In the "Book of Hong Fan," it states: The earth's Yin energy is like a great minister; it should remain still and not act recklessly. If it moves, it means that the subordinate forces have become strong and are about to rebel, which is a sign of trouble ahead.
In the year 460 AD (the fourth year of Taichang of the Northern Wei Dynasty), on a February day, there was an earthquake in Sizhou, with houses shaking violently, scaring people.
In the year 462 AD (the second year of Taiyan of the Northern Wei Dynasty), on a November day, there was also an earthquake in Binzhou. In the year 464 AD (the fourth year of Taiyan of the Northern Wei Dynasty), on a March day, our capital was shaken. On a November day, Youzhou and Yanzhou experienced a series of earthquakes. In the year 465 AD (the first year of Zhenjun of the Northern Wei Emperor Wen Cheng), on a May day, the Hedong region was affected.
In the year 474 AD (the fourth year of Yanxing of the Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowen), in May, a sudden roar like thunder came from the west, ringing more than ten times, and as soon as the sound stopped, the earthquake came. On a day in October, the capital was struck by yet another earthquake. In the year 475 AD (the first year of Taihe of the Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowen), on an April day, the capital was struck by another earthquake. In May, Tongwan Town was also struck by an earthquake, with a continuous rumble. In the intercalary month, Qinzhou was also struck by an earthquake, filling people with panic. In the year 479 AD (the fourth year of Taihe of the Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowen), in January, the leader of the Di tribe, Qiman Wang, rebelled in Yongzhou.
In the year 480 AD, on an unspecified day in February, there was an earthquake in Yanzhou. In the year 482 AD, in October, Huan Fu from Lanling rebelled and even killed the county magistrate. On one particular day in October, there was another earthquake in Bingzhou, accompanied by noises. In the year 483 AD, on an unspecified day in March, there was an earthquake in Pingzhou, rumbling, scaring even the wild chickens into calling out. On one day in July, the capital was shaken again. In February of the same year, the monk Faxiu plotted a rebellion. In the year 484 AD, on an unspecified day in May, there was an earthquake in Qinzhou. On one day in June, there was another earthquake in Qinzhou, which also rumbled. That night, there was another tremor. In the year 485 AD, on an unspecified day in March, there was an earthquake in Qinzhou, accompanied by noises. On one day in April, there was an earthquake in Sizhou, which also rumbled. On one day in June, there was an earthquake in Dongyongzhou, similarly accompanied by noises. In the year 487 AD, on an unspecified day in November, there was an earthquake in Bingzhou. In the year 488 AD, on an unspecified day in January, there was an earthquake in Bingzhou, causing widespread panic. In the intercalary month, there was another earthquake in Qinzhou. On one day in February, there was an earthquake in the capital, and that night there was another tremor. On that same day, there was also an earthquake in Qinzhou, accompanied by noises. On one day in March, both the capital and Yingzhou experienced earthquakes. In the year 491 AD, in March, Liang Zhongbao of the Central Secretariat conspired to rebel. In the year 499 AD, on an unspecified day in February, there was an earthquake in Guangzhou, and five places in the Yuchiu Mountain of Mouping in Donglai collapsed, with one of them even bubbling up water. In the year 500 AD, on an unspecified day in January, there was an earthquake in Bingzhou. On one day in April, there was an earthquake in Yingzhou. In December, Mu Tai, the governor of Hengzhou, and others conspired to rebel within the province and were ultimately killed. In the year 502 AD, on an unspecified day in March, there was an earthquake in Yingzhou. On one day in August, there was an earthquake in Yanzhou. On one day in September, there was an earthquake in Bingzhou. In the year 503 AD, on one day in June, there was an earthquake in the capital.
On the 6th day of the 6th month in 477 AD, an earthquake occurred in Qinzhou. Four years later, on the 1st of January in 481 AD, Liangzhou also experienced an earthquake. Then, an earthquake struck Andingzhou. In the same year, earthquakes struck Qinzhou again on the 10th of June and the 12th of December. In January of 482 AD, the people of Qinzhou, led by Wang Zhi and his followers, gathered two thousand people and declared themselves rulers, later electing Lv Gou'er, the chief scribe of Qinzhou, as their leader.
On the 4th day of the 4th month in 478 AD, the capital, Luoyang, experienced an earthquake. In the 6th month, on the day of Yisi, the capital was hit by another earthquake. In September of 479 AD, Hengzhou was struck by an earthquake. In July of 482 AD, an earthquake occurred in Liangzhou, with a thunderous noise that caused the city gates to collapse. On the 8th of August, Qinzhou experienced an earthquake. In September, Cao Ming, the chief historian of Xiazhou, rebelled.
On the 8th of January in 483 AD, Qinzhou was hit by another earthquake. Three years later, in the 2nd month of 486 AD, Shaolin monk Liu Guangxiu rebelled in Taizhou. On the 9th day of the 9th month, Qingzhou was struck by an earthquake that sounded like thunder. On the 9th of January in 484 AD, Qingzhou was hit by another earthquake. On the 10th of May in 486 AD, Hengzhou and Dingzhou both experienced earthquakes that sounded like thunder. On the 5th day of the 10th month, Hengzhou experienced another earthquake that sounded like thunder.
In the year 488, on the Gengchen day in April, an earthquake occurred in the capital and the six states of Bing, Shuo, Xiang, Ji, Ding, and Ying. The earthquakes in the regions of Fanjiao, Sanggan, and Lingqiu in Hengzhou, as well as in Xiurong and Yanmeng in Sizhou, led to ground fissures and landslides, with springs erupting, resulting in 5,310 deaths, 2,722 injuries, and over 3,000 livestock casualties. Following this, Er Zhu Rong launched a campaign, leveraging his considerable power. On the Renshen day in October, an earthquake struck Qinzhou, with a loud rumble. On the Jiyou day in November, earthquakes occurred in Dingzhou and Sizhou. On the Xinwei day in December, an earthquake shook the capital, with the noise originating from the northeast. In the year 489, on the Jiwuwei day in March, an earthquake occurred in Jizhou, accompanied by a rumbling sound. On the Bingshu day in a certain month, an earthquake struck the capital. In the year 490, on the Xinhai day in the first month, officials reported: "Sizhou has reported that Fucheng in Xiurong County has been trembling continuously since the earthquake in the second year of Yanchang." This occurred during Er Zhu Rong's campaign as well. On the Guichou day in the first month of 490, an earthquake occurred in Huazhou. On the Jiawu day in November, an earthquake came from the northwest, with a loud rumble; on the Dingyou day, another earthquake came from the northeast.
In the year 506, on the Yisi day in December, an earthquake struck Qinzhou, accompanied by a rumbling sound. In the year 507, in June, an earthquake occurred in Qinzhou, with a loud rumble and shaking coming from the northeast. In the year 510, Mo Zhe Niansheng led a rebellion.
In the year 366, an earthquake occurred in Xuzhou. In the year 398, Yuan Fasi rebelled.
In the winter of 403, an earthquake also happened in Bingzhou. In the summer of 407, numerous areas in Bingzhou were struck by earthquakes. The "Hongfan Lun" states: Mountains represent Yang, symbolizing the ruler; water represents Yin, symbolizing the people. Heaven warns that if the ruler's authority crumbles, the people will lose their safe haven.
In the spring of 427, in March, Mount Heng gave way. On the Jiyou day in April of 434, Mount Hua also collapsed. Diviners said: Mountains correspond to heaven, just as feudal lords rely on the emperor. The crumbling of mountains foreshadows the downfall of feudal lords. This foretold the demise of Juqu Muqian.
In the year 435, on Yichou day in May, Taiyin Mountain in Chishan County, Qizhou collapsed, releasing a large amount of spring water, leading to the deaths of one hundred fifty-nine people. In the year 438, on Dingsi day in November, Hengshan collapsed once more. In the year 439, on Guihai day in November, Hengshan collapsed again. In the year 443, on Xinsi day in August, Yanzhou reported that Taishan had collapsed, and springs erupted in seventeen places. Taishan is the site where emperors worshipped heaven and held grand ceremonies; now, with the mountain collapsing and springs gushing, yang energy is weak while yin energy is strong. Since Taishan is also in the land of Qi, this signifies that a nation will rise to replace the State of Qi and accept the transfer of power. This foreshadowed the State of Wei's attack on the State of Qi.
In Jingfang's "Yizhuan," it states that when people turn against their kin and the highest morality is hidden away, various abnormal phenomena will occur.
In the year 448, on Jiwu day in February, a strong wind swept through the capital. On Jisi day in May, King Murong Bo'er of Changli conspired to rebel and was executed. On Bingwu day in November, a strong wind blew through the capital again. In the year 450, the rebellious Hu people from Hexi, including Cao Long and Zhang Datou, each leading twenty thousand soldiers to invade Puzi.
On Guimao day in the first month of 449, during the Yuanhui festival, a strong wind arose, darkening the skies and forcing the ceremony to stop. In the year 450, on Gengyin day in November, a strong wind blew through the capital, coming from the west. In the year 451, in April, a strong wind blew through the capital. In the year 452, in the first month, a strong wind blew through the capital. In March, the starving Hu people in Hexi rebelled, gathering in Shangdang and elected Bai Yalis as their leader.
On Jiashen day in April 433, a storm swept through the capital, causing palace walls to collapse, resulting in dozens of deaths. In December of 434, a strong wind blew through the capital, kicking up dust and snapping trees. In February of 452, a black whirlwind swept through the capital, blocking out the sun and measuring over five zhang wide. On Gengchen day in April, Juqu Wuhui attacked Zhangye, and Tufa Baozhou was stationed at Shandan Ridge.
On Renwu day in March 461, a strong wind blew through the capital, darkening the skies.
In May 478, a red whirlwind swept through the capital, and this sight was truly frightening!
In July of 479 AD, a fierce wind blew through Wuchuan Town, blowing away the houses of six families and lifting them into the air like sheep's horns, their destination unknown. On Renxu day, a red whirlwind also appeared in Yongzhou. In the year 480 AD, in the sixth month of the Renchen year, a strong wind swept through Xiangzhou from the west, destroying houses and breaking trees. In the year 484 AD, in the fourth month, both Xiangzhou and Yuzhou were hit by a strong wind. In the year 485 AD, in the third month, the three regions of Jizhou, Dingzhou, and Xiangzhou were hit by a violent storm. In the fourth month, the six regions of Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, and Qizhou were hit by a violent storm. In the year 486 AD, in the sixth month of the Gengxu year, Jizhou, Luozhou, Sizhou, Xiangzhou, and the towns of Lingqiu and Guangchang were hit by a violent storm, causing trees to be uprooted. In the year 490 AD, in the fifth month of the Renyin year, the capital was hit by strong winds for several days, especially on Jiachen day, causing houses to be overturned and trees uprooted. In the sixth month of Renshen, the capital experienced another strong wind. In the year 493 AD, on the first day of the seventh month of Dingyou, the capital was hit by strong winds that uprooted trees and overturned houses. In the year 498 AD, in August, from the day of Jiayin to the day of Jiwei, Xuzhou experienced continuous strong winds, causing trees to be blown down. During the intercalary month of Gengshen, Hezhou was hit by a violent storm, along with heavy rain and hail. In the year 496 AD, in the second month of Guisi, Youzhou was hit by a violent storm, leading to the deaths of 161 people. In the intercalary month of Jiawu in the year 498 AD, the capital was hit by strong winds that uprooted trees, overturned houses, and even broke the gates of Changhe. In September of Bingchen, Youzhou, Qizhou, Liangzhou, and Dongqinzhou were hit by violent storms, plunging the area into darkness, uprooting trees, and flipping houses. In the year 499 AD, in the third month of the Jiwei year, Hebei, Hedong, Zhengping, and Pingyang in Sizhou faced strong winds, causing trees to fall.
In the year 500 AD, in the seventh month of the Wuchen year, a violent storm swept through Dongqinzhou, uprooting trees and overturning houses. In the year 501 AD, in the second month of the Guimao year, a dark whirlwind swept through, curling upwards like a ram's horn, starting from Rouxuan Town, covering an area of about an acre, and all the trees were blown down. On the Jia Chen day, the wind reached Yingzhou and finally blew into the sea. In the year 503 AD, in the fifth month of the Jiazi year, a strong wind swept through the capital city.
In April 504 AD, a strong wind swept through the capital city, blowing down trees. In the eighth month of the Guihai year, the governor of Jizhou, King You of Jingzhao, instigated a rebellion in Jizhou. In the year 506 AD, in the fifth month of the Jihai year, a strong wind swept through Guangye and Chouchi counties in Nanzhou, overturning houses and uprooting trees. In March 508 AD, a violent storm swept through the capital city from the northwest, blowing down houses and snapping trees.
In September 515 AD, a violent storm struck Yingzhou, accompanied by heavy rain, from Xinyou to Yichou. In the year 520 AD, in the fourth month of the Guiyou year, a violent storm swept through the capital city, accompanied by heavy rain, overturning houses and uprooting trees.
In April 444 AD, Beijing experienced a strong wind.
In May 458 AD, Beijing was struck by yet another violent storm, with such force that trees were blown down, houses were damaged, Changmen gate was blown away, and the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple was snapped. At that time, wars were raging everywhere.
In the summer of 477 AD, heavy rain caused the gates and roofs of Puguang Temple to be blown down.
In March 507 AD, a strong wind swept through the Yingchuan region.
According to "Hongfan Lun," floods are attributed to the mismanagement of rulers and ministers, with excessive accumulation of yin energy leading to water disasters.
In August 508 AD, there was a long period of rain, accompanied by a major earthquake, causing water to overflow from the valleys.
In August 510 AD, the Henan region experienced a flood.
In June 514 AD, Beijing experienced another flood, damaging many households, affecting hundreds of families.
In July 528 AD, Pingzhou experienced a flood.
In April of the year 529, there was a heavy rain in South Yuzhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou.
In July of the year 532, there was a flood in Qingzhou and Yongzhou.
In August, seven states including Xuzhou, East Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as four places: Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, all experienced flooding.
In September of the year 535, there was a flood in South Yuzhou and Shuozhou, resulting in the deaths of more than a thousand people.
In the year 545, there was a heavy rain in Yanzhou and Yuzhou.
In June of the year 546, eight states including Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, South Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, Yanzhou, and East Yuzhou experienced flooding.
In July of the year 551, Qingzhou, Qizhou, South Qingzhou, Guangzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, East Yuzhou, and the Yingchuan and Jijun of Sizhou all experienced flooding, with water depths reaching fifteen feet, and only about thirty to forty percent of households remained unsubmerged.
In March of the year 553, there was a heavy rain in Qingzhou and Xuzhou, causing the seawater to overflow into Leiling and Xiwo County in Qingzhou, sweeping away one hundred fifty-two people.
In July of the year 556, over twenty states experienced flooding.
In the summer of 557, floods occurred in Beijing and across the country.
In May of the year 558, Shouchun experienced flooding.
In June of the year 560, Xuzhou experienced flooding.
In September of the year 561, there were floods in Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Cangzhou.
In the summer of the year 562, there were floods in Dingzhou, Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Xiangzhou.
In the autumn of the year 565, there was a flood in Beijing.
In June of the year 578, Beijing experienced flooding, with river waters overflowing and more than three hundred households being submerged.
In the year 579, Dingzhou, Jizhou, Yingzhou, and Cangzhou experienced flooding.
In the year 582, Cangzhou experienced flooding.
On Renchen day in the twelfth month of Taichang's fifth year, spring water burst forth in Pingcheng.
In the fifth year of Gaozong's reign, in the eleventh month, spring water at Yanmen Pass broke through the stones and surged out.
In the autumn of the first year of Puta's reign, the well in front of the Minister of Works' Taicang overflowed. Someone divined that "this is a sign of the people's migration." As a result, in the tenth month of the first year of Yongxi, the capital was relocated to Ye City.
In the seventh month of Xiaojingdi's fourth year, the well in Taizhou also began to overflow.
In the second month of the first year of Yuanxiang, a dry well southwest of Ye City also began to overflow.
The "Book of Documents" states: when yang energy is overly strong, it results in frost; when yin energy is overly strong, it results in hail. This means that if yang energy is excessive and yin energy is lacking, or if yin energy is excessive and yang energy is insufficient, when yin and yang are out of balance, it will manifest as hail. This is akin to the discord between a minister's advice and a king's wishes.
In the fourth month of the fourth year of Yanxing, on the day of Gengwu, there was a severe hailstorm in Jingzhou that caused serious damage to crops.
In the first month of Chengming, on the day of Xinyou, strong winds and hail struck Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou.
On the day of Gengshen in August, there was a heavy hailstorm in various places in Bingzhou, with hailstones measuring a foot thick, destroying all vegetation and crops.
On the day of Guiwei, there was a severe hailstorm in Dingzhou, which resulted in fatalities, with hailstones measuring two feet in diameter.
In the first year of Jingming, in the sixth month, there was a heavy rain and hailstorm in Yongzhou and Qingzhou, resulting in the deaths of many deer.
On the day of Guiyou in the fifth month of the fourth year, there was a heavy rain and hailstorm in Fenzhou.
On the day of Yisi in the sixth month, there was another heavy rain and hailstorm in Fenzhou, resulting in the death of vegetation, crops, wild chickens, and rabbits.
On the day of Jiaxu in the seventh month, a violent storm with rain and hail started from Fenzhou, passing through Bingzhou, Xiangzhou, Sizhou, and Yanzhou, finally stopping in Xuzhou. This disaster spanned ten miles wide, leaving no vegetation in its path.
On the day of Dingchou in the third month of the second year of Zhengshi, there was a heavy hailstorm in Qizhou and Jizhou, accompanied by rain and snow.
On the day of Gengzi in the fifth month of the third year of Yongping, there was a heavy rain and hailstorm in Nanyin Guangye County, leading to the deaths of numerous birds, animals, and crops.
The "Book of Documents" also states: the heavy rain and snow recorded in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" resemble ordinary rain, only more severe. Rain is yin energy, and snow is also yin energy. Heavy snow indicates a significant accumulation of yin energy. Some say that heavy snow is similar to heavy rain, but due to winter conditions, it falls as snow.
In the second year of Shiguang, in the tenth month, there was a heavy snowfall of several feet.
In the eighth year of Zhenjun, in May, unusual cold snow fell in Beizhen, freezing many people and livestock to death. At that time, the government's rule was extremely harsh. In the fourth year of Taihe, on the first day of the ninth month, a strong wind blew in the capital, and three feet of sleet fell. In the first year of Zhengshi, on the day of Renxu in May, there was heavy rain and snow in Wuchuan Town. On the second day of the second month in the fourth year, a storm swept through Sizhōu and Xiangzhou, bringing heavy rain and snow. On the day of Renshen in September, heavy snow fell. In April 752, there was a heavy snowfall in Rouxuan Town. Jingfang mentioned in the "Yizhuan": "Raising troops to fight and indiscriminately killing the innocent is against the law, and disasters will come as frost; crops will freeze in summer, and wheat will freeze in winter; killing without regard for reason is unkind, and great frost will first appear in summer." This indicates that Heaven is warning us! In July 755, frost fell in Jizhou. This is not a good omen; it seems Heaven is continually giving warnings. In the following years, frost appeared more frequently, as if Heaven was displeased. On the day of Gengchen in July 756, there was a heavy frost that killed all the vegetation. On the day of Yichou in April 757, there was frost again. In July 758, there was heavy frost in Yongzhou, Shuozhou, as well as in Fohan, Tujing, Bogulü, Dunhuang, and Qiu Chi Town, killing all the crops and beans! The scale of this loss is staggering. In April 760, frost fell in Yingchuan County; in March 761, strong winds accompanied by frost struck Sizhou, killing the soybeans; in April 763, frost fell in Yongzhou and Qingzhou; in June, frost fell in Luozhou, Sizhou, Xiangzhou, and in Lingqiu and Guangchang Town of Sizhou. On the day of Yimai in August 768, frost fell in Fenzhou. On the day of Bingzi in April 769, frost fell in Xiazhou, killing all the vegetation; on the day of Dinghai in June, frost fell in Jianxing County, also killing the vegetation; on the day of Yihai in August, strong winds and frost frequently swept through Yongzhou, Bingzhou, Shuozhou, Xiazhou, Fenzhou, and in Zhengping and Pingyang of Sizhou.
It's just one disaster after another! On the Xin Hai day in March 770, frost fell in Qizhou, freezing the mulberry trees and wheat; on the Ren Xu day in March 772, frost fell in Yongzhou, freezing the mulberry trees and wheat; on the same day, Xin Si, frost fell in Qingzhou as well, freezing the mulberry trees and wheat. On the Ren Xu day in May 773, frost was reported in Wuchuan Town; on the Xin Mao day in June, frost was reported in Huaishuo Town; on the Wu Chen day in July, frost fell in Dongqinzhou; on the Geng Zi day in August, frost fell in Hezhou, freezing all the crops. In April 774, frost fell in Qizhou; on the Ren Shen day in May, frost was reported in Hengzhou and Fenzhou, freezing all the crops; on the Xin Si day in July, frost fell in Wenzhou and Qizhou; on the same day, Yi Wei, frost fell in Dunhuang; on the Wu Xu day, frost was reported in Hengzhou; in June 775, frost fell in Anzhou on the Bing Shen day; in March 776, frost frequently hit Wenzhou on Yi Chou day; on the Yi Mao day in April, frost fell in Dunhuang; in August, frost fell in Hezhou. In March 777, frost fell in Qizhou and Wenzhou on the Yi You day; on the Ji Chou day, frost was reported in Bingzhou; on the Wu Wu day in April, frost fell in Dunhuang; in April 778, frost fell in Wuzhou Town on the Xin Hai day. In these years, frost has been frequent and widespread, causing a huge blow to agricultural production; it's really concerning! On a certain day in March 474, eight states in Henan experienced frost. In July 476, frost fell in Henan and eleven states to the north. The "Hong Fan Lun" says: Thunder is Yang, cloud is Yin. There can be thunder only with clouds, and there can be a ruler only with subjects. Thunder attaches to clouds, and the ruler attaches to subjects; this represents the balance of Yin and Yang. Therefore, if there are no clouds but there is thunder, it indicates that the ruler is alone, without subjects. In July 477, there was thunder in the northeast, but no clouds. The following year in July, a sound like thunder arose again in the northeast. On a certain day in February 478, a sound like thunder resounded from the northeast, spreading south, resonating twice before stopping.
In the year 478 AD, on a certain day in October, a booming sound like a great drum came from the north, moving towards the northwest. The "Hongfan Lun" states: Yang energy rules for one hundred eighty-three days, and Yin energy does the same; thunder rises from the earth for one hundred eighty-three days, then enters the earth for one hundred eighty-three days, and then rises again; this is the natural law. Therefore, when thunder sounds normally, all things are at peace; when thunder sounds abnormally, all things suffer. The same applies to the state: when the monarch is at peace, the nation is at peace; when the monarch faces disaster, the nation suffers. When thunder strikes at an inappropriate time, it indicates a problem.
In the year 479 AD, on a certain day in October, it rained, accompanied by thunder and lightning. In the year 481 AD, on a certain day in October, there was thunder, and then there was more in November. In the year 483 AD, on a certain day in November, Yuzhou had a thunderstorm. On another day of the same month, Yuzhou had a heavy thunderstorm, with water pooling three inches deep on flat ground. In the year 484 AD, on a certain day in October, there was thunder. In the year 487 AD, on a certain day in November, Youzhou experienced thunder and lightning, turning the city red. In the year 489 AD, on a certain day in November, Liangzhou had thunder, which sounded seven times. In the year 490 AD, on a certain day in December, there was thunder at night, which sounded nine times. In the year 491 AD, on a certain day in November, Qinzhou, Qizhou, Jingzhou, and Shuozhou all experienced thunder and lightning. In the year 492 AD, on a certain day in the first month, there was thunder.
The "Spring and Autumn Annals" records that the temple of Yibo was damaged by an earthquake, and Zuo Qiuming believed that the Zhan family was hiding something. Liu Xiang believed that Yibo was a hereditary minister, which was a warning from heaven, meaning: do not allow ministers to inherit their positions, as it will lead to tyranny.
In April of the year 496 AD, the east wing of the Tian'an Hall was struck by lightning. The emperor was furious and ordered the destruction of the east and west wings of the hall with a battering ram. Shortly after, the emperor died unexpectedly.
One November night in 478 AD, there was thunder and lightning. On a certain day in May of the year 483 AD, the chiwen on the ridge of the eastern temple's middle gate was hit by lightning.
Ban Gu said that if a leader cannot be tolerant of subordinates, then they cannot become a sage. A leader must carefully consider their appearance, speech, behavior, and listening; if any of these four aspects are lacking, it leads to confusion and ignorance, which can lead to trouble.
In the first month of the year 476 AD, on Gengzi day, a dust storm swept through Luoyang, resembling fog. On Bingxu day in November 506 AD, Luoyang was engulfed in a dust fog that blocked out the sky and sun, continuing for six days without stopping. By the night of Jiazi, it was thick, initially black, then turning red, making it difficult to breathe. On Jichou day in February 503 AD, Qinzhou had yellow fog, and the dust rain blanketed the ground. In August of the same year, on Jiyou day, the air was thick and murky everywhere, and nothing could be seen clearly. On Xinsi day in August 504 AD, Liangzhou also had dust rain, like fog. On Xinchou day in the first month of 507 AD, dust hung in the air everywhere. On Renshen day in September of the same year, a thick black fog spread. On Jiaxu day in February 512 AD, a yellow fog blanketed the sky and sun. At that time, Gao Zhao was favored due to his royal connections; his brothers were all granted the title of marquis, akin to the five marquises of the Han dynasty.
Generally speaking, the weather is typically warm. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed that it was considered unusual for winter to lack frost and for the grass and trees not to wither. In the "I Ching," Jing Fang said: extreme summer heat can be deadly, while winter is when all things can grow and mature. In August 479 AD, the fruit trees in Hualin Garden bloomed. In August 509 AD, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan bloomed. In September 502 AD, the apricot tree fruits at Qi Yuan's home in Youzhou all ripened, but overnight, they all dropped, and then flowers and leaves grew back, returning to a spring-like scene in just seven days. In November 504 AD, the peach and plum trees in Qinghe County of Qizhou bloomed. On Xinhai day in the leap month of October 514 AD, the pear trees in the capital were in bloom. The "Hongfan" says: if laws are disregarded and meritorious officials are sidelined, disasters will follow. This implies that when fire loses its essence, it turns into a disaster.
In the spring of 509 AD, a big fire broke out in Feiru, nearly all the official and civilian buildings were reduced to ashes, and only the Buddha statues and houses in the two temples in the east and west remained unscathed. On the fifth day of the fifth month of 502 AD, the marshes in Qinxian, Hanoi, spontaneously caught fire, the flames gradually spread more than a hundred steps away, and it took five days to extinguish. On the day of Yisi in March of 501 AD, the ancestral hall at Hengyue caught fire. In May of 520 AD, the Forbidden Garden of Goudun caught fire. In the summer of 528 AD, the ground beneath Qiu County in Youzhou caught fire.
In the spring of 512 AD, a big fire broke out in Yingzhou, burning down more than three thousand households; it was truly tragic! In February of the third year of Yongxi, the nine-story high pagoda of Yongning Temple also caught fire! Many claimed to have seen the pagoda soaring into the East Sea. The Yongning Pagoda enshrines Buddha statues; it seemed as if the heavens were warning: if Yongning has trouble, the Wei Kingdom is also in danger! Bohai is the hometown of King Xianwu of Qi, and with the spirits returning to the sea, is this a sign that the Qi Kingdom is going to prosper?
In March, the south gate of the Sanji Temple in Binzhou also caught fire; these disasters just keep coming! In the autumn of the fourth year of Tianping, the east side tower of the Changhe Gate in Ye City also burned. In the winter of the third year of Wuding, the ground in the mountains north of the West River in Fenzhou caught fire on its own, hot air even began to rise; this is really strange! In the first month of the second year of Shiguang, a black gas appeared in the southeast direction in the sky, one zhang wide and ten zhang long! This signals that war is imminent! Sure enough, in the second month, Murong Ke Xilin rebelled in Beiping.
In the first month of the third year of Huangxing, a large black cloud appeared on the other side of the Yellow River in Jishui, several li wide, covering Dongyang City; it was as dark as night! Eventually, Dongyang City fell. In the ninth month of the third year of Jingming, black smoke was everywhere! On the day of Jia Chen, Yangzhou defeated the general Zhang Xiao who belonged to Xiao Yan, and killed two thousand enemies! In the night of the eleventh month of the second year of Taihe, three white gases emerged from the ground, and in a moment turned into yellow and red, shining as brightly as day!
In the sixteenth year of the reign, in September, during the evening, a red light appeared in the northwest direction, about twenty zhang long and eight to nine chi wide, and disappeared after a while. In the first year of Yanchang, in the third month of March, a red light appeared in the sky from the hour of the Rabbit to the hour of the Dog. In the first year of Zhengguang, in the eleventh month of November, a red light in the northwest direction extended all the way to the horizon, like fire! The capital did not see it, but it was seen in Liangzhou. In the third year of September, at night, a red light like flames appeared in the northwest direction, extending more than a mile in the east-west direction. This is an omen of rebellion from Beizhen! In the fifth year of May, at the hour of the Monkey in the year of Gengyou, a red light appeared in the north, extending to the horizon in the east-west direction, like flames. In the third year of Yong'an, in the eleventh month of Jichou, a mist-like red light appeared, extending diagonally from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Palace steps to the corridor, about a yard high, and extending all the way to the ground, like a red curtain. It did not disappear from the hour of Wei to the hour of Xu. The emperor was furious upon seeing it, and ultimately met a violent end. In the third year of Tianping, in the first month of the Jihaixu hour, a red light appeared in the east, approximately three zhang long, and disappeared after a meal. In the third year of Yong'an, on a certain day in June, at the hour of Shen (3-5 pm), a blue mist appeared in the direction of Chen, about four feet wide, adjacent to the east side of the mountain, extending northwestward, disappearing only when it reached halfway into the air. At the same time, black, red, and yellow clouds appeared in the Xu direction in the northwest, resembling mountain peaks, with a four-foot wide blue mist at the top, extending southeastward until it disappeared halfway into the air. The two mists converged in midair, with the southeastern mist dissipating first, followed by the northwestern mist disappearing. These are all ominous signs that the emperor is nearing his end! Ban Gu noted: Night demons are the eerie manifestation of clouds and wind together, appearing eerie and terrifying, similar to ordinary wind phenomena. When the weather is warm and windy, it will breed pests such as moths. In the first year of Zhengshi, on a certain day in June, the sky was pitch black. On a certain day in August, the day was also as dark as night.
Liu Xin said: If the monarch is not dignified, it indicates a lack of seriousness. If the emperor is rude and brutal to the people, then negative energy will prevail, leading to water disasters that destroy crops, and the people suffering from hunger and poverty, with evil people rising to create chaos; this is a very bad omen. Some people also say that this is because the people suffer many punishments, leading to their ugly appearance. Ban Gu believes that harm to livestock is called "disaster," indicating that the disaster is very serious; if harm comes to the human body, it is called "zhuàn zhuàn," indicating a severe illness.
In the third year of Yongxing, a bone was discovered in Ulanhao, shaped like a sheep's horn and over a foot long.
In May of the sixteenth year of Taihe, the Shangshu Li Chong reported: "Li Banhu's daughter from Wujixian County, Zhongshan Prefecture, developed nine hairs under her right thumbnail on September 20th last year, and by October 20th, they had grown to a foot and two inches long."
On a day in November of the second year of Xiping, it was reported by Bingzhou that Han Sengzhen's daughter, Lingji, was born from her mother's right side. Empress Dowager Ling ordered her to be sent to the Yeting Palace.
On a day in May of the first year of Zhengguang, huge footprints were found in Nanyanzhou, Xiacai County, totaling seven steps, each step being one foot eight inches long and seven inches wide.
In the autumn of the third year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong County gave birth to sixteen boys after four pregnancies.
On a 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 day in November of the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the monk Dao Deng went to the Shizhong Palace together. At sunset, around six o'clock in the evening, they saw a ghost wearing a yellow shirt and pants standing at the door wanting to come in. The emperor thought it was a person and scolded it, causing it to retreat. The emperor asked the people around, and everyone claimed they hadn't seen it; only the emperor and Dao Deng did.
In October of the second year of Huangxing, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, resulting in the deaths of approximately fourteen to fifteen thousand people.
In April of the third year of Yongping, there was a major epidemic in the two counties of Changling in Pingyang. From the first month to the fourth month, 2,730 people died. That's truly terrifying—so many lives lost!
In the nineteenth year of Taihe, in the sixth month, it was reported in Xuzhou that a bronze statue eight feet high was sweating! This is quite bizarre; a bronze statue sweating is not a good omen! During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi periods, the golden statue of Dingguang in Pingdeng Temple in the capital also sweated several times, and each time, significant events unfolded in the country. People at that time were very scared and believed it was an ominous sign. In the third year of Yong'an, in February, two bronze statues appeared in the common households in the capital. Each statue was over a foot long, with one having four white hairs under its chin, and the other having a black hair on its cheek.
The "Hongfan Lun" says: "The dragon is a creature with scales, born in water. Clouds are also a symbol of water; when the yin energy is strong, these phenomena may manifest. If the emperor does not abide by moral principles and violates the will of heaven, there will certainly be disasters of usurpation and killing." This book states that the dragon is an aquatic creature, and clouds are also a symbol of water. When the yin energy is strong, these phenomena may manifest. If the emperor does not abide by moral principles and violates the will of heaven, there will certainly be disasters of usurpation and killing.
In the third month of the third year of Shizu, 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 creatures, but appearing in wells is a sign of the emperor's violent death! This is quite ominous; with white dragons appearing one after another, it seems that the emperor is in trouble.
In the first year of the Zhengguang period of Suzong, in August, a black dragon-like creature appeared, running from the south to Xuanyang Gate, jumping through the gate tower and running out. This signals the dynasty's decline! The emergence of this black dragon fills people with dread.
In the second year of Zhuangdi Yong'an, a well dragon appeared in Jinyang and stayed there for a long time. This foreshadows Emperor Zhuangdi's violent demise in Jinyang! With the dragon staying in the well for so long, it seems that the emperor's fate is not good!
In the first year of the deposed Emperor Pūtài, on the day of Jiayin in April, a dragon's trace was seen leaving from the west side of Xuānyáng Gate and then returning to the city. The next day, on Yǐmǎo, the ministers came to offer their congratulations to the emperor, who remarked, "For a nation to thrive, it must listen to the people's voices; for a nation to fall, it must heed the will of heaven. However, both rulers and subjects must exercise self-discipline and govern wisely, rather than relying solely on these auspicious signs for celebration." The emperor's words were quite reasonable; one cannot only look at these omens but must rely on their own efforts.
The "Hóngfàn Lùn" states: "Horses symbolize military power; when unusual signs appear, it indicates potential marauders." The text indicates that horses represent the army, and if horses exhibit unusual behavior, it foreshadows war.
In the second year of Emperor Sùzōng's Xīpíng, in November, a horse foal was sent from Héngzhōu, with a plump tail measuring a foot long, but it had no hair on its rear.
In the first year of Zhèngguāng, in September, the official horses from Wòyě Town contracted a worm infestation, leading to the deaths of fourteen or fifteen horses. These worms resemble earthworms, measuring less than five inches long and as thick as chopsticks.
The "Hóngfàn Lùn" states: "The 'Yìjīng' says 'Kūn is the cow'; Kūn represents the land. If the vitality of the land is chaotic, cows will exhibit strange phenomena, referred to as 'cow calamity.' This foreshadows the destruction of ancestral temples or accidents involving cows due to busy transportation."
In the second year of Emperor Shìzōng's Jǐngmíng, in May, Jìzhōu reported that a cow in Chánglè County gave birth to a calf with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears. This was exceedingly peculiar; the cow was remarkably strange!
The "Hóngfàn Lùn" states: If the emperor is not wise, it will lead to political mistakes.
In the twenty-third year of Emperor Gāozǔ's Tàihé, in March, Sìzhōu reported that a lamb appeared in Yángqū County, with two bodies, one female and one male, three ears, and eight legs. Not long after, Emperor Gāozǔ passed away, and six regents began to seize control.
In the first year of Emperor Shìzōng's Zhèngshǐ, in July, Shànshàn Town sent a lamb with two bodies and eight legs.
In January of the following year, Shànshàn Town sent yet another lamb with eight legs.
In the fifth month of the fourth year of Yanchang, the town of Bogu reported that a lamb with one head, six legs, and two tails had appeared. Jing Fang said in "Chuan": Monsters with many feet are because the people employed are not upright. In "Jing Fang Yi," it is said that when monsters appear with pig heads and human bodies, the place will be in chaos and face destruction. In the first year of Yanxing, in September, the relevant department reported that Wang Rang, the governor of Yuzhou and the Marquis of Linhuai, reported that a pig gave birth to a piglet that had one head but two bodies and eight legs. In the fourth year of Shizong Jingming, in September, Liangzhou reported that dogs and pigs were reported to have mated. In the fourth year of Zhengshi, in August, a pig in the capital birthed a piglet with one head, four ears, two bodies, and eight legs. In the seventh month 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 a sign that the Empress Dowager and the young ruler are on the verge of being overthrown. In "Hongfan Lun," Jing Fang said in "Chuan": Small chickens and livestock are akin to low-ranking officials; horns are a symbol of weapons, with horns on top representing the majesty of the king. This indicates that when low-ranking officials hold the king's power, chaos will arise, which is a disaster of poor governance. In the first year of Taihe, in the summer of May, the relevant department reported that there were two hens in the capital with combs on their heads resembling horns, different from other chickens. At that time, the Empress Dowager Wenming was in power, indicating a preference for corrupt officials. In the first month of the first year of Zhengshi, a chicken chick with four legs and four wings appeared in Henan. This incident was recorded in "Cui Guang Chuan." In August, Sizhou reported that a family in Henan raised a chicken chick with an extra head on its rear, with a mouth and eyes. Each head had a pair of wings growing from the back of its neck, and two legs walking side by side. At that time, Shizong had increasingly favored corrupt officials, with many allies in power.
In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Yan Chang, it was reported in Luozhou that the yellow hen at the home of Governor Wei Xing had grown a fleshy horn on its head, about the size of a date, measuring one and three-tenths inches long, with fluffy hair growing on the horn, measuring one and a half inches long.
In January of the year 520, a chicken raised by General Lan Dou had both roosters and hens each had two horns, with a mix of feather colors, and the horns stood up high, surpassing the comb. At that time, Empress Ling was in power, holding great authority.
The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "The punishment for being unable to see clearly or hear well." (Meaning: If one cannot see or hear clearly, it is a punishment.)
In November of the year 533, a white owl was captured in the capital. On the day of Jimao in August of the year 521, a bald eagle was captured in the palace. In April of the year 502, someone brought a strange duckling that had a single head but two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. In March of the year 506, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was then captured in the palace.
The "Hong Fan Lun" also states: "If the punishment is brutal and benefits the ruling class; if greed and gluttony are insatiable, leading to wars; if land is seized to build cities but the hearts of the people are lost, then a plague of pests will arise." (Meaning: If rulers are brutal and exploit the common people; if they are greedy and start wars at will; if they seize land to build cities but lose the hearts of the people, then there will be a disaster of insects.)
In July 475 AD, there was a locust plague in the Dunhuang region, and almost all the crops in autumn were devoured. In the following year, in July, Qingzhou and Yongzhou were also affected by locusts. In August, seven provinces including Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as four towns including Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were struck by locusts. In April 477 AD, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou suffered from locusts. In March 478 AD, locusts struck Jizhou and Xiangzhou, along with an unlisted province. In April, locust plagues occurred in seven provinces including Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. On Yisi day in June, Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou were plagued by locusts. On Guisi day in October 496 AD, there was a locust plague in the Fanghan region, resulting in significant crop damage.
In May 500 AD, the provinces of Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and Southern Qingzhou were affected by locusts. On Renwu day in March 503 AD, there was a large-scale locust disaster in Hezhou, resulting in no harvest of wheat grains. In May, Guangzhou was plagued by locusts. In June, a major locust plague occurred in Hezhou. In July, Donglai County was plagued by locusts. In June 504 AD, the provinces of Xiazhou and Sizhou suffered from locusts. In April 507 AD, a pest known as the Buqu worm damaged the flowers of jujube trees in Qingzhou. In August, Huangshu, locusts, and Ban worms plagued Jingzhou; locusts and Ban worms plagued Hezhou; and locusts plagued Liangzhou and Hengnong County in Sizhou. On Jisi day in June 508 AD, there was a locust plague in Liangzhou. In May 512 AD, the Buqu worm once again damaged the flowers of jujube trees in Qingzhou.
In July, locust disasters swept through the capital city; the sight was truly horrifying! In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou also suffered from locusts, with two-thirds of the crops in the fields devoured, resulting in devastating losses!
In the sixth month of the first year of Xiping, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Nanqu were once again struck by locust plagues; truly, bad things come in threes! In the sixth month of the first year of Tian'an, a strange sight appeared in Yanzhou: a battle between black ants and red ants, with the battlefield stretching sixty paces long and four inches wide. In the end, the red ants were completely wiped out, their heads bitten off. The black ants occupied the north, while the red ants occupied the south. In November, the governor of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, sent envoys to surrender, and the court dispatched Wei Yuan to take over, achieving a decisive victory over the rebel leader Zhou Kai and his men.
In the seventh month of the tenth year of Taihe, Zhang Wanshou, the official of Bingzhou, reported that in Jianxing, Huozecounty, there was a commoner named Jia Richeng who, during the middle of April while raising silkworms, discovered that the silkworm silk had woven into a curtain, inside which was rolled something resembling a silk ribbon, four feet long, three inches wide, and thin, with two yellow cocoons on top, shaped like footprints.
In the third month of the second year of Zhengshi, an incident occurred in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured people, with over one hundred and ten injured and more than twenty dead; this was simply unheard of!
This disaster involving caterpillars points to some unusual phenomena. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, a 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. A year later, the river even turned blood red! This foreshadowed the fall of the Weichen family. Later, people threw all members of the Weichen family into the river, and from that point on, no strange occurrences were reported there again.
In January of the first year of Yuanxiang, a wolf ran into the city and was captured at Xieshi Stone. In the twelfth month of the fifth year of Wuding, a leopard was caught on the copper wine platform in the north city.
In May of the first year of Taihe, on the day of Xinhai, a fox spirit appeared to give people haircuts, and at that time, Empress Wenming was in power; these were all ominous signs!
In the second year of Xiping, the bizarre occurrence of a fox spirit cutting people's hair began in the capital, causing fear among the people. On the day of Renchen in June, Empress Ling summoned those whose hair had been cut and ordered Commander Liu Teng to whip them outside Qianqiu Gate, just as had happened during the Taihe era.
According to historical records, if officials from other regions oppress the people cruelly and the people are full of grievances, white mice will appear.
In the second month of Yongxing, a man named Zhao Wen in the capital discovered a white rat in his house, which he presented to the court. That spring, a white rat was also caught in Beiyuan, but it died shortly thereafter. Upon dissection, it was discovered to have three white baby mice in its belly.
In a certain year in March, the emperor caught a small white mouse in the West Palace. In August, Zhang An, the palace steward, also caught a small white mouse.
In the second year of Shenrui in May, the emperor caught a small white mouse while hunting in Penglun Mountain, and three more were caught in Pingcheng. In June, two more were caught in Pingcheng. In August, Prince Kuai of Yuzhang also caught one.
In November of the first year of Taichang, someone in the capital caught a small white mouse and presented it to the emperor.
Two years later in June, two small white mice were caught in Zhongshan. In March of the third year, another one was caught in the capital. In November, another one was caught in the capital.
In the third year of Shizong Shiguang in August, one was caught in Weijun, Xiangzhou.
In the first year of Taiyan in August, someone from Yanmen offered a small white mouse.
In the twenty-third year of Gaozu Taihe in August, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In the fourth year of Shizong Jingming in May, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
In the first year of Zhengshi in June, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.
A report from Sizhou indicated that a small white mouse had been caught and sent to the emperor.
