several miles before returning to the river. The Marquis of Chu, Biao, resided near the White Horse River. The provincial governor of Yanzhou, Linghu Yu, believed Biao to be wise and brave. Upon hearing this rumor, they conspired to support him. They sent someone to warn Biao, who replied, "I understand your intentions." However, the conspiracy was uncovered, and both Linghu Yu and Wang Ling were killed, while Biao met the same fate. This serves as a warning for those who disregard counsel! As the poem goes: "Shouldn't rumors among the people be punished?"
After Liu Shan ascended to the throne, Qiao Zhou used the examples of Marquis Mu of Jin and Emperor Ling of Han deposing their crown princes to ridicule him, saying, "The name 'Bei' of the late Emperor Liu Bei signifies 'prepared,' while the name 'Shan' of the later Emperor Liu Shan means 'bestow.' If the Liu clan is already prepared, then the throne ought to be passed to another. This is even more serious than what Marquis Mu of Jin and Emperor Ling of Han did!" Indeed, Shu Han eventually perished, which was yet another consequence of ignoring wise counsel.
Liu Bei died, and Liu Shan ascended to the throne, but he had not yet buried his father. In less than a month, he changed the reign title to Jianxing. This is inappropriate! Xi Zaochi said, "According to the rules, a sovereign must wait for a year after succession before changing the reign title; this is to understand the feelings of the subjects, who do not wish to see two rulers within a single year. Such hasty action shows a complete disregard for etiquette! Thus, it is evident that Shu Han lacked the capability to move eastward." Later, Shu Han indeed surrendered to the Jin Dynasty. Sun Liang, Jin Huidi, and the infamous Song Yuanxiong faced similar fates, none of whom ended well. Sun Liang died shortly after becoming emperor, Jin Huidi's orders were ineffective, and Song Yuanxiong was quickly killed. All of them met their downfall due to not following the rules.
During the Taihe period of Wei, Jiang Wei returned to Shu Han while his mother was still in Wei. The people of Wei urged Jiang Wei's mother to write a letter persuading him to rebel, and even sent him dangui (a medicinal herb) as a metaphor for his return. Jiang Wei replied, "I don't care about a hundred acres of fertile land; my focus is solely on my lofty aspirations, and I have no time to dwell on dangui." As a result, Jiang Wei still could not escape his fate.
In the first year of Jingchu during the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, someone suggested honoring Emperor Ming as a revered ancestor and allowing him to share the preserved temples with Taizu and Gaozu. The emperor agreed. According to the ancestral temple system, titles of ancestors must wait until after their death and establishment of their reputation before being officially conferred. Therefore, even with achievements and virtues that surpassed those of previous emperors, there are no predetermined rules. This also constituted a violation of the rules and was a grave mistake! Two years later, Emperor Ming passed away, and the nation began its decline.
When Sun Xiu was the Emperor of Wu, there was a common man in Wucheng who had a peculiar condition. After recovering from the condition, he was able to make noises with his mouth that could be heard from quite a distance. When he listened to it himself, he felt that the sound was not loud; but for those far away, it sounded like someone was speaking right in front of them, without realizing the sound came from a distance. The furthest it could reach was about ten miles. His neighbor owed him money for years without repayment. So he sent this man who could make sounds to demand the debt, scaring him with the idea of misfortune and blessings. The debtor thought it was a supernatural being and returned his belongings. The debtor himself did not know what had happened. All this happened because they didn't follow the rules!
The Wei Kingdom built the Anshi Palace, later taken over by Emperor Wu of Jin. Anshi was Emperor Wu's style name. Whenever Emperor Wu summoned his ministers, he mostly talked about everyday matters and never talked about important national issues or long-term plans. This was another example of not following the rules. He once told his son He Zun, "Without long-term plans for the country, only focusing on the present, what's going to happen to future generations? This is a matter of great importance for future generations!" From the Yongxi period onward, the royal family gradually declined. During the Yongjia period, the country was in chaos. Later, He Sui was killed on false charges, which proved He Zun's point.
Prince Zhao Lun forced Emperor Hui out to Jinyong City and renamed it Yong'an Palace. Later, Emperor Hui got his throne back, while Prince Zhao Lun was killed.
In the first year of Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty, the emperor ordered the removal of Crown Prince Tan and reinstated him as the Prince of Qinghe, appointing Ying, the Prince of Chengdu, as the new Crown Prince. He also gave him additional titles and positions, such as attendant, grand commander, and prime minister, bestowed upon him nine honors, and granted him twenty counties, similar to the previous arrangements made for the King of Wei. According to Zhou ritual, succession should go to descendants rather than be based on merit, so even a wise and virtuous person like Duke Zhou did not change the heir to the throne. This was done to prevent anyone from coveting the throne and to ensure the preservation of the imperial bloodline. Future generations should adhere to this rule, and if it is changed, chaos will ensue. The current arrangement completely contradicts the established rules and is quite excessive. Furthermore, since he has already served as the deputy of the state, he shouldn't be granted additional land or other official roles. Ignoring advice initially led to the deposition of Emperor Hui, and Ying did not have a good end; this is the outcome. Later on, they failed to learn their lesson and appointed Emperor Huai as the Crown Prince. Emperor Huai was eventually killed, and the imperial line did not continue; this was also an inevitable result. As the saying goes, "Changing old customs and defying common sense, it's no wonder chaos follows!"
During the reign of Emperor Tai'an of the Jin Dynasty, Zhou Ji built a house in Yangxian, but soon after it was completed, neighbors began to hear sounds of sighs and wails. Later, Zhou Ji died, and his family was also exterminated. This shows that ignoring advice can ultimately lead to dire consequences.
In the year 323 AD, rumors circulated among the locals in Suzhou, Jiangsu, that a tiger was lurking in the qin and chou trees, and anyone bitten would die. The news spread quickly, sending the locals into a panic.
Next, someone in Zhenjiang said that they saw a scruffy old woman begging on the street, claiming that she was ordered by the Heavenly Emperor to leave by the Shuimen Gate, but ended up going the wrong way and came out at the Chongmen Gate. She said that if she went back, the Heavenly Emperor would definitely kill her, so she was very scared and didn't know what to do. This made the locals even more afraid, saying over ten people had already died. This rumor spread like a plague all the way to the capital. Many households that had planted Catalpa or Scholar trees quickly cut them down. Eventually, the rumor began to die down.
In the year 329 AD, Ningzhou's governor, Wang Xun, sent his son Wang Cheng to Luoyang as a hostage, along with several hundred soldiers from minority ethnic groups. As a result, a rumor suddenly spread in the capital, saying that the Ningzhou folks were eating kids! Some claimed to have seen them steaming many kids in a pot, packed it full! It was also said that those who lost their kids were on a list, and the mothers were crying their eyes out.
As a result, the locals locked up their kids at home and didn't let them out. Not long after, the rumor changed again, saying they'd caught the folks who were eating kids, and the government was going to publicly execute them at the Hangtou (a place similar to a dock). Every day, four to five hundred people would rush to the Hangtou early in the morning to see the show and find out how they'd be punished. Officials in the court were asking each other about it, thinking it was true, and some even said that the county had already reported it in documents.
Wang Cheng was frightened and quickly investigated, only to find out that it was all a lie. The locals hadn’t lost any kids, and that’s when they figured out it was just a rumor. These two incidents, Gan Bao wrote in his book: "I can't make sense of this."
In the second year of the Yongchang era, General Wang Dun took control of Gushu. The common folk began to spread rumors, claiming there was a type of bug that could eat humans, bite a large hole, and burrow into the stomach in a few days, leading to death. The remedy involved using the bile of white dogs. This rumor spread from the Huai and Si Rivers all the way to the capital. Within a few days, the common folk were terrified, claiming to have contracted this bug disease. They also said that when the bug first appeared on the outside, it should be burned with hot iron. As a result, about seventy to eighty percent of people ended up getting burned. The price of white dogs skyrocketed, and everyone rushed to buy them, with prices increasing tenfold. Some claimed to know how to use hot iron for burning and charged the common folk to do it, making five to six thousand coins a day before collapsing from exhaustion. Four or five days later, the chaos gradually settled down.
Some people analyzed that this bug, like humans, is a creature, and humans are the spirit of all things. Saying the bug eats humans implies it's a form of conflict among the same species. Spreading from the bottom up is unusual; saying the bug must burrow into the stomach suggests that the harm comes from within, not from the outside. Dogs are naturally protective; white dogs are colored like gold, and dog bile is a symbol of power. The emperor's fortune, with the five hegemons gathering at the hour of the dog, symbolizes military power. Gold represents the Jin Dynasty, and using burning hot iron to treat the disease suggests the need to eliminate one's own kind, combining fire and gold to jointly control the bug infestation.
Carefully considering the matter, during the Zhao Xing period, General Wang Dun was originally a confidant of the emperor, undertaking important responsibilities like Yi Yin and Lv Shang. However, in the later years of Emperor Yuan, he unexpectedly attacked the capital city. Emperor Ming was incompetent, and Wang Dun had other conspiracies. This was a classic case of the weak rising against the strong, showing that internal corruption had already taken place. Later, the rebel armies led by Qian Feng, Shen Chong, and others surrounded the capital from all sides but were defeated by Wang Dun's army and could not succeed even after a month. General Liu Xia and Minister of the Interior Su Jun led their armies from the Huai River and Sishui areas to rescue the court, so the rumors first spread from these regions. The court ultimately defeated the powerful rebel army with their relatively weak forces, and the ringleaders were executed. Therefore, the saying that white dog bile can cure illnesses also reflects this principle.
During the reign of the Haixi Duke of the Jin Dynasty, Yu Xi had a peculiar fondness for writing elegies, playing a large bell as accompaniment and having his attendants sing along. He often had songstresses perform the songs and dances of Xin'an people at banquets, celebrating themes of parting with heartfelt sorrow. People at the time found him peculiar, and indeed he later failed. During the Taihe era of the Haixi Duke of the Jin Dynasty, noblewomen began to popularize a fluffy hairstyle, considering it the most fashionable style. Because it used too much hair and was difficult to wear daily, they first made an artificial hair bun on a piece of wood, called a "fake head." If someone wanted to borrow it, it was called "borrowing a head," and this trend swiftly caught on across the nation. Since then, many have lost their lives in various accidents, some even lost their heads or simply replaced them with grass and wood. The saying "fake head" became a warning sign!
During the first year of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, a palace called "Qingshu Hall" was built, and not long after, he died. At that time, people said, "Qingshu" is a play on words with "Chu," and indeed, a tragic event followed. Some people said, "This interpretation might not hold; how can we be so certain?" The prophecy states that the Chu Kingdom will replace the Jin Dynasty; could it be referring to this? Later on, Huan Xuan usurped the throne and proclaimed himself the King of Chu. During the Taiyuan period, children used two pieces of iron to hit each other in the ground, calling it "Douzu." Later, Wang Guobao, Wang Xiaobo, and others, who were of the same clan and surname, started attacking each other.
Huan Xuan was sent to guard the southern state, where he built a shrine called "Panlong Zhai." Later, Liu Yi moved into this shrine. "Panlong" was Liu Yi's nickname. Huan Xuan initially declared the era name as "Da Heng," and people were privately speculating, "February has ended," meaning he planned to rebel in early spring. After Huan Xuan usurped the throne, he changed the era name to "Jianshi," similar to Zhao Wang Lun, and later changed it to "Yongshi." "Yongshi" was the year when Wang Mang was crowned emperor. Initially, Sima Daozi was moved to Ancheng, Jin Huidi abdicated, moved out of Yong'an Palace, and was enfeoffed as Pinggu Wang. Langya Wang Sima Dewen was enfeoffed as Shiyang Gong, and both were settled in Xunyang City. The wise men believed this was an ominous sign, indicating they were paving their own downfall!
During the prosperous period of the Jin Dynasty, they never complained about the food from the Imperial Kitchen, sneaking bites of private food. His son He Shao was even worse, and Wang Kai was even more excessive than He Shao. People like Wang Kai and Yang Xiu lived excessively indulgent lives, pursued pleasure and indulgence, collected rare treasures, and indulged excessively. By the time of the Yuankang era, extravagance and waste became the norm; everyone competed with each other, showing off. Shi Chong's extravagance even surpassed that of the Wang and He families and could be compared to the emperor. After Shi Chong was killed, the world quickly declined; this was the dire consequence of their excessive indulgence!
In the year 228 AD, in the second year of the Taihe era of the Wei Ming Emperor, in the month of May, the heavens showed no mercy; there was a severe drought! The drought had started the previous year, all attributed to the court's excessive building projects, causing harm to the people and their finances. In the spring, Jin Xuan Emperor marched south to attack Meng Da, establishing two commanderies; Zhang He defeated Zhuge Liang to the west, and Ma Su also perished. The sun was relentless, causing severe drought, all attributed to these military campaigns. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "Wanting to do good deeds but not getting the chance, this is called 'Zhang', which will bring disaster; when drought strikes, dark clouds do not bring rain, turning into red smoke spreading in all directions, this is called 'Guang', where not a single blade of grass grows; when sunlight is blocked from above and below, this is called 'Ge', causing severe drought, with hail falling in March that killed birds, this is referred to as 'Jian', as it indicates the emperor's disregard for the rules in seeking a concubine; in March, the weather was scorching, with no clouds in the sky, the emperor living in a lavish palace, this is called 'Fan', with yin overpowering yang, causing all plants to wither, and frequent fires, this is called 'Jian', because officials did not follow the rules; with severe drought, fields dried up and were burnt." In March of the year 231 AD, there had been no rain from October of the previous year until this month, until a heavy rain finally fell on the day of Xinsi, relieving the drought. In the spring, Zhuge Liang attacked Tianshui but was repelled by Jin Xuan Wang. This intense sunlight was also due to the mobilization of many people for war, with both sides deploying forces exceeding normal levels. The "Spring and Autumn Annals" stated: "If two types of grains are affected, it means there will be no rain."
In the year 23 AD, in the first month of the Zhengshi era of the Wei Qi Wang, there had been no rain from December of the previous year until this month. In the first month of the previous year, the Ming Emperor passed away. In the second month, Cao Shuang assisted the new emperor and promoted Jin Xuan Wang to Grand Tutor, seemingly showing great respect, but with the ulterior motive of controlling him and making him listen to his commands. At that time, Jin Xuan Wang had great achievements but was neglected, fulfilling the saying "desiring virtue but failing to act on it"!
In the year 243 AD, in the first month of the third year of Ganlu in Gaogui Township of Wei, there has been a drought since last autumn. At that time, King Wen of Jin besieged Zhuge Dan with an overwhelming number of troops, contributing to the drought. Previously, there was a lot of rain in the spring and summer in Shou Chun, often flooding the city, but this drought persisted for over a year, and the city was nearly in ruins before a heavy rain finally arrived. Everyone believed this was a sign that the Wei state was doomed.
In the year 251 AD, in the second year of Wufeng of Sun Liang of Wu, a severe drought struck, leaving the common people starving. It was a leap year, and General Wen Qin of Wei brought tens of thousands of Huainan residents to seek refuge in Wu; Sun Jun also defeated Wei General Cao Zhen. In March, Zhu Yi attacked Anfeng but failed. In July, the Wu army occupied Guangling and Donghai two counties. In December, Feng Chao was appointed as the military supervisor, supervising the various military forces in Xuzhou, but the soldiers grew increasingly discontent and began to rebel. All this stemmed from the court's arrogance and extravagance, which brought hardship to the people and drained the nation's resources. This war lasted for a year, so the drought also lasted for a year.
During Sun Hao's reign, a severe drought struck in the spring and summer of the first year of Baoding. That year, Sun Hao moved the capital to Wuchang, resulting in hardship for the people and further losses for the state, truly marking the fulfillment of the drought's ominous signs!
In the seventh year of the Taishi reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, in the leap month of May, there was a drought, which led to a large-scale rain-making ceremony. That spring, Sun Hao led troops to campaign against Huali, while Wang Jun, the Grand Marshal of the Jin Dynasty, led a large army to confront the Wu army in the northern region. In April, the northern Hu tribes raided Jincheng and Xiping, and Qian Hong, the Governor of Liangzhou, led troops to counterattack but was defeated and killed. In the eighth year of the Taishi reign in May, there was another drought. At this time, Emperor Wu of Jin heeded the poor advice of Xun Xu, leaving Jia Chong in the court instead of sending him to guard the western border, and grew distant from Ren Kai. Officials such as Li Xi, Lu Zhi, and Li Yin were left idle, which may have been a divine warning about the Jin Dynasty's poor governance. From the first month to the sixth month of the ninth year of the Taishi reign, it didn’t rain until the Guiwei day, after much praying at ancestral temples and in front of mountains and rivers. In September of the previous year, the Governor of Xiling in Wu surrendered along with his city, and Emperor Wu of Jin sent Yang Hu to meet him with an army of 80,000 men. However, in December, Lu Kang dealt a crushing defeat to Yang Hu's army and killed the Governor of Xiling. In the fourth month of the tenth year of the Taishi reign, there was another drought. In the previous autumn and winter, Emperor Wu of Jin selected concubines, including more than fifty daughters of officials like Zhuge Chong, as well as daughters of minor officials, leading to heartbreak among the mothers and daughters in the palace. This might have been a result of an excess of yin energy leading to a lack of yang energy, which caused the drought. In the second year of the Xianning reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, in May, there was another drought, resulting in yet another large-scale rain-making ceremony along with sacrifices to the ancestral temples and mountains. Eventually, in June, rain finally came.
In the second year of the Taikang era of Emperor Wu of Jin, the drought, which had started in the winter of the previous year, persisted until the spring of this year when Wu was defeated. This drought disaster is linked to actions that harmed the people and drained resources. In the fourth month of the third year of Taikang, there was another drought. On the day of Yiyou, Emperor Wu issued an edict, allowing the Minister of Works, Prince Qi, together with the Minister of Personnel, the Minister of Justice, and the Intendant of Henan to review the prisoners in custody and grant amnesty to many. In the sixth month of the fifth year of Taikang, there was a drought. In the first month of that year, the weather was overcast, with periods of sunshine followed by clouds. Liu Yi submitted a memorial saying, "There must be flatterers and deceitful courtiers in the court who deceive the emperor with deceitful means; they should be executed and not pardoned!" However, the emperor paid him no mind. At that time, Xun Xu and Feng Mo were wielding power arrogantly, causing even more chaos in the court. In the third month of the sixth year of Taikang, droughts occurred in Qingzhou, Liangzhou, Youzhou, and Jizhou. In the sixth month of the sixth year of Taikang (285 AD), Jiying Commandery and Wuling Commandery suffered droughts, leading to a poor wheat harvest. By the summer of the seventh year of Taikang (286 AD), 13 commanderies and states across the country experienced droughts. In the fourth month of the eighth year of Taikang (287 AD), Jizhou was also hit by a drought. In the summer of the ninth year of Taikang (288 AD), droughts affected 33 commanderies and states. In the same year, in the sixth month, Fufeng Commandery, Shiping Commandery, Jingzhao Commandery, and Anding Commandery also experienced droughts, resulting in no grain harvest. In the second month of the tenth year of Taikang (289 AD), droughts ravaged once again. Since the Taikang era, although there were many upright individuals in the court, they were not given important positions; instead, individuals like Jia Chong, Xun Xu, Yang Jun, and Feng Mo took turns in power. Therefore, there were droughts every year, as virtuous individuals were not employed, and everyone was deceived. This serves as a punishment for those who violate the principles of propriety!
In 300 AD, the first year of Emperor Hui of Jin's Yuan Kang era, in July, there was a severe drought in Yongzhou, followed by frost and plague. The Guanzhong region suffered from famine, with the price of a hu of rice soaring to ten thousand coins. In that year, the Di and Qiang tribes rebelled, and the governor of Yongzhou, Jie Xi, was defeated. In the first month, Zhou Chu, Lu Bo, and others were also defeated, resulting in chaos throughout Guanzhong. The war lasted for a year, with famine and plague following one after another, causing significant losses for both the Rong tribes and the Jin dynasty. The court could not provide relief for the victims, so it allowed people to buy and sell each other and their belongings. In September of the same year, five counties and states also suffered from drought.
In 304 AD, the first year of Emperor Hui of Jin's Yongning era, from summer to autumn, the four states of Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Youzhou, and Bingzhou all suffered from drought. In the spring of the same year, three members of the royal family attacked Prince Zhao Lun, fighting dozens of battles over sixty days, leading to the deaths and injuries of tens of thousands. In December, twelve counties and states also suffered from drought.
In 307 AD, the third year of Emperor Huai of Jin's Yongjia era, in May, there was a severe drought. The Liang River in Xiangping County dried up, and the Yellow River, Luo River, Yangtze River, and Han River all became shallow enough to wade through. In March of the same year, Sima Yue returned to the capital, sent troops into the imperial palace, and arrested and killed nine people, including the Minister of the Central Secretariat, Miao Bo. This was a punishment for those who had overstepped their authority! In addition, most of the princes in various regions harbored rebellious intentions, with Liu Yuan, Shi Le, Wang Mi, Li Xiong, and others causing chaos and massacring the people, resulting in rivers of blood. This was also the inevitable result of the drought. In the fifth year of Yongjia, the drought that began last winter persisted into this spring. In December of the previous year, Sima Yue abandoned the capital, leading a large army southward. Many nobles, ministers, and court officials followed him; he dismissed the Imperial Guards and replaced them with local military forces. The palace felt desolate, and the etiquette between the ruler and his subjects had completely broken down.
It is said that during the reign of Emperor Jin Min in Chang'an, there was a severe drought, but historical records do not specify the exact year. However, according to historical records, in June of the first year of Jianwu, there was a drought in Yangzhou. Going back further, in the year Chunyu Bo was wrongfully executed, there was a drought in December, and in the following year in June. Gan Bao said, "Three years of drought after the death of Chunyu Bo," referring to the droughts that followed. In fact, during the Han Dynasty, droughts occurred in response to the execution of virtuous women, and during the Later Han Dynasty, droughts occurred when innocent prisoners were wrongly accused, but as long as the mistakes were corrected in time, it would rain. This is similar to what we now call the concept of "heavenly justice." Ban Gu also said, "If the punishment is unfair, heaven will be displeased, the yang energy will be strong, and droughts will often occur." In April of the first year of Jianwu, Qu Yun led troops to resist external enemies; in May, Zu Ti attacked Qiao County; in winter, Zhou Fang suppressed Du Zeng. These are all signs of national unrest and the suffering of the people and depletion of resources.
During the reign of Emperor Jin Yuan, there was also a drought in May of the fourth year of Taixing. At that time, Wang Dun became increasingly arrogant, and the signs of his rebellion were becoming increasingly evident. Moreover, the previous year Cai Bao, Zu Ti, and others were also fighting with troops, causing additional suffering to the people and resources. By the first year of Yongchang, the drought worsened significantly! In March of that year, Wang Dun launched a coup in Shitoucheng, the imperial palace was plundered, and many ministers were killed. Wang Dun's usurpation of power exacerbated the drought. In the eleventh month of the first year of Yongchang, Chang'an suffered from severe drought, and the rivers dried up.
During the third year of Taining of Emperor Jin Ming, there was no rain from spring through June. It is remembered that the previous year in autumn, Wang Dun was defeated, and this drought was also a manifestation of heaven's displeasure due to the turmoil within the court.
In the autumn of the first year of Xianhe under Emperor Cheng of Jin, there was another drought. At that time, Empress Dowager Yu was in power, and all the ministers had to address their memorials as "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager." A woman holding such power was considered usurpation, so the Heavens punished her, much like they had punished Empress Dowager Deng of the Han Dynasty. In the summer of the second year of Xianhe, there was another drought, and in May of the fifth year of Xianhe as well. The previous year, the remnants of Su Jun's faction were wiped out, and then Guo Mo was defeated in the spring, leading to the use of military force and thus the drought. In April of the sixth year of Xianhe, there was another drought because in August of the previous year, Shi Le sent Guo Jing to attack Xiangyang, causing General Zhou Fu to flee to Wuchang; in October, Li Xiong sent Li Shou to attack Jianping, causing the Prefect Yang Qian to flee to Yidu; in January, Liu Zheng attacked Loucheng, and the ongoing wars left the common people in turmoil. In July of the eighth year of Xianhe, there was a drought, and from April to August of the ninth year of Xianhe, the drought continued.
In June of the first year of Xiankang of Emperor Cheng of Jin in 326 AD, there was a severe drought. At that time, Emperor Cheng was young and not very involved in governance, so political power was largely concentrated in the hands of the ministers. This might have been a divine punishment for their authoritarian governance, leading to consecutive years of drought. By the fourth year of Xiankang, Wang Dao insisted on resigning from the position of Grand Tutor and letting his son Wang Ming take over, which alleviated the drought, possibly serving as a fulfillment of the earlier punishment. At that time, there was widespread drought throughout the country, especially severe in the area of Yuyao in Kuaiji, where a dou of rice was priced at five hundred coins, and people began trading one another. In March of the second year of Xiankang, there was a drought; in June of the third year of Xiankang, there was a drought.
In May of the first year of Jianyuan of Emperor Kang of Jin in 343 AD, there was another drought. At that time, the Prime Minister held power and local officials controlled heavy troops, similar to the circumstances during the early years of Xiankang.
In the year 344 AD, in the first year of Yonghe reign of Jin Mu Emperor, there was a drought in May. In accordance with Dong Zhongshu's methods, the court officials relocated the market, opened the water gate, and sent people to offer sacrifices to the Taishi. At that time, the emperor was still a child, and the court was under the regency of Empress Chu, similar to when Empress Mingmu had been in power. In February of that year, General Chupou led troops to attack the Pei region, bringing back the local populace. In June, General Chenda was sent to occupy Shouyang, while the emperor himself commanded twenty thousand naval troops to Xiazhen, but the vanguard was defeated, forcing a retreat, and Chenda also returned. In the intercalary month of the sixth year of Yonghe, drought struck again. In the spring of that year, Huan Wen led a large army to set out from Xiakou and submitted a memorial to the court requesting to lead a naval expedition north, which shocked the court. Xiao Jingwen instigated a rebellion in Fuling, and Colonel Cai Shou of the Four Barbarians also suffered defeat.
In the year 359 AD, in the twelfth month of the third year of Shengping reign of Jin Mu Emperor, a severe drought occurred. In October of that year, General Chitan led over ten thousand people to set out from Gaoping to oversee operations in Henan and Yanzhou; and General Zhuge You led naval forces into the Yellow River, which resulted in a defeat. General Xie Wan was in the Runan Xiacai area, and the army suffered defeat and retreated. In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Shengping, there was another severe drought.
In the year 362 AD, in the summer of the first year of Longhe reign of Jin Ai Emperor, it was dry. At that time, Huan Wen held power and controlled the court, which was seen as divine retribution for their usurpation. Last year, Murong Ke besieged the Inspector of Jizhou, Lu Hu, but Huan Wen remained passive from Wanling, while Fan Wang and Yuan Zhen also marched north, but everyone acted sluggishly.
In the year 372 AD, in the twelfth month of the fourth year of Tahe reign of Jin Haixi, Liangzhou experienced drought from spring through summer.
In the year 374 AD, in the tenth month of the second year of Xian'an reign of Jin Jianwen Emperor, a severe drought struck, leaving the people starving. At that time, the emperor was still young, and Huan Wen was once again arrogant and domineering.
In February 373 AD, there was a drought. At that time, Huan Wen visited the Gaoping Mausoleum to meet the emperor, flaunting his extravagance as if he were the emperor himself—how arrogant! In the winter of the third year, another drought struck. Previously, the Di tribe rebels broke through Liangzhou and Yizhou, forcing Governor Yang Liang and Zhou Zhongsun to flee in panic. The following year, General Huan Shiqian of Weiyuan defeated Yao Chang at Dianjiang, forcing Yao to retreat to Wucheng. Zhu Yao, the governor of Yizhou, led his troops to defend Badong.
In June 379 AD, a severe drought occurred. The previous year, Di tribe rebels besieged General Zhu Xu in Xiangyang and General Dai Dun in Pengcheng. Huan Si commanded the Jiangzhou army to support Zhu Xu in Yecheng, while the Northern Army mobilized civilians from three provinces to aid He Qian in rescuing Dai Dun. That spring, the cities of Xiangyang, Shunyang, and Weixing fell, and the rebels continued to sweep through Huainan, advancing towards Guangling. General Xie Shi led the navy, while Governor Xie Xuan of Yanzhou commanded various generals to defeat the rebels along the way. In June 382 AD, there was a drought. As summer began, Huan Chong launched an attack on Xiangyang, dispatching General Huan Shiqian to occupy Fancheng. The court also dispatched the Interior Minister of Xu, Hu Bin, to the gorge to bolster their efforts.
In July of the year 390 AD, there was a drought. That spring, the Dingling tribe raided Yanzhou and Yuzhou, while the Xianbei tribe attacked along the Yellow River. Zhu Xu, Huan Bucai, and others went north to the Taihang Mountains, east to Huatai, engaged in long-term battles outside, and stationed troops at Shimen. In the autumn of 392 AD, the drought continued until winter. At that time, Ru Qianqiu served as the Chief of the Cavalry Advisory, acting arbitrarily and abusing power; also, the wet nurse of Qiu Ni and his relatives, as well as the son of their house slaves, took advantage of their good relationships to oppress the people and control the military power. In addition, the prison guards in Jiankang Prison became more brutal, and many people were wrongly imprisoned without committing any crimes. All of these were due to unchecked power, leading to frequent miscarriages of justice.
In May of the year 400 AD, the heavens were unkind; a severe drought hit! In the previous winter, that guy Huan Xuan had Yin Zhongkan killed, and the court quickly set him up with a cushy position as the Governor of Jingzhou; Sima Yuanxian also forced court officials to flatter him. These actions showed their arrogance and bullying, and the heavens gave them a wake-up call! By the summer and autumn of 401 AD, the drought was brutal, lasting a full twelve months without a drop of rain. In the previous summer, Sun En and his men attacked Kuaiji and killed Xie Yan; in the summer of this year, they attacked Wudi and killed Yuan Shansong. Fighting broke out everywhere on the eastern front, chaos and confusion that seemed to drag on forever.
In July of the year 402 AD, a massive famine hit! In September and October, still no rain in sight. In the first month of this year, Sima Yuanxian led troops to attack Huan Xuan, but Huan Xuan pulled a fast one and took out Sima Yuanxian. In May, the court dispatched troops to deal with the remnants of Sun En's forces, and in October, they went north to fight Liu Gui. In June of the year 403 AD, there was no rain, and in winter, it was still dry! By this time, Huan Xuan was even more arrogant and overbearing, and by December, he straight-up usurped the throne! In August of the year 404 AD, there was still no rain. At that time, fighting broke out everywhere, and the fight with the Xia Kingdom in the west was still going on!
September 410 AD saw no rain! The imperial army advanced north to attack Guanggu, which governed three provinces. October 412 AD also brought no rain! That autumn, the imperial army marched west against Liu Yi and split their forces to also attack the Shu region. In September 414 AD, a severe drought struck; in December, it was still dry, causing many wells to run dry.
In the summer of 422 AD, there was a severe drought. In the autumn of 424 AD, the capital faced a drought disaster. In May 428 AD, many counties in Yangzhou suffered from drought disasters. Drought disasters struck Nanyanzhou and Yuzhou in 430 and 431 AD. Meanwhile, the Suolu continued their southern invasion!
In 457 and 458 AD, many counties in the east suffered from severe drought, and many common people starved, with nearly seventy percent perishing! In earlier years, the Jiangzuo region had many systemic flaws, and Emperor Xiaowu constructed a Mingtang and created five ceremonial chariots. During this time, extensive construction was underway, and he undertook a southern hunting expedition, flaunting his power, which contributed to the drought disasters.
In August 465 AD, there was a drought disaster in the capital.
Poem: (quoted from the original text)
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, there was a popular song in the capital called "Doulingson Caozi," with lyrics singing, "What should we do with you Cao family members?" This song foretold doom. Later, Cao Shuang was killed, and the Cao family subsequently declined, fulfilling the song's prophecy. During Emperor Jing of Wei’s reign, another nursery rhyme emerged: "Grandpa drove a horse carriage, never thought grandpa would cross the river. What should we do when grandpa returns from the east?" Later, Xuan Wang pacified Liaodong, returned to his humble abode, and was preparing to return to Chang'an for duty. At this time, the emperor fell seriously ill and urgently summoned him back to the court. Xuan Wang then rode swiftly across the Yellow River, ultimately overthrowing the Wei kingdom, just as the nursery rhyme foretold.
During the reign of King Jia of Wei, a rumor circulated: "A white horse gallops southwest, but who rides it? It’s Zhu Hu!" Zhu Hu was the nickname of Sima Biao, the King of Chu. Wang Ling and Linghu Yu heard this rumor and conspired to support Sima Biao. When the plot was uncovered, Wang Ling and his accomplices were executed, and Sima Biao was sentenced to death as well.
When Sun Liang just ascended to the throne, a children's rhyme emerged: "Oh, Zhuge Ke, how are you, how are you, a single garment made of reeds, a rope made of bamboo strips, where can you find the stone mound?" "Stone mound" is a metaphor for the stone mound. "The rope fell" refers to the rope. Later, Zhuge Ke was indeed killed, his body wrapped in reed mats, tied with bamboo strips, and thrown to the stone mound. Later, Zhuge Ke's old subordinates found his body on the stone mound. When Sun Liang just ascended the throne, there were white toads calling in the area of Gong'an. The nursery rhyme goes: "White toads call, the turtle's back is flat; in the city of Nanjun, you can live a long life, staying loyal even in death; righteousness also has no achievements." "In the city of Nanjun, you can live a long life" means that when encountering danger, you can easily escape. The following year, Zhuge Ke was killed, and his brother, Zhuge Rong, who was stationed in Gong'an, was also attacked. Zhuge Rong scraped off the shell of the golden seal and consumed it, resulting in his death. The toad, which has scaly skin, symbolizes weapons, and is white, symbolizing auspiciousness. In the second year of Yong'an of Sun Xiu, the generals were entertaining the hostages, and suddenly a strange child appeared, saying, "San Gong Chou, Sima Ru." He also said, "I am not a human; I am the star of Venus." After speaking, he rose into the air, looking up as if dragging a white ribbon behind him, and disappeared after a while. Gan Bao said that four years later, Shu was destroyed, six years later, Wei was destroyed, and twenty-one years later, Wu was destroyed; the realm would fall under the Jin Dynasty. The three kingdoms of Wei, Wu, and Shu were all during the Warring States period, and the phrase "San Gong Chou, Sima Ru" means this. When Sun Hao just became emperor, the common people sang a nursery rhyme: "I'd rather drink Jianye's water than eat Wuchang's fish; I'd rather die in Jianye than live in Wuchang!" Sun Hao insisted on moving the capital to Wuchang, and as a result, the common people had to transport goods along the river for him, each one seething with resentment.
Sun Hao also sent people to the demon temple at the foot of Shiyin Mountain to offer sacrifices. The messenger took the opportunity to write a few words on the mountain rocks with red pigment: "Chu State is the center of nine states, and Wu State is the capital of nine states. Scholars in Yangzhou will become emperors. With four generations ruling, the world will be a peaceful and prosperous era!" Sun Hao saw these words and became even more complacent, declaring, "From the great emperor to me, it has been four generations. Who else can bring about peace and prosperity besides me?" He grew increasingly reckless and soon his country perished. This nursery rhyme turned out to be eerily prophetic!
During Sun Hao's reign, another nursery rhyme appeared: "Ah Tong, Ah Tong, wandering along the river with a knife in hand. Not afraid of the tigers on the shore, only afraid of the dragons in the water." Emperor Wu of Jin heard this nursery rhyme and bestowed the title of "Dragon General" upon Wang Jun. Later, when attacking Wu State, other armies did not achieve much; only Wang Jun was the first to capture Moling.
After the Taikang period of Emperor Wu of Jin, several nursery rhymes appeared in Jiangnan. One of them was: "The flesh has shriveled into a lump, eyes slanting, China is about to perish, Wu State is about to revive." Another one was: "The pillars of the palace, don't rot, Wu State will revive, in thirty years." There was also one that said: "The rooster crows without even flapping its wings, Wu State's revival will be effortless." At the time, the people of Wu believed this referred to the rise of the Sun clan's descendants, so those who wanted to rebel emerged one after another. Upon closer examination, "eyes slanting" may refer to the character for "four." From the downfall of Wu State to the enthronement of Emperor Yuan of Jin, it was about forty years; the nursery rhyme proved strikingly accurate! Emperor Yuan was weak and indecisive, just like the "flesh has shriveled into a lump" mentioned in the nursery rhyme, which was a direct criticism of him. Gan Bao remarked, "I don't know who this refers to," which was a way to avoid taboo.
During the end of the Taikang era, a song called "Weeping Willows" became popular in the Jingluo region. The song initially described the hardships of war, but eventually turned into scenes of capturing and killing enemies. At that time, the Sanyang family held significant power, but they were all eventually wiped out; the Empress Dowager was deposed and lived in sorrow until her death.
During the Yongxi era of Emperor Huidi of Jin, a deranged man emerged in Wen County, Henan, who wrote these words: "Bright and long, the great halberd forms a wall. Though poison may flow, the halberd ultimately harms itself." He also wrote: "Two fires without a place, alas, the autumn orchid flower. Returning to the street post, passersby lament." This means that although power is prominent, like a great halberd, it will eventually suffer its own consequences. It is also mentioned that someone died and was buried north of the street post, evoking sympathy. In this, "two fires" refers to the taboo of Emperor Wudi of Jin, and "autumn orchid flower" is the nickname of Empress Yang.
At that time, Yang Jun was in power, using the great halberd as a guard, and when he died, he was also killed by the great halberd. After Empress Yang was deposed, Jia Hou cut off her food and drink, and she died eight days later, buried north of the street post, and the common people mourned her.
During the Yongxi era, there was also a nursery rhyme that went like this: "End of February, beginning of March, Jing and Yang issue decrees, the palace's mighty steeds behave like donkeys." This refers to when Yang Jun began to monopolize power, the King of Chu also started to participate in court affairs, thus the reference to "Jing and Yang." If these two individuals were not eliminated, the relationship between ruler and subjects would descend into chaos.
During the reign of Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty, there was a nursery rhyme circulating in the capital city of Luoyang: "The southern wind rises, blowing white sand, looking at the towering mountains of Lu Kingdom from afar, a thousand-year-old skull has grown teeth." It also said: "East of the city, the horseman Mo Long, by March he will be entangled in your mane." "Southern wind" refers to Empress Jia, "white" refers to the Jin Dynasty, "sand gate" is the prince's nickname, and "Lu" is the sealed country of Jia Mi. This nursery rhyme predicts that Empress Jia will rebel with Jia Mi, endangering the prince; while Prince Zhao will take advantage of the situation to suppress loyal subjects and eventually usurp the throne. At that time, the beloved prince had already lost the people's hearts and was eventually deposed and died tragically.
During the Yuan Kang period, people throughout the country were busy preparing for the Da Zhang Festival (a traditional holiday), and the nursery rhyme went: "Tusu Zhang Festival covers both ears, when you see a blind child become emperor." Later, Prince Zhao usurped the throne, and he indeed had vision issues. After Prince Zhao usurped the throne, another nursery rhyme circulated in Luoyang: "The tiger comes from the north with a sweaty nose, the dragon comes from the south to climb the city and see, the water comes from the west to flood." Several months later, the armies of Prince Qi, Prince Chengdu, Prince Hejian, and others united to take down Prince Zhao. The nursery rhyme says "the tiger comes from the north" because Prince Chengdu was in Ye City, north of Luoyang; "the dragon comes from the south" because Prince Qi was in Xuchang, east of Luoyang; "the water comes from the west" because Prince Hejian's territory was in Guanzhong, west of Luoyang. Prince Qi later served as regent, lived in the west of the palace, and harbored ambitions to usurp the throne, so the nursery rhyme says "climb the city to see."
Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Tai'an of the Jin Dynasty, people were passing down a nursery rhyme: "Five horses cross the river, one horse turns into a dragon." Later, there was chaos in the Central Plains region, and many royal families were wiped out; only a few royal lineages such as Langye, Runan, Xiyang, Nandun, and Pengcheng escaped to the south of the Yangtze River, and Emperor Yuan inherited the throne of the Jin Dynasty.
After Sima Yue returned to Luoyang, another children's rhyme emerged: "In Luoyang, there's a rat as long as two feet; if it doesn't leave soon, a big dog will come." As Gou Xi was on the verge of defeating Ji Sang, someone sang: "The Yuan brothers are in a big mess, Ji Sang is making trouble for Gou." This made Sima Yue resent Gou Xi, took over his Yanzhou, and the conflict between the two deepened, eventually leading to a confrontation.
During the Jianxing era of Emperor Min of Jin, a folk song spread throughout Jiangnan: "Hong is like a broken white pit, gathering together to make a pot. Yangzhou has fallen, Wuxing has been overturned." The folk song conveys: "Hong is like a broken white pit," referring to the capture of both capitals, Luoyang and Chang'an, causing the royal family to collapse completely. "Gathering together to make a pot" refers to Emperor Yuan gathering the remaining forces to barely maintain the court, failing to reclaim the Central Plains and instead relying on Jiangnan, hence using "pot" to symbolize the court's diminished scale. Later, the Battle of Shitoucheng occurred, as the Jin army faced a major defeat, soldiers looted everywhere, and even the imperial palace was ravaged. Three years later, Qian Feng attacked the capital again, holding out by the water for over a month, eventually setting the city ablaze, filling the wells, and cutting down all the trees. Qian Feng and others fled after their defeat, closely pursued by the imperial army, trampling through the counties along the way. Shen Chong and his son were killed, along with over a hundred others who rebelled with him. This aligns with the folk song "Yangzhou has fallen, Wuxing has been overturned," with "pot" also referring to a type of pottery, even smaller than a "pot."
During the reign of Emperor Jin Ming, another nursery rhyme emerged: "Cē lì, cē lì, by the mountain where horses roam. The big horse dies, the small horse starves; the high mountain collapses, the stones break themselves." Later, after the death of Emperor Ming, Emperor Cheng was still young and was pressured by Su Jun to move to Shitou City, where food supplies were scarce. "Gāo shān bēng" refers to the quick death of Su Jun; "shí" refers to Su Jun's brother Su Shi, who took over Shitou City after Su Jun's death and was later defeated by the imperial army.
Emperor Cheng of Jin was not doing well, and at that time there was a rumor circulating among the people: "Xì xì hé lóng lóng, jià chē rù zǐ gōng." Not long after, the emperor passed away, and the rumor came true. In December of the second year of Xiankang, rumors began to spread in Hebei: "Mài rù tǔ, shā shí hǔ." Consequently, Shi Hu also died, confirming the rumor.
When Yu Liang first went to Wuchang for his new position, as he passed by Shitou City, the common people sang by the riverbank: "Yú gōng shàng wǔ chāng, piān piān rú fēi niǎo. Yú gōng hái yángzhōu, bái mǎ qiān liú zhì." Some sang: "Yú gōng chū shàng shí, piān piān rú fēi niǎo. Yú gōng hái yángzhōu, bái mǎ qiān liú sū." As a result, Yu Liang was summoned several times but did not go, and eventually died before being brought back to the capital for burial.
When Yu Yi was in Wu County, children in Wu sang a nursery rhyme: "We'd rather eat water plants from the lower lake than from the upper lake. Yu Yi lost his life, and Wang Qia was killed." Not long after, both Yu Yi and Wang Qia died one after the other.
During the reign of Emperor Jin Mu in the Shengping period, children suddenly began singing in the streets: "Ā zǐ wén," and as soon as the song ended, they said: "Ā zǐ rǔ wén bù?" Not long after, Emperor Mu passed away, and the Empress Dowager wept, "Ā zǐ rǔ wén bù?" Towards the end of the Shengping period, a popular song began to circulate among the people. A man named Hu Qian heard it and said, "Lián means approaching. The song sings 'bái mén lián, gōngtíng lián,' inside and outside are both approaching; this is a serious taboo for the nation!" Not long after, Emperor Mu passed away.
During the reign of Emperor Ai of the Jin Dynasty, children sang a song at the start of the Longhe era: "Shengping is not satisfied, how can Longhe last long! Duke Huan entered the stone, the Emperor walks barefoot." The emperor was very angry after hearing this and changed the era name to Xingning. Consequently, the common people sang: "Although Xingning is changed, life is still boring." Not long after, Emperor Ai died. In the fifth year of Shengping, Emperor Mu passed away. In less than ten years, this era name lasted for less than a year.
During the reign of Haixi Gong of the Jin Dynasty, a folk song circulated: "Green imperial road willow, white horse with purple reins. You’re not the crown prince, so how could you have sweet dew?" In this song, "white" represents gold, "horse" represents the royal family, and "purple" is the color associated with usurpation, meaning that the purple reins are mixed with red. Haixi Gong was soon deposed; his three sons were not biologically his, and they all died, having been strangled with horse reins. The next day, the south offered sweet dew. As the Taihe era was coming to an end, the nursery rhyme went: "Plow oxen plow the imperial road, plant wheat at the white gate." After his deposition, Haixi Gong lived in Wudi, and the common people tilled the land and planted wheat outside his door, just like the rumors.
When Haixi Gong of the Jin Dynasty had a son, the common people sang a song: "The phoenix hatched a little baby, everyone in the world is happy. Originally thought it was a little foal, but it turned out to be a real dragon!" This song is both beautiful and deeply meaningful. In fact, Haixi Gong himself had no son; he had his subordinates arrange a dragon (a man with the surname Long) with a palace eunuch to have a child, which he then claimed as his own son.
When Huan Shimin became the governor of Jingzhou and was stationed in Shangming, the common people suddenly sang a song: "Yellow Tanzi!" When the song stopped, they sang again: "Huang Tan Ying, the great Buddha of Yangzhou comes to Shangming!" Shortly after, Huan Shimin passed away, and Wang Chen succeeded him as the governor of Jingzhou. "Huang Tanzi" was Wang Chen's nickname; his nickname was Buddha Da, which explains why they sang "the great Buddha comes to Shangming."
In the later years of Taiyuan, there was a rumor circulating in Jingkou: "Yellow mother hen, don't learn from the rooster to crow. Once the feathers are shed, you will be taken to feed the eagle." Soon after, Wang Gong rose up to kill Wang Guobao, but was quickly defeated by Liu Laozhi.
Sima Daozi built a mound in the Eastern Palace and named it Mount Lingshuo. Not long after, Sun En rebelled and once again captured Kuaiji. Kuaiji was the county that Sima Daozi was enfeoffed in; Lingshuo was Sun En's nickname. Yu Kai guarded Liyang, and the locals sang: "Heavy plowing, heavy plowing, the lord heads south never to return!" Later, Yu Kai fled south to join Huan Xuan, but was killed by Huan Xuan. When Yin Zhongkan was in Jingzhou, a children's rhyme said: "Thorns prick the eyes, ropes bind the belly. Yin Zhongkan is about to fail, and Huan Xuan is about to rise again." Not long after, Yin Zhongkan was defeated, and Huan Xuan occupied Jingzhou.
Wang Gong guarded Jingkou and rose up to kill Wang Guobao. The common people spread rumors: "Used to eat white rice, now eating bran. Heaven wants to punish you, making your throat choke. Choking again and again, Jingkou repeatedly fought and lost!" "Used to eat white rice" means being prosperous; "now eating bran" means rough bran, indicating failure is imminent, and heaven wants to punish him. "Choking throat" signifies breathing difficulty, a sign of death. "Repeatedly fought and lost" emphasizes the message. Wang Gong later died in battle, and a coughing disease spread in the capital, leaving many people with choking throats. While Wang Gong was in Jingkou, suddenly a rumor spread among the people: "The yellow-headed little man wants to rebel, the old man is in the city, tie him up!" It was also said: "The yellow-headed little man wants to rebel, thankfully, there's a golden sword to protect us." The character "黄" (yellow) has the radical of "恭" (Gong) above it; "小人" (small person) is the part below the character "恭". Later, the rumor ultimately proved true.
During the reign of Emperor Jian'an of the Jin Dynasty, a folk song called "Song of Regret" suddenly appeared, singing lines like "Grass can be knotted, daughters can be embraced." Later, Huan Xuan usurped the throne, and the rebel army seized the capital on the second day of the third lunar month. The palace maids of Huan Xuan, as well as the daughters, entertainers, and concubines of those who participated in the rebellion, were all given as rewards to the soldiers. From the Ou Yue region in the east to the Huai Si region in the north, people everywhere were sharing in the spoils. At that time, the grass was just right for knotting, and as the song suggested, women were casually embraced, which indeed came to pass!
After Huan Xuan usurped the throne, another folk rhyme emerged: "Grass grows to the horse's belly, crows peck at Huan Xuan's eyes." When Huan Xuan was defeated and fled to Jiangling, he was killed in May, just as the nursery rhyme foretold. During Huan Xuan's reign, a popular saying circulated among the people: "When the bell falls, Huan runs away." The "bell" refers to the lowest grade of clothing; "Huan" refers to the lower half of a person. Huan Xuan rose from a lowly status to the highest position, just like the song of the bell, which was the common people's evaluation of his lowly background. "Falling" refers to falling, foreshadowing his failure; "running away" refers to fleeing, and this popular saying's prophecy also came true.
When Sima Yuanxian was in power, there was a poem circulating among the people: "When there are eleven mouths, they will be wounded by the soldiers. The wood will cross to the north, entering the vast village." It also said: "The golden knife carves slowly within the golden city." This poem is attributed to the Daoist Zhutianlin from Xiangyang and contained numerous themes, being widely circulated among the people. Meng Yi explained that "eleven mouths" refers to the character "Xuan"; "wood crossing" refers to "Huan." The Huan family eventually fled to Guanzhong and Luoyang, which is why it refers to the "vast village." "Golden knife" refers to "Liu," the general who led the uprising at that time, many of whom were surnamed Liu. "Slowly" describes a prosperous and flourishing appearance.
When Huan Xuan was at the height of his power, there was a nursery rhyme circulating among the people: "Changgan Lane, the lane stretches on. This year, the lord will be killed, next year the Huan family will face execution." Later, when Huan Xuan fled, all the people of the Huan family were killed. The "lord" mentioned in this nursery rhyme refers to Sima Yuanxian.
At the beginning of the Yixi period of Emperor Jin An, there was a nursery rhyme circulating among the people: "The officials cultivate reeds, turning them into thatch; the reeds grow without end, piling up on their own." At that time, the court highly favored Lu Long, giving him high official positions and rich rewards, appointing him as a governor, and showering him with favor. However, he failed to show gratitude; instead, he rebelled and eventually became an enemy of the court. "The reeds grow without end, piling up on their own" was repeatedly mentioned by people after Lu Long's rebellion, and everyone disliked this phrase predicting that Lu Long's power would grow. Those who understood analyzed: "Cutting down the reeds, piling them up, and burning them marks their end; using them as firewood also leads to their demise." Lu Long eventually exhausted his forces; despite having many ships, he was ultimately destroyed, with corpses littering the ground like heaps of straw.
Lu Long occupied Guangzhou, and rumors began to circulate: "The reeds grow without end, stretching halfway to the heavens." Later, he controlled several provinces upstream of the Yangtze River, with his troops approaching the capital, fulfilling the saying of "stretching halfway to the heavens."
In the third year of the Yixi era, when children encountered each other on the road, they would always raise their hands and chant "Lu Jianjian" first, then say "Dou Tan Dou Tan," and finally say "Weng Nianlao, Weng Nianlao." At that time, no one understood what it signified. Later, the rebel army of Lu Long advanced toward the capital, their ships covering the river; "Jianjian" referred to the formidable presence of the Lu Long army. After the rebels reached Chapu, they repeatedly arranged battles with the imperial forces, and the phrase "Dou Tan" proved to be prophetic. As for "Weng Nianlao," it referred to the fact that many high-ranking officials in the court were elderly, implying that the traitorous rebels would eventually be naturally eliminated. At that time, a rumor circulated: "Lu Chengcheng, chasing the water flow, the east wind suddenly rises, how can it enter the Stone City?" Lu Long was ultimately defeated and were unable to enter the Stone City (Jiankang). Previously, when Wen Qiao consulted Guo Jingchun about the fortunes of himself and Yu Liang, Guo Jingchun said "great fortune." Wen Qiao remarked to Yu Liang, "Every time Guo Jingchun performs a divination, he hesitates to be direct. Since he said that our shared fate with the country is 'great fortune,' the matter will be successful." So they teamed up to suppress Wang Dun's rebellion. When Fu Jian was in power, a nursery rhyme circulated among the people: "Ah Jian has been in power for thirty years; if he were to fall, it would be by the riverside." Later, Fu Jian was indeed defeated in the Battle of Feishui, and his time in power was exactly thirty years. That nursery rhyme turned out to be quite prophetic! It was also said that during that time, a saying circulated: "The river water is clear, Fu Zhao dies in Xincheng." Consequently, Fu Jian was indeed killed by Yao Chang, meeting his end in Xincheng. Additionally, a popular folk song was circulating at that time: "Fish and sheep fields will destroy Qin." In this folk song, "fish and sheep" refers to the Xianbei tribe, and "fields and fights" refer to the humble, meaning that the ones destined to bring down the state of Qin (which Fu Jian claimed to rule) would be the Xianbei tribe. Fu Jian's officials once advised him to quickly kill all the Xianbei people to prevent future troubles, but he did not listen. As a result, after the Battle of Feishui, he was pursued by Murong Chong, fled to Yao Chang, and ultimately died with the state, fulfilling the prophecy of this folk song.
Next, let's talk about some strange occurrences during the Jin Dynasty. These strange events were all considered to be "omens of misfortune," indicating bad luck. In the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, a two-legged tiger was presented from Nanyang, which was quite an unusual sight! At that time, scholars wrote an article about it, stating: "The martial appearance is flawed, the golden tiger is out of place, the sovereign must heed the heavens, what is this strangeness?" This indicates that it was not an ordinary occurrence. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes Commentary": "Having few legs means it is unable to stand." Gan Bao explained: "The tiger embodies yin essence while residing in yang; it is also a golden beast. Nanyang is the name associated with fire. The golden essence enters the fire and loses its form, leading to chaos in the royal family. Six is the number associated with water, suggesting that when it reaches its limit, the fire calamity will occur, causing the defeat of gold." Gan Bao also mentioned that from the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin to the removal of Emperor Minhai, it was a total of thirty-five years, and "twenty-seven multiplied by four equals seventy-four, the number of fire continuously multiplying," all hinting at turmoil within the royal family. Indeed, fourteen years later, Emperor Wu of Jin executed his crown prince. In the ninth year of Taikang, Jingzhou presented yet another two-legged creature. In the seventh year of Taikang, in the eleventh month of Bingchen, a four-horned beast appeared in Hejian, which King Yong of Hejian presented to the court. Dong Zhongshu interpreted the four horns as symbols of the four directions, and King Yong of Hejian did indeed unite forces from all directions, triggering turmoil that seemed to confirm this omen. Lastly, let's talk about another strange event. In the fifth year of Emperor Huai of Jin's Yongjia era, a "yan shu" appeared in Yanling, which was also seen as an "omen of misfortune." At that time, a man named Guo Jingchun performed a divination and stated: "In the east of this county, there will be a demon who desires control, but he will soon meet his own demise." Later, Xu Fu from Wuxing did rebel, killing the magistrate Yuan Xiu, but Xu Fu himself was soon eliminated, thus fulfilling the prophecy. These strange events truly provoke deep and fearful contemplation!
In the sixth year of Emperor Jin Chengdi Xianhe, on the Dingsi day of the first month, a grand event was held in the Lexian Hall of Huizhou County to commend outstanding talents. Surprisingly, someone caught a "dan" (a type of rodent) in front of the hall. Sun Sheng commented, "This 'xiuxiao' is a rare outstanding talent in the world, and the 'Lexian Hall' is built to cultivate and cherish talents. However, ever since the Jin Dynasty went through turmoil, the social atmosphere has deteriorated, and those so-called outstanding talents lack genuine skills. Those so-called filial sons and virtuous ministers also lack true moral cultivation. The appearance of the 'dan' in front of the hall might be a reflection of this."
In the first year of Emperor Jin Aididi Longhe, in the tenth month of Jiashen, a "zhu" (a type of deer known as a 'zhu') ran into the mansion of the East Sea King. The common people speculated, "The lord is going to move to the mansion of the East Sea King!" Some knowledgeable people found it strange. Later, the King of Haixi was deposed and renamed as the East Sea King, and indeed was first sent to that mansion.
In the thirteenth year of Emperor Jin Xiaowudi Taiyuan, in the fourth month of Guisi, after the sacrificial activities ended, a rabbit ran into the temple. Rabbits are wild animals, and running into the ancestral temple for sacrifices is extremely inauspicious!
In the twenty-fourth year of Emperor Song Wendi Yuanjia, in the second month, Yongzhou presented a six-legged deer, and the governor, Wuling King, also submitted a memorial saying this was an auspicious omen. In reality, this was merely a deformed animal caused by caterpillar activity.
In the first year of Emperor Song Shun, three elephants crossed Cai Island, and they also trampled on rice and fields.
What follows are some accounts of the "dog disaster":
The dog raised by Gongsun Yuan's family was surprisingly dressed in a hat and red clothes, and ran up to the roof! This is a very ominous sign! The roof is a high place, as if heaven itself were warning him: Gongsun Yuan, you’ve become too arrogant and self-important, even dressing up your dog! As a result, after he declared himself King of Yan, he was indeed destroyed by the Wei Kingdom. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "If the ruler is not righteous, the ministers will think of usurping the throne, and at this time, there will be demon dogs running outside the court gates."
In the Wei Kingdom, the attendant Ying Qu suddenly saw a white dog in his duty residence, but no one else saw it. A year later, Ying Qu died. This might be another instance of a "dog disaster."
When Zhuge Ke returned from conquering Huainan and was preparing to go to court, a dog clamped down on his clothes and wouldn’t let go. Zhuge Ke remarked, "Is this dog trying to stop me?" He sat down again, but after a while, he stood up again, and the dog bit his clothes again. Zhuge Ke had to have the dog driven away. However, as soon as he got into the carriage, he was assassinated.
In the ninth year of Emperor Tai Kang of the Jin Dynasty, a dog appeared in Youzhou, using its nose to dig over three hundred steps into the ground!
During the reign of Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty, people in Lou County, Wu County, discovered the sound of dogs barking underground. They dug it up and found a pair of dogs, one male and one female. They put the dogs back in the hole and covered it with a millstone, but by the next morning, the dogs had vanished. During the reign of Emperor Yuan Xing, the Wu County government dug up two similar dogs. Later, the governor of Wu County, Zhang Mao, was killed by the Wu Xing army. The "Records of the Xia Ding" recorded: "Digging up dogs is called Jia." The "Shi Zi" said: "There are dogs underground, called earth wolves." In fact, they refer to the same thing, just by different names. In the first year of Emperor Yongxing of the Jin Dynasty, the dog belonging to Zhu Kui, the internal historian from Danyang, gave birth to three puppies, but they all had no heads. Later, Zhu Kui was killed by the Governor of Yangzhou, Cao Wu.
During the fifth year of Emperor Xiaohuai of Jin, a dog from the Zhang family in Jiaxing, Wu County, remarked, "People all over the world are going to starve to death!"
In the early period of Emperor An of Jin's Long'an reign, dogs in Wu County often barked incessantly at night and gathered on the high bridge. Although the number of dogs in each household was limited, the barking was overwhelming. Some curious onlookers went out to investigate at night and said that a dog appeared to have two or three heads, all barking in front. Not long after, Sun En rebelled in the Wu area.
Huan Xuan was about to be appointed as the King of Chu, the seat for the ceremony was all prepared, and the courtiers were seated nearby, but before Huan Xuan came out, a dog ran to his seat. With so many people present, everyone felt very strange. Huan Xuan was suspicious and irritable; no one dared to speak up, and they could only drive the dog away and change seats.
In the second year of Emperor Wu of Song's Yongchu era, there were also dogs in the capital city that spoke human language.
In the twenty-ninth year of Emperor Wen of Song's Yuanjia, there was a maid named Meng Huidu in Wuxing who had a bond with a dog that was as close as that of a husband and wife for several years.
In the early period of Emperor Xiaojian of Xiaowu, Yan Jun served as the Left Guard General and heard the sound of a puppy barking underground in the yamen. When they dug it up, they uncovered a black puppy. After raising it for a long time, the puppy died.
In the early years of Emperor Ming, Prince Xun of Jin claimed himself emperor in Xunyang, and there was a dog and a woman in Chaisang who remained inseparable for three days and nights. During the Taishi era of Emperor Ming, Zhang Senghu's dog in Moling gave birth to a piglet.
Baisheng Baixiang:
In the tenth year of Emperor Wu of Jin's Taikang era, in the Shisheng area in Yiqiu in the west of the Luoyang Palace, there was a stone that initially stood just three feet tall, resembling a censer, but later it became like a person bending over, flat and thin, unable to be moved. Liu Xiang said that this was a Baisheng. The following year, the imperial carriage collapsed, and the royal family fell into turmoil, ultimately ending in destruction. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" said, "Stones standing upright like people, the common people would rise to power." This situation is very similar to that of Baisheng.
During the Xiankang period of Emperor Cheng of Jin Dynasty, fuzzy growths appeared on the ground, similar to the ancient omen of "white omen." Sun Sheng thought this was a sign of the people's suffering. After the elimination of the Hu people, the Central Plains region began to stabilize, and the court officials were at peace. However, local officials were frequently replaced, and border troops were often moved, often numbering in the tens of thousands. Ongoing wars and heavy taxes weighed down the people, leading to chaos and widespread discontent. In the third year of Xiankang, June, fuzzy growths appeared on the ground again.
In the second year of Taiyuan of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin Dynasty, in May, fuzzy growths appeared in the capital as well. By the fourth year of Taiyuan, the rebel army of the Di tribe attacked Xiangyang, surrounded Pengcheng, and threatened Guangling, leading to continuous military campaigns. In the fourteenth year of Taiyuan, in April, the capital saw the fuzzy growths again. After Fu Jian's downfall, the court was busy handling various matters. In the seventeenth year of Taiyuan, in April, fuzzy growths appeared on the ground again.
On the day of Yiwu in the fourth month of the fourth year of Long'an of Emperor An of Jin Dynasty, both white and black fuzz appeared on the ground. This "hairy growth" phenomenon also occurred in Jiangling in the fifth month of the third year of Yuanxing of Emperor An. After that, Jiangling was repeatedly attacked, and the fighting continued. In the third month of Yixi of Emperor An, white fuzz appeared on the ground. In the tenth year of Yixi, white fuzz appeared again in March. The following year, the court's forces headed west to confront Sima Xiuzhi. A year later, they moved north to clear out Guanzhong and Luoyang.
In the third year of the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, on the day of Yihai in the first month, meteorites fell in the Shouguang region. According to the records of "Zuo Zhuan," the falling meteorites were regarded as stars. Liu Xin explained: "When stars fall in the State of Song, it symbolizes that Duke Xiang of Song will receive support from the vassals, but he will meet a tragic fate." During the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, there was also a case of falling meteorites. Ban Gu believed that falling meteorites resembled dark stones, and their white color was an auspicious sign that ministers would endanger the monarch. Later, the Sima clan eventually rose to power.
In May of the fifth year of Emperor Wu of Jin's Taikang reign, meteorites fell in Wen County and Heyang County. In the first month of the sixth year of Taikang reign, three meteorites fell in Wen County.
In the fifth month of the eighth year of Xianhe reign of Emperor Cheng of Jin, a star fell in the Feixiang region. In the first month of the ninth year of Xianhe reign, meteorites fell in the Liangzhou region.
In the fifth month of the second year of Wusun Liang Wufeng, a large rock inexplicably stood upright in Li Mountain, Yangxian County. According to Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan," it is said: "Commoners are an auspicious sign for the emperor." This means: "A stone standing on a mountain is of the same surname; standing on flat ground is of a different surname." Gan Bao believed this was a sign that Sun Hao would inherit the deposed family and ascend the throne; others said it was an auspicious sign of Sun Xiu's accession.
In the twelfth month of the year 305 AD (fifth year of Emperor Hui of Jin), a stone appeared in Yining Village. In the year 306 AD (first year of Emperor Yongkang of Jin), Xiangyang County reported the discovery of a singing stone, which could be heard seven or eight li away when hit. In the year 308 AD (first year of Emperor Taian of Jin), a huge stone appeared in Xiajia Lake in Danyang County, floating for two hundred steps before finally reaching the shore. The common people panicked, shouting to each other: "The stone is coming!" Gan Bao predicted, "Soon, stones like ice will descend upon Jianye."
In the eighth year of the Tai Shi era of Emperor Jin Wudi, in May, white downy rain fell in the Shu region. This was considered an auspicious sign! At that time, Huangfu Yan, the governor of Yizhou, went to attack the Wenshan Hu people despite the sweltering heat. His subordinate He Lu strongly urged him not to go, but he did not listen. Zhang Hong, the palace gatekeeper, and others took advantage of the soldiers' complaints and falsely accused Huangfu Yan of treason, which ultimately led to his death. The "Jing Fang Yi Zhuan" states: "First joy, then sorrow; this strange phenomenon is a sign of feathers falling from the sky." It also says: "When the wicked gain power and the good flee, feathers fall from the sky." The "Jing Fang Yi Yao" also states: "Feathers fall from the sky, and the nobleman must flee." All three divinations were fulfilled.
In the year 313 AD (the first year of the Yongning era of Emperor Jin Huidi), Prince Qi Jiong rebelled. In his army was a child from Xiangcheng Fanchang County, only eight years old, with white hair and skilled in divination. According to the "Hong Fan," this was likewise seen as an auspicious sign.
During the Jin Dynasty, the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, Sima Teng, moved from Bingzhou to Ye City, passing through Zhending. By then, snow had accumulated for quite some time, but a few feet in front of the gate had melted. Sima Teng found this strange and had it dug up, revealing a jade horse about a foot high with a missing mouth and teeth. Sima Teng believed the horse symbolized the country and offered the jade horse to the court as a sign of good fortune. However, commentators said that a horse without teeth cannot eat, which was seen as an inauspicious omen and a sign of decline. But according to divination, this was still considered auspicious. Later, Sima Teng was killed by Ji Sang, which ultimately contributed to the fall of the Jin Dynasty.
During the Yuanjia reign of Emperor Song Wendi, Xu Zhanzhi served as the magistrate of Danyang. One night, a mist resembling a white ribbon appeared at the west gate, pointing southwest for dozens of yards. There was also a white light covering the houses that lingered for a while before slowly fading away. This was also viewed as an auspicious sign.
In the first year of Emperor Jinghe's reign, Deng Wan was in Xunyang, where the purple flowers he planted turned white, which was viewed as an inauspicious sign.
During the reign of King Zhengshi of Wei and Qi, the magistrate Li Sheng was working in his office when a small wooden beam suddenly fell down and struck Fu Shihu on the neck, breaking it. This was a portent of wood overcoming metal. Li Sheng met with failure just over ten days later.
In the eighth year of Emperor Hui of Jin, in the third month, the stones of the suburban altar split in two by themselves. This is called "wood overcoming metal," which is an ill omen! The suburban altar is a place for worshiping the god of fertility, and if it were to vanish, it means the crown prince will be in trouble, which is an unlucky omen! As a result, the next year, the crown prince Min Huai met his demise.
In the tenth year of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, in the fourth month, Xie An was appointed as the governor of Guangling. Just as he departed from the Stone City, the golden drum inexplicably split. This was also a strange event of "wood overcoming metal"! It seemed as though the heavens were proclaiming, "Xie An, despite your efforts to showcase your military prowess throughout Yangzhou, ultimately, it will all be for naught. You won't even have use for this golden drum, foretelling your downfall!" In August, Xie An returned to the capital because of illness, and he passed away that very month.
