When Emperor Wu of Liang was making offerings to the City God, preparing to sacrifice a cow, a red snake suddenly appeared entwined around the mouth of the cow, foretelling disaster for the cow. The ancients regarded such incidents as ominous signs of dragon and snake intervention. The "Spring and Autumn Annals" record that in the third year of Duke Xuan of Lu, the sacrificial cow's mouth was injured, and people at that time believed that this was a sign of the heavens rejecting the sacrifice and abandoning Duke Xuan. The "Five Elements Chronicle" states: "Going against the ways of the king will result in harm, hence the disasters caused by the intervention of dragons and snakes." General Ji, at that time, though claiming to support, was actually arrogant and conceited, which led to his downfall and the heavens rejecting the sacrifice, proving the consequences of the king's ways being damaged. In the end, he was defeated by Emperor Yuan.
In the second year of Wuping of the Later Qi dynasty, Bing Province presented a five-legged cow, which was also an ominous sign. The "Hongfan Five Elements Chronicle" states: "The abnormality of the cow symbolizes disaster in the palace." The emperor then mobilized troops on a large scale, constructing ponds and mountains in the Xian Du Park, building many high-rise buildings and grand palaces, indulging in extreme extravagance. Just after the project was completed, the country fell.
In the sixth year of Jiande of the Later Zhou dynasty, three strange creatures appeared in Yangwu, resembling water buffaloes: one yellow, one red, and one black. They fought each other, with the black and yellow creatures fighting for a long time, until the yellow one struck the black one from the side, resulting in the death of the black creature, and the yellow one also ran into the river. This was also a close omen of disaster for the cow. Black was the color favored by the Zhou dynasty, and the death of the black creature symbolized the dynasty's downfall. A few years later, the Zhou dynasty indeed perished, and the Sui dynasty took over, boasting red military flags and yellow uniforms.
In the early reign of the Sui dynasty, a cow with an extra hoof on each of its four knees appeared on Mount Heng. Later, Emperor Yang of Sui constructed the Eastern Capital, built the Great Wall, and dug canals.
In the third year of the Chen Dynasty, the Sui army approached the river. Emperor Chen leisurely said, "The Qi army has come three times, and the Zhou army has come twice, but they failed to defeat us. What can they do this time?" The official Kong Fan said, "The Yangtze River is a natural barrier that has been used to separate the north and south since ancient times. How can the northern forces possibly cross the Yangtze River? I have always worried that my rank is too low, but if they really cross the river, I might even get promoted!" Emperor Chen was very happy to hear this and then indulged in music, drink, and poetry. This reflected his numbness and indifference, signaling the imminent fall of the country. In a moment of life and death, both the ruler and his subjects should be working day and night, but Emperor Chen was oblivious to the danger. Kong Fan joined him in this indulgent lifestyle. When fate took away his sanity, how could they possibly succeed? The Chen Kingdom eventually perished, and Kong Fan was also exiled. Emperor Wenxuan of Qi hosted a banquet at Dongshan, suddenly smashed a cup in anger, issued a decree for a western expedition, and boasted about how powerful his army was. But not long after, he cried to his ministers, "This black robe is not my choice!" Consequently, the western expedition was called off. Observers noted that the emperor's spirit was in disarray and realized his reign was on shaky ground. Indeed, the emperor later fell ill and became a slave to wine and women, was known for his volatile temperament, and died after only a few years. After his mother's death, Emperor Wucheng donned a red robe, seemingly unfazed. Shortly after, he ascended the Three Terraces, held banquets, and enjoyed himself. When someone presented him with a white robe, he erupted in anger and tossed the white robe off the platform. Shortly thereafter, he too met his demise.
In the first year of the Datong era of the Liang Dynasty, there was a rain of soil across the land. In the second year, there was a rain of ash, with a yellow hue. This yellow color was reminiscent of an auspicious hue. Jing Fang mentioned in "Yi Fei Hou": "Ignoring good omens is called 'ignorance'; the appearance of an abnormal yellow hue signals that disaster is imminent, the dragon's energy is waning, and the lineage is about to end, all due to the obstruction of the virtuous and the loss of the right path." At that time, the emperor considered himself extremely clever and could not tolerate others being superior to him. He even had great faith in Buddhism, treating himself as a slave, which reflected the consequences of obstructing the virtuous and losing the right path.
In the first month of the first year of the Daobao reign, there was a rain of yellow sand. In the second year, Emperor Jianwen dreamt of swallowing a lump of mud. Not long after, he was overthrown by Hou Jing, crushed to death under a sack of mud, and all his sons were killed, fulfilling the omen of "no successor."
During the reign of Emperor Chen Hou, he dreamt of people in yellow clothing surrounding the city. Disturbed by this dream, he ordered the destruction of all the orange trees in the city. After the founding of the Sui Dynasty, people throughout the nation donned yellow clothing. Soon after, the Sui army launched an attack and besieged the Chen Dynasty, fulfilling that dream.
In the first month of the second year of the Daxiang era of the Later Zhou Dynasty, there was a rain of yellow soil that lasted for a while before stopping. This mirrored the situation in the first year of the Datong era of the Liang Dynasty. By then, the emperor had become so senile and deranged that he died within a year. During the reign of Emperor Jing, he voluntarily abdicated, fulfilling the omen of "losing the right path and producing no heirs."
In the second year of the Kaihuang era, there was a dust rain in the capital city. At that time, the emperor learned from the lesson from the Zhou dynasty's downfall, which stemmed from the weak power of its feudal lords, so he divided his sons and granted them territories, setting up administrative offices for them to wield their own power. The omen of "losing territory" appeared with the auspicious sign of "earthly energy," and later these princes indeed rebelled against the emperor. Jing Fang once said in "Yi Fei Hou": "When earth rain falls, the people toil in vain." At that time, the capital city was under construction, and later the Renshou Palace was built, with a lot of construction work leading to the deaths of many workers.
In the first year of the Taiqing era of the Liang dynasty, a woman from the Mo family in Danyang gave birth to a baby boy whose eyes were on the top of his head, and his eyes were as big as those of a two-year-old child. As soon as he was born, he spoke: "I am the drought demon, I cannot stay here." His mother said, "You have to ensure my safety." The drought demon replied, "There are officials above me, how can I be free to roam? Hurry and make a crimson hat, then everything will be fine." His mother did not have time to make a hat, so she quickly tied a crimson cloth strip around his head. After that, the drought persisted for two years, particularly severe in Yangzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, and Yuzhou. Many people near the Mo family used crimson items to ward off misfortune, but this practice did not work in other areas.
In the second year of the Dabao era, there was a five-year-old boy named Yu Cang from Jingkou, who climbed to the top of a building at the southwest corner of the city wall and played the drum while performing "Changjiang Lei." The drum symbolizes the army, and at that time, Hou Jing was causing trouble in Jiangnan.
In the third year of the Yongding era of the Chen dynasty, a three-zhang-tall man was spotted on Mount Luofu, dressed in magnificent, snow-white attire. Jing Fang divined: "The appearance of a giant signifies the downfall of the country." Two years later, the emperor died.
When Chen Houzhu was still the crown prince, a woman barged into the Eastern Palace, shouting, "The ruler of Bi Guo!" Later, when Houzhu ascended the throne, this prophecy came true, which ultimately led to the fall of the Chen dynasty.
In August of the third year of the Zhide era, a maid in a family in Jiankang died and was buried for nine days before suddenly coming back to life. A cowherd, hearing the commotion, dug her up.
In the second year of the Zhenming era, a ship was launched and suddenly heard someone say, "There will be chaos next year." People looked and found a dead baby, two feet long, and without a head. The Chen dynasty was overthrown the following year.
During the Qi Tianbao era, a woman in Linzhang gave birth to a child with two heads sharing one body. Subsequently, the government was controlled by corrupt officials, where the distinctions between ranks were blurred, which fulfilled the omen of the two-headed child.
During the reign of the last emperor of the Chen dynasty, a person dressed in mulberry clothes, who seemed to be mad, bowed to crows and insulted monks. Crows symbolize the Zhou dynasty. Shortly after, the Qi dynasty was annexed by the Zhou dynasty, and Buddhism was banned.
In the third year of the Baoding era of the Later Zhou dynasty, a man gave birth to a boy with genitals on his back like a tail, and two toes resembling animal claws. Genitals should not grow on the back, but they do, symbolizing the reversal of yin and yang, the inversion of ruler and subject; toes should not have claws, but they do, foreshadowing a cruel event. At that time, Duke Yuwen Hu of Jingdang abused his power, invaded everywhere, and secretly plotted to seize the throne. The heavenly warning seemed to indicate: the order of ruler and subject has been reversed, and a cruel disaster is about to happen. The emperor, upon seeing these omens, became enlightened, executed Duke Yuwen Hu, personally handled state affairs, practiced frugality, eventually pacified the Qi state, and came to be known as Gaozu. This serves as an example of how to turn disaster into fortune.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, there was a man who practiced martial arts very well. He pretended to be crazy and stupid, holding a gourd in his hand. He ran to the gate of Lord Jin's house and smashed the door to smithereens, then said, "I'm still alive, you’re in for it now, kid!" At that time, Lord Jin was powerful and well-connected, and happened to be going to see the Empress Dowager, but was killed on the spot by Emperor Wu. Emperor Wu also sent troops to arrest his sons, and as a result, these sons poisoned themselves. Later, this martial artist took to begging on the streets, and when someone gave him food, he used a leaking bag to collect it, laughing heartily as he collected it, exclaiming, "It’s all empty!" Before long, the Western Han Dynasty crumbled, and Liu Bang's descendants moved the capital, leaving Chang'an City in ruins. In the sixth year of the Kaihuang era, an old man in Huozhou actually transformed into a fierce beast. In the seventh year, the trunk of a mulberry tree in Xiangzhou morphed into a snake, wrapping itself around the trunk and beating itself, measuring two zhang in length. In the fourth year of the Renshou era, a person several zhang tall suddenly appeared at the Yingmen, leaving footprints four feet five inches long. That year, the emperor died. In the first year of the Daye era, a hundred-year-old man in Yanmen named Fang Hui'an grew a horn on his forehead that measured two inches long. "Hong Fan's Five Elements Biography" says, "Women belong to yin, horns belong to soldiers, the lower responds to the upper." After that, the world indeed fell into chaos, and the soldiers surrounded the emperor at Yanmen Pass. In the fourth year, a woman in Songgu Village in Yanmen gave birth to a meat egg the size of a fist, and she buried the strange egg. A few days later, the spot where the egg was buried became shrouded in dark clouds, and a rumbling sound echoed from underground, and then a large hole burst forth from the ground, but the egg had vanished. In the sixth year, a maid in the Li Laiwang family in Zhao County gave birth to something the size of a chicken egg.
In the first month of the sixth year of Daye, a thief wearing a white training skirt and holding fragrant flowers claimed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha. He ran to Jianguo Gate, took the weapons from the guards, and attempted to rebel. Prince Qi, Yang Jian, encountered him and killed him on the spot. Three years later, Yang Xuan rebelled, leading troops to besiege Luoyang, where he was ultimately defeated and killed.
In the eighth year, a man named Cheng Gong, who was insane, shouted again that he wanted to rebel in the eastern capital. The emperor was furious upon hearing this. The following year, Yang Xuan indeed rebelled, besieging Luoyang.
In the twelfth year, Cheng Gong shouted again that he wanted to rebel. Li Mi approached the eastern capital, and Meng Rang set fire to Fengdu City and fled.
Nine years ago, the emperor lived in Gaoyang Palace. There was a man from Tang County named Song Zixian who was particularly skilled in magic tricks. Every night, the lights were on in his upstairs room, and he could magically conjure Buddha statues, claiming to be the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha. He also hung a large mirror in the hall, with images of snakes, beasts, and humans affixed to it. When someone came to visit him, he would rotate the mirror to show them their past life image. If the mirror showed a snake, Song Zixian would say, "This is your sin; quickly recite more scriptures!" Then he would make them bow once more, and the mirror would show a human image. The people nearby believed it wholeheartedly, and thousands of people came to worship him every day. Later, Song Zixian secretly planned a rebellion, intending to hold a grand Buddhist ceremony and then attack the imperial palace with troops. However, his plan was exposed, and the Eagle Yang Lang led troops to arrest him. When they arrived at Song Zixian's residence at night, the area was surrounded by fire pits, and the soldiers were hesitant to approach. Yang Lang said, "This must be sorcery!" When they entered to investigate, the fire pits were gone. They then arrested Song Zixian and killed him, along with implicating more than a thousand of his followers.
Afterwards, a monk named Xiang Haiming appeared, claiming to be the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha and secretly plotting a rebellion in Fufeng. Those who believed in him would experience good dreams. As a result, he gained widespread belief, and people in the Guanzhong region regarded him as a holy figure. He raised an army to rebel and had tens of thousands of followers. In the end, he was defeated by the government forces. Jing Fang once said in "Yifeihou": "Deceiving the public with false words is not believing in the right path. When no one walks on the road, within three years, someone will rise in rebellion." Since then, chaos erupted across the land, and no one walked on the roads.
In the fifth year of the Tianjian period of the Liang Dynasty, in the eleventh month, an earthquake struck the capital, signifying a disaster related to the five elements: wood, metal, water, fire, and earth. "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" stated: "Officials with strong power will stir up trouble and bring disasters." Jing Fang also mentioned in "Yifeihou": "An earthquake in November of winter will lead to famine in that place." At that time, Li Kai, the Governor of Jiaozhou, led a rebellion. The following year, there was frost, leading to poor harvests and widespread hunger among the people.
In the third year of Putong, during the first month, an earthquake struck Jiankang. During this period, Wen Senglang, the Governor of Yizhou, also led the people of the province in rebellion.
In the sixth year, in the twelfth month, another earthquake struck. Jing Fang mentioned in "Yifeihou": "An earthquake with sound in winter, if it happens in December, there will be war in that place." At that time, the emperor commanded Prince Yong of Yuzhang to lead a northern campaign.
In the fifth year of Zhongdatong, in the first month, another earthquake struck Jiankang. Jing Fang stated in "Yifeihou": "An earthquake in spring means there will be no good harvest in that year." That year, there were floods, and the people faced hunger.
In the third year of Datong, in the eleventh month, an earthquake struck Jiankang. The ancient book "Yifeihou" mentioned: "An earthquake in November will bring great mourning and famine to the cities." As expected, the following year was plagued by frost, and the common people faced starvation.
In the tenth month of the third year, another earthquake struck Jiankang. That year, mountain bandits emerged in the Kuaiji region. In the second month of the seventh year, Jiankang experienced another earthquake. That year, Li Ben led the people of Jiaozhou in rebellion, overthrowing Governor Xiao Zi. In the first month of the ninth year, another earthquake struck. Li Ben declared himself emperor and set up a comprehensive bureaucratic structure.
In the fourth month of the third year of Taiqing, Jiankang was hit by another earthquake. At that time, Hou Jing proclaimed himself Grand Chancellor, in charge of the Imperial Secretariat's affairs, and he did not heed the Emperor's commands. In that month, the Emperor died from grief and anger. In the fifth month of the second year of Chen Yongding, Jiankang experienced an earthquake. At that time, Wang Lin in Yingzhou enthroned Xiao Zhuang as Emperor. In the eleventh month of the fourth year of Taijian, an earthquake occurred. Chen Baoying rebelled in Minzhong.
In the first month of the first year of Zhenming, an earthquake occurred. This was seen as an omen of the abuse of power by Shi Wenqing and Shen Keqing. In the eleventh month of the second year of Wudi of Dong Wei, the Western River region experienced subsidence and caught fire. "Yi Yao Zhan" says: "When the earth sinks, the ruler of the country will die." Zu Xing explained: "Fire is yang energy, and the earth is yin energy. When the earth burns, yin energy is destroyed, yang energy causes chaos, ministers abuse power, and ultimately self-destruction will occur." At that time, Gao Yang held power, while Hou Jing abused power in Henan. Two years later, Gao Yang did indeed die, and Hou Jing rebelled, ultimately meeting his demise.
In the second year of Heqing of Later Qi, there was an earthquake in Bingzhou. This was a sign of the abuse of power by Shi Kai. In the second year of Jiande of Later Zhou, there were continuous earthquakes in Liangzhou, with many city walls collapsing and springs emerging from the ground. "Yi Yao Zhan" says: "When the earth cracks, it signifies a rebellion by the Qiang and Yi tribes." At that time, the Tuyuhun frequently raided the Hexi region.
In the fifth month of the fourteenth year of Kaihuang, the capital experienced an earthquake. "Yi Feihou" says: "In the fifth month of summer, when the earth shakes, the people will flee." That year, there was a famine in the Guanzhong region, and the Emperor ordered the common people to travel to Guandong to seek food. In the fourth month of the second year of Renshou, there were earthquakes in Qizhou and Yongzhou. "Yi Feihou" says: "In the fourth month of summer, when the earth shakes, the harvest will be poor, and the people will suffer from hunger."
In the third year, there was a landslide in Gushan in Liangzhou. "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "When the mountain collapses, it signifies the betrayal of the subjects, not serving the will of the monarch." Liangzhou is within the territory of Han. The following year, Han Wang Liang led a rebellion.
In the seventh year of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, Dizhu Mountain suddenly collapsed, blocking the Yellow River and causing the river to backflow for miles. Liu Xiang stated in "The Book of the Five Elements of the Hongfan" that "mountains represent monarchs, water represents yin energy and the people. Heaven warns that if a monarch's power is too oppressive, it faces collapse, and the people will suffer as a result." At that time, Emperor Yang of Sui was leading troops to conquer Liaodong, and the people were overwhelmed. There were widespread grievances and uprisings across the land. Yet, Emperor Yang of Sui failed to grasp the underlying issues, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Sui Dynasty. "The Book of the Five Elements of the Hongfan" also states: "If the emperor cannot be completely virtuous, it leads to instability in the state, resulting in ongoing disasters that ultimately weaken the nation's power. During this time, evil spirits will cause havoc, and dragons and snakes will bring chaos, as well as disasters caused by war horses injuring people." In the twentieth year of Kaihuang of Northern Zhou, in October, there was a prolonged stretch of dreary rain, with no sun in sight. Liu Xiang remarked, "If rulers act immorally and ministers wield enough power to mislead the monarch, continuous rainy weather will occur." At that time, Empress Dugu and Yang Su secretly plotted against Crown Prince Yang Yong, ultimately reducing him to the status of a commoner.
In the fourth year of Wu Ding of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, Gao Huan served as Prime Minister and personally led the army to attack the city of Yubi in Western Wei. In November of that year, Gao Huan fell ill and had to return to the capital. The soldiers were terrified and said, "Wei Xiaokuan of Western Wei used a strong crossbow to shoot the Prime Minister." Western Wei issued a nationwide order stating, "With one shot of a strong crossbow, disaster will befall you." Gao Huan, upon hearing this, became very angry, and his illness worsened, which fulfilled the omen of "shooting the demon." The "Hong Fan Five Elements Biography" states, "Shooting is a sign of military disaster and chaos; when the energy goes against the heavens, disaster and chaos will arise." Gao Huan continued to march, and General Cao Weizu advised him, "You're using dead energy to combat living energy, which is not good for you but advantageous for the enemy!" Gao Huan did not heed the advice, remained in place for fifty days, and failed in multiple battles. He also believed in someone's advice to cut off the Fen River to the north of the city and build up a hill. The terrain was steep, and the hill rose over a thousand feet, but the project was never completed, resulting in the deaths of seventy thousand people. This was the consequence of defying the will of heaven! Gao Huan passed away that year. The following year, Wang Sizheng once again disrupted the Henan region.
During the reign of Emperor Wuping of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the emperor was returning from Bingzhou to Ye City and passed through Bagongling, singing and walking at night. Suddenly, a madman thought the emperor was bewitched by a fox spirit and hid in the grass shooting arrows. As a result, several people were injured, and the emperor was nearly shot. The emperor immediately caught and beheaded him. The man was completely unaware of what he was doing as he shot arrows. The idea that a fox spirit had bewitched the emperor is just nonsense about demons! At that time, the emperor didn't care about state affairs, spent his days singing, drinking, and seeking pleasure with palace maids and eunuchs, sometimes even wearing tattered clothes to beg for fun on the streets, all of which were bad omens! Someone shooting him with a bow and arrow was a sign that disaster was imminent! Not long after, the country perished.
In the second year of the Liang Dynasty, two dragons were fighting in Tanzi in Beiliangzhou, causing water mist to spread for several miles. This dragon fight is a sign of trouble! The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "The dragon is a fierce beast that is difficult to deal with, symbolizing the sky and also symbolizing the monarch. If the celestial signs are unfavorable and the ruler's authority is undermined, then the dragon will also be affected. Dragon fighting is a precursor to military disasters." Jing Fang's "Yi Fei Hou" also says: "When people are restless, strange things like dragon fights will happen." At that time, the emperor had just ascended the throne and encountered rebellions by Chen Bozhi and Liu Jilian. The people across the nation were anxious and fearful.
In June of the fifth year of the Pu Tong era, the dragons fought again at Quawangbei, then headed west to Jianling City. Where the dragon passed through Jianling, trees were snapped for dozens of zhang. This was exactly the same as the situation in the second year of the Tianjian. When the dragon passed through Jianling, the fallen trees foretold impending war and the destruction of the imperial mausoleum. At that time, the emperor was only concerned with empty theoretical pursuits, neglecting agricultural production and military construction, leading to a weak army and complacent soldiers. The ruler's governance was failing, so strange things like dragon fights occurred. Yet, the emperor remained oblivious. In the first year of Taiqing, dragon fights reoccurred in the waters of Lizhou, with massive waves and swirling clouds, and a white dragon seen running south with a black dragon chasing behind. That year, Hou Jing came with his troops to surrender, and the emperor accepted him unprepared, instilling fear in the populace. Soon, war erupted, the emperor became increasingly anxious, and ultimately succumbed to despair.
In the summer of the tenth year of Datong, a dragon fell into a well belonging to a family in Yanzhou because of thunder at night. The next morning, it was discovered to be roughly the size of a donkey. Some people wanted to stab it to death with a spear, but suddenly many large snakes appeared in the yard and inside the house, as large as several hundred bushels worth of grain. The family was terrified and scattered in all directions. According to the "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan," "The dragon is a masculine thing, representing nobility. It should be in the sky or on the ground, not in the towns and houses of the common people. The well symbolizes depth, foreshadowing that princes will face imprisonment due to the emperor's failings." Later, Hou Jing rebelled and indeed imprisoned and killed Emperor Jianwen in a wine cellar, leading to the imprisonment and tragic deaths of the royal family and nobles.
In the eleventh year of the Taijian era of the Chen Dynasty, a dragon also appeared in a pond in Nanyanzhou, mirroring the omen of the dragon that appeared in the tenth year of Datong during the Liang Dynasty. Not long after, the last emperor came to power. He was extravagant, indulgent, and neglected state affairs, unable to do anything well. Ultimately, the country fell, and he was imprisoned.
In the first year of Wuding in the Eastern Wei Dynasty, a large snake appeared in Wulao City. At that time, Li, the beautiful and intelligent wife of Gao Zhongmi, the governor of Beiyuzhou, caught the eye of Crown Prince Gao Cheng, which made Gao Zhongmi uneasy. He then rebelled, using Wulao as a stronghold, secretly colluding with the Western Wei, and engaged in a major battle against the Eastern Wei army at Heyang. Gao Huan (Emperor Shenwu) narrowly escaped defeat by the Western Wei army, resulting in thousands of casualties.
In the ninth year of the Tianbao era of the Later Qi Dynasty, a dragon measuring seven or eight zhang appeared in the hall of Qizhou, echoing the omen from the tenth year of Datong. At that time, the Kings of Changshan and Changguang wielded significant power, yet the emperor was reluctant to suppress them. The emperor died the following year, and Crown Prince Yin took the throne. King Changshan, Xiao Yan, indeed deposed the emperor, imprisoned him, and had him killed, subsequently being titled King of Jinan.
In the first year of Heqing, a dragon appeared in the bathhouse in Jizhou, just like the omen in the ninth year of Tianbao. Previously, Prince Pingqin Guiyan followed the posthumous edict of Emperor Zhao to establish Prince Bai Nian as the successor. However, Guiyan instead established Prince Zhang as the heir, who later became Emperor Wucheng. Prince Bai Nian was stripped of his title and made Prince Leling, and eventually imprisoned and died.
In the fourth year of Tiantong, someone in Guixiang cut down a dead tree and found a yellow dragon with a broken leg, dead in a tree hole. At that time, the Qi dynasty held wood in high regard. The dragon symbolizes the monarch, and the dragon's death in the dead tree was an extremely ominous omen. That year, Emperor Wucheng died.
In the third year of Wuping, a dragon appeared in a well in Handan, radiating vibrant dragon energy, soaring into the sky. Another dragon appeared in a dried-up well in Jiju County. This omen mirrored that of the first year of Heqing. Later, Gao Wei, the last emperor of Northern Qi, surrendered to Northern Zhou and was eventually killed.
In the seventh year of Wuping, at Zhaoyuan Lou in Bingzhou, a red snake and a black snake fought for several days, and the red snake died. Red was the color of Qi, and black was the color of Zhou. When two snakes fought and one died, it was a sign that the nation was doomed! Later, the emperor relied on treacherous officials and fought against the Zhou army in Jinzhou. He handed over the army to the treacherous Gao Anagong, who conspired against him, leading to the emperor's capture by the Zhou army.
Prince Yan of Langye demolished a white horse-shaped pagoda in the Beigong, built by Chengong during the Stone Zhao period. As a result, a giant white snake several zhang in length was seen coiling and disappearing. At that time, Prince Yan of Langye was tyrannical and cruel, bringing about his own downfall by ignoring warning signs, which ultimately led to disaster.
In the fifth year of the Later Zhou Dynasty, a black dragon fell and died in Bozhou. The dragon is a symbol of the monarch, and black is the symbolic color of the Zhou Dynasty. The dragon's death was an ominous omen. At that time, the crown prince was inept, and the emperor was worried about this. Honest ministers like Wang Gui and Yuwen Xiaobo repeatedly requested the removal of the crown prince, but the emperor refused. Two years later, the emperor died, the crown prince ascended the throne, and cruelly killed the Prince of Qi and Xiaobo, which ultimately led to the country's downfall.
In the fourth year of the Renshou era, a dragon appeared in a well at the Daizhou governor's office. This dragon sometimes turned into an iron horse, sometimes into a soldier, drawing a bow and shooting arrows, as if hunting demons. Turning into an iron horse foretells a disaster with horses; drawing a bow and shooting arrows foretells war among the vassals, ultimately leading to imprisonment. At that time, King Liang of Han was secretly plotting a rebellion, hence these omens served as a warning. King Liang did not understand these signs, and as a result, he rebelled, failed, was demoted to a commoner, and died after being imprisoned for several years.
Hou Jing crowned himself emperor in Jiangnan. Every time he went to war, if his white horse neighed and stomped its hooves, he would definitely win; if it hung its head, he would definitely be defeated. In a battle in Xizhou, his white horse lay down and refused to move, despite Hou Jing's begging and beating. This was an ominous sign regarding horses! "The Book of Hongfan Wuxing" says: "Horses are a symbol of war, so strange occurrences with horses precede war." Hou Jing suffered a major defeat as a result.
In the fifth year of the Chen Taijian era, the horses in Hengzhou developed horns. "The Book of Hongfan Wuxing" says: "Horns on horses are a sign of war and a sign of destruction." At that time, Emperor Chen Xuan sent Wu Mingche to lead troops to confront the Zhou army in Luliang. After years of fighting, the army sustained heavy losses, and Wu Mingche was ultimately captured by the Zhou army.
During the Tianbao period of the Northern Qi dynasty, a horse with horns appeared in Guangzong County, with the horn positioned between its ears, resembling a sheep's tail. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan": "When the emperor personally leads troops to battle, there will be horses growing horns." Four years later, the Khitan people invaded the border, and Emperor Wenxuan personally led the army to battle, which seemed to fulfill that prophecy, didn't it?
In the fourth year of Daye, many horses in the Taiyuan stables died, with over half perishing! When the emperor heard about this, he was furious and immediately sent people to investigate. The stable manager said: "Every night, the horses in the stable scare themselves for no apparent reason, which is why so many died." The emperor summoned a wizard to investigate. This wizard knew that the emperor was planning to attack Liaodong, so he catered to the emperor's wishes: "The late emperor sent Yang Su and Shi Wansui to attack Liaodong because they wanted to bring ghost soldiers!" Upon hearing this, the emperor was thrilled and promptly released the stable manager. "Hong Fan Wuxing Zhuan" wrote: "Going against the will of heaven, that's why so many horses died." During that time, the emperor traveled around every year, sometimes near the Great Wall, sometimes to the west in Qumul, resulting in great hardship for the people. It seemed like heaven was sending him a warning: stop raising so many horses, and stop wandering around! But the emperor didn't listen, and it eventually led to chaos in the world.
In the eleventh year of Daye, three counties in Henan and Fufeng all had horses with horns, with horns a few inches long. This was identical to what happened in the fourth year of Daye! At that time, the emperor was personally leading troops to attack Goryeo every year.
In the first year of Yining, in the Longma stables in Jiangdu Palace, many horses inexplicably died, with hundreds dying within ten days! This was identical to what happened in the fourth year of Daye!
