In the third year of Yong'an, on a certain afternoon in June, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky: there was a blue vapor in the Chen direction, about four feet wide, starting from the east side of the mountain and extending northwest, vanishing into the air. At the same time, black, red, and yellow clouds appeared in the Xu position in the northwest, resembling mountain peaks, with a four-foot wide blue mist at the top, extending southeast and also disappearing into the air. These two mists met in mid-air, with the southeast mist dissipating first, followed by the northwest mist vanishing. This was interpreted as an omen of the emperor's impending death.
Ban Gu explained that "night demons" refer to the appearance of clouds and wind together, creating a blurry and indistinct scene, similar to ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it results in a surge of pests like moths and locusts.
The last day of June in the first year of Zhengshi was cloudy. One day in August, the daytime was as dark as night.
Liu Xin believed that if the emperor's appearance is not dignified, it lacks solemnity. If the emperor is brutal and tyrannical towards the people, then yin energy will prevail, water disasters will destroy crops, leading to food shortages, and villains and thieves will rise up, so this is a very bad omen. Another interpretation is that if the people suffer many punishments, their appearance will become ugly. Ban Gu believed that disasters affecting livestock are called "disasters," indicating serious calamities; if disasters affect people, they are referred to as "zhuān zhuān," a term describing people as sickly and indicating that the disasters are very severe.
In the third year of Yongxing, a person in the Wulan Hada region was born with bones shaped like goat horns, over a foot long.
In the sixteenth year of Taihe, in May, the official Li Chong reported: "In Li Banhu's daughter from Wuji County, Zhongshan Prefecture, of Dingzhou, on the twentieth day of the ninth month last year, nine hairs grew beneath the right thumbnail, and by the twentieth day of the tenth month, they had grown to one foot two inches long."
On a day in November of the second year of Xiping, the report from Binzhou stated that Han Sengzhen's daughter, Ling Ji, was born from her mother's right rib. Empress Dowager Ling commanded that she be taken to the imperial palace.
In the first year of Zhengguang, on a certain day in May, huge footprints appeared in Xiacai County, Nanyanzhou, measuring one foot eight inches long and seven and a half inches wide, totaling seven steps.
In the autumn of the third year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong County gave birth to four boys, resulting in a total of sixteen boys.
On a certain day in November of the third year of Yong'an, a household in the capital gave birth to a child with one head, two torsos, four hands, four feet, and three ears.
On a certain day in November of the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and Sha Men Dao Deng went to the Shizhong Hall together. After sunset, around six o'clock in the evening, they saw a ghost dressed in yellow clothes and pants standing at the door wanting to come in. The emperor mistook it for a person and scolded it, causing it to retreat. The emperor asked those around him, and everyone said they hadn't seen it; only the emperor and Dao Deng had seen it.
In the second year of Huoxing, in October, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, resulting in the deaths of around fourteen to fifteen thousand people.
In the third year of Yongping, in April, the counties of Chang and Xiangling in Pingyang experienced a severe plague, resulting in two thousand seven hundred and thirty deaths from January to April. This was truly frightening; so many people died all at once!
In June of the nineteenth year of Taihe, it was reported from Xuzhou that a copper statue eight zhang high was reportedly sweating profusely, which was quite eerie! During the years of Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi, the golden statue of Dingguang in the capital's Pingdeng Temple also sweated multiple times, and each time major events occurred in the country, instilling great fear among the people, who viewed it as an ominous sign. In February of the third year of Yong'an, two copper statues appeared in the homes of the common people in the capital, each over one foot long, with one statue having four white hairs growing under its chin and the other having one black hair growing beside its cheek.
The "Hongfan Lun" says: "The dragon is a scaled creature, born in water. Clouds also symbolize water; when the yin energy is strong, the signs of dragons will appear. If the emperor does not adhere to human ethics and disrupts the heavenly way, there will certainly be calamities of usurpation and murder." This book says that the dragon is an aquatic creature, and clouds are also a symbol of water. When the yin energy is heavy, signs of dragons will appear. If the emperor does not follow human ethics and disturbs the heavenly way, there will certainly be calamities of usurpation and murder.
In the third month of the third year of Shen, two white dragons appeared in a household well in the capital. In the second month of the sixth year of Zhenjun, another white dragon appeared in a household well in the capital. Dragons are divine creatures, but appearing in a well is a sign of the emperor's sudden death! This is related to the emperor's death; it’s truly unsettling.
In the first year of Zhengguang, in August, a black dragon that looked like a dog appeared, running from the south to Xuan Yang Gate, then jumping up, passing through the gate tower and running out. This is a sign of the impending decline of the Wei Dynasty! The boldness of this black dragon is striking; it's really ominous!
In the second year of Yong'an, a dragon lingered in a well in Jinyang for such a long time that it seems the emperor is truly in jeopardy.
In the first year of Putai, in April, signs of a dragon emerged from the west side of Xuan Yang Gate and then returned to the city. The next day, all the ministers came to congratulate the emperor, and the emperor said, "If the country is going to prosper, listen to the people; if it is going to perish, listen to the gods. But we, the rulers and the ruled, must govern ourselves and the country, not just rely on these auspicious signs to celebrate." The emperor's words have elements of superstition and rationality.
In the Book of Hongfan, it says, "A horse is a symbol of war; if there are signs of bandits and soldiers, horses become strange." This book states that horses represent war, and if horses show strange phenomena, it indicates that there will be war.
In the second year of Xiping, in November, a horse foal was sent from Hengzhou, with a tail one foot long and no hair on the buttocks. In the first year of Zhengguang, in September, insects grew in the ears of the official horses in Woye Town, and fourteen to fifteen horses died. The insects were like maggots, less than five inches long, and as thick as chopsticks.
The Book of Hongfan quotes the Book of Changes, saying, "Kun represents cattle." Kun represents earth; when the earth's energy is chaotic, cattle will show strange phenomena; this is referred to as a cattle disaster. This predicts the destruction of ancestral temples; others suggest it’s due to issues arising from heavy transportation.
In May of the second year of Jingming, Jizhou reported that a cow in Changle County had given birth to a calf with one head, but two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears. This calf is truly bizarre!
In the "Book of Hong Fan," it says: If the emperor is not wise, it will lead to political mistakes.
In March of the twenty-third year of Taihe, Sizhou reported that a lamb had appeared in Yangqu County, with one head, two bodies—one ewe and one ram—three ears, and eight legs. Shortly after, the emperor passed away, leading to six assistant ministers seizing power.
In July of the first year of Zhengshi, Shanshan Town sent another lamb with one head, two bodies, and eight legs.
In May of the fourth year of Yanchang, Bogulv Town reported the appearance of a lamb with six legs and two tails.
In January of the following year, Shanshan Town sent yet another lamb with eight legs.
In May of the fourth year of Yanchang, Xuzhou reported that a pig at Yangping Garrison gave birth to a piglet with a human-like head and face, a lump on its head, and no hair on its body. This is an omen that the Empress Dowager and the young emperor are on the verge of being deposed!
In the "Book of Hong Fan," it states, as Jing Fang noted in his "Biography": Small chickens and livestock resemble low-ranking officials; horns symbolize weapons, with horns on top representing the majesty of the king. This suggests that when low-ranking officials wield the king's power, chaos will ensue, resulting in disastrous governance.
In the first year of the reign of Emperor Gaozu, in the month of May, a report from the authorities stated that there were two hens in the capital city with crowns on their heads that resembled horns, unlike other chickens. At that time, Empress Dowager Wenming was in power, and this was interpreted as a sign of her trust in unscrupulous individuals and her favoritism towards them. In the first year of the Zhengshi era, in the month of April, a chick with four legs and four wings was reported in Henan, as noted in the "Biography of Cui Guang." In August, a report from Sizhou stated that a household in Henei raised a chick that had an extra head near its tail, complete with a mouth and eyes. Both heads grew from the back of the neck, each with two wings and two legs walking side by side. This was considered a sign of Emperor Shizong's trust in unscrupulous individuals, as well as the presence of many party members and the evil people involved in politics. In the fourth year of the Yanchang era, in the month of December, a report from Luozhou stated that the yellow hen owned by Prefect Chang Jiao of Wei Xing had a fleshy horn on its head, about the size of a jujube, one inch and three fen long, with fluffy hair on the horn, one inch and a half long. In January of the year 520 AD, General Lan Dou's two chickens had two horns on their heads, with the feathers in disarray, standing taller than the comb of a chicken. At that time, Empress Dowager Ling was in power, holding all the power. The "Book of Great Plan" states, "Being blind and deaf are signs of punishment!" In November of the year 532 AD, a white owl was caught in the capital city. One day in August of the year 521 AD, a bald eagle was caught in the palace. In April of the year 522 AD, a peculiar duckling with one head, two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails was presented. In March of the year 530 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was caught in the palace. The "Book of Great Plan" further states, "Cruel punishments, exploitation of the people; insatiable greed, raising armies and inciting the masses; building cities but losing the hearts of the people, will lead to insect disasters." In July of the year 500 AD, a locust plague struck the Dunhuang region, and nearly all the autumn crops were consumed.
In July of the year 501 AD, there was a locust disaster in Qingzhou and Yongzhou, causing severe damage to crops. In August, seven states: Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as four military towns including Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, all suffered from locust disasters. In April of the year 502 AD, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou experienced locust disasters. In March of the year 503 AD, Jizhou, Zhouzhou, and Xiangzhou suffered from locust infestations. In April, locust disasters occurred in seven states: Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. On a day in June, Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou suffered from locust infestations. In October of the year 516 AD, there was a locust disaster in the Fanghan region, causing damage to crops. In May of the year 505 AD, six states including Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and Nanqingzhou suffered from locust infestations. In March of the year 508 AD, a large-scale armyworm disaster occurred in Hezhou, leading to a complete crop failure. In May, Guangzhou suffered from locust infestations. In June, Hezhou experienced a major locust disaster. In July, Donglai County suffered from locust infestations. In June of the year 506 AD, there was a locust disaster in Shazhou and Sizhou. In April of the year 509 AD, Qingzhou suffered from a steppe disaster, causing severe damage to jujube flowers. In August, Jingzhou experienced yellow rat, locust, and bandworm infestations; Hezhou experienced locust and bandworm infestations; Liangzhou and Sizhou's Hengnong County also suffered from locust disasters, all of these places suffered from serious insect infestations. One day in June of the year 507 AD, there was a locust disaster in Liangzhou. In May of the year 510 AD, Qingzhou's steppe insects once again threatened jujube flowers. In July, locust disasters swept through the capital city; the sight was truly horrific! In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou also suffered from locust disasters, with two-thirds of the crops in the fields being eaten, resulting in heavy losses!
In the first year of Xiping in June, the four provinces of Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou suffered from locust disasters, and no crops were harvested. In the first year of Tian'an in June, a strange phenomenon occurred in Yanzhou: black ants and red ants fought a massive battle, with the battlefield measuring sixty paces in length and four inches in width. The red ants were ultimately defeated, suffering countless casualties. The black ants occupied the north, while the red ants occupied the south. By November, the Governor of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, sent envoys to surrender to the imperial court, and the court appointed General Wuyuan to take over, defeating the rebel leaders such as Zhou Kai.
In July of the tenth year of Taihe, Zhang Wanshou, the official of Bingzhou, reported about a commoner named Jia Riche in Jianxing Huoze County. In mid-April, when raising silkworms, he discovered that the silkworms had woven a curtain that contained something resembling a silk ribbon, four feet long, three inches wide, thin, with two yellow cocoons on top, shaped like footprints.
In March of the second year of Zhengshi, there was an incident in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured over a hundred people, resulting in over twenty deaths. It was truly terrifying!
The calamity of these caterpillars refers to various abnormal and bizarre phenomena. During the reign of Taizu, a large tiger appeared in Henan and lay by the river for three months before it finally left. The following year, a large number of mantises and white deer migrated across the Yellow River. Another year later, the river water turned a blood-red color! All of these were ominous signs foreshadowing the downfall of Wei Chen! Later, Taizu threw all of Wei Chen's clan members into the river, and no more strange occurrences happened in that place.
In the first month of Yuanxiang in the first year, a wolf unexpectedly wandered into the city and was captured near Kashi. In the twelfth month of Wuding, a leopard was captured on the Bronze Jue Platform in the northern part of the city.
In May of the first year of Taihe, a fox spirit appeared to cut people's hair. At that time, Empress Wenxuan was ruling the court, and there were numerous ominous signs in the court's affairs!
In the spring of the second year of the Xiping era, strange occurrences began in the capital where fox spirits were snipping people's hair, striking fear into the hearts of the people. On the Renchen day in June, Empress Ling summoned those who had their hair cut and ordered Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, to whip them outside the Qianqiu Gate, echoing events from the Taihe era.
The "Ruitu" records: If local princes, governors, officials of the second rank, and county magistrates cruelly oppress the common people, leading to widespread grievances, then white mice will appear.
In February of the third year of Yongxing, 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 the Beiyuan, but it soon died. A dissection revealed three baby white mice in its belly.
In March of a certain year, the emperor visited the Western Palace for recreation and caught a small white mouse.
In August, Zhang An, the palace steward, also caught a small white mouse.
In May of the second year of Shenrui, the emperor hunted on Kelong Mountain and caught another small white mouse; three more were caught in Pingcheng. In June, two more were caught 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 offered it to the emperor.
In June of the second year of Taichang, two small white mice were caught in the Zhongshan area.
In March of the third year, yet another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In November, another small white mouse was caught in the capital again.
In August of the third year of Shizong Shiguang, a small white mouse was also caught in Weijun, in Xiangzhou.
In August of the first year of Taiyan, someone from Yanmen offered a small white mouse.
In August of the twenty-third year of Tahe under Gaozu, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In May of the fourth year of Jingming under Shizong, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In June of the first year of Zhengshi, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In April of the first year of Xiping under Suzong, Shizhou reported catching a small white mouse, which was sent to the emperor.
