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 located on the top of his head, and his eyes were as big as those of a two-year-old child. As soon as the child was born, he spoke: "I am the drought spirit; I can't just do whatever I want." His mother said, "You must let me pass through safely." The drought spirit said, "There are officials above me; I can't just do whatever I want. Quick, make a crimson hat, and everything will be alright." His mother didn't have time to make a hat, so she tied a crimson cloth strip on the child's head. Since then, the drought lasted for two years, and the disaster was particularly severe in Yangzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, and Yuzhou. Many neighbors near the Mo family used crimson objects to ward off evil and ensure safety, but it had little effect in other places.
In the second year of the Da Bao era, there was a man named Yu Cang in Jingkou. When he was five years old, he climbed to the top of a tall building on the southwest corner of the city, beat the drum, and played a piece called "The Yangtze River Levee." The drum symbolized the army. At that time, Hou Jing was rebelling in Jiangnan.
In the third year of the Yongding era of the Chen Dynasty, a man three zhang tall appeared. He saw Mount Luofu; he was completely snow-white and wearing gorgeous clothes. Jing Fang's divination said, "When a giant appears, the country will perish." Two years later, the emperor passed away.
When the Chen Dynasty's later emperor was still a prince, a woman burst into the Eastern Palace shouting loudly, "The ruler of Bi Guo!" Later, the Chen Dynasty's later emperor ascended to the throne and ultimately led to the downfall of the Chen Dynasty, fulfilling the woman's words.
In August of the third year of the Zhide era, a servant girl in Jiankang died in her home, but after being buried for nine days, she came back to life against all odds! A cowherd heard the commotion and dug her out.
In the second year of the Zhenming era, a ship was launched when suddenly someone shouted, "There will be chaos next year!" Everyone looked and found a dead infant in the ship, two feet long, without a head. The Chen Dynasty fell the following year.
During the Tianbao era of the Qi Dynasty, a woman in Linzhang gave birth to a child with two heads but one body. Later, the court was controlled by treacherous officials, and the distinction between the upper and lower classes vanished, fulfilling the strange appearance of the child's two heads.
During the reign of Emperor Chen, there was a man named Sangmen who looked like a madman. He would bow to crows and scold monks. Crows symbolized the Zhou Dynasty. Not long after, the Qi Dynasty was destroyed by the Zhou Dynasty, and Buddhism was also suppressed. In the third year of the Baoding period of the Zhou Dynasty, a boy was born with his genitals on his back, like a tail, and his toes resembling animal claws. It was unusual for genitals to be located on the back, yet they were, indicating a reversal of yin and yang, a sign of the disturbed relationship between ruler and subject; the toes should not have claws, but they did, a sign of impending violent events. At that time, Duke Yuwen Hu of Jin wielded excessive power and plotted to usurp the throne. It seemed as if heaven was warning that the order between ruler and subject had been reversed, and violent chaos was about to occur. The emperor realized this after seeing these omens, so he executed the Duke of Jin and took personal control of state affairs, promoted frugality, and eventually pacified the Qi Dynasty, becoming known as Gaozu. This is a classic example of turning misfortune into good fortune!
During the reign of Emperor Han Wudi, there was a man who practiced martial arts very skillfully. He pretended to be crazy, with a gourd in hand. He ran to the gate of the Duke of Jin's mansion and smashed it open, saying, "I'm fine, but you're in trouble!" At that time, the Duke of Jin was powerful, yet he chose to complain to the Empress Dowager. When Emperor Wudi heard about it, he had the Duke of Jin killed directly. Then he sent soldiers to arrest his sons, and those sons all committed suicide by drinking poison. The martial artist later resorted to begging for food in the market. When someone offered him food, he used a seemingly bottomless bag to collect it, laughing heartily, "It's not full!" Not long after, the Western Han Dynasty fell, and the descendants of Liu Bang moved the capital, resulting in Chang'an's transformation into ruins.
In the sixth year of the Kaihuang period, an old man in Huozhou transformed into a ferocious beast.
In the seventh year, a tree stump in Xiangzhou turned into a snake, with its tail wrapped around the trunk, striking itself repeatedly, measuring two zhang in length!
In the fourth year of Renshou, a person several zhang in height appeared at Yingmen, with footprints measuring four feet and five inches long. That year, the emperor died.
In the first year of Daye, there was a man named Fang Huan in Yanmen. His mother was one hundred years old, and she had grown a horn on her forehead two inches long. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "Women belong to yin, horns belong to soldiers, and the lower part corresponds to the upper part." After that, chaos ensued, and soldiers surrounded the emperor at Yanmen.
In the fourth year, a woman in Songgu Village in Yanmen gave birth to a meat egg the size of a large bowl. She buried the egg. After a few days, dark clouds gathered over the spot where the egg was buried, and there was a rumbling sound underground. Then a hole appeared from the ground, but the egg was gone.
In the sixth year, a servant girl in Zhaojun Li Laiwang's family gave birth to something the size of a chicken egg.
On the first day of the first month of the sixth year, a thief wearing a white silk skirt and holding fragrant flowers claimed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha. He ran to Jianguo Gate, stole the guards' weapons, and attempted a rebellion. Prince Qi Yang Jian happened upon him and killed him on the spot. Three years later, Yang Xuangan rebelled, besieged Luoyang with troops, and was ultimately defeated and killed.
In the eighth year, a man named Cheng Gong, who was a bit crazy, shouted "Thieves are coming!" on the main street of the eastern capital. The emperor was very angry when he heard about it. The next year, Yang Xuangan indeed rose up, besieging Luoyang.
In the twelfth year, Cheng Gong shouted "Thieves are coming!" once more. Li Mi approached the eastern capital, and Meng Rang set fire to Fengdu City before fleeing.
It is said that, during the ninth year, the emperor lived in Gaoyang Palace. There was a man from Tang County named Song Zixian, who was especially skilled in magic tricks. Every night, his upstairs room was always lit, and he could even perform illusions of Buddha statues, claiming to be Maitreya Buddha reincarnated. He also hung a large mirror in the hall, with images of snakes, beasts, and human portraits affixed to it. When someone came to see him, he would rotate the mirror and let them see their appearance in the next life. If the image of a snake was reflected in the mirror, Song Zixian would say, "You have committed grave sins; you should recite more scriptures quickly!" Then he would have them bow again, and the mirror would reflect the image of a person. The people nearby believed it to be true, and thousands of people came to worship him every day. Later, Song Zixian secretly planned a rebellion, intending to hold a large Buddhist event, and then take the opportunity to attack the imperial palace. His plan was exposed, and General Lang of Yingyang led troops to arrest him. When they arrived at Song Zixian's house at night, they surrounded it and only found a large fire pit, so the soldiers dared not enter. General Lang said, "There was no pit here before; it must be some kind of sorcery!" When they entered to investigate, the fire pit was gone. So they arrested Song Zixian and killed him, resulting in the arrest of over a thousand households.
Later, there was a monk named Xiang Haiming, who claimed to be Maitreya Buddha reincarnated in Fufeng and secretly plotted a rebellion. Those who were loyal to him would have good dreams. So everyone believed in him, and the people of Guanzhong region regarded him as a great sage. He rebelled, and to everyone's surprise, he amassed tens of thousands of followers. However, he was ultimately defeated by the imperial forces. Jing Fang once said in "Yi Fei Hou": "Deceiving the people with falsehoods reflects a lack of faith in the right path. No one walks the roads anymore; within three years, someone will undoubtedly rise in rebellion." Since then, chaos spread throughout the country, and no one was walking on the roads.
In the fifth year of the Liang Chaotian reign, in the eleventh month, an earthquake struck the capital city. This is the clash of the five elements: wood, metal, water, fire, and earth! The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "The power of the ministers is strong, and they are about to cause trouble and harm one side." Jing Fang also said in the "Yifeihou" that "if there is an earthquake in November in winter, there will be famine in that place." At that time, Li Kai, the governor of Jiaozhou, rose in rebellion. The following year, there was frost, the harvest was poor, and people suffered from hunger.
In the third year of the Putong reign, in the first month, there was an earthquake in Jiankang. At this time, Wen Senglang, the governor of Yizhou, led a rebellion with the people of the province.
In the sixth year, in the twelfth month, there was another earthquake. Jing Fang said in the "Yifeihou" that "if there is an earthquake with sound in winter, in December, there will be war in that place." At that time, the emperor commanded Prince Yong to lead an army north.
In the fifth year of the Zhongdatong reign, in the first month, there was another earthquake in Jiankang. Jing Fang said in the "Yifeihou" that "if there is an earthquake in spring, that year will not be a good harvest." That year, a flood occurred, and the people suffered from hunger.
In the third year of the Datong reign, in the eleventh month, there was an earthquake in Jiankang. The ancient book "Yifeihou" says: "If there is an earthquake in November, there will be major disasters and famine in the cities." As predicted, the following year brought frost disasters, leading to widespread hunger among the people.
In the tenth month of the third year, there was another earthquake in Jiankang. That year, an uprising of mountain bandits broke out in the Kuaiji region.
In the second month of the seventh year, there was another earthquake in Jiankang. That year, Li Ben, from Jiaozhou, rebelled and drove away the governor Xiao Zi.
In the intercalary month of the ninth year, an earthquake struck. Li Ben declared himself emperor and set up a complete bureaucratic system.
In the fourth month of the third year of Taiqing, there was another earthquake in Jiankang. At that time, Hou Jing declared himself Grand Prime Minister and defied the emperor's orders. That month, the emperor died, overwhelmed by grief.
In the fifth month of the second year of Chen Yongding, there was an earthquake in Jiankang. At that time, Wang Lin in Yingzhou crowned Xiao Zhuang as emperor.
In the eleventh month of the fourth year of Taijian, there was an earthquake. Chen Baoying led a rebellion in Minzhong.
In the first month of the first year of Zhenming, there was an earthquake. This marked the rise of Shi Wenqing and Shen Keqing's dominance.
In the eleventh month of the second year of the Wu Ding era of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, the Xihe region experienced both the earth collapsing and a fire breaking out. The ancient book "Yi Yao Zhan" states: "When the earth collapses on its own, the ruler will die." Zu Cheng interpreted: "Fire represents yang, while the earth represents yin. When the earth catches fire, the yin is destroyed, causing chaos with the yang, suggesting that subordinates are seizing power, which will ultimately lead to their own downfall." At that time, Gao Huan was in power, while Hou Jing was gaining power in Henan. Two years later, Gao Huan indeed died, and as a result, Hou Jing rebelled and ultimately perished.
In the second year of Heqing of the Later Qi Dynasty, an earthquake struck Binzhou. This was a sign of the rise of He Shikai.
In the second year of the Jiande era of the Later Zhou Dynasty, Liangzhou experienced frequent earthquakes, with many city walls collapsing and springs bursting forth from the ground. "Yi Yao Zhan" states: "When the earth cracks open, the Qiang and Yi tribes will rebel." At that time, the Tuyuhun tribe frequently invaded the Hexi region.
In the fourteenth year of the Kaihuang era, in May, an earthquake struck the capital city. "Yi Fei Hou" states: "In May, when the earth shakes, the people will flee." That year, the Guanzhong region experienced famine, and the emperor ordered the people to travel to Guandong for food.
In April of the second year of the Renshou era, earthquakes occurred in Qizhou and Yongzhou. "Yi Fei Hou" states: "In April, when the earth shakes, the grain harvest will suffer, and the people will suffer from hunger."
In the third year, a landslide occurred in Mount Gushan in Liangzhou. "Hong Fan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "When mountains collapse, it signifies the subjects' rebellion and disloyalty to the monarch." Liangzhou lies within Han territory, and the following year, Prince Liang indeed rebelled.
In the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty, Dizhu Mountain suddenly collapsed, blocking the Yellow River and causing the river to backflow for dozens of miles. Liu Xiang stated in "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan": "Mountains represent monarchs, water represents yin energy and the people. Heaven warns that if the monarch's power becomes too oppressive, the mountain will collapse and the people will be displaced." At that time, Emperor Yang of Sui was leading troops to conquer Liaodong, and the people could not bear the burden, resulting in widespread discontent and uprisings. Yet, Emperor Yang of Sui never grasped the underlying reasons, which ultimately contributed to the downfall of the Sui Dynasty. "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" also states: "If the emperor fails to fulfill his responsibilities, he will not establish achievements. This will lead to disasters, punishment from heaven, and ultimately the weakening of the country. During this period, there may be demonic activities, dragons and snakes causing trouble, or disasters caused by horses hurting people."
In a similar vein, in October of the twentieth year of Emperor Wen of Sui’s Kaihuang reign, there were long stretches of continuous rain and overcast skies. Liu Xiang stated, "If a ruler loses their virtue and the officials' power blinds the monarch, there will be continuous rainy and overcast weather." At that time, Empress Duogu and Yang Su secretly slandered Crown Prince Yang Yong, which ultimately resulted in Yang Yong being demoted to commoner status.
In the fourth year of the Wuding period of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Gao Yang became the prime minister and personally led the army to attack the Yubi stronghold of the Western Wei. In November of that year, Gao Yang fell ill and ordered the troops to return to the capital. The soldiers were terrified, claiming that Wei Xiaokuan had killed the prime minister with the Dinggong crossbow. The Western Wei issued a decree, stating, "Once the strong crossbow is fired, disaster will strike." Hearing this, Gao Yang became furious, and his condition worsened, likely due to malevolent forces. The 'Hong Fan Wuxing Zhuan' says, "Shooting is a sign of military disaster, and when the air goes against the sky, disaster will arise." Despite this, Gao Yang continued his campaign, and the palace general, Cao Weizu, cautioned him, "Your Majesty, you are inviting disaster by clinging to the past, which is unfavorable to guests but beneficial to the host." Gao Yang did not listen and stayed in place for fifty days, failing in many battles. He then believed the false advice and diverted the Fen River north of the city to create an earthen mound. The terrain was steep and over a thousand feet high, but the project was never completed, and seventy thousand people died. This was the dire consequence of defying the will of heaven! Gao Yang died that year. The following year, Wang Sizheng wreaked havoc in the Henan region. It is said that during the Wuping period of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the emperor returned from Bingzhou to Ye City and passed by Bagong Ridge. At night, he walked while singing. Suddenly, a madman thought the emperor was bewitched by a fox spirit and hid in the grass shooting arrows. Several people were injured, and the emperor was almost hit. The emperor caught and killed him on the spot, and the man had no idea what he had done. The notion of a fox spirit bewitching people is nothing but superstition. At that time, the emperor was utterly neglectful of state affairs, spending his days singing, drinking, and seeking pleasure with palace maids and eunuchs, even wearing tattered clothes to beg for food and entertainment, all signs of impending doom. Someone shooting him with a bow and arrow was an ominous sign of impending disaster. Before long, the Northern Wei Dynasty met its demise.
In the second year of the Liang Chaotian reign, dragons were seen fighting in the Tan River of Beiliangzhou, with water mist spreading for several miles. The fighting dragons were an ominous sign, as noted in the "Hong Fan Five Elements Commentary." Dragons are said to be formidable creatures, representing the heavens and symbolizing the monarch. If there were disasters in the sky and the ruler's authority was undermined, the dragons would also be affected. Dragon battles were seen as a prelude to war. According to Jing Fang's "Yi Feihou," when people's hearts were uneasy, there would be the phenomenon of dragon battles. At that time, Emperor Liang had just ascended to the throne when Chen Bozhi and Liu Jilian rebelled, causing panic throughout the country.
In the sixth month of the fifth year of the reign, the dragons fought again at the Wangbei of Qu'a, then headed west to Jianling City. Everywhere the dragon passed, trees were snapped for dozens of yards. This was exactly the same as the situation in the second year of the Tianjian. The broken trees in Jianling foretold impending war and indicated that the imperial mausoleum would be destroyed. At that time, Emperor Liang was preoccupied with empty theoretical pursuits, neglecting agriculture and military affairs. The generals were complacent and the soldiers lethargic. The ruler's authority was in trouble, hence the signs of dragon disturbances were manifest. Yet, Emperor Liang remained oblivious to these signs. In the first year of Taiqing, dragons were seen battling in the waters of Lizhou, with waves crashing high and clouds swirling. People saw a white dragon running south, chased closely by a black dragon. That year, Hou Jing surrendered with his army, and Emperor Liang accepted him without any precautions. The entire country was gripped by panic, and soon the war broke out. Emperor Liang, consumed by worry, ultimately died in despair.
In the summer of the tenth year of the Datong era, a dragon fell into a well in the Yanling household because of thunder at night. The next morning, when they looked, the dragon was as big as a mule. Some people tried to kill it with a spear, but suddenly many large snakes appeared in the courtyard and house, as thick as the hull of a large ship, weighing hundreds of dou! The entire family fled in terror. The "Hong Fan Five Elements Biography" says, "A dragon is a masculine symbol, representing nobility. It should be in the sky or on the ground, not appearing in the towns, homes, or houses of ordinary people. A well represents depth. If a dragon appears in a well, the princes may be in danger of being imprisoned; this reflects the folly of the unwise emperor!" Later, Hou Jing rebelled and indeed imprisoned and killed Emperor Jianwen in the wine cellar, and the imperial family, nobles, and officials all suffered imprisonment and death.
In the eleventh year of the Taijian period of the Chen Dynasty, in the pool of South Yanzhou, a dragon also appeared, similar to the omen of the dragon that appeared in the tenth year of the Datong era of the Liang Dynasty. Not long after, the last emperor of the Chen Dynasty ascended the throne; he indulged in extravagance, neglected state affairs, and failed to do anything well. In the end, the country was destroyed, and he himself was imprisoned.
In the first year of the Wuding era of Eastern Wei, a large snake appeared in Wulao City. At that time, Li, the beautiful and intelligent wife of Gao Zhongmi, the governor of Beiyu Province, caught the eye of the crown prince Gao Cheng. Gao Zhongmi was very uneasy, so he rebelled with Wulao as his base, secretly colluding with the Western Wei, leading to a great battle in Heyang. Gao Huan (Emperor Shenwu) was almost defeated by the Western Wei army, and he barely escaped, with several thousand people dead.
In the ninth year of the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty, a dragon of seven or eight zhang in length appeared in the hall of Qizhou, similar to the omen of the dragon that appeared in the tenth year of Datong. At that time, the Kings of Changshan and Changguang wielded significant power, but the emperor chose not to suppress them. The next year, the emperor died, and Crown Prince Gao Yin ascended the throne. As anticipated, King Gao Yan of Changshan deposed Gao Yin, demoted him to King of Jinan, and thus imprisoned and killed him.
In the first year of Heqing, a dragon appeared in the bathhouse in Jizhou, similar to the omen in the ninth year of Tianbao. Prior to this, King Ping of Qin, Gao Guiyan, accepted the posthumous edict of Emperor Zhao, appointing Prince Gao Bainian as the heir. However, Gao Guiyan appointed Prince Chang Guang, Gao Zhan, who later became Emperor Wucheng. Gao Bainian was deposed as the Prince of Leling and eventually died in captivity. In the fourth year of the Tiantong era, someone in Guixiang cut down a dead tree and found a yellow dragon with broken legs, dead in a hollow tree. At that time, the Qi dynasty valued wood as a virtue. The dragon symbolizes the monarch; the tree withered, and the dragon died, which was a very ominous sign. That year, Emperor Wucheng died. In the third year of the Wuping era, a dragon appeared in a well in Handan, with vibrant dragon energy soaring into the sky. In a Buddhist temple in Jizhou, a dragon also appeared in a dry well. This was similar to the omen in the first year of Heqing. Later, the last emperor, Gao Wei, surrendered to Northern Zhou and was eventually killed. In the seventh year of Wuping, at Zhaoyuan Tower in Bingzhou, a red snake and a black snake fought for days, and the red snake ultimately died. Red is the color of the Qi country; black is the color of the Zhou country. The fight and death of the two snakes was a sign of the country's impending doom! Later, the emperor heavily relied on treacherous villains, fought against the Zhou army in Jinzhou, and even handed the army over to the treacherous minister Gao Anagong, who ended up colluding with the enemy. This was truly a result of the emperor's own negligence! In the end, the emperor was captured by the Zhou army. Prince Langye Yan dismantled a White Horse Pagoda in the Northern Palace, built during the time of Shi Zhao. As a result, a large white snake, several feet long, appeared and then vanished. At that time, Prince Langye Yan was tyrannical and cruel, killing his ministers; this was a portent of his downfall! Failing to heed these ominous signs ultimately led to disaster.
In the fifth year of the Jiande era during the Later Zhou Dynasty, a black dragon fell dead in Bozhou. The dragon is a symbol of the monarch, and black is the color that represents the Zhou Dynasty. The dragon's death was an extremely ominous sign. At that time, the crown prince was unfit, and the emperor was always worried about this. Honest ministers such as Wang Gui and Yuwen Xiaobo repeatedly requested to depose the crown prince, but the emperor did not listen. Two years later, the emperor died, and the crown prince took the throne, brutally executing the Prince of Qi and Xiaobo, resulting in the eventual destruction of the country.
In the fourth year of the Renshou period, a dragon appeared in a well at the Governor's Office in Daizhou. This dragon sometimes turned into an iron horse, sometimes into a soldier wearing armor, drawing a bow and preparing to shoot. Turning into an iron horse foretells a disaster related to horses; drawing the bow to shoot is like shooting demons, all of which foretell that there will be war between the princes, leading to imprisonment. At that time, Han Wang Liang was plotting a rebellion, so this was a warning from the heavens to him! Liang did not listen to advice, and as a result, he rebelled, failed, was reduced to commoner status, and died after being imprisoned for several years.
Hou Jing declared himself emperor in the Jiangnan region. Before each battle, if the white horse he rode high neighed and stamped, he would definitely win; if it drooped and lost its spirit, he would definitely lose. In the battle in Xizhou, his horse lay down and refused to get up. Despite Hou Jing's begging and beating, the horse did not move. This was yet another horse-related disaster! The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "Horses symbolize soldiers, and the appearance of strange phenomena indicates that enemy invaders are approaching." As a result, Hou Jing suffered a major defeat.
In the fifth year of the Taijian period of the Chen Dynasty, horses in Hengzhou began to grow horns. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "Horses growing horns are a sign of war and a harbinger of destruction." At that time, Emperor Chen Xuan sent Wu Mingche to lead troops to confront the Zhou army in Luoyang. After years of fighting, the army sustained heavy losses, and ultimately, Wu Mingche was captured by the Zhou army.
In the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty, a horse with horns appeared in Guangzong County, with horns growing between its ears, shaped like a sheep's tail. Mr. Jing Fang in the "Yi Zhuan" once said, "When the emperor personally goes to war, there will be a sign of horses growing horns." Four years later, the Khitan people invaded the border, and Emperor Wenxuan personally led the army to fight, which seemed to fulfill that prediction.
In the fourth year of Daye, many horses died in the stables in Taiyuan, almost half of them! When the emperor heard about this, he was enraged and quickly dispatched officials to investigate. The stable manager said, "Every night, the horses in the stable inexplicably frighten themselves to death." The emperor invited a wizard to take a look. This wizard, aware of the emperor's plans to attack Liaodong, aligned his words with the emperor's wishes, saying, "The late emperor sent Yang Su and Shi Wansui to attack Liaodong because he wanted to use ghost soldiers!" Upon hearing this, the emperor was pleased and pardoned the stable manager. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says, "Going against the will of heaven is why the horses died in large numbers." During that time, the emperor traveled extensively each year, sometimes running near the Great Wall, sometimes running to the west to Qiemo, leading to widespread suffering among the people. It appeared that heaven was warning him: don't raise so many horses anymore, and don't run around recklessly! But the emperor did not listen to advice, and as a result, chaos ensued.
In the eleventh year of Daye, in Henan and Fufeng counties, horses with horns several inches in length also appeared, mirroring the situation during the Tianbao era! At that time, the emperor was personally leading troops to attack Goguryeo every year.
In the first year of Yining, at the Longma Stables in Jiangdu Palace, many horses inexplicably died, hundreds within just ten days! This situation mirrored that of the fourth year of Daye!
