The "Hongfan Lun" states that in the "Book of Changes," it is said that "Kun is associated with the cow." Kun represents earth, and when the energy of the earth becomes disordered, strange cows will appear, referred to as "cow calamities." This phenomenon foreshadows the decline of the ancestral temple or indicates that there will be problems with the cows due to busy transport.
In the second year of Jingming, in May, Ji Province reported that a calf was reported to have been born in Changle County, with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears. The "Hongfan Lun" explains that this is due to the lack of wisdom of the monarch and political mistakes.
In the twenty-third year of Taihe, in March, Sizhou reported that a lamb was born in Yangqu County, with two bodies, one male and one female, three ears, and eight legs. Shortly thereafter, Gaozu passed away, leading to the six ministers seizing power.
In the first year of Zhengshi, in July, a lamb with two bodies and eight legs was sent from Shanshan Town. In the second year of Zhengshi, in January, Shanshan Town sent another lamb with eight legs. In the fourth year of Yanchang, in May, a report from Bogulv Town indicated that a lamb had six legs and two tails.
Jing Fang stated in his "Commentary" that any abnormal animals with more limbs than normal are possessed by evil spirits. Jing Fang also said in the "Book of Changes" that a pig with a human head and a pig's body foreshadows chaos and destruction in cities.
In the first year of Yanxing, in September, it was reported that Wang Rang, the Governor of Yuzhou and Prince of Lin Huai, reported that a pig gave birth to a piglet that had two bodies and eight legs.
In the fourth year of Jingming, in September, Liangzhou reported that a dog and a pig had mated. In the fourth year of Zhengshi, in August, a pig in the capital gave birth to a piglet that had four ears, two bodies, and eight legs. In the fourth year of Yanchang, in July, it was reported from Xuzhou that a pig in Yangping Garrison gave birth to a piglet with a human-like face, a topknot on its head, and no hair. This foreshadows the downfall of the Empress Dowager and the young monarch.
"The Book of Hong Fan" and Jing Fang's "Biography" both mention: a small chicken is like a small minister, the chicken's comb symbolizes weaponry, with the comb held high, symbolizing the king's majesty. If a small minister uses the majesty of the king to cause chaos, it will create an uncontrollable disaster.
In May of the first year of Taihe, someone reported that there were two hens in the capital, with combs on their heads resembling horns and different from other chickens. At that time, Empress Wenming was in power, suggesting her favor towards treacherous individuals.
In April of the first year of Zhengshi, a chick with four legs and four wings was reported in Henan, as recorded in "The Biography of Cui Guang."
In August, someone from Henan reported that the chicks raised by the common people had an extra head at the back, with eyes, mouths, and everything else—two heads in total! Each head had two pairs of wings on each head, and the two legs were side by side. At that time, the emperor trusted the little lackeys and some party members more, with corrupt officials in power, leading to a troubling situation.
In December, someone in Luoyang reported that the hen kept by Wei Xing, the governor of Taihou, had a tumor on its head the size of a jujube, measuring one inch and three fen in length, with long hair on the tumor.
In January of the first year of Zhengguang, the cock and hen raised by the Tiger Guard Lang Jiang Lan Dou both had two horns on their heads, with a messy color of feathers, standing tall, even higher than the comb. At that time, Empress Ling was in power, exercising absolute power.
In "The Book of Hong Fan," it says: poor eyesight and hearing are indicators of punishment.
In the eleventh month of the third year of Taichang, a white owl was captured in the capital.
In August of the second year of Zhengguang, a bald buzzard was captured in the palace.
In April of the second year of Xiaochang, someone brought a dead duck featuring one head, two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails.
In March of the second year of Tianping, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was captured inside.
In the "Hong Fan Lun," it is said: cruel punishment, exploiting the people's resources; insatiable greed that stirs up armies and incites the masses; constructing cities while alienating the people's loyalty, then the locust disaster will follow.
In the seventh month of the fifth year of the Taihe era, there was a locust plague in Dunhuang, and nearly all the autumn crops were devoured.
In the seventh month of the sixth year of the Taihe era, locusts devastated the crops in Qingzhou and Yongzhou.
In August, seven states—Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou—as well as four towns including Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guanga, and Linji, were struck by locust plagues.
In the fourth month of the seventh year, locusts devastated Xiangzhou and Yuzhou.
In the third month of the eighth year, locusts threatened the crops in Jizhou, Zhou, and Xiangzhou.
In April, seven states—Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou—were struck by locust plagues.
In the sixth month of the sixteenth year, locusts threatened the crops in Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou.
In the tenth month of the sixteenth year, locusts plagued Fanghan Town, causing damage to the crops.
In the fifth month of the first year of the Jingming era, locusts threatened the crops in Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou.
In the third month of the fourth year, a significant outbreak of moths in Hezhou led to a complete loss of the wheat harvest.
In May, locusts threatened the crops in Guangzhou.
In June, Hezhou experienced a severe locust plague.
In July, locusts threatened the crops in Donglai County.
In June of the year 240 AD, locust plagues in Xiazhou and Sizhou resulted in a total crop failure. Four years later in April, locusts appeared in Qingzhou, and all jujube flowers were eaten. In the same year in August, locust plagues hit Jingzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou, and Hengnong County in Sizhou, with rats, locusts, and beetles wreaking havoc and causing significant losses.
In June of the year 57 AD, on the Jisi day, a locust plague occurred again in Liangzhou, leading to poor crop yields. In May, five years later, the Qingzhou pest harmed the jujube flowers. In July, the capital experienced the appearance of the rao, as locusts wreaked havoc everywhere. In August, the rao pests in Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou were particularly severe, with two-thirds of the crops eaten. In June of the year 477 AD, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou experienced rao pest damage once more.
In June of the year 477 AD, a remarkable spectacle occurred in Yanzhou, where a battle between black ants and red ants took place, with the battlefield measuring sixty steps long and four inches wide. The red ants ultimately suffered defeat, many beheaded and killed. The black ants occupied the north, while the red ants occupied the south. In November of the same year, the Administrator of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, sent envoys to surrender to the court, which appointed General Wei Yuan to take over and defeated the rebel general Zhou Kai and others.
In July of the year 477 AD, Zhang Wanshou, an official from Bingzhou, reported to the court: A farmer named Jia Richeng from Jianxing Huozexian discovered during silkworm breeding in April that the silkworm silk had woven into a curtain, inside which was something rolled up that resembled a silk ribbon, four feet long, three inches wide, thin, with two yellow cocoons on top, shaped like footprints.
In March of the year 478 AD, an incident occurred in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured people, resulting in over a hundred injuries and twenty-two fatalities.
The calamity of caterpillars is thought to signify a transformation into something strange.
During the reign of Emperor Taizu, a large tiger that had been terrorizing the area appeared in Henan, lying by the river for three months before leaving. The following year, a multitude of ants and white deer crossed the Yellow River. A year later, the river water actually turned blood-red. These were all ominous signs of the Wei Chen clan's downfall. Later, Emperor Taizu killed all members of the Wei Chen clan and threw their bodies into the Yellow River, restoring peace to the region thereafter.
In January of the year 534 AD, a wolf broke into the city and was only caught after it reached Xieshi. In December of the year 548 AD, a leopard was captured on the Tongjue Platform in the north city.
On the day of Xinhai in May of the year 477 AD, a fox spirit appeared, cutting people's hair and writing curses. At that time, Empress Wenming was in power, signaling that numerous ominous signs plagued the government.
In the second year of the Xiping era under Emperor Suzong of Tang, starting from spring, there were reports in the capital about a fox spirit cutting people's hair, which frightened everyone a lot. On the day of the renchen in June, Empress Dowager Ling summoned those whose hair had been cut and had Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, whip them publicly outside the Qianqiu Gate, just as it had been handled during the Taihe era.
According to "Ruitu": If officials such as princes, ministers, governors, and county magistrates from other regions cruelly oppress the common people, causing widespread complaints, white mice will appear.
Speaking of which, in February of Yongxing Year 3 under Emperor Taizong, a commoner named Zhao Wen in the city found a white mouse and presented it to the emperor.
That spring, the royal hunting grounds in the north also caught a white mouse, but it died soon after. When they cut it open, they found three small mice inside, all of which were white.
In March of Yongxing Year 4, the emperor went to the West Palace for leisure and caught another white mouse. In August, a guy named Zhang An in the palace caught one too.
In May of Year 2 of the Shenrui era, the emperor caught a white mouse while hunting at Kelong Mountain; Pingcheng also caught three. In June, they caught two more in Pingcheng. In August, Prince Yuzhang Kui caught one as well.
In November of Year 1 of the Taichang era, someone in the capital caught a white mouse (or white mouse pest) and presented it to the emperor. In June of Year 2, they caught two in Zhongshan. In March of Year 3, another was caught in the capital. In November, yet another was caught in the capital.
In August of Year 3 of Shiguang under Emperor Shizong, a white mouse was caught in Weijun, Xiangzhou. In August of Year 1 of the Taiyan era, a white mouse was presented from the Yanmen area.
In August of Year 23 of Taihe under Emperor Gaozu, a white mouse was caught in the capital. In May of Year 4 of Jingming under Emperor Shizong, a white mouse was caught in the capital.
In June of Year 1 of Zhengshi, a white mouse was caught in the capital. In April of Year 1 of Xiping under Emperor Suzong, Sizhous reported that a white mouse had been caught.
