The "Five Elements Chronicles" records various disasters and their omens, and the "Book of Han, Treatise on the Five Elements" provides detailed accounts of this. Therefore, Tai Shan Prefect Ying Shao, Attendant Dong Ba, and Cavalier in Regular Attendance Qiao Zhou all wrote records of various disasters starting from the Jianwu period. Now I have compiled these records together, which can be considered as an extension to the "Previous Chronicles."
The "Five Elements Chronicles" states: "If hunting is done carelessly, meals are taken lightly, there is no restraint in comings and goings, the farming times of the common people are encroached upon, and conspiracies abound, then the trees will not grow properly." This means that if trees lose their normal growth pattern, it will lead to disasters. The book also states: "If the attitude is disrespectful, it is not serious. If the sin is great, there will be heavy rain. If the sin reaches its extreme, various strange phenomena will appear: sometimes it is caused by monsters, sometimes by turtles causing disasters, sometimes by chickens harming people, sometimes by a disease where the lower half of the body develops like the upper half, sometimes by disasters or auspicious signs in green color, all of which are the result of metal qi harming wood qi." The book explains that when two energies harm each other, it is called "Li."
In the first year of Jianwu, the leader of the Red Eyebrows Army, Fan Chong, Feng An, and others enthroned Liu Penzi as emperor. However, Fan Chong and the others treated Liu Penzi like a child, making decisions on their own without taking him seriously. On New Year's Day, the emperor and his ministers wanted to have a meal together. Just as they sat down and before the wine and dishes were served, the ministers all stood up, resulting in chaos that made it impossible to enjoy their meal. At that time, the Minister of Agriculture, Yang Yin, angrily drew his sword and said, "Even children playing games wouldn't be this chaotic!" Later, the Red Eyebrows Army collapsed, and Fan Chong and Feng An were killed, and only Yang Yin was appointed as Marquis of the Interior, living to a ripe old age.
After Emperor Guangwu died, Prince Shanyang Liu Jing showed no signs of mourning and even secretly wrote a letter to Prince Donghai, encouraging him to rebel. Emperor Ming concealed this because Liu Jing was his uterine brother and the Empress Dowager was still alive. Later, Liu Jing was relocated to Guangling, where he ultimately committed suicide after attempting rebellion once more.
During the reign of Emperor Zhang of the Han Dynasty, Dou Xian, the brother of Empress Dou, was feared by everyone because the Empress was greatly favored by the Emperor. Dou Xian forced Princess Chang of Qinshui to give him land, and because the Princess feared him, she complied. However, Dou Xian looked down on the Princess. Later, when the Emperor visited the Princess's land, he discovered this and questioned Dou Xian about it. Dou Xian claimed he was just borrowing it. The Emperor, remembering past favors, only criticized him and did not punish him. Later, Emperor Zhang died, Empress Dowager Dou ruled as regent, and Dou Xian held significant power. The honest ministers stood against Dou Xian, and he ended up killing them. Eventually, Dou Xian and his brothers were all executed.
During the reign of Emperor Huan, Liang Ji held power, and he and his brothers were arrogant, loved to ride horses, and even rode into their homes. The people called them "the Liang family who rode into their homes." Later, they were all executed.
During the reign of Emperor He, in the 10th, 13th, 14th, and 15th years of Yongyuan, there were relentless torrential rains, causing damage to crops.
In the autumn of the fourth year of Emperor An, several prefectures suffered crop failures from the relentless rain. In the first year of Yongning, even more prefectures were affected, totaling thirty-three. By the first year of Jianguang, even the capital and twenty-nine prefectures suffered from the invasion of continuous rain, leading to poor harvests. At that time, the Qiang rebellion had not been quelled for a long time, and the common people were conscripted to fight, which only added to their woes.
In the first year of Yanguang, twenty-seven prefectures suffered crop failures from the relentless rain; the following year, five prefectures experienced consecutive rain, resulting in total crop devastation. In the fourth year of Emperor Shun, the regions overseen by the Capital Commandant, including Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Yanzhou, and Jizhou, suffered crop failures from the relentless rain; in the sixth year, Jizhou experienced even more hardships.
In the summer of the second year of Emperor Huan's Yanxi era, there were over fifty days of torrential rain. At that time, the Grand General Liang Ji held great power, and he even conspired to kill Deng Guiren, the Emperor's favored concubine's mother. Liang Ji also arbitrarily killed the official named Bing Zun. The Emperor wanted to eliminate Liang Ji but feared his immense power. He secretly consulted with his close attendants, including the eunuch Danchao, on how to get rid of him. In August of that year, Liang Ji was finally executed, and his entire clan was wiped out.
In the summer of the first year of Emperor Ling's Jianning era, there were over sixty days of torrential rain. At that time, the Grand General Dou Wu wanted to launch a coup and get rid of the eunuchs. However, in September, officials from the Changle Palace and the eunuch Cao Jie rebelled together, killing Dou Wu. The two sides clashed at the palace gate, and Dou Wu was defeated and fled. In the end, Dou Wu and his brothers were all killed, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
In the summer of the first year of the Xiping era, there were over seventy days of torrential rain. At that time, the eunuch Cao Jie and others falsely accused Prince Kui of Bohai of plotting rebellion, and he was killed in October.
In the summer of the sixth year of the Zhongping era, there were over eighty days of torrential rain. At that time, Emperor Ling had just died, and the funeral was still taking place. The Grand General He Jin and Military Colonel Yuan Shao conspired to kill the eunuchs. After the burial of Emperor Ling, the eunuch Zhang Rang and his associates turned against He Jin and killed him. The two sides fought in the capital, with thousands dead.
During the time of the Xin dynasty, several generals passed through Luoyang wearing women's embroidered clothes and disheveled hair, wearing odd hats. Wise men at the time considered this outfit to be an ominous sign of disaster, and fled to the border areas to escape. This outfit was clearly ominous! Eventually, Emperor Gengshi was indeed killed by the Red Eyebrow Army.
During the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, women in the capital city popularized a peculiar style of dressing: sorrowful brows, weeping makeup, one-sided buns, bent posture, and pained smiles. The so-called "sorrowful brows" referred to thin, curved eyebrows; "weeping makeup" meant lightly wiping the corners of the eyes as if crying; "one-sided buns" involved combing the hair to one side only; "bent posture" described walking with a body bent as if about to break, and unstable footsteps; "pained smiles" were forced laughter that showed no joy. This fashion trend originated from the home of General Liang Ji, spreading quickly in the capital city and being imitated nationwide. It was truly a bewitching style! Liang Ji and his son held high positions, married into the royal family, and wielded immense power, on the brink of ruining the country. It seemed as if the heavens were warning them: the army was coming to arrest them, women were anxious and tearful with sorrowful brows, soldiers treated them roughly, twisting their waists and disheveling their hair. Even if they forced a smile, they appeared lifeless. In the second year of Yanxi, the entire Liang Ji family was exterminated.
During the Yanxi period, after Liang Ji was killed, a new hairstyle became popular in the capital: short in the front and long in the back. At that time, the eunuchs Shan Chao, Zuo Juan, Xu Huang, Ju Yuan, and Tang Heng were by the emperor's side, indulging their corrupt ways. The people were outraged, saying, "One Liang Ji is dead, but now five more Liang Jis have emerged!" Their families held many marquis titles, with descendants serving as officials across the country, and their guests were all arrogant. This short-in-the-front, long-in-the-back hairstyle was no different from Liang Ji's tyranny! In the eighth year of Yanxi, due to a solar eclipse, Emperor Huan appointed Han Yin as the Commandant of Justice, initiating a large-scale removal of these corrupt officials, finally bringing peace back to the capital.
During the Yanxi era, wealthy people in the capital city were fond of wearing wooden clogs; when women got married, it was also popular to tie colorful lacquered ribbons around their waists. This was considered a kind of demonic attire! By the ninth year of Yanxi, the disaster of the Partisan Prohibitions broke out, and the news spread to the Huangmen North Temple. At that time, everyone was in a panic, not daring to accept their fate; many people fled and refused to cooperate with the investigation. All nine generations of the implicated families were arrested, regardless of age or gender; everyone was shackled. Doesn’t that shape resemble wooden clogs?
During the Jianning era of Emperor Ling of Han, wealthy people in the capital were fond of using reed square boxes as makeup boxes, and even the poorer folks followed suit. At that time, knowledgeable people whispered: Reed square boxes? Aren't these the boxes used in official cases at the county level? Now they are being used like treasures; doesn’t this imply that everyone should be subject to government judgment? By the third year of Guanghe, the court granted amnesty, and officials and commoners who had been implicated in the Partisan Prohibitions were pardoned, but some who did not see the amnesty order or were suspected for other reasons still had to stand trial. Therefore, all counties involved in the Partisan Prohibitions cases reported the trial results to the Ministry of Justice, and everyone’s names were recorded in the reed square boxes.
Emperor Ling of Han had a particular fondness for the clothing, tents, couches, sitting styles, food, musical instruments like the harp, and dances of the Hu people, and all the high-ranking officials in the capital vied to imitate them. This was downright demonic! Later, Dong Zhuo brought along many Hu soldiers, blocking the streets, looting the palaces, and raiding graves.
In the Western Garden of the palace, Emperor Ling was actually riding four white donkeys, personally holding the reins and running around the garden, feeling very happy. So the court ministers and officials followed suit, even using ox carts as if they were horse-drawn chariots, competing with each other, and the prices rose to match those of horses. As the Book of Changes states, "Ride the six dragons to control the sky," implying that nothing in the sky is superior to dragons, and nothing on the ground is better than horses. The Book of Songs similarly states, "The four horses are constantly used." "The sandalwood cart is magnificent, the four horses are strong." Donkeys are typically used for carrying heavy loads on long journeys, up and down mountains and valleys; they are animals used by rural folk. How could emperors and gentlemen use donkeys to pull carts? Such foolish animals have now become so valuable. It seems as if heaven is declaring: the country is about to be in chaos, the roles of the wise and the foolish have been turned upside down, and all officials have become like donkeys! Later, Dong Zhuo ruthlessly oppressed the royal family, recruiting a large number of people from the border regions to bolster the court, and individuals from various ethnic groups and tribes flocked to the Central Plains.
During the Xi Ping period, there were people in the court who actually put hats on dogs, tied them with official sashes, and found pleasure in this. Once, a dog wearing a hat even ran into the gate of the Sima (司徒) Mansion, to the astonishment of all who witnessed it. Jing Fang's commentary on the Book of Changes states: "If the ruler is not upright, the ministers will have thoughts of usurping the throne, and strange things like dogs wearing hats will appear." Later, Emperor Ling favored those treacherous sycophants and confidants, the guests of Yongle Palace, and the idlers of Hongdu Gate, promoting one another, with ministers and local officials alike behaving in the same manner. Emperor Ling even sent censors to the Western Pavilion to sell official positions; as long as one spent more than five million coins, they would receive the gold and purple official robes. Those who rushed to the imperial palace gates seeking county magistrate positions, regardless of the situation in the county, could buy the position as long as they had money. Those with power were greedy and fierce like jackals and tigers, while those without power barely resembled human beings, just like dogs wearing hats! It seemed like heaven was saying: most prime ministers are not suitable candidates, merely occupying their posts without taking any action, none of them could handle political affairs uprightly, only knowing how to flatter and fawn. Those in office now are all like dogs, that's why the dogs would run into the gate of the Sima Mansion.
Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty loved to play in the Western Garden, letting the beauties of the harem dress up as tavern landladies, wearing merchant clothes to entertain him. When Emperor Ling went to them, the beauties would serve food and drinks, and everyone would enjoy themselves; their costumes were excessively enchanting! Shortly thereafter, the realm descended into turmoil.
During the reign of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, in the Jian'an period, men were popularly wearing clothes with long tops and short bottoms, and women were also popularly dressed in short tops and long skirts. There was an official named Mo Si in Yizhou, who thought this kind of dressing was demonic, saying that with tops that barely covered and bottoms that left little to the imagination, how could the world possibly be peaceful? After he said this, chaos truly engulfed the world not long after.
In the first year of Emperor Ling of Han, a hen in the Nangong Shizhong Temple was about to turn into a rooster. Its feathers were all like a rooster's, except for the comb on its head. The emperor asked Cai Yong about it. Cai Yong replied, "This chicken's appearance is unusual; a disaster is imminent! In the first year of Emperor Xuan of Han, a hen in the Weiyang Palace turned into a rooster; it neither crowed nor had spurs. That year, Emperor Yuan had just ascended the throne and granted the title of Empress to Wang. By the first year of Chuyuan, the Prime Minister's family's hen turned into a rooster, with a crown, spurs, and crowing. That year, the Empress's father was granted the title of Marquis of Yangping, and the Empress became Empress. When Emperor Ai of Han passed away, the Empress acted as regent, and Wang Mang promoted his nephew to Grand Marshal, leading to chaos in the world. My private speculation is: the chicken's head symbolizes the ruler. This chicken has changed its whole body, but the crown hasn't changed. The emperor's awareness of this signifies that something significant is on the horizon, but it hasn't fully formed yet. If the emperor does not take it seriously and does not change his ways, when the crown grows out, the disaster could be severe!" Later, Zhang Jiao rebelled, the Yellow Turbans revolted, and the world fell into chaos. The people in various regions were burdened with heavy taxes, causing them to rise up in rebellion. The emperor's failure to change his ways ultimately led to widespread chaos.
In the second year of Emperor Huan of Han, on the evening of the bingwu day in the fourth month, a bluish vapor seeped from the wall beneath the Guanglu Xun office, and a jade hook and a jade pendant were discovered. The jade hook was seven inches and two fen long, and the jade pendant had a circumference of five inches and four fen, both adorned with intricate carvings. The blue gas was an auspicious sign, and jade symbolizes precious materials. Seven inches and two fen represent the Shang musical note, and five inches and four fen represent the Zhi musical note. Shang represents ministers, and Zhi represents matters. It was probably because the person who made decisions as a minister was not serious, which could lead to disaster. At that time, Liang Ji was in power, and four years later, the Liang family was exterminated.
In the fifth year of Emperor Huan of Han, the main gate of the Imperial Academy inexplicably collapsed. Xiang Kai believed that the collapse of the main gate of the Imperial Academy signaled an impending decline in the country's literary governance, and education was also going to deteriorate. Eventually, chaos did ensue throughout the realm.
In the first year of Yongkang, in the tenth month of the Renxu year, the building inside the Pingcheng Gate of the Southern Palace collapsed spontaneously. It is said in ancient books that this is the result of the metal element overpowering the wood element, meaning damage to the wood. Interestingly, in the twelfth month of that year, the emperor died.
In the first year of Guanghe, the houses inside the Pingcheng Gate of the Southern Palace, the armory, and the houses in the eastern wall collapsed unexpectedly. Cai Yong said, "The Pingcheng Gate is the Gate of the Sun, connected to the palace, where the imperial chariot passes through for sacrificial ceremonies. It is the most respected gate. The armory stores the imperial guard. The eastern wall serves as the outer barrier of the armory. The Book of Changes states, 'When the unworthy rise to power, chaos ensues, and misfortune causes the city gate to collapse.' The Qiantan Ba says, 'The palace tiles fall by themselves, the vassals overpower the lord.' These are all the faults of those in power who disrupt the law." After that, the Yellow Turban rebels rose in the east, triggering a significant troop mobilization from the armory. The Empress, her brother He Jin as Grand General, and her half-brother Miao as General of Chariots and Cavalry both held power and commanded troops in the capital. Later, He Jin wanted to eliminate the corrupt eunuchs, but he was assassinated by Chief Eunuch Zhang Rang and his allies. Battles broke out in the palace, leading to mutual destruction and sparking a widespread uprising across the nation.
In the first year of the Lingdi Guanghe era, houses within the South Palace, the armory, and the east wall of Pingcheng Gate collapsed one after another. The renowned scholar Cai Yong analyzed, "Pingcheng Gate is the Zhengyang Gate, connected to the imperial palace. The emperor's sacrifices and outings all have to pass through here, making it the most important gate in the imperial palace. The armory stores weapons, and the east wall serves as a protective barrier for the armory. The ancient text 'Yi Zhuan' says, 'When the wicked are in power, chaos will ensue from the imperial palace gates.' Another book, 'Qiantan Ba,' also says, 'When palace tiles fall, the nobles will oppress the emperor.' All of these are caused by the rise of the wicked, which has disrupted the court order!" As a result, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out in the east, and chaos erupted in the armory. The queen's brother, He Jin, became the Grand General, while his brother He Miao became the Cavalry General, both wielding military power in the capital. Later, He Jin tried to eliminate the eunuchs but was killed by Zhang Rang, Duan Gui, and others, resulting in chaos and infighting within the palace, causing turmoil throughout the country.
In the second month of the third year of the Jian'an era, more than thirty rooms in the imperial residence collapsed.
In the second month of the third year of the Guanghe era, the corridors and pavilions of the emperor's residence collapsed, with more than thirty rooms falling.
In the second month of the first year of the Zhongping era, houses outside Guangyang Gate collapsed inexplicably.
In the second month of the first year of the Zhongping era, houses outside Guangyang Gate also collapsed.
In the second year of the Chu Ping era, in the third month, the houses outside Xuanping Gate in Chang'an collapsed for no apparent reason. By the summer of the third year, the Minister of Works Wang Yun sent the General of the Household Lü Bu to kill the Grand Tutor Dong Zhuo and exterminate his entire clan.
In the first year of Xingping, in October, the city gates of Chang'an inexplicably collapsed. By the spring of the second year, Li Jue and Guo Si fought in Chang'an, with Jue pursuing and seizing the emperor, relocating him to Jue's encampment, and setting fire to the palace, city gates, government buildings, and residences, while soldiers looted from officials to commoners alike. In winter, the emperor made his way back east to Luoyang, with Jue and Si pursuing him to Caoyang, plundering the emperor's carriages and baggage, and killing dozens of officials including Deng Yuan, Xuan Fan, and Tian Bin.
The "Five Elements Chronicles" says: "When the elderly enjoy fighting, despise the people, fortify the city, and invade the borders, it means that the virtue of metal is lost." This means that the characteristics of metal are lost, leading to disasters. The book also states: "Even when advised, they do not listen, which indicates poor governance. Their transgressions are excessive; the punishment is relentless heat, and the consequences are calamity. Sometimes there are misleading poems, sometimes there are infestations of caterpillars, sometimes there are dog plagues, sometimes there are disputes, sometimes there are bad omens, sometimes there are good omens, all of which stem from wood overcoming metal." The caterpillars referred to here, according to Liu Xin's notes, are hairy caterpillars. "乂" refers to governance.
In the first year of the Yongchu era of Emperor An, in the eleventh month, the common people were frightened and spread rumors among themselves. The people of the Sili Commandery, Bingzhou, and Jizhou provinces all fled in all directions. At that time, Empress Dowager Deng held all the power. For women, obedience is considered their duty. Isn't it said in the "Book of Rites" that "when the husband dies, the wife should obey the son"? Now, Empress Dowager Deng has taken all the power for herself, which goes against both etiquette and law; this is an act of usurpation!
In the summer of the fifth year of Jianwu, there was a severe drought. The "Jingfang Zhuan" says: "If one desires virtues but does not put effort into it, it is called 'zhang'. The resulting disaster is that crops fail to grow. When both heaven and earth are shrouded, this is called 'ge'; the disaster is that the sky turns a fiery red in March, and hail will kill birds. When the emperor seeks concubines everywhere, this is called 'jian'; the disaster is the extreme heat in March, with no clouds. When the monarch lives in a tall palace, this is called 'fan'; the yin energy encroaches upon the yang, and the disaster is that all plants wither and die, and fires will occur. When ministers exceed their positions, this is called 'jian'; the disaster is that swamps dry up and are burnt by fire." At that time, not all those who had usurped power or rebelled had been eliminated, and the army often acted beyond the prescribed limits.
In the summer of the second year of Zhanghe of Emperor Zhang, there was another severe drought. At that time, Emperor Zhang died, Empress Dowager Dou and her brothers took power, living extravagantly and acting with arrogance.
In the autumn of the sixth year of Yongyuan of Emperor He, there was a drought in the capital. At that time, there were numerous prisoners in Luoyang who had been wrongfully accused. Emperor He personally went to the Luoyang Temple to review the prisoners, address the wrongful convictions, and sent those who deserved to be imprisoned to jail. Just as he was about to return to the palace, rain began to fall.
In the sixth year of the Yongchu reign of Emperor An, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the seventh year of the Yongchu reign, there was another severe drought in the summer. In the first year of the Yuanchu reign, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the second year of the Yuanchu reign, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the sixth year of the Yongchu reign, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the third year of the Yongjian reign of Emperor Shun, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the fifth year of the Yongjian reign, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the second year of the Yangjia reign, there was a severe drought in the summer. At that time, Li Gu wrote a memorial, analyzing that these drought disasters were all caused by the extravagance and excess of the rulers.
In the first year of the Yongxi reign of Emperor Chong, there was a severe drought in the summer. At that time, Emperor Chong died young, and the Chancellor Li Gu advised the Empress Dowager and her brother Liang Ji to quickly appoint a new emperor who was older and had virtue, so that there would be peace in the world and his achievements would be remembered for generations. If a young emperor were chosen and things went wrong later, it would be too late to regret it. However, the Empress Dowager and Liang Ji were greedy for power and wanted to control the court for a long time, so they enthroned the eight-year-old Emperor Zhi. This completely ignored any sense of virtue!
In the first year of the Yuanjia reign of Emperor Huan, there was another severe drought in the summer. At that time, Liang Ji held all power, and his wife and children were all given official titles, exceeding the proper limits.
In the sixth month of the first year of the Yongxi reign, there was still a drought.
In the fifth year of the Xiping reign of Emperor Ling, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the sixth year of the Xiping reign, the drought continued.
In the fifth year of the Guanghe reign, there was a severe drought in the summer. In the sixth year of the Guanghe reign, there was another drought in the summer. At that time, the eunuchs and palace attendants were abusing their power and acting without restraint.
In the first autumn of the Xingping reign of Emperor Xian, there was a severe drought in Chang'an. At that time, Li Jue and Guo Si controlled the court and acted recklessly.
During the reign of Gengshi, a nursery rhyme circulated in Nanyang: "Success or failure depends on the Red Eyebrows; whether they can succeed depends on the situation in Hebei." At that time, Gengshi Emperor was in Chang'an, and Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu served as the Grand Marshal, pacifying Hebei. The ministers under Gengshi Emperor were all fighting for power and wealth, hence the nursery rhyme's prophecy predicting disaster. Later, Gengshi Emperor was indeed killed by the Red Eyebrows, and the nursery rhyme's prophecy came true. Emperor Guangwu then raised troops from Hebei and established the Eastern Han Dynasty.
In the sixth year of Emperor Guangwu's reign, a children's rhyme was circulating in the Shu region: "Yellow ox with a white belly, five coins need to be restored." At that time, Gongsun Shu declared himself emperor in Shu, and people whispered that since Wang Mang's flag was yellow, Gongsun Shu wanted to inherit Wang Mang, hence the reference to "white," indicating Gongsun Shu's desire to distance himself from Wang Mang; "five coins" referred to the currency of the Han Dynasty, indicating the restoration of the Han Dynasty's rule. Later, Gongsun Shu was indeed eliminated.
In the final years of Wang Mang's reign, there was a children's rhyme in Tianshui: "Leaving Wumen, seeing Tishan, seeing a limping man who wants to go to heaven; if he can get to heaven, what will happen to the people on earth?" At that time, Kui Xiao, a rebel leader, rose up in Tianshui, and later his ambitions grew, wanting to become emperor, but he failed. Kui Xiao had always had a leg problem. "Wumen" in the rhyme refers to the name of a gate in Jixian County, and "Tishan" is the name of a mountain.
When Emperor Shun was close to death, children in the capital sang a rhyme: "Straight as a string, death by the side. Bent as a hook, restored as a marquis." This referred to the fact that after Emperor Shun's death, his son, Emperor Xiaozhi, who became emperor shortly after, also died. General Liang Ji took advantage of the young emperor's inexperience, controlled the court, abused his power, lined his pockets, and was utterly corrupt!
Grand Commandant Li Gu believed Prince Qinghe was quite clever, understood etiquette, and was of imperial lineage, so he believed Prince Qinghe was the most suitable to be emperor for the stability of the country. However, Liang Ji slandered Li Gu to the Empress Dowager, resulting in Li Gu's dismissal from office, arrest, and eventually dying a tragic death in prison, with his body thrown on the street! As for those who flattered Liang Ji, such as Grand Commandant Hu Guang, Minister Zhao Jie, and Minister Yuan Tang, they were all promoted and granted titles, becoming Marquis of Anle Township, Marquis of Chuting, and Marquis of Anguo Pavilion, revealing the nature of the world and human hearts!
During the reign of Emperor Huan, children's songs began circulating again: "Green wheat, withered barley, who will marry the widow or the girl? The father-in-law is off to the west to fight the Hu, officials buy horses, the officials prepare chariots, please rally support for the Hu." This children's song refers to the period of Yuanjia when the Qiang people in Liangzhou rebelled, reaching as far as Shu, Hanzhong, the Sanguo region, and even spreading to Bingzhou and Jizhou, causing great suffering to the common people. The court sent troops to fight, but kept losing, resulting in more and more soldiers being conscripted, with crops rotting in the fields, while only women, children, and the elderly were left to harvest. The phrase "officials buy horses, the officials prepare chariots" indicates that even officials were being conscripted. "Please rally support for the Hu" implies that people were afraid to speak openly and could only grumble in private.
When Emperor Huan just took office, there was a children's rhyme circulating in the capital: "On the city wall, a crow with a bushy tail feather, the father is an official, the son is a soldier. One soldier dies, a hundred chariots. Chariots lined up, heading towards the river. Maidens by the river counting money, using it to build rooms and gold for their halls. On the stone, diligently pounding yellow millet. Beneath the beam hangs a drum, I want to strike it, but the minister gets furious." This children's rhyme was talking about the ruler's greed and extravagance at that time. "On the city wall, a crow with a bushy tail feather" refers to those high-ranking officials who enjoy benefits alone without sharing with the common people, indicating that the emperor was insatiable in his greed and was desperately amassing wealth. "The father is an official, the son is a soldier" means that the barbarians are about to rebel, with the father becoming a military officer and the son becoming a soldier to suppress the rebellion. "One soldier dies, a hundred chariots" means that when the soldiers sent to suppress the barbarians in front die, a hundred chariots of troops are sent behind them. "Chariots lined up, heading towards the river" describes the emperor's death, with a grand procession heading to River Jian to welcome the spirit of the deceased emperor. "Maidens by the river counting money, using it to build rooms and gold for their halls" refers to Empress Dowager Yongle, who liked to hoard money and used it to build houses, with roofs made of gold after Emperor Ling ascended the throne. "On the stone, diligently pounding yellow millet" means that though Empress Dowager Yongle had amassed great wealth, she always felt it was not enough and kept pounding yellow millet rice to eat. "Beneath the beam hangs a drum, I want to strike it, but the minister gets furious" means that Empress Dowager Yongle controlled the court, allowing Emperor Ling to sell official positions and titles, causing talented individuals to go unrecognized, and all the upright people in the world were dissatisfied and wanted to strike the drum to express their grievances, but the minister overseeing the drumming flattered them and silenced their protests.
During the early reign of Emperor Huan, another nursery rhyme was circulating in the capital: "You Ping sells seals peacefully, without shunning the nobles and powerful families." As the Yanxi era was drawing to a close, Empress Deng was forced to commit suicide, and Lady Dou replaced her. Lady Dou's father was named Dou Wu, with the style name You Ping, and was appointed as the Colonel of the City Gates. After the Empress Dowager assumed power, Dou Wu was appointed as Grand General, and he and Prime Minister Chen Fan joined forces, wholeheartedly serving the country and appointing officials based on merit. The high-ranking officials and aristocrats were left in despair.
As Emperor Huan's health deteriorated, there was a nursery rhyme circulating in the capital: "In a thatched field of a quarter-acre, there is a well, with tangled sides that couldn't be straightened. Chew and chew, this year is still bearable, but next year will be chaotic." The meaning of this nursery rhyme, in the Book of Changes, says "pulling up thatch to uncover its roots, seeking good fortune." Thatch symbolizes the talented, while the well represents the principles. At that time, the eunuchs Guan Ba and Su Kang especially despised those with talent. They colluded to create chaos with Liu Xiao, Xu Yong, Liu Fen, Xun Mu, Shi Tong, and Tang Zhen. There was a man named Laochuan in Henan who directly went to the palace to report, accusing officials in Runan, Yingchuan, and Nanyang of falsely claiming achievements and acting arrogantly. Ganling had two departments colluding with each other, and the situation in the Sanfu region was even graver. Upon investigation, the abandoned houses in the Huangmen North Temple were finally revealed. In the nursery rhyme, "a quarter-acre of thatched field" refers to the abundance of talented individuals; "with a well in the middle" signifies their adherence to principles despite oppression; "with tangled sides that couldn't be straightened" indicates that corrupt officials are in power and the situation is beyond control; "chew and chew" describes the scene of people in the capital competing and drinking, indicating that those who only care about eating, drinking, and having fun do not concern themselves with national affairs; "this year is still bearable" means that they are temporarily suppressed; "next year will be chaotic" refers to the killings of Chen Fan and Dou Wu, leading to great chaos in the world.
Emperor Huan was dying, and a children's rhyme was circulating in the capital: "The white-covered carriage comes, oh how many there are! Hejian Lai Hexie, Hejian Lai Hexie!" The meaning of this children's rhyme is that Jiedutai was located in Rao Yang County in Hejian, and soon after, Emperor Huan died. The envoys and Jieduhou both rode in white-covered cars back from Hejian. "Yan Yan" describes the appearance of many people coming together. At that time, the censor Liu Shou suggested that Emperor Ling be established, and Liu Shou was appointed as a court official. The eunuch Hou Lan was afraid that Liu Shou was getting too close to the emperor, which posed a threat to him. So he secretly framed Liu Shou, demoting him to the governor of Mount Tai, and coerced officials into forcing him to commit suicide. The court officials felt sorry for Liu Shou and promoted his brother Liu He to the position of Minister of Works, as referenced in the children's rhyme as "He Xie."
When Emperor Ling was close to death, another children's rhyme was heard in the capital: "Is he a marquis, or not? Is he a king, or not? Thousands of chariots and cavalry head north." In the sixth year of Zhongping, General He Jin wanted to get rid of the eunuchs, but he ended up being killed, and Emperor Xian was not yet crowned when dozens of eunuchs, led by Duan Gui, seized control. Both civil and military officials followed them until they were stopped at the Yellow River, which is referenced in the children's rhyme.
During the middle years of Emperor Ling of Han, a song was being sung in the capital: "Dong Zhuo is escaping, through the four districts Dong Zhuo is escaping, blessed by heaven Dong Zhuo is escaping, carrying gold and purple Dong Zhuo is escaping, expressing gratitude Dong Zhuo is escaping, fully armed Dong Zhuo is escaping, about to depart Dong Zhuo is escaping, bidding farewell Dong Zhuo is escaping, exiting the west gate Dong Zhuo is escaping, gazing at the palace Dong Zhuo is escaping, looking at the capital Dong Zhuo is escaping, day and night he escapes Dong Zhuo is escaping, heartbroken Dong Zhuo is escaping." The "Dong" mentioned in the song refers to Dong Zhuo. Despite his arrogance and cruelty at the time, he ultimately faced destruction, fleeing and eventually meeting his demise!
Let's talk about when Emperor Xian of Han just ascended the throne; the children in the capital city sang a nursery rhyme: "A thousand miles of grass, how green it is. Ten days of divination, no signs of life." This "thousand miles of grass" refers to Dong Zhuo, and "ten days of divination" refers to Zhuo. The characters in this nursery rhyme are written starting from the top, separated left and right, and not a single character is written starting from the bottom. These two characters just happen to be like this, as if heaven is saying: Dong Zhuo rose from the ranks, oppressing the emperor! "Green" depicts the extent of his power, while "no signs of life" foretells his impending doom.
In the early years of Emperor Xian of Han's Jian'an period, another nursery rhyme was circulating in Jingzhou: "In the eighth or ninth year, it began to decline; by the thirteenth year, no one will be left." This means that since the revival of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jingzhou has been peaceful and prosperous, with the people living happily and abundantly under Liu Biao's governance, lasting for eight or nine years. "It began to decline" refers to the death of Liu Biao's wife, and his subordinates starting to have misfortunes one by one. "By the thirteenth year, no one will be left" means that thirteen years later, Liu Biao will also die, and the people would have to move to Jizhou.
In the first month of the first year of Emperor Shun of Han's Yangjia era, in the area of Puyin in Wangdu, a pack of wolves tragically killed ninety-seven children. At that time, Li Gu submitted a report to the emperor, stating, "If the ruler is not virtuous, disasters will befall the people, and only by hiding in the deep mountains can one preserve their lives, which explains why strange occurrences, like wolves attacking people, happen." After the emperor heard this, he quickly reflected on himself and made efforts to improve, thus calming the wolf attacks.
During the Jian Ning period of Emperor Ling of Han, dozens of wolves stormed through the south gate of Jinyang, attacking people.
