In the year 501 AD, the huai tree bloomed but did not bear fruit. The ancients believed that the huai tree symbolized the Three Dukes, and its blooming without bearing fruit foretold the downfall of the nobility. As expected, the following year, He Shikai, who was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, was executed, along with King Hu Changren of Longdong and the Taibao, King Yan of Langye. The Left Prime Minister, Duan Shao, also died. This truly fulfilled the omen of "huai flowers without bearing fruit."
Chen Houzhu, the last emperor of the Chen Dynasty, favored two stunning beauties, Zhang Guifei and Kong Guifei, who were known as "bewitching beauties." Chen Houzhu was obsessed with beauty, showering them with affection. They always accompanied the emperor, indulging in poetry, wine, song, and dance, seeking pleasure and revelry. Once in the harem, he would not come out for several days, living an extravagant and debauched life, squandering without restraint, completely oblivious to moderation. As a result, the treasury became empty, leading to public discontent and causing soldiers to lose their loyalty. The enemies took advantage of this and attacked, with not a single soldier willing to fight to the death. All this was due to Houzhu's obsession with women and neglect of state affairs. In the end, the Chen Dynasty perished, with Chen Houzhu and his concubines committing suicide together by throwing themselves into a well. The Sui army captured Zhang Guifei and executed her to quell the public outrage in Jiangdong. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "'Hua' represents glory, wealth, and beauty. It is referred to as 'Hua Nie' because a nation's downfall comes from beauty."
Qi's last emperor also favored a beautiful woman named Feng Xiaolian. She was intelligent and pretty, and could play the pipa, with exceptional skills in singing and dancing. Qi's last emperor was infatuated with her and appointed her as Shu Fei. He even selected thousands of beautiful palace maids to attend her, each requiring extravagant adornments. As Qi's last emperor indulged in pleasure, the Zhou Dynasty's army launched a massive attack, leading to a border crisis, with refugees fleeing in all directions. Qi's last emperor sought to withdraw his troops, but Feng Xiaolian refused and requested the emperor to continue the siege. To his surprise, Qi's last emperor acquiesced to her wishes. However, the delay resulted in the capture of Jinzhou. Later, Qi's last emperor and the Zhou army engaged in battle at Jinzhou, missing several opportunities due to Feng Xiaolian, ultimately leading to the downfall of the country. The people of the Qi Dynasty continue to blame Feng Xiaolian for their nation's downfall.
While Prince Ji of the Liang Dynasty was performing a ritual to honor the city god, a red snake suddenly appeared entwined around the mouth of the sacrificial cow. The ancients believed this to be an ominous sign, deeming the cow inauspicious. This corresponds with the symbolic significance of the dragon-snake offspring. The "Spring and Autumn Annals" recorded that in the third year of Duke Xuan of Lu, the cow's mouth was harmed during the suburban ritual, and people at the time believed it to be a sign of the heavens' rejection of the sacrifice, signifying their abandonment of Duke Xuan. The "Five Elements Chronicles" stated: "When a ruler goes against the will of heaven, the offspring of the dragon and snake will appear." Although Prince Ji of Wuling professed to be seeking assistance, he was actually arrogant and conceited. His reckless and arrogant demeanor resulted in the heavens' rejection of the sacrifice, fulfilling the omen of a ruler defying the will of heaven. Ultimately, he was defeated by Emperor Yuan.
In the year 503 AD, a strange event occurred in Northern Qi, where the province of Shanxi presented a five-legged cow. This was seen as an ominous sign! The "Hong Fan Five Elements Biography" says: "The cow is a symbol associated with the palace." This means that cows are related to palaces, and the appearance of this strange cow indicates that there will be changes in the palace. Sure enough, the emperor immediately ordered a massive construction project in Xiandu Park, engaging in extravagance and luxury by building palaces, ponds, and rockeries. But just as the project was completed, the dynasty collapsed.
In the year 618 AD, a strange event also occurred in the Later Zhou dynasty. In Yangwu, three strange beasts appeared, resembling water buffalo—one yellow, one red, and one black. These three strange beasts fought, as the yellow water buffalo charged at the black one, resulting in the death of the black water buffalo, followed by the yellow water buffalo jumping into the river. This appeared to herald yet another disaster linked to cattle! Black was the color revered by the Zhou dynasty, and the death of the black water buffalo symbolized the downfall of the Zhou dynasty. Several years later, the Zhou dynasty eventually fell, replaced by the Sui dynasty, whose flag was red and whose soldiers wore yellow uniforms.
During the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, a cow with an extra hoof on each of its four knees appeared in Mount Heng. Afterwards, the Sui dynasty built the Eastern Capital, constructed the Great Wall, and excavated canals.
In the year 589 AD, during the third year of the Chen Dynasty's Zhēnmíng reign, the Sui army was at the riverbank. However, Emperor Chen casually remarked, "The Qi army has come three times, the Zhou army has come twice, and we have defeated them all. What can they do?" The Minister of Justice of the Chen Dynasty, Kǒng Fàn, said, "The Yangtze River is a natural barrier that has historically separated the north and the south. How could the northern army possibly cross the Yangtze River? I have always worried about my low rank. If they really do cross the river, I might become a General!" Emperor Chen was delighted to hear this and proceeded to enjoy music, wine, poetry, and revelry, immersing himself in pleasure. This was truly a sign of being beyond redemption! At a critical moment for the survival of the country, the ruler and his officials should be toiling day and night. However, Chen was completely unconcerned, and Kǒng Fàn followed him into a state of indulgence. With their minds clouded, it was inevitable that they would fail. As a result, the Chen Dynasty fell, and Kǒng Fàn was exiled far away.
Emperor Wenxuan of Qi once held a banquet on Dongshan. Due to a minor incident, he erupted in anger, smashed a wine cup, and then ordered a military campaign to the west, boasting about the strength of his army. However, not long after, he tearfully told his ministers, "This black robe is not what I want." In the end, the western campaign plan fell through. Those with insight believed that the emperor had become unhinged, knowing that his reign would not last long. Later, the emperor indeed fell ill, became addicted to alcohol and women, had a volatile temperament, and died a few years later.
Emperor Wucheng was saddened by the death of Empress Ding and continued to wear red court attire. Shortly after, he went up to the Three Terraces, held banquets, and sought pleasure. When attendants brought him white court attire, he erupted in anger and threw the clothes down the steps. Before long, he died.
In the first year of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, it rained mud from the sky. The following year, gray rain fell, which looked ominous. Jing Fang mentioned in "Yi Fei Hou" that ignoring good advice despite knowing better is considered "knowing" (thinking oneself clever); the appearance of this yellow omen foretells disaster, even the end of the family line, due to the obstruction of virtuous individuals from serving. At that time, Emperor Wu of Liang considered himself extremely clever, could not stand those superior to him, and was particularly superstitious about Buddhism, even willing to serve as a slave to others, which was a punishment for obstructing virtuous individuals.
In the first month of the first year of Da Bao, yellow sand rained down from the sky. Shortly after, he was indeed overthrown by Hou Jing, crushed to death with soil bags, and his sons were all killed, fulfilling the prophecy of no heirs.
During the reign of Chen Houzhu, he dreamed of people wearing yellow clothes surrounding the city. Disturbed by this dream, Chen Houzhu had all the orange trees in the capital cut down. Soon after, Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, declared himself the emperor, and everyone in the court wore yellow clothes. Not long after, the Sui army attacked the Chen Dynasty, fulfilling the dream.
In the first month of the second year of Da Xiang of Later Zhou, yellow mud rained down for quite a while before it stopped, mirroring the situation in the first year of Da Tong. At that time, the inept emperor died a year later, passing his position to Emperor Jing through abdication, once again fulfilling the prophecy of no heirs.
In the second year of the Kaihuang era, a muddy rain fell in the capital city. At that time, Emperor Wen of Sui learned from the lesson of the Zhou dynasty that the weakness of the vassals led to the downfall of the country. Therefore, he divided his sons and granted them great power, allowing them to govern different regions. This phenomenon of "losing land" was accompanied by signs of "the auspiciousness of having land," and eventually, these princes rebelled separately. Jing Fang also mentioned in "Yi Fei Hou": "When heaven rains on the earth, the people toil in vain." At that time, Emperor Wen of Sui was busy building palaces, and later built the Renshou Palace, undertaking massive construction projects, which resulted in the deaths of many craftsmen.
In the first year of the Taiqing era of the Liang dynasty, a woman surnamed Mo in Danyang gave birth to a baby boy with eyes on the top of his head, as large as those of a two-year-old. The child spoke immediately upon birth, saying, "I am a drought ghost, I cannot stay here." His mother said, "You must let me live." The drought ghost replied, "Someone above is in charge, how can I act recklessly? Hurry and make a crimson hat, then everything will be fine." His mother did not have time to make the hat, so she tied a red cloth strip on his head. From then on, the drought lasted for two years, causing severe disasters in Yangzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, and Yuzhou. Many of Mo's neighbors survived the disaster by wearing red items, but those who tried to imitate them in other places were not successful.
In the second year of Dabao, a five-year-old child in Jingkou climbed to the tallest tower at the southwest corner of the city, beat the drum, and played "Changjiang Lei." The drum symbolized the army, and at that time, Hou Jing was causing chaos in Jiangnan.
In the third year of the Yongding era of the Chen dynasty, it was rumored that a person three zhang tall (about 9 meters) appeared, saw Mount Luofu, was completely white, and dressed in magnificent clothes. Jing Fang's divination said: "The appearance of such a tall person foretells the country's downfall." Two years later, the emperor passed away.
During the Chen dynasty, when the later emperor was still the crown prince, a woman broke into the Eastern Palace shouting loudly, "The ruler of the Bi kingdom!" Later, when the later emperor ascended to the throne, the kingdom quickly fell, fulfilling this prophecy.
In August of the third year of the Zhide era of the Chen Dynasty, a maid in Jiankang died at home and was buried for nine days, but surprisingly came back to life! A cowherd, hearing about this, dug her up. In the second year of the Zhenming era of the Chen Dynasty, a ship was launched and suddenly someone said, "There will be chaos next year!" Everyone saw that there was a dead infant on the ship, only two feet long and without a head. The following year, the Chen Dynasty fell. In the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty, a woman in Linzhang gave birth to a child with two heads sharing one body. Later, corrupt officials controlled the government, and the child with two heads symbolized the chaos of the time. During the reign of the last emperor of the Northern Qi Dynasty, there was a Buddhist monk who seemed like a madman. He would bow to crows and scold monks. Crows were associated with the Zhou Dynasty. Soon after, the Northern Qi Dynasty was overthrown by the Northern Zhou Dynasty, leading to the persecution of Buddhism. In the third year of the Baoding era of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, a woman gave birth to a boy with genitalia on his back like a tail, and his toes looked like animal claws. The genitalia were on the back, which shouldn't be the case, signifying a reversal of yin and yang, and the toes should not have claws, but they did, indicating that brutal upheaval was imminent. At that time, Jin Yuhuan, the Prince of Western Wei, was in power and scheming to seize the throne. This served as a warning from heaven: the order between ruler and subjects had been turned upside down, and brutal chaos was about to occur. The emperor recognized this upon witnessing these signs, so he executed Jin Yuhuan, took control of the government, implemented measures of austerity, ultimately pacified the Qi Kingdom, and was revered as the founding emperor. Truly turning disaster into fortune!
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, there was a skilled martial artist who feigned madness. Holding a gourd, he ran to the home of Prince Jin Yuhu, broke down the door, and shouted, "You are fine, but your son is in trouble!" At that time, Yuhu was in a position of great power and was on his way to meet the Empress Dowager, so Emperor Wu ordered his execution. Soldiers were then sent to arrest his sons, who all took poison and died. The martial artist went out begging on the streets, and when people gave him food, he used a bottomless sack to gather it, laughing and saying, "It's empty!" Not long after, the Northern Zhou Dynasty fell, the founding emperor moved the capital, and Chang'an became a ruin.
In the sixth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, an old man in Huozhou transformed into a ferocious beast.
In the seventh year of the Kaihuang era, a mulberry tree in Xiangzhou became a snake, wrapping its tail around a tree and whipping itself, measuring about two zhang in length.
In the fourth year of the Renshou era of the Sui Dynasty, a person several zhang tall appeared at the gate, leaving footprints that were four feet five inches long. That year, the emperor passed away.
In the year 605 AD, in Yanmen, Shanxi, there was a man named Fang Huian. His mother was already a hundred years old, and he suddenly sprouted a horn on his forehead, measuring two cun in length! The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "Women belong to yin, horns belong to soldiers, the lower responding to the upper." After this incident, chaos ensued, and the army surrounded the emperor at Yanmen Pass.
In the year 608 AD, in Songgu Village, Yanmen, a woman gave birth to a meat egg about the size of a doupeng. She buried it, and a few days later, dark clouds gathered over the burial site, with rumbling sounds coming from below, and a large hole appeared, with the meat egg gone.
In the year 609 AD, in Zhaojun, a maid in the Li family gave birth to something about the size of a chicken egg.
On the first day of the first month of 609 AD, a thief in a white silk dress, holding fragrant flowers, claimed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya. He went to Jianguo Gate, seized the guard's weapons, and tried to start a rebellion. Prince Qi Yang Jian encountered him and killed him on the spot. Three years later, Yang Xuangan rebelled, leading troops to siege Luoyang, but he was ultimately defeated and killed.
In the year 611, there was a madman named Cheng Gong who shouted "Thief! Thief!" on the streets of the Eastern Capital. The emperor was quite displeased to hear about this. The following year, Yang Xuanzang raised an army in rebellion and besieged Luoyang.
In 615, Cheng Gong shouted "Thief!" again, and Li Mi approached the Eastern Capital. Meng Rang set a fire in Fengdu City and fled.
In the ninth year of the reign, 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 in his tower were on, and he performed tricks that conjured Buddha statues, claiming to be the reincarnation of the Maitreya Buddha. He also hung a large mirror in the hall with images of snakes, wild beasts, and people. When visitors came to see him, he would spin the mirror to show them their past lives. If the mirror showed a snake, Song Zixian would say, "You have committed grave sins, recite more sutras!" Then he would make them bow again, and the mirror would show a human image. People in the vicinity believed him, and thousands came to worship him every day. Later, Song Zixian secretly planned a rebellion, intending to hold a grand Buddhist event and then attack the imperial palace. But his plan was exposed, and soldiers were sent to arrest him. When they arrived at Song Zixian's residence at night, they saw only a large fire pit and were too frightened to come closer. The leader said, "There was no pit here b
In the fifth year of the Liang Chaotian reign, in the eleventh month, an earthquake struck the capital city, damaging wood, metal, water, fire, and the land. The "Chronicle of the Five Elements" states: "Officials with strong power will cause trouble and harm to the region." At that time, Li Kai, the governor of Jiaozhou, led a rebellion. The following year, there was frost, leading to a poor harvest and widespread hunger.
In the third year of the Putong reign, in the first month, an earthquake occurred in Jiankang. At that time, Wenseng Lang, the governor of Yizhou, led a rebellion with the people of the province.
In the twelfth month of the sixth year, another earthquake struck. Jing Fang stated in "Yi Feihou": "If there is a sound during a winter earthquake in December, there will be war in that area." The emperor then ordered Prince Cong of Yuzhang to lead troops in a northern expedition.
In the first month of the fifth year of the Zhongdatong reign, an earthquake hit Jiankang. Jing Fang mentioned in "Yi Feihou": "If an earthquake occurs in spring, the harvest will be poor that year." That year, there was a flood, and the people went hungry.
In the eleventh month of the third year of the Datong reign, Jiankang experienced another earthquake. The ancient text "Yi Feihou" said: "An earthquake in November will bring major disasters and famine to cities." True to the prediction, the following year suffered from frost damage, and the people went hungry.
In October of the third year, Jiankang was struck by another earthquake. That year, bandits in the mountains appeared in the Kuaiji region. In the second month of the seventh year, Jiankang was hit by another earthquake. That year, Li Ben from Jiaozhou led a rebellion, driving away the governor Xiao Zi. In the first month of the ninth year, during a leap month, another earthquake occurred. Li Ben proclaimed himself emperor and set up a full bureaucratic system.
In the fourth month of the third year of Taiqing, Jiankang was hit by another earthquake. At that time, Hou Jing proclaimed himself Grand Prime Minister and refused to provide the emperor with essential supplies. The emperor died of grief and anger that month. In the fifth month of the second year of Chen Yongding, Jiankang experienced another earthquake. Wang Lin in Yingzhou supported Xiao Zhuang as emperor. In the eleventh month of the fourth year of Taijian, another earthquake struck. Chen Baoying led a rebellion in Minzhong.
In the first month of the Zhenming era, there was an earthquake. This was an omen of the excessive power wielded by Shi Wenqing and Shen Keqing. In the eleventh month of the second year of the Wuding era of Eastern Wei, the Western River region sank and caught fire. The "Yi Yao Zhan" says: "When the earth sinks, the ruler will die." Zu Xing explained: "Fire is yang energy, and the earth is yin energy. When the earth burns, the yin energy is disrupted, and the yang energy prevails; the ministers become powerful, and ultimately self-destruction will occur." At that time, Gao Yang was in power, while Hou Jing was in control of Henan. Two years later, Gao Yang indeed died, and Hou Jing rebelled, ultimately dying in failure.
In the second year of the Heqing era of Later Qi, there was an earthquake in Binzhou. This was an omen of the excessive power of He Shikai. In the second year of the Jiande era of Later Zhou, there were frequent earthquakes in the Liangzhou region, causing city walls to collapse and springs to burst forth. The "Yi Yao Zhan" says: "When the earth cracks, the Qiang and Yi tribes will rebel." At that time, the Tuyuhun tribe frequently raided the Hexi region.
In the fourteenth year of the Kaihuang era, an earthquake struck the capital. The "Yi Feihou" says: "In the fifth month of summer, when there is an earthquake, the people will be exiled." That year, there was a famine in the Guanzhong region, and the emperor ordered the people to travel to Guandong in search of food. In the second month of Renshou in the second year, there was an earthquake in Qizhou and Yongzhou. The "Yi Feihou" says: "In the fourth month of summer, when there is an earthquake, there will be a poor grain harvest, and the people will suffer from famine."
Three years later, a landslide occurred in Gushan, Liangzhou. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "When mountains collapse and the earth cracks, it signals the people's betrayal and disloyalty to their leaders." Liangzhou is part of Han territory. The following year, Prince Liang launched a rebellion.
In the seventh year of Daye, Dizhu Mountain collapsed, blocking the Yellow River, causing the river to flow backward for miles. Liu Xiang said in the "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan": "Mountains symbolize monarchs; water symbolizes yin energy and the people. Heaven warns that if the monarch's power is too oppressive, he will fall, and the people will not find peace." At that time, Emperor Yang of Sui was launching an attack on Liaodong, and the people could no longer endure the heavy corvée labor. Complaints arose everywhere, leading to widespread rebellions. Emperor Yang of Sui failed to comprehend these omens, which ultimately led to the downfall of the dynasty.
In the "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan", it is said: "Emperors cannot achieve the ultimate; this signifies failure. Its fault lies in foolishness, its punishment is years of darkness, and its result is weakness. At this time, evil spirits will haunt, disasters involving dragons and snakes will arise, and disasters involving horses will arise." In October of the twentieth year of the Kaihuang era, there was a prolonged period of continuous rain. Liu Xiang said: "If the emperor loses the middle way, and the ministers' power obscures the monarch's judgment, continuous rainy weather will appear." At that time, Empress Dugu and Yang Su secretly plotted against Crown Prince Yang Yong, reducing him to commoner status. In the fourth year of Wuding in Eastern Wei, Emperor Shengwu of Northern Qi became the prime minister, personally leading the army to attack Western Wei at Yubi. In November of that year, Emperor Shengwu fell ill and returned to the capital. The soldiers were terrified, saying: "Wei Xiaokuan used the Dinggong crossbow to shoot and kill the prime minister." Western Wei issued a nationwide order: "One shot from the strong crossbow, the evil body will perish." Emperor Shengwu was very angry when he heard this; his condition worsened. This is likely the doing of evil spirits. "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "Shooting symbolizes war and chaos; when the energy defies the heavens, disasters will arise." On the way back, General Cao Weizu advised in the palace: "Your Majesty, you are countering living energy with dead energy, which is not good for the guest army, but it is beneficial to you." However, Emperor Shengwu did not listen; the army stayed in place for fifty days and suffered repeated defeats. He also listened to the futile advice, cutting off the Fen River in the north of the city and piling up earth mountains. The terrain was steep and high, reaching more than a thousand feet, and the project was never completed, resulting in the deaths of seventy thousand people. This is the retribution for defying the heavens! Emperor Shengwu died that year. The following year, Wang Sizheng once again caused turmoil in the Henan region.
Back in Wuping, the emperor was coming back to Ye from Bingzhou, singing as he walked as he passed through Bagong Ridge. Suddenly, a man suddenly went mad, believing the emperor was enchanted by a fox spirit, hiding in the bushes and shooting arrows. He injured several people and almost shot the emperor. The emperor quickly captured him and had him executed. At that time, the man had no idea what he had done. The idea that foxes could mislead people was just absurd. The emperor did not care about state affairs at all, spending his days singing, drinking, and partying with the palace maids and eunuchs. He even wore tattered clothes and even begged on the streets for kicks, and all of this was a bad omen! Someone shooting arrows at him was a sign of impending disaster. It wasn't long before the country fell apart.
In the second year of the Tianjian era of the Liang Dynasty, a dragon was spotted fighting in the Tan River of North Liangzhou, with mist rising for miles around. A dragon and snake fighting was a bad omen. "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "Dragons are fierce beasts that are difficult to deal with, symbolizing the heavens and the monarch. If disasters strike the heavens and the ruler falters, the dragon will suffer too. Dragon fights indicate war." Jing Fang's "Yi Feihou" also states: "When people's hearts are uneasy, strange phenomena such as dragon fights will appear." Just after the emperor took the throne, he faced rebellions from Chen Bozhi and Liu Jilian, spreading panic across the nation and putting it in grave danger.
In June of the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Taizong, a dragon fought at Quawangpo, then headed west to Jianling City. Trees along its path were broken for tens of zhang, similar to the events of the second year of Tianjian. The broken trees in Jianling foretold impending war and the destruction of the imperial tomb. The emperor was too focused on reading and discussing, neglecting agriculture and military affairs, resulting in weak military strength and lazy soldiers. The monarch's rule was in trouble, leading to strange occurrences like dragon fights. The emperor remained unaware of this. In the first year of Taiqing, dragons fought in the waters of Lizhou, causing towering waves and swirling mist, with a white dragon fleeing south and a black dragon in pursuit. That year, Hou Jing surrendered with his troops, catching the emperor off guard and instilling fear across the nation. Soon, chaos erupted, and the emperor, overcome by anxiety, eventually died of depression.
In the summer of the tenth year of Daitong, a dragon fell into a well in Yanling during a thunderstorm and was found the next morning about the size of a donkey. People tried to kill it with a spear, but suddenly many large snakes appeared in the courtyard and house, as large as several hundred dou boats, causing the family to flee in terror. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states, "Dragons are noble symbols of yang energy, residing in the heavens and the earth, not meant to appear in common towns, villages, or homes. Wells symbolize deep places, indicating that nobles could face the threat of imprisonment, a result of the emperor's lack of wisdom." Later, Hou Jing rebelled and imprisoned and killed Emperor Jianwen in a wine cellar, resulting in the deaths of royal princes and nobles.
In the first month of the eleventh year of Taijian of the Chen Dynasty, a dragon appeared in a pond in South Yanzhou, similar to the situation in the tenth year of Daitong of the Liang Dynasty. Soon after, the last emperor took the throne, indulging in extravagance while neglecting state affairs, leading to the downfall of the country and his own imprisonment.
In the first year of the Wu Ding reign of the Eastern Wei, a large snake appeared in the city of Wulao. Gao Zhongmi, the governor of Beiyu Province, had a wife named Li, who was beautiful and intelligent. The crown prince Gao Cheng liked her, which caused Gao Zhongmi great unease. He subsequently rebelled in Wulao, secretly colluding with Western Wei, leading to a major battle in Heyang. Gao Huan (Emperor Shenwu) was closely pursued by the Western Wei army and barely escaped, with thousands perishing.
In the ninth year of the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi, a dragon approximately seven to eight zhang long appeared in the hall of Qizhou, mirroring the omen from the tenth year of Datong. At that time, the Princes of Changshan and Changguang held great power, yet the emperor did not contemplate diminishing their power. The following year, the emperor died, and Crown Prince Gao Yin ascended the throne. Prince Changshan, Gao Yan, indeed deposed Gao Yin, imprisoned and killed him, and was granted the title of King of Jinan.
In the first year of Heqing, a dragon appeared in the bathhouse of Jizhou, similar to the omen from the ninth year of Tianbao. Previously, Prince Pingqin, Gao Guiyan, accepted the posthumous edict of Emperor Zhao to appoint Prince Gao Bai Nian as the heir. However, Gao Guiyan instead appointed Prince Changguang, Gao Zhan, who later became Emperor Wucheng. Gao Bai Nian was deposed, appointed as the King of Leling, and eventually imprisoned and killed.
In the fourth year of Tiantong, someone in Guixiang cut down a dead tree and found a yellow dragon with its feet broken, dead in a tree hollow. During that time, the Qi Dynasty held a deep reverence for wood as a symbol of virtue. The wilting of trees and the dragon's death were seen as extremely ominous signs. That year, Emperor Wucheng died.
In the third year of Wuping, a dragon appeared in a well in Handan, radiating vibrant dragon energy that shot up into the sky. Another dragon appeared in a dried-up well in a Buddhist temple in Jiju County, echoing the omen from the first year of Heqing. Later, Gao Wei, the last emperor of Northern Qi, surrendered to Northern Zhou and was ultimately executed.
In the seventh year of Wuping, at Zhaoyuan Tower in Bingzhou, a red snake and a black snake appeared fighting for several days, and the red snake died. Red is the color of the Qi kingdom, and black is the color of the Zhou kingdom. The death of one of the snakes in the fight was a sign that the country was going to perish! Later, the emperor placed his trust in treacherous men, fought against the Zhou army in Jinzhou, and even handed over the army to the treacherous minister Gao Anagong, who ended up surrendering to the enemy. This disaster stemmed from the emperor's lack of caution. In the end, the emperor was captured by the Zhou army.
Prince Yan of Langye dismantled a white horse pagoda in the northern palace, built by Duke Cheng during the Stone Zhao period. They saw a huge white snake several yards long, which eventually vanished after twisting about. At that time, Prince Yan of Langye was cruel and tyrannical, killing his ministers, which ultimately led to his downfall. Not being vigilant to unusual phenomena eventually led to disaster.
In the fifth year of Jiande in Later Zhou, a black dragon fell dead in Bozhou. The dragon is a symbol of the king, and black is the symbolic color of the Zhou dynasty. The dragon falling dead was a very ominous omen. At that time, the crown prince proved to be incompetent, and the emperor was constantly worried about this. Upright ministers such as Wang Gui and Yuwen Xiaobo repeatedly requested the removal of the crown prince, but the emperor did not accept. Two years later, the emperor died, the crown prince ascended the throne, cruelly killing the Prince of Qi and Xiaobo, leading to the eventual downfall of the country.
In the fourth year of Renshou, a dragon was seen in the well of the General's Office in Daizhou. This dragon transformed into an iron horse at times and sometimes into a soldier wearing armor, ready to shoot with a bow and arrow. Turning into an iron horse foreshadowed a catastrophe related to horses; bending the bow and shooting arrows seemed like shooting demons, indicating that there would be war among the vassals, ultimately leading to imprisonment. At that time, Prince Liang of Han was secretly plotting rebellion, which served as warnings. Liang did not listen to advice, eventually rebelled, was stripped of his title and reduced to commoner status, and died after being imprisoned for several years.
Hou Jing proclaimed himself emperor in Jiangnan. Every time he went to battle, if his white horse neighed and stamped its feet, he would definitely win; if it hung its head in despair, he would definitely lose. In the battle of Xizhou, his white horse lay down and wouldn't get up, despite Hou Jing bowing and striking it; the horse remained motionless. This was a calamity for the horse! The Book of Hong Fan on the Five Elements says: "The horse is a symbol of the army. When there are enemies invading, strange phenomena will appear with the horse." As a result, Hou Jing suffered a major defeat.
In the fifth year of the Chen Taijian era, the horses in Hengzhou developed horns. The Book of Hong Fan on the Five Elements says: "Horse horns are a sign of war, a harbinger of destruction." At that time, Emperor Chen Xuan sent Wu Mingche to lead the troops to Lvliang to confront the Zhou Dynasty army. After years of fierce battles, the army suffered heavy losses, and Wu Mingche was finally captured by the Zhou Dynasty army.
During the Tianbao period of the Northern Qi Dynasty, there was a horse in Guangzong with a horn between its ears, resembling a sheep's tail. Jing Fang's Yi Zhuan says: "When the emperor personally attacks, horses grow horns." This was no joke; four years later, the Khitan people invaded the border, and Emperor Wen Xuan personally led the army to battle.
In the fourth year of the Daye era, many horses in the stables of Taiyuan died, with over half of them dead! When the emperor heard this, he was furious and immediately sent people to investigate. The stable manager said: "Every night, the horses in the stable inexplicably scared themselves, which is why they died." The emperor then found a wizard to look into it. This wizard knew that the emperor was planning to attack Liaodong, so he went along with the emperor's thoughts and said: "The previous emperor had sent Yang Su and Shi Wansui to attack Liaodong with ghost soldiers!" When the emperor heard this, he was greatly pleased and released the stable manager. The Book of Hong Fan on the Five Elements says: "When there is adverse weather, many horses die." In reality, during that time, the emperor traveled extensively each year, from the north to the Great Wall, and from the west to Qiemo, leaving the country empty. This was a celestial warning that if all the horses in the stable died, he should refrain from wandering aimlessly! The emperor did not heed the warning, and eventually caused chaos in the world.
In the eleventh year of Daye, strange occurrences of horses sprouting several-inch-long horns appeared in the three counties of Henan and Fufeng, just like what happened during the Tianbao era. "Just like in the early Tianbao period." At that time, the emperor personally led troops to campaign against Goguryeo for several consecutive years. In the first year of Yining, many horses in the Jiangdu Palace stables died mysteriously within ten days, similar to what happened in the fourth year of Daye. "Just like in the fourth year of Daye."
