In the "Hong Fan Lun," it is said: The great floods are all due to the mistakes of rulers and officials in governance, due to an excessive buildup of yin energy, which leads to water disasters. In the third year of Taizu's reign, during the eighth month, there was heavy rain and a major earthquake, causing water to overflow in the valleys. In the third year of Taizong's reign, during the eighth month, there was a flood in the Henan region. In the first year of Shizu's reign, in the sixth month of the year of Jiuxu, the capital city experienced a flood, destroying several hundred homes. In the eighth year of Zhenjun's reign, in the seventh month, Pingzhou experienced a flood.
In the second year of Gaozu's reign, in the fourth month of summer, there was heavy rain in Nanyu, Xu, and Yanzhou. In the seventh month of the sixth year, Qingzhou and Yongzhou experienced a flood. In the eighth month, the seven regions of Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as the towns of Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, all experienced flooding. In the ninth month of the ninth year, Nanyuzhou and Shuozhou experienced a flood, resulting in over a thousand deaths. In the twenty-second year of the Wuyu era, Yanzhou and Yuzhou experienced heavy rain. In the sixth month of the twenty-third year, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, Nanyangzhou, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, Yanzhou, and Dongyuzhou all experienced flooding.
In the first year of Shizong Jingming's reign, in the seventh month, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Nanyangzhou, Guangzhou, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, Dongyuzhou, as well as Yingchuan County and Jiji County in Sizhou, all experienced flooding, with water reaching depths of fifteen feet in the plains, and only about one in fourteen homes were spared. In the second year of Zhengshi's reign, in the third month, Qingzhou and Xuzhou experienced heavy rain, with the seawater flooding Xiwu County in Leiling, Qingzhou, resulting in the loss of 152 lives. In the third year of Yongping, in the seventh month, over twenty provinces experienced flooding. In the first year of Yanchang's reign, during the summer, the capital city and various other places experienced flooding. In the second year of Yanchang, in the fifth month, Shouchun was flooded.
In June of the first year of Emperor Suzong's Xiping era, Xuzhou experienced a major flood. In September of the second year, Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Cangzhou were hit by major floods. In the summer of the second year of Zhengguang, Dingzhou, Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Xiangzhou all faced major floods. In the autumn of the third year of Xiaochang, the capital city of the dynasty experienced a major flood. In June of the first year of Emperor Taichang, the capital city experienced a major flood, with the Gu River overflowing, damaging over three hundred households. In the first year of Emperor Xiaojing's Yuanxiang era, Dingzhou, Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Cangzhou all faced major floods. In the fourth year of Xinghe, Cangzhou experienced a major flood.
In December of the fifth year of Taizong Taichang, springs began to flow in Pingcheng. In November of the fifth year of Gaozong He Ping, the springs at Yanmen Pass broke through the rocks. In the autumn of the first year of Emperor Fei Putai, the wells in front of the Minister of Works' granary began to overflow. Divination said that this was seen as a sign that the common people would be displaced. In October of the first year of Yongxi, the capital was relocated to Ye City. In July of the fourth year of Xiaojing Tianping, the wells in Taizhou overflowed.
In February of the year 488 AD, to the southwest of Ye City, a dry well unexpectedly began to gush water! This is truly strange. Some believe this is tied to political issues! Look, the "Hongfan Lun" states: "If the yang energy is too strong, there will be hail; if the yin energy is too strong, there will be sleet." This means that if the yin and yang are imbalanced and cannot be harmonized, chaos is sure to follow!
In April of the year 480 AD, a severe hailstorm hit Jingzhou, damaging crops. In April of the year 481 AD, strong winds and hail battered Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou. In August of the year 481 AD, there was a severe hailstorm in all the counties of Bingzhou, with hailstones measuring up to a foot thick, destroying all vegetation. On the day of Guiwei in the year 481 AD, there was a hailstorm in Dingzhou that resulted in fatalities, with hailstones up to two feet in diameter! In June of the year 496 AD, heavy rain mixed with hail hit Yongzhou and Qingzhou, resulting in the deaths of many deer. On the day of Guichou in May of the year 498 AD, Fenzhou experienced heavy rain mixed with hail.
In June of the year 498, on the Yisi day, there was a heavy rainstorm with hail in Fenzhou, resulting in the total destruction of grass, trees, crops, wild chickens, and rabbits.
In July of the year 498, on the Jiaxu day, a violent storm arose, accompanied by heavy rain and hail. The disaster originated in Fenzhou and swept southward, passing through Bingzhou, Xiangzhou, Sizhou, and Yanzhou, finally stopping in Xuzhou, devastating a stretch of ten miles, where all the grass and trees along the way were destroyed, leaving not a blade of grass to grow!
In March of the year 495, on the Dingchou day, there was an exceptionally heavy hailstorm in Qizhou and Jizhou, with rain mixed with snow.
In May of the year 50, on the Gengzi day, there was heavy rain and hail in Nanjin Guangye County, causing harm to birds, beasts, and crops.
The "Hongfan Lun" also states that the heavy rain and snow recorded in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" are similar to ordinary rain, just more severe than usual. Rain and snow are both associated with yin energy; heavy snowfall indicates an excessive accumulation of yin energy. Some also say that heavy snow is like heavy rain, but because it is winter, it falls as snow.
In October of the year 500, there was heavy snowfall measuring several feet!
In May of the year 518, there was heavy snow in Beizhen, freezing many people and livestock. At that time, the court's rule was extremely strict, and the people's lives were hard.
On the Jiazi day in September of 494, a strong wind blew in the capital, and three feet of rain mixed with snow fell.
In May of the year 495, on the Renxu day, there was rain mixed with snow in Wuchuan Town.
On the Yimao day in February of the year 498, a violent storm blew in Sizhou and Xiangzhou, with heavy rain mixed with snow.
On the Renshen day in September of the year 498, there was heavy snowfall.
In April of the year 520, there was heavy snow in Rouxuan Town.
In Jingfang's "Yizhuan," it is stated: Raising troops and wantonly killing is a violation of the law; the disaster is frost that can freeze grains in summer and wheat in winter; indiscriminate killing is unrighteous, and frost will first fall in summer.
In July of the year 520, there was frost in Jizhou.
On a certain day in July of the year 477, a sudden heavy frost fell, freezing all the crops, and the sight was truly heartbreaking!
In April of the year 482, there was another frost; though it wasn't as severe, it was still enough to cause great alarm.
In July of the year 479 AD, the regions of Yongzhou, Shuozhou, as well as Fanghan, Tujing, Bogulu, Dunhuang, and Qiuchi all suffered from a severe frost, resulting in crop failure and the freezing of rice seedlings and beans. This was a catastrophic blow!
In April of the year 482 AD, Yingchuan Commandery also experienced frost. These consecutive frost disasters made people's lives increasingly difficult.
In March of the year 483 AD, Sizhou was struck by strong winds that were followed by frost, causing the soybeans to freeze.
In April of the year 485 AD, Yongzhou and Qingzhou were hit by frost again. In June, Luozhou, Sizhou, Xiangzhou, as well as Lingqiu and Guangchang Town in Sizhou, were not spared from the disaster.
On a day in August of the year 489 AD, Fenzhou also experienced frost. This frost was like an unwelcome guest wreaking havoc everywhere.
In April of the year 490 AD, Xiaozhou experienced frost, causing the grass to freeze to death. In the same year in June, Jianxing Commandery also suffered the same disaster, with the grass freezing to death. In August, Yongzhou, Bingzhou, Shuozhou, Xiaozhou, Fenzhou, as well as Zhengping and Pingyang in Sizhou, were hit by a double blow of snowstorms and frost, making a bad situation worse!
In March of the year 492 AD, Qizhou experienced frost, causing mulberry trees and wheat to freeze to death. In March of the year 494 AD, Yongzhou was hit by frost again, causing mulberry trees and wheat also to suffer the same fate. On the same day, Qingzhou also experienced frost, with mulberry trees and wheat also suffering the same fate.
In May of the year 495 AD, Wuchuan Town experienced frost. In June, Huaisuo Town also suffered frost damage. In July, Dongqinzhou was not spared from this disaster. In August, Hezhou experienced frost, causing all crops to freeze to death.
In April of the year 496 AD, Qizhou was hit by frost again. In May, Hengzhou and Fenzhou experienced frost, causing crops to freeze to death. In July, Binzhou and Qizhou also suffered frost. In the same month, Dunhuang also experienced frost. In the same month, Hengzhou was hit by frost again. In June of the year 497 AD, Anzhou experienced frost.
In March of the year 498 AD, Binzhou suffered several consecutive frosts. In April, Dunhuang suffered frost once more. In August, Hezhou experienced frost once more.
In March of the year 499 AD, there was frost in Qizhou and Binzhou. That same month, Bingzhou also experienced frost. In April, there was frost in Dunhuang.
In April of the year 501 AD, there was frost in Wuzhou Town.
In March of the year 504 AD, all eight states in Henan experienced frost.
In July of the year 505 AD, both Henan and eleven northern states encountered frost. These ongoing frost disasters left countless people displaced and families shattered!
The "Hongfan Lun" says: Thunder is the yang energy, clouds are the yin energy. Thunder only occurs when there are clouds, just like how a monarch needs ministers. Thunder relies on clouds, and monarchs rely on ministers; this illustrates the principle of yin-yang harmony. Therefore, if there is thunder without clouds, it means the monarch is alone without subjects.
In the first year of Xianzu Huangxing, in July, thunder occurred in the northeast direction without clouds, and it is an ominous sign!
In the second year of July, there was a sound similar to thunder coming from the northeast direction. This sound sent people into a panic.
In the first year of Yanzong Yanchang, on Jiyoushen in February, a sound came from the northeast direction, moving towards the south, sounding dull like thunder, and stopped after two sounds.
Strange events followed. In the fourth year of Taiyan, on Xinyou in October, a sound like a giant drum came from the north and moved towards the northwest.
The "Hongfan Lun" also says: Yang energy governs for 183 days, yin energy also governs for 183 days; thunder sounds come out of the earth for 183 days, then go back into the earth for 183 days, and come out again; this reflects natural law. Therefore, if thunder sounds normal, all things will be peaceful; if thunder sounds abnormal, all things will suffer. Just like a country, if the monarch thrives, the country thrives; if the monarch suffers, the country suffers. Thunder happening at inappropriate times is against common sense.
In the first year of Shizu Shen, on Jiyoushen in October, it rained, and there was thunder and lightning.
In the third year of Taiyan, on Guichou in October, there was thunder.
On Dinghai in the eleventh month of the fourth year, there was thunder.
In the third year of Tahe, on Gengxu in November, there was thunder and rain in Yuzhou.
On Wushen, there was a heavy thunderstorm in Yuzhou, with three inches of water pooling on the ground.
On Wuxu in the tenth month of the fourth year, there was thunder.
On Xinsi in the eleventh month of the seventh year, there was thunder and lightning in Youzhou, and the city was bathed in red light.
In the eleventh month of the second year of Shizong Jingming, on the Xinmao day, there was thunder in Liangzhou that echoed seven times. In the twelfth month of the third year, on the Jisi day, there was thunder in the evening that echoed nine times. In the eleventh month of the first year of Zhengshi, on the Jiayin day, there was thunder and lightning in Qinzhou, Qizhou, Jingzhou, and Shuozhou. In the first month of the first year of Suzong's reign, there was thunder. As recorded in the "Spring and Autumn Annals," the temple of Duke Yi was struck by lightning. Zuo Qiuming said that the Zhan family must have hidden something. Liu Xiang believed that Duke Yi was a hereditary grand officer, and this was a divine warning: do not allow hereditary grand officers to accumulate power. In the sixth year of Taizu Tianci, in the fourth month, the east wing of the Tian'an Hall was struck by lightning. The emperor was very angry and ordered the east and west wings of the hall to be demolished with battering rams. As a result, the emperor soon met a violent end. In the second year of Xianzu Huangxing, in the eleventh month at night, there was a flurry of thunder and lightning. In the third year of Gaozu Taihe, on the Wuwu day in the fifth month, the south roof of the East Temple's central gate was struck by lightning. Ban Gu once said: If those in power do not show tolerance and generosity towards their subordinates, they cannot become wise and virtuous rulers. A person's looks, words, observations, and listening are all driven by their heart. If there are problems in these four aspects, confusion and disaster will follow. In the year 478 AD, on the Gengzi day in the first month, there was a rain of soil in Luoyang, like mist. The sight was truly striking. In the year 508 AD, in the eleventh month of Bingxu, the sky was shrouded in dust mist for six days without dispersing, and by the night of Jiazi, it was so thick it resembled smoke, making it hard to breathe. This wasn't just any fog; it was a disaster.
In the second month of the year 503 AD, a yellow mist appeared in Qinzhou, covering the ground with dust rain. In the eighth month of the same year, the air was murky everywhere, making it impossible to see your hand in front of your face. In the eighth month of the year 504 AD, Liangzhou also experienced dust rain, similar to the situation in Qinzhou. On a night in the first month of 479 AD, mist filled the air, initially black, but later turned red, which felt eerie. In the first month of the year 480 AD, dust mist covered the sky, blocking out the sun. In the ninth month of the same year, black mist enveloped the area, making it impossible to see one's fingers. In the second month of the year 506 AD, a yellow mist covered the sky, making everything invisible. At that time, Gao Zhao enjoyed favor because he was a relative of the emperor, and his brothers were also ennobled as marquises, enjoying the same glory as the Five Marquises of the Han Dynasty.
Ancient people believed that these abnormal weather phenomena were signs of warning from heaven. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu both believed that the lack of frost in winter and the fact that plants didn't wither were unusual. Jing Fang said in the "Book of Changes Commentary" that extreme summer heat could be deadly, but in winter, all things could grow lushly. This indicated abnormal weather and foretold of bad things to come. In the month of August in the year 480 AD, the fruit trees in the Hualin Garden bloomed, which was totally out of season! In August of the year 495 AD, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan also bloomed, which was just as strange. In September of the year 499 AD, a man named Qi Yuan in Youzhou had his mulberry trees bear fruit, but they all fell off overnight, and the flowers and leaves came back, bringing back a spring-like scene in just seven days. In November of the year 504 AD, the peach and plum trees in the Dongqing River County of Qizhou also bloomed. In the leap tenth month of the year 508 AD, the apple trees in the capital also bloomed, which was just plain chaotic! The "Hong Fan Zhuan" said: if a ruler abandons the law, alienates his loyal ministers, kills the crown prince, and makes a concubine his wife, then the fire won't burn properly, meaning that the fire loses its nature and becomes a disaster.
In the spring of 495 AD, a great fire broke out in Feiru, and almost all the official and civilian houses were burned down; only the Buddha statues and the buildings of two temples in the east and west were spared. In May of 498 AD, the marshes in Qin County, Henei spontaneously ignited, the fire intensified and spread over a hundred paces, taking five days to extinguish. In March of 501 AD, the ancestral hall in Hengyue was engulfed in flames. In May of 520 AD, the Goudu Forbidden City also caught fire. In the summer of 527 AD, the ground beneath Qiuxian County in Youzhou caught fire. In the spring of 528 AD, a massive fire broke out in Yingzhou, destroying over three thousand homes. These disasters kept coming, truly terrifying.
In February of 482 AD, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire. At that time, many claimed to have seen the pagoda soaring into the East Sea. The pagoda in Yongning Temple enshrined sacred Buddha statues, and people felt this was a warning from heaven: if Yongning Temple faced disaster, the Wei Dynasty would surely be in turmoil. The spirits returning to the sea signaled the rise of the Qi Dynasty.
In March, the south gate of Sanji Temple in Bingzhou also caught fire. In the autumn of 534 AD, the East Gate of Changhe in Ye City caught fire. In the winter of 547 AD, an underground fire ignited in the North Mountain of Xiheshan in Fenzhou, with hot air billowing up to the surface.
On the night of the first month of 552 AD, a black cloud appeared in the southeastern sky, measuring one zhang wide and ten zhang long. This was seen as a sign of impending conflict. Indeed, in the second month, Murong Ke led a rebellion in Beiping. In the first month of 553 AD, black clouds loomed over the Jishui area of the Yellow River, stretching several li wide, casting a darkness as deep as night. Soon after, Dongyang City was breached.
In the year 557, in September, on the day of Ji Mao, black mist spread in all directions. On the day of Jia Chen in September, Yangzhou defeated the general Zhang Xiao of Xiao Yan and beheaded two thousand enemies. In the year 558, on the night of Ding Wei in November, three columns of white mist emerged from the ground that quickly transformed into yellow and red, illuminating the earth. In the year 564, on the day of Ding Si in September, during the evening, a red mist appeared in the northwest, stretching twenty zhang long and eight to nine feet wide, disappearing shortly after.
In the year 565, on the day of Bing Shen in March, red mist appeared in the sky, lasting from the hour of Mao to the hour of Xu. In the year 566, on the day of Xin Wei in November, red mist appeared in the northwest, reaching the horizon, resembling firelight. While the capital did not witness it, Liangzhou did. In the year 568, on the night of Jia Chen in September, red mist resembling flames appeared in the northwest, extending over a match's length from east to west. This signaled an impending rebellion in Beizhen. In the year 570, on the day of Gui You at the hour of Shen in May, red mist appeared in the north, extending to the horizon from east to west, resembling flames.
In the year 576, on the day of Ji Chou in November, a fog-like red mist appeared, extending diagonally from the southwestern corner of the Xiangyang Hall to the corridor, about one zhang high, anchoring to the ground like a scarlet silk curtain, persisting from the hour of Wu to the hour of Xu without disappearing. The emperor saw it and was deeply disturbed, ultimately encountering a violent death. In the year 533, on the day of Ji Hai at the hour of Xu in January, red mist appeared in the east, measuring over three zhang in length, disappearing three hours later.
On a certain day in June of the third year of Yong'an, at the hour of Shen, green gas appeared in the Chen area, about four feet wide, adjacent to the mountain on the east, extending in the northwest direction, reaching halfway up into the air. In the northwest direction, black, red, and yellow clouds appeared, resembling mountain peaks, with green gas about four feet wide extending southeast, also reaching halfway up into the air, with the two streams of gas connecting in the sky. The gas in the southeast dissipated first, followed by the gas in the northwest. All of this foreshadowed the emperor's imminent passing.
Ban Gu said: Night demons are described as the simultaneous appearance of clouds and wind, creating an illusion of ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it can lead to the emergence of pests like moths.
In the first year of Zhengshi, on the Yisi day of the sixth month, the sky was as dark as night. On the Jiachen day of the eighth month, the daytime was just as dark as night.
Liu Xin said: If one's appearance is not proper, it lacks dignity. When the upper class is arrogant and the lower class resorts to violence, negative energy will prevail, floods will destroy crops, food will be scarce, and evil will cause chaos; these are the worst signs. Another saying is that when the common people are punished frequently, their appearance becomes ugly. Ban Gu believed that when livestock suffer disasters, it signals serious calamities; when people suffer disasters, it is called "zhuān zhuān," describing a sickly appearance, indicating deep calamities.
In the third year of Yongxing, a bone, over a foot long, shaped like a sheep's horn, grew under the throat of a person named Wu Lanhui.
In the sixteenth year of Taihe, in May, Minister Li Chong reported that in Wujixian County, Zhongshan Prefecture, Li Banhu's daughter grew nine hairs under her right thumb nail on the twentieth day of the ninth month last year, and by the twentieth day of the tenth month, it had reached one foot two inches.
On the Jiwei day in the eleventh month of the second year of Xiping, the report from the province of Bingzhou stated that Han Sengzhen's daughter Lingji was born from her mother's right rib. Empress Dowager Ling ordered her to be taken to the imperial courtyard.
On the Wuxu day in the fifth month of the first year of Zhengguang, giant footprints appeared in Nanyanzhou's Xiacai County, taking seven steps, with the footprints measuring one foot eight inches long and seven and a half inches wide.
In the autumn of the third year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong County gave birth to four sets of twins, resulting in a total of sixteen boys.
On the Dingmao day in the eleventh month of the third year of Yong'an, a family in the capital gave birth to a child with one head, two torsos, four arms, four legs, and three ears.
On the Yihai day in the eleventh month of the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the Buddhist monk Daodeng went to the Shizhong Province together. After sunset, at the time of the sixth watch, they saw a ghost wearing yellow pleated trousers standing at the door trying to come in. The emperor thought it was a person and shouted at it, and it retreated. When asked, everyone else claimed they hadn't seen it; only the emperor and Daodeng did.
In the tenth month of the second year of Huangxing, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, resulting in the deaths of fourteen to fifteen thousand people.
In April of the third year of Yongping, a severe plague broke out in the two counties of Changling in Pingyang, and from January to April, a total of two thousand seven hundred thirty people died. This is truly heartbreaking! In the sixth month of the nineteenth year of Taihe, reports from Xuzhou stated that a statue measuring eight zhang in height was sweating profusely; that's just too strange! During the years of Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi, the golden statue of Dingguang in the Pingteng Temple of the capital also sweated multiple times, and each time it coincided with national disasters, causing people to see it as an ominous sign, which led to great fear. In the second month of the third year of Yong'an, two bronze statues appeared in the homes of the common people in the capital, each over a foot long; one had four white hairs growing under its chin, while the other had a black hair growing on its cheek—this is really odd! The "Hongfan Lun" states: "Dragons are scale creatures, born in water. Clouds also symbolize water; when yin energy is strong, they are sure to appear. If a ruler violates human ethics and disrupts the heavenly way, there will surely be calamities of usurpation and murder." In the third month of the third year of Shenzong, two white dragons appeared in a well in the capital. In the second month of the sixth year of Zhenjun, another white dragon appeared in a well in the capital. Dragons are divine beings, yet trapped in a well; this signals Shenzong's untimely death! In the first year of the reign of Suzong, in the eighth month, a black dragon resembling a dog appeared, running from the south to Xuan Yang Gate, leaping suddenly and darting through the gate. This signals the decline of the Wei dynasty! In the second year of the reign of Emperor Zhuang, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang and lingered for a long time, foretelling Emperor Zhuang's sudden death in Jinyang.
In the first year of the former Emperor Pu Tai, in the fourth month on the Jia Yin day, traces of a dragon were seen departing from the west side of Xuan Yang Gate and then returning to the city. The next day, on the Yi Mao day, the ministers gathered to congratulate the emperor, who remarked: "If the country is to prosper, we should heed the opinions of the people; if it is to perish, we must listen to the guidance of the divine. However, both the ruler and the subjects must exercise self-discipline in governance and should not rely solely on these auspicious signs for celebration." The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "The horse is a symbol of military might; there will be matters of banditry and aggression, hence the horse is a portent." In the second year of Emperor Su's Xi Ping era, in the eleventh month on the Xin Wei day, a foal was sent from Hengzhou. Its tail was fleshy and a foot long, but it had no hair on its rear. In the first year of the Zheng Guang era, in September, the official horses from Wo Ye Town had worms in their ears, resulting in the death of fourteen or fifteen horses. The worms looked like cicadas, measuring less than five inches and as thick as chopsticks.
The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "The 'I Ching' says 'Kun is the cow'; Kun means earth. When the earth's energy is chaotic, strange phenomena will appear with cows, which is called cow disaster. This signifies the imminent decline of the ancestral shrine. Another interpretation suggests that busy transportation can also lead to disasters with cows." In the second year of Emperor Shi Zong's Jing Ming era, in May, Ji Province reported that in Chang Le County, a cow gave birth to a calf with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears. This is really strange!
The "Hong Fan Lun" states: If the emperor is not wise, it will lead to political errors. In the twenty-third year of Emperor Gao Zu's Tai He era, in March, Si Province reported that in Yang Qu County, a lamb was born with two bodies, one male and one female, three ears, and eight legs. Not long after, Emperor Gao Zu passed away, and the six regents started to seize power.
In July of the first year of Emperor Shi Zong's Zheng Shi era, Shan Shan Town sent a lamb with two bodies and eight legs. The following year, in the first month, Shan Shan Town sent another lamb with eight legs. In May of the fourth year of the Yan Chang era, Bo Gu Lu Town reported a lamb with six legs and two tails.
Jing Fang said in "Zhuangzi": All monsters of various kinds that have many legs are evil because they are employed by evil people. Jing Fang said in "Yijing": Monsters refer to pigs with human heads and pig bodies, where chaos and destruction will ensue.
In the first year of the Yanxing reign of Emperor Gaozu, in September, it was reported that in Yuzhou, the Governor Wang Rang reported the birth of a piglet with two bodies and eight legs, born of a pig with a human head.
In the fourth year of the Jingming reign of Emperor Shizong, in September, a report from Liangzhou stated that a dog and a pig had mated.
In the fourth year of the Zhengshi reign, in August, a piglet with four ears and eight legs was born in the capital city.
In the fourth year of the Yanchang reign, in July, it was reported in Xuzhou that a piglet with a human-like face, a bun on its head, and no hair was born in Yangping Barracks, foreshadowing the imminent downfall of the Empress Dowager and the young monarch.
In the "Hongfan Lun," it is said that Jing Fang stated in "Zhuangzi": A chicken represents a subject; horns symbolize weapons, and on top, they represent the authority of the king. This suggests that when subjects hold power and exploit the king's authority for disorder, it is a disaster of poor governance.
In the first year of the Taihe reign of Emperor Gaozu, in May, it was reported that there were two hens in the capital with horn-like crowns, unlike other chickens. At that time, the Empress Dowager Wenming was in power, and this was a sign of her trusting villains and favoring flatterers.
In the first year of the Zhengshi reign of Emperor Shizong, in April, a chick with four legs and four wings was reported in Henan, as documented in the "Cui Guang Zhuan."
In August, it was reported in Sizhou that a chicken in Henan had an additional head near its tail, with a mouth and eyes. Both heads grew from the neck, each with two wings and two legs walking side by side. This was a sign of Emperor Shizong's increasing trust in villains and the prevalence of flatterers in politics.
In the fourth year of the Yanchang reign, in December, it was reported in Luozhou that the yellow hen belonging to Wei Xing Prefect Chang Jiao developed a fleshy horn on its head, the size of a jujube, one inch and three fen long, with fluffy hair one and a half inches long.
In January 466, in the Lan family, both the rooster and hen grew two horns, their feathers were disheveled, and the horns were even raised high above the comb. At that time, Empress Ling was in power, holding all the authority.
The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "The punishment for lack of sight and hearing." This ancient text does not need translation; everyone can understand its meaning.
In November 471, a white owl was captured in the capital. This creature is probably extinct now.
On a day in August 477, a bald owl was surprisingly caught in the palace. This bird is probably just as rare.
In April 484, someone brought a strange duck with one head, two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. What kind of creature is this?
In March 489, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Appointments and was then caught in the palace. This pheasant was quite bold.
The "Hong Fan Lun" also says: "Harsh punishments exploit the lower classes; gluttony without end leads to mobilization; taking cities and governing towns while losing the people's hearts will result in harm from insects." This ancient text is the same; everyone can reflect on it.
In July 475, a locust plague occurred in the Dunhuang region, and nearly all the autumn crops were eaten up.
In July 476, Qingzhou and Yongzhou also suffered from the plague of locusts, with crops that yielded nothing. In August, the seven states of Xuzhou, East Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as the four towns of Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang’a, and Linji, all faced locust plagues.
In April of the year 477 AD, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou were hit by locust plagues. In March of the year 478 AD, Jizhou, Zhou (this character is repeated, likely a typo in the original text), and Xiangzhou were plagued by locusts. In April, seven states including Jizhou, Qingzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou were struck by locust swarms. On a certain day in June, Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Qingzhou, and Qingzhou were invaded by locusts. On a certain day in October of the year 486 AD, the Fuhan region also suffered from a locust disaster, resulting in significant crop losses.
In May of the year 491 AD, six states including Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, and South Qingzhou were plagued by locusts. On a certain day in March of the year 494 AD, Hezhou experienced a large-scale caterpillar disaster, resulting in no harvest of wheat grains. In May, Qingzhou was plagued by locusts. In June, Hezhou experienced a major locust disaster. In July, Donglai County was plagued by locusts. In June of the year 495 AD, Xiaozhou and Sizhou suffered from locust disasters. In April of the year 498 AD, Qingzhou experienced a caterpillar disaster, with all the flowers of the jujube trees devoured. In August, Jingzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou, and Hengnong County in Sizhou were overrun by locusts, rats, and other pests.
On a certain day in June of the year 500 AD, Liangzhou experienced a locust disaster. In May of the year 504 AD, Qingzhou was once again plagued by caterpillars damaging the jujube flowers. These waves of disasters are truly headache-inducing.
In July, locust disasters swept through the capital city; the sight was absolutely horrific! In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Qingzhou also suffered from locust disasters, with two-thirds of the crops in the fields being eaten, leading to devastating losses!
In the first year of Xiping, in June, the four states of Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou suffered from locust disasters again; what a string of misfortunes this has been! In the first year of Tian'an, in June, a strange sight appeared in Yanzhou: a battle between black ants and red ants, spanning sixty steps in length and just four inches wide. The red ants were utterly wiped out, their heads bitten clean off! 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 envoys to surrender, and the court sent Wei Yuan to accept them, defeating the rebel general Zhou Kai and others.
In the seventh month of the tenth year of Taihe, the deputy of Bingzhou, Zhang Wanshou, reported that in Jianxing Huoze County, there was a commoner named Jia Richeng who, in April, while raising silkworms, discovered that the silk had woven into a curtain, inside which was rolled up something like a ribbon, four feet long, three inches wide, thin, with two yellow cocoons on top, shaped like footprints.
In the second year of Zhengshi, in March, an incident occurred in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured people, with over one hundred and ten people injured and over twenty people dead; this was too frightening!
Ancient people called these strange phenomena, such as caterpillar infestations, "changing the norm to be different." During Emperor Taizu's reign, a large tiger appeared in Henan, lying by the river for three months before leaving. The following year, a large number of ants and white deer crossed the Yellow River. The year after that, the Yellow River even turned blood red! This was seen as an omen of the Wei Chen clan's downfall. Later, Emperor Taizu threw all the members of the Wei Chen clan into the Yellow River, and the place became calm.
In the first month of Yuanxiang, a wolf ran into the city and was caught in the Keshi area. In the twelfth month of Wuding, a leopard was caught on the Copper Jue Platform in the north city.
In the fifth month of the first year of Taihe, a fox demon came out to cut people's hair. Empress Dowager Wenming was in court at the time; this was a clear sign that the court was unstable!
In the spring of the second year of the Xiping era, strange occurrences of fox spirits cutting people's hair began to take place in the capital, instilling great fear in everyone. On the Renchen day in June, Empress Ling summoned those whose hair had been cut and ordered Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, to whip them outside the Qianqiu Gate, just as it had during the Taihe era.
The ancient text "Ruitu" states: If local nobility, governors, and county officials oppress the people cruelly, leading to widespread grievances, white mice will appear.
In the third year of Yongxing, in February, a man named Zhao Wen in the capital discovered a white mouse in his house and presented it to the court. In the spring of the same year, a white mouse was also caught in the Northern Garden, but it soon died. Upon dissection, three small white mice were found in its stomach.
In a certain year in March, the emperor visited the West Palace for leisure and caught a small white mouse.
In August, Zhang An, who managed the palace affairs, also caught a small white mouse.
In the second year of Shenrui, in May, the emperor went hunting at Kelong Mountain and caught yet another small white mouse; in Pingcheng, three were caught in a single catch! In June, two more were caught in Pingcheng.
In August, Wang Kui of Yuzhang also caught a small white mouse.
In November of the first year of the Taichang era, someone in the capital caught a small white mouse and presented it to the emperor.
In June of the next year, two small white mice were caught in the Zhongshan region.
In March of the third year, yet another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In November, another small white mouse was captured in the capital.
In August of the third year of Shizu Shiguang, another small white mouse was caught in Weijun, located near Xiangzhou.
In August of the first year of Taiyan, someone from Yanmen presented a small white mouse.
In August of the twenty-third year of the Gaozu Taihe era, another small white mouse was captured in the capital.
In May of the fourth year of Shizong Jingming, another small white mouse was captured in the capital.
In June of the first year of Zhengshi, another small white mouse was captured in the capital.
In April of the first year of Suzong Xiping, a report from Sizhou indicated that a small white mouse had been caught and sent to the capital.
