The "Hong Fan Lun" symbolizes: Thunder symbolizes yang energy, while rain symbolizes yin energy. Thunder can only occur with clouds, and a ruler can only thrive with subjects. Thunder relies on clouds, and a ruler relies on subjects; this reflects the principle of yin-yang harmony. Therefore, if there is thunder without clouds, it indicates that the ruler is alone, without subjects.
In the first year of Emperor Xianzu's reign, in July, there was thunder in the northeast without clouds. This is rather unusual!
In the following year, in July, there was again a sound like thunder in the northeast. What could this mean?
On Ji You day in February of Emperor Shizong's first year, a sound came from the northeast, extending southward, rumbling like thunder, stopping after two sounds.
Next came a more peculiar phenomenon: on Xin You day in October of the fourth year of Emperor Shizong's reign, a sound like a large drum came from the north, moving toward the northwest. What does this omen signify?
The "Hong Fan Lun" also states: Yang energy governs for one hundred eighty-three days, and yin energy also governs for one hundred eighty-three days; thunder emerges from the ground for one hundred eighty-three days, then enters the ground for one hundred eighty-three days before emerging again; this follows a natural law. Therefore, when thunder is normal, everything is peaceful; when thunder is abnormal, everything suffers. The same goes for the state: when the ruler is doing well, the state is doing well; when the ruler encounters trouble, the state suffers. Thunder at the wrong times goes against natural order.
On Ji You day in October of the first year of Emperor Shizong's reign, it rained, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
On Gui Chou day in October of the third year of Taiyan, there was thunder.
On Ding Hai day in November of the fourth year, there was thunder.
On Geng Xu day in November of the third year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, thunder and rain struck the Yuzhou region.
On Wu Shen day, there was a heavy thunderstorm in the Yuzhou region, with water accumulating three inches high on flat ground.
On Wu Xu day in October of the fourth year, there was thunder.
On Xin Si day in November of the seventh year, there was thunder and lightning in the Youzhou region, casting a red glow over the city.
On Xin Mao day in November of the second year of Emperor Shizong's reign, there was thunder in the Liangzhou region, with seven loud sounds.
On Ji Si day in December of the third year, there was thunder at night that echoed nine times.
On Jia Yin day in November of the first year of Zhengshi, thunder and lightning struck the four states: Qinzhou, Qizhou, Jingzhou, and Shuozhou.
On Ren Yin day in the first month of the first year of Emperor Suzong's reign, there was thunder again.
The "Spring and Autumn Annals" records that Yibo Temple was struck by lightning, and Zuo Qiuming claimed that the Zhan family was concealing something. Liu Xiang argued that Yibo was a hereditary official, and this served as a warning from heaven, meaning: do not allow officials to inherit their positions to avoid tyranny. In the sixth year of the reign of Taizu, in April, the east wing of Tian'an Hall was struck by lightning. The emperor, furious, ordered the destruction of the east and west wings of the hall using a battering ram. As a result, the emperor soon died suddenly. In the second year of the reign of Xianzu, in November at night, there was a thunderstorm. On the day of Wuwu in May of the third year of the reign of Gaozu, the southern edge of the roof of the middle gate of the East Temple was struck by lightning. Ban Gu said: If those in power are not magnanimous and tolerant of their subordinates, they cannot become wise rulers. A person's appearance, speech, gaze, and hearing ability are all dominated by the heart; if there are problems in these four aspects, one will be confused and ignorant, thus inviting disaster. On the day of Gengzi in the first month of the year 480, it rained in Luoyang, mixing dirt with the rain, creating a fog-like appearance. On November Bingxu in the year 508, Luoyang experienced a dust fog that obscured the sky and sun, lasting for six days without dissipating, and by the night of Jiazi it was as dense as smoke, irritating people's noses. In February of the year 506, on the day of Jichou, Qinzhou also had yellow fog, with rain mixed with dirt blanketing the land. In August of the same year, on the day of Jiyou, there was widespread murky air, resulting in extremely low visibility. In August of the year 508, on the day of Xinsi, Liangzhou also had rain mixed with dirt, blanketing the land like fog. On the night of Jichou in the first month of the year 507, there was thick fog that started out black but later turned red. On the day of Xinchou in the first month of the year 508, the dust fog spread widely, shrouding the sky and sun. In September of the same year, on the day of Renshen, black fog also obscured the sky and sun. In February of the year 510, on the day of Jiaxu, yellow fog obscured the sky and sun. At that time, Gao Zhao enjoyed favor due to his status as a marriage relative, and his brothers were all granted the title of marquis, as distinguished as the five marquises of the Han dynasty.
These unusual phenomena were considered by ancient people to be signs of unusual climate. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed that it was abnormal for there to be no frost in winter and for plants not to wither. In the "Book of Changes," Jing Fang said: the scorching summer heat can be harmful to people, while in winter, all things can thrive, suggesting climate anomalies.
In August of the year 481, the fruit trees in Hualin Garden all bloomed. In August of the year 501, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan also bloomed. In September of the year 502, after the fruits of the apricot tree in the home of Qi Yuan in Youzhou ripened, they suddenly all fell off overnight, and new flowers and leaves grew back, with the trees returning to a spring-like state within seven days. In November of the year 508, the peach and plum trees in Dongqinghe County of Qizhou also bloomed. In the intercalary tenth month of the year 510, the pear trees in the capital also bloomed.
The "Hongfan Zhuan" states: if laws are abandoned, meritorious officials are excluded, the crown prince is killed, and a concubine is taken as a wife, then fire will not burn upwards, meaning that fire has lost its nature and has turned into a disaster.
In March of the year 502, a great fire broke out in Fei Ru City, and nearly all the houses of the government and the people were burned down, with only the statues in the two temples on the east and west sides escaping destruction. In May of the year 504, the marshlands of Qinxian County in Hanoi caught fire spontaneously, gradually spreading over a distance of more than a hundred steps, and it took five days to extinguish. In March of the year 506, the Hengyue ancestral hall caught fire. In May of the year 520, a fire broke out in the Goudun Forbidden Garden. In the summer of the year 527, the ground in Qiuxian County of Youzhou ignited spontaneously. In the spring of the year 528, a great fire broke out in Yingzhou City, resulting in the destruction of over three thousand homes.
In February of the year 433, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire. At that time, many people said they saw the pagoda flying into the East Sea. The Yongning Temple pagoda housed deities, and everyone felt this was a sign from heaven: an incident at Yongning Temple meant trouble for the State of Wei. The Bohai Sea was originally the fief of King Xian of Qi, and the deities returning to the sea signaled that the State of Qi was destined to prosper. While this explanation seemed mystical, people of that time took it seriously.
In March, the South Gate of Sanji Temple in Buzhou caught fire. The string of fires left people on edge, not knowing if something bad was about to happen. In the autumn of 454 AD, the East Gate of Changhe in Ye City also caught fire. In the winter of 457 AD, a fire broke out under the North Mountain of Xihe in Fenzhou, with heat rising up into the air, an eerie scene to imagine.
On the night of Jia Yin in January 458 AD, a black gas appeared in the southeast direction of the sky, one zhang wide and ten zhang long. People believed this was a sign of impending war. Indeed, in February, Murong Ke's rebellion in Beiping confirmed the previous omen, making people believe even more in these celestial omens. In January of 460 AD, a massive black cloud loomed over the Ji River area of the Yellow River, covering Dongyang City so dark it was like night. After that, Dongyang City collapsed. This dark cloud covering the sky seemed to foreshadow the coming disaster.
In September of 486 AD, black gas was seen everywhere. In September of Jia Chen, Yangzhou defeated Xiao Yan's general Zhang Xiao, beheading two thousand. Following this, the black gas was followed by a military victory; it seems that the interpretations of celestial omens can vary. In the night of Ding Wei in November of 476 AD, three streams of white gas emerged from the ground, transforming into a bright yellow-red. In September of Ding Si in 482 AD, in the evening, a red gas appeared in the northwest, twenty zhang long and eight to nine feet wide, vanishing after a while.
In March of Bing Shen in 488 AD, red gas appeared in the sky, lasting from the Mao hour to the Xu hour. In November of Xin Wei in 490 AD, red gas appeared in the northwest, stretching to the horizon like flames. While the capital did not witness it, Liangzhou did. In the night of Jia Chen in September of 492 AD, red gas appeared in the northwest, like flames, stretching east and west for over a zhang. This foreshadowed an impending rebellion in Beizhen. During the Geng You hour in May of 494 AD, red gas appeared in the north, stretching east and west to the horizon like flames.
In November of the year 503, on the Jichou day, a red gas appeared, resembling mist, extending diagonally from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Hall to the corridor, about ten feet high, like a red curtain, and it did not dissipate from noon until the hour of the Dog. The emperor found it quite displeasing, and ultimately, it contributed to his death. In the hour of the Dog on the Jihai day of January in the year 457, a red gas appeared in the east, approximately three zhang long, and disappeared after a while. These celestial phenomena evoke a deep sense of wonder about the mysteries of history and the reverence people have for fate.
On a certain day in June of the third year of Yong'an, at the hour of the Shen, a blue gas appeared in the sky, about four feet wide, starting from the eastern mountains and extending northwest until it disappeared in mid-air. At the same time, a mass of black, red, and yellow clouds appeared in the northwest, resembling a mountain peak, topped with a four-foot-wide blue gas extending southeast, also disappearing in mid-air. These two gases met in mid-air, with the southeastern gas dissipating first, followed by the northwest gas. These are all ominous signs that the emperor is nearing his end!
Ban Gu said: Night demons are clouds and wind appearing together, making the atmosphere dark and unclear, thus resembling ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it leads to a large proliferation of pests and locusts.
In the first year of Zhengshi, on a certain day in June, the sky was as dark as night. On a certain day in August, the daytime was also as dark as night.
Liu Xin said: If the ruler is not solemn and respectful, it is not serious. If the upper class oppresses the lower class, causing the common people to live in hardship, it will lead to the rise of yin energy, water disasters destroying crops, insufficient clothing and food, and chaos and corruption, ultimately resulting in great disasters. Some say this is because the common people have suffered too much punishment, resulting in their faces becoming distorted. Ban Gu believed that when livestock suffer disasters, it is called "calamity," indicating that the disaster is severe; if the disaster affects people, it is called "zhuanzhuan," describing people as emaciated and worn, indicating that the disaster is profound.
In the third year of Yongxing, a bone grew beneath the throat of Ulan, shaped like a sheep's horn, more than one foot long.
In the 16th year of Taihe, in the month of May, Minister Li Chong submitted a report: "In Wujixian County, Zhongshan Prefecture, Dingzhou, the daughter of Li Banhu grew nine hairs under her right thumb nail on September 20th last year, and by October 20th, they had grown to a length of one foot and two inches."
On a day in the 2nd year of Xiping, in the month of November, a report from Bingzhou stated that Han Sengzhen's daughter Lingji was born from her mother's right side. Empress Dowager Ling ordered her to be sent to the imperial court.
On a day in the month of May in the 1st year of Zhengguang, giant footprints were discovered in Xiacai County, Nanyanzhou, totaling seven steps, each step measuring one foot eight inches long and seven inches wide.
In the autumn of the 3rd year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong Prefecture gave birth to four sets of twins, resulting in a total of sixteen boys.
On a day in the month of November in the 3rd year of Yong'an, a family in the capital had a child with one head, two bodies, four hands, four feet, and three ears.
On a day in the month of November in the 16th year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the monk Daodeng visited the Shizhong Province together. After sunset, around six in the evening, they saw a ghost wearing yellow pleated trousers standing at the door wanting to come in. The Emperor thought it was a person and scolded it, causing it to retreat. When the Emperor asked those around him, they all said they hadn't seen it; only the Emperor and Daodeng had seen it.
In the month of October in the 2nd year of Huangxing, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, resulting in the deaths of approximately fourteen to fifteen thousand people.
In the month of April in the 3rd year of Yongping, there was a major plague in Changling County in Pingyang, which resulted in two thousand seven hundred thirty deaths between January and April. This was truly frightening, with so many lives lost!
In the month of June in the 19th year of Taihe, reports from Xuzhou indicated that an eight-foot-tall bronze statue was sweating! This was an unusual phenomenon that caused widespread concern. During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi eras, the gold statue of Dingguang in the Pingdeng Temple in the capital also sweated many times, and each time, a significant event followed in the country. At that time, many believed it was an ominous sign, and they were very frightened. In the month of February in the 3rd year of Yong'an, in a family in the capital, there were two bronze statues, each over a foot tall; one had four white hairs growing under its chin, while the other had a black hair on its cheek.
In the "Hong Fan Lun," it says: "The dragon is a creature of scales, born in water. Clouds also symbolize water, and when the yin energy is strong, these anomalies will appear. If the emperor does not adhere to the moral order and disrupts the way of heaven, there will surely be disasters of usurpation." This book states that the dragon is an aquatic animal, and clouds are also a symbol of water. When the yin energy is heavy, these anomalies will occur. If the emperor disregards the moral order and disturbs the way of heaven, he will certainly face the calamity of being killed. In the third year of Shizu's reign, in March, two white dragons appeared in the well of a household in the capital; in the sixth year of Zhenjun, in February, another white dragon appeared in another household's well. The dragon, a divine creature, appearing in a well is a portent of Shizu's violent demise!
In the first year of Suzong's Zhengguang era, in August, a black dragon resembling a dog ran from the south to the Xuan Yang Gate, then jumped up and ran out through the gate tower. This is a sign of the decline of the Wei dynasty! In the second year of Emperor Zhuang's Yong'an, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang and lingered for a long time, leading to Emperor Zhuang's sudden death in Jinyang; this indeed came to pass! In the first year of the former Emperor Pūtài, in April, traces of a dragon emerged from the west side of the Xuan Yang Gate and then returned to the city. The next day, in the second day of the month, the ministers all came to offer their congratulations, and the emperor said: "If the nation is to prosper, it must heed the people; if it is to perish, it must heed the will of heaven. However, both the ruler and the subjects must exercise self-restraint and serve the public in governing the country, rather than relying solely on these omens to predict fortune and misfortune."
The "Hong Fan Lun" also says: "The horse is a symbol of military affairs; if strange horses appear, it indicates there will be matters of invasion and warfare." In the second year of Suzong's Xiping era, in November, a foal was sent from Hengzhou with a fleshy tail that was a foot long, but it had no hair on its hindquarters. In the first year of Zhengguang, in September, the official horses in Woye Town had worms crawling into their ears, leading to the death of about fifteen horses. These worms were similar to earthworms, measuring less than five inches long and as thick as chopsticks.
The "Hongfan Lun" quotes the "Book of Changes" as saying: "Kun is associated with cattle." Kun represents earth, and when the energy of the earth becomes chaotic, strange phenomena of cattle will appear, referred to as cattle calamities. This foretells the downfall of ancestral shrines, with some attributing it to busy transportation causing the cattle incidents. In the second year of Jingming, in May, a report from Jizhou stated that in Changle County, a cow gave birth to a calf with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears! This is too strange!
The "Hongfan Lun" states: If the emperor is not wise, it will lead to political mistakes. In the twenty-third year of Taihe, in March, a report from Sizhou stated that in Yangqu County, a lamb with two bodies—one female and one male—three ears, and eight legs appeared. Not long after, the emperor died, and then six state ministers began to seize control.
In the first year of Zhengshi, in July, a lamb with two bodies and eight legs was sent from Shanshan Town. In the second year, in January, Shanshan Town sent another lamb with eight legs. In the fourth year of Yanchang, in May, a report from Bogulv Town stated that a lamb with six legs and two tails appeared.
Jing Fang said in the "Records" that any strange animals with many legs are controlled by evil forces. The "Jing Fang Yi" states that if there are strange phenomena such as pigs with human heads on pig bodies, that place will descend into chaos, and the nation will face ruin.
In the first year of Yanxing, in September, a report from the relevant department stated that Wang Rang, the Inspector of Yuzhou and the Marquis of Linhuai, reported that a sow gave birth to a litter of piglets, one with two bodies and eight legs. In the fourth year of Jingming, in September, a report from Liangzhou stated that dogs and pigs had mated. In the fourth year of Zhengshi, in August, a pig in the capital city gave birth to a litter of piglets, one with four ears and two bodies with eight legs.
In the fourth year of Yanchang, in July, a report from Xuzhou stated that in Yangping Barracks, a pig gave birth to a piglet with a head and face like a human, with a bun on its head and no hair on its body. This is an omen that the Empress Dowager and the young ruler are destined for overthrow!
In "The Hong Fan Lun," it is said that Jing Fang stated in "Records": small chickens and small livestock are akin to minor officials; horns symbolize weapons, growing on top, representing the majesty of the king. This shows that minor officials who wield power will cause chaos by relying on the majesty of the king, indicating a disaster of poor governance.
In the first year of Taiping in the reign of Gaozu, in May, the authorities reported two female chickens in the capital, with horn-like crowns on their heads, unlike other chickens. At that time, Empress Dowager Wenming was in power, a sign of her favoring and trust in corrupt officials.
In the first year of Zhengshi in the reign of Shizong, in April, a chick with four legs and four wings was reported in Henan, as recorded in "The Biography of Cui Guang."
In August, the governor of Sizhou reported that a commoner in Henan raised a chick with an extra head at the back, with eyes, mouth, and everything. The two heads grew out of the back of the neck, each with two wings, and two legs walking side by side. This is a sign of Shizong's trust in villains, as well as factions, and an omen of corrupt individuals in power.
In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Yanchang, Luozhou reported that the yellow hen raised by Prefect Chang Jiao of Wei Xing had a fleshy horn on its head, the size of a jujube and measuring one inch and three fen long, with a tuft of hair on the horn, one inch and a half long.
In January of the year 520 AD, the two chickens raised by General Lando had two horns, with mottled feathers, and the horns were raised high above the chicken crown. At that time, Empress Ling was consolidating power.
In "The Hong Fan Lun," it is said: "The punishment of not seeing clearly and not hearing well." Everyone should understand the meaning of this sentence, which means that leaders who fail to see the situation clearly and ignore advice will face consequences.
In November of the year 521 AD, a white owl was captured in the capital. In August of the year 522 AD, a bald buzzard was spotted in the palace. In April of the year 524 AD, someone presented a strange duck with a single head but two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. In March of the year 526 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of State and was immediately captured.
The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "When punishments are brutal and benefit only the rulers; when greed and gluttony lead to the mobilization of armies; when cities are taken and governed, yet the hearts of the people are lost, then pests will become a disaster." This means that if the rulers are tyrannical and harsh, only looking out for their own benefits, engaging in war without regard for the people's sentiments, it will lead to pest disasters.
In July 525, a locust plague occurred in the Dunhuang region, and almost all the autumn crops were consumed. In July of the following year, Qingzhou and Yongzhou also suffered from the devastation caused by locusts, resulting in a complete crop failure. In August, seven states including Xuzhou, East Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as the towns of Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were all afflicted by locusts. In April 527, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou suffered from locust disasters once more. In March 528, three states—Jizhou, Zhou, and Xiangzhou—were plagued by pests. In April, locusts appeared in seven states including Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. In June, Xiangzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou were again affected by pests. In October 536, the Fuhan region also experienced a locust disaster, causing significant crop losses.
In May 537, six states including Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were affected by pests. In March 540, Hezhou experienced a severe armyworm disaster, leading to a complete wheat crop failure. In May, Guangzhou faced pest damage. In June, Hezhou suffered a large-scale locust disaster. In July, Donglai County was also afflicted by pests. In June 541, Xiazhou and Sizhou experienced locust disasters. In April 544, the step worm in Qingzhou damaged jujube tree blossoms. In August, Jingzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou, and Sizhou Hengnong County suffered from multiple pest invasions, including locusts, pests, and bandworms. In June 547, Liangzhou experienced a locust disaster. In May 550, the step worm in Qingzhou damaged jujube flowers again.
In July, the locust disaster swept through the capital, and it was incredibly severe!
In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou also suffered from locust disasters, with two-thirds of the crops being eaten, causing heavy losses! In June of the first year of Emperor Suzong's reign, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzou, and South Qingzhou were hit by locust disasters again, truly a case of when it rains, it pours! In June of the first year of Emperor Xianzu's reign, there was a great ant war in Yanzhou, with black ants and red ants fighting, with a battle line that stretched sixty paces long and four inches wide. In the end, all the red ants were defeated, with their heads rolling. The black ants occupied the north, while the red ants occupied the south. In the same year in November, the governor of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, sent someone to surrender, and the court sent General Weyuan to accept him, and also defeated the rebel general Zhou Kai and others.
In the seventh month of the tenth year of Emperor Gaozu's Taihe reign, Zhang Wanshou, the deputy magistrate of Bingzhou, reported that there was a commoner named Jia Rucheng in Jianxing Huoze County who, in the middle of April while raising silkworms, discovered that the silk had formed a curtain, inside which was a roll of something resembling a ribbon, four feet long and three inches wide, thin, with two yellow silkworm cocoons on top, shaped like footprints. In the third month of the second year of Emperor Shizong's Zhengshi reign, there was actually an incident in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured people, with over a hundred people injured and over twenty people dead, which was really frightening!
The "curse of caterpillars" refers to those abnormal phenomena beyond normal reasoning. During Emperor Taizu's reign, a large tiger appeared in Henan, lying by the river for three whole months before it finally left. The following year, a large number of mole crickets and white deer crossed the Yellow River. In the third year, the river turned blood red, signaling the downfall of Wei Chen. Later, Emperor Taizu threw all of Wei Chen's family members into the river, and there were no more strange occurrences in that area. In the first month of the first year of Emperor Xiaojing's reign, a wolf ran into the city and was caught at a place called Keshi. In the twelfth month of the fifth year of Emperor Wuding's reign, a leopard was caught on the Bronze Jue Platform in the north city. In the fifth month of the first year of Emperor Gaozu's Taihe reign, it was said that a fox demon came out to cut people's hair, and Empress Dowager Wenming was in court at the time, which definitely wasn't a good sign!
In the second year of Su's Xiping era, starting from spring, strange incidents of fox spirits snipping people's hair appeared in the capital, leaving everyone terrified. In June of the renchen year, Empress Ling gathered those whose hair had been snipped and ordered Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, to whip them right outside Qianqiu Gate, just like back in the Taihe era! The "Ruitu" says: If local princes, governors, and county magistrates cruelly oppress the common folks, which makes them really upset, then white mice will appear. In the third year of Taizong's Yongxing era, in February, a family named Zhao Wen in the capital found a white mouse and presented it to the court. That spring, another white mouse was caught in Beiyuan, but it died soon after. When they cut it open, they found three tiny white mice inside.
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, the guy in charge of the palace granary, also caught a white mouse. In May of Shenrui's second year, while out hunting on Kelong Mountain, the emperor caught another white mouse; three were also caught near Pingcheng. In June, two more white mice were caught in Pingcheng. In August, Wang Kui of Yuzhang also caught a white mouse. In November of Taichang's first year, someone in the capital snagged a white mouse and presented it to the emperor. In June of the second year, two white mice were caught in the Zhongshan region. In March of the third year, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In November, yet another white mouse was caught in the capital. In August of the third year of Shizu's Shiguang era, a white mouse was caught in Weijun of Xiangzhou. In August of Taiyan's first year, a white mouse was sent over from Yanmen. In August of the twenty-third year of Gaozu's Taihe era, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In May of the fourth year of Shizong's Jingming era, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In June of Zhengshi's first year, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In April of Su's first year of the Xiping era, Shizhou reported catching a white mouse and sent it.
