On June 8, 504 AD, Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty was giving a sermon in the Chongyun Hall when a monk named Zhigong suddenly began to dance, sing, and play music. After a while, he sorrowfully wept and then wrote a five-character poem: “Joyful for more than thirty years, sorrowful for fifty years! Just look at eighty-three, calamities will arise in the land. Sycophants deceive and betray, treacherous ministers destroy the virtuous. If you do not believe my words, calamities will arise in the time of the dragon. When you are in the midst of turmoil, you will carry sorrow and not see joy.” This poem foretold the rise and fall of the Liang Dynasty. From the Tianjian era to the Taiqing era, there were over thirty years of peace, just as the poem states “Joyful for more than thirty years.” Emperor Wu reigned for forty-eight years, which corresponds to the “fifty years” mentioned in the poem, and ultimately in 549 AD, Taicheng was breached.
On August 13, 548 AD, Hou Jing came to surrender from Xuancheng. Xuancheng is located north of Danyang, which is referred to as “the land of the offspring” in the poem. Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty believed Zhu Yi's words and accepted Hou Jing's surrender. Hou Jing's rebellion began in the year of Wuchan and by the year of Wuyin, Emperor Wu died from overwhelming anxiety. On April 8, ten years later, the monk Zhigong wrote another poem at a large gathering: “The dog with a bent tail starts to go mad, wanting to die yet not dying, biting and hurting people, soon perishing in an instant. The disaster will strike you in Sanxiang, with corpses lying everywhere, no one to bury them.” Hou Jing's childhood name was Dogzi, and he initially surrendered from Xuancheng, which was known as Runan in ancient times. South of Baling, there is a place called Sanxiang, which is where Hou Jing was defeated.
During the Tianjian era, the recluse Tao Hongjing of Maoshan also wrote a five-character poem predicting this disaster: “Yifu is allowed to be reckless and extravagant, Ping Shu sits and talks aimlessly, unexpectedly in the Zhaoyang Hall, it suddenly becomes the palace of the Chanyu.” By the time of the Datong era, court officials were preoccupied with discussing metaphysics while ignoring state matters. “Yifu” and “Ping Shu” were both virtuous ministers at the time, yet after Hou Jing's rebellion, he actually moved into the Zhaoyang Hall.
During the Datong era, a children's rhyme circulated: “The blue silk and white horse comes from Shouyang.” Later, Hou Jing breached Danyang, riding a white horse, using blue silk ropes as reins.
During the early days of the Chen Dynasty, there was a nursery rhyme that appeared: "Yellow horse, green dappled horse, coming from Shouyang. When it arrived, the winter chill was ending; when it left, the spring breeze began." Later, Emperor Chen was indeed defeated by Han Qinhu. Han Qinhu's nickname was Huang Ban, and when he captured Jiankang, he also rode a green dappled horse, which corresponded to the timing referenced in the nursery rhyme.
In the Chen Dynasty, a popular song in the Jiangnan region written by Wang Xianzhi was called "Peach Leaves," with the lyrics: "Peach leaves, peach leaves, to cross the river without using oars. To cross without any hardship, I will welcome you." This song was quite popular back then. Later, during the Jin Dynasty's attack on the Chen Dynasty, they camped under Peach Leaf Mountain. When Han Qinhu crossed the river, the general Ren Mannu went to Xinlin to guide the northern army.
Emperor Chen Shubao of the Chen Dynasty built a Qiyun Temple, and the common people sang a song: "Qiyun Temple, endless invaders." Before the temple was completed, it was overrun by the Sui Dynasty army, and Chen Shubao was captured.
During Chen Shubao's Zhenming period, he composed a new song with particularly mournful lyrics that even the palace beauties learned to sing. The lyrics were: "Jade trees in the backyard, flowers bloom but not for long." People at the time felt that this song was a premonition, foretelling the impending fall of the Chen Dynasty.
When Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi just moved the capital to Ye City, a nursery rhyme was circulating among the people: "Poor little green bird, flying into Ye City. Nest not yet built, looking up, lost hometown. Sending letters to wives and mothers, admiring the new bride." This green bird refers to Emperor Xiaojing of Wei, who was the son of Prince Qinghe, and the daughter of Emperor Shenwu was his empress. The palace in Ye City wasn't even finished when the dynasty changed, just like the green bird losing its home before it could finish building its nest. Xiaojing Emperor died shortly after, and his empress, Empress Wenxuan, was later married off to Yang Yin. At the time, Empress Dowager Lou was still alive, so the nursery rhyme referred to "sending letters to wives and mothers," and the "new bride" refers to the ousted empress.
In the Wuding era, a children's rhyme appeared: "A hundred-foot high pole breaks, the light at the bottom of the water goes out." "High" refers to the surname of the Northern Qi dynasty, while "clear" is the name of Emperor Wenxiang. Five years later, Emperor Shenwu died, fulfilling the prophecy "the high pole breaks"; seven years later, Emperor Wenxiang was killed by bandits, fulfilling "the light at the bottom of the water goes out."
During the Tianbao years, a man named Lu Fahe wrote these lines on his wall: "A ten-year emperor is still acceptable, a hundred-day emperor is urgent as a fire, a year-long emperor is replaced in succession." Later, Emperor Wenxuan reigned for ten years before dying, the deposed emperor ruled for just over a hundred days before being ousted, and Emperor Xiaozhao died after one year of reign, all of which fulfilled Lu Fahe's prophecy.
In the first year of Wuping, another children's rhyme spread: "The fox cuts off its tail, you want to remove me, I remove you." In April of that year, Wang Hu Changren of Longdong wanted to send an assassin to kill He Shikai, but the plan was exposed, leading to him being falsely accused and killed by He Shikai.
Two years ago, children were singing a rhyme on the streets: "He Shikai, on July 30, will send you to the South Terrace." After the children finished singing, they clapped and shouted together, "Kill him!" As a result, on July 25, the Inspector General Wang Yan from Langya really captured He Shikai and sent him to the South Terrace for his execution. Later that same year, another children's rhyme emerged: "In July, harvesting grain comes too soon, in September, eating cake is just right. In October, washing the rice jar, in November, Zhao Laosheng is sent away." This rhyme also came true; in July, He Shikai was killed, in September, Wang Yan of Langya also died, and in November, Zhao Yanshen was sent away and became the governor of Xiyanzhou.
As the Wuping years were coming to an end, another children's rhyme appeared: "The yellow flower is about to fall, the clear cup is just for drinking." At that time, Empress Mu and her son were engaging in scandalous relationships and interfering in politics, raising alarm among the people. The empress's nickname was "Yellow Flower," and this rhyme foretold the impending downfall of the Qi dynasty, signifying that "the yellow flower is about to fall."
In the city of Ye, there is a nursery rhyme that goes: "A broom made of gold and a handle of jade, sweeping the hall to welcome the Western family." Shortly thereafter, the army of the Zhou Dynasty entered the city of Ye.
When the Zhou Dynasty was newly established, another nursery rhyme emerged: "At the top of the poplar tree, the golden rooster crows, only Uncle has no nephew." This refers to Gao Wei, the last emperor of Northern Qi, who was the nephew of Sui Emperor Yang Jian. Shortly after abdicating, he died, while all his uncles wielded significant power.
Emperor Xuan of Zhou danced hand in hand with women in the palace at midnight, singing: "Aware that life is fleeting, holding a candle to travel at night." This emperor would die three years later.
In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, Emperor Gaozu went to Bingzhou to entertain Prince Xiao of Qin and his son. Emperor Gaozu spontaneously composed a four-line poem: "How many beautiful faces, how fleeting their beauty. When flowers fall, white hair is hard to hide. In the coming year, who will remain and who will be gone?" Consequently, Prince Xiao's son passed away the following year, and eighteen years later, Prince Xiao himself died.
In the eleventh year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui, he set out from the capital to the eastern capital, arrived at Changle Palace, got drunk, and enthusiastically wrote a five-character poem. The last two lines of the poem were: "Only to have a heart that yearns to return, no longer dependent on the wind's force." He had the palace beauties recite these lines repeatedly, and he ended up crying uncontrollably, with even his attendants sighing along. Later, Emperor Yang went to Jiangdu and wrote another five-character poem: "Seeking to return but unable to leave, truly experiencing a harsh spring. The birds' songs urge drinking, plum blossoms laugh and kill." This poem was written in March, and he was indeed killed that same month, fulfilling the poem's ominous prediction of a harsh spring! That year, thieves roamed freely, and the roads were impassable. Emperor Yang was afraid and completely gave up on returning to the capital. He even dreamed of two young men singing: "Living is death, leaving is death. It’s better to take a boat across the river." So he built a palace in Danyang and planned to settle there. However, before the palace could be completed, he was assassinated.
During the Daye period, a children's rhyme circulated among the people: "Peach and plum trees, the swan circles around Yangshan, twisting in the flower forest. Don't speak carelessly; who claims Xu?" Later, Li Mi was arrested by the authorities for being involved in Yang Xuangan's rebellion. He escaped on the way, gathered a band of bandits, broke out from Yangcheng Mountain, attacked Luokou Warehouse, and then stationed in the garden. The part of the rhyme that says "Don't speak carelessly" refers to Li Mi; "Yu Wenhua, who proclaimed himself Xu Guo, soon also perished. Who claims Xu, is actually the surprise and suspicion of the people at that time."
In the first year of the Datong era of Emperor Wu of Liang, Prince Xiaolun of Shaoling, in his bedroom in South Xuzhou, during the day, unexpectedly found a raccoon fighting on the roof beams, which fell down and he caught it. During the Taiqing period, encountering the rebellion of Hou Jing, Xiaolun led troops to rescue Taicheng. Upon reaching Zhongshan, a bear that had just awakened from hibernation suddenly appeared and bit Xiaolun's mount. This was nothing short of the "curse of the caterpillar," confirming the omen of impending disaster. Later, Xiaolun was defeated by Wang Sengbian, fled to Nanyang, and was ultimately killed by the Western Wei.
During the Datong years of Emperor Wu of Liang, every night, foxes cried beneath the palace, and it continued for several years before stopping. Jing Fang's "Yifei Hou" states: "Wild beasts cry in groups, the city lies desolate." Soon after, the country fell into chaos, and nearly all the inhabitants of Danyang City were either killed or injured.
In the early years of the Chen Dynasty's Zhenming, a fox ran under the emperor's bed and could not be caught no matter what they did. Jing Fang's "Yifei Hou" states: "A fox enters the lord's chamber; the chamber became uninhabitable." Shortly thereafter, the Chen Dynasty fell.
In September of the year 548, a leopard entered through the south gate of Ye City and was killed on the spot by someone. Five years later, in August, another leopard ran onto the Tongjue Platform. The "Yifei Hou" says: "When wild beasts enter the city and run onto the main road of the court or to the government gate, it is a sign of great disaster, and the ruler will face doom." That year, Eastern Wei was defeated at Yubi, and Gao Huan also died of illness.
In the year 550, a rabbit ran out of a temple of the Later Qi. The "Yifei Hou" says: "If a rabbit enters the palace, the ruler will meet his end." The temple is the dwelling place of ancestral deities. Five years later, the Zhou army invaded Ye City, and the Later Qi emperor fled.
During the Wuping years of Later Qi, there were many wolves in Bingzhou and Sizhou that were attacking people. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "Wolves are greedy, violent creatures, mostly white, and are a sign of military disaster. Wolves are also like dogs, indicating that dog calamities will occur." The "Yijuan" also states: "If the ruler is tyrannical and lawless, disasters will descend upon the people, and they can only save their lives by hiding in the deep mountains. Wolves attacking people is a sign of such disasters." At that time, the emperor favored petty officials, was greedy and tyrannical, and harmed the people, thus the prophecy of wolves attacking people was fulfilled. Soon after, Later Qi was destroyed by the Zhou army, which was indeed a symbol of military disaster.
During the Wuping years, outside the gate of Shuozhou, footprints of children inexplicably appeared, and dirt was piled up to resemble a city wall. At that time, people found it strange and went to investigate, discovering that it was the work of a fox; later, this phenomenon spread to Bingzhou and Ye City. This was similar to the earlier incident of the leopard entering the city in the third year of Wuding. That year, Prince Sihao of Nanan raised troops to attack Bingzhou but was defeated by the imperial army. Zheng Zirao, Yang Fahao, and others rebelled in Shandong.
In the year 557, bizarre events of dogs mating with women appeared in Ye City and Dunqiu. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "When species that should not mate do mate, it is a sign of chaos. Dogs mating with humans is a premonition of dog calamities." Dog calamities signal excessive yang energy and a loss of the people's support. At that time, the emperor was indifferent to state matters, and his benevolence did not extend to the common people.
During the reign of the Later Emperor, dogs were appointed as officials with titles, and even female dogs were given titles such as madams and county ladies. The court also provided them with soldiers to serve, fed them fine rice and meat, and let them sleep on soft cushions. The heavens were signaling disaster by granting official titles and ranks to dogs! It seemed as if the heavens were saying, "You ministers are just like dogs!" The Later Emperor failed to grasp the significance, ultimately leading to the downfall of the country.
In the year 562 AD, a dog gave birth to pups, but the pups were split in half from the waist down, had two tails, and six legs. The "Hong Fan Wuxing Zhuan" said: Dogs are fierce beasts with claws, symbolizing soldiers. At that time, Yuwen Hu and others conspired to rebel. The dog's body being split in half was an ominous sign!
In the first year of Daye, many dogs in Yanmen wandered off from their owners, running around in the wild in groups, looking like wolves and they even started biting people. It took several years for things to calm down. A book called "Wuxing Zhuan" said: "Dogs are meant to guard the house, but now they have run away from their owners, which is a sign of disobedient subjects. Dogs looking like wolves with white fur is a sign of war!" Later, the emperor indulged in military conquests, imposing endless labor, and it seemed the heavens were warning him: Stop the labor, the guard dogs are about to rebel! But the emperor ignored the warnings, insisting on repairing the Great Wall and continuing with matters in the Western Regions and Liaodong. The people were discontented, and in the end, trouble erupted in Jiangdu, with even the emperor's guards turning against him.
In the second year of Liang Datong, two-foot-long white fur appeared on the ground, which was seen as a bad omen. Sun Sheng believed it was a sign of the people's exhaustion. Previously, there was a massive mobilization of people to build the Fu Shan Dam, costing a huge amount of money. As it was about to be completed, it collapsed several times, leaving the people utterly exhausted, with sighs of despair echoing everywhere.
In September of the first year of the Qihe Qing era, under the foot of the Great Wall in Cangzhou, many hairs grew on the ground, white and black, four or five inches long, which was considered a good omen. At that time, they were busy repairing the Great Wall, and the palace was still in the process of constructing three platforms. The common people were suffering greatly and exhausted.
In the sixth year of Kaihuang, in July, there was a drizzle in the capital city, mixed with hair-like strands, some over three feet long, others six or seven inches long. Jingfang's "Yifeihou" said: "Hair falling from the sky means a great famine in the country." At that time, Guanzhong was suffering from a severe drought, and the price of rice soared.
In the early years of the Tian Tong of the Later Qi, the jade bi from the Dai Mountain Fengshan Altar emerged on its own, which was also a good omen. Dai Mountain is a site of dynastic change, and the jade bi is used for sacrifice. Now that it has come out on its own, it is a sign of a change in dynasty. Later, the Qi state was destroyed, its territory was occupied by the Zhou dynasty, and Gaozu accepted the abdication of the Zhou dynasty, unifying the world, fulfilling the omen of burning firewood for sacrifice on Mount Tai.
In the third year of Wuping, on the green stone wall under Baishuiyan, a line of words appeared: "Qi perishes and flees." Some people changed it to "Shangyan." The Emperor regarded this as a good omen, and the civil and military officials all came to congratulate. As a result, the Zhou army invaded the territory, and the Emperor indeed abandoned Ye City and fled.
In the seventeenth year of Kaihuang, between Wu'an and Fuyang, more than ten meteorites fell. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "When stones fall from the sky, the monarch will be in danger." Seven years later, the Emperor passed away.
In the late years of Kaihuang, Gaozu buried two small stones in the palace as markers to indicate the position of the bed. Shortly thereafter, the stones transformed into jade. Liu Xiang said: "Jade is extremely precious. When something worthless turns into something precious, it signifies that a change is coming!" By the end of Daye, rebellions erupted everywhere, with each claiming the title of emperor.
In the year 617 AD, a stone was found in Xiping County with an inscription reading "The Emperor will reign for a thousand years." The ministers all congratulated. However, some wise individuals expressed their concerns, saying, "A thousand years is something said after death! Saying that one can reign for a thousand years now is a harbinger of impending disaster." As a result, the Emperor was killed the following year.
In the year 546 AD, the twelfth year of the Datong era of the Liang Dynasty, the stone qilin at the entrance of the tomb in Qu'a moved on its own. This is a clear sign of wood overcoming metal! The movement of the stone signifies foreboding a relocation. It appears that heaven is sending a warning: the tomb will be left unguarded, and the stone qilin will be taken away by people. Later, indeed, the Liang Dynasty perished.
In the year 521 AD, the fourth year of the Hou Qi's Heqing era, the stones in the palace began to move on their own, colliding with each other. Sun Meng believed that stones are associated with the yin, representing ministers, and the movement of the stones in the palace foreshadows the betrayal of the emperor's trusted aides. Later, the Zhou Dynasty's army launched an eastern expedition, and the favored ministers Wei Xiangyuan, Qi Fuqi and his brothers, Han Jianye, among others, indeed defected to the Zhou Dynasty.
In the first month of 546 AD, the Liang Dynasty sent two protective spirits to Jianling. The left one, a two-horned guardian, successfully arrived at the tomb. The right one, a single-horned protective spirit, started causing a commotion on the way, jumping three times in the cart, which ended up breaking the cart's yoke! After changing to another cart, just two miles from the tomb, it jumped three more times, each jump startling the passengers, causing them to leap three to four feet into the air, while the wheels sank three inches into the ground. This is yet another sign of wood overcoming metal! Liu Xiang noted: "Losing the hearts of the people, orders cannot be executed, and words are not accepted; this is due to the disorder of the metal qi." Stones belong to the yin and represent ministers. If the ministers are to change, this is a sign! In his later years, Emperor Wu of Liang neglected state affairs, and both the ruler and ministers only focused on chanting Buddhist scriptures and discussing metaphysics, leading to chaos in governance where orders went unexecuted and words went unheard; this was the consequence! Ultimately leading to the rebellion of Hou Jing.
In the year 618 AD, the first year of the Zhou's Jiande era, a stone statue was discovered in Puyang County, and the county officials wanted to transport it to the government office to scrape off the gold on it. However, on the way, the statue jumped off the cart and fell to the ground, happening twice. Later, they used a rough rope to tie it to the side of the cart, but the rope broke again, and the statue fell off. At that time, the emperor had recently defeated the Qi state and was now attacking Huainan, with constant wars and the people exhausted; this serves as a sign of losing the people's support!
