In "The Great Plan," it is said: mountains represent yang and symbolize the ruler, while water represents yin and symbolizes the people. Heaven warns that if the ruler's righteousness collapses, the common people will suffer!
In the spring of the third month of 401 AD, Mount Heng collapsed. In the spring of the third month of the sixth year of Taizu, Mount Heng collapsed. On the Jiyu day in April 410 AD, Mount Hua also collapsed. It is said that this signifies: mountains correspond to heaven, just as vassals depend on the emperor. The collapse of the mountains means that some vassals are going to perish. This was seen as an omen of the impending downfall of Juqu Mujian. In the fourth month of the fourth year of Emperor Taizong Taiyan, Mount Hua collapsed. The prediction was: mountains correspond to heaven, like vassals connected to the emperor. If the mountains collapse, some vassals will perish. Juqu Mujian will be destroyed.
On the Yichou day in May of 428 AD, Mount Taiyin in Chiping County, Qizhou, collapsed, resulting in the deaths of one hundred fifty-nine people. On the Dingsi day in November 432 AD, Mount Heng collapsed again. On the Guihai day in November 433 AD, Mount Heng collapsed again. In May of the first year of Emperor Jingming, Mount Taiyin in Chiping County, Qizhou, collapsed, resulting in the deaths of one hundred fifty-nine people. In November of the fourth year of Dingsi, Mount Heng collapsed. In November of the first year of Zhengshi, Mount Heng collapsed.
In the year 437, on the day of Xinsi in August, Yanzhou reported: "Mount Tai has crumbled, and springs have erupted in seventeen places." Mount Tai is the site where emperors conduct the heavenly sacrifice and seal their authority; now, however, it has experienced landslides and the emergence of springs, signifying a weakening of yang energy and a strengthening of yin energy, especially since Mount Tai is located in the territory of Qi. This suggests that a nation will emerge to succeed Qi and accept the abdication. This was realized through the conquest of Qi by Wei. In the third year of Yanchang, on the day of Xinsi in August, Yanzhou stated: "Mount Tai has crumbled, and springs have erupted in seventeen places." Mount Tai is where emperors complete their heavenly sacrifices, and with the landslide and spring eruptions, yin prevails while yang declines, and it is also in Qi territory. It seems as if heaven is saying: there will be a successor to Qi who will rise and accept the abdication. This refers to the conquest of Qi by Wei.
Jing Fang in the "I Ching" stated: When people go against the principle of unity and cooperation, the highest virtue becomes obscured, resulting in various anomalous occurrences. Jing Fang's "I Ching" states: When the masses go against their comrades, the utmost virtue becomes concealed, and strange winds arise.
In the year 437, on the day of Jiayin in February, a fierce wind swept through the capital. On the day of Jisi in May, King Murong Buer of Changli conspired to rebel and was executed. On the day of Bingwu in November, a fierce wind blew again through the capital. In the year 438, the rebel Hu Cao Long and Zhang Datou led more than twenty thousand troops into Puzi. In the third year of Yongxing during the reign of Emperor Taizong, on the day of Jiayin in February, a fierce wind blew through the capital. On the day of Jisi in May, King Murong Buer of Changli conspired to rebel and was executed. On the day of Bingwu in November, a fierce wind blew again. In the fifth year, the rebel Hu Cao Long and Zhang Datou led their respective forces of twenty thousand into Puzi.
On the Gui-Mao day in the first month of 437, a strong wind arose during the Yuanhui festival, darkening the sky, and thus the festival was called off. In the eleventh month of 438, on the day of Geng-Yin, a strong wind blew in the capital, coming from the west. In April 439, the capital experienced another strong wind. In January 440, a strong wind blew in the capital. In March, the starving Hu people in Hexi revolted, gathering in Shangdang and electing Bai Ya Li Si as their leader. In the first month of the fourth year, on the day of Gui-Mao, the Yuanhui festival was canceled due to a dark and strong wind. In the eleventh month of the fifth year, on the day of Geng-Yin, there was a strong wind in the capital, coming from the west. In the first year of Shenrui, in April, there was a strong wind in the capital. In the second year, in January, there was a strong wind in the capital. In March, the starving Hu people in Hexi revolted, gathering in Shangdang and electing Bai Ya Li Si as their leader.
On the day of Jia-Shen in April 409, a violent storm struck the capital, causing palace walls to collapse, resulting in dozens of fatalities. In December 410, a strong wind blew in the capital, raising dust and breaking trees. In February 411, a dark wind that obscured the sky blew in the capital, with a width of over five zhang. On the day of Geng-Chen in April, Juqu Wuhui attacked Zhangye, and Tubafao Zhou stationed troops at Shandan Ridge. In the second year of Shizu Taiyan, on the day of Jia-Shen in April, there was a violent storm in the capital, causing palace walls to collapse and killing dozens. In December of the third year, there was a strong wind in the capital, raising sand and breaking trees. In the first year of Zhenjun, in February, there was a dark wind that obscured the sky in the capital, over five zhang wide. On the day of Geng-Chen in April, Juqu Wuhui raided Zhangye, and Tubafao Zhou was stationed at Shandan Ridge.
On the day of Ren-Wu in March 421, a dark and strong wind blew in the capital. In May 420, a red wind blew in the capital. In the second year of Gaozong's Peace, on the day of Ren-Wu in March, there was a strong dark wind in the capital. In the fifth year of Gaozu's Yanxing, in May, there was a red wind in the capital.
On the day of Geng-Shen in the second year of Taihe, a strong wind blew in Wuchuan Town, so fierce that it completely blew away the houses of six households; the wind came from the direction of Yangjiao, and no one knew where the houses had gone. A few days later, on Ren-Xu day, a red gale swept through Yongzhou, just as terrifying as the one that struck Wuchuan Town.
In the third year of Taihe, on the day of Renchen in June, Xiangzhou was struck by disaster again, as a strong wind blew in from the You direction, tearing off rooftops and uprooting trees. In the following years, Xiangzhou, Yuzhou, Jizhou, Dingzhou, Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, and Qizhou all experienced strong winds of varying intensities. In the ninth year of Taihe, on the day of Gengxu in June, strong winds swept through Jizhou, Luozhou, Sizhou, and Xiangzhou, breaking trees.
In the twelfth year of Taihe, on the day of Renyin in May, the capital was battered by strong winds for several days in a row, especially on Jiachen, when the winds were at their worst, toppling houses and uprooting trees. On the day of Renshen in June, strong winds struck the capital again. On the first day of Dingyou in July of the fourteenth year, the capital faced another strong wind attack, uprooting trees and overturning houses. In the eighth month of the twenty-third year of Taihe, strong winds swept through Xuzhou from Jiayin to Jiwai, uprooting trees. In the intercalary month of Gengshen, Hezhou was hit by a storm, along with heavy rain and hail.
In the first year of Shizong Jingming, on the day of Guisi in February, a storm struck Youzhou, causing over 160 deaths! In the third year, during the intercalary month of Jiawu, strong winds swept through the capital once more, uprooting trees, overturning houses, and even causing damage to the Changhe Gate! On the day of Bingchen in September, strong winds hit Youzhou, Qizhou, Liangzhou, and Dongqinzhou, along with thick fog, uprooting trees and overturning houses. In the fourth year of Jingming, on the day of Jiwei in March, strong winds blew through the Hebei, Hedong, Zhengping, and Pingyang regions of Sizhou, uprooting trees.
In the first year of Zhengshi, on the day of Wuchen in July, a storm hit Dongqinzhou, uprooting trees and overturning houses. In the second year of Zhengshi, on the day of Guimao in February, a dark tornado emerged, originating from Rouxuan Town, spanning a large area, roughly the size of an acre, uprooting trees wherever it passed. On the day of Jiachen, the tornado reached Yingzhou and eventually blew into the sea. In the fourth year of Zhengshi, on the day of Jiazi in May, strong winds swept through the capital once more.
In the fourth month of the first year of Yongping, on Ren Shen day, a strong wind swept through the capital, uprooting trees. In the eighth month of Gui Hai, the governor of Jizhou, Wang Yu, from Jingzhao, rebelled in Jizhou. In the fifth month of the third year of Yongping, on Ji Hai day, a strong wind struck Guangye and Qiu Chi County in Southern Qinzhou, overturning houses and uprooting trees. In the third month of the fourth year of Yanchang, on Gui Hai day, a storm hit the capital, with winds blowing in from the northwest, overturning houses and breaking trees.
In the ninth month of the second year of Xiping during the reign of Emperor Su, a storm swept through Yingzhou, along with heavy rain that lasted from Xin You to Yi Chou. In the fourth month of the third year of Zhengguang, on Gui You day, a storm hit the capital, with heavy rain, overturning houses and uprooting trees. In the fourth month of the fourth year of Zhengguang, on Xin Si day, another strong wind swept through the capital.
On Bing Yin day in May of the year 486 (the second year of Xiaochang), a storm hit Beijing, uprooting trees, overturning houses, and damaging the gates of Changmen; even the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple was toppled. At that time, the country was in chaos, with wars raging everywhere.
In the summer of the year 477 (the first year of Emperor Puti), a strong wind and rain blew down the doors and roofs of Puguang Temple. In March 483 (the seventh year of Xiaojing), a fierce wind hit the Yingchuan area. The "Hongfan Lun" states: great floods are caused by the mistakes of the ruler and ministers in governance, leading to excessive accumulation of Yin energy, leading to water disasters.
In August of the year 479 (the third year of Emperor Taizu), relentless rain fell, along with a major earthquake, causing the waters in the valleys to overflow. In August of the year 481 (the third year of Emperor Taizong), floods occurred in the Henan area. In June of the year 484 (the first year of Emperor Shizu), Beijing was flooded, washing away hundreds of houses. In July of the year 488 (the eighth year of Zhenjun), floods occurred in Pingzhou.
In 490 AD, during the second year of Emperor Gaozu's Taihe era, heavy rains fell in South Yuzhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou. In July of the sixth year of the Taihe era, there were floods in Qingzhou and Yongzhou. In August, seven states including Xuzhou, East Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guang'a, as well as the four towns of Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guanga, and Linji, experienced severe flooding. In September of the ninth year, there were floods in South Yuzhou and Shuozhou, resulting in the deaths of more than a thousand people. In 508 AD, during the twenty-second year of the Wuwu era, there were heavy rains in Yanzhou and Yuzhou. In June 509 AD, during the twenty-third year of the Yanchang era, eight states including Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guang'a, South Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, Yanzhou, and East Yuzhou experienced flooding.
In July 504 AD, during the first year of Emperor Shizong's Jingming era, Qingzhou, Qizhou, South Qingzhou, Guang'a, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, East Yuzhou, and the Yingchuan and Jijun of Sizhou all experienced flooding, with water levels reaching fifteen feet. Eighty to ninety percent of homes were destroyed, with only twenty to thirty percent left standing. In March 506 AD, during the second year of the Zhengshi era, there were heavy rains in Qingzhou and Xuzhou, and seawater flooded into Leiling County in Qingzhou, sweeping away one hundred fifty-two people. In July 508 AD, during the third year of the Yongping era, more than twenty states and counties were flooded. In the summer of 509 AD, during the first year of the Yanchang era, Beijing and various parts of the country experienced flooding. In May of the second year, Shouchun was severely flooded.
In June 510 AD, during the first year of the Xiping era, Xuzhou experienced flooding. In September of the second year, the three states of Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Cangzhou experienced flooding. In the summer of 520 AD, during the second year of the Zhengguang era, the four states of Dingzhou, Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Xiangzhou experienced flooding. In the autumn of 511 AD, during the third year of the Xiaochang era, Beijing experienced flooding. In June 520 AD, during the first year of the Taichang era, Beijing experienced flooding, with the Gu River overflowing and causing widespread destruction, destroying over three hundred homes. In 521 AD, during the first year of the Xiaojing era, the four states of Dingzhou, Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Cangzhou experienced flooding. In 524 AD, during the fourth year of the Xinghe era, Cangzhou experienced flooding. In December 485 AD, during the fifth year of Emperor Taizong's Taichang era, spring water gushed forth in Pingcheng.
In November of the fifth year of peace, spring water gushed from the cracks in the rocks in the Yanmeng area.
In the autumn of the first year of Puyuan, the well in front of the Minister's Office's Taicang overflowed. Someone divined that this was an omen of the people's migration. Consequently, in October of the first year of Yongxi, the capital was moved to Yecheng.
In July of the fourth year of Tianping, the well in Taizhou overflowed as well. In February of the first year of Yuanxiang, a dry well southwest of Yecheng suddenly spouted water.
According to the "Hongfan Lun," when yang energy is excessive, hail falls; when yin energy is excessive, sleet falls. This means that if yang energy is excessive and yin energy cannot match it, or if yin energy is too strong and yang energy is insufficient, and yin and yang cannot coordinate, it will turn into hail. This is like the disagreement between the opinions of the ministers and the thoughts of the ruler.
On Gengwu Day in April of the fourth year of Yanxing, a great hailstorm struck Jingzhou, and the crops suffered. On Xinyou Day in April of the first year of Chengming, a strong wind blew in Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou, accompanied by hail. On Gengshen Day in August, all counties in Bingzhou experienced a severe hailstorm, with hail up to a foot thick, damaging all grass, trees, and crops. On Guiwei Day, a great hailstorm struck Dingzhou, resulting in fatalities, with the largest hail measuring two feet across.
In June of the first year of Jingming, a heavy rain mixed with hail fell over Yongzhou and Qingzhou, killing the roe deer. On Guiyou Day in May of the fourth year, heavy rain and hail fell in Fenzhou. On Yisi Day in June, heavy rain and hail fell again in Fenzhou, destroying grass, crops, wild chickens, and rabbits. On Jiaxu Day in July, a violent storm arose, bringing heavy rain and hail, starting from Fenzhou and sweeping through Bingzhou, Xiangzhou, Sizhou, and Yanzhou, finally stopping in Xuzhou, spanning ten miles, leaving all the grass and trees along the way obliterated.
On Dingchou Day in March of the second year of Zhengshi, heavy hail fell in Qizhou and Jizhou, along with rain and snow. On Gengzi Day in May of the third year of Yongping, heavy rain and hail fell in Guangye County of South Qin, affecting birds, wildlife, and crops.
The "Hongfan Lun" also states: The heavy rain and snow mentioned in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" are similar to regular rain, just more intense. Both rain and snow are associated with yin energy; heavy snow is simply an accumulation of too much yin energy. Heavy snow can be likened to heavy rain, but since it occurs in winter, it is snow instead.
In October of the second year of Shiguang, several feet of heavy snow fell. In the eighth year of Zhenjun, in May, heavy snow fell in Beizhen, and both people and livestock froze to death. At that time, the court's rule was quite harsh.
On the first day of the ninth month of the fourth year of Taihe, a strong wind blew in the capital, and it rained mixed with snow, with snow three feet deep. On the day of Renxu in May of the first year of Zhengshi, Wuchuan Town experienced heavy rain mixed with snow. On the day of Yimao in February of the fourth year, a storm blew in Sizhou and Xiangzhou, and there was heavy rain mixed with snow. On the day of Renshen in September, heavy snow fell.
In the second year of Zhengguang, heavy snow fell in Rouxuan Town.
Jingfang said in the "Yijing": If troops are called to war and innocent people are indiscriminately killed, this goes against the law and will invite frost disasters; crops will freeze in the summer, and wheat will freeze in the winter. If killings are unreasonable, this is unbenevolent, and there will be frost in summer.
You see, in the fifth year of Tianzi, in July, frost fell in Jizhou. This is serious business; in ancient agricultural societies, frost could be fatal.
By the first year of Taiyan, in July, there was again heavy frost, and all the grass and trees froze to death! The frequency of these occurrences is alarming.
In the sixth year of Heping, in April, there was frost again! This is turning into an annual frost disaster!
In the third year of Taihe, in July, heavy frost fell in Yongzhou, Shuozhou, as well as in Fuhan, Tujing, Bogulü, Dunhuang, and Qiuchi Town; all the seedlings and beans died! Just the thought of this loss is heartbreaking.
In April of the sixth year, frost also fell in Yingchuan County. This frost is becoming more widespread.
In March of the seventh year, there was wind and frost in Sizhou, and all the beans froze to death. This is just adding insult to injury!
In April of the ninth year, frost fell again in Yongzhou and Qingzhou. In June, frost fell in Luozhou, Sizhou, Xiangzhou, as well as Lingqiu and Guangchang Town in Sizhou. The affected area has already spread across several states!
In August of the fourteenth year, frost fell in Fenzhou. This frost seems never-ending.
In April of the first year of Jingming, frost fell in Shazhou, freezing all the grass. This is simply a disaster!
In June, frost fell in Jianxing County, and the grass also froze to death. Crops are really having a hard time this year.
In August, Yongzhou, Bingzhou, Shuozhou, Shazhou, Fenzhou, and places like Zhengping and Pingyang in Sizhou have frequently experienced strong winds and frost. This is truly a string of disasters!
In March of the second year, frost fell in Qizhou, killing the mulberry trees and wheat.
In March of the fourth year, frost fell in Yongzhou, killing the mulberry trees and wheat. On Xinsi day, frost also fell in Qingzhou, killing the mulberry trees and wheat as well.
On Renxu day in May of the first year of Zhengshi, frost fell in Wuchuan Town. In June, frost fell in Huaishuo Town. In July, frost fell in Dongqinzhou. In August, frost fell in Hezhou, killing all the crops.
In April of the second year, frost fell in Qizhou. In May, frost fell in Hengzhou and Fenzhou, killing all the crops. In July, frost fell in Wenzhou and Qizhou. On Yiyi day, frost fell in Dunhuang. On Wuxu day, frost fell in Hengzhou.
In June of the third year, frost fell in Anzhou. In March of the fourth year, frost frequently fell in Wenzhou. In April, frost also fell in Dunhuang. In August, frost fell again in Hezhou.
In March of the first year of Yongping, frost fell in Qizhou and Wenzhou. On Jichou day, frost fell in Bingzhou. In April, frost fell in Dunhuang.
In April of the second year, frost fell in Wuzhou Town.
In March of the fourth year of Yanchang, frost fell in eight states of Henan. The extent of this is truly overwhelming! This is truly a year of great calamity!
In July of the first year of Xiping, frost fell in Henan and eleven northern provinces.
In the "Book of Documents" (《洪范论》), it is said: Thunder is yang, clouds are yin. There must be clouds for there to be thunder, there must be subjects for there to be rulers. Thunder depends on clouds, rulers depend on subjects; this is the principle of yin and yang harmony. Therefore, if there is thunder in the northeast without any clouds, it means the ruler is alone without subjects.
In the first year of Xianzu Huangxing, in the seventh month, there was thunder in the northeast without any clouds!
In the second year, in the seventh month, a sound like thunder came from the northeast.
In the first year of Yanchang, on the day of Youshen in the second month, a sound came from the northeast, moving south and booming like thunder twice before stopping.
Later, in the fourth year of Taiyan, on the day of Xinyou in October, a sound like a great drum came from the north and moved northwest.
The "Book of Documents" also states: Yang energy governs for 183 days, while yin energy also governs for 183 days; thunder emerges from the ground for 183 days, then goes back into the ground for 183 days, then emerges again; this is the natural law. Thus, if thunder occurs normally, all is peaceful; if it is abnormal, disaster follows. The same goes for a country: if the ruler is well, the country is well; if the ruler faces calamity, the country will suffer. Thundering when it shouldn't is all against common sense.
In the first year of Shenxu, on the day of Jiyoushen in October, there was rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.
In the third year of Taiyan, on the day of Guichou in October, thunder was heard.
In the fourth year, on the day of Dinghai in November, there was a thunderstorm.
In the third year of Taihe, on the day of Gengxu in November, there was thunder and rain in Yuzhou.
On Wushen day, Yuzhou experienced a heavy thunderstorm, leaving three inches of standing water on the ground.
In the fourth year of Taihe, on Wuxu day in October, thunder was reported.
In the seventh year, on the day of Xinsi in November, thunder and lightning struck Youzhou, illuminating the city.
In the second year of Jingming, on the day of Xinmao in November, thunder boomed seven times in Liangzhou.
In the third year, on the day of Jisai in December, there was evening thunder that boomed nine times.
In the first year of Zhengshi, on the day of Jiayin in November, thunder and lightning were reported in the states of Qin, Qi, Jing, and Shuo.
In the first month of Zhengguang, on Renshen day, thunder was heard.
The "Spring and Autumn Annals" records that the temple of Duke Yi was struck by lightning, and Zuo Qiuming suggested the Zhan family was hiding something. Liu Xiang believed that Duke Yi was a hereditary grand officer, which served as a warning from the heavens: do not allow hereditary grand officers, and prevent tyranny.
In the sixth year of the Tianci reign, in the fourth month, the east wing of the Hall of Heavenly Tranquility was struck by lightning. The emperor was very angry and ordered the demolition of the east and west wings of the hall using battering rams. As a result, the emperor met an untimely death.
In the second year of Huangxing, in the eleventh month, there were frequent thunderstorms.
In the third year of Taihe, in the fifth month, on the day of Wuwu, the southern end of the roof of the East Temple's East Gate was struck by lightning.
Ban Gu once said that if a leader lacks tolerance and understanding towards his subordinates, he cannot be a wise monarch. A person's expression, words, eyes, and listening should all be based on the heart. If these four things are all problematic, this leads to foolishness and ignorance, inviting disaster.
In the year 474 AD, on the day of Gengzi in the first month, Luoyang experienced fog-like mud rain. In the year 496 AD, on the day of Bingxu in the eleventh month, Luoyang was covered with mud fog that lingered for six days without clearing. It was so dense that it made it hard to breathe. In the year 498 AD, on the day of Jiyou in the second month, Qinzhou experienced yellow mud rain, blanketing the entire region. In the same year, on the day of Jiyou in the eighth month, the air was so murky that one couldn't see their own hand in front of them. In the year 499 AD, on the day of Xinsi in the eighth month, Liangzhou also had fog-like mud rain. In the year 496 AD, on the night of Jichou in the first month, a thick fog enveloped the area, starting as black and later turning red. In the year 497 AD, on the day of Xinchou in the first month, there was a pervasive mud fog. In the same year, on the day of Renshen in the ninth month, there was a black fog. In the year 500 AD, on the day of Jiaxu in the second month, a yellow fog covered the sky. At that time, Gao Zhao was in favor due to his royal connections, and his brothers were all granted marquisates, akin to the five marquises of the Han Dynasty.
The climate is abnormal, consistently warm. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed it was unusual for there to be no frost in winter and for plants to remain green. Jing Fang in the "Yi Zhuan" said: extreme heat in summer can be deadly, and in winter, everything can mature and bear fruit. In August of the year 479, the fruit trees in Hualin Garden were all in bloom. In August of the year 491, the peaches and plums in Zhongshan were all in bloom. In September of the year 497, the persimmons at Qi Yuan's home in Youzhou had all ripened, but they all fell overnight, and the flowers and leaves grew back, returning to a spring-like state within seven days. In November of the year 499, the peaches and plums in Dongqinghe County of Qizhou were in bloom. On the Xinhai day of the leap tenth month of the year 500, the pear trees in the capital also bloomed. According to the "Hong Fan Zhuan," neglecting the law, suppressing loyal officials, killing the crown prince, and elevating a concubine to wife will result in fires. This means that fire loses its nature and becomes a disaster.
In the spring of the year 455, a large fire broke out in Feiru City, nearly all the homes, both official and civilian, were destroyed, and only the Buddha statues and temples of the two temples in the east and west were spared. On the Wuyin day of May in the year 494, the marshes in Qin County spontaneously ignited, and the fire gradually spread more than a hundred steps away, taking five days to extinguish. On the Yisi day of March in the year 497, a fire broke out at the ancestral hall on Mount Heng. In May of the year 500, the barracks of the Imperial Guard in Goudun caught fire. In the summer of the year 501, the underground of Qiuxian County in Youzhou caught fire as well.
In the spring of the third year, a big fire broke out in Yingzhou City, burning down more than three thousand households. Oh, how tragic! In the second month of the third year of Yongxi, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire. Later, many claimed to have seen the pagoda soar into the East Sea. The pagoda at Yongning Temple is where the Buddha statues are enshrined! It seems as if fate is saying: if Yongning is in trouble, then Wei is in danger too. Bohai is the hometown of King Qixianwu, and the spirits have gone back to the sea, could this be a sign that Qi is on the rise? In March, the south gate of the Sanjie Temple in Bingzhou also caught fire. Wow, these ongoing fires are really frightening.
In the autumn of the fourth year of Xiaojing in the Tianping era, the Changhe Gate in Ye City was set ablaze.
In the winter of the third year of Wuding, a fire unexpectedly ignited at the foot of the northern mountain in Fen Prefecture, with heat rising straight up; this was too strange!
On the night of the first month of the second year of Shiguang, black vapor emerged in the southeast, one zhang wide and ten zhang long. This signified that a war was imminent! Sure enough, in February, Murong Kesi rebelled in Beiping.
In the first month of the third year of Huangxing, dark clouds gathered over the Yellow River and Jishui, several li wide, covering Dongyang City, as dark as night. As a result, Dongyang City collapsed.
In the ninth month of the third year of Jingming, black vapor filled the air. On the day of Jiachen, Yangzhou defeated the general Zhang Xiao of Xiao Yan, beheading two thousand.
On the night of Dingwei in the eleventh month of the second year of Taihe, three plumes of white vapor rose from the ground, which soon turned yellow-red, illuminating the earth.
On the evening of Dingsi in the ninth month of the sixteenth year, red vapor appeared in the northwest, twenty zhang long and eight or nine feet wide, and then disappeared shortly after.
In the third month of the first year of Yanchang, red vapor appeared in the sky, persisting from the hour of Mao to the hour of Xu.
In the eleventh month of the first year of Zhengguang, the red vapor in the northwest shot straight up into the sky, resembling fire. It was not seen in the capital, but was spotted in Liangzhou.
On the night of Jiachen in the ninth month of the third year, red vapor resembling flames appeared in the northwest, extending more than a match's length from east to westward. This was a sign that the Northern Town was about to rebel!
In the fifth month on the day of Guiyou in the fifth year, red vapor appeared in the north, spanning the heavens from east to west, resembling flames.
In the eleventh month of the third year of Yong'an, on the day of Jichou, mist-like red vapor appeared, extending diagonally from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Hall steps to the corridor, about one zhang high, like a red veil, and did not disappear from the hour of Wei to the hour of Xu. The emperor was greatly angered upon witnessing this and eventually died suddenly.
On the day of Jihai in the first month of the third year of Tianping, red vapor appeared in the east, stretching over three zhang long, and disappeared shortly after.
In the third year of Yong'an, on a certain day in the sixth month, during the hour of Shen (3 to 5 in the afternoon), a blue mist appeared in the northeast (Chen direction), about four feet wide, next to a mountain to the east, extending northwest and vanishing into the sky. At the same time, clouds of black, red, and yellow formed in the northwest (Xu direction), like mountain peaks, topped with a blue mist about four feet wide, extending southeast and disappearing into the sky. These two mists met in midair, with the southeast mist dissipating first, followed by the northwest mist disappearing. These are all ominous signs that the emperor is nearing death!
Ban Gu said: Night demons manifest when clouds and wind converge, creating a dark and murky atmosphere, similar to ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, pests such as moths and locusts may arise.
On the last day of the sixth month of the first year of Zhengshi, the sky was as dark as night. The days in August were as dark as night.
Liu Xin said: Improper behavior and conduct reflect a lack of seriousness. When the upper class oppresses the lower class, and the lower class is cruel and unkind, it will lead to the rise of negative energy, water disasters destroying crops, food shortages, and chaos resulting from wickedness, resulting in very serious consequences. Another belief is that when the people suffer many punishments, their appearance becomes ugly. Ban Gu believed that when livestock fails to thrive, it is termed a "disaster," indicating clear signs of calamity; if the calamity affects people, it is called "zhuān zhuān," describing individuals who look sickly and emaciated, indicating severe calamities.
In the third year of Yongxing, bones resembling sheep horns were found beneath the Ulansuhu, over a foot long.
In the sixteenth year of Taihe, in May, Minister Li Chong reported that Li Banhu's daughter from Wujixian County had nine hairs sprouted beneath the thumbnail of her right thumb on September 20th of last year, growing to one foot two inches by October 20th.
On a certain day in November of the second year of Xiping, a report from Bingzhou stated that Han Sengzhen's daughter, Ling Ji, was born from her mother's right side. Empress Dowager Ling commanded that she be sent to the Yeting Palace.
In the first year of Zhengguang, on a day in May, footprints of an adult appeared in Xiacao County, Nanyanzhou, taking seven steps, each step measuring one foot eight inches long and seven inches five minutes wide. In the third year of Yanxing, in the autumn, a woman in Xiurong County gave birth to four boys over four pregnancies, resulting in a total of sixteen boys. One November day in the third year of Yong'an, a family in the capital city gave birth to a child with one head, two bodies, four hands, four feet, and three ears. On a day in November in the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and Monk Daodeng went to the Zhongsheng Province together. After sunset at six o'clock, they saw a ghost dressed in yellow standing at the door trying to come in. The emperor thought it was a person and yelled at it to make it leave. When asked, those around said they didn't see anything; only the emperor and Daodeng saw it. In the second year of Huangxing, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, resulting in the deaths of fourteen to fifteen thousand people. In the third year of Yongping in April, there was a major epidemic in Changling County, Pingyang, where two thousand seven hundred and thirty people died from January to April. That's really scary—so many people died all at once! In June of the nineteenth year of Taihe, it was reported in Xuzhou that a bronze statue eight feet tall was sweating profusely, which was really strange! During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi periods, the golden statue of Dingguang in the Pingdeng Temple in the capital city also often sweated, each time signaling that something big was about to happen. At that time, everyone felt it was an ominous sign and became very anxious. In the second month of the third year of Yong'an, two bronze statues appeared in the homes of common people in the capital city, each over a foot long. One of the statues had four white hairs growing under its chin, while the other had a black hair growing on its cheek. That was pretty weird too! The "Hongfan Lun" says: "The dragon is a scaled creature, born in water. The cloud is also a water symbol, with the yin energy strong, hence its arrival, when the ruler goes against human morals and disrupts the natural order, there will definitely be trouble with usurpation and bloodshed." This book clearly states that these are signs of major events to come!
In the third year of the Shizu reign, in the third month, two white dragons appeared in a well in the capital. In the sixth year of Zhenjun, on the bingchen day of the second month, another white dragon appeared in a well in the capital. Dragons are divine creatures, but being trapped in a well is a portent of Shizu's violent death! It's chilling to think about! In the first year of Sizong Zhengguang, in August, a black dragon that looked like a dog appeared, ran from the south to Xuanyang Gate, then leaped up, passed through the gate tower, and ran out. This is a clear omen of the impending decline of the Wei Dynasty! This omen is too obvious! In the second year of Zhuangdi Yong'an, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang and stayed there for a long time. As a result, Zhuangdi met a violent death in Jinyang, which is eerily accurate! In the first year of Qianfei Emperor Putai, on the jia yin day of the fourth month, signs of a dragon emerged from the west side of Xuanyang Gate and then returned to the city. The next day, on the yi mao day, the ministers came to offer their congratulations, and the emperor said, "If the country is to prosper, we must listen to the people's opinions; if the country is to perish, we must follow the will of heaven. However, we, as rulers and subjects, must practice self-discipline and serve the public, govern the country, and not just rely on these auspicious signs to celebrate." The "Hongfan Lun" says, "The horse symbolizes war; strange signs in horses indicate an impending invasion." This means that the appearance of horses as omens indicates that there will be war. In the second year of Suzong Xiping, on the xinwei day of the eleventh month, a colt was sent from Hengzhou. Its tail was a foot long, and its hindquarters were hairless, which was also quite unusual! In the first year of Zhengguang, in September, the official horses in Woye Town fell ill with a mysterious disease, and fourteen or fifteen horses died. The insects resembled locusts, approximately five inches long and as thick as chopsticks.
The "Hong Fan Lun" quotes the "I Ching" saying: "Kun is associated with the cow," where Kun represents earth. When the energy of the earth is in disarray, strange phenomena will occur with cows, known as calamities involving cows. This signifies that the ancestral shrine is on the verge of destruction, or it may be due to excessive activity. In the second year of Emperor Shizong's reign, in May, Jizhou reported that in Chang Le County, a cow gave birth to a calf, but this calf had two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears, which was quite a fright!
The "Hong Fan Lun" states: If the emperor lacks wisdom, it will result in political mistakes. In the twenty-third year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, in March, Sizhou reported that in Yangqu County, a lamb was born with two bodies—one female and one male, three ears, and eight legs. Shortly after, Emperor Gaozu died, and six regents began to wield power.
In the first year of Emperor Shizong's Zhengshi reign, in July, Shanshan Town sent a lamb that also had eight legs. In the following year, in January, Shanshan Town sent another lamb that also had eight legs. In the fourth year of Yan Chang, in May, Bogu Lu Town reported a lamb with one body, six legs, and two tails.
Jing Fang in the "Chuan" says: All strange creatures with many legs are due to the improper people appointed. Jing Fang in the "I Ching" says: Strange creatures refer to pigs with human heads and pig bodies, signifying that the area will descend into chaos and ultimately perish.
In the first year of Emperor Gaozu's Yanxing reign, in September, relevant departments reported that the governor of Yuzhou, Prince Wang Rang of Linhuai, reported a pig giving birth to piglets with one body and two heads, and eight legs.
In the fourth year of Emperor Shizong's Jingming reign, in September, Liangzhou reported that dogs and pigs mated. In the eighth month of the fourth year of Zhengshi, strange piglets were reported in the capital, with one body, four ears, two heads, and eight legs. In the seventh month of the fourth year of Yan Chang, Xuzhou reported that in Yangping Garrison, a pig gave birth to piglets with human-like heads and faces, a fleshy lump on top, and no hair on their bodies. This serves as a portent that Empress Ling and the young ruler are on the brink of being overthrown.
The "Hongfan Lun" states that Jing Fang mentioned in the "Chuan": a chick and small livestock animals are like small officials; horns are a symbol of weapons, and when horns are raised, it signifies the majesty of the king. This indicates that if small officials grasp the king's authority, they will stir up trouble, resulting in governance challenges.
In the first year of Gaozu's Taihe, in May, the relevant authorities reported that there were two horned hens in the capital, with combs resembling horns, unlike other chickens. At that time, Empress Wen was in charge of the government, which indicated her preference for treacherous and corrupt individuals.
In the first year of Shizong's Zhengshi, in April, a chick appeared in Henan with four legs and four wings. This incident is documented in the "Cui Guang Zhuan."
In August, the Sizhou reported that a family in Hanoi raised a chick that had another head growing out of its rear, with a beak and eyes. Both heads had a pair of wings growing from the neck, and it walked with two legs side by side. This was a portent of Shizong favoring corrupt individuals, with many factions and treacherous people meddling in politics.
In the fourth year of Yanchang, in December, Luozhou reported that a yellow hen belonging to the governor of Weixing, Chang Jiao, had a meaty horn on its head, about the size of a date, measuring one inch and three points long, with fluffy hair growing on the horn, measuring one and a half inches.
In January 520 AD, two chickens raised by General Lan Dou, both a rooster and a hen, had two horns on their heads, with mixed feather colors, and the horns were even higher than the comb. At that time, Empress Ling was in power, consolidating power.
The "Hongfan Lun" states: "The punishment for seeing unclear and hearing unwise." This indicates that if leaders fail to see the situation clearly and do not heed advice, there will be negative consequences.
In November 533 AD, a white owl was captured in the capital. This was a bad omen!
On a certain day in August 521 AD, a bald eagle was actually caught in the palace. The sighting of this bird in the palace was quite unsettling.
In April 524 AD, someone presented a bizarre duck, with one head but two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. This was simply a monster!
In March of the year 532 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was caught in the palace. It was really a strange event! The "Hong Fan Lun" also says: "Punishments are brutal, serving only the interests of a few; insatiably greedy, inciting the masses with military actions; taking control of cities and losing the hearts of the people, then disasters will ensue." This means that if rulers are cruel, greedy, always starting wars, and ignoring the will of the people, they will attract disasters.
In July of the year 505 AD, a locust infestation broke out in the Dunhuang region, and nearly all the autumn crops were devoured.
In July of the year 506 AD, pests, including locusts, severely damaged crops in Qingzhou and Yongzhou. In August, seven provinces including Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as four towns including Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were plagued by locusts.
In April of the year 507 AD, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou were hit by locust plagues. In March of the year 508 AD, locusts and other pests ravaged Jizhou, Zhou, and Xiangzhou. In April, locust plagues occurred in Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. On a day in June, Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou were hit by other pests.
In October of the year 516 AD, a locust plague occurred in the Fanghan region, leading to total crop failure.
In May of the year 508 AD, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were hit by other pests. In March of the year 511 AD, a massive caterpillar infestation struck Hezhou, resulting in a complete failure of wheat grains. In May, Guangzhou was hit by other pests. In June, a major locust plague struck Hezhou. In July, Donglai County was hit by other pests.
In June of the year 508 AD, locust plagues occurred in Xiazhou and Sizhou. In April of the year 511 AD, Qingzhou faced a locust threat. In August, Jingzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou, and Hengnong County in Sizhou were besieged by locusts, various pests, and bandits.
In June of the year 509 AD, there was a locust plague in Liangzhou. In May of the year 512 AD, the locusts once again wreaked havoc on the jujube flowers in Qingzhou. In July, locust disasters swept through the capital city; the sight was truly horrifying! In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou all suffered from locust plagues, as two-thirds of the crops were devoured, resulting in heavy losses. In the first year of the Xiping era in June, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were hit by locust plagues again—what a string of misfortunes! In the first year of Tian'an in June, there was a spectacular battle between black ants and red ants in Yanzhou, where the battlefield stretched sixty paces long and was four inches wide; the red ants were utterly decimated, suffering tremendous losses. The black ants occupied the north, while the red ants occupied the south. By November, Yanzhou's governor, Bi Zhongjing, sent someone to surrender, and the court dispatched General Weyuan to take him in, defeating the rebel leader Zhou Kai and others. In July of the tenth year of Taihe, the Zhongzhou magistrate Zhang Wanshou reported that there was a commoner named Jia Rucheng in Huoze County of Jianxing, who, in mid-April while raising silkworms, discovered a silk cloth that contained something that looked like a silk ribbon, four feet long and three inches wide, thin, topped with two yellow cocoons that looked like footprints. In March of the second year of Zhengshi, there was a shocking incident in Xuzhou where silkworm moths attacked people, with over a hundred people bitten and over twenty people killed—that was downright terrifying! The ancients interpreted disasters like these caterpillars as abnormal phenomena beyond normal reasoning. During the reign of the founding emperor, a large tiger appeared in Henan and lay by the river for three months before leaving. The following year, a large number of mantises and white deer crossed the Yellow River. Then, the year after that, the Yellow River water turned blood red, which was seen as a portent of the Wei Chen clan's downfall. Later, people threw all the Wei Chen clan members into the Yellow River, and the area finally found peace.
In the first month of the Yuanxiang era, a wolf unexpectedly entered the city and was caught only after it reached Xiashi. In December of the fifth year of Wuding, a leopard was captured on the copper platform in the northern city.
In May of Taihe's first year, someone reported that a fox spirit was appearing to cut people's hair. At that time, Empress Dowager Wenming was in power, and this was seen as an ominous sign of widespread corruption in the government.
Starting in the spring of the second year of Xiping, strange incidents of fox spirits cutting people's hair began in the capital, striking fear into the hearts of the people. In June, Empress Dowager Ling summoned those who had their hair cut and ordered Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, to whip them outside Qianqiu Gate, similar to events that occurred during the Taihe period.
The "Ruitu" records: If local princes, governors, and county magistrates cruelly oppress the populace, leading to widespread grievances, white mice will appear.
In February of Yongxing's third year, a man named Zhao Wen found a white mouse in his home in the capital and presented it to the court. That spring, a white mouse was also captured in the Northern Garden, but it died soon after. Upon dissection, three small white mice were found inside its belly.
In March of a certain year, the emperor went to the Western Palace to relax and caught a small white mouse. In August, Zhang An, who oversaw palace affairs, also captured another small white mouse.
In May of Shenrui's second year, the emperor went hunting at Qielun Mountain and caught another small white mouse; three were also captured in Pingcheng. In June, two more were captured in Pingcheng.
In August, Wang Kui of Yuzhang also caught a small white mouse. In November of Taichang's first year, someone in the capital caught a small white mouse and presented it to the emperor.
In June of the second year, two small white mice were caught in Zhongshan. In March of the third year, another small white mouse was caught in the capital. In November, yet another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In August of Shiguang's third year, a small white mouse was caught in Weijun, Xiangzhou. In August of Taiyan's first year, a small white mouse was delivered from Yanmeng.
In August of Tahe's twenty-third year, a small white mouse was caught in the capital. In May of Jingming's fourth year, another small white mouse was captured in the capital.
In the first year of the Zhengshi era, in June of that year, a small white mouse was captured in the capital city. In the first year of Xiping during Suzong's reign, a report came from Sizhou in April that the small white mouse had been caught and sent to the capital.
