In the second year of Chen Zhenming, in April, many rats, for unknown reasons, poured from the Caizhou shore into the Stone Huai River, all the way to both sides of Qingtang. After a few days, these rats all died and floated into the river near Qingxiang. Jing Fang's "Yifeihou" says: "Rats gather in groups for no reason, not digging holes but gathering together, this is a sign that the monarch is about to die." Not long after, the Chen dynasty fell.
In the sixth year of Chen Tianjia, in July of autumn, Yixian Hall suddenly collapsed, and this Yixian Hall was near Jinlimu. At that time, the emperor was engaging in large-scale construction, building five palaces including Xiande Hall, claiming to be magnificent, causing the common people lost their jobs, which caused the wood to lose its usual properties. Yixian Hall, which signifies honoring the virtuous and respecting the elderly, collapsed for no reason; this serves as a warning from heaven, as if to say: "Emperor, your extravagance and failure to utilize the virtuous are of no use to your empty reputation." The emperor did not understand, and died the following year.
In the first year of Zhenming, in June, there was a sound of sawing in the water pavilion in the palace, and then the pavilion suddenly collapsed. In July, Zhuque Hang also sank without warning. At that time, the emperor was engaging in large-scale construction of gardens, but did not pay attention to ancestral temple sacrifices. The water pavilion was where the emperor played and feasted, and Zhuque Hang was the main entrance of the capital. They collapsed without warning; this is a warning from heaven, as if saying: The palace is destroyed, the road is also cut off. The emperor failed to grasp the warning and was ultimately overthrown by the Sui dynasty, with the palaces and temples turning into ruins.
Emperor Xiaozhao of the Later Qi dynasty wanted to kill Yang Yin, and when he went to the capital by carriage, the axle of the carriage suddenly broke as he entered the east gate. The emperor was deeply troubled by this omen and died a little over a year later.
In the third year of Heqing, the pillars of the government office in Changguang County suddenly shed, resembling a human figure. The governor found it annoying, so he cut off the shed parts. The next day, the same phenomenon occurred again. Changguang was the emperor's fief, and such changes in wood were ominous signs. That year, the emperor passed away.
In the autumn of the seventh year of Wuping, Empress Mu was going to Jinyang and first went to bid farewell to Empress Hu at the Beigong. When she arrived at the palace gate, the precious carriage she was in inexplicably sank into the ground, with all four legs of the ox sinking in. That year, the Qi Dynasty was overthrown, and the empress was captured and taken to Chang'an.
In the sixth year of Jiande in the Later Zhou Dynasty, the Qingcheng Gate collapsed for no reason. "Qing" is the color of the east, symbolizing the Eastern Palace, which is the prince. At that time, the prince exhibited a lack of dignity and decorum. The collapse of the Qingcheng Gate for no reason was a sign of the prince's incompetence. The emperor did not understand. The next year, the prince ascended the throne and indeed became a tyrant. The decline of the Zhou Dynasty began here.
During the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty, Prince Qi Yang Jian built a mansion in the eastern capital, and the newly built main hall of the palace inexplicably had its beams broken. At that time, the emperor had not yet appointed a crown prince, and everyone thought Yang Jian was the most likely candidate to be the next emperor. The court officials had high hopes for him, which made him arrogant and haughty. He even consulted fortune tellers and engaged in superstitious activities. The beams of the main hall inexplicably broke, foretelling his treachery! Heaven warned him through these omens, but he remained oblivious and ultimately faced the emperor's wrath.
The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "When he speaks but does not heed, it means he is not governing the country well. His transgression is overstepping boundaries, and the punishment is a prolonged drought, which will ultimately bring distress. Sometimes there will be poetic words that confuse the people, sometimes there will be disasters involving caterpillars, and sometimes there will be calamities involving dogs. As a result, disputes arise, and it becomes hard to distinguish between good and bad omens. Such situations only occur when wood overcomes metal."
During the Liang Dynasty, Wuling King Xiao Ji usurped the throne and declared the new era as "Tianzheng." Yongfeng Marquis Xiao Huo said: "Your Majesty is in trouble this time. Previously, when Huan Xuan had the era name 'Daheng,' sagacious individuals believed that 'it would end in February,' and indeed Huan Xuan failed in mid-spring. Today is 'Tianzheng,' and the character 'zheng' is interpreted as 'one stops.' Can this last long?" Sure enough, he only reigned for a year before failing.
Later, during the reign of Qi Wenxuan Emperor, Crown Prince Gao Yin was to perform the crown ceremony, and the emperor ordered Xing Zicai to give him a name. Xing Zicai named him "Zhengdao." The emperor said: "'Zheng' means 'one stops.' Does my son wish to perish quickly?" Xing Zicai requested to change the name, but the emperor refused, saying: "This is the will of heaven!" He then told Changshan King Gao Yan: "If the time comes, you shall be emperor, but never kill anyone." After the emperor died, the crown prince took the throne, and Changshan King Gao Yan indeed deposed the crown prince and declared himself emperor, and Gao Yin was soon killed.
During the reign of Northern Qi Wu Cheng Emperor, Left Minister He Shikai said to the emperor: "Throughout history, emperors have ultimately turned to dust; what difference is there between Yao and Shun, Jie and Zhou? Your Majesty should enjoy life while young and strong; one day can be worth a thousand lifetimes, so don’t waste your youth on frugality." The emperor was pleased to hear his words and indulged even more in pleasure. He Shikai not only encouraged the emperor to indulge in wrongdoing but also seized power for himself, ultimately being killed by the Inspector General.
During the Wuping period of the Northern Qi Dynasty, the Emperor was filled with anxiety and fear as the Chen army attacked Pengcheng. Han Changluan, an official, said, "Even if we lose Henan, we can still rule over the state of Guizi. Huainan has already been lost, so what is there to be concerned about? Life is short, so we should enjoy it in time and not worry." The Emperor was very pleased, so he indulged in wine and pleasure, neglecting state affairs. Before long, the Northern Qi Dynasty was destroyed by the Zhou Dynasty.
In the seventh year of Wuping, the Emperor was defeated by the Zhou army and fled to Ye City, proclaiming himself the Grand Emperor. He transferred the throne to his son Heng and changed the reign title to Longhua. At that time, someone deconstructed and reinterpreted the two characters of "Longhua" to mean "descending to death," and he indeed surrendered to the Zhou Dynasty and eventually died.
Emperor Wu of Zhou changed the reign title to Xuanzheng. Emperor Xiao Kui of the Liang Dynasty deconstructed and reinterpreted the two characters of "Xuanzheng" to mean "Yuweng's death day." In June of that year, Emperor Wu died.
When Emperor Xuan was a crown prince, he did not follow the laws, and Emperor Wu often beat him. When he became Emperor, he touched his old scars and exclaimed, "You died too late!" He changed the reign title to Daxiang, and Xiao Kui again deconstructed and reinterpreted the two characters of "Daxiang" to mean "the tomb of the emperor." The next year, Emperor Xuan died.
In the early years of the Kaihuang period, Prince Xiao Cong of Liang changed the reign title to Guangyun. The people of Jiangling said to each other, "When the character 'yun' is separated, it means the army is fleeing. Is our ruler going to be defeated and flee from the army?" Later, Xiao Cong went to the capital for an audience but was detained and failed to return. His uncle Xiao Yan led a rebellion among the people, and the Liang Dynasty was thus destroyed.
Emperor Wen named the Crown Prince Yong, Prince Jin was named Ying, Prince Qin was named Jun, and Prince Shu was named Xiu. In the early years of the Kaihuang era, someone wrote a letter saying, "Yong is a person's ability; thousands of outstanding individuals are called Ying, and tens of thousands are called Jun. These are common people's good reputations, not auspicious names for emperors!" The emperor ignored him. At that time, many people thought that the Yang surname was related to the Ying surname. Someone told the emperor, "Yang Ying spelled backwards is Ying Yang, which means 'disaster'." The emperor was very unhappy and quickly changed the names. Later, the three sons, Yong, Jun, and Xiu, were all deposed. Yang Guang ascended to the throne and adopted the reign title Da Ye. People of insight believed it was a bad omen, saying, "The two characters of 'Da Ye' can be interpreted as 'great suffering'!" Soon the world fell into chaos, suffering from widespread warfare.
Yang Guang often casually remarked to his secretary, Yu Shenan, "I don't like others advising me. If prominent people come to advise me, it's because they want to make a name for themselves, which I can't tolerate. As for those of low status, although I may be slightly more tolerant, I still won't listen to them in the end. Do you understand?" People at that time discussed that ancient wise monarchs ruled the world with sharp insight, keen ears and eyes, setting up drums for public admonition and wooden plaques for writing criticism, providing convenience for people to offer advice and suggestions. If one fears that honest advice won't reach their ears, how can blessings spread throughout the world and be passed down to future generations? Therefore, Yang Guang disdained direct advice and criticism, punishing ministers who dared to advise him. Can he endure? In the end, he was killed, ultimately meeting a tragic end and ruining his reputation.
Throughout the years, several droughts plagued the region, often linked to the emperor's actions.
In the year 502 AD, there was a severe drought, with a dou of rice costing five thousand coins, and many people died of hunger. The "Hong Fan Wuxing Zhuan" states: Your Majesty, you are too domineering, always calling up troops and exhausting the people, focusing only on building palaces and cities, disregarding the lives of the common people, causing widespread resentment. But you cannot let go of power, so the yang force is too strong, losing balance, and the yin force sinks, unable to be harmonized. With excessive yang force, drought naturally occurs. At that time, the emperor had just returned from a battle, defeating Zhang Chong in Xiangyang, then Chen Bozhi, and finally pacifying Jiankang. After many battles, the people were exhausted. After ascending the throne, he continued to wage war against Northern Wei, and this contributed to the drought.
In the spring of 557 AD, there was no rain until April. Previously, the Zhou army plundered the Huai North region, and generals like Wang Shuling from Shixing were defeated, resulting in the loss of Huai North and causing the drought.
In the year 534 AD, there was a severe drought in areas like Bingzhou, Sizhou, Fenzhou, Jianzhou, Jinzhou, Jiangzhou, Qinzhou, and Shanzhou, forcing many people to flee. That year, Emperor Shizheng of Qi fought against Western Wei at Shayuan and lost, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands.
From winter to spring in 548 AD, there was another drought. Previously, the Western Wei army invaded Luoyang, and Emperor Shizheng personally led troops to fight against Western Wei at Mangshan, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands.
In the summer of 559 AD, there was a severe drought. Previously, the emperor mobilized a large number of laborers to build a more than 400-mile-long Great Wall, placing a heavy burden on the people and draining the treasury.
In the spring of 560 AD, there was a drought. Previously, tens of thousands of laborers were mobilized to build the luxurious palaces of Jinfengtai, Shengyingtai, and Chongguangtai, only concerned with their own pleasures and disregarding the lives of the common people, causing excessive yang force.
In April of 564 AD, there was a drought in Bingzhou and the five western prefectures of Jinzhou. That year, laborers were mobilized to build Zhiguan, but the Turkic army of 200,000 men came to ravage the Great Wall and attacked Hengzhou.
In the spring of 571 AD, there was a drought. At that time, many laborers were conscripted to build the Daming Palace.
After 584 AD, the capital frequently suffered from droughts. At that time, the capital was relocated to Longshou, a new palace was built, and the common people were overworked due to an overabundance of yang energy.
In 610 AD, there were droughts in border areas such as Yanzhou and Daizhou. Over a million laborers were conscripted to build the Great Wall, and the emperor personally inspected the border areas. Many people died of hunger on the way as the common people were left without work.
In 614 AD, there was a nationwide drought, and people fled everywhere. The emperor conscripted troops from across the country and personally led an expedition against Goguryeo. The army suffered from cold and hunger, with casualties of eighty to ninety percent. In 619 AD, there was a severe drought nationwide. Each county and township sent people to repair the city walls, and men, women, and children all had to perform labor under duress.
In the third year of the Tianjian reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, on the eighth day of the sixth month, while delivering a sermon at the Chongyun Hall, a monk named Zhigong suddenly began to dance, sing, and cry. He then wrote a five-character poem: "Joy for over thirty years, sorrow for fifty miles! Just watch at eighty-three, calamities will arise in Zidi. Treacherous ministers deceive, traitorous ministers destroy virtuous men. If you do not believe my words, in the year of the Dragon, Hou Jing's rebellion will erupt, until the year of the Horse, there will be nothing but sorrow and no joy in sight."
From the Tianjian era to the Datong era, the Liang Dynasty indeed experienced more than thirty years of peace and stability. However, in the second year of the Taiqing era, Taicheng was breached, and the Emperor Wu of Liang reigned for forty-eight years, fulfilling the prophecy of "fifty li." On August 13 of the first year of Taiqing, Hou Jing surrendered to the Liang Dynasty from Xuanhu. Xuanhu is located north of Danyang, known as "Zidi" in the poem. Emperor Wu of Liang trusted Zhu Yi's words and accepted Hou Jing. Hou Jing's rebellion began in the year of Wuchan and, by the year of Wuyin, Emperor Wu of Liang died of grief. On April 8, ten years later, Monk Zhigong wrote a poem at a large gathering: "The tail-wagging dog begins to go mad, wishing to die but not dying, biting and hurting people, and in a moment, it self-destructs. The disaster is in your shadow, dying in the Three Xiang, with corpses lying unburied in one day." This poem refers to Hou Jing, whose childhood nickname was "Dogzi," who initially surrendered from Xuanhu (ancient Runan) and ultimately died in defeat in the Three Xiang (south of Baling).
During the Tianjian era, there was a recluse named Tao Hongjing in Maoshan, who also composed a five-character poem: "Yifu indulges in idle talk, Ping Shu talks about the void, unexpectedly in the Zhaoyang Hall, it suddenly turns into the palace of the Chanyu." This poem reflects how the court officials at that time were preoccupied with discussing metaphysics and neglected state affairs, leading to Hou Jing's rebellion and his occupation of the Zhaoyang Hall. Yifu and Ping Shu were both virtuous officials in the court at that time.
During the Datong era, a folk rhyme circulated among the people: "A white horse with a black mane comes from Shouyang." Later, when Hou Jing breached Danyang, he indeed rode a white horse and used a black silk rope as a bridle.
In the early period of the Chen Dynasty's establishment, another nursery rhyme appeared: "The yellow horse and the blue steed come from the banks of Shouyang. Coming when winter is ending, leaving when spring winds begin." Later, the Emperor of the Chen Dynasty was indeed defeated by Han Qingtian. Han Qingtian's childhood nickname was Huang Ban, and when he breached Jiankang, he also rode a blue steed, and the timing matched what was described in the nursery rhyme, coinciding with the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
During the Chen Dynasty, Wang Xianzhi's "Peach Leaf Song" was popular everywhere in Jiangnan. "Peach leaves, peach leaves, crossing the river without a paddle. Crossing without hardship, I will welcome you myself." It was quite popular at that time. Later, when the Jin Dynasty invaded the Chen Dynasty, they camped under the Peach Leaf Mountain. When Han Qinhu crossed the river, General Ren Mannu went to Xinlin to guide the northern army.
Emperor Chen Shubao of the Chen Dynasty built the Qiyun Temple, and the locals sang a song: "Qiyun Temple, the bandits never cease." Just as the song was sung, the Qiyun Temple was not yet completed, and the Sui Dynasty's army attacked. Chen Shubao was captured.
In the Zhenming era, Chen Shubao composed a new song, with particularly mournful lyrics, and even the palace beauties were taught to sing it. The lyrics were: "Jade trees in the backyard, flowers bloom but not for long." People believed this was an ominous sign, feeling that the Chen Dynasty was doomed.
When Emperor Gao Huan of the Northern Qi Dynasty had just moved the capital to Ye City, a nursery rhyme was circulating: "Poor little green bird, flying into Ye City. Nest not yet built, looking around for home. Sending letters to his wife and mother, admiring the new bride." This green bird refers to Emperor Xiao Jing of the Northern Qi, the son of Prince Qinghe Gao Yue, and his mother was Gao Huan's daughter. Before the palace in Ye City was completed, there was an abdication, just like the green bird losing its nest before it had even built it. Emperor Xiao Jing died shortly after, and his mother Empress Wenxuan later married Yang Yin. At that time, Empress Dowager Lou was still alive, so the nursery rhyme mentions sending letters to his wife and mother, and the "new bride" refers to the ousted empress.
During the Wuding period, another nursery rhyme emerged: "A hundred feet high pole breaks, the lamp at the bottom of the water goes out." The "high" refers to the Gao family of Northern Qi royalty, and "Cheng" is the name of Emperor Wenxiang Gao Cheng. Five years later, Emperor Gao Huan died, prophesying the "high pole breaks"; seven years later, Emperor Gao Cheng was killed by an assassin, prophesying the "lamp at the bottom of the water goes out."
During the Tianbao period, there was a person named Lu Fahuo who wrote the following words on a wall of a house: "Ten years, the emperor is still tolerable; a hundred days, the emperor is in a hurry like fire; a year, the emperor comes and goes in succession." Subsequently, Emperor Wenxuan died after reigning for ten years, Emperor Gaoyin was deposed after just over a hundred days, and Emperor Gao Yan died after one year, all fulfilling Lu Fahuo's prophecy.
In the first year of Wuping, a nursery rhyme appeared: "Fox cuts off its tail, you want to eliminate me, I'll eliminate you." In April of that year, Prince Hu Changren of Longdong wanted to send an assassin to kill Heshikai, but the plan was exposed, and he was falsely accused by Heshikai, resulting in his execution.
Two years ago, the children sang a nursery rhyme: "Heshikai, on the thirtieth day of July, I will take you to the southern platform." After the children finished singing, they clapped their hands together and said, "Kill him!" On the twenty-fifth day of July, the Chief Censor, Prince Yang of Langya, arrested Heshikai and sent him to the southern platform to face execution. In the same year, another nursery rhyme appeared: "In July, harvest early; in September, eat cakes; in October, wash the rice pot; in November, drive out Zhao Lao." In July, Heshikai met his demise; in September, Prince Yang of Langya met his demise; in November, Zhao Yanshen was sent as an envoy to serve as the governor of Xi Yanzhou.
As the Wuping period drew to a close, another nursery rhyme spread: "Yellow flowers are about to fall, but the wine cup remains full." At that time, Empress Mu and her son's behavior was scandalous, interfering in court affairs, causing great concern. Empress Mu's nickname was Yellow Flower, and this nursery rhyme predicted the downfall of the Qi dynasty, just as a yellow flower is about to wither.
Another nursery rhyme circulated in Ye City: "Gold as a broom, jade as a handle, sweep the palace to welcome the Western family." Not long after, the army of the Zhou dynasty invaded Ye City.
During the early Zhou dynasty, a nursery rhyme emerged: "Atop the white poplar tree, the golden rooster crows, only the uncle has no nephews." Emperor Jing was the nephew of the emperor of the Sui dynasty, and shortly after abdicating, he died, while his uncles remained powerful.
Emperor Xuan of Zhou danced and sang with the palace maids at night, singing: "Aware that my life is short, I roam through the candlelit night." This emperor died three years into his reign.
In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, Emperor Gaozu inspected Bingzhou and hosted a banquet for Prince Qin and his son Wang Zixiang. The emperor also spontaneously composed a four-line poem: "How few are the beautiful faces, the jade-like beauty fleeting. One morning the flowers fall, and white hair is hard to remove. In the years to come, who will have and who will lose?" The following year, Wang Zixiang passed away; eighteen years later, Prince Qin also died.
In the eleventh year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang, he set off from the capital to the Eastern Capital, arrived at the Chang Le Palace, became extremely drunk and then composed a five-line poem. The last line of the poem was: "With a heart yearning to return, no longer depending on the wind's power." He had the palace maids repeatedly chant this line, weeping uncontrollably, and even the guards sighed along. Afterward, he went to Jiangdu and wrote another five-line poem: "Seeking to return but unable to go, truly encountering a spring. The birds urge me to drink, the plum blossoms laugh at people." This poem was written in March, and he was also killed in March, fulfilling the prophecy of "facing a spring" in the poem. That year, bandits rose up, and the roads were blocked, which terrified Emperor Yang, causing him to completely give up on the idea of returning to the capital. He even dreamt of two children singing: "To stay is to die, to leave is to die. It would be better to take a boat across the river." So he began to build a palace in Danyang, intending to live there. Unfortunately, before the palace could be completed, he died.
During the Daye period, a nursery rhyme circulated among the people: "Peach and plum, the wild goose circles around Yangshan, twisting in the flower forest. Do not speak thoughtlessly; who claims Xu?" Later, Li Mi was captured by the authorities for participating in Yang Xuangan's rebellion. He escaped while on the run, secretly allied with a group of bandits, broke out of Yangcheng Mountain, attacked the Luokou granary, and then stationed himself in the garden. "Do not speak thoughtlessly; it refers to Li Mi; "Yu Wenhua also proclaimed himself Xu Guo," Yu Wenhua also claimed the title of emperor and established Xu Guo, which was later destroyed. "Who claims Xu is indeed a word of surprise and doubt," this line in the nursery rhyme actually expresses people's confusion and shock.
In the first year of the Daitong era of Emperor Wu of Liang, Prince Shaoling Xiao Lun was in his bedroom in South Xuzhou during the day when two civet cats fought on the windowsill and fell down, which he caught. During the Taiqing era, when the Hou Jing rebellion broke out, he led troops to rescue Taicheng. When he reached Zhongshan, a bear that had just awakened from hibernation suddenly appeared and bit his horse. This likely foreshadowed Xiao Lun's defeat. Later, Xiao Lun was defeated by Wang Sengbian and fled to Nanyang, where he was ultimately killed by Western Wei.
During the Daitong period of Emperor Wu of Liang, every night, foxes cried out beneath the palace, which continued for several years before finally stopping. Jing Fang's "Yifei Hou" states: "Wild beasts cry out, the city lies in ruin." Not long after, the country fell into chaos, and almost all the people in Danyang City were dead or injured.
In the early years of the Chen Dynasty, a fox ran under the bed and could not be caught no matter what. Jing Fang's "Yifei Hou" states: "A fox enters the ruler's chamber, and the chamber becomes uninhabitable." Shortly thereafter, the Chen Dynasty fell.
In the year 547 AD, in September, a leopard entered the south gate of Ye City and was killed on the spot. Five years later, in August, another leopard climbed up the Copper Jue Terrace. The "Yi Fei Hou" states: "When wild beasts enter the city, even running onto the main road of the court and to the gates of the officials, it is a great disaster, and the ruler is doomed!" That year, the Eastern Wei suffered a disastrous defeat in the Battle of Yubi, and Gao Huan also died from illness.
In 552 AD, a rabbit ran out of the temple. The "Yi Fei Hou" says: "If a rabbit runs into the royal palace, the ruler is doomed." The temple is where the ancestral spirits reside. Five years later, the Zhou army invaded Ye City, and the last ruler fled in a hurry.
As the Wu Ping era of the Northern Qi was nearing its end, wolves were everywhere in Bingzhou, Sizhou, and beyond, and they even ate people. The "Hong Fan Wu Xing Zhuan" states: "Wolves are greedy and ferocious beasts, mostly white, symbolizing war. They resemble dogs, suggesting that calamities involving dogs are imminent." The "Yi Zhuan" also states: "If the ruler does not act reasonably, disasters will befall the common people, and they can only preserve their lives by hiding in the deep mountains. Wolves preying on people is a sign of such disasters." At that time, the emperor relied heavily on sycophants, and he himself was greedy and brutal, harming the common people, thus fulfilling the prophecy of wolves preying on people. Not long after, the Northern Qi was destroyed by the Zhou army, which confirmed the saying that wolves symbolize war.
During the Wu Ping era, a child's footprint unexpectedly appeared outside the gate of Shuozhou, and dirt was piled up to resemble a city wall. People found it very strange, and after careful investigation, they discovered that it was the work of a fox. Later, this odd phenomenon spread to Bingzhou and Ye City. This was similar to the situation when the leopard entered the city in the third year of Wuding. That year, Wang Sihao from Nan'an raised an army to revolt, heading straight for Bingzhou, but was defeated by the imperial troops. Zheng Zirao, Yang Fahao, and others also rebelled in Shandong.
In the year 560 AD, bizarre occurrences of dogs mating with women simultaneously appeared in Ye City and Dunqiu. "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" said: "Different species should not mate but have mated; this is a sign of chaos! Dogs mating with humans heralds disaster." The disaster involving dogs is a sign of excessive yang energy and moral decline. At that time, the emperor did not care about state affairs, and his grace did not benefit the people.
By the time of the later emperor of the Northern Qi, dogs were actually appointed as officials, female dogs were given titles of madam and county lady, and were even served by soldiers, eating fine grains and sleeping on soft beds. It seemed as if heaven was punishing him, actually giving titles to dogs; this foreshadowed disaster! It seemed like heaven was saying that these ministers were all like dogs! The later emperor did not understand this principle, ultimately leading to the downfall of Northern Qi.
In the year 563 AD, a dog gave birth to puppies, but its body was split in half below the waist, with two tails and six legs. Dogs, fierce animals with claws, symbolize soldiers. At that time, Yuwen Hu, Hou Fu, Hou Long'en, and others conspired to rebel. The dog's body being split in half seemed to foreshadow this event.
In the first year of Daye, many dogs in Yanmen ran away from their owners, running wild in groups in the wilderness, looking like wolves, even biting and eating people, and it took several years to calm down. The book says: "Dogs are watchdogs; now they have all run away from their owners, which shows that the ministers are not obedient. The dogs look like wolves, and wolves are white; this is a sign of war!" Later, the emperor resorted to military force, endlessly engaged in forced labor, and it seemed like heaven was warning him: stop the forced labor, the watchdogs are about to rise up! But the emperor did not listen, insisting on repairing the Great Wall, and then went to the Western Regions and Liaodong to cause chaos, leading to widespread discontent, and finally in Jiangdu, even his own guards rebelled.
In the second year of Liang Datong, white tufts grew on the ground, two feet long, which was seen as an omen of good fortune. A man named Sun Sheng thought this was a sign of labor and financial loss. Previously, there was a large-scale mobilization of the populace to construct the Fu Mountain Dam, which consumed a huge amount of resources. Just when it was about to be completed, the dam suffered multiple breaches, and the common folk were tired of the corvée, with sighs of discontent heard everywhere.
In the first year of Qihe Qing in September, many hairs grew on the ground in Cangzhou and at the foot of the Great Wall, both white and black, four or five inches long, also considered an auspicious sign. At that time, the Great Wall was being repaired in the north, and three towers were being built in the country, exhausting the common folk.
In the seventh month of the sixth year of Kaihuang, there was a drizzle in the capital, with hair-like strands falling from the sky, some over three feet long, and some six or seven inches long. Jing Fang's "Yifeihou" said: "Hair falls from the sky, the nation will face a great famine." At that time, there was a severe drought in Guanzhong, and food prices soared.
In the early years of the Tian Tong of the Later Qi Dynasty, the jade bi from the Dai Mountain Fengshan Altar appeared on its own, which was likewise interpreted as a good omen. Mount Dai was the place where the emperor changed dynasties, and the jade bi was used for sacrifices. Its appearance indicated that a change of dynasty was imminent. Later, the Qi State was destroyed, the territory was returned to the Zhou Dynasty, the founding emperor accepted the abdication of the Zhou Dynasty, and the world was unified, fulfilling the sacrificial event on Mount Tai.
In the third year of Wuping, the phrase "Qi Wang Zou" appeared on a green stone wall under Baishuiyan. Someone changed it to "Shang Yan," and the emperor thought this was a good omen, with the entire court gathered to celebrate. As a result, the Zhou forces invaded, and the emperor did indeed flee from Ye City.
In the seventeenth year of Kaihuang, between Wuan and Fuyang, over a dozen stones fell. The "Hong Fan Five Elements Biography" said: "Stones falling from the sky, the emperor is in for trouble!" Seven years later, the emperor died.
In the final years of the Kaihuang era, Gaozu buried two small stones in the palace to mark the position of the bed. Not long after, the two stones transformed into jade. Liu Xiang remarked, "Jade is the most precious of all." To say it now suggests that disaster is just around the corner! By the end of the Daye era, rebellions had erupted everywhere, with everyone claiming the title of emperor.
In the 13th year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty, a stone was found in Xiping County with the inscription: "The emperor will reign for a thousand years." The ministers all congratulated each other. But some knowledgeable people worried and said: "The phrase 'long live for a thousand years' is typically used after someone has passed! To say it now suggests that disaster is just around the corner." As a result, the next year, Emperor Yang of Sui was killed.
In the 12th year of the Daitong era of the Liang Dynasty, at the entrance of the tunnel in Qu'a, the stone qilin actually moved by itself! This phenomenon is known as "wood moving metal," and the movement of the stone signifies a sign of relocation. It seemed like the heavens were sending a warning: the tomb would be left unguarded, and the stone qilin would be moved by someone else. Later, the Liang Dynasty indeed perished.
Next, let's talk about the fourth year of the Heqing period of the Northern Qi Dynasty, where the stones in the palace moved on their own and collided with each other. Sui Meng analyzed that stones belong to Yin, representing ministers, and the movement of the stones in the palace suggests that the emperor's closest confidants are likely to betray him. Sure enough, later on, during the Zhou Dynasty's Eastern Expedition, favored ministers like Wei Xiangyuan, Qifu Gui and his brothers, and Han Jianye all betrayed the emperor and surrendered to the Zhou Dynasty.
In the twelfth year of the Daitong era of the Liang Dynasty, in the first month, two stone guardian statues were sent to Jianling. The left statue had two horns and reached the tomb without incident. The right statue, with only one horn, caused a ruckus along the way, jumping three times on the cart, causing the cart's yoke to break! After switching to another cart, they continued, but it jumped three more times when they were still two miles from the tomb! Every time it jumped, the passengers were so startled they bounced up, three to four feet off the ground, and the wheels sank three inches into the earth. This was still a sign of "wood obstructing gold"! As Liu Xiang once noted: "When the people's hearts are lost, orders cannot be executed, and words are not accepted; this is a sign of chaotic gold energy." The stone belongs to the yin and represents the ministers. If the ministers are to change, it serves as an omen! In the later years of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, he neglected state affairs, and both the ruler and ministers only cared about reciting Buddhist scriptures and discussing metaphysics, resulting in chaos in the court, unexecuted orders, and unaccepted words; this was the consequence! Ultimately leading to the rebellion of Hou Jing.
In the first year of the Jian De era of the Zhou Dynasty, a stone statue was discovered in Puyang County. The county officials intended to transport it to the government office, planning to remove the gold from it. However, along the way, the statue leapt off the cart by itself and fell to the ground—not once, but twice! Later, they used a rough rope to secure it to the side of the cart, but the rope broke again, causing the statue to fall once more. At that time, the Zhou emperor had just destroyed the Qi state and was attacking Huainan, with constant warfare and the people exhausted; this was indeed a sign of losing the people's support!
