Ban Gu said, if an emperor does not treat his subjects generously, he cannot be considered a wise ruler. A person's appearance, speech, eyes, and listening skills all need to be carefully observed. If any of these four aspects are problematic, the person will be confused and ignorant, leading to disasters.
Next, let's take a look at some strange historical celestial phenomena records. In the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Taizong of Song in January, there was a rain of dust in Luoyang, similar to fog. In the twelfth year of Emperor Gaozu of Song in November, the sky was shrouded in dust fog for six days, especially dense on Jiazi night, causing discomfort to people's noses. In the third year of Emperor Shizong of Song in February, there was yellow fog in Qinzhou, covering the ground with dust rain. In August of the same year, the air was turbid everywhere, and nothing could be seen clearly. In the eighth month of the fourth year, Liangzhou also experienced dust rain, similar to fog. In the second year of Zhengshi in January, the night of Jichou was filled with dark fog, which later turned red. In the third year of Zhengshi in January, there was dust fog again. In September, black fog covered the sky. In the first year of Yanchang in February, yellow fog covered the sky. At that time, Gao Zhao was favored because he was a noble relative, and his brothers were all appointed as marquises, just like the five marquises of the Han Dynasty.
Ancient people believed that abnormal weather was a warning from heaven. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed that the lack of frost in winter and the fact that grass and trees did not wither were seen as abnormal. Jing Fang in the "Yi Zhuan" said: intense summer heat can be deadly, and only when all things grow and mature can winter come. In the eighth month of the fifth year of Emperor Shizong, the fruit trees in Hualin Garden bloomed. In the eighth month of the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan also bloomed. In the first year of Chengming in September, the fruit of the Du tree in the home of Qi Yuan in Youzhou grew well, but suddenly all fell off, and then the flowers and leaves grew back within seven days, just like spring. In the fourth year of Jingming in November, the peach and plum trees in Dongqinghe County, Qizhou, bloomed. In the fourth year of Yanchang in the leap tenth month of Xinhai, the pear trees in the capital also bloomed.
The "Hong Fan Zhuan" states: If the emperor abandons the laws, excludes loyal officials, kills the crown prince, and elevates a concubine to empress, then a fire will occur. This means that fire has lost its nature and turned into a disaster. In the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Gaozong, in the spring of March, a great fire broke out in Fei Ru, burning almost all the houses of both the officials and the common people, with only the statues in the two temples on the east and west sides, as well as the buildings housing them, remaining unburned. In the eighth year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, on Wu Yin day in May, the marshes in Qin County, Hanoi, spontaneously caught fire, and the flames gradually spread over a distance of more than a hundred steps, extinguished only after five days. In the first year of Emperor Shizong's reign, on Yi Si day in March, the ancestral hall at Hengyue caught fire. In the first year of Emperor Suzong's reign, in May, the Gou Dun area also caught fire. In the summer of the second year of Emperor Xiaochang's reign, a fire broke out underground in Qiu County, Youzhou. In the third year, a massive fire broke out in Yingzhou City, destroying over three thousand homes. Oh, how tragic! In the third year of Yongxi, in February, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire. Afterward, people claimed they saw the pagoda flying into the East Sea. The Yongning Pagoda, after all, is a place dedicated to the deities, and this heavenly intention seems to indicate: Yongning has suffered a disaster, and the Wei state is also in danger. The Bohai Sea was originally the fief of King Xian of Qi, and the deities returning to the sea is a sign of Qi state's impending prosperity! In March, the southern gate of the Sanji Temple in Bingzhou also caught fire. These fires happening one after another are truly alarming. In the autumn of the fourth year of Tianping, the eastern gate of Changhe in Ye City caught fire. In the winter of the third year of Wuding, a fire suddenly broke out at the foot of the West River in Fen Prefecture, with smoke billowing upward. The thought of this underground fire is terrifying. On the night of the first month of the second year of Shiguang, black gas appeared in the southeast direction of the sky, a width of one zhang and a length of ten zhang. This signaled that war was imminent. As expected, in February, Murong Kesi rebelled in Beiping. In the first month of the third year of the reign of Emperor Huangxing, black gas appeared above the Yellow River and Jishui, several li wide, obscuring Dongyang City, as dark as it was at night. After that, Dongyang City collapsed. That black gas was truly terrifying to behold.
In the third year of Jingming, in the ninth month of Jimao, black mist spread everywhere. On the Jia Chen day, Yangzhou defeated Xiao Yan's general Zhang Xiao, beheading two thousand. This black mist seems to be an ominous sign!
In the second year of Taihe, in the eleventh month of Dingwei night, three streams of white mist emerged from the ground, transforming into a yellowish-red hue, illuminating the earth. This sight is truly extraordinary.
In the sixteenth year, in the ninth month of Dingsi, in the evening, red mist appeared in the northwest, twenty zhang long and eight to nine feet wide, disappearing soon after.
In the first year of Yanchang, in the third month of Bingshen, red mist appeared in the sky from the hour of Mao to the hour of Xu.
In the first year of Zhengguang, in the eleventh month of Xinwei, red mist shot up into the sky like flames in the northwest. The capital did not see it, but it was seen in Liangzhou. This red mist had a considerable reach.
In the third year, in the ninth month of Jiachen night, flame-like red mist appeared in the northwest, stretching more than a few miles from east to west. This is a sign that Beizhen will rebel!
In the fifth year, in the fifth month of Guiyou, red mist appeared in the north, spanning the sky from east to west, like flames.
In the third year of Yong'an, in the eleventh month of Jichou, red mist-like air appeared, extending diagonally from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Palace steps to the corridor, about one zhang high, connecting to the ground like a crimson veil, not disappearing from the hour of Wei to the hour of Xu. The emperor found it quite unsettling, and disaster ultimately followed. This red mist seems inauspicious!
In the third year of Tianping, in the first month of Jihai, red mist appeared in the east, about three zhang long, disappearing after three hours.
In the third year of Yong'an, on a certain day in the sixth month at the hour of Shen (3 to 5 pm), a blue gas appeared in the sky, about four feet wide, starting from the east side of the mountain and extending northwest, stopping only in mid-air. At the same time, a cloud of black, red, and yellow mixed colors appeared in the northwest, resembling a mountain peak, with a four-foot wide blue gas at the top, extending southeast and stopping in mid-air. These two gases met in mid-air, with the southeast gas dispersing first, followed by the northwest gas disappearing. These all signal the emperor's impending demise!
Ban Gu said: The night demon refers to the appearance of clouds and wind together, making it seem dark and obscure, thus resembling ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it can lead to a massive breeding of pests like armyworms and locusts. One day in June of the first year of Zhengshi, it was as dark as night. On a certain day in August, it was also as dark as night during the day.
Liu Xin said: If a ruler is not dignified, it is called not being austere. If those in higher positions are disrespectful to those below them and are tyrannical and lawless, then the yin forces will prevail, leading to floods that damage crops, resulting in insufficient food and clothing, and causing chaos with rising crime and wickedness, making it the worst omen. There is also a saying that the common people suffer many punishments, which makes their faces ugly. Ban Gu believed that when livestock suffer disasters, it is called "calamity," indicating that the disaster is severe; if the disaster befalls people, it is called "zhuanzhuan," describing a sickly appearance, indicating that the disaster is grave.
In the third year of Yongxing, someone in the Ulanhou area developed a bone on their body, shaped like a sheep's horn, more than a foot long.
In the sixteenth year of Taihe, in May, the Minister of Documents Li Chong reported that: "The daughter of Li Banhui from Wujixian, Zhongshan Prefecture, Dingzhou, grew nine hairs under her right thumb nail on September 20 last year, which had grown to twelve inches in length by October 20."
On a certain day in November of the second year of Xiping, it was reported from Bingzhou that Han Sengzhen's daughter Ling Ji was born from her mother's right side. Empress Dowager Ling ordered her to be sent to the Yeting Palace.
On a certain day in May of the first year of Zhengguang, huge footprints were found in Xiacaijun, Nanyan Prefecture, totaling seven steps, each measuring one foot eight inches long and seven inches five tenths wide.
In the autumn of the third year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong County gave birth to four boys, totaling four births, resulting in a total of sixteen boys.
On a certain day in November 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 a certain day in November of the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the monk Daodeng went to the Shizhong Palace together. After sunset, around the sixth watch of the night (between nine and eleven o'clock), they saw a ghost wearing yellow clothes and pants standing at the door, seemingly wanting to enter. The emperor thought it was a person and scolded it before driving it away. The emperor asked the people around him, and everyone said they didn't see it; only the emperor and Daodeng saw it. In October of the second year of Huangxing, there was an epidemic in Yuzhou, and between fourteen and fifteen thousand people died. In April of the third year of Yongping, there was a severe epidemic in Changling County in Pingyang. From January to April, two thousand seven hundred and thirty people died, which was truly frightening! 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 quite bizarre! During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi years, the golden statue of Dingguang at Pingdeng Temple in the capital also sweated several times. Every time this happened, the country would encounter misfortunes. At that time, everyone thought it was an ominous sign and was very afraid. In February of the third year of Yong'an, two bronze statues appeared in the homes of ordinary people in the capital. Each statue was over a foot long. One of the statues had four white hairs growing under its chin, and the other had a black hair growing on its cheek. This was equally odd! The "Hongfan Lun" states: "Dragons are scale insects that arise from water. Clouds are also a symbol of water. When yin energy is strong, such images will manifest. If the ruler defies human ethics and disrupts the heavenly principles, there will be disasters of usurpation and murder."
In the third year of the reign of Shizu Shen, in the third month, two white dragons were spotted in a well in the capital! In the sixth year of Zhenjun, in the second month of Bingchen, another white dragon appeared in a well in the capital! Dragons, being divine creatures, were trapped in the well; these were all ominous signs of Shizu's violent death! In the first year of the reign of Sui Zong Zhengguang, in August, a black dragon that looked like a dog appeared, running from the south to Xuan Yang Men, leaping suddenly and running out through the gate tower! This was a sign of the impending decline of the Wei Dynasty! In the second year of Zhuangdi Yong'an, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang, lingering there for a long time, which ultimately led to Zhuangdi's violent death in Jinyang, truly fulfilling the prophecy! In the first year of Qianfeidi Putai, in the fourth month of Jiayin, traces of a dragon went out from the west side of Xuan Yang Men and returned to the city. The next day, on Yimao, the ministers came to offer their congratulations, but the emperor replied, "If the nation is to prosper, it must heed the voice of the people; if it is to fall, it must heed the will of the gods. We, the rulers and ministers, must govern ourselves and the country, and this may not necessarily be true!" In the "Hongfan Lun," it is said, "The horse is a symbol of war, and when there is a war, horses become strange." In the second year of the reign of Sui Zong Xiping, in November, a horse foal was sent from Hengzhou, its tail fleshy and measuring a foot long, yet it had no hair on its hindquarters! In the first year of Zhengguang, in September, many horses in Woye Town were infested with bugs that burrowed into their ears, causing the death of fourteen or fifteen horses. The bugs resembled maggots, measuring no longer than five inches and as thick as chopsticks. The "Hongfan Lun" also states: The "Book of Changes" says "Kun is the ox," and when the earth is in chaos, strange phenomena will occur with oxen, known as ox calamities. This foretells the destruction of ancestral temples, which some attribute to increased transportation activity. In the second year of Jingming, in May, it was reported from Jizhou that a cow in Changle County had given birth to a calf with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears—truly a bizarre occurrence! The "Hongfan Lun" states: If the emperor lacks wisdom, it will inevitably lead to political errors.
In the twenty-third year of the Taihe era of Emperor Gaozu, in March, Shanzhou reported a lamb being born in Yangqu County, with one head, two bodies, one male and one female, three ears, and eight legs. Not long after, Emperor Gaozu passed away, and the six regents seized power.
In the first year of the Zhengshi era of Emperor Shizong, in July, Shanshan Town sent another lamb, which had one head, two bodies, and eight legs.
In the second year, in January, Shanshan Town sent another lamb with eight legs.
In the fourth year of the Yanchang era, in May, Bogulü Town reported that a lamb appeared with one head, six legs, and two tails.
Jing Fang stated in the "Zhuan": All monsters and aberrations, particularly those with many legs, arise from improper appointments. Jing Fang also said in the "Yijing": Monsters such as a pig with a human head and pig body will lead to chaos and destruction in that place.
In the first year of the Yanxing era of Emperor Gaozu, in September, the relevant authorities reported that the governor of Yuzhou, Duke Wang Rang of Linhuai, submitted a memorial stating that a pig had given birth to a piglet with one head, two bodies, and eight legs.
In the fourth year of the Jingming era of Emperor Shizong, in September, Liangzhou reported that a dog and a pig had mated.
In the eighth month of the fourth year of the Zhengshi era, in the capital, a pig gave birth to a piglet with four ears, two bodies, and eight legs.
In the seventh month of the fourth year of the Yanchang era, Xuzhou reported a piglet born in Yangping Fortress, with a head like a human, a flesh bun on top, and no hair on its body. This was seen as a sign that Empress Ling and the young ruler were on the verge of being overthrown.
According to the "Hongfan Lun," Jing Fang remarked in the "Zhuan": Chicks and small livestock are like minor officials; horns are symbols of weapons, growing on top, representing the majesty of the king. This indicates that if minor officials grasp the king's authority, they will cause turmoil, which is a disaster of poor governance.
In the first year of the Taihe era of Emperor Gaozu, in May, the relevant authorities reported that two hens appeared in the capital, with combs resembling horns, different from other chickens. At that time, Empress Wen was in power, and this was a sign of her heavy reliance on petty people and trust in treacherous individuals.
In the first year of the Zhengshi era of Emperor Shizong, in April, a chick with four legs and four wings appeared in Henan. This event was documented in the "Choi Guang Zhuan."
In August, Sizhous reported that in Hanoi, there was a family that raised chicks which grew an extra head near its tail, complete with a beak and eyes on the extra head. Both heads sprouted a pair of wings from the back of the neck, and the two legs walked side by side. This is a sign that Emperor Sejong trusted petty officials too much, had many factions, and that corrupt officials were meddling in politics.
In December of the fourth year of Yanchang, Luozhou reported that a yellow hen belonging to Governor Wei Xing, Chang Jiao, had a fleshy horn the size of a jujube on its head, measuring one and three-tenths inches long, with fluffy feathers growing on the horn, measuring one and a half inches long.
In January 520 AD, two chickens raised by General Lan Dou both had two horns on their heads, with mixed feather colors that stood taller than a comb. At that time, Empress Ling held absolute power.
The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "Punishment comes to those who do not see clearly and do not hear wisely." This means that if the ruler fails to understand the situation and does not heed advice, they will face punishment.
In November 533 AD, a white owl was captured in the capital. In August 521 AD, a bald eagle was caught in the palace. In April 500 AD, a strange duck was sent to the capital, which had one head, two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. In March 506 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was captured in the hall.
The "Hong Fan Lun" also states: "Harsh punishments benefit the lower classes; insatiable greed leads to military actions; seizing land to build cities while losing the people's support will invite pestilence." This means that if the ruler abuses punishment for personal gain, is greedy, and frequently raises armies to seize land and build cities while losing the people's support, it will lead to a plague of pests.
In July of the year 500 AD, a locust plague broke out in the Dunhuang region, and almost all the autumn crops were eaten. In July of 501 AD, the locusts in Qingzhou and Yongzhou ravaged the crops. In August, seven states including Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as four towns including Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were afflicted by locust plagues. In April of 502 AD, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou were hit by locust plagues. In March of 503 AD, the locusts in Jizhou, Zhou, and Xiangzhou became a serious problem. In April, locust plagues occurred in seven states including Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. In June, Hezhou experienced severe locust plagues. In October of 516 AD, a locust plague also occurred in the Fohan region, and there was no harvest of crops.
In May of 504 AD, locusts in Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou became a disaster. In March of 507 AD, a large-scale caterpillar disaster occurred in Hezhou, and there was no harvest of wheat. In May, locusts in Guangzhou caused harm. In June, locust plagues were severe in Hezhou. In July, locusts ravaged Donglai County. In June of 508 AD, locust plagues occurred in Xiaozhou and Sizhou. In April of 511 AD, locusts destroyed jujube flowers in Qingzhou. In August, Jingzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou, and Sizhou Hengnong County were invaded by various pests such as yellow rats, locusts, and cutworms. In June of 509 AD, locust plagues occurred in Liangzhou. In May of 512 AD, locusts destroyed jujube flowers in Qingzhou again.
In July, locust disasters swept through the capital; the sight was truly devastating! In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou also suffered from locust plagues, with two-thirds of the crops in the fields consumed, resulting in significant losses for the farmers!
In the first year of Xiping, in June, the four regions of Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were all struck by a locust plague, resulting in no harvest of crops. In the first year of Tian'an, in June, there was a great battle between black ants and red ants in Yanzhou, with a battlefield that measured sixty steps long and four inches wide. The red ants were completely defeated, with all their heads bitten off. The black ants took the north, while the red ants held the south. In the same year, in November, the governor of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, sent envoys to the court to surrender, and the court appointed General Wuyuan to receive them, defeating the enemy general Zhou Kai and others.
In the seventh month of the tenth year of Taihe, Zhang Wanshou, the magistrate of Bingzhou, reported that Jia Riche from Jianning Huoze County had raised silkworms since mid-April and discovered they had woven a curtain, inside which was wrapped something resembling a ribbon, four feet long and three inches wide, thin, with two yellow silk cocoons on top, shaped like footprints.
In the second year of Zhengshi, in March, there was an incident in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured people, with over 110 people injured and 22 fatalities. Just thinking about it is terrifying!
The calamity of these caterpillars signifies some unusual phenomena that foreshadow ominous events. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, a tiger appeared in Henan and stayed by the river for three months before leaving. The following year, a large number of ants and white deer crossed the Yellow River. Another year later, the river actually turned blood red! These were all omens of the impending doom of the Wei Chen clan. Later, the Emperor Taizu ordered the execution of the Wei Chen clan and threw their bodies into the river, after which the place finally calmed down.
In the first month of the Yuanxiang era, a wolf ran into the city and was captured at Keshi. In the twelfth month of Wuding, a leopard was caught on the Bronze Jue Terrace in the north city.
In May of the first year of Taihe, a fox demon came out to cut people's hair. At that time, Empress Wenxuan was presiding over the court, where many decisions were inappropriate, which were all bad omens!
In the spring of the second year of Xiping, strange occurrences began in the capital involving fox demons cutting people's hair, causing widespread fear. On the Renchen day in June, Empress Ling summoned everyone whose hair had been cut and ordered Liu Teng, the Wei Yi of Chongxun, to whip them outside Qianqiu Gate, which mirrored events from the Taihe era.
According to the "Ruitu," if local princes, governors, second-rank officials, and county magistrates oppress the people cruelly, causing widespread grievances, white mice will emerge.
In February of the third year of Yongxing, a white mouse was found in the home of Zhao Wen, a resident of the capital, and he presented it to the imperial court. In the spring of that year, another white mouse was caught in the North Garden, but it died shortly afterward. Upon dissection, three small white mice were discovered inside it.
In a certain year in March, the Emperor went to the Western Palace for leisure and caught a small white mouse. In August, Zhang An, the palace logistics manager, also caught a small white mouse.
In May of the second year of Shenrui, the Emperor went hunting on Kelun Mountain and caught yet another small white mouse; in Pingcheng, three were caught at once! In June, two additional ones were caught in Pingcheng. In August, Wang Kui of Yuzhang also caught a small white mouse.
In November of the first year of Taichang, a resident of the capital caught a small white mouse and presented it to the Emperor. In June of the following year, two small white mice were captured in the Zhongshan region.
In March of the third year of Taichang, yet another small white mouse was caught in the capital. In November, another was also caught in the capital.
In August of the third year of Shiguang, during Emperor Shizu's reign, a small white mouse was caught in Weijun, in the province of Xiangzhou. In August of the first year of Taiyan, a person from Yanmen presented a small white mouse.
In August of the twenty-third year of Taihe, during Emperor Gaozu's reign, another small white mouse was caught in the capital. In May of the fourth year of Jingming, during Emperor Shizong's reign, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In June of the first year of Zhengshi, yet another small white mouse was caught in the capital. In April of the first year of Xiping, during Emperor Suzong's reign, reports from Sizhou indicated that a small white mouse had been caught and sent.
