Ban Gu said, strange phenomena occur at night because clouds and wind appear together, causing the sky and earth darken, so it appears similar to ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it will breed pests such as moths.
In the XX year (specific year calculated based on the Zhengshi first year), on a day in June, it was as dark as night. On a day in August, it was dark during the day as well.
Liu Xin said, improper behavior is a lack of seriousness. The upper class oppresses the lower class, and the lower class is cruel to the common people, leading to the prevalence of yin energy, water disasters damaging crops, shortages of food and clothing, and evil deeds, resulting in very bad consequences. Another explanation is that because the people endure numerous punishments, their appearance is ugly. Ban Gu believed that the appearance of strange phenomena on livestock signals impending disasters, while strange phenomena appearing on humans indicate serious illnesses.
In the XX year (specific year calculated based on the Yongxing third year), in the Wulan throat area, someone grew bones on their body resembling sheep horns, over a foot long.
In the XX year (specific year calculated based on the Taihe sixteenth year), in May, the Shangshu Li Chong reported that Li Banhu's daughter from Wuji County, Zhongshan Prefecture in Dingzhou, grew nine hairs under her right thumb nail on September 20th last year, which had grown to one foot and two inches by October 20th.
In the XX year (specific year calculated based on the Xiping second year), on a day in November, the report from Binzhou indicated 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.
In the XX year (specific year calculated based on the Zhengguang first year), on a day in May, huge footprints appeared in Nanyanzhou, Xiacai County, with a total of seven steps, each step being one foot eight inches long and seven inches wide.
In the XX year (specific year calculated based on the Yanxing third year), in autumn, a woman in Xiurong Prefecture gave birth to four boys, bringing her total to sixteen boys.
In the XX year (specific year calculated based on the Yong'an third year), on a day in November, a family in the capital gave birth to a child with one head, two torsos, four arms, four legs, and three ears.
In the year XX (specific year calculated based on the 16th year of Taihe), on a certain day in November, Emperor Gaozu and Shaman Daodeng went to the Shizhong Hall together. After sunset, around the sixth hour of the night, they saw a ghost wearing yellow clothes and pants standing at the door wanting to come in. The Emperor thought it was a person, so he shouted at it, and it retreated. The Emperor asked the people around, and everyone said they didn't see anything; only the Emperor and Daodeng saw it.
In April of the year XX (calculated based on the 2nd year of Huangxing), a plague broke out in Yuzhou, and around 140,000 to 150,000 people died.
In April of the year XX (calculated based on the 3rd year of Yongping), there was a major plague in Chang and Xiangling counties in Pingyang. From January to April, 2,730 people died.
In the year XX (specific year calculated based on the 19th year of Taihe), in June, reports from Xuzhou stated that a bronze statue, standing eight feet tall, was sweating.
During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi periods, the Dinguang golden statue at the Pingdeng Temple in the capital sweated on several occasions. When major events occurred in the country, the golden statue would sweat. People at that time were very scared and believed it was an ominous sign.
In the second month of the third year of Yong'an, two bronze statues were seen in the homes of common people in Beijing. Each statue was over a foot tall; one had four white hairs under its chin, and the other had a black hair next to its cheek.
These were no ordinary bronze statues! The "Hongfan Lun" says: Dragons are scaly animals that live in water. Clouds are also symbols of water, with heavy yin energy, so the appearance of a dragon indicates that something major is about to happen. If the Emperor does not follow human ethics and disturbs the heavenly order, then there will definitely be calamities such as being overthrown and killed.
In the third month of the third year of Shizu Shen, two white dragons were seen in the wells of common people's homes in Beijing.
On the bingchen day in the second month of the sixth year of Zhenjun, another white dragon appeared in the wells of common people's homes in Beijing. Dragons are divine beings, but being trapped in a well signifies the violent death of Shizu!
In the first year of the Zhengguang era under Emperor Sui Zong, in August, a black dragon resembling a dog appeared and ran from the south to the Xuan Yang Gate, then jumped up and ran out from under the gate tower. This was an omen of the Wei Dynasty's decline!
In the second year of the Yong'an era of Emperor Zhuang, a dragon appeared in a well in Jin Yang and stayed there for a long time. This was a sign of Emperor Zhuang's untimely death in Jin Yang!
On the Jia Yin day in April of the first year of the Pu Tai era of the former Emperor, dragon traces emerged from the west side of the Xuan Yang Gate and then re-entered the city. On the Yi Mao day, the ministers gathered to offer their congratulations, and the emperor said, "If the country is to prosper, listen to the people's opinions; if the country is to perish, listen to the will of heaven. However, we must all practice self-restraint and govern the country responsibly, not just rely on these auspicious signs to celebrate."
The "Hong Fan Lun" says: Horses symbolize war, and the appearance of strange phenomena with horses is an ominous sign of an invasion by foreign enemies.
In the second year of the Xi Ping era of Sui Zong, on the day of Xin Wei in November, a foal was sent from Hengzhou, with a tail a foot long but no hair on its rear end.
In the first year of the Zhengguang era, in September, bugs infested the ears of the official horses in Wo Ye Town, and fourteen or fifteen horses died. These bugs resembled locusts, less than five inches long, and as thick as chopsticks.
The "Hong Fan Lun" quotes the "Book of Changes" as saying, "Kun is represented by cattle." Kun represents earth, and when the earth's energy is chaotic, strange phenomena with cattle will occur, referred to as cattle disasters. This indicates that the ancestral temple is about to be destroyed. Another theory is that busy transportation can also lead to disasters with cattle.
In the second year of the Jingming era of Shi Zong, in May, Ji Zhou reported that a cow in Changle County gave birth to a calf with one head, two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears.
The "Hong Fan Lun" says: When the emperor is not wise, misrule can result in these strange phenomena occurring.
In the twenty-third year of the Taihe era of Gao Zu, in March, Si Zhou reported that a sheep in Yang Qu County gave birth to a lamb with one head, two bodies (one female and one male), three ears, and eight legs. Shortly after, Gao Zu died, and six courtiers took control.
In July of the first year of the Zhengshi era, a lamb was sent from Shanshan Town. It had one head but two bodies and eight legs. A few years prior, another eight-legged sheep was sent from Shanshan. After a few years, in May of the fourth year of Yanchang, reports came from Bogu that a lamb with six legs and two tails had been discovered. This was alarming, as Jing Fang noted in the "Chuan": "Any strange creature with an unusual appearance and many legs is an omen of evil!" He also mentioned in the "Yijing": "If a pig gives birth to a pig with a human head, that place will descend into chaos and the country will fall!" In September of the first year of Yanxing, someone reported that in Yuzhou, the governor Wang Rang had a sow which gave birth to a piglet with one head, two bodies, and eight legs! In September of the fourth year of Jingming, reports from Liangzhou indicated that a dog and a pig had mated! In August of the fourth year of Zhengshi, in the capital, a sow gave birth to a piglet with one head, four ears, two bodies, and eight legs! In July of the fourth year of Yanchang, reports came from Xuzhou that a pig in Yangping Guard had given birth to a piglet with a human-like head, a fleshy lump on its forehead, and no fur on its body. This was seen as an omen of the downfall of Empress Ling and her young emperor! The "Hongfan Lun" mentions that Jing Fang also stated in the "Chuan": "A chick is like a small minister; horns symbolize weapons, and if they grow above, it represents the majesty of the ruler. When this small minister uses the ruler's authority to create chaos, it becomes an irreparable disaster!" In May of the first year of Taihe, someone reported that in the capital, there were two hens with combs that looked like horns, unlike other chickens. At that time, Empress Wen was in power and favored petty officials, which indeed proved to be true! In April of the first year of Zhengshi, there was a chick in Henan with four legs and four wings. This is also documented in "The Biography of Cui Guang."
In August, the report from Sizhou mentioned that a family in Hanoi raised a small chicken with an extra head on its rear, with eyes and a mouth. Both heads grew from the neck, each having two wings and two legs walking in parallel. At that time, Emperor Shizong favored villains, and there were many factions and evil men involved in politics, which indeed came true!
In December of the fourth year of Yanchang, the report from Luozhou stated that the yellow hen of Prefect Wei Xing at Chang Jiao's home had a meat horn on its head as big as a jujube, measuring one inch and three-tenths, with hair an inch and a half long on the horn.
In January of the first year of Zhengguang, the roosters and hens at the home of General Lan Dou, the Tiger Elite, all grew two horns on their heads, with mixed colors of hair, standing taller than a rooster's comb. At that time, Empress Dowager Ling ruled the court.
The "Hongfan Lun" says: This is a punishment for not being able to see clearly and hear clearly!
In November of the third year of Taichang, a white owl was caught in the capital.
In August of the second year of Zhengguang, a bald buzzard was caught in the palace.
In April 487 AD, someone brought a strange dead duck with one head but two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails! This is quite a rare occurrence!
In March 488 AD, a male pheasant actually flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was caught in the palace. This is quite a rare occurrence!
The "Hongfan Lun" says: "If punishments are too harsh, it only breeds resentment among the people; if greed is insatiable, it will only lead to endless wars; if one focuses solely on building cities while ignoring the people's needs, then disasters will inevitably follow." This statement is really reasonable!
In July 490 AD, a locust plague occurred in the Dunhuang area, and almost all the crops in autumn were eaten up.
In July of the year 491, both Qingzhou and Yongzhou suffered damage as locusts destroyed the crops. In August, the seven states: Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as the four towns of Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were all affected by locust disasters. In April of 492, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou experienced locust disasters. In March of 493, the crops in Jizhou, and another unspecified state, and Xiangzhou were eaten by locusts. In April, locusts appeared in Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. On Yisi day in June, the crops in Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou were once again plagued by locusts.
On Guisi day in October of the year 496, the Fohan region also faced a locust disaster, resulting in a total crop failure.
In May of the year 500, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were affected by locusts. On Rengwu day in March of 503, Hezhou experienced a severe locust disaster, resulting in a complete failure of wheat and barley crops. In May, the crops in Guangzhou were once again eaten by locusts. In June, Hezhou experienced a large-scale locust disaster. In July, the crops in Donglai County were also destroyed by locusts.
In June of the year 504, both Shazhou and Sizhou experienced locust disasters. In April of 507, Qingzhou experienced a locust outbreak, where all the flowers on jujube trees were devoured. In August, Jingzhou saw yellow rats, locusts, and bandworms; Hezhou experienced locusts and bandworms, and Liangzhou and Sizhou Hengnong County also saw locusts, all grappling with severe insect infestations.
On Jisi day in June of the year 507, Liangzhou experienced a locust disaster. In May of 510, the flowers of jujube trees in Qingzhou were once again eaten by locusts. In July, locusts appeared in the capital, and locust disasters broke out in various places. In August, two-thirds of the crops in Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou were eaten by locusts, leading to devastating losses!
In June of the year 512, the four provinces of Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Nanquzhou suffered from the invasion of locusts, which was truly a series of disasters!
In June of the year 466, a battle occurred between black ants and red ants in Yanzhou, with the battlefield stretching sixty steps long and four inches wide. The red ants were completely annihilated, with their bodies strewn across the battlefield. Liu Yu, the governor of Yanzhou, sent envoys to the court to surrender, and the court appointed General Wei Yuan to take over, decisively defeating the rebel leaders Zhou Kai and others.
In July of the year 476, Zhang Wanshou, the governor of Bingzhou, reported that a citizen named Jia Richeng from Huoze County in Jianxing discovered that while raising silkworms in April, the silk had woven into a curtain, inside which was rolled up something that looked like a ribbon, four feet long and three inches wide, thin, and attached to two yellow silkworm cocoons shaped like footprints.
In March of the year 480, an incident occurred in Xuzhou where silkworm moths harmed people, injuring more than one hundred ten and resulting in twenty-two deaths.
These insect plagues are certainly unusual signs.
During the reign of Emperor Taizu, a massive tiger showed up 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. A year later, the waters of the Yellow River turned a deep blood red. These
In the spring of 478 AD, the occurrence of fox spirits cutting people's hair appeared in the capital, causing great fear among the populace. On a certain day in June, Empress Ling summoned all those whose hair had been cut and ordered Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, to whip them outside the Qianqiu Gate, mirroring the events of 477 AD.
The "Ruitu" states: if local princes, governors, and second-rank officials, as well as county magistrates, cruelly oppress the common people, leading to widespread grievances, white mice will appear.
In February 479 AD, a white mouse appeared in the home of Zhao Wen, a resident of the capital, and he presented the mouse to the court. That spring, a white mouse was caught in the North Garden, but it died shortly after. After dissecting it, three small white mice were found in its belly.
In March 479 AD, the emperor visited the West Palace for leisure and caught a white mouse. In August of the same year, a resident of the imperial household named Zhang An caught a white mouse.
In May 480 AD, while hunting in Kelu Mountain, the emperor caught a white mouse, and Pingcheng caught three more. In June, Pingcheng caught two more white mice.
In August, Prince Yuzhang caught a white mouse. Sounds pretty extraordinary, doesn’t it?
In November of the first year of Taichang, someone in Beijing caught a white mouse and presented it to the court. This was indeed a good omen, but we can only guess how people felt about it. Then, in June of the second year, two white mice were caught near Zhongshan. In March of the third year, another white mouse appeared in Beijing. In November of the same year, yet another white mouse appeared in the capital. The frequency of these white mice sightings was really quite high.
In August of the third year of the Shizu Shiguang era, a white rat was caught in Wei County, Xiangzhou. Why do white rats seem to be appearing all over the country? In August of the first year of Taiyan, another white rat was presented at Yanmen Pass. In August of the twenty-third year of the Tahe era, another white rat was caught in Beijing. In May of the fourth year of the Jingming era, another white rat showed up in Beijing. In June of the first year of Zhengshi, yet another white rat was caught in Beijing. In April of the first year of the Xiping era, the Sizhou region even sent a white rat to the court.
The series of white rats appearing one after another is truly surprising! I wonder if the ancients would have seen any special significance in these sightings?
