In the winter of the fourth year of the Wu Ding era of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, there was unexpectedly a hail of ice. Historical texts say: "This is a sign of excessive yin energy condensing. Wood represents Shaoyang, which symbolizes the noble ministers of the court. If noble ministers are in trouble, yin energy will invade wood, and wood will first feel the chill, leading to rain and hail. Wood hail is also called 'jie', which means weapons." At that time, the Minister of Education Hou Jing controlled Henan, and Emperor Wenxuan feared that Hou Jing would rebel, so he ordered to suppress him. As a result, Hou Jing really raised a rebellion. The Governors of Yuzhou, Xiangzhou, and Guangzhou—Gao Yuancheng, Li Mi, and Bao Xian—were all captured and humiliated by Hou Jing; doesn't this align with what the texts warned about "noble ministers being in trouble"? Later, Left Minister Mu Rong Shaozong clashed with Hou Jing in Guyang, capturing and executing over 50,000 people.
In the second year of the Tianbao era of the Later Qi Dynasty, there were three consecutive days of hail. Before this incident, Prince Qinghe Yue was falsely accused by Gao Guiyan and died of depression that year. In the first year of the Wuping era, there was hail; in the second year of February, there was hail again. At that time, the Recorder of the Imperial Secretariat, Shi Kai, held all the power. In the same year in July, the Grand Preceptor Prince Langye Yan falsely claimed an imperial decree and killed Shi Kai. General Kudi Fuliandian and Right Minister Feng Zicong were also executed due to their ties with Prince Langye, and in September, Prince Langye Yan himself died.
In the sixth and seventh years, there were hailstorms in spring and winter for several consecutive years. That year, the Zhou army attacked Jinyang and pacified the capital. The last emperor escaped to Qingzhou, and the courtiers either died or scattered, with countless places ravaged by war.
In the first year of the Datong era of the Liang Dynasty in April, a heavy hailstorm occurred. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "Hail is a sign of yin energy invading yang energy." At that time, Emperor Wu of Liang often treated himself like a slave, was superstitious about Buddhism, and allowed himself to be manipulated by the monks.
In June of the second year of the Taijian era of the Chen Dynasty, hail fell; in April of the tenth year, hail fell again; in September of the thirteenth year, hail fell once more. At that time, King Shixing (Shuling) was arrogant and overbearing, secretly gathering loyal assassins and plotting treason, and the emperor particularly favored him, so Heaven sent three warnings in succession. The emperor still did not awaken to the situation. When the emperor died, Shuling indeed rebelled.
Empress Dowager Lou of the Later Qi was bedridden, and her nightgown inexplicably floated up. Not long after, she died.
In his later years, Emperor Wenxuan enjoyed wearing beautiful clothes, dressing extravagantly, and often wore nomadic attire to visit the common people incognito. This "makeup" is a feminine adornment, just like a monarch becoming a subject. Later, when the emperor died, the crown prince ascended the throne but was later deposed and became the King of Jinan. Furthermore, the Qi family hailed from Yanshan, and his wearing of nomadic clothing was an attempt to return to the original attire; splendid garments were not meant for emperors, and incognito visits were activities for commoners—these were all foreboding signs of the fall of the Qi state!
The later ruler had palace maids create headdresses resembling hair buns from coarse white cloth and also used white covers for vehicles. Both items are associated with funerals. Eventually, the ruler was indeed overthrown by Emperor Wu of Zhou, and both father and son were killed.
During the reign of Emperor Wu, the later ruler built a "village for the poor" in the palace gardens, dressing in tattered clothes and pretending to be a beggar for amusement. He also had many people wear black clothes and bind each other together for fun. As a result, the later ruler was indeed defeated by the Zhou Dynasty, captured, and died in Chang'an; his concubines fell into poverty, earning a living by selling candles.
In the first year of the Daizong era of the Later Zhou Dynasty, there were twenty-four strands of hanging pearls on the emperor's ceremonial robe, and the number twenty-four was used as a standard for chariots, horses, flags, and drums. The guards' uniforms were colorful, featuring red and purple hues. He ordered all the country's carts to have wheels made of large wooden blocks, without any spokes. Court officials were forbidden from wearing sashes, and women adorned their faces with black makeup and yellow eyebrows. He even constructed tents that resembled funeral tents, where five empresses lived separately, with ritual vessels set before the tents for imperial sacrifices, which the emperor personally officiated. He also had the five empresses parade in chariots while he followed on foot with his guards. Upside-down chickens and broken tiles were hung from the chariots, creating noise for amusement. These were all acts of wickedness! The emperor soon met a violent end, and power shifted to the Sui Dynasty, completely changing the laws of the Zhou Dynasty.
During the Kaihuang era, in the homes of Prince Fangling Yong and Duke Shiji of Yiyang, the headscarves worn by women were similar to military flags. Women symbolized Yin, and the ministers did as well, wearing military flags, which signified impending disaster! Yong was indeed killed, and Shiji was executed as well.
During the Kaihuang era, someone submitted a memorial, stating that in recent years, when the rooster crowed, it did not flap its wings as if something was obstructing them under its armpits. This was an omen of trouble for the country! The memorial was dismissed. According to Jingfang's "Yi Feihou," it states: "When a rooster crows without flapping its wings, the country is in great danger." Subsequently, many ministers were executed, numerous princes were deposed, and the crown prince was imprisoned as well.
In the early years of the Dà Yè period, there were many roosters crowing across the country, and they all crowed at night. There was a man named Jing Fang who wrote in his book "Yi Fei Hou": "When roosters crow at night, it indicates that urgent orders will be issued." The book also stated: "If roosters crow at dusk, the common people will face disaster; if they crow when people are quiet at night, there will be war; if they crow at midnight, there will be large-scale bloodshed." Later, during the mid-Sui Dynasty, with numerous national affairs and tight finances, urgent orders were issued, increasing taxes and forcing local officials to meet their tasks, making it impossible for ordinary people to live. They rebelled, resulting in rampant banditry, ongoing wars, and corpses strewn everywhere.
During the Kaihuang years, in the Yeting of the palace, there were nightly disturbances involving the palace maids. The palace supervisor reported this to the emperor. The emperor remarked, "With such tight security in the palace, how could anyone possibly get in? It must be the work of a demon!" He then advised the palace maids, "If you encounter such a thing, just chop it!" Later, something that looked like a person actually climbed into bed at night, and the palace maid drew her sword and struck, as if she had struck a dry bone. The creature fell off the bed and ran away, and the palace maid chased it out, where it ran into a pond and drowned. The next day, the emperor commanded that the pond be drained, and a large turtle over a foot long was retrieved, with marks from a knife on its shell. The emperor commanded that the turtle be executed, and from then on, no such incidents occurred again. This turtle lived in the water and was very spiritual, symbolizing cunning schemes and deceptions, which was said to be a sign of the Jin prince trying to curry favor with the emperor in the palace, seeking a sign for offspring.
In the second year of the Chen Dynasty, in the fourth month of the Ming calendar, countless rats poured from the banks of Caizhou into the Huai River outside of Shitou City, running all the way to both sides of Qingtang. A few days later, these rats all died, drifting down the river into the Yangtze River near Qingxiang. Jing Fang noted, "Rats gather inexplicably in groups without digging holes, signaling the death of the ruler." Not long after, the Chen Dynasty perished.
In the seventh month of the autumn of the sixth year of the Tianjia era of the Chen Dynasty, the Yixian Hall collapsed for no apparent reason. This Yixian Hall was close to Jinlimu (an inauspicious wood). At that time, the emperor was busy with construction, building five palaces including the Xiande Hall, which was claimed to be quite impressive, but the people were all unemployed, so the wood lost its natural properties. The Yixian Hall was a place for respecting the virtuous, elders, and the young, and it collapsed inexplicably, which was a warning from heaven, indicating that the emperor only cared about luxury and pleasure, did not use talented individuals; what good are those empty titles? The emperor did not understand and died the following year.
In the sixth month of the first year of the Zhenming era, there were sounds of sawing and chopping coming from the water pavilion in the palace, and the water pavilion inexplicably collapsed later. In the seventh month, the Vermilion Bird Ship also inexplicably sank. At that time, the Chen Houzhu was busy with the construction of gardens but did not pay attention to ancestral temple sacrifices. The water pavilion was a place for the emperor to entertain and feast, and the Vermilion Bird Ship was a key gateway for the country. They were destroyed inexplicably, which served as a warning from heaven, indicating that the destruction of the palace would lead to the severing of roads. Chen Houzhu did not understand this principle and was eventually destroyed by the Sui Dynasty, with the palaces and temples all becoming ruins.
Emperor Xiao Zhao of the Qi Dynasty wanted to kill Yang Yin. When he went to court in a carriage, the shaft of the sedan chair suddenly broke as he entered the east gate. The emperor was troubled by this omen and died just over a year later.
In the third year of Heqing, the beams of the official buildings in Changguang County suddenly peeled away like skin. The magistrate deemed it an ill omen and ordered them to be removed, but the next day the same thing happened again. Changguang was a county conferred by the emperor before, and the wood changing on its own was a bad omen. That year, the emperor died.
In the seventh year of Wuping in autumn, Empress Mu was going to Jinyang and first went to bid farewell to Empress Dowager Hu at the Beigong. When she reached the palace gate, her ornate seven-jeweled carriage inexplicably sank into the ground, with the ox's legs also caught in the earth. That year, the Qi dynasty was destroyed, and the empress was captured and taken to Chang'an.
In the sixth year of Jiande in Houzhou, the Qingcheng Gate collapsed for no reason. "Qing" is the color of the east, symbolizing the Eastern Palace. At that time, the crown prince lacked dignity and etiquette. The unexplained collapse of the gate was a sign of the crown prince's incompetence. The emperor did not understand. The next year, the crown prince ascended the throne and indeed became tyrannical. The peril of the Zhou dynasty began at this time.
During the Daye period, Prince Qi Yang Jian was building a mansion in the eastern capital, and the newly constructed palace had beams that inexplicably broke. At that time, there was no crown prince, and people all over the world believed Yang Jian should ascend the throne. The court ministers all hoped for him, so Yang Jian became arrogant and unruly, even consulting fortune-tellers and practicing detestable sorcery. The beams of the palace breaking for no reason, the wood losing its essence, was a sign of treachery! Heaven warned him through such signs, but Yang Jian did not understand, and was later indeed punished by the emperor.
The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "If what is said is not listened to, it is called mismanagement. Its sin is usurpation, its punishment is prolonged drought, and its ultimate result is calamity. Sometimes there will be poetic deceptions, sometimes there will be insect plagues like caterpillars, sometimes there will be dog-related calamities. Therefore, there will be disputes, good omens, and bad omens. Only the energy of wood can restrain that of metal."
Emperor Xiao Ji of Liang Wu Ling usurped the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, with the era name Tianzheng. Lord Yongfeng, Xiao Huo, said: "Your Majesty, this won't do! Previously, Huan Xuan's era name was Da Heng, and wise men believed that 'it would be over by February,' and indeed, Huan Xuan's failure occurred in mid-spring. Today is Tianzheng, and the character 'zheng' means 'to halt.' Can it last long?" As expected, he failed a year later.
During the reign of Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi, when he wanted to perform the crown ceremony for Prince Gao Yin, he had Xing Zicai give the prince a courtesy name. Xing Zicai named him "Zhengdao." Emperor Wenxuan said: "The character 'zheng' means to halt. Can my son really do that?" Xing Zicai wanted to change it, but the emperor insisted otherwise, saying: "This is the will of fate!" Then Emperor Wenxuan spoke to Wang Gao Yan of Changshan: "When the time comes, it’s up to you to wield great power, but you must never kill anyone!" As a result, after Emperor Wenxuan died, Prince Gao Yin ascended the throne, and Wang Gao Yan of Changshan did indeed depose Gao Yin and crown himself emperor. Gao Yin was killed not long after.
During the reign of Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi, the Chen army attacked Pengcheng, and the later ruler Gao Wei was very afraid. The chamberlain Han Changluan advised him: "Even if we lose Henan, we can still be the king of the state of Qi. Now that Huainan is lost, what’s there to worry about? Life’s short, so chase happiness; don’t always be so anxious!" Gao Wei was very pleased and became addicted to wine and pleasure, paying no attention to state affairs. Before long, Northern Qi was taken down by the Zhou Dynasty.
In the seventh year of Wuping, Gao Wei, the last emperor of Northern Qi, was defeated by the Zhou army and fled to Ye City, proclaiming himself the Taishang Huang and entrusting the throne to his son Gao Heng, while changing the era name to Longhua. At that time, people split the characters of "Longhua" and combined them to read as "falling to death." As a result, Northern Qi indeed fell to the Zhou dynasty, and Gao Wei also died.
Emperor Wu of Zhou changed the era name to Xuanzheng, and Emperor Xiao Kui of the Liang dynasty also split the characters of "Xuanzheng" to read as "Yuwu wangri." In June of that year, Emperor Wu of Zhou died.
While Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou was still in the Eastern Palace, he did not follow the rules, and Emperor Wu often beat him. When Xuan became emperor, he touched his scars and angrily cursed, "You died too late!" He then changed the era name to Daxiang (Great Elephant), and Xiao Kui split the characters of "Daxiang" to read as "Tianzi zhong." The following year, Emperor Xuan died.
In the early years of Kaihuang, Prince Xiao Cong of Liang changed the era name to Guangyun. The people of Jiangling whispered to each other, "'Yun' means the army is fleeing; is our sovereign going to be driven away by the army?" Later, Xiao Cong went to the capital to pay respects but was detained and never returned; his uncle Xiao Yan led the people in rebellion, and the Liang dynasty was thus destroyed.
The names given by Emperor Wen to his sons were: Crown Prince Yong, Prince of Jin Ying, Prince of Qin Jun, and Prince of Shu Xiu. Initially, someone submitted a petition saying, "'Yong' is at most a title for a strong man, while 'Ying' is the finest among thousands, and 'Jun' is the finest among tens of thousands. These are words of praise among common people, not suitable as names for emperors." The emperor did not care at the time. At that time, many people with the surname Yang were related to the Ying surname, and someone reminded the emperor, "Yang Ying, read backwards is Ying Yang (similar pronunciation)!" The emperor felt uneasy upon hearing this and quickly changed the names of his sons. Later, the sons Yong, Jun, and Xiu were all deposed, his son Yang Guang ascended the throne, and eventually lost the country, fulfilling the prophecy of the "Yang family curse."
When Emperor Yang ascended to the throne, his reign was named Daye. Those with foresight immediately sensed trouble, saying, "The two characters 'Daye' can be interpreted as 'Daku Lai,' meaning 'great suffering is coming!'" Before long, chaos erupted across the land, causing widespread suffering from war.
Once, Emperor Yang casually told his secretary Lang Yu Shinan, "I don't like being advised by others. If high-ranking, well-known officials come to counsel me, it’s just for their own fame, which really bothers me. As for those of lower status, I might be a bit more lenient, but in the end, I won’t truly listen. You get what I’m saying, right?" At that time, people discussed how the wise rulers of ancient times governed the world with keen insight and sharp judgment; they would put up notices encouraging everyone to speak their minds and even set up special wooden boards for people to write criticisms, creating opportunities for subjects to give advice, fearing that loyal words would not reach their ears. Thus, their blessings spread throughout the land, and their good fortune was passed down to future generations. However, this emperor despised frank advice and suppressed those who counseled him; could he last long? In the end, he was killed, fulfilling the will of fate.
In the first year of the Tianjian era of the Liang Dynasty, there was a severe drought, and a dou of rice was priced at five thousand coins, resulting in many starving to death. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "If a ruler insists on showing off, raising troops and mobilizing the masses, overburdening the people, engaging in large-scale construction, and disregarding the lives of the populace, the subjects will voice their grievances. However, the ruler cannot let go of power in his heart, leading to an imbalance of excessive yang energy and weakened yin energy; excessive yang energy will cause drought." Initially, the emperor raised troops in Xiangyang, defeated Zhang Chong, vanquished Chen Bozhi, and pacified Jiankang, fighting many battles, leaving the people exhausted. After ascending the throne, he continued to wage war against Northern Wei, which contributed to the drought.
In the spring of the twelfth year of the Taijian era of the Chen Dynasty, it did not rain until April. Prior to this, the Zhou army plundered Huai Bei, and the army of King Shuling of Shixing was defeated, leading to the Zhou Dynasty occupying the Huai Bei region, which was also a cause of the drought.
In the year 537 AD, during the Eastern Wei dynasty, several places such as Bingzhou, Sizhou, Fenzhou, Jianzhou, Jinzhou, Jiangzhou, Qinzhou, and Shanzhou experienced severe drought, leading to widespread displacement among the common people. That year, Gao Huan (Emperor Wenxuan of Qi) fought against Western Wei at Shayuan and lost, leading to tens of thousands of casualties.
From 548 to 549 AD, Eastern Wei experienced another drought, with no rain from winter to spring. Previously, the army of Western Wei had reached Luoyang, and Gao Huan personally led his troops to battle against them at Mangshan, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties.
In the summer of 553 AD, another severe drought struck. Previously, many laborers were conscripted to build over 400 miles of the Great Wall, exhausting the people and leading to the drought.
In the spring of 556 AD, a drought occurred. Previously, over ten thousand laborers were conscripted to build the luxurious towers of Golden Phoenix, Shengying, and Chongguang, indulging in extravagance and neglecting the well-being of the common people, which brought down divine punishment in the form of drought.
In April of 557 AD, Bingzhou, Jinzhou, and five western provinces experienced drought. That year, laborers were also conscripted to build Zhiguan. At that time, however, two hundred thousand Turks came to cause trouble, destroying the Great Wall and even raiding Hengzhou.
In the spring of 562 AD, there was a drought. At that time, there was a large-scale conscription of laborers to build the Daming Palace.
After 584 AD, Chang'an frequently experienced drought. At that time, Emperor Wen of Sui moved the capital to Longshoushan to build palaces, exhausting the populace, contributing to the drought.
In 608 AD, Yanzhou, Daizhou, and several counties on the border experienced drought. At that time, over a million laborers were conscripted to build the Great Wall, and the emperor personally inspected the border defense. Many people perished from starvation and exposure along the way.
In 612 AD, there was a nationwide drought, causing the common people to flee. At that time, the emperor sent troops to attack Goguryeo, leading to the deaths of many soldiers due to starvation and exposure. In 617 AD, there was another nationwide drought. At that time, all counties and townships sent people to repair city walls, regardless of age or gender, all were conscripted for labor.
On the eighth day of the sixth month in the third year of the Tianjian era of Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty, he was giving a sermon in the Chongyun Hall when suddenly a monk named Zhigong jumped up, singing and dancing, and then began to cry. He then wrote a five-character poem: "Joyful for more than thirty, sorrowful for fifty years! Just look at eighty-three, a great disaster will arise in Zidi. Sycophants deceive and slander, treacherous ministers destroy the gentlemen. If you don't believe my words, just wait for the Year of the Dragon when the bandits will rise. And when it comes to the Year of the Horse, carrying sorrow and not seeing joy." The meaning of this poem is that for more than thirty years the country has been peaceful, but good times will not last long, and after fifty years, a great event will occur! When he reaches eighty-three, a great disaster will happen in Zidi (a place name), with treacherous ministers in power and loyal officials harmed. If you do not believe, in the Year of the Dragon (referring to a certain year), Hou Jing will cause chaos, and in the end, he will flee on horseback, meeting a tragic end.
From the Tianjian era to the final Datong era, the Liang dynasty lasted more than thirty years, and the Jianghuai region remained peaceful. However, in the second year of Taiqing, Taicheng was breached, and Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty reigned for forty-eight years, which corresponded to the prophecy of "fifty years" in the poem. On August 13 of the first year of Taiqing, Hou Jing came to surrender from Xuanhu, located north of Danyang, which is the "Zidi" mentioned in the poem. Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty trusted Zhu Yi's advice and accepted Hou Jing's surrender. Hou Jing's rebellion began in the Year of Wuchan, and by the Year of Wu, Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty died from worry and stress. On April 8, ten years later, Monk Zhigong composed another poem at a large gathering: "The dog with a crooked tail begins to go mad, wanting to die but not dying, biting and hurting people, and in an instant, it will perish. The disaster is in your Yin, dying in Sanxiang, with corpses everywhere and no one to bury them." Hou Jing's nickname was Dogzi, and he initially surrendered from Xuanhu, which was ancient Runan. South of Baling, there is a place called Sanxiang, which is where Hou Jing was ultimately defeated.
During the Tianjian period, there was a hermit in Maoshan named Tao Hongjing, who composed a five-character poem: "Yifu is carefree, Ping Shu talks in vain, unexpectedly finding himself in Zhaoyang Palace, suddenly in Chanyu Palace." During the Datong period, the court ministers were only concerned with debating metaphysics and neglecting their duties. "Yifu" and "Ping Shu" were famous ministers at that time, but after Hou Jing's rebellion, he ended up residing in Zhaoyang Palace.
During the Datong period, there was also a nursery rhyme: "A white horse with green silk reins comes to Shouyang." Later, when Hou Jing broke through Danyang, he did ride a white horse and used green silk as reins.
In the early days of the Chen Dynasty, another nursery rhyme appeared: "Yellow class, green mule, coming from Shouyang. When it comes, the winter air is gone, when it goes, the spring wind begins." Later, the Chen Dynasty's emperor was indeed defeated by Han Qinhu. Han Qinhu's nickname was Huang Ban, and when he broke through Jiankang, he also rode a green mule, and the timing matched the nursery rhyme's reference to late winter and early spring.
During the Chen Dynasty, the song "Peach Leaves" by Wang Xianzhi was particularly popular in the Jiangnan region. The lyrics were: "Peach leaves and peach leaves, crossing the river without needing oars. Just cross without hardship, I will welcome you." This song enjoyed immense popularity back then. Later, when the Jin Dynasty attacked the Chen Dynasty, they camped under the Peach Leaf Mountain, and Han Qin Nian crossed the river, while the general Ren Mannu went to Xinlin to guide the northern army to come and support.
As for the emperor of the Chen Dynasty, Chen Shubao, he built the Qiyun Temple, and as a result, the people began to sing a song with the lyrics: "Qiyun Temple, endless invaders come." Before the song was even finished, the Sui Dynasty army attacked, and Chen Shubao was captured.
During the Zhenming period, Chen Shubao himself composed a song, with particularly sorrowful lyrics, even having the palace beauties learn to sing it. The lyrics were: "The flowers behind the jade tree, the flowers do not last long." People at that time thought this song was a prophecy, foreboding the downfall of the Chen Dynasty.
When the Northern Qi's Emperor Shunwu Gao Huan had just moved the capital to Ye City, a nursery rhyme circulated among the people: “Poor little green sparrow, flying into Ye City. The nest is not yet built; raising its head, it has lost its hometown. Sending a letter to the mother, to see the new bride.” The green sparrow refers to Emperor Xiaojing of Wei, who was the son of the King of Qinghe, and his stepmother was Gao Huan's daughter. The palaces in Ye City were still incomplete when the dynasty changed, just as the green sparrow lost its home before it could build its nest. Not long after, Emperor Xiaojing died, and Gao Huan's daughter, who was Emperor Xiaojing's stepmother, Empress Wenxuan, later married Yang Yin. At that time, Gao Huan's wife, Empress Dowager Lou, was still alive, hence the nursery rhyme mentions “sending a letter to the mother.” “New bride” refers to Empress Wenxuan.
During the Wuding period, another nursery rhyme appeared: “A hundred-foot tall pole is broken; the lamp underwater is extinguished.” “Gao” refers to the Gao family, the royal family of Northern Qi, and “Cheng” refers to the name of Emperor Wenxiang Gao Cheng. Five years later, Emperor Shunwu Gao Huan died, fulfilling the line “the tall pole is broken”; seven years later, Emperor Wenxiang Gao Cheng was assassinated, fulfilling the line “the lamp underwater is extinguished.”
During the Tianbao period, a man named Lu Fahe wrote the following on his wall: “Ten years of the Emperor is acceptable; a hundred-day emperor is like a fire burning fast; a year of the Emperor is a succession of thrones.” At that time, Emperor Wenxuan Gao Yang had reigned for ten years before dying, Emperor Fei Gao Yin was emperor for just over a hundred days before being deposed, and Emperor Xiaozhao Gao Yan reigned for a year before dying, all of these events fulfilled Lu Fahe's prophecy.
In the first year of Wuping, another nursery rhyme appeared: “The fox cuts off its tail; you want to get rid of me, and I want to get rid of you.” In April of that year, King Hu Changren of Longdong wanted to send assassins to kill He Shikai, but the plan was exposed, and instead, he was framed and killed by He Shikai.
Two years ago, the children sang a nursery rhyme: "He Shikai, on July 30, you will head south to the platform." After the children finished singing, everyone clapped and said, "Kill him!" On July 25, the Deputy Censor-in-Chief, Wang Yan of Langya, really captured He Shikai and escorted him to the southern platform for his execution. That same year, another nursery rhyme emerged: "In July, harvesting the grain is early, eating cakes in September is just right. In October, washing the rice jar, in November, Zhao Yanshen was exiled." He Shikai was killed in July, Wang Yan of Langya died in September, and in November, Zhao Yanshen was sent away and became the governor of Xiyanzhou.
As the Wuping era was coming to an end, there was a nursery rhyme that said: "The yellow flower is about to fall, the clear cup is only for toasting." At that time, Empress Mu and her son were engaging in scandalous behavior and meddling in politics, causing great concern among the people. Empress Mu's nickname was "Yellow Flower," and later, when the Qi dynasty was destroyed, the line "the yellow flower is about to fall" accurately reflected the situation at that time.
In Ye City, there was also a nursery rhyme: "A broom made of gold, with a jade handle, cleanly sweeping the palace to welcome the western family." Not long after, the army of the Zhou dynasty invaded Ye City.
When the Zhou dynasty was just established, there was a nursery rhyme that said: "At the top of the white poplar tree, the golden rooster crows, only the uncle is present, no nephew in sight." Emperor Jing was the nephew of the Sui dynasty emperor; after he abdicated, he died, while his uncles held great power.
Emperor Xuan danced and sang with the palace maids in the middle of the night, singing: "Aware of my fleeting life, I wander through the night with a candle." He ruled as emperor for three years before dying.
In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, Emperor Gaozu went to Bingzhou and hosted a banquet for King Qin and the prince. The emperor also improvised a four-line poem: "How many red faces are there? A jade beauty for a moment. One morning the flowers fall, white hair is hard to remove. In the coming year, who will have and who will not?" The following year, the prince died, and eighteen years later, King Qin also passed away.
In the eleventh year of Daye, Emperor Yang of Sui departed from the capital to the Eastern Capital. When he arrived at Changle Palace, he got drunk and wrote a five-character poem. The last line of the poem was: "I only have the desire to return, but no longer have the strength of the wind." He had the beauty recite this line repeatedly, and he cried, his tears soaking his robes. The guards present also cried with sadness. Later, Emperor Yang went to Jiangdu and wrote another five-character poem: "Seeking to return but cannot leave, truly encountering a harsh spring. Birds' songs urge drinking, plum blossoms laugh and kill people." He was killed in March, which echoed the line "truly encountering a harsh spring" from his poem. That year, banditry was rampant, roads were blocked, and Emperor Yang was filled with fear, completely giving up the idea of returning to the capital. He also dreamed of two boys singing: "Staying is death, leaving is death. It's better to take a boat across the river." Therefore, he built a palace in Danyang with the intention of living there. However, before the palace was completed, he died.
During the Daye period, there was a children's rhyme circulating among the people: "Peach and plum trees, swans and geese circle Yangshan Mountain, winding through the flower forest. Don't speak carelessly; who says so?" Later, Li Mi was arrested by the government for participating in the Yang Xuangen rebellion and escaped on the way. He secretly rallied a group of bandits, crossed over from Yangcheng Mountain, and attacked and took over Luokou Warehouse, and then stationed troops in the imperial park. "Don't speak carelessly; it's Li Mi" refers to Li Mi; "Yuweng Huaji self-proclaimed Xuguo" refers to Yuwen Huaji self-proclaiming the establishment of Xuguo, which was eventually defeated. "Who says so, it is a suspicious word" likely reflects the people's uncertainty.
In the first year of the Datong era of Emperor Wu of Liang, Prince Shaoling Xiao Lun was in his bedroom in Nanxu Prefecture. During the day, two martens were fighting on the roof beams and fell down, which he caught. During the Taiqing era, when the chaos of Hou Jing occurred, Xiao Lun led troops to rescue Taicheng. When they reached Zhongshan, a bear that had just woken up from hibernation suddenly appeared and bit Xiao Lun's horse. "The curse of the caterpillar" was probably a kind of omen. Later, Xiao Lun was defeated by Wang Sengbian and fled to Nanyang, where he was ultimately killed by Western Wei.
During the Datong era, foxes would often howl under the palace every night, which continued for several years before finally stopping. Jing Fang's "Yi Fei Hou" says, "Wild beasts roar, the city is empty." Soon after, the country fell into turmoil, and almost all the people in Danyang City died.
In the early years of the Chen Dynasty, a fox ran under the bed, and people couldn't catch it. Jing Fang's "Yi Fei Hou" states, "When a fox enters the lord's house, it will become uninhabitable." Not long after, the Chen Dynasty was destroyed.
In September of the year 548 AD, a leopard broke into the south gate of Ye City and was immediately killed. Five years later, in August, another leopard ran up to the Copper Jue Platform. "Yi Fei Hou" says, "When wild beasts enter the city, even reaching the main avenue of the court and the gates of government offices, it is a sign of great disaster, and the monarch will be finished." That year, Eastern Wei suffered a disastrous defeat in the Battle of Yubi, and Gao Huan also died of illness.
In the year 552 AD, a rabbit ran out of the temple. "Yi Fei Hou" states, "When a rabbit runs into the royal palace, the monarch will die." The temple is a place where ancestral spirits are believed to reside. Five years later, the Zhou army attacked Ye City, and the last emperor of the Chen Dynasty fled in panic.
During the waning years of the Wuping era of the Northern Qi, wolves were everywhere in Bingzhou, Sizhou, and other regions, and they even attacked people. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "Wolves are greedy and ferocious beasts, mostly white, symbolizing war. They are like dogs, foreshadowing calamities from dogs." The "Yizhuan" also says: "If a ruler is tyrannical and unjust, calamities will befall the people, and only by hiding in the deep mountains can they preserve their lives. Wolves eating people is a sign of such calamities." At that time, the emperor favored sycophants, becoming greedy and cruel himself, harming the people, and the omen of wolves eating people was realized. Soon after, the Northern Qi was destroyed by the Zhou army, which was indeed a symbol of war.
During the Wuping era, a child's footprints suddenly appeared outside the gate of Shuozhou Prefecture, and dirt was piled up to resemble a city wall. People found it very strange, and upon closer inspection, discovered it was the doing of a fox spirit. Later, this phenomenon spread to Bingzhou and Yecheng. It was very similar to the situation in the third year of Wuding when a leopard entered the city. That year, Wang Sihao of Nan'an raised an army to rebel, targeting Bingzhou, but was defeated by the imperial army. Zheng Zirao, Yang Fahao, and others also revolted in Shandong.
In 561 AD, strange occurrences of dogs mating with women were reported simultaneously in Yecheng and Dunqiu. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" states: "Mating between different species that should not mate is a sign of great chaos in the world. Dogs mating with humans is an omen of calamities from dogs." Calamities from dogs signify excessive Yang energy and discontent among the people. At that time, the emperor was indifferent to state affairs, and his grace did not reach the common people.
During the reign of the last ruler of Northern Qi, dogs were conferred the title of "Kaidu Yitong Sansi," and female dogs were granted titles such as "Madam" and "Duchess." The court even assigned soldiers to serve them, feeding them fine rice and allowing them to sleep on soft beds. Heaven was about to punish them; they had the audacity to confer nobility upon dogs, which was indeed a clear omen of calamities from dogs! It was as if Heaven was saying, "You ministers are just like dogs." The last ruler failed to grasp this principle, which ultimately led to the downfall of the state.
In the year 573 AD, a dog gave birth to puppies, but its body was divided in two below the waist, with two tails and six legs. Dogs are fierce animals, equipped with claws and teeth, symbolizing soldiers. At that time, Yu Wenhu and Hou Fu, along with Hou Long'en and others, conspired to rebel. The dog's body being split in half was a portent of rebellion.
In the first year of the Daye era, many dogs in the Yanmeng area ran away from their owners, roaming in packs in the wild, looking like wolves and even biting people. It took several years for things to calm down. A book called "Wuxing Zhuan" stated: "Dogs are meant to guard homes, and now they have lost their owners; this is a sign of disloyalty among ministers. The dogs' appearance has changed to resemble wolves, and the wolf's fur is white, which is a sign of impending war!" Afterwards, the emperor engaged in endless military campaigns and forced conscription, as if heaven were warning him: stop the forced labor, or the ministers responsible for guarding the homes will rebel! The emperor did not heed the advice and insisted on repairing the Great Wall, and then meddled in affairs of the Western Regions and Liaodong. The people were grumbling, and ultimately a military mutiny occurred in Jiangdu, even the guards around the emperor rebelled.
In the second year of the Datong era, two feet long fur grew in the fields; this seemed to be a good omen. Sun Sheng felt this was a sign of harming the people and wasting resources. Previously, a large-scale mobilization of the populace had been made to build the Fushan Weir, costing enormous amounts of money, and just as it was about to be completed, it broke several times, making the people tired of all the work, with sighs and complaints heard everywhere on the roads.
In September of the first year of the Qihe Qing era, a lot of fur, both white and black, grew in the fields at Cangzhou and at the foot of the Great Wall, measuring four to five inches long; this seemed like a good omen too. At that time, construction was underway for the Great Wall in the north, and within the court, large-scale construction of the three platforms was also taking place, leaving the common people exhausted.
In July of the sixth year of the Kaihuang era, hair-like rain fell in the capital, with rain composed of hair-like strands, some over three feet long and others six or seven inches. The "Yifai Hou" by Jing Fang stated: "Hair falling from the sky indicates a great famine for the country." At that time, Guanzhong experienced a severe drought, causing rice prices to skyrocket.
In the early years of the Hou Qi dynasty, the jade bi from the Fengshan Altar on Mount Tai came out on its own, which was seen as a good omen. Mount Tai is a place where dynasties change, and the jade bi is used for sacrifices. Its emergence is a sign of dynastic change. Later, the Qi state was destroyed, the territory was returned to the Zhou dynasty, and Gaozu accepted the abdication of the Zhou dynasty, unifying the world, fulfilling the sacrificial ceremony on Mount Tai.
In the third year of the Wuping era, the phrase "Qi has fallen" appeared on the green stone wall below the Baishuiyan. Someone changed these words to "ascending above," and the emperor thought it was an auspicious sign, with the entire court coming to celebrate. Later, the Zhou army invaded, forcing the emperor to abandon Ye City and flee.
In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, more than ten stones fell from the sky between Wu'an and Fuyang. The "Hongfan Wuxing Zhuan" says: "When stones fall from the sky, the emperor will be in danger!" Seven years later, the emperor died.
In the late years of the Kaihuang era, Gaozu buried two small stones in the palace on the ground as a mark to indicate the position of the bed. Not long after, these two stones turned into jade. Liu Xiang said: "Jade is the most precious. When something worthless turns into something precious, it signals that a change is coming!" By the end of the Daye era, there were thieves everywhere, daring to call themselves kings and emperors.
In the year 617 AD, a stone was found in Xiping County with the words "Emperor Reigns for a Thousand Years" carved on it. The whole court rejoiced and celebrated. However, some knowledgeable people were worried, saying: "The phrase 'a thousand years' typically refers to the afterlife. To say it can reign for a thousand years now means disaster is imminent." The next year, the emperor was killed.
In the year 546 AD, at the entrance of the tunnel of the Qiao'a Mausoleum in the Liang dynasty, the stone qilin moved on its own. Wood restrains gold, and the movement of the stone qilin suggests a change in location. It seems like the heavens are warning that the tomb will be unguarded, and the stone qilin will be moved by someone else. Eventually, the country did indeed fall.
In the year 507 AD, the stones in the Qi Dynasty palace began to move on their own and collided with one another. Sui Meng believed that stones are associated with Yin, symbolizing ministers, and the movement of the stones in the palace foreshadowed betrayal by close associates. Later, during the Zhou Dynasty's Eastern Expedition, favored ministers such as Wei Xiangyuan, Qi Fugui and his brothers, and Han Jianye all defected and joined the Zhou Dynasty.
In January of the year 546 AD, the Liang Dynasty sent two statues of demon-dispelling gods to Jianling. The two-horned demon-dispelling statue on the left arrived safely at the tomb. The demon-dispelling god with a single horn on the right, while being transported to the tomb, jumped three times on the carriage, breaking the yoke each time. After changing the carriage, before reaching the tomb two miles away, it jumped three times again, each time sending the attendants airborne by three to four feet, with the wheels sinking three inches deep into the ground. This was also an omen of Wood overcoming Metal. Liu Xiang once stated, "The loss of popular support, the inability to execute orders, and the refusal to heed advice are all due to the disorder of Metal energy." Stones belong to Yin, representing ministers, and ministers are about to face changes. In his later years, Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty neglected state affairs, preoccupied only with reciting Buddhist scriptures and discussing metaphysics, leading to chaotic governance, inability to carry out orders, and refusal to listen to advice, which ultimately led to the Hou Jing Rebellion.
In the year 618 AD, a stone statue was unearthed in Puyang County, and the county officials intended to transport it to the prefecture to extract the gold from it. As a result, the stone statue leapt off the carriage twice while on the way. So they secured it to the carriage wall with a thick rope, but the rope snapped, and the stone statue fell again. At that time, the emperor had recently conquered the Qi Kingdom and was launching an attack on Huainan, with continuous warfare and exhausted people, which signified a loss of popular support.
