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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Wei （魏書）

Published: 07 January 2025

Created: 07 January 2025

Hits: 59

Ban Gu said, if an emperor does not treat his subjects generously, he cannot be considered a wise ruler. A person's appearance, speech, eyes, and listening skills all need to be carefully observed. If any of these four aspects are problematic, the person will be confused and ignorant, leading to disasters.

Next, let's take a look at some strange historical celestial phenomena records. In the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Taizong of Song in January, there was a rain of dust in Luoyang, similar to fog. In the twelfth year of Emperor Gaozu of Song in November, the sky was shrouded in dust fog for six days, especially dense on Jiazi night, causing discomfort to people's noses. In the third year of Emperor Shizong of Song in February, there was yellow fog in Qinzhou, covering the ground with dust rain. In August of the same year, the air was turbid everywhere, and nothing could be seen clearly. In the eighth month of the fourth year, Liangzhou also experienced dust rain, similar to fog. In the second year of Zhengshi in January, the night of Jichou was filled with dark fog, which later turned red. In the third year of Zhengshi in January, there was dust fog again. In September, black fog covered the sky. In the first year of Yanchang in February, yellow fog covered the sky. At that time, Gao Zhao was favored because he was a noble relative, and his brothers were all appointed as marquises, just like the five marquises of the Han Dynasty.

Ancient people believed that abnormal weather was a warning from heaven. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed that the lack of frost in winter and the fact that grass and trees did not wither were seen as abnormal. Jing Fang in the "Yi Zhuan" said: intense summer heat can be deadly, and only when all things grow and mature can winter come. In the eighth month of the fifth year of Emperor Shizong, the fruit trees in Hualin Garden bloomed. In the eighth month of the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan also bloomed. In the first year of Chengming in September, the fruit of the Du tree in the home of Qi Yuan in Youzhou grew well, but suddenly all fell off, and then the flowers and leaves grew back within seven days, just like spring. In the fourth year of Jingming in November, the peach and plum trees in Dongqinghe County, Qizhou, bloomed. In the fourth year of Yanchang in the leap tenth month of Xinhai, the pear trees in the capital also bloomed.

The "Hong Fan Zhuan" states: If the emperor abandons the laws, excludes loyal officials, kills the crown prince, and elevates a concubine to empress, then a fire will occur. This means that fire has lost its nature and turned into a disaster. In the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Gaozong, in the spring of March, a great fire broke out in Fei Ru, burning almost all the houses of both the officials and the common people, with only the statues in the two temples on the east and west sides, as well as the buildings housing them, remaining unburned. In the eighth year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, on Wu Yin day in May, the marshes in Qin County, Hanoi, spontaneously caught fire, and the flames gradually spread over a distance of more than a hundred steps, extinguished only after five days. In the first year of Emperor Shizong's reign, on Yi Si day in March, the ancestral hall at Hengyue caught fire. In the first year of Emperor Suzong's reign, in May, the Gou Dun area also caught fire. In the summer of the second year of Emperor Xiaochang's reign, a fire broke out underground in Qiu County, Youzhou. In the third year, a massive fire broke out in Yingzhou City, destroying over three thousand homes. Oh, how tragic! In the third year of Yongxi, in February, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire. Afterward, people claimed they saw the pagoda flying into the East Sea. The Yongning Pagoda, after all, is a place dedicated to the deities, and this heavenly intention seems to indicate: Yongning has suffered a disaster, and the Wei state is also in danger. The Bohai Sea was originally the fief of King Xian of Qi, and the deities returning to the sea is a sign of Qi state's impending prosperity! In March, the southern gate of the Sanji Temple in Bingzhou also caught fire. These fires happening one after another are truly alarming. In the autumn of the fourth year of Tianping, the eastern gate of Changhe in Ye City caught fire. In the winter of the third year of Wuding, a fire suddenly broke out at the foot of the West River in Fen Prefecture, with smoke billowing upward. The thought of this underground fire is terrifying. On the night of the first month of the second year of Shiguang, black gas appeared in the southeast direction of the sky, a width of one zhang and a length of ten zhang. This signaled that war was imminent. As expected, in February, Murong Kesi rebelled in Beiping. In the first month of the third year of the reign of Emperor Huangxing, black gas appeared above the Yellow River and Jishui, several li wide, obscuring Dongyang City, as dark as it was at night. After that, Dongyang City collapsed. That black gas was truly terrifying to behold.

In the third year of Jingming, in the ninth month of Jimao, black mist spread everywhere. On the Jia Chen day, Yangzhou defeated Xiao Yan's general Zhang Xiao, beheading two thousand. This black mist seems to be an ominous sign!

In the second year of Taihe, in the eleventh month of Dingwei night, three streams of white mist emerged from the ground, transforming into a yellowish-red hue, illuminating the earth. This sight is truly extraordinary.

In the sixteenth year, in the ninth month of Dingsi, in the evening, red mist appeared in the northwest, twenty zhang long and eight to nine feet wide, disappearing soon after.

In the first year of Yanchang, in the third month of Bingshen, red mist appeared in the sky from the hour of Mao to the hour of Xu.

In the first year of Zhengguang, in the eleventh month of Xinwei, red mist shot up into the sky like flames in the northwest. The capital did not see it, but it was seen in Liangzhou. This red mist had a considerable reach.

In the third year, in the ninth month of Jiachen night, flame-like red mist appeared in the northwest, stretching more than a few miles from east to west. This is a sign that Beizhen will rebel!

In the fifth year, in the fifth month of Guiyou, red mist appeared in the north, spanning the sky from east to west, like flames.

In the third year of Yong'an, in the eleventh month of Jichou, red mist-like air appeared, extending diagonally from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Palace steps to the corridor, about one zhang high, connecting to the ground like a crimson veil, not disappearing from the hour of Wei to the hour of Xu. The emperor found it quite unsettling, and disaster ultimately followed. This red mist seems inauspicious!

In the third year of Tianping, in the first month of Jihai, red mist appeared in the east, about three zhang long, disappearing after three hours.

In the third year of Yong'an, on a certain day in the sixth month at the hour of Shen (3 to 5 pm), a blue gas appeared in the sky, about four feet wide, starting from the east side of the mountain and extending northwest, stopping only in mid-air. At the same time, a cloud of black, red, and yellow mixed colors appeared in the northwest, resembling a mountain peak, with a four-foot wide blue gas at the top, extending southeast and stopping in mid-air. These two gases met in mid-air, with the southeast gas dispersing first, followed by the northwest gas disappearing. These all signal the emperor's impending demise!

Ban Gu said: The night demon refers to the appearance of clouds and wind together, making it seem dark and obscure, thus resembling ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it can lead to a massive breeding of pests like armyworms and locusts. One day in June of the first year of Zhengshi, it was as dark as night. On a certain day in August, it was also as dark as night during the day.

Liu Xin said: If a ruler is not dignified, it is called not being austere. If those in higher positions are disrespectful to those below them and are tyrannical and lawless, then the yin forces will prevail, leading to floods that damage crops, resulting in insufficient food and clothing, and causing chaos with rising crime and wickedness, making it the worst omen. There is also a saying that the common people suffer many punishments, which makes their faces ugly. Ban Gu believed that when livestock suffer disasters, it is called "calamity," indicating that the disaster is severe; if the disaster befalls people, it is called "zhuanzhuan," describing a sickly appearance, indicating that the disaster is grave.

In the third year of Yongxing, someone in the Ulanhou area developed a bone on their body, shaped like a sheep's horn, more than a foot long.

In the sixteenth year of Taihe, in May, the Minister of Documents Li Chong reported that: "The daughter of Li Banhui from Wujixian, Zhongshan Prefecture, Dingzhou, grew nine hairs under her right thumb nail on September 20 last year, which had grown to twelve inches in length by October 20."

On a certain day in November of the second year of Xiping, it was reported from Bingzhou that Han Sengzhen's daughter Ling Ji was born from her mother's right side. Empress Dowager Ling ordered her to be sent to the Yeting Palace.

On a certain day in May of the first year of Zhengguang, huge footprints were found in Xiacaijun, Nanyan Prefecture, totaling seven steps, each measuring one foot eight inches long and seven inches five tenths wide.

In the autumn of the third year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong County gave birth to four boys, totaling four births, resulting in a total of sixteen boys.

On a certain day in November of the third year of Yong'an, a family in the capital gave birth to a child with one head, two torsos, four arms, four legs, and three ears.

On a certain day in November of the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the monk Daodeng went to the Shizhong Palace together. After sunset, around the sixth watch of the night (between nine and eleven o'clock), they saw a ghost wearing yellow clothes and pants standing at the door, seemingly wanting to enter. The emperor thought it was a person and scolded it before driving it away. The emperor asked the people around him, and everyone said they didn't see it; only the emperor and Daodeng saw it. In October of the second year of Huangxing, there was an epidemic in Yuzhou, and between fourteen and fifteen thousand people died. In April of the third year of Yongping, there was a severe epidemic in Changling County in Pingyang. From January to April, two thousand seven hundred and thirty people died, which was truly frightening! In June of the nineteenth year of Taihe, it was reported in Xuzhou that a bronze statue eight feet tall was sweating profusely, which was quite bizarre! During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi years, the golden statue of Dingguang at Pingdeng Temple in the capital also sweated several times. Every time this happened, the country would encounter misfortunes. At that time, everyone thought it was an ominous sign and was very afraid. In February of the third year of Yong'an, two bronze statues appeared in the homes of ordinary people in the capital. Each statue was over a foot long. One of the statues had four white hairs growing under its chin, and the other had a black hair growing on its cheek. This was equally odd! The "Hongfan Lun" states: "Dragons are scale insects that arise from water. Clouds are also a symbol of water. When yin energy is strong, such images will manifest. If the ruler defies human ethics and disrupts the heavenly principles, there will be disasters of usurpation and murder."

In the third year of the reign of Shizu Shen, in the third month, two white dragons were spotted in a well in the capital! In the sixth year of Zhenjun, in the second month of Bingchen, another white dragon appeared in a well in the capital! Dragons, being divine creatures, were trapped in the well; these were all ominous signs of Shizu's violent death! In the first year of the reign of Sui Zong Zhengguang, in August, a black dragon that looked like a dog appeared, running from the south to Xuan Yang Men, leaping suddenly and running out through the gate tower! This was a sign of the impending decline of the Wei Dynasty! In the second year of Zhuangdi Yong'an, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang, lingering there for a long time, which ultimately led to Zhuangdi's violent death in Jinyang, truly fulfilling the prophecy! In the first year of Qianfeidi Putai, in the fourth month of Jiayin, traces of a dragon went out from the west side of Xuan Yang Men and returned to the city. The next day, on Yimao, the ministers came to offer their congratulations, but the emperor replied, "If the nation is to prosper, it must heed the voice of the people; if it is to fall, it must heed the will of the gods. We, the rulers and ministers, must govern ourselves and the country, and this may not necessarily be true!" In the "Hongfan Lun," it is said, "The horse is a symbol of war, and when there is a war, horses become strange." In the second year of the reign of Sui Zong Xiping, in November, a horse foal was sent from Hengzhou, its tail fleshy and measuring a foot long, yet it had no hair on its hindquarters! In the first year of Zhengguang, in September, many horses in Woye Town were infested with bugs that burrowed into their ears, causing the death of fourteen or fifteen horses. The bugs resembled maggots, measuring no longer than five inches and as thick as chopsticks. The "Hongfan Lun" also states: The "Book of Changes" says "Kun is the ox," and when the earth is in chaos, strange phenomena will occur with oxen, known as ox calamities. This foretells the destruction of ancestral temples, which some attribute to increased transportation activity. In the second year of Jingming, in May, it was reported from Jizhou that a cow in Changle County had given birth to a calf with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears—truly a bizarre occurrence! The "Hongfan Lun" states: If the emperor lacks wisdom, it will inevitably lead to political errors.

In the twenty-third year of the Taihe era of Emperor Gaozu, in March, Shanzhou reported a lamb being born in Yangqu County, with one head, two bodies, one male and one female, three ears, and eight legs. Not long after, Emperor Gaozu passed away, and the six regents seized power.

In the first year of the Zhengshi era of Emperor Shizong, in July, Shanshan Town sent another lamb, which had one head, two bodies, and eight legs.

In the second year, in January, Shanshan Town sent another lamb with eight legs.

In the fourth year of the Yanchang era, in May, Bogulü Town reported that a lamb appeared with one head, six legs, and two tails.

Jing Fang stated in the "Zhuan": All monsters and aberrations, particularly those with many legs, arise from improper appointments. Jing Fang also said in the "Yijing": Monsters such as a pig with a human head and pig body will lead to chaos and destruction in that place.

In the first year of the Yanxing era of Emperor Gaozu, in September, the relevant authorities reported that the governor of Yuzhou, Duke Wang Rang of Linhuai, submitted a memorial stating that a pig had given birth to a piglet with one head, two bodies, and eight legs.

In the fourth year of the Jingming era of Emperor Shizong, in September, Liangzhou reported that a dog and a pig had mated.

In the eighth month of the fourth year of the Zhengshi era, in the capital, a pig gave birth to a piglet with four ears, two bodies, and eight legs.

In the seventh month of the fourth year of the Yanchang era, Xuzhou reported a piglet born in Yangping Fortress, with a head like a human, a flesh bun on top, and no hair on its body. This was seen as a sign that Empress Ling and the young ruler were on the verge of being overthrown.

According to the "Hongfan Lun," Jing Fang remarked in the "Zhuan": Chicks and small livestock are like minor officials; horns are symbols of weapons, growing on top, representing the majesty of the king. This indicates that if minor officials grasp the king's authority, they will cause turmoil, which is a disaster of poor governance.

In the first year of the Taihe era of Emperor Gaozu, in May, the relevant authorities reported that two hens appeared in the capital, with combs resembling horns, different from other chickens. At that time, Empress Wen was in power, and this was a sign of her heavy reliance on petty people and trust in treacherous individuals.

In the first year of the Zhengshi era of Emperor Shizong, in April, a chick with four legs and four wings appeared in Henan. This event was documented in the "Choi Guang Zhuan."

In August, Sizhous reported that in Hanoi, there was a family that raised chicks which grew an extra head near its tail, complete with a beak and eyes on the extra head. Both heads sprouted a pair of wings from the back of the neck, and the two legs walked side by side. This is a sign that Emperor Sejong trusted petty officials too much, had many factions, and that corrupt officials were meddling in politics.

In December of the fourth year of Yanchang, Luozhou reported that a yellow hen belonging to Governor Wei Xing, Chang Jiao, had a fleshy horn the size of a jujube on its head, measuring one and three-tenths inches long, with fluffy feathers growing on the horn, measuring one and a half inches long.

In January 520 AD, two chickens raised by General Lan Dou both had two horns on their heads, with mixed feather colors that stood taller than a comb. At that time, Empress Ling held absolute power.

The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "Punishment comes to those who do not see clearly and do not hear wisely." This means that if the ruler fails to understand the situation and does not heed advice, they will face punishment.

In November 533 AD, a white owl was captured in the capital. In August 521 AD, a bald eagle was caught in the palace. In April 500 AD, a strange duck was sent to the capital, which had one head, two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. In March 506 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel and was captured in the hall.

The "Hong Fan Lun" also states: "Harsh punishments benefit the lower classes; insatiable greed leads to military actions; seizing land to build cities while losing the people's support will invite pestilence." This means that if the ruler abuses punishment for personal gain, is greedy, and frequently raises armies to seize land and build cities while losing the people's support, it will lead to a plague of pests.

In July of the year 500 AD, a locust plague broke out in the Dunhuang region, and almost all the autumn crops were eaten. In July of 501 AD, the locusts in Qingzhou and Yongzhou ravaged the crops. In August, seven states including Xuzhou, Dongxuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as four towns including Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were afflicted by locust plagues. In April of 502 AD, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou were hit by locust plagues. In March of 503 AD, the locusts in Jizhou, Zhou, and Xiangzhou became a serious problem. In April, locust plagues occurred in seven states including Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. In June, Hezhou experienced severe locust plagues. In October of 516 AD, a locust plague also occurred in the Fohan region, and there was no harvest of crops.

In May of 504 AD, locusts in Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou became a disaster. In March of 507 AD, a large-scale caterpillar disaster occurred in Hezhou, and there was no harvest of wheat. In May, locusts in Guangzhou caused harm. In June, locust plagues were severe in Hezhou. In July, locusts ravaged Donglai County. In June of 508 AD, locust plagues occurred in Xiaozhou and Sizhou. In April of 511 AD, locusts destroyed jujube flowers in Qingzhou. In August, Jingzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou, and Sizhou Hengnong County were invaded by various pests such as yellow rats, locusts, and cutworms. In June of 509 AD, locust plagues occurred in Liangzhou. In May of 512 AD, locusts destroyed jujube flowers in Qingzhou again.

In July, locust disasters swept through the capital; the sight was truly devastating! In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou also suffered from locust plagues, with two-thirds of the crops in the fields consumed, resulting in significant losses for the farmers!

In the first year of Xiping, in June, the four regions of Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were all struck by a locust plague, resulting in no harvest of crops. In the first year of Tian'an, in June, there was a great battle between black ants and red ants in Yanzhou, with a battlefield that measured sixty steps long and four inches wide. The red ants were completely defeated, with all their heads bitten off. The black ants took the north, while the red ants held the south. In the same year, in November, the governor of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, sent envoys to the court to surrender, and the court appointed General Wuyuan to receive them, defeating the enemy general Zhou Kai and others.

In the seventh month of the tenth year of Taihe, Zhang Wanshou, the magistrate of Bingzhou, reported that Jia Riche from Jianning Huoze County had raised silkworms since mid-April and discovered they had woven a curtain, inside which was wrapped something resembling a ribbon, four feet long and three inches wide, thin, with two yellow silk cocoons on top, shaped like footprints.

In the second year of Zhengshi, in March, there was an incident in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured people, with over 110 people injured and 22 fatalities. Just thinking about it is terrifying!

The calamity of these caterpillars signifies some unusual phenomena that foreshadow ominous events. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, a tiger appeared in Henan and stayed by the river for three months before leaving. The following year, a large number of ants and white deer crossed the Yellow River. Another year later, the river actually turned blood red! These were all omens of the impending doom of the Wei Chen clan. Later, the Emperor Taizu ordered the execution of the Wei Chen clan and threw their bodies into the river, after which the place finally calmed down.

In the first month of the Yuanxiang era, a wolf ran into the city and was captured at Keshi. In the twelfth month of Wuding, a leopard was caught on the Bronze Jue Terrace in the north city.

In May of the first year of Taihe, a fox demon came out to cut people's hair. At that time, Empress Wenxuan was presiding over the court, where many decisions were inappropriate, which were all bad omens!

In the spring of the second year of Xiping, strange occurrences began in the capital involving fox demons cutting people's hair, causing widespread fear. On the Renchen day in June, Empress Ling summoned everyone whose hair had been cut and ordered Liu Teng, the Wei Yi of Chongxun, to whip them outside Qianqiu Gate, which mirrored events from the Taihe era.

According to the "Ruitu," if local princes, governors, second-rank officials, and county magistrates oppress the people cruelly, causing widespread grievances, white mice will emerge.

In February of the third year of Yongxing, a white mouse was found in the home of Zhao Wen, a resident of the capital, and he presented it to the imperial court. In the spring of that year, another white mouse was caught in the North Garden, but it died shortly afterward. Upon dissection, three small white mice were discovered inside it.

In a certain year in March, the Emperor went to the Western Palace for leisure and caught a small white mouse. In August, Zhang An, the palace logistics manager, also caught a small white mouse.

In May of the second year of Shenrui, the Emperor went hunting on Kelun Mountain and caught yet another small white mouse; in Pingcheng, three were caught at once! In June, two additional ones were caught in Pingcheng. In August, Wang Kui of Yuzhang also caught a small white mouse.

In November of the first year of Taichang, a resident of the capital caught a small white mouse and presented it to the Emperor. In June of the following year, two small white mice were captured in the Zhongshan region.

In March of the third year of Taichang, yet another small white mouse was caught in the capital. In November, another was also caught in the capital.

In August of the third year of Shiguang, during Emperor Shizu's reign, a small white mouse was caught in Weijun, in the province of Xiangzhou. In August of the first year of Taiyan, a person from Yanmen presented a small white mouse.

In August of the twenty-third year of Taihe, during Emperor Gaozu's reign, another small white mouse was caught in the capital. In May of the fourth year of Jingming, during Emperor Shizong's reign, another small white mouse was caught in the capital.

In June of the first year of Zhengshi, yet another small white mouse was caught in the capital. In April of the first year of Xiping, during Emperor Suzong's reign, reports from Sizhou indicated that a small white mouse had been caught and sent.

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Wei （魏書）

Published: 07 January 2025

Created: 07 January 2025

Hits: 69

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.

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Wei （魏書）

Published: 07 January 2025

Created: 07 January 2025

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In the "Hongfan Lun", it is said: Thunder is Yang, clouds are Yin. There must be clouds for there to be thunder, and there must be subjects for there to be rulers. Thunder relies on clouds, and rulers rely on subjects; this is the principle of Yin and Yang harmony. Therefore, if there is thunder without clouds, it means the ruler is alone, without subjects.

In the first year of Emperor Xianzu's reign, in the seventh month, thunder was heard from the northeast direction without any clouds, which was an unusual phenomenon indeed! In the second year, in the seventh month, sounds resembling thunder were heard from the northeast direction again. In the first year of Emperor Yanzhang Yanchang, on the day of Youshen in the second month, sounds emanated from the northeast and moved southward, sounding like thunder, and after two sounds, it stopped.

After that, in the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Taizhen, on the day of Xinyou in the tenth month, drum-like sounds were heard from the north, moving towards the northwest. The "Hongfan Lun" also states: Yang energy governs for one hundred and eighty-three days, Yin energy also governs for one hundred and eighty-three days; thunder emerges from the ground for one hundred and eighty-three days, then goes back into the ground for one hundred and eighty-three days, before emerging again; this is the normal rule. Therefore, when thunder is in its proper season, everything is at peace; when thunder is abnormal, all things suffer. This is like a country: when the ruler is in good standing, the country thrives; when the ruler faces disaster, the country suffers. Thunder occurring out of season is considered an abnormal phenomenon.

In the first year of Shizu Shenyou, on the day of Jixu in the tenth month, it rained with thunder and lightning. In the third year of Taiyan, on the day of Guichou in the tenth month, there was thunder. On the day of Dinghai in the eleventh month of the fourth year, there was thunder again. In the third year of Taihe, on the day of Gengxu in the eleventh month, Yuzhou experienced a heavy thunderstorm, with three inches of standing water. In the fourth year of Taihe, on the day of Wuxu in the tenth month, there was thunder. On the day of Xinsi in the eleventh month of the seventh year, there was thunder and lightning in Youzhou area, and the city was bathed in red light. In the second year of Jingming, on the day of Xinmao in the eleventh month, there was thunder in Liangzhou, echoing seven times. On the day of Jisi in the twelfth month of the third year, there was thunder in the evening, echoing nine times. On the day of Jiayin in the eleventh month of the first year of Zhengshi, thunder and lightning were reported in four regions: Qinzhou, Qizhou, Jingzhou, and Shuozhou. In the first month of the first year of Suzong Zhengguang, thunder was heard.

The "Spring and Autumn Annals" records that Yibo's temple was struck by lightning, and Zuo Qiuming claimed that the Zhan family was hiding something. Liu Xiang believed that Yibo was a hereditary official, and this served as a warning from heaven: do not allow officials to inherit their positions to prevent tyranny. In the sixth year of the reign of Taizu, in April, the east wing of the Tian'an Hall was struck by lightning. The emperor was very angry and ordered the east and west wings of the hall to be destroyed by a battering ram. Consequently, the emperor died unexpectedly. In the second year of the reign of Xianzu, in November at night, there was a thunderstorm. On the day of Wuwu in May of the third year of the reign of Gaozu, the southern end of the roof's ridge at the eastern temple's middle gate was struck by lightning. Ban Gu once said: If a ruler does not generously tolerate his subjects, he cannot become a wise ruler. Appearance, speech, gaze, and hearing are all influenced by one's heart; if there are problems in these four aspects, it will lead to ignorance and folly, thus inviting disaster. On the day of Gengzi in the first month of the year 478, mud rain fell in Luoyang, resembling mist. That scene was truly impressive. On the day of Bingxu in November of 488, the sky in Luoyang was shrouded in yellow dust fog that lingered for six days. By Jiazi night, the fog thickened, resembling burning smoke that choked people's noses and was unsettling to think about. On the day of Jichou in February of 497, yellow fog also appeared in Qinzhou, blanketing the ground in dirt, creating a complete mess. By the day of Jiyou in August, the murky fog spread everywhere, obscuring the sky and sun. On the day of Xinsi in August of 498, mud rain also fell in Liangzhou, resembling mist, much like the conditions in Qinzhou.

In the night of the first month of 502 AD, an ominous mist spread everywhere, initially black, then turning red; the change in color was unsettling. In the first month of 503 AD, a turbid fog covered the sky, blocking out the sun. By the ninth month of 504 AD, a black fog enveloped the world, casting a pall of darkness over everything. In the second month of 504 AD, a yellow fog covered the sky, rendering the air hard to breathe. Gao Zhao, who was favored due to his imperial connections, and his brothers were all granted titles of marquis, just like the Five Marquises of the Han Dynasty.

Ancient people believed these abnormal weather phenomena were signs from the heavens. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed that the absence of frost in winter and the lack of withering plants were abnormal; Jing Fang wrote in the "Yi Zhuan" that the deaths caused by intense summer heat and the thriving plants in winter indicated abnormal weather.

In August of 505 AD, the fruit trees in Hualin Garden blossomed, which was out of season. In August of 485 AD, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan also blossomed, which was equally unusual. In September of 506 AD, the persimmon trees in Youzhou bore fruit, which then suddenly dropped, with flowers and leaves growing back, returning to a spring-like state in just seven days—a rapid change. In November of 499 AD, the peach and plum trees in the Dongqing River district of Qizhou also blossomed, signaling a climate in disarray. In the intercalary tenth month of 508 AD, the apple trees in the capital city also blossomed, further illustrating this disorder.

The "Hongfan Zhuan" states: "If a king abandons the law, suppresses his officials, kills the crown prince, and promotes a concubine to the status of a wife, then fire will not burn upwards." This implies that when fire loses its nature and turns into a disaster, it foreshadows impending misfortune.

In the spring of 510 AD, a massive fire broke out in Feiru City; almost all government and civilian houses were burned down, and only the statues and halls of the two temples in the east and west were spared—a true miracle.

In the fifth month of the year 488 AD, a marshland in Qin County, Hanoi spontaneously ignited, and the fire gradually spread over a distance of more than a hundred paces, taking five days to extinguish. In the third month of the year 496 AD, a temple in Hengyue caught fire. In May of the year 520 AD, the barracks of the Imperial Guard in Goudun caught fire. In the summer of the year 526 AD, an underground fire broke out in Qiucheng, Youzhou. In the spring of the year 527 AD, a massive fire broke out in Yingzhou City, destroying over three thousand homes.

In the second month of the third year of Yongxi, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire! At that time, many people said they saw the pagoda flying into the East Sea. The pagoda at Yongning Temple is a miraculous place, and this fire seemed like a message from the heavens: trouble in Yongning means danger for the Wei Kingdom! Bohai is the ancestral home of King Xianwu of Qi, so could the return of the spirits to the sea be a sign of Qi's prosperity?

In March, the South Gate of Sanji Temple in Binxian caught fire as well. These consecutive fires are truly unsettling. In the autumn of the fourth year of Xiaojing Tianping, the East Gate of Changhe Gate in Ye City caught fire. These fires happening one after another are really making people anxious.

In the winter of the third year of Wuding, a fire broke out under the North Mountain of Xihen in Fenzhou, with hot air billowing upwards! The thought of underground fires is truly terrifying.

In the first month of the second year of Shiguang, on a night of the Jiayin year, a black cloud appeared in the southeast direction, one zhang wide and ten zhang long! This is an omen of war! Sure enough, in the second month, Murong Ke's rebellion in Beiping occurred.

In the first month of the third year of Xianzuhuangxing, a large black cloud appeared across the Yellow River, several li wide, covering Dongyang City, making it as dark as night. After that, Dongyang City collapsed. The oppressive black cloud over the city seemed ready to crush it!

In the ninth month of the third year of Shizongjingming, black clouds filled the sky. On the day of Jia Chen, Yangzhou defeated Xiao Yan's general Zhang Xiao, beheading two thousand! Could this black cloud be an omen?

In the eleventh month of the second year of Gaozu Taihe, on a night of Ding Wei, three streams of white vapor emerged from the ground, turning into yellow and red colors, shining brightly and illuminating the earth. What could this signify?

In the evening of September in the sixteenth year, on the day of Ding Si, a red mist appeared in the northwest, measuring twenty zhang in length and eight or nine feet in width, and it disappeared after a while.

In the first year of the reign of Emperor Shizong, in March, on the day of Bing Shen, red mist appeared in the sky, lasting from the hour of Mao (5-7 AM) to the hour of Xu (7-9 PM).

In the first year of the reign of Emperor Su, in November, on the day of Xin Wei, the red mist in the northwest surged straight up to the clouds, like fire. It was not visible in the capital, but was seen in Liangzhou.

On the night of the ninth month in the third year, red mist that resembled flames appeared again in the northwest, extending over a matchstick's length in the east-west direction. This was a sign that the Northern Town was about to rebel!

In the fifth year, on the day of Gui You, during the hour of Shen, red mist appeared in the north, stretching across the sky in the east-west direction, like flames.

In the third year of Emperor Zhuang's reign, in November, on the day of Ji Chou, a mass of red mist that resembled fog appeared, extending diagonally from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Palace steps to the corridor, about one zhang high, like a red shroud, and it did not disappear from the hour of Wei to the hour of Xu. The emperor found it quite disturbing, and in the end, he indeed died suddenly.

In the third year of the reign of Emperor Xiao Jing, on the day of Ji Hai during the hour of Xu, red mist appeared in the east, approximately three zhang long, and it disappeared after a while.

On a certain afternoon in June of the third year of Yong'an, unusual phenomena were observed in the sky: in the direction of Chen, there was blue gas about four feet wide, starting from the eastern mountain and extending northwest, vanishing into thin air. At the same time, in the northwest direction, black, red, and yellow clouds appeared, resembling mountain peaks, topped with blue gas about four feet wide, extending southeast, also vanishing into thin air. These two masses of gas met in mid-air, with the southeast gas dispersing first, followed by the northwest gas. This was interpreted as a sign that the emperor was nearing death.

Ban Gu explained that "night demons" refer to the appearance of clouds and winds together, creating a blurry sight that resembles ordinary winds. Warm weather and windy conditions can lead to the proliferation of pests like borers and locusts.

The last day of June in the first year of Zheng Shi was overcast. On one day in August, the daylight was as dark as night.

Liu Xin believed that if a monarch behaved improperly and was not serious, it would lead to the rise of negative forces, disasters from floods damaging crops, insufficient food and clothing for the people, and chaos caused by wickedness and betrayal, ultimately resulting in great calamity. Another viewpoint is that the common people suffer many punishments and have ugly appearances. Ban Gu believed that when livestock suffer, it is called "disaster," indicating the severity of the calamity; when people suffer, it is called "zhuanzhuan" (a term indicating severe illness), describing a sickly appearance and indicating the depth of the disaster.

In the third year of Yongxing, a bone resembling a sheep's horn was discovered beneath Ulanhou (a place name), measuring over a foot in length.

In the sixteenth year of Taihe, in May, Minister Li Chong reported that the daughter of Li Banhui from Wujie County in Zhongshan Commandery, Dingzhou, had nine hairs that had grown beneath the nail of her right thumb on September 20 of last year, which grew to one foot and two inches by October 20.

In the second year of Xiping, on a certain day in November, it was reported from Bingzhou that the daughter of Han Sengzhen from Qi County, named Lingji, was born from her mother's right side. Empress Ling ordered her to be sent to the Yeting (a palace institution).

On a certain day in May of the first year of Zhengguang, huge footprints were discovered in Xiangcai County, Nanyan Prefecture, totaling seven steps, each measuring one foot and eight inches long and seven inches and five tenths wide.

In the autumn of the third year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong County gave birth to four boys, totaling four births, resulting in sixteen boys.

On a certain day in November of the third year of Yong'an, a family in the capital gave birth to a child with one head, two torsos, four arms, four legs, and three ears.

On a certain day in November of the sixteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the monk Daodeng went together to the Shizhong Province. After sunset, around the sixth watch, they saw a ghost dressed in yellow clothes and pants standing at the door wanting to enter. The emperor thought it was a person and scolded it, causing it to retreat. The emperor asked those around him, and everyone said they did not see it, only the emperor and Daodeng saw it.

In the second year of Huangxing, in October, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, killing about 140,000 to 150,000 people.

In the third year of Yongping, in April, a major plague occurred in Changling County of Pingyang, from the first month to April, resulting in 2,730 deaths. This is serious; so many lives have been lost!

In the nineteenth year of Taihe, in June, it was reported in Xuzhou that a copper statue eight zhang high was sweating all over, which was too strange! During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi periods, the golden statue of Dingguang in the Pingdeng Temple of the capital also sweated several times. Each time, it was when the country was about to face major events. People back then were quite frightened and believed it was an ominous sign. In the third year of Yong'an, in February, two copper statues showed up in the homes of ordinary folks in Jingcheng. Each statue was over a foot long. One of them had four white hairs under the chin, and the other had a black hair on the cheek. That was pretty weird too!

In the "Hongfan Lun," it says: "The dragon is a scaly insect, born in water. Clouds are also a symbol of water. When the Yin Qi is strong, its appearance is imminent. If the ruler goes against human ethics and disrupts the heavenly way, there will be disasters of usurpation and murder."

In the third year of Shizu Shenxun, in March, two white dragons appeared in a family well in Jingcheng. In the sixth year of Zhenjun, in February, another white dragon appeared in a family well in Jingcheng. Dragons are divine creatures, yet they’re found squatting in wells. These are all signs that Shizu's violent death is coming!

In the first year of Suzong Zhengguang, in August, a black dragon-like creature appeared, running from the south to Xuanyang Gate, then leaping up and running through the gate tower and out. The Wei Dynasty is on the decline! In the second year of Zhuangdi Yong'an, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang and stayed there for a long time. This hinted that Zhuangdi would meet a violent end in Jinyang!

In the first year of Fu Di Putai, in April, dragon signs were spotted coming from the west side of Xuanyang Gate, then they turned back into the city. The next day, the courtiers came to the palace to offer their congratulations, and the emperor said, "If the country is to prosper, it must listen to the opinions of the people; if the country is to perish, it must follow the will of heaven. However, we, as rulers and subjects, should keep ourselves in check and govern the country, and not rely solely on these auspicious signs to celebrate."

In the "Hongfan Lun," it says: "The horse is a symbol of the military. When there will be bandits and warfare, the horse becomes a strange sight."

In the second year of Xiping during the reign of Emperor Su, on the day of Xinwei in November, a foal arrived from Hengzhou. Its tail was fleshy and about a foot long, but it had no hair on its hindquarters. In the first year of Zhenguang, in September, the official horses of Woye Town fell ill with a strange disease, causing the deaths of around fourteen or fifteen horses. The pests were similar to a type of insect, less than five inches long and as thick as chopsticks.

The "Hongfan Lun" cites the "I Ching," stating: "Kun represents the cow," where "Kun" means earth. When the earth's forces are chaotic, strange occurrences with cows will arise, known as a cow disaster. This foretells the destruction of ancestral temples. There is also a saying that busy transport can lead to incidents with cows.

In the second year of Jingming, in May, Jizhou reported that a cow in Changle County gave birth to a calf with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears! This is incredibly strange!

The "Hongfan Lun" states: If the emperor is not wise, it will lead to political mistakes. In the twenty-third year of Emperor Gao's Taihe, in March, Sizhou reported that a lamb appeared in Yangqu County that had two bodies, one female and one male, three ears, and eight legs. Soon after, Emperor Gao died, and six regents seized power.

In the first year of Emperor Shizong's Zhengshi, in July, Shanshan Town sent a lamb that had two bodies and eight legs. The following January, Shanshan Town sent another lamb with eight legs.

In the fourth year of Yanchang, in May, Boguluzhen reported that a lamb appeared that had one body, six legs, and two tails. Jingfang stated in "Zhuan" that all monsters and aberrations with many legs are due to the evil of those in power. Jingfang also said in "Yi" that a monster is a pig with a human head and pig body, which foreshadows chaos and destruction in cities.

In the first year of Emperor Gao's Yanxing, in September, relevant authorities reported that the governor of Yuzhou, Duke Wang Rang of Linhuai, submitted a report stating that a pig had given birth to a piglet with one body, two bodies, and eight legs.

In August of the fourth year of Zhengshi, in the capital, a pig gave birth to a piglet that had one body, four ears, and eight legs.

In the seventh month of the fourth year of Yanchang, Xuzhou reported that a pig at the Yangping Garrison gave birth to piglets that had human-like heads and faces, a fleshy bun on top, and no hair on their bodies. This was a sign that Empress Ling and the young ruler were about to be overthrown.

The "Hongfan Lun" states: Jing Fang said in the "Chuan": A chick is like a little minister; a horn symbolizes a weapon, and when it grows on top, it represents the majesty of the ruler. This indicates that the little ministers in power will use the ruler's majesty to incite chaos, which is a calamity of poor governance.

In the first year of the Taihe era of Emperor Gaozu, in the summer of May, relevant departments reported that in the capital, there were two hens with combs that looked like horns on their heads, different from other chickens. At that time, Empress Wen was in power, and this was a sign of her trust in and promotion of petty officials.

In the first year of the Zhengshi era of Emperor Shizong, in April, a chick with four legs and four wings was reported in Henan. This incident was recorded in the "Biography of Cui Guang."

In August, Sizhou reported that in Hanoi, a family raised a chick that had another head growing near its tail, complete with mouth and eyes. Both heads grew from the back of the neck, each with two wings and two legs walking side by side. This indicated that during Emperor Shizong’s reign, there was greater trust in petty officials and the presence of factions, with corrupt and treacherous individuals interfering in governance.

In December of the fourth year of Yanchang, Luozhou reported that a yellow hen from the household of Wei Xing, the governor of Wei, had a fleshy horn on its head, about the size of a jujube, measuring one inch and three points, with fluffy hair growing on the horn, which measured one and a half inches.

In January 520 AD, two chickens raised in the household of General Lan Dou, a rooster and a hen, both had two horns growing on their heads, their feathers a mix of colors, and the horns stood taller than their combs. At that time, Empress Ling was in power, monopolizing authority. The "Hongfan Lun" states: "This is punishment for being unable to see clearly and hear intelligently." This suggests that the common people are unable to see or hear, all due to the rulers' moral failings.

In November of the year 535 AD, a white owl was caught in the capital. In August of the year 521 AD, a bald eagle was caught in the imperial palace on the Ji Mao day. In April of the year 522 AD, someone brought a strange duck that had one head but two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails! In March of the year 526 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of Personnel Affairs and was caught in the hall. The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "If the ruler uses cruel punishments, only cares about greedily plundering the people, engages in large-scale construction projects while disregarding the people's lives, then it will attract disasters."

In July of the year 525 AD, Dunhuang suffered from a locust plague, and almost all the crops in the autumn were eaten. In the following July, Qingzhou and Yongzhou were also affected by locusts, resulting in a complete loss of crops. In August, the seven regions of Xuzhou, East Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as the four military towns of Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were all struck by locusts. By April of the year 527 AD, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou were hit by locust plagues. In March of the year 528 AD, the crops in Jizhou, Zhou, and Xiangzhou were affected by locusts. In April, locust plagues occurred in the seven regions of Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. On the day of Yi Si in June, Xiangzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou were struck by locusts. On the day of Gui Si in October of the year 536 AD, the Fohang region also faced significant crop losses due to a locust plague.

In May of the year 530 AD, the six states of Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were afflicted by locusts. In March of the year 533 AD, a large-scale locust plague occurred in Hezhou, resulting in a complete loss of the wheat harvest. In May, Guangzhou faced another locust invasion. In June, Hezhou suffered a major locust plague. In July, Donglai County also suffered from locusts. In June of the year 534 AD, Xiazhou and Sizhou suffered from locust plagues. In April of the year 537 AD, Qingzhou was infested by caterpillars, and the flowers of the jujube trees were completely devoured. In August, Jingzhou was plagued by yellow rats, locusts, and bandits, Hezhou had locusts and bandits, and Liangzhou and Hengnong County in Sizhou also suffered from locust plagues. On the Jisi day of June in the year 538 AD, Liangzhou experienced a locust plague. In May of the year 540 AD, Qingzhou was once again threatened by caterpillars.

In July, locust plagues swept through the capital; the sight was truly heartbreaking! In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou also suffered from locust plagues, with two-thirds of the crops in the fields consumed.

In June of the first year of Xiping, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou all suffered from locust invasions, resulting in a total crop failure. In June of the first year of Tianan, an unusual phenomenon was reported in Yanzhou: black ants and red ants battled over a distance of more than 300 meters, spanning four inches in width. In the end, the red ants suffered a total defeat, with countless casualties. The black ants occupied the north, while the red ants were in the south. By November, the governor of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, dispatched envoys to surrender, and the court appointed General Weyuan as the commander to accept them, defeating the rebel general Zhou Kai and his forces.

In July of the tenth year of Taihe, Zhang Wanshou, the magistrate of Bingzhou, reported that in Jianxing Huoze County, there was a commoner named Jia Riche, who had raised silkworms four months prior. He discovered that the silkworms had spun a curtain; inside it was a roll of something that looked like a ribbon, four feet long and three inches wide, thin, featuring two yellow cocoons on top that resembled footprints.

In the second year of Zhengshi, in March, a silkworm moth attack that injured people occurred in Xuzhou, resulting in over 110 injuries and 22 deaths; it was truly a tragedy!

Speaking of these pest outbreaks, they are all strange occurrences that happen due to violating the laws of nature. During the reign of the founding emperor of the dynasty, 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. The year after that, the water of the Yellow River actually turned blood red! These were all ominous signs of the downfall of the Wei Chen family! Later, the founding emperor eliminated the entire Wei Chen family and threw them into the Yellow River, after which the area returned to peace.

In the first month of the first year of Yuanxiang, a wolf entered the city and was caught at Xieshi. In December of the fifth year of Wuding, a leopard was caught on the Copper Goblet Terrace in the north city.

In the first year of Taihe, on the Xin Hai day in May, a fox spirit appeared and sheared people's hair. At that time, Empress Dowager Wenxuan was in power, and there were many injustices in the government; these were all ominous signs.

Starting in the spring of the second year of Xiping, strange occurrences of fox spirits shearing people's hair appeared in the capital, striking fear into everyone. On the day of Renchen in June, Empress Dowager Ling called in everyone who had their hair cut and had Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, have them whipped outside the Qianqiu Gate, just like what happened during the Taihe period.

The "Ruitu" states: if local princes, governors, and county magistrates cruelly oppress the people, resulting in widespread grievances, white mice will appear.

In the second month of the third year of Yongxing, a commoner in the capital named Zhao Wen discovered a white mouse in his home and presented it to the court. That spring, a white mouse was also caught in the Northern Garden, but it died shortly after. After it was dissected, it was found to have three small white mice in its belly.

In March of a certain year, the emperor went to the Western Palace for leisure and caught a small white mouse.

In August, Zhang An, who was in charge of logistics in the palace, also caught a small white mouse.

In the second year of the Shenrui era, in May, the emperor went hunting in Kelong Mountain and caught a small white rat; in Pingcheng, he caught three at once! In June of the following year (the second year of Taichang), Pingcheng caught two more small white rats. In August, Prince Kuai of Yuzhang also caught a small white rat. In November of the first year of Taichang, someone in the capital caught a small white rat and presented it to the emperor. In June of the following year, two small white rats were caught in the Zhongshan region. In March of the third year of Taichang, another small white rat was caught in the capital. In November, another small white rat was caught in the capital. In August of the third year of Shizu's reign, a small white rat was also caught in Weijun, Xiangzhou. In August of the first year of Taiyan, someone from Yanmen offered a small white rat. In August of the twenty-third year of Gaozu Taihe, another small white rat was caught in the capital. In May of the fourth year of Shizong Jingming, another small white rat was caught in the capital. In June of the first year of Zhengshi, another small white rat was caught in the capital. In April of the first year of Suzong's Xiping era, a report from Sizhou indicated that a small white rat had been caught and sent to the capital.

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Book of Wei （魏書）

Published: 07 January 2025

Created: 07 January 2025

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The "Hong Fan Lun" symbolizes: Thunder symbolizes yang energy, while rain symbolizes yin energy. Thunder can only occur with clouds, and a ruler can only thrive with subjects. Thunder relies on clouds, and a ruler relies on subjects; this reflects the principle of yin-yang harmony. Therefore, if there is thunder without clouds, it indicates that the ruler is alone, without subjects.

In the first year of Emperor Xianzu's reign, in July, there was thunder in the northeast without clouds. This is rather unusual!

In the following year, in July, there was again a sound like thunder in the northeast. What could this mean?

On Ji You day in February of Emperor Shizong's first year, a sound came from the northeast, extending southward, rumbling like thunder, stopping after two sounds.

Next came a more peculiar phenomenon: on Xin You day in October of the fourth year of Emperor Shizong's reign, a sound like a large drum came from the north, moving toward the northwest. What does this omen signify?

The "Hong Fan 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 before emerging again; this follows a natural law. Therefore, when thunder is normal, everything is peaceful; when thunder is abnormal, everything suffers. The same goes for the state: when the ruler is doing well, the state is doing well; when the ruler encounters trouble, the state suffers. Thunder at the wrong times goes against natural order.

On Ji You day in October of the first year of Emperor Shizong's reign, it rained, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

On Gui Chou day in October of the third year of Taiyan, there was thunder.

On Ding Hai day in November of the fourth year, there was thunder.

On Geng Xu day in November of the third year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, thunder and rain struck the Yuzhou region.

On Wu Shen day, there was a heavy thunderstorm in the Yuzhou region, with water accumulating three inches high on flat ground.

On Wu Xu day in October of the fourth year, there was thunder.

On Xin Si day in November of the seventh year, there was thunder and lightning in the Youzhou region, casting a red glow over the city.

On Xin Mao day in November of the second year of Emperor Shizong's reign, there was thunder in the Liangzhou region, with seven loud sounds.

On Ji Si day in December of the third year, there was thunder at night that echoed nine times.

On Jia Yin day in November of the first year of Zhengshi, thunder and lightning struck the four states: Qinzhou, Qizhou, Jingzhou, and Shuozhou.

On Ren Yin day in the first month of the first year of Emperor Suzong's reign, there was thunder again.

The "Spring and Autumn Annals" records that Yibo Temple was struck by lightning, and Zuo Qiuming claimed that the Zhan family was concealing something. Liu Xiang argued that Yibo was a hereditary official, and this served as a warning from heaven, meaning: do not allow officials to inherit their positions to avoid tyranny. In the sixth year of the reign of Taizu, in April, the east wing of Tian'an Hall was struck by lightning. The emperor, furious, ordered the destruction of the east and west wings of the hall using a battering ram. As a result, the emperor soon died suddenly. In the second year of the reign of Xianzu, in November at night, there was a thunderstorm. On the day of Wuwu in May of the third year of the reign of Gaozu, the southern edge of the roof of the middle gate of the East Temple was struck by lightning. Ban Gu said: If those in power are not magnanimous and tolerant of their subordinates, they cannot become wise rulers. A person's appearance, speech, gaze, and hearing ability are all dominated by the heart; if there are problems in these four aspects, one will be confused and ignorant, thus inviting disaster. On the day of Gengzi in the first month of the year 480, it rained in Luoyang, mixing dirt with the rain, creating a fog-like appearance. On November Bingxu in the year 508, Luoyang experienced a dust fog that obscured the sky and sun, lasting for six days without dissipating, and by the night of Jiazi it was as dense as smoke, irritating people's noses. In February of the year 506, on the day of Jichou, Qinzhou also had yellow fog, with rain mixed with dirt blanketing the land. In August of the same year, on the day of Jiyou, there was widespread murky air, resulting in extremely low visibility. In August of the year 508, on the day of Xinsi, Liangzhou also had rain mixed with dirt, blanketing the land like fog. On the night of Jichou in the first month of the year 507, there was thick fog that started out black but later turned red. On the day of Xinchou in the first month of the year 508, the dust fog spread widely, shrouding the sky and sun. In September of the same year, on the day of Renshen, black fog also obscured the sky and sun. In February of the year 510, on the day of Jiaxu, yellow fog obscured the sky and sun. At that time, Gao Zhao enjoyed favor due to his status as a marriage relative, and his brothers were all granted the title of marquis, as distinguished as the five marquises of the Han dynasty.

These unusual phenomena were considered by ancient people to be signs of unusual climate. Liu Xiang and Ban Gu believed that it was abnormal for there to be no frost in winter and for plants not to wither. In the "Book of Changes," Jing Fang said: the scorching summer heat can be harmful to people, while in winter, all things can thrive, suggesting climate anomalies.

In August of the year 481, the fruit trees in Hualin Garden all bloomed. In August of the year 501, the peach and plum trees in Zhongshan also bloomed. In September of the year 502, after the fruits of the apricot tree in the home of Qi Yuan in Youzhou ripened, they suddenly all fell off overnight, and new flowers and leaves grew back, with the trees returning to a spring-like state within seven days. In November of the year 508, the peach and plum trees in Dongqinghe County of Qizhou also bloomed. In the intercalary tenth month of the year 510, the pear trees in the capital also bloomed.

The "Hongfan Zhuan" states: if laws are abandoned, meritorious officials are excluded, the crown prince is killed, and a concubine is taken as a wife, then fire will not burn upwards, meaning that fire has lost its nature and has turned into a disaster.

In March of the year 502, a great fire broke out in Fei Ru City, and nearly all the houses of the government and the people were burned down, with only the statues in the two temples on the east and west sides escaping destruction. In May of the year 504, the marshlands of Qinxian County in Hanoi caught fire spontaneously, gradually spreading over a distance of more than a hundred steps, and it took five days to extinguish. In March of the year 506, the Hengyue ancestral hall caught fire. In May of the year 520, a fire broke out in the Goudun Forbidden Garden. In the summer of the year 527, the ground in Qiuxian County of Youzhou ignited spontaneously. In the spring of the year 528, a great fire broke out in Yingzhou City, resulting in the destruction of over three thousand homes.

In February of the year 433, the nine-story pagoda of Yongning Temple caught fire. At that time, many people said they saw the pagoda flying into the East Sea. The Yongning Temple pagoda housed deities, and everyone felt this was a sign from heaven: an incident at Yongning Temple meant trouble for the State of Wei. The Bohai Sea was originally the fief of King Xian of Qi, and the deities returning to the sea signaled that the State of Qi was destined to prosper. While this explanation seemed mystical, people of that time took it seriously.

In March, the South Gate of Sanji Temple in Buzhou caught fire. The string of fires left people on edge, not knowing if something bad was about to happen. In the autumn of 454 AD, the East Gate of Changhe in Ye City also caught fire. In the winter of 457 AD, a fire broke out under the North Mountain of Xihe in Fenzhou, with heat rising up into the air, an eerie scene to imagine.

On the night of Jia Yin in January 458 AD, a black gas appeared in the southeast direction of the sky, one zhang wide and ten zhang long. People believed this was a sign of impending war. Indeed, in February, Murong Ke's rebellion in Beiping confirmed the previous omen, making people believe even more in these celestial omens. In January of 460 AD, a massive black cloud loomed over the Ji River area of the Yellow River, covering Dongyang City so dark it was like night. After that, Dongyang City collapsed. This dark cloud covering the sky seemed to foreshadow the coming disaster.

In September of 486 AD, black gas was seen everywhere. In September of Jia Chen, Yangzhou defeated Xiao Yan's general Zhang Xiao, beheading two thousand. Following this, the black gas was followed by a military victory; it seems that the interpretations of celestial omens can vary. In the night of Ding Wei in November of 476 AD, three streams of white gas emerged from the ground, transforming into a bright yellow-red. In September of Ding Si in 482 AD, in the evening, a red gas appeared in the northwest, twenty zhang long and eight to nine feet wide, vanishing after a while.

In March of Bing Shen in 488 AD, red gas appeared in the sky, lasting from the Mao hour to the Xu hour. In November of Xin Wei in 490 AD, red gas appeared in the northwest, stretching to the horizon like flames. While the capital did not witness it, Liangzhou did. In the night of Jia Chen in September of 492 AD, red gas appeared in the northwest, like flames, stretching east and west for over a zhang. This foreshadowed an impending rebellion in Beizhen. During the Geng You hour in May of 494 AD, red gas appeared in the north, stretching east and west to the horizon like flames.

In November of the year 503, on the Jichou day, a red gas appeared, resembling mist, extending diagonally from the southwest corner of the Xianyang Hall to the corridor, about ten feet high, like a red curtain, and it did not dissipate from noon until the hour of the Dog. The emperor found it quite displeasing, and ultimately, it contributed to his death. In the hour of the Dog on the Jihai day of January in the year 457, a red gas appeared in the east, approximately three zhang long, and disappeared after a while. These celestial phenomena evoke a deep sense of wonder about the mysteries of history and the reverence people have for fate.

On a certain day in June of the third year of Yong'an, at the hour of the Shen, a blue gas appeared in the sky, about four feet wide, starting from the eastern mountains and extending northwest until it disappeared in mid-air. At the same time, a mass of black, red, and yellow clouds appeared in the northwest, resembling a mountain peak, topped with a four-foot-wide blue gas extending southeast, also disappearing in mid-air. These two gases met in mid-air, with the southeastern gas dissipating first, followed by the northwest gas. These are all ominous signs that the emperor is nearing his end!

Ban Gu said: Night demons are clouds and wind appearing together, making the atmosphere dark and unclear, thus resembling ordinary wind. When the weather is warm and windy, it leads to a large proliferation of pests and locusts.

In the first year of Zhengshi, on a certain day in June, the sky was as dark as night. On a certain day in August, the daytime was also as dark as night.

Liu Xin said: If the ruler is not solemn and respectful, it is not serious. If the upper class oppresses the lower class, causing the common people to live in hardship, it will lead to the rise of yin energy, water disasters destroying crops, insufficient clothing and food, and chaos and corruption, ultimately resulting in great disasters. Some say this is because the common people have suffered too much punishment, resulting in their faces becoming distorted. Ban Gu believed that when livestock suffer disasters, it is called "calamity," indicating that the disaster is severe; if the disaster affects people, it is called "zhuanzhuan," describing people as emaciated and worn, indicating that the disaster is profound.

In the third year of Yongxing, a bone grew beneath the throat of Ulan, shaped like a sheep's horn, more than one foot long.

In the 16th year of Taihe, in the month of May, Minister Li Chong submitted a report: "In Wujixian County, Zhongshan Prefecture, Dingzhou, the daughter of Li Banhu grew nine hairs under her right thumb nail on September 20th last year, and by October 20th, they had grown to a length of one foot and two inches."

On a day in the 2nd year of Xiping, in the month of November, a report from Bingzhou stated that Han Sengzhen's daughter Lingji was born from her mother's right side. Empress Dowager Ling ordered her to be sent to the imperial court.

On a day in the month of May in the 1st year of Zhengguang, giant footprints were discovered in Xiacai County, Nanyanzhou, totaling seven steps, each step measuring one foot eight inches long and seven inches wide.

In the autumn of the 3rd year of Yanxing, a woman in Xiurong Prefecture gave birth to four sets of twins, resulting in a total of sixteen boys.

On a day in the month of November in the 3rd year of Yong'an, a family in the capital had a child with one head, two bodies, four hands, four feet, and three ears.

On a day in the month of November in the 16th year of Taihe, Emperor Gaozu and the monk Daodeng visited the Shizhong Province together. After sunset, around six in the evening, they saw a ghost wearing yellow pleated trousers standing at the door wanting to come in. The Emperor thought it was a person and scolded it, causing it to retreat. When the Emperor asked those around him, they all said they hadn't seen it; only the Emperor and Daodeng had seen it.

In the month of October in the 2nd year of Huangxing, a plague broke out in Yuzhou, resulting in the deaths of approximately fourteen to fifteen thousand people.

In the month of April in the 3rd year of Yongping, there was a major plague in Changling County in Pingyang, which resulted in two thousand seven hundred thirty deaths between January and April. This was truly frightening, with so many lives lost!

In the month of June in the 19th year of Taihe, reports from Xuzhou indicated that an eight-foot-tall bronze statue was sweating! This was an unusual phenomenon that caused widespread concern. During the Yong'an, Putai, and Yongxi eras, the gold statue of Dingguang in the Pingdeng Temple in the capital also sweated many times, and each time, a significant event followed in the country. At that time, many believed it was an ominous sign, and they were very frightened. In the month of February in the 3rd year of Yong'an, in a family in the capital, there were two bronze statues, each over a foot tall; one had four white hairs growing under its chin, while the other had a black hair on its cheek.

In the "Hong Fan Lun," it says: "The dragon is a creature of scales, born in water. Clouds also symbolize water, and when the yin energy is strong, these anomalies will appear. If the emperor does not adhere to the moral order and disrupts the way of heaven, there will surely be disasters of usurpation." This book states that the dragon is an aquatic animal, and clouds are also a symbol of water. When the yin energy is heavy, these anomalies will occur. If the emperor disregards the moral order and disturbs the way of heaven, he will certainly face the calamity of being killed. In the third year of Shizu's reign, in March, two white dragons appeared in the well of a household in the capital; in the sixth year of Zhenjun, in February, another white dragon appeared in another household's well. The dragon, a divine creature, appearing in a well is a portent of Shizu's violent demise!

In the first year of Suzong's Zhengguang era, in August, a black dragon resembling a dog ran from the south to the Xuan Yang Gate, then jumped up and ran out through the gate tower. This is a sign of the decline of the Wei dynasty! In the second year of Emperor Zhuang's Yong'an, a dragon appeared in a well in Jinyang and lingered for a long time, leading to Emperor Zhuang's sudden death in Jinyang; this indeed came to pass! In the first year of the former Emperor Pūtài, in April, traces of a dragon emerged from the west side of the Xuan Yang Gate and then returned to the city. The next day, in the second day of the month, the ministers all came to offer their congratulations, and the emperor said: "If the nation is to prosper, it must heed the people; if it is to perish, it must heed the will of heaven. However, both the ruler and the subjects must exercise self-restraint and serve the public in governing the country, rather than relying solely on these omens to predict fortune and misfortune."

The "Hong Fan Lun" also says: "The horse is a symbol of military affairs; if strange horses appear, it indicates there will be matters of invasion and warfare." In the second year of Suzong's Xiping era, in November, a foal was sent from Hengzhou with a fleshy tail that was a foot long, but it had no hair on its hindquarters. In the first year of Zhengguang, in September, the official horses in Woye Town had worms crawling into their ears, leading to the death of about fifteen horses. These worms were similar to earthworms, measuring less than five inches long and as thick as chopsticks.

The "Hongfan Lun" quotes the "Book of Changes" as saying: "Kun is associated with cattle." Kun represents earth, and when the energy of the earth becomes chaotic, strange phenomena of cattle will appear, referred to as cattle calamities. This foretells the downfall of ancestral shrines, with some attributing it to busy transportation causing the cattle incidents. In the second year of Jingming, in May, a report from Jizhou stated that in Changle County, a cow gave birth to a calf with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and three ears! This is too strange!

The "Hongfan Lun" states: If the emperor is not wise, it will lead to political mistakes. In the twenty-third year of Taihe, in March, a report from Sizhou stated that in Yangqu County, a lamb with two bodies—one female and one male—three ears, and eight legs appeared. Not long after, the emperor died, and then six state ministers began to seize control.

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, 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 with six legs and two tails appeared.

Jing Fang said in the "Records" that any strange animals with many legs are controlled by evil forces. The "Jing Fang Yi" states that if there are strange phenomena such as pigs with human heads on pig bodies, that place will descend into chaos, and the nation will face ruin.

In the first year of Yanxing, in September, a report from the relevant department stated that Wang Rang, the Inspector of Yuzhou and the Marquis of Linhuai, reported that a sow gave birth to a litter of piglets, one with two bodies and eight legs. In the fourth year of Jingming, in September, a report from Liangzhou stated that dogs and pigs had mated. In the fourth year of Zhengshi, in August, a pig in the capital city gave birth to a litter of piglets, one with four ears and two bodies with eight legs.

In the fourth year of Yanchang, in July, a report from Xuzhou stated that in Yangping Barracks, a pig gave birth to a piglet with a head and face like a human, with a bun on its head and no hair on its body. This is an omen that the Empress Dowager and the young ruler are destined for overthrow!

In "The Hong Fan Lun," it is said that Jing Fang stated in "Records": small chickens and small livestock are akin to minor officials; horns symbolize weapons, growing on top, representing the majesty of the king. This shows that minor officials who wield power will cause chaos by relying on the majesty of the king, indicating a disaster of poor governance.

In the first year of Taiping in the reign of Gaozu, in May, the authorities reported two female chickens in the capital, with horn-like crowns on their heads, unlike other chickens. At that time, Empress Dowager Wenming was in power, a sign of her favoring and trust in corrupt officials.

In the first year of Zhengshi in the reign of Shizong, in April, a chick with four legs and four wings was reported in Henan, as recorded in "The Biography of Cui Guang."

In August, the governor of Sizhou reported that a commoner in Henan raised a chick with an extra head at the back, with eyes, mouth, and everything. The two heads grew out of the back of the neck, each with two wings, and two legs walking side by side. This is a sign of Shizong's trust in villains, as well as factions, and an omen of corrupt individuals in power.

In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Yanchang, Luozhou reported that the yellow hen raised by Prefect Chang Jiao of Wei Xing had a fleshy horn on its head, the size of a jujube and measuring one inch and three fen long, with a tuft of hair on the horn, one inch and a half long.

In January of the year 520 AD, the two chickens raised by General Lando had two horns, with mottled feathers, and the horns were raised high above the chicken crown. At that time, Empress Ling was consolidating power.

In "The Hong Fan Lun," it is said: "The punishment of not seeing clearly and not hearing well." Everyone should understand the meaning of this sentence, which means that leaders who fail to see the situation clearly and ignore advice will face consequences.

In November of the year 521 AD, a white owl was captured in the capital. In August of the year 522 AD, a bald buzzard was spotted in the palace. In April of the year 524 AD, someone presented a strange duck with a single head but two bodies, four legs, four wings, and two tails. In March of the year 526 AD, a male pheasant flew into the Ministry of State and was immediately captured.

The "Hong Fan Lun" states: "When punishments are brutal and benefit only the rulers; when greed and gluttony lead to the mobilization of armies; when cities are taken and governed, yet the hearts of the people are lost, then pests will become a disaster." This means that if the rulers are tyrannical and harsh, only looking out for their own benefits, engaging in war without regard for the people's sentiments, it will lead to pest disasters.

In July 525, a locust plague occurred in the Dunhuang region, and almost all the autumn crops were consumed. In July of the following year, Qingzhou and Yongzhou also suffered from the devastation caused by locusts, resulting in a complete crop failure. In August, seven states including Xuzhou, East Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Jizhou, Pingzhou, Yuzhou, and Guangzhou, as well as the towns of Pingyuan, Fangtou, Guang'a, and Linji, were all afflicted by locusts. In April 527, Xiangzhou and Yuzhou suffered from locust disasters once more. In March 528, three states—Jizhou, Zhou, and Xiangzhou—were plagued by pests. In April, locusts appeared in seven states including Jizhou, Guangzhou, Youzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, Qizhou, and Pingzhou. In June, Xiangzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou were again affected by pests. In October 536, the Fuhan region also experienced a locust disaster, causing significant crop losses.

In May 537, six states including Qingzhou, Qizhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Guangzhou, and South Qingzhou were affected by pests. In March 540, Hezhou experienced a severe armyworm disaster, leading to a complete wheat crop failure. In May, Guangzhou faced pest damage. In June, Hezhou suffered a large-scale locust disaster. In July, Donglai County was also afflicted by pests. In June 541, Xiazhou and Sizhou experienced locust disasters. In April 544, the step worm in Qingzhou damaged jujube tree blossoms. In August, Jingzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou, and Sizhou Hengnong County suffered from multiple pest invasions, including locusts, pests, and bandworms. In June 547, Liangzhou experienced a locust disaster. In May 550, the step worm in Qingzhou damaged jujube flowers again.

In July, the locust disaster swept through the capital, and it was incredibly severe!

In August, Qingzhou, Qizhou, and Guangzhou also suffered from locust disasters, with two-thirds of the crops being eaten, causing heavy losses! In June of the first year of Emperor Suzong's reign, Qingzhou, Qizhou, Guangzou, and South Qingzhou were hit by locust disasters again, truly a case of when it rains, it pours! In June of the first year of Emperor Xianzu's reign, there was a great ant war in Yanzhou, with black ants and red ants fighting, with a battle line that stretched sixty paces long and four inches wide. In the end, all the red ants were defeated, with their heads rolling. The black ants occupied the north, while the red ants occupied the south. In the same year in November, the governor of Yanzhou, Bi Zhongjing, sent someone to surrender, and the court sent General Weyuan to accept him, and also defeated the rebel general Zhou Kai and others.

In the seventh month of the tenth year of Emperor Gaozu's Taihe reign, Zhang Wanshou, the deputy magistrate of Bingzhou, reported that there was a commoner named Jia Rucheng in Jianxing Huoze County who, in the middle of April while raising silkworms, 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 silkworm cocoons on top, shaped like footprints. In the third month of the second year of Emperor Shizong's Zhengshi reign, there was actually an incident in Xuzhou where silkworm moths injured people, with over a hundred people injured and over twenty people dead, which was really frightening!

The "curse of caterpillars" refers to those abnormal phenomena beyond normal reasoning. During Emperor Taizu's reign, a large tiger appeared in Henan, lying by the river for three whole months before it finally left. The following year, a large number of mole crickets and white deer crossed the Yellow River. In the third year, the river turned blood red, signaling the downfall of Wei Chen. Later, Emperor Taizu threw all of Wei Chen's family members into the river, and there were no more strange occurrences in that area. In the first month of the first year of Emperor Xiaojing's reign, a wolf ran into the city and was caught at a place called Keshi. In the twelfth month of the fifth year of Emperor Wuding's reign, a leopard was caught on the Bronze Jue Platform in the north city. In the fifth month of the first year of Emperor Gaozu's Taihe reign, it was said that a fox demon came out to cut people's hair, and Empress Dowager Wenming was in court at the time, which definitely wasn't a good sign!

In the second year of Su's Xiping era, starting from spring, strange incidents of fox spirits snipping people's hair appeared in the capital, leaving everyone terrified. In June of the renchen year, Empress Ling gathered those whose hair had been snipped and ordered Liu Teng, the commander of the Chongxun Guard, to whip them right outside Qianqiu Gate, just like back in the Taihe era! The "Ruitu" says: If local princes, governors, and county magistrates cruelly oppress the common folks, which makes them really upset, then white mice will appear. In the third year of Taizong's Yongxing era, in February, a family named Zhao Wen in the capital found a white mouse and presented it to the court. That spring, another white mouse was caught in Beiyuan, but it died soon after. When they cut it open, they found three tiny white mice inside.

In March of a certain year, the emperor went to the Western Palace to relax and caught a small white mouse. In August, Zhang An, the guy in charge of the palace granary, also caught a white mouse. In May of Shenrui's second year, while out hunting on Kelong Mountain, the emperor caught another white mouse; three were also caught near Pingcheng. In June, two more white mice were caught in Pingcheng. In August, Wang Kui of Yuzhang also caught a white mouse. In November of Taichang's first year, someone in the capital snagged 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, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In November, yet another white mouse was caught in the capital. In August of the third year of Shizu's Shiguang era, a white mouse was caught in Weijun of Xiangzhou. In August of Taiyan's first year, a white mouse was sent over from Yanmen. In August of the twenty-third year of Gaozu's Taihe era, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In May of the fourth year of Shizong's Jingming era, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In June of Zhengshi's first year, another white mouse was caught in the capital. In April of Su's first year of the Xiping era, Shizhou reported catching a white mouse and sent it.