In the "Book of Five Elements," it is said: "Abandoning the law, suppressing meritorious officials, killing the crown prince, and making a concubine the empress, this is a sign that the fire does not burn upwards." This means that fire has lost its original nature and instead turned into a disaster. The book also says: "Failing to see the situation clearly is unwise. Its sins will spread, and the punishment will be a relentless heat, eventually developing into a disaster. Sometimes there will be a plague affecting plants, sometimes there will be disease among the sheep, sometimes there will be an outbreak of eye diseases, and sometimes there will be ominous or auspicious red omens appearing. Ultimately, it is all caused by the imbalance of water and fire." Liu Xin explained in the "Book of Han" that "naked insects" refers to flying insects.
The phrase "fire does not burn upwards" is no mere joke. In the fifth month of the fifth year of the Taihe era under Emperor Ming of Wei, the Qing Shang Palace caught fire. It is said that initially, when Emperor Ming was still the King of Pingyuan, he married Lady Yu from Henan as his consort. When he became emperor, he did not make her empress, but instead made Mao Jia, the daughter of a chariot maker, empress. This Empress Mao came from humble origins and was not at all worthy of being empress; this serves as the retribution for elevating a concubine to the status of a wife!
In the first year of the Qinglong reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, in the sixth month, the Jushi room in the Luoyang Palace caught fire again. Two years later, in the fourth month, the Chonghua Hall also caught fire, and the fire spread to the South Pavilion, necessitating urgent repairs. Yet, in the seventh month of the third year, the Chonghua Hall caught fire once more! Emperor Ming hurriedly asked Gaotang Long, "What’s happening? According to ritual and law, are there any sacrificial or prayer rituals to prevent this?" Gaotang Long replied, "The occurrence of disasters serves as a warning to rulers. Only by adhering to rituals, cultivating oneself, and practicing virtue can we avert disasters. The Book of Changes says, 'If extravagance is not curbed above, and indulgence is not restrained below, there will be fires burning down houses.' It also states, 'When a king builds a grand palace, it will attract fires.' Your Majesty, by excessively decorating the palace without considering the toil of the people, you have brought droughts from above and fires that start from your grand palace. Past divinations have indicated that fires occur as warnings for rulers to limit palace construction. It’s essential to halt these costly projects, practice frugality, clear the burnt areas, and avoid any further large-scale construction here. I believe that as long as Your Majesty is sincere and respectful, this place will definitely yield abundant crops." However, Emperor Ming did not listen and rebuilt the Chonghua Hall, renaming it the Nine Dragons Hall. It was said that people from various places claimed to have seen dragons, nine in total, hence the name. By blindly violating laws, exploiting the people, and satisfying personal desires, this is the consequence of "taking a concubine as a wife"!
In the first year of Sun Liang's reign, in December, Du'an Gate in Wuchang suddenly caught fire! After Du'an Gate was repaired, the inner hall caught fire again! This raised eyebrows. Looking back at historical records, during the Spring and Autumn period, the Zhi Gate and two high platforms in the State of Lu also caught fire. Dong Zhongshu said that this was a warning from heaven to Lu Dinggong to deal with the Ji clan, meaning that heaven wanted him to eliminate those who were arrogant and wasteful. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the Gaomiao in Liaodong also experienced a fire, with a similar explanation for the cause. This fire in Wuchang is reminiscent of these two incidents. Consider this: the gate is where orders are given, and the hall is where political matters are dealt with. At that time, Zhuge Ke and his peers were in power, acting arrogantly and looking down on everyone else; Sun Jun controlled the military, even more treacherous and vicious, committing all sorts of evil deeds. Wuchang is where the Sun family rose to power. This fire, like a warning from heaven, was telling them to get rid of those arrogant bully boys! Sure enough, Zhuge Ke later died in battle, and Sun Jun handed over power to Sun Chen, who eventually deposed Sun Liang. Some say this was due to Sun Quan demolishing part of Wuchang city to expand the Taichu Palace, and Zhuge Ke wanted to move the capital and rebuild the city gates and palaces, all of which were ill-timed and led to disaster. Jing Fang once said in the "Yi Zhuan": "If a ruler does not think about advancing virtue and cultivating his abilities, he will be consumed by the fire of demons and evil spirits burning down his palaces."
On the first day of the first month in Sun Liang's Taiping era, Jianye City caught fire again! This time, it was an act of arson. In the autumn of that year, Sun Chen began to seize power, using Sun Liang's orders as a cover to eliminate Lu Ju and Teng Yin. The following year, he also killed Zhu Yi. He completely ignored the law, arbitrarily executing loyal officials while acting with utter lawlessness!
In the second month of the fifth year of Sun Xiu's Yong'an reign, the North Tower of Baihu Gate caught fire. In the tenth month of the sixth year, the small city of Shitou also caught fire, burning 180 zhang to the southwest. At that time, the favorite minister Zhang Bu misused his power and acted wantonly, while talented individuals like Wei Zhao and Sheng Chong were sidelined. Sun Xiu even sent Chazhan and others on missions, disrupting the provinces, which ultimately led to the rebellion in Jiaozhi. These are all the reasons for the fires!
In the third month of the second year of Sun Hao's Jianheng reign, a major fire broke out, destroying over 10,000 households and killing over 700 people! Take a look at the "Spring and Autumn Annals"; the state of Qi also experienced a major fire, and Liu Xiang believed this was because Duke Huan of Qi was indulging in the harem, listening to women's words, and constantly changing wives as retribution. Sun Hao's rule was cruel, disregarding the law, burdening the people, and squandering resources, and killing many ministers and scholars. His harem included thousands of women, countless concubines, many of whom were favored and even wore the empress's seal. That's why such a large fire occurred.
On the Yi Chou day of the third month in the year 287 AD (the eighth year of Emperor Wu of Jin Taikang), the West Pavilion, the market where the King of Chu resided, and the Linshang Pavilion all experienced an earthquake. On the Gui Chou day of the same year in April, the Chongxian Hall caught fire. On the Geng Chen day of October, the Hanzhang Jushi, the front corridor of Xiucheng Tang, the East House of Neifang, and the South Pavilion of Huizhang Hall all caught fire. At that time, someone wrote to the emperor, stating, "During the Han Dynasty, the Wang brothers took turns in important positions; now the Yang family's three nobles hold power at the same time, natural disasters continue to occur, I am privately concerned for Your Majesty." Yang Yao therefore requested to resign. At that time, Emperor Wu of Jin fell for Feng Man's slander and stripped Zhang Hua of his honors; he believed the slander of Yang Jun and alienated Wei Guan. This is the consequence of punishing the loyal officials! The following year, Emperor Wu of Jin passed away. Later, following the hint from Emperor Wu of Jin before his death, the King of Chu executed two ministers, Yang Jun and Wei Guan, and he himself did not escape. An earthquake destroyed his mansion; could this also be the will of heaven?
In the year 299 AD (fifth year of the Yuan Kang reign of Emperor Hui of Jin Dynasty), on the day of Gengyin in the leap month, the armory caught fire. Zhang Hua suspected a rebellion and first organized personnel to defend, before attempting to extinguish the fire. As a result, rare and precious treasures from previous dynasties, such as Wang Mang's head, Confucius's shoes, the sword used by Emperor Gaozu of Han when he killed the white snake, and two million sets of military equipment, were all destroyed. In mourning for the crown prince's death, this is the retribution for his murder! The heavens warn us: fortifying strategic passes and setting up patrol posts are to strengthen the country; stockpiling military equipment is to guard against unforeseen circumstances. Now, the throne is about to fall, the state is about to perish, the imperial guards have nowhere to turn, who will protect the imperial army now? The emperor still did not wake up, ultimately leading to the demise of the country; this was an inevitable outcome. Zhang Hua and Yan Zuan both believed that the armory fire, the rebellion of the Di and Qiang tribes, and the crown prince's deposition have sealed the fate of the realm. In the year 302 AD (eighth year of the Yuan Kang reign), in the eleventh month, Gaoyuan Ling caught fire. At that time, Empress Jia was arrogant and domineering, while Jia Mi abused his power and committed numerous crimes, both deserving execution. The heavens warn us: even if one is the emperor's relative, if they commit crimes, they should be dealt with decisively, just like the burning of Gaoyuan Ling. The emperor was weak and incompetent; Zhang Hua ignored the advice of Pei Wei and Liu Bian, leading to Empress Jia and Jia Mi ultimately framing and killing the crown prince. Gan Bao said: "Gaoyuan Ling caught fire, the crown prince was deposed; this is an inevitable result. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Gaoyuan Bian caught fire, and Dong Zhongshu's divination parallels the current situation."
Legend has it that in the first year of Emperor Jin Huidi Yongkang, Empress Yang was about to enter the palace when her clothes unexpectedly caught fire, which puzzled everyone at the time. This was no small matter. Several years later, in the year 307 AD, Empress Yang's father, Yang Xuanzhi, died from overwhelming grief caused by Sima Ying's pressure. In the first year of Yongxing's reign, the Prince of Chengdu outright deposed the Empress, imprisoned her in Jinyong City, and even killed her uncle Yang Tong. Although she was later reinstated, she was deposed and reinstated four times, and finally sentenced to death, but was fortunately saved by Xun Fan's intervention. Although she did not die in the end, the injustices and humiliations she endured were unprecedented in history. This really fulfilled the "calamity fire" that occurred when her clothes caught fire at the beginning. In July of the year 307 AD, various departments of the Shangshu Province caught fire, spreading to Chongli Gate and Ge Road. This struck at the very foundation of the court, suggesting that those in power had forsaken the law, leading to such disasters. Prince Qinghe Sima Tan was declared the successor of the Jin Dynasty, but died before becoming emperor, which could be seen as retribution for the crown prince's murder. In November of the year 317 AD, a major fire broke out in Xiangyang City, leading to the deaths of over three thousand people. At that time, Wang Ru declared himself the Grand General, occupying Sizhou and Yongzhou, with forty to fifty thousand troops under his command, attacking counties everywhere and treating the territories he conquered as his own. Local officials and soldiers were unable to resist and could only defend their cities, resulting in the bandits attacking Xiangyang. This all stemmed from lower-level officials ignoring the rules and higher-level officials neglecting their responsibilities, resulting in the occurrence of the fire.
During the reign of Emperor Yuan of Jin, a fire broke out in Wuchang, where Wang Dun was stationed. Everyone rushed to put out the fire; however, while they were extinguishing one fire, another ignited elsewhere. Fires broke out in dozens of locations in every direction, and for several days, the fires could not be extinguished. This was akin to Ban Gu's description of "reckless fires igniting"; even mobilizing the army could not save the situation. Gan Bao remarked, "This disaster was caused by the misconduct of ministers and the ruler's loss of virtue." On the Gisi day in the first month of 326 AD, a large fire broke out in the capital. In March, fires also occurred in Rao'an, Dongguang, and Anling counties, burning down more than seven thousand households and causing the deaths of over fifteen thousand people.
In the first month of the Taiping era during the reign of Emperor Ming of Jin, the capital caught on fire again. At that time, Wang Dun exerted oppressive control over the court and engaged in numerous improper actions, causing resentment from all levels of the court. This disruption of yin and yang is what led to the fire. This is similar to what Dong Zhongshu said in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" about the reasons for fires.
In the sixth month of the fifth year of the Yonghe era of Emperor Mu of Jin, an earthquake destroyed Shi Hu's Taiwu Hall and the surrounding buildings and gate, with flames soaring into the sky, consuming everything made of gold and stone. The fire burned for over a month before it was extinguished. In April of that year, Shi Hu passed away, and subsequently, the Hu people were also defeated.
During the Taihe era in the Hai Xi region of the Jin Dynasty, Xi Yi became the governor of Kuaiji. In June, there was a severe drought, and many houses were burned down, with thousands of homes being destroyed. Even the granaries in Shanyin were destroyed, resulting in millions of bushels of grain reduced to ashes. During that time, thick smoke blanketed the sky, making it impossible to extinguish the fire.
In the first year of Ningkang in the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, a great fire broke out in the capital, burned fiercely! At that time, Huan Wen was attending court, plotting to seize power and usurp the throne; the young emperor had just taken the throne, and everyone was very worried and afraid. This fire was reminiscent of the one during the Taiping period. Later, in the tenth year of Taiyuan in the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, a national academy was established. The students were quite unruly and set the school on fire, and more than a hundred rooms were burned. Afterwards, the academy's assessment was not strict, and there was no clear system of rewards and punishments, giving the appearance of talent cultivation, but in reality, failing to produce any genuinely useful individuals. The Book of Documents says, "Knowing talents is wise." This situation regarding the national academy was foolish and self-inflicted! In the twelfth month of the thirteenth year of Taiyuan, Yanxian Hall caught fire. The next day, in the Bingshen year, Zhongsitang, Zebaitang, guesthouses, and the Biaoqi warehouse all burned down. At that time, the court was plagued by numerous issues, and the signs of the country's decline became increasingly apparent. These fires were punishments for foolishness and inaction, each with discernible signs. The emperor and the ministers did not understand, ultimately leading to the country's downfall.
In the second year of Long'an in the reign of Emperor An of Jin, the two dragon boats on which the emperor was seated burned. This was a disaster combining both water and fire! In the first year of Yuanxing in the reign of Emperor An of Jin, in the eighth month of Gengzi, the Shangshu Xiashe Cao also went up in flames. In the third year of Yuanxing, Lu Xun attacked Guangzhou, and Governor Wu Yinzhi tightly shut the city gates to defend. In the night of the tenth month of Renxu that year, a great fire suddenly broke out in Guangzhou. At that time, many civilians were fleeing the war and crowding into the city. Wu Yinzhi was afraid that the fire would give the enemy an opportunity, so he focused on strict defense instead of putting out the fire first. As a result, the government office was completely destroyed by the fire, tens of thousands of people died, and the people in the city scattered to escape, only to fall into Lu Xun's hands. This situation was similar to the fire in Xiangyang.
In the fourth year of the Yixi reign of Emperor Jin'an, in the seventh month of Dingyou, the Ministry of Personnel in the Imperial Secretariat caught fire again. In the eleventh year of Yixi, there were widespread fires in the capital, especially severe in the Wu region. Despite strict prevention measures at the time, the fires could not be put out. Wang Hong, the governor of Wu County at the time, saw a red object falling from the sky, like a small flag, onto the roof of a house in the south of the road, causing the fire to grow larger. Wang Hong recognized it as a natural disaster and chose not to pursue the arsonist's responsibility.
In the fifth year of the Yuanjia reign of Emperor Wen of Song, in the first month of Wuzi, a large fire broke out in the capital again. In the seventh year of Yuanjia, in the twelfth month of Yihai, the capital caught fire again, spreading to the north wall of Taishè. In the twenty-ninth year of Yuanjia, in the third month of Rengu, a large fire broke out in the capital again, amid fierce winds and thunder.
On a certain day in January of the year 255 AD, a big fire broke out in the capital, burning fiercely! Then in March, another massive fire destroyed thousands of homes on both sides of the river.
Oh, what a string of disasters! Some say these disasters are linked to unusual weather patterns. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu have said that when there is no frost in winter and plants are not frozen to death, it is not a good sign. Jing Fang also wrote in the "Yi Zhuan" that it's scorching hot in summer, yet everything thrives in winter, which are abnormal signs, suggesting that something bad is on the horizon.
In September of the year 243 AD, even the peach and plum trees blossomed! During that time, Sun Liang was in power, overburdening the common people with heavy taxes. Fortunately, after Zhuge Ke took over the administration, he reduced the corvée, exempted some debts, and abolished tolls and bridges, making the policies more lenient. So, the out-of-season blooming of the peach and plum trees was likely due to the improving political situation. Some believe it's a sign of bad omens.
In October of the year 260 AD, peach and plum trees bloomed again! This was in the third year of Emperor Yuan of Wei. Since the death of Gaoqiu Xianggong, Emperor Wen of Jin'an worked diligently to govern, with benevolent policies, allowing the people to live in peace and contentment. Therefore, this strange occurrence was likely a good sign.
In December of the year 355 AD, the peach and plum trees bloomed again! At that time, Emperor Jianwen was in power, and the political climate was relatively lenient, so this should also be a good omen.
In October of the year 477 AD, peach, plum, and medlar trees in Yuqian, Zhejiang actually bore fruit! What does this signify?
Let's talk about some strange occurrences involving plants. In January of the year 215 AD, when Cao Cao was building the Shijian Hall in Luoyang, the trees at the Zhaolong Temple bled when they were cut down; later, when the trees were dug up, even the roots bled! Cao Cao was terrified, fell ill, and died that very month. This is definitely a case of plants behaving strangely, and it is a red omen! This year was the first year of the Huangchu era of Emperor Wen of Wei.
In June of the year 251 AD, the grasses in Jiaozhi actually turned into rice! In ancient times, when the Sanmiao clan was on the brink of extinction, even the grains transformed. All of this is plants behaving strangely! Later, Sun Liang also met his end.
In the year 263 AD, during the reign of Liu Chan, the last ruler of Shu Han, a large tree in the palace inexplicably toppled over. Qiao Zhou was deeply concerned but felt he couldn't share his worries with anyone, so he wrote on a pillar: "When the masses are great, their meeting is certain; when things are complete, to whom will they be entrusted, and how will they be returned?" This meant that Cao Wei's power was formidable, the world was on the brink of unification, Wei was ready, what could Shu Han do? As a result, Shu Han did indeed fall, just as Qiao Zhou had said. This is once again plants behaving strangely!
In the first year of the Yong'an era, during Sun Hao's reign, Linping Lake in Wu County had been silted up since the late Han Dynasty. Suddenly, that night, it suddenly cleared, and there wasn't a weed in sight. The elders all said that when the lake was blocked, chaos reigned; when it opened, peace returned. Sure enough, Wu fell, and the nation was unified.
In the third year of Sun Haotian's reign, in the eighth month, inside the city of Jianye, Huang Dog's family unexpectedly grew a plant known as Ghost Eye Vegetable, clinging to a jujube tree. It was over ten feet long, with a stem four inches in diameter and three inches thick. Wu Ping's family also cultivated a plant known as Maicai, which was four feet tall and shaped like a loquat, with a rounded top measuring one foot eight inches across, a stem five inches thick at the base, and green leaves on both sides. According to the Dongguan Tulu, Ghost Eye Vegetable is also known as Zhicao, and Maicai is known as Pinglv. Sun Haotian subsequently appointed Huang Dog as "Zhilang" and Wu Ping as "Pinglulang," bestowing upon them both silver seals and blue sashes. Gan Bao said, "In the second year, the state of Jin subdued the state of Wu, and where Wang Jun's fleet docked was just at Pingzhu; the name and the event correspond clearly. This is the will of Heaven! The appearance of Ghost Eye Vegetable in Huang Dog's family is because Wu inherited the foundation of the Han Dynasty, so initially there was the auspicious sign of a yellow dragon, but in the end, there appeared the strange and ominous Ghost Eye Vegetable. The character for 'yellow' remains unchanged, yet the status has shifted drastically, showing the subtle response of the heavenly way!"
In the spring of the second year of Jin Huidi's reign, bamboo in Baxi County blossomed with purple flowers, producing fruit that resembled wheat, with green skin and a reddish-white interior, which was sweet to the taste. In the ninth year of Yuan Kang, on the Gengzi day of the sixth month, a mulberry tree grew in the east palace's west wing, growing over a foot each day; on the day of Jiachen, the mulberry tree withered and died. This echoed the strange occurrences during the reign of King Yinzhao. The Crown Prince failed to grasp the omens, ultimately leading to his deposition and execution. Ban Gu once said, "When wild trees suddenly grow at an alarming rate in the court, it signals that unscrupulous individuals will seize positions of power, foretelling that the court is destined for ruin." Eventually, Sun Xiu and Zhang Lin exploited their power, resulting in widespread chaos.
In the first year of Emperor Huidi of the Jin Dynasty, on the Dingsi day of the fourth month, Sima Zang was established as the Crown Prince. On the Jiazi day of the fifth month, Sima Zang moved into the Eastern Palace. Another mulberry grew in the West Wing. The following year, Zhao Lun seized the throne and poisoned Sima Zang to death, echoing the strange events of Crown Prince Minhuai's time. In the fourth month of the first year of Yongkang, a mulberry in Zhuangwu turned into a cypress. In the same month, Zhang Hua was killed. In the winter of the third year of Yongjia, the mulberry trees in Xiang County emitted sounds resembling woodcutting, and people said it was the "weeping of the mulberry forest." Liu Xiang noted that the character for mulberry is related to funerals and describes the sound of weeping, an ominous sign indeed. At that time, the capital was weak in military strength, and the Hu people invaded. Sima Yue was indifferent to properly defending the court. In the winter of the fourth year, Sima Yue led his army southward, and by the spring of the fifth year, he died in that city. Shi Le pursued and surrounded them, firing arrows in a chaotic frenzy, killing over 100,000 people, including nobles and commoners alike. Shi Le even pried open Sima Yue's coffin and burned his body. After this major defeat, no one was left to depend on in the Central Plains, and Luoyang was quickly captured. This came to pass as the omen of the weeping mulberry tree foretold.
In the sixth year of Yongjia, May, four fragrant olive trees appeared in Wuxi County, their branches intertwined like entwined branches. Previously, Guo Jingchun used tortoiseshell divination to predict a rebellion by Xu Fu, with the result being the "Yi" line of the "Lin" hexagram. He said, "In the future, there will be a kind of demon tree that looks auspicious, but is actually a spiny and prickly tree. If this happens, there will definitely be a rebellion within hundreds of miles to the southeast." Later, Xu Fu did indeed rebel. This was seen as a portent of strange plants and omens, and Guo Jingchun believed that trees should not be distorted. In the seventh month of the sixth year of Yongjia, a camphor tree in Yuzhang County had been dead for a long time, but suddenly became lush again this month, similar to the case of the dead tree in Changyi coming back to life. The Huai Emperor lost his throne, and Emperor Yuan rose from a collateral branch of the imperial family, fulfilling these signs.
In the first year of Taiping of Emperor Ming of Jin, in September, a tree grew in Yanshi County, Kuaiji, with patterns that resembled human faces on its trunk. Later, Wang Dun rebelled and failed. During the reigns of Emperor Ai and Emperor Ling of Han, similar strange trees appeared, with vivid human faces on the trees, causing greater chaos. This time, only human faces appeared on the trunk, resulting in relatively minor chaos.
In the sixth year of Xianhe, May, in Qu'a, a willow tree that had fallen to the ground for six years suddenly came back to life this month. In the ninth year of Xianhe, May, in Wuxiong's house, a dead elm tree miraculously came back to life due to the wind and rain on this day. This situation is very similar to the revival of a fallen willow tree in the Shanglin Garden of the Han Dynasty. Initially, Emperor Kang was the King of Wu; although later he was renamed the King of Langya, he still had a fief in Wu County. This foreshadowed the emperor's return to Wu to enjoy the beauty of the land. Qu'a was also part of Wu in the past, fulfilling the scenery of Wu's fiefdom and Wuxiong's house; this is also seen as heaven's will!
In May of the year 363 AD, a dead chestnut tree in the Xiuming family in Luling County, Xichang, Jiangxi suddenly came back to life! At that time, Emperor Xiaowu (Sima Yao) was only four years old, and Emperor Jianwen (Sima Yu) was still away, while the whole country was very stable. When Sima Yao grew up to become emperor, the country indeed prospered and flourished, thanks to his leadership. Some speculated that the revival of the chestnut tree in the Xiuming family was an auspicious sign, which reflected the meaning of the emperor's name "Yao," similar to the auspicious signs during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han.
In the year 386 AD, a bizarre phenomenon was reported in Liangzhou, where pine trees were found growing on poplar trees. It seemed like heaven was warning people: pine trees do not change their branches and leaves, while poplar trees are soft and fragile, indicating that the long-term stability of the nation was at risk. Later, Zhang Tianxi indeed surrendered to the Di tribe.
In June of the year 379 AD, some dead trees in Tongle County, Jianning, miraculously rejoined after breaking apart! The "Yi Zhuan" by Jing Fang states: "If one abandons the right path and indulges in debauchery, strange occurrences like trees breaking and reconnecting will appear; if the concubines hold power, trees will fall and then stand upright again." At that time, court politics were rife with corruption, leading to widespread disarray. Later, Lady Zhang gained favor, and following Emperor Sima Yao's death, the Zhang family was blamed.
In the year 404 AD, bamboo shoots resembling wheat grew in the Jingzhou and Jiangzhou regions. In September of 406 AD, in the home of soldier Chen Gai in the camp of General Yangwu in Yangzhou, a bitter melon grew, measuring four feet six inches tall and three feet two inches wide. This may be similar to the omens of the downfall of the Wu Kingdom. During the Yixi era, thistles grew on both sides of the imperial road, a strange phenomenon of plants seemingly coming to life! Thistles with long thorns made it impossible for people to pass through, growing on the palace walls and imperial road, as if the heavens were warning: the emperor was indecisive and unable to handle affairs of state, residing in the palace like it was empty; although there was an imperial road, it was never used, overgrown with thistles everywhere, as if abandoned. In the year 412 AD, an incense tree grew by the Taishetan. The incense tree was dark in color, associated with the water element of the Five Elements, a sign of the rise of the Song Dynasty.
To be continued: The curse of the winged insects.
In May of the year 223 AD, a group of pelicans appeared in the Lingzhi Pond of the imperial palace. According to Liu Xiang, these were ominous birds signaling misfortune. Emperor Wen of Wei issued a decree saying: "This is like the 'polluted pond' in the poem, Cao Zhi's poem criticizing the Duke for shunning noblemen while cozying up to villains. Are there truly no talented and virtuous people stuck in lowly positions? Otherwise, why would these birds come flying here? We should promote talented and virtuous individuals who conduct themselves well to respond to Cao Zhi's criticism!" As a result, people like Yang Biao and Guan Ning were recommended. This shows that Emperor Wen of Wei recognized these ominous signs and became wary. However, although he outwardly valued talent, he still favored his cronies and failed to genuinely uphold fairness and justice. The Commentary on the I Ching by Jing Fang also says: "If a ruler rejects virtuous individuals, ominous birds, like waterfowl, will flock to the wells of the capital." In the later years of the Huangchu era, there were strange reports of swallows giving birth to eagles in the palace, with bright red beaks and talons. This was similar to the anomalies seen during the reigns of King Zhou of Shang and King Yin of Song.
In 227 AD, another strange occurrence of a hawk-like bird with a swallow's beak being born appeared in the Li family of Juantao Village, Weiguo. This bird looked like a hawk but had a swallow's beak. Liu Xiang said that this was also an ominous sign, indicating a red disaster. Gao Tanglong said, "This is a significant upheaval in the Wei dynasty, and we should guard against ambitious people causing trouble internally." Later, Jin Xuanwang Sima Yi rose to power, and the Wei Kingdom was eventually replaced by the Sima family.
In 218 AD, a bald eagle appeared in the pond behind the Wenchang Hall in Ye Palace. The next year, Cao Cao died.
In 222 AD, this bird appeared again in the pond of Fanglin Garden in Luoyang. In 226 AD, it appeared again. That summer, Emperor Wen of Wei also died. In the later years of the Jingchu period, this bird appeared once again in the pond of Fanglin Garden. In the past, when this bird appeared twice, it was accompanied by major funerals, which Emperor Wen of Wei found very ominous. That year, Emperor Ming of Wei also died.
In October 231 AD, between Jiangyang and Jiangzhou in the Shu Han region, thousands of birds flew from the south to the north but couldn't make it across, falling into the water and drowning. At that time, Zhuge Liang had been waging war for many years, trying to unify the Central Plains, but he died at Weinan and failed to achieve his goal. Moreover, the generals of Shu Han fought each other, resulting in the loss of many soldiers. The fact that thousands of birds couldn't fly across the river and fell into the water and drowned corresponded to the situation at the time. Zhuge Liang ultimately failed to cross the Wei River; isn't this an omen? This is very similar to the tale of crows fighting and falling into the Sishui River during the Han and Chu dynasties.
In the year 235 AD, Dai Wei stayed at the home of Zhang Lian in Julu. Zhang Lian was a man of profound knowledge and noble character. Yuan Shao and Gao Gan invited him to work for them, but he refused. Even when Cao Cao invited him, he did not go. He lived a leisurely life with several hundred disciples, and the governor Wang Su respected him greatly. That year, Zhang Lian was already over a hundred years old. He said to his students, "This bird Dai Wei likes to stay in the sunshine, but it built a nest in the shade of my house. This is an ill omen!" After saying that, he picked up his zither and sang a song, then composed a poem. Ten days later, he passed on. It was later interpreted as a disaster brought by birds.
In the year 238 AD, Emperor Ming of Wei began to build the Lingxiao Pavilion, and a magpie nest was built on top. The magpie was black and white. This too was a disaster brought by birds, but the black and white colors symbolized both good and bad luck. Emperor Ming asked Gao Tanglong what this signified, and Gao Tanglong said, "In the Book of Songs, it says: 'Only magpies have nests, and only turtledoves inhabit them.' Now that we have just started building the palace, the magpie came to build its nest, indicating that the palace is not yet finished, but it has already moved in. This is not a good sign! It seems like fate is saying that before the palace is completed, it will be occupied by others, which is certainly worth pondering!" Upon hearing this, Emperor Ming's expression changed.
In April of the year 247 AD, in the eastern hall of Sun Quan's Wu Kingdom, two crows fell dead, dropping a magpie. Sun Quan ordered his prime minister Zhu Ju to burn the magpie as a sacrifice. According to Liu Xin's theory, this was a disaster brought by birds, and the black ominous sign indicated a punishment of blurred vision and decreased hearing. At that time, Sun Quan became arrogant, his grace diminished, he believed in slander, enjoyed killing, and his two sons were also in danger, causing anxiety among his ministers. He saw these strange phenomena but did not understand their meaning, and even ordered the magpie to be burned, demonstrating utter folly! The following year, the crown prince was deposed from his position, Prince Lu Ba was executed, Zhu Ju was demoted, and Lu Yi died of depression, all fulfilling the previous omens. The eastern hall was a place of education, and the magpie falling in the eastern hall, could it be a sign from heaven?
In January of the year 250 AD, Sun Quan appointed the former crown prince as the King of Nanyang and sent him to Changsha. As a result, a magpie nest was built on the mast of the ship. When his old subordinates heard about this, they were worried, believing it was a sign that the ship would capsize and not have lasting stability. Indeed, the crown prince indeed met a tragic end.
In the second year of Jianxing during Sun Liang's reign in November, five large birds appeared in Chunshen (modern-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). The people of Wu believed these were phoenixes, and the following year the reign title was changed to "Wufeng." During Emperor Huan of Han's reign, there were also sightings of five-colored large birds, as Sima Biao noted, "With a corrupt government, how could one attract phoenixes? It's just an overpopulation of birds." Sun Liang did not implement any good policies, and Sun Jun was arrogant and tyrannical, mirroring Emperor Huan. The "Ruiyingtu" records various large birds resembling phoenixes as ominous signs, likely all indicating the same situation. In the third year of Jianheng, Sun Hao claimed a phoenix had visited the West Garden and changed the reign title, mirroring Sun Liang's circumstances.
In the fourth year of the Taishi reign of Emperor Jinwu in August, a pheasant-like bird flew up to the Changhe Gate. After Zhao Lun usurped the throne, a strange bird appeared in Luoyang which no one could identify. Zhao Lun sent people with the bird to ask around, and after several days, a child in the palace recognized it as the "Fuliu bird." Just as they were about to enter the palace, Zhao Lun secretly locked up the bird and the child. The next day, both the bird and the child were gone. This was yet another strange occurrence attributed to an overpopulation of birds, and it was a very ominous sign.
After Zhao Lun usurped the throne, a quail flew into the Taiji Hall, and a pheasant landed in the Eastern Hall. Both the Taiji Hall and the Eastern Hall were places where the court held ceremonies and conducted government affairs. The quail and the pheasant arrived on the same day, as if the heavens were declaring that he did not deserve to hold this position. The Book of Odes says: "The magpie chirps, the quail flies and runs. If a person has bad character, how can he be a ruler?" This situation perfectly illustrates that! In the past, Emperor Yin was afraid when he heard the quail call, so he cultivated himself; Zhao Lun saw these two birds, but was not vigilant at all, so he ultimately perished.
In the first month of the Yongjia era of Emperor Jin Xiaohuai, a goose emerged from the ground in Buguanli in the northeast of Luoyang. A blue goose flew up into the sky, while a white goose stayed on the ground. This was another strange phenomenon caused by an overabundance of birds, and it was an ominous sign of black and white colors. Dong Yang said: "Buguan is the place where the Zhou Dynasty made alliances. The white goose symbolizes gold, and the blue goose symbolizes the barbarians. Can this be fully explained?" Afterwards, Liu Yuan and Shi Le successively dominated in the Central Plains; Emperor Huai and Emperor Min were both killed, this was no coincidence. During the reign of Emperor Xiaohuai of Jin, Zhou Ji had a goose in his house, and the goose's head was severed from its body while it was in the cage. After Zhou Ji's death, his family was also wiped out.
In the August of the third year of Emperor Jinming of the Taiping era, two large birds appeared that day. Their feathers were dark black, and their wingspan was as wide as fourteen feet. One of them landed at the Minister of Works' residence and was shot dead; the other landed on the roof of a household in the north of the city and was captured. The unusual sighting of these birds signaled bad omens. In the intercalary month of the Wuzi year, Emperor Jinming passed away. Later, there were rebellions led by Su Jun and Zu Yue.
This suggests that the sighting of those two large black birds was indeed an ominous sign. The emperor passed away, followed by rebellions, fulfilling the omens. In the second year of Emperor Jin Chengdi's Xianhe era, five seagulls appeared in the imperial palace. This was a good omen! However, at that time, Yu Liang did not heed everyone's advice and tried to summon Su Jun, but the attempt failed. Therefore, after the auspicious signs appeared, bad things happened instead. In the second month of the third year, Su Jun did rebel, the palace was burned down, and turned into ruins, fulfilling the previous omens. The good omens turned out to be bad ones. In the seventh month of the eighth year of Emperor Jin Chengdi's Xiankang era, a white egret landed on the roof of the palace. At that time, Emperor Kang had just ascended the throne, which was not a good lasting omen. Sure enough, not long after, the emperor passed away. Liu Xiang said, "When wild birds fly into the palace, the palace will be empty." When Zhang Guo was an official in Liangzhou, he released several sparrows and similar birds, but the moment he let them go, the birds died; the birds released by others flew away.
This illustrates that sometimes, omens of good and bad luck aren't definitive and must be analyzed in conjunction with the specific circumstances at the time. In the first month of the sixteenth year of Emperor Jin Xiaowu's reign, magpies built nests on the roof of the east side of the Taiji Palace, and also on the west side of the National University School. In the eighteenth year, the East Palace was finally completed. In the first month of the nineteenth year, magpies built nests at the west gate of the East Palace. This likely mirrors the divination results from the early years of the Wei Jing era. The National University School is a place for teaching and educating people; the west gate symbolizes good fortune in financial matters.
This indicates that the locations and timing of magpies nesting may also hint at upcoming events.
In the third year of the Yixi era under Emperor Jin'an, General Zhu Yi, known as Longxiang, was stationed in Shouyang. A maid was cooking when suddenly a group of crows flew in, eagerly pecking at the food, and the maid was unable to shoo them away. A hunting dog suddenly pounced and killed several crows, but the remaining crows retaliated and pecked the dog to death, even eating its meat and leaving only bones. Zhu Yi died in June of the fifth year.
This suggests that the abnormal behavior of the crows also foreshadowed Zhu Yi's death.
In the third year of the Yixi era under Emperor Wudi of Song, the Emperor conferred the title of Minister of Works upon Xu Xianzhi in the hall, with all the officials standing nearby, when two wild storks landed on the roof of the Taiji Hall and called out.
In the spring of the second year of the Yuanjia era under Emperor Wen of the Southern Dynasties, storks built a nest on the roof of the western side of the ancestral temple, but people drove them away, and they flew back.
In the spring of the second year of Emperor Wen of the Southern Dynasties, hundreds of river gulls landed on the steps in front of the Taiji Hall. The following year, Xu Xianzhi and others were killed.
Story of the Sheep Disaster:
(Story of the Sheep Disaster should be inserted here, but the original text does not provide it)
In May of the year 327 AD, the sheep raised in Prime Minister Wang Dao's house gave birth to a lamb without hind legs. This lamb is an ominous sign! Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" says: "With few feet, the bottom cannot bear it." Sure enough, the next year, Su Jun attacked Jiankang, and Wang Dao and Emperor Cheng were trapped in the Stone City, almost losing their lives, which really came true.
In the year 463 AD, a three-legged sheep was presented as a tribute from Yongping County. This sheep is also an ominous sign!
Next, let's talk about some bizarre occurrences, some of which are inauspicious, and some almost inauspicious:
When Gongsun Yuan was in power, a strange mass of flesh grew in the market north of Xiangping City, several feet long, with a head, eyes, and mouth, yet it could move by itself. This phenomenon is known as "Chisheng," a dire omen! The diviners said, "It has form but is not formed, it has a body but no voice, the country is destined for ruin!" Later, Gongsun Yuan was indeed destroyed by the Wei Kingdom.
General Deng Jia of the Wu Kingdom slaughtered a pig to offer a sacrifice to the spirits. After the sacrifice, he suddenly saw a disembodied head eating the pig meat. Deng Jia quickly shot it with his bow, and it made a "za za" sound, spinning around the house for three days. Although not very dangerous, this was considered an ominous sign. Later, someone accused Deng Jia of treason, and his whole family was killed. In Jing Fang's "Yi Yao," it is written: "There is a fire on the mountain, a city by the river, soldiers in the city, shaped like red heads." When Zhuge Ke of the Wu Kingdom was about to be killed, the water for washing his face smelled like blood; the clothes given to him by the guards also stank. This was also considered a close omen.
In November of the year 286 AD, red snow fell on two acres of land in Heyin. This was an ominous sign! Four years later, Emperor Wu of Jin died, and the royal palace fell into chaos and disarray.
In March of the year 305 AD, blood flowed out of the ground in Lu County, extending for more than a hundred steps! This was definitely an ominous sign! By the later years of Emperor Hui of Jin's Yuan Kang reign, the world was in turmoil, with famine rampant everywhere. These bloody incidents were actually signs of the chaotic times. Gan Bao believed that this foreshadowed the rebellion of Shi Le in Xuzhou eight years later, where tens of thousands of people were killed, fulfilling this prophecy.
In March of the year 306 AD, Yushi was struck by a rain of blood. If the court's punishments are too lenient, such bizarre red omens will appear. In the first month of that year, Emperor Hui of Jin imprisoned his beloved crown prince in the palace in Xuchang. This was heaven's warning to Emperor Hui: do not be too lenient with bad people! Consequently, the crown prince was wrongfully executed, bringing disgrace to the royal family and turmoil across the realm. Just as on the day King Min of Qi was murdered by Nao Chi, there was also blood rain from the sky, even dyeing his clothes red. This was a divine warning! Isn't this the same principle as the events in Lü County and Yushi? Jing Fang remarked in the "Commentary on the Book of Changes": "When a case is closed without releasing the accused, it indicates an investigation of past cases; when blood rain falls from the sky, it signifies that the monarch is distant from the people, and the people harbor grievances. Within three years, the monarch's lineage will be extinguished." He also said: "When villains rise to power and wealth while loyal officials are slain, blood rain will surely follow."
In the twelfth month of the year 337 AD, on the Bingyin day, the logistics officer in the Prime Minister's office, Chunyu Bo, was killed. His blood flowed upward and splattered against a pillar, reaching a height of two zhang and three chi! This was a bad omen! At that time, General Chu Pou was stationed in Guangling, and the Prime Minister threatened to launch a northern expedition. Chunyu Bo was executed for delays in logistics and accepting bribes. Chunyu Bo argued that he had completed his transportation duties efficiently without delay and that the bribery charge didn't deserve the death penalty. Furthermore, the supposed northern expedition was just a show of force, so they shouldn't have used military law against him. Even with four years of transportation delays, no one had faced military punishment. None of his colleagues stood up for him. After the incident of the blood flowing upward, a bunch of officials were impeached by the inspector, but Emperor Yuan didn’t ask about it. This led to three straight years of drought. Gan Bao thought this was due to Chunyu Bo's vengeful spirit. Guo Jingchun added, "Blood is a type of water, belonging to the Kan hexagram in the Eight Trigrams, which symbolizes the law. Water always flows downward, so it should not flow upward, pointing to problems with the court's policies."
