The "Hongfan Lun" states: In the Spring and Autumn period, heavy rain and snow were like ordinary rain, only more intense than usual. Rain is yin force, and snow is also yin force; heavy snow is simply a more intense accumulation of yin force. Some also say that heavy snow is like flooding, except that it is snow because it is winter.
In the second year of Emperor Shizong's reign, in October, there was heavy snow several feet deep. In the eighth year of the reign of Zhenjun, in May, Beizhen unexpectedly experienced heavy snow, which caused many people and livestock to freeze to death; that was a time of harsh political repression. On the first day of September in the fourth year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, a strong wind swept through the capital, and there was also three feet of mixed rain and snow. On the day of Renxu in the first year of Emperor Shizong's reign, Wuchuan Town experienced heavy rain mixed with snow. On the day of Yimao in the second month of the fourth year, Sizhōu and Xiangzhōu experienced a blizzard. On the day of Renshen in September, there was yet another heavy snowfall. In the second year of the reign of Emperor Suzong, in April, Róuxuán Town saw heavy snow as well.
The Jingfang in the "Yizhuan" states: Mobilizing troops for war and indiscriminately killing the innocent violates the law, which will lead to frost disasters; crops will freeze in summer and wheat in winter. Killing without thought or reason is unkind, and frost will come early in summer. In the fifth year of Taizu's reign, in July, frost fell in Jizhou. On Gengchen day in July of Shizong's first year, heavy frost fell, killing many plants. In the sixth year, frost fell in Yingchuan County in April. In the sixth year, Sizhou experienced frost and strong winds, killing the soybeans. In the ninth year of April, frost fell in Yongzhou and Qingzhou. In June, frost fell in Luozhou, Sizhou, and Xiangzhou, as well as Lingqiu and Guangchang in Sizhou. On Yimai day in August of the fourteenth year, frost fell in Fenzhou. On Bingzi day in April of Shizong's first year, frost fell in Xiazhou, killing the grass. In June, on Dinghai day, frost fell in Jianxing County, killing the grass. On Yihai day in August, strong winds and frost struck Yongzhou, Bingzhou, Shuozhou, Xiazhou, Fenzhou, and also Zhengping and Pingyang in Sizhou. In March of the second year, on Xinhai day, frost fell in Qizhou, killing the mulberry trees and wheat. In March of the fourth year, on Renxu day, frost fell in Yongzhou, killing the mulberry trees and wheat. On Xinsi day, frost fell in Qingzhou, killing the mulberry trees and wheat. In May of Zhengshi's first year, on Renxu day, frost fell in Wuchuan Town. In June, on Xinmao day, frost fell in Huaishuo Town. In July, on Wuchen day, frost fell in Dongqinzhou.
In a certain year during the Common Era, in August, frost occurred in Hezhou, and the crops all died from the frost. Two years later, in April, frost also occurred in Qizhou. In May, frost occurred in Hengzhou and Fenzhou, and the crops froze again. In July, frost occurred in Pinzhou and Qizhou. After that, Dunhuang also experienced frost. Later, Hengzhou had frost again. In June of the third year, Anzhou had frost. In March of the fourth year, Pinzhou had consecutive frosts. In April, Dunhuang had frost again. In August, Hezhou experienced frost once more. In March of the first year of the Yongping era, frost occurred in Qizhou and Pinzhou. After that, Bingzhou had frost. In April, Dunhuang had frost again. Two years later, in April, Wuzhou Town had frost. In March of the fourth year of Yanchang, all eight states in Henan had frost. In July of the first year of Emperor Suzong's Xiping, frost fell in Henan and eleven northern states.
The "Hongfan Lun" states: Thunder is yang, clouds are yin. There can be thunder only when there are clouds, and there can be a ruler only when there are subjects. Thunder relies on clouds, and rulers rely on subjects; this illustrates the harmony of yin and yang. Therefore, if there is thunder without clouds, it indicates the ruler's solitude without subjects. In July of the first year of Emperor Xianzu's Huangxing, there was thunder in the northeast direction without clouds. In July of the following year, a rumbling sound arose again from the northeast. In February of the first year of Emperor Shizong's Yanchang, a booming noise was heard from the northeast, transmitting southward, deep and muffled, stopping after two booms.
After that, in October of the fourth year of Emperor Shizong's Taiyan, a sound like a big drum was heard in the north, moving in a northwest direction.
The "Hongfan Lun" also states: Yang energy governs for one hundred eighty-three days, and yin energy also governs for one hundred eighty-three days; thunder emerges from the ground for one hundred eighty-three days, then enters the ground for one hundred eighty-three days, and then emerges again; this reflects a natural law. Therefore, when thunder sounds as it should, all is well; when the sound of thunder is abnormal, all things suffer disaster. The same applies to the state: when the ruler is at peace, the country is at peace; when the ruler suffers disaster, the country suffers disaster. Thunder striking at the wrong times goes against common sense.
In the first year of Shizu Shenmou's reign, in October, it rained with thunder and lightning. In October of the third year of Taiyan, there was thunder. In the fourth year, in November, there was thunder again. In the third year of Gaozu Taihe, in November, there was thunder and rain in Yuzhou. Afterwards, there was a very heavy thunderstorm in Yuzhou, with water accumulating three inches deep on the ground. In October of the fourth year, there was thunder. In November of the seventh year, there was thunder and rain in Youzhou, and the city was illuminated red. In the second year of Shizong Jingming, in November, there was thunder in Liangzhou, with seven loud rumbles. In the third year, in December, there was thunder at night, with nine rumbles.
On a certain day in November of the year 243 AD, there was thunder and lightning in Qinzhou, Qizhou, Jingzhou, and Shuozhou.
On a certain day in January of the year 520 AD, there was thunder. The "Spring and Autumn Annals" recorded that the temple of Yi Bo was struck by lightning, and Zuo Qiuming said that the Zhan clan must have hidden something. Liu Xiang believed that Yi Bo was a hereditary grandee, and this was a warning from heaven: do not let the grandees inherit their positions; focus on their work!
In April of the year 506 AD, the east wing of the Hall of Heavenly Peace was struck by lightning. The emperor was very angry and ordered the demolition of the east and west wings of the hall. Consequently, the emperor died shortly thereafter.
On a night in November of the year 508 AD, there was thunder and lightning.
On a certain day in May of the year 503 AD, the ridge of the eastern roof of the East Temple's central gate was struck by lightning.
Ban Gu once said: if an emperor is not generous and tolerant, unable to accommodate his subjects, he cannot be a good emperor. A person's expression, speech, gaze, and hearing must be carefully controlled. If any of these four aspects go wrong, the person will be confused and ignorant, causing trouble.
On a certain day in January of the year 508 AD, there was a misty rain of soil in Luoyang.
On a certain day in November of the year 503 AD, the mist filled the sky, lingering for six days, and was particularly thick on the seventh night, like a fire, causing discomfort in the nose.
On a certain day in February of the year 510 AD, there was a yellow mist in Qinzhou, with soil rain everywhere.
On a certain day in August of the year 510 AD, there was a murky fog everywhere.
On a certain day in August of the year 511 AD, there was a rain of soil in Liangzhou, like mist.
On a certain night in January of the year 244 AD, the sky was filled with mist, starting as a black mist and later turning red.
On a certain day in January of the year 245 AD, a thick fog hung in the air. On a certain day in September of the year 245 AD, a black fog enveloped the area. On a certain day in February of the year 517 AD, a yellow fog filled the atmosphere. At that time, Gao Zhao enjoyed favor due to his status as a relative of the emperor, and his brothers were all appointed as marquises, just like the Five Marquises of the Han Dynasty. The climate was warm all year round. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed that the lack of frost in winter and the thriving of plants and trees were seen as unusual phenomena. Jing Fang said in the "Yi Zhuan" that intense summer heat could be deadly, and only when all things matured in winter could growth occur. In August of the year 513 AD, various fruit trees in Hualin Garden burst into bloom. In August of the year 517 AD, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan were in full bloom. In September of the year 518 AD, the persimmons at Qi Yuan's home in Youzhou ripened, and overnight, they all fell off; then the flowers and leaves re-emerged, and within seven days, it thrived like spring once more. In November of the year 511 AD, the peach and plum trees in Dongqinghe County, Qizhou, were in bloom. On an unspecified day in the intercalary tenth month of 517 AD, all the pear trees in the capital city blossomed. According to the "Hong Fan Zhuan," if the emperor disregards the law, alienates the meritorious officials, kills the crown prince, and makes a concubine the empress, then trouble will arise, much like fire losing its essence, causing great chaos. In the third month of spring in the fifth year of Taian of Gao Zong, a massive fire erupted in Feiru City, burning down the official buildings and the houses of the common people, leaving only the Buddha statues in two temples untouched. On the day of Wuyin in May of the eighth year of Taihe of Gao Zu, the land in Qin County, Henan, spontaneously ignited, the fire grew larger and burned over a hundred steps, taking five days to extinguish. On the day of Yisi in the first month of Shizong's first year, a fire broke out in a temple on Mount Heng. In May of the first year of Zhengguang of Suzong, a fire also erupted in the Guodun Forbidden City. In the summer of the second year of Xiaochang, the land in Qiuxian, Youzhou, also ignited. In the spring of the third year, a devastating fire swept through Yizhou City, burning down over three thousand households.
In the third year of Emperor Chu's Yongxi, in the second month, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire. Later, it was said that someone saw the pagoda flying into the East China Sea. The pagoda of Yongning Temple is where the divine presence resides, as if heaven is saying: "The Yongning Temple is on fire, and the Wei Kingdom will not be at peace." The Bohai Sea, which is the hometown of King Xian of Qi, indicates that the return of the spirits to the sea signifies that the Qi Kingdom will flourish!
In March, the southern gate of the Sanji Temple in Bingzhou also caught fire.
In the autumn of the fourth year of Emperor Xiaojing's reign, the eastern city tower of the Changhe Gate in Ye City caught fire.
In the winter of the third year of Wuding, a fire broke out on the northern hillside of the West River in Fenzhou, burning underground, with heat rising.
On the night of the first month of the second year of Emperor Shizu's Shiguang, dark vapor appeared in the southeast direction of the sky, one zhang wide and ten zhang long. This signaled that war was imminent. In February, Murong Keshi indeed rebelled in Beiping.
In the first month of the third year of Emperor Xianzu's Huangxing, dark vapor appeared in the Heji region, several li wide, shrouding the sky in darkness over Dongyang City. Later, Dongyang City collapsed.
On Jimao Day, in the third year of Emperor Shizong's Jingming, there was dark vapor everywhere. On Jiachen Day, Yangzhou defeated the general Zhang Xiao of Xiao Yan, killing two thousand of them.
On the night of Dingwei in the second year of Emperor Gaozu's Taihe, three streams of white vapor rose from the ground, which soon turned yellow-red, radiating a brilliant light in all directions.
On Dingsi Day in the sixteenth year, in the evening, red vapor appeared in the northwest direction, extending twenty zhang long and eight or nine feet wide, and then disappeared shortly after.
On Bingshen Day in the first year of Emperor Shizong's Yanchang, red vapor appeared in the sky, from the hour of Mao to the hour of Xu.
On Xinwei Day in the first year of Emperor Suzong's Zhengguang, red vapor appeared in the northwest direction, stretching to the horizon, appearing like fire. The capital did not see it, but it was visible in Liangzhou.
A few years earlier, on a night in early September, red vapor appeared in the northwest, like flames, extending more than a zhang east to west. This was a sign of rebellion in Beizhen.
A few years later, on a few days into May, during the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), red vapor appeared in the north, extending across the sky from east to west, like flames.
In a certain year in November on a certain day, a red gas appeared, like mist, extending from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Palace steps to the corridor, about ten feet high, extending into the ground, like a red curtain, never dissipating from the period of Wu (1-3 PM) to the hour of Xu (7-9 PM). The emperor was very disgusted by it and ultimately met a violent end because of it.
In a certain year in January during the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), a red gas appeared in the east, about thirty feet long, and disappeared after three hours.
In a certain year in June on a certain day between 3 PM and 5 PM, a blue gas appeared in the direction of Chen, four feet wide, extending along the mountain to the northwest, extending into the sky. Black, red, and yellow clouds appeared in the Xu direction, like mountain peaks, with blue gas at the top, about four feet wide, extending to the southeast and connecting in midair. The gas in the southeast dissipated first, followed by the northwest gas. This too was a sign of the emperor's violent demise.
Ban Gu said: Strange phenomena at night seem dark and unclear because clouds and wind appear together, just like ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it will cause disasters of caterpillars and locusts.
In a certain year in June, there was a solar eclipse.
In August, there was also a solar eclipse during the day.
Liu Xin said: If appearances are not proper, it is not serious. When the upper class disrespects the lower class, and the lower class retaliates with cruelty, then yin energy will be strong, water disasters will harm crops, there will be insufficient food and clothing, and villains will cause chaos together; this is therefore the worst omen. Another explanation is that the people endure many punishments, resulting in their faces becoming disfigured. Ban Gu believed that unusual behavior in livestock signifies impending disaster, indicating that the disaster is obvious; if it occurs in humans, it is referred to as "zhuan zhuan," describing a sickly appearance, indicating a serious illness.
In a certain year, bones emerged in Ulanhuda (a place name), resembling sheep horns and measuring over a foot long.
In May of a certain year, Minister Li Chong reported: "In Wujixian County, Zhongshan Prefecture, Dingzhou, Li Banhu's daughter, Xianrong, grew nine hairs under her right thumb nail on September 20th of the previous year, and by October 20th, they had grown to one foot two inches."
On a certain day in November of a certain year, it was reported from Bianzhou that the mother of Lingji, daughter of Han Sengzhen, gave birth to a child under her right side. Empress Dowager Ling ordered the child to be sent to the Imperial Garden.
On a certain day in May of a certain year, in Xiacao County in Nanyanzhou, a footprint of an adult appeared, having walked seven steps. The footprint was one foot eight inches long and seven inches five minutes wide.
In the autumn of the third year of Yanxing during the reign of Emperor Gaozu, a woman in Xiurong Prefecture gave birth to four sons, and these four sons later each had sixteen sons. What a huge family!
On the day of Dingmao in November of the third year of Yong'an, a family in the capital gave birth to a child with one head, two bodies, four hands, four feet, and three ears! This child looks truly bizarre!
On the day of Yihai in November of the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the Buddhist monk Daodeng were together in the Shizhong Province. In the evening after six o'clock, they saw a ghost wearing yellow pleated pants trying to enter the door. The Emperor mistook it for a person and yelled at it, causing it to retreat. When the Emperor asked if anyone else saw it, everyone said they didn't, only the Emperor and Daodeng saw it. These two must be really brave to have seen a ghost!
In the second year of Huangxing during the reign of Xianzu, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, killing fourteen to fifteen thousand people. This plague was incredibly severe, claiming so many lives!
In the fourth month of the third year of Yongping during the reign of Shizong, there was also a plague in Chang and Xiangling counties in Pingyang. From January to April, two thousand seven hundred and thirty people died. This epidemic just keeps coming one after another!
In June of the nineteenth year of Taihe, it was reported from Xuzhou that a bronze statue eight feet tall was sweating! This bronze statue is truly miraculous!
During the years of Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi, the golden statue of Dingguang in the Pingteng Temple in the capital often sweated. Whenever significant events occurred in the country, it would sweat, which puzzled and scared the people back then. It seemed as if this golden statue could predict the future!
In the second month of the third year of Yong'an, a household in the capital had two bronze statues, each over a foot tall. One statue had four white hairs growing on its chin, while the other had a black hair on its cheek. Those bronze statues were really strange!
The "Hongfan Lun" states: "Dragons are scaled creatures that live in water. Clouds are also a symbol of water, and with heavy yin energy, the appearance of dragons foretells major events. If a ruler violates human principles and disrupts the heavenly way, disasters of usurpation and slaughter will surely occur."
In the third month of the third year of Emperor Shenzong's reign, two white dragons appeared in a well of a household in the capital.
On the day of Bingchen in the second month of the sixth year of the Zhenjun era, another white dragon appeared in a well of a household in the capital. Dragons are divine beings, yet appearing in a well foretells the violent death of Shenzong!
In the first year of the reign of Suzong, in the eighth month, a black dragon resembling a dog ran from the south to the Xuanyang Gate, leaped over the gate tower, and ran out. This was a sign of the Wei dynasty's decline!
During the second year of the reign of Zhuangdi, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang and lingered for a long time. This indicated the violent death of Zhuangdi in Jinyang!
In the first year of the reign of the former Emperor Fei, on the day of Jiayin in the fourth month, traces of a dragon exited from the west side of the Xuanyang Gate and then returned to the city. On the day of Yimao, the ministers came to congratulate, and the emperor said: "If the country is to prosper, it must listen to the people; if it is to perish, it must heed the divine. However, as long as we, the rulers and subjects, govern with self-discipline, we need not pay too much attention to these omens."
The "Hongfan Lun" states: "Horses symbolize military matters, indicating that war is about to occur, so weird things happening with horses will show up."
In the eleventh month of the second year of the Xiping era, a foal was sent from Hengzhou, with a tail a foot long, but it had no hair on its backside. That's... a bit odd!
In the first year of Zhengguang, in September, many of the government horses in Woye Town contracted a strange illness, with insects crawling into their ears, leading to the death of over a dozen horses. The insects resembled scorpions, about five inches long, with the thickness of chopsticks. According to the "Hongfan Lun," the "Book of Changes" mentions "Kun as a cow," with Kun meaning earth. If the earth's energy is disturbed, strange occurrences involving cows will happen, known as cow disasters. This phenomenon is believed to foretell the decline of ancestral temples. Another explanation is that excessive transportation burdens can also lead to strange occurrences involving cows. In the second year of Jingming, in May, a report from Jizhou stated that a cow in Changle County gave birth to a calf with one head, two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears! This... is quite bizarre! The "Hongfan Lun" explains that this is due to the emperor's lack of wisdom and political mistakes. In the twenty-third year of Taihe, in March, a report from Sizhou stated that a ewe in Yangqu County gave birth to a lamb with one head, two bodies (one female, one male), three ears, and eight legs! Shortly after, the founding emperor died, and six ministers began to seize power. In the first year of Zhengshi, in July, a lamb was sent from Shanshan Town that had one head, two bodies, and eight legs. In the following year, in January, Shanshan Town sent another lamb with eight legs. In the fourth year of Yanchang, in May, a report from Bogulv Town stated that a lamb was born that had one head, six legs, and two tails. According to Jingfang's "Zhuan," any strange phenomena, like having multiple legs, are caused by the appointment of corrupt individuals. Jingfang also stated in the "Book of Changes" that if a pig gives birth to something with a human head and pig body, that place will be in chaos and face destruction. In the first year of Yanxing, in September, it was 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, two bodies, and eight legs. In the fourth year of Jingming, in September, a report from Liangzhou stated that a dog and a pig mated! In the fourth year of Zhengshi, in August, a pig in the capital gave birth to a piglet with one head, four ears, two bodies, and eight legs!
In the seventh month of the fourth year of the Yan Chang era, Xuzhou reported that a pig born in Yangping Garrison had a head and face resembling a human, with a flesh lump on top and no hair on its body. This foreshadows the impending downfall of Empress Ling and the young sovereign!
The "Hongfan Lun" states that Jing Fang's "Chuan" mentions: a chicken is a small domestic animal, just like a small minister. Horns symbolize weapons, and above them is the authority of the monarch. This indicates that small ministers will use the king's authority to incite chaos, which is a calamity of poor governance.
In the fifth month of the first year of Taihe, someone reported that there were two hens in the capital with combs resembling horns, different from other chickens. At that time, Empress Wen was in power, indicating her favoritism towards lesser officials!
In April of 477 AD, a chick was reported in Henan that had four legs and four wings. This incident is recorded in the "Biography of Cui Guang."
In August of 477 AD, Sizhous reported that many chicks raised by the common people in Henei had two heads, with the heads near the tail, each having mouths and eyes. Each head had two pairs of wings behind it, and two legs walked side by side. At that time, Emperor Shizong trusted those petty people and factions, and the interference of corrupt minor officials in politics had become a serious issue.
In December of 484 AD, Luozhou reported that the yellow hen belonging to Governor Chang Jiao of Weixing had a flesh lump on its head the size of a jujube, measuring one inch and three-tenths, with hair growing one and a half inches long on the lump.
In the first month of 520 AD, the roosters and hens belonging to General Lan Dou each had two horns on their heads, with mixed feather colors, and the horns stood tall above their combs. At that time, Empress Ling was in power.
The "Hongfan Lun" states: poor vision and hearing are signs of punishment.
In November of 544 AD, a white owl was apprehended in the capital.
On the day of Jimao in August of 521 AD, a bald eagle was apprehended within the palace.
In April of 527 AD, a dead duckling was brought, which had one head, two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. In March of 532 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was caught in the palace. The Hongfan Lun says: cruel punishments exploit the people; insatiable greed leads to raising troops; building cities results in losing the people's hearts, then insect disasters will occur. In July of 475 AD, a locust plague struck the Dunhuang region, and almost all the crops of the autumn harvest were eaten. In July of 476 AD, locust plagues struck Qingzhou and Yongzhou, resulting in severe crop damage. In August of 476 AD, seven regions: Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, along with four towns: Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, all suffered from locust plagues. In April of 477 AD, locust plagues occurred in Xiangzhou and Yuzhou. In March of 478 AD, locust plagues were reported in Jizhou, Zhou (original text, suspected typo), and Xiangzhou. In April of 478 AD, locust plagues occurred in Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. On Yisi day in June 478 AD, locust plagues occurred in Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou. On Guisi day in October 496 AD, a locust plague occurred in the Fanghan region, which caused damage to crops. In May of 497 AD, locust plagues were reported in Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou. On Rengwu day in March 500 AD, a large-scale caterpillar disaster occurred in Hezhou, with no yield of wheat grains. In May, pests devastated the crops in Guangzhou. In June, Hezhou experienced a severe locust plague. In July, pests in Donglai County also devastated the crops.
In the first year of the Zhengshi era, in June, locust disasters struck Xiazhou and Sizhou, leaving crops unharvested. In the fourth year, in April, a pest known as the Buqu insect in Qingzhou ate jujube flowers. In August, yellow rats, locusts, and Ban insects ravaged Jingzhou, and Hezhou was also invaded by locusts and Ban insects. The locust disasters in Liangzhou and Sizhou's Hengnong County continued, truly a series of disasters!
In the first year of Yongping, in June, locust disasters occurred in Liangzhou, and crops were consumed. In the fifth year, in May, the Buqu insect in Qingzhou once again ate jujube flowers. In July, locusts ravaged, and the capital also faced a locust outbreak. In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou all suffered from locust disasters, with two-thirds of the crops consumed.
In the first year of Xiping of Suzong, in June, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou all suffered from locust disasters, with heavy crop losses. In the first year of Xianzu Tianan, in June, a remarkable battle erupted between black ants and red ants in Yanzhou, with the battlefield stretching sixty steps long and measuring four inches wide. The red ants suffered total defeat, and the black ants emerged victorious. 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 to the court, and the court appointed General Wuyuan to receive them, defeating the rebel general Zhou Kai and others.
In the tenth year of Tahe of Gaozu, in July, Zhang Wanshou, the magistrate of Bingzhou, reported that the people of Jianxing Huoze County, Jia Riche, had been raising silkworms since April, and unexpectedly discovered that the silk had formed a curtain, inside which was a roll of something resembling a ribbon, four feet long and three inches wide, thin, with two yellow cocoons on top, resembling footprints.
In the second year of Zhengshi of Shizong, in March, there was an incident of silkworm moths injuring people in Xuzhou, with more than a hundred people injured and twenty-two deaths; it was a truly horrifying sight.
The curse of caterpillars lies in their constant transformation.
During the reign of Emperor Taizu, a great tiger appeared in Henan, lying by the river for three months before leaving. The following year, a swarm of insects and white deer crossed the Yellow River. A year later, the river even turned a deep blood red. All of this was a sign of the downfall of the Wei family. Later, the Wei family was wiped out, and their bodies were thrown into the river, after which the place became calm.
In the first month of the first year of the reign of Emperor Xiaojing Yuanxiang, a wolf broke into the city and was caught only after running to Xieshi. In the twelfth month of the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Wuding, a leopard was captured on the Copper Jue Terrace in the north city.
On the day of Xin Hai in May of the first year of the reign of Emperor Gaozu Taihe, a fox spirit was out cutting people's hair and even wrote characters. At that time, Empress Wenming was listening to state affairs, which was a clear sign of corruption in the court!
Starting in the spring of the second year of the reign of Emperor Tang Suzong Xiping, a strange occurrence appeared in the capital: fox spirits were out cutting people's hair, scaring everyone greatly. By the day of Ren Chen in June, Empress Ling summoned those whose hair had been cut and ordered Liu Teng, the commander of the Imperial Guards, to publicly whip them outside Qianqiu Gate, which mirrored the events of the Taihe period.
The "Ruitu" states: if officials such as local princes, governors, and county magistrates oppress the common people cruelly, leading to widespread grievances among the populace, then white mice are said to appear.
In the third year of the reign of Emperor Taizong Yongxing, in February, a commoner named Zhao Wen in the capital discovered a white mouse in his home and presented it to the emperor.
That spring, while out hunting in the North Garden, a white mouse was caught, and not long after, it died. They found three small white mice in its belly upon dissection.
In March of the fourth year of Yongxing, the emperor went to the Western Palace and caught yet another white mouse. In August, a person named Zhang An in the palace also caught one.
In May of the second year of the reign of Emperor Shenlong, while hunting in Kelong Mountain, the emperor caught a white mouse; Pingcheng also caught three. In June, Pingcheng caught two more. In August, Wang Kui from Yuzhang also caught one.
In November of the first year of Emperor Tang Ruizong's Tai Chang era, someone in the capital caught a white mouse (or a creature resembling a white mouse) and presented it to the emperor. In June of the second year, two white mice were caught in the Zhongshan region. In March of the third year, yet another white mouse was caught in the capital. In November, another white mouse was caught in the capital.
In August of the third year of Emperor Tang Shizu's Shiguang era, a white mouse was caught in Weijun, in the province of Xiangzhou.
In August of the first year of Emperor Tang Taizong's Taiyan era, a white mouse was presented to the emperor from the Yanmen region.
In August of the twenty-third year of Emperor Tang Gaozu's Taihe era, a white mouse was caught in the capital.
In May of the fourth year of Emperor Tang Shizong's Jingming era, a white mouse was caught in the capital.
In June of the first year of Emperor Tang Wendi's Zhengshi era, a white mouse was caught in the capital.
In April of the first year of Emperor Tang Suzong's Xiping era, Sizhōu reported the capture of a white mouse.
