Hua Tuo, with the courtesy name Yuanhua, was a native of Qiao County in the state of Pei, also known as Fu. He traveled around to study and learned many classics. The county magistrate of Pei, Chen Gui, recommended him as a model of filial piety and integrity, and the Grand Commandant Huang Wan also invited him to serve as an official, but he declined both offers. Hua Tuo was very knowledgeable in the ways of health preservation, and people said he was nearly a hundred years old yet appeared quite vigorous.
His medical skills were superb, precise in his use of medicines, with prescriptions that used just a few herbs, a clear understanding of dosages without weighing, and patients could drink the brew once it was ready. He would simply tell the patient how much to take, and once the medicine was consumed, the patient would be cured. If moxibustion was necessary, he would apply it to just one or two spots, with just seven or eight cones, and the patient would be cured. If acupuncture was required, he would only needle one or two points, and while needling, he would say, "Let me know when the qi has arrived at a certain point." When the patient responded, "I've felt it," he would remove the needle, and the patient would be cured. If the pathogenic factors were accumulated in the body and acupuncture and medicine were not effective, surgery was needed. He would first make the patient drink Ma Fei San, and shortly after, the patient would fall into a deep unconsciousness, and then Hua Tuo would perform the surgery. If the illness was in the intestines, he would cut them open, clean them, suture the wound, apply ointment, and the patient would recover in four or five days without any pain, completely unaware of what had happened, and would fully recover within a month.
The county magistrate's wife in Ganling County was six months pregnant and experiencing intense abdominal pain, unable to sleep. Hua Tuo checked her pulse and said, "The fetus has already died." Then he asked someone to feel the position of the fetus, a boy on the left and a girl on the right. When someone pointed out, "on the left," Hua Tuo prescribed medicine, and sure enough, she gave birth to a boy, and she recovered.
There was a county official named Yin Shi, who felt weak all over, had a dry mouth, was irritable, and struggled to urinate. Hua Tuo said, "Try eating something warm; if you start sweating, you'll be fine; if you don't sweat, you will die in three days." Yin Shi ate something warm but did not sweat. Hua Tuo said, "His yang qi has already depleted, and he will die in agony." And sure enough, it turned out just as Hua Tuo had predicted.
The magistrate's son Xun and Li Yan both fell ill at the same time, both having headaches and fever with identical symptoms. Hua Tuo said, "Xun should take a laxative, while Yan should take a sweating medicine." Some were puzzled, but Hua Tuo explained, "Xun is suffering from an external invasion, while Yan has accumulated internal heat, so the treatment methods are different." They were each prescribed medicine, and the next morning both were well.
Yan Xin from Yandu County and a few others were waiting for Hua Tuo. When Hua Tuo arrived, he asked Yan Xin, "How is your health?" Yan Xin replied, "Everything is normal." Hua Tuo said, "You have signs of an impending illness on your face; don't drink too much." After bidding farewell to Hua Tuo, Yan Xin walked a few miles and suddenly felt dizzy, fell off the cart, and was helped back home. He passed away that night.
The postmaster Dunzi Xian's illness had almost healed, so he went to see Hua Tuo for a check-up. After examining him, Hua Tuo said, "Your body is still very weak; the illness is not completely gone. Do not do heavy work; otherwise, you'll die even if you stay at home. When you're about to die, you'll spit out a tongue several inches long." His wife heard he was better and rushed over from over a hundred miles away to see him. Within three days of their reunion, Dunzi Xian fell ill, just as Hua Tuo predicted.
Next, the postmaster Xu Yi also fell ill, and Hua Tuo went to see him. Xu Yi told Hua Tuo, "Since the medical officer Liu Zu gave me acupuncture on my stomach yesterday, I have been coughing severely and feeling uncomfortable even lying down." Hua Tuo said, "He didn't hit the stomach at all; he hit the wrong place, he hit the liver! You have to eat less starting today, and I won't be able to help you in five days." The result was exactly as Hua Tuo predicted.
In Dongyang, there was a man named Chen Shushan, whose two-year-old son fell ill, who had diarrhea, cried constantly, and grew weaker each day. Chen Shushan asked Hua Tuo, who said, "When his mother was pregnant, her yang was weak, and her breast milk was too cold, causing the child to be affected by the mother's cold, which is why he's been unwell." Hua Tuo prescribed a remedy called Si Wu Nuang Wan, and the child got better in ten days.
There was a woman in Pengcheng who got stung by a scorpion on her hand when she went to the toilet at night, leaving her in excruciating pain and crying out nonstop. Hua Tuo suggested she soak her hand in warm water, and when it became hot, she fell asleep. The people nearby then changed the water again for convenience, but the water wasn't hot enough. The next morning, she was already feeling better.
There was a military officer named Mei Ping who fell ill and was dismissed to return home. His home was in Guangling, but he stayed at a relative's house about two hundred miles from home. After a while, Hua Tuo happened to be passing by the relative's house, and they asked Hua Tuo to take a look at Mei Ping. Hua Tuo told Mei Ping, "If you had come to see me earlier, it wouldn't have been so serious. Now your illness is already severe; hurry back, you'll still have a chance to see your family. You will die in five days." Mei Ping immediately returned home and indeed, as he had predicted, he died five days later.
While walking on the road, Hua Tuo saw a man who was choking and couldn't swallow anything and was being pulled in a cart by his family to seek medical help. Hua Tuo heard his groans, stopped the cart to see him, and said, "There is a person selling cakes on the side of the road ahead. His family has garlic paste and vinegar. Buy three liters of it and drink it, and the illness will be cured." As he had predicted, the man immediately vomited out a snake, which hung on the side of the cart. The man wanted to thank Hua Tuo, but before he returned, a child playing at the door saw the snake and told others, "It seems to be the one our master mentioned, the one that the patient vomited out by the cart." The patient entered the house and saw over ten similar snakes hanging on the north wall of Hua Tuo's house.
There was a magistrate who fell ill, and Hua Tuo thought that the magistrate's anger could be the key to his recovery. So he took a lot of money from him but didn't provide much treatment, then left shortly after, leaving a letter scolding him. The magistrate was indeed furious and ordered to capture and kill Hua Tuo. When the magistrate's son found out, he secretly instructed his subordinates not to pursue. The magistrate was so furious that he vomited up several liters of black blood, and miraculously, his illness was cured.
Next, there was a scholar who was feeling unwell. Hua Tuo said, "Your illness is serious and needs to be surgically treated. However, you only have about ten years left to live. Although the illness won't kill you, enduring the pain for ten years is unnecessary. There's no need to cut yourself open for this minor illness." The scholar couldn't bear the pain and insisted on being treated. Hua Tuo had no choice but to perform the surgery, and the illness quickly improved, but he indeed passed away ten years later.
The Governor of Guangling, Chen Deng, fell ill, feeling tightness in his chest, his face turning red, and unable to eat. Hua Tuo examined him and said, "There are several liters of worms in his stomach, on the verge of causing internal decay, all caused by eating raw food." Then, Hua Tuo prepared two liters of herbal concoction, had him drink one liter first, and then the remaining after a while. After a while, Chen Deng vomited up about three liters of worms, with red heads and wriggling, half of their bodies made of raw fish slices! Chen Deng's illness was cured. Hua Tuo said, "This illness will return three more times, and only a good doctor can save you." When the time came, the illness did indeed return, but unfortunately, Hua Tuo was absent, and Chen Deng died as Hua Tuo had predicted.
When Cao Cao heard about this, he summoned Hua Tuo, who then stayed by his side. Cao Cao suffered from severe headaches, feeling dizzy with darkening vision during each attack. Hua Tuo performed acupuncture on him at the Hegu point, and he immediately felt better.
General Li's wife became gravely ill, so they called for Hua Tuo to check her pulse. Hua Tuo said, "This is due to an injury during pregnancy, but the fetus has not yet been expelled." General Li said, "I heard that she was indeed injured during pregnancy, and the fetus has already been expelled." Hua Tuo replied, "I have checked her pulse, and the fetus has not yet been expelled." General Li was skeptical. Hua Tuo left, and General Li's wife felt slightly better. Over a hundred days later, her illness returned, so they called for Hua Tuo once more. Hua Tuo said, "Her pulse suggests she had been pregnant before. She was supposed to have given birth to two children. The first child came out first, causing a lot of bleeding, which meant the second child was never born. At that moment, the mother was unaware, and no one else noticed, so they did not assist in childbirth in time, resulting in the second child not being born. The fetus died, and the blood remained, adhering to the mother's spine, causing back pain. I'll prescribe some medicine and perform acupuncture at a specific point, so the dead fetus can be expelled." After taking the medicine and receiving acupuncture, the mother experienced pain like she was in labor. Hua Tuo said, "This deceased fetus has shriveled and cannot come out on its own. Someone will have to manually remove it." Sure enough, they extracted a deceased male infant, with fully formed limbs, a dark complexion, and measuring about a foot long.
Hua Tuo's medical skills were exceptional. However, he was originally a scholar, but had to rely on practicing medicine to make a living, a fact he regretted. Later, Emperor Taizu fell seriously ill and asked Hua Tuo to treat him. Hua Tuo said, "This illness is very difficult to cure; we can only keep treating it; extending life by a few years would be considered good." Hua Tuo had not been home for a long time and wanted to go back to see his family. He lied that his wife was sick and kept making excuses to avoid returning. Emperor Taizu sent letters urging him to return and even ordered local officials to pressure him. Hua Tuo, confident in his skills, continued to delay. Emperor Taizu became furious and sent people to investigate. If his wife was truly sick, he would reward him with forty measures of millet and extend the deadline; if he was lying, he would be arrested. Consequently, Hua Tuo was imprisoned in Xuchang for interrogation. Xun Yu pleaded, "Hua Tuo's medical skills are indeed exceptional and involve many lives; he should be forgiven." Emperor Taizu said, "Don't worry, is the world lacking people like him?" In the end, Hua Tuo was killed. Before his death, Hua Tuo handed a prescription to the jailer, saying, "This prescription can save lives." The jailer, fearing he would break the law, refused to accept it, and Hua Tuo did not insist, burning it himself. After Hua Tuo's death, Emperor Taizu's headache did not improve. He said, "Hua Tuo could have cured this illness. That man deliberately kept my illness alive to raise his own value, but I didn't kill him, and he wouldn't have helped me cure this illness in the end." Later, Emperor Taizu's beloved son Cang Shu fell ill, and Emperor Taizu sighed, "I regret having killed Hua Tuo, which led to this child's death from illness!"
Once upon a time, there was an officer named Li Cheng who had a severe cough that kept him restless day and night. He frequently coughed up pus and blood, so he went to ask Hua Tuo for help. Hua Tuo said, "Your illness stems from an intestinal issue, not from your lungs. I'll prescribe you some medicine. After taking it, you'll vomit more than two liters of pus and blood. Once you've vomited, take care of yourself, and in about a month, you'll start to feel better. If you take good care of yourself, you'll fully recover in a year. When you turn eighteen, the illness might come back. Take this medicine again, and you'll recover. If you can't get this medicine, you'll die." Hua Tuo also prescribed two more doses for him, and Li Cheng took the medicine and left. Five or six years later, someone in the palace got sick with the same illness as Li Cheng. They said to Li Cheng, "You are strong now, but I am close to death. How can you just sit back and wait for death without urgently seeking the medicine? Can you lend me some of your medicine first? After I recover, I will help you ask Hua Tuo for more." Li Cheng gave him the medicine. When he got to Qiao County, he found out that Hua Tuo had been arrested and couldn’t get the medicine in time. When Li Cheng turned eighteen, his illness did come back, but there was no medicine to treat it, and he eventually died.
It is said that Hua Tuo, a famous physician in the Eastern Han Dynasty, had two students, Wu Pu and Fan A, one specializing in health preservation and the other in acupuncture; both lived long lives. Wu Pu followed Hua Tuo to study medicine and cured many patients. Hua Tuo told Wu Pu, "People should exercise regularly, but not excessively. By engaging in some movement, you can digest food, promote blood circulation, and avoid illness, just like a door hinge that moves regularly won’t rust. In ancient times, those who sought immortality practiced exercises, such as stretching their necks and turning their heads like a bear, or twisting their waists and moving their joints, all in order to prolong their lives. I have a method called 'Five Animal Play,' imitating the movements of a tiger, deer, bear, ape, and bird, which can also cure illnesses, strengthen the body, and increase the flexibility of the legs, similar to those exercises. If you feel unwell, practice the Five Animal Play, break a sweat and apply some powder, and your body will feel much better, and your appetite will return." Wu Pu followed Hua Tuo's advice, living to over ninety years old, with sharp hearing, clear vision, and healthy teeth.
As for Fan A, his acupuncture skills were particularly advanced. At that time, all doctors believed that needles should not be inserted randomly near the back and chest, at most four fen deep, but Fan A could insert them one to two inches deep, even five or six inches deep near the Juque point (chest), and yet the patients still recovered. Fan A also sought advice from Hua Tuo on the secret for a long life, and Hua Tuo taught him a prescription called "Qiye Qingnian San." This prescription consists of one liter of powdered lacquer leaves and fourteen taels of powdered indigo, mixed in this ratio. Hua Tuo mentioned that taking this prescription over time can expel parasites from the body, regulate the internal organs, reduce weight, and prevent hair from turning white. Fan A followed this prescription and lived to over one hundred years old. Lacquer trees grow everywhere, while indigo primarily thrives in Fengxian, Peixian, Pengcheng, and Chaoge.
Let's talk about Du Kui, whose courtesy name was Gongliang, hailing from Henan. He was proficient in music and was appointed as a musician in the imperial court. In the fifth year of the Zhongping era, he resigned from office due to illness. Later, the local Minister of Rites summoned him, but due to the turmoil in the realm, he fled to Jingzhou. The Governor of Jingzhou, Liu Biao, requested him and Meng Yao to perform court music for Emperor Han. All the musical instruments were ready, and Liu Biao wanted to watch the performance in the courtyard. However, Du Kui cautioned, "General, you are now performing music for the emperor, but doing it in the courtyard may not be appropriate!" Liu Biao heeded his counsel and abandoned the courtyard performance. Later, Liu Biao's son, Liu Cong, surrendered to Cao Cao, who appointed Du Kui as a military advisor, involving him in music management and entrusting him with the creation of new court music.
Du Kui was particularly skilled in music theory, exceeding ordinary men in both intelligence and talent. He could play all kinds of musical instruments, though he was not particularly skilled in singing and dancing. At that time, there were two musicians, Deng Jing and Yin Qi, who were both skilled in playing music. The singer Yin Hu was skilled in singing songs for ancestral sacrifices, while the dancer Feng Su and Fu Yang were well-versed in various ancient dance forms. Du Kui gathered them together, studied diligently, consulted numerous ancient texts, and gathered contemporary materials, then conducted teaching and training. He even made musical instruments and restored ancient music, all of which he accomplished.
During the Huangchu era, he became the Grand Music Minister and the Commandant of Harmony. At that time, there was a master bell caster in the Han Dynasty named Chai Yu, who had his own ideas. The bells he cast were unique in shape and design, and were appreciated by the nobles of that time. Kui asked him to cast a bronze bell, but the sound of the bell was harsh and uneven, failing to meet the standards. After several attempts to redo it, Chai Yu became very annoyed, saying that Kui's requirements for sound were too arbitrary, and they clashed. Later, both Kui and Chai Yu complained to the emperor. The emperor personally tested the bells they cast and found that Kui's requirements were very precise, while Chai Yu's work was careless. As a result, Chai Yu and his descendants were punished by being ordered to raise horses. Emperor Wen was quite fond of Chai Yu and once asked Kui and Ma Zhen to perform the sheng and qin in front of guests. Kui appeared uncomfortable, which made Emperor Wen unhappy. Later, due to other matters concerning Kui, Ma Zhen was sent to study. Kui believed he was studying orthodox music, which laid a foundation for his career, but he was still not satisfied. Ultimately, he resigned and went back home, and soon died.
His students, Shao Deng, Zhang Tai, and Sang Fu from Henan, all attained the position of Minister of Music; Chen Hang from Xiapi became the Chief Justice. Beginning with Zuo Yannian, although they were all skilled in music, they specialized in Zheng music. In terms of promoting ancient music and preserving orthodox music, no one could rival Kui.
Zhu Jianping, a native of Pei State, is quite skilled in physiognomy. In the community, his fortune-telling is renowned for its accuracy, and it's not just a one-time thing. When Taizu served as the Duke of Wei, he heard about him and summoned him to serve as an official. When Wendi was the General of the Five Offices, during a banquet attended by over thirty guests, Wendi asked Zhu Jianping about his own lifespan and also had Zhu Jianping read the fortunes of all the guests. Zhu Jianping said, "General, you will live to be eighty years old. At the age of forty, there will be a slight disaster, so be careful and cautious." He advised Xiahou Wei, "At forty-nine, you will become a governor and will also face challenges. If you can overcome the difficulties, you can live to be seventy years old and reach the position of Grand Tutor." He told Ying Xu, "When you are sixty-two years old, you will become a Marquis and will also encounter disasters. The year before that, you’ll see a white dog by itself, but others won’t see it." He told Cao Biao, "In your principality, at fifty-seven, you'll face military challenges, so be ready."
It is said that Xun You and Zhong Yao shared a particularly close bond. Xun You passed away first, leaving behind a young son. Zhong Yao took it upon himself to manage Xun's family affairs and considered finding a suitable match for Xun You's concubine, A Wu. He wrote to someone else, saying, "Gongda (as I refer to myself, Zhong Yao) once had our fortunes told by Zhu Jianping. Jianping said, 'Although Lord Xun is young, his future affairs will still rely on you, Lord Zhong.' At that time, I jokingly remarked, 'I think it will be up to you to marry Xun You's concubine A Wu!' I didn't expect this child to have passed away so soon, and the joke actually came true! Now I want to marry A Wu off to a good family, to fulfill a heartfelt wish. Thinking about how remarkably accurate Jianping's fortune-telling proves to be, even Tang Ju and Xu Fu can't hold a candle to him!"
Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, fell seriously ill in the seventh year of Huangchu when he was forty. He said to those around him, "Jianping said I would live to eighty, but he must have meant eighty days, as I am not going to make it." Not long after, he indeed died. When Xiahou Wei was serving as the Inspector of Yanzhou at the age of forty-nine, he fell ill in early December. Remembering what Jianping had said, he was convinced that he was going to die, so he wrote his will in advance and made all the preparations for his funeral, instructing his family to prepare simple mourning attire. By the end of the month, his condition took an unexpected turn for the better, and it seemed he was going to recover. Thirty days later, as the sun began to set, he invited officials to celebrate with him, saying, "My illness has improved greatly. When the rooster crows tomorrow, I will be fifty years old. It seems Jianping's prediction was wrong!" After seeing off his guests, Xiahou Wei closed his eyes, and his condition took a sudden turn for the worse. He passed away in the middle of the night. Qu Sixty-One, who was a Palace Attendant at the time, suddenly saw a white dog while on duty in the palace. When he asked others, they said they had not seen it. He then began attending gatherings, traveling, feasting, and drinking for enjoyment. A year later, at the age of sixty-three, he passed away. Cao Biao was appointed as the King of Chu at the age of fifty-six. He was executed for plotting rebellion with Wang Ling. These stories about these people are similar to prophecies. There are many other examples, but I can't recall them all, so I have only recorded a few. Only the prophecies of Sikong Wang Chang, General Cheng Xi, who conquered the North, and Chief General Wang Su did not completely come true. Wang Su, at the age of sixty-two, fell seriously ill, and many doctors said he could not be cured. Wang Su's wife asked if he had anything else to say, and he replied, "Jianping predicted that I would live to over seventy and reach the rank of San Gong, but none of that has come true. What is there to be worried about!" Nevertheless, Wang Su still passed away. Jianping was also adept at divination. As Emperor Wen was preparing to leave, a horse was brought in from outside. Jianping saw it on the way and said, "This horse's appearance suggests it will die today." Emperor Wen wanted to ride the horse, but it was startled by the scent on him and bit his knee. Furious, Emperor Wen had the horse killed on the spot. Jianping died during the Huangchu period.
Zhou Xuan, courtesy name Konghe, was from Le'an. He started out as a minor official in the county. Once, the governor Yang Pei had a dream in which someone told him, "On the first day of the eighth month, a man surnamed Cao will come; he will hit you with a stick and make you drink medicinal liquor." The governor then again asked Zhou Xuan to interpret the dream. At that time, there was a Yellow Turban uprising, and Zhou Xuan said, "The 'stick' represents the oppression of the weak, and the 'medicine' symbolizes curing illness, so on the first day of the eighth month, the bandits will definitely be defeated." On that day, the Yellow Turban bandits were indeed defeated.
Later, the governor of Dongping, Liu Zhen, dreamed of a four-legged snake entering his house, and he again asked Zhou Xuan to interpret the dream. Zhou Xuan said, "This dream concerns the nation, not your household. It should be about a woman rebelling." Not long after, the female bandit Zheng Jiang was ultimately subdued. Zhou Xuan explained that snakes typically do not have legs, so a four-legged snake symbolizes a woman, which is why he identified her as a female bandit.
Emperor Wen of Han asked Zhou Xuan, "I dreamt that two tiles fell from the palace and transformed into two mandarin ducks; what does this mean?" Zhou Xuan replied, "A woman will die a violent death in the harem." Emperor Wen said, "I was just joking with you!" Zhou Xuan said, "Dreams reflect what’s in your heart; if you only look at the surface, you can easily judge good or bad." Before he could finish, the Yellow Gate Commander reported that the palace maids were fighting each other. After a while, Emperor Wen asked again, "I dreamt last night that a green gas rose straight from the ground to the sky." Zhou Xuan said, "A noble woman will suffer a wrongful death." At that time, Emperor Wen had already sent a decree to Lady Zhen, but he regretted it after hearing Zhou Xuan's interpretation. He quickly sent someone to catch up with the messenger, but it was too late to stop it. Emperor Wen asked again, "I dreamt that I was grinding coins, trying to get rid of them, but they became shinier instead; what does this mean?" Zhou Xuan was stunned for a moment and did not answer. Emperor Wen asked again, and Zhou Xuan finally said, "This is a matter within your family. Although you want to do this, the Empress Dowager disagrees, so even though you want to get rid of the coins, they end up shining even brighter." At that point, Emperor Wen wanted to punish his brother Liu Zhi, but the Empress Dowager stopped him, and in the end, he was only stripped of his title. Later, Emperor Wen promoted Zhou Xuan to a mid-ranking official and assigned him to work under the Grand Historian.
One day, someone asked Xuan, "I dreamt of straw dogs last night, what does that mean?" Xuan replied, "You must be craving good food!" Not long after, this person went out, and sure enough, he encountered a sumptuous feast. Later, he asked Xuan again, "I dreamt of straw dogs again last night, what does this mean?" Xuan said, "You better watch out! You will fall off a carriage and break your leg!" Shortly after, it happened just as Xuan said. Later, he asked Xuan again, "I dreamt of straw dogs again last night, what does this mean?" Xuan said, "Your house is going to catch fire, so you should take precautions!" Soon enough, a fire broke out. The man said to Xuan, "I dreamt of straw dogs three times, and in between, I didn't dream at all. I deliberately tested you; why did they all come true?" Xuan replied, "This is the gods guiding your dreams, so there is no difference between the dream and reality." He asked Xuan again, "I dreamt of straw dogs three times, yet the omens were different each time; why is that?" Xuan explained, "Straw dogs are used for sacrifices. So your first dream signifies that you will receive the leftover offerings. After the ritual, the straw dogs will be crushed under the carriage, hence the second dream signifies the risk of falling off a carriage and breaking your leg. After the straw dogs are crushed by the carriage, they will be used as firewood, so the third dream signifies concern about a fire." Xuan often explained dreams like this, and he was right eight or nine times out of ten, so people compared him to a renowned divination master, Jian Ping. There are countless other examples, but I won’t list them all. Eventually, Emperor Ming passed away.
Guan Lu, with the courtesy name Gongming, was from Pingyuan. He wasn't particularly handsome and lacked a sense of dignity. He enjoyed drinking and indulging in food and leisure activities without caring much about his friends, so although people liked him, they didn't hold him in high regard. His father had once served as a grain transport official, and three brothers of the Guo family, who benefited from the grain transport, all suffered from paralysis, so they asked Guan Lu to perform a divination to find out the reason. Guan Lu said, "The hexagram shows that there is a female ghost in your ancestral tomb, not your aunt, but your uncle's wife. During a famine in the past, someone gave her a few liters of rice, but she hid the rice in the well, making a sound like 'tzk tzk,' and then someone pushed a large stone down on her, smashing her head, causing her restless spirit to wail to the heavens." Guo En then tearfully admitted his wrongdoing.
There was a man named Liu Fenglin in Guangping, and his wife was seriously ill and had already bought a coffin. It was the first month of the lunar calendar, and he asked Guan Lu to perform a divination. Guan Lu said, "Her life will end at noon on the day of Xinmao in August." Liu Fenglin thought it couldn't be true, but his wife's condition gradually improved, and on that day in autumn, it turned out to be just as Guan Lu had predicted.
Zhuge Liang visited Wang Ji, the Prefect of Anping, who asked him to perform a divination. Zhuge Liang said, "Three strange events are about to occur: a poor woman will immediately give birth to a boy, and the child will run into the stove and die; a large snake will hold a pen on the bed, with mice of all sizes staring at it, and after a while, the snake will leave; a crow will fly into the house and fight with a swallow, and the swallow will die, and the crow will fly away. These are the three strange events." Wang Ji was very surprised and asked about the good and bad omens. Zhuge Liang said, "It's just that the guest house has been around for a long time, so there are evil spirits causing mischief. The child running into the stove is not because it can run by itself, but because it was brought in by Song Wujis demonic energy; the snake holding the pen is an old scholar; the crow fighting with the swallow is an old bell. The current hexagram reflects this situation, and since there are no ominous signs, you don't need to worry." In the end, nothing happened.
The women in the Xindu family fell ill, which caused panic among them, so they consulted Zhuge Liang for divination. Zhuge Liang said, "In the northwest corner of your home, there are two skeletons, one man holding a spear and one man holding a bow and arrow, with their heads inside the wall and their feet outside. The one holding the spear mainly injured the head, so the headache is so severe that you can't lift your head; the one holding the bow and arrow mainly injured the chest and abdomen, so the chest pain is severe. They roam during the day and come to harm people at night, causing your fear." So they dug up the skeletons and reburied them, and everyone in the family recovered.
Qinghe Wang returned home after resigning, and Zhuge Liang met with him. Wang Jing said, "Something strange has happened recently that I dislike. I would like you to divine it." After the hexagram came out, Zhuge Liang said, "The hexagram is auspicious; it's nothing to worry about. At night, there will be a streak of light like a swallow flying into your arms, making a buzzing sound, which will leave you feeling uneasy, leading you to take off your clothes and wander around, calling your family, looking for that residual light." Wang Jing laughed and said, "You're right, it really is as you said." Zhuge Liang said, "It is auspicious, a sign of promotion, which will soon come true." Shortly after, Wang Jing was appointed as the Governor of Jiangxia.
Zhuge Liang then visited Guo En's house, where a dove was perched on the roof beam, cooing mournfully. Zhuge Liang said, "An elderly man will come from the east with a pig and a pot of wine. Although the host is happy, there will be a small accident." The next day, a guest did indeed come, just as he had divined. Guo En asked the guest to drink less, not eat meat, be careful with fire, and then shoot a chicken for cooking. An arrow shot from the branches struck a young girl's hand, causing her to bleed and scaring her.
Liu Lu arrived at the residence of County Magistrate Liu Changren in Ande County. Suddenly, a magpie on the roof kept calling urgently from the northeast. Liu Lu said, "The magpie says that a woman killed her husband yesterday in the northeast and falsely accused the neighbor to the west of having a feud with her husband. This case is about to be solved, and the person filing the complaint will be here soon." Sure enough, shortly after, a fellow villager from the northeast came to report the case, saying that the woman next door killed her husband and falsely claimed that the man from the neighboring house to the west had a grudge with her husband.
The next day, Liu Lu arrived at the home of the farmer Wang Hongzhi. Suddenly, a strong wind suddenly whipped up, reaching heights of over three feet, blowing in from the southwest, whirling around the courtyard, pausing intermittently, and finally settling down after a while. Wang Hongzhi inquired of Liu Lu about the meaning of this sign, and Liu Lu said, "An official on horseback will arrive from the east, likely to mourn his son!" The next day, an official from Jiaodong did arrive, and Wang Hongzhi's son had indeed passed away. Wang Hongzhi asked Liu Lu what was going on, and Liu Lu said, "It was Yimao day; the anniversary of the eldest son's death. The trees shed their leaves at the hour of Shen. The Dipper occupies the Shen position, Shen restrains Yin—these are all signs of mourning. When the wind blows at sunset in the west, it is a sign of a rider on horseback. The Li hexagram symbolizes documents, a sign of an official. Shenwei is a tiger, and the tiger represents a great person, a sign of the father." Later, a male pheasant flew in and landed on the bell post at Wang Hongzhi's residence, making Wang Hongzhi very uneasy. He asked Liu Lu to divine for him, and Liu Lu said, "By May, you will definitely be promoted." At that time, it was March, and by May, Wang Hongzhi was indeed appointed as the Prefect of Bohai.
Guantao County magistrate Zhuge Yuan was about to be transferred to the newly appointed governor of Xinxing. Liu Lu went to see him off, and the guests all arrived. Zhuge Yuan rose and brought out swallow's eggs, beehives, and spiders, placing them in dishes and letting everyone guess what they were. After consulting the hexagrams, Liu Lu said, "The first thing, full of vitality, needs change, attached to the eaves, with distinct male and female forms, wings spread out, this is a swallow's egg. The second thing, hanging upside down in the home, with numerous entrances, hiding essence, incubating poison, can only transform in autumn, this is a beehive. The third thing, with a slender body and long legs, spinning webs, seeking food, likes to be active at night, this is a spider." Everyone present was very surprised.
Liu Lu's cousin Liu Xiaoguo lived in Chi Qiu, and Liu Lu went to see him, meeting with two guests. After the guests left, Liu Lu said to Liu Xiaoguo, "These two people have ominous signs between their eyebrows and mouths; disasters will strike at the same time, their souls will have nowhere to rest, their spirits will drift in the sea, but their bodies will return to their hometown. They will die soon." Sure enough, after a few days, the two men got drunk, rode a carriage home at night, the ox got startled, bolted down the road, and plunged into the Zhang River; both men drowned.
At that time, in the place where Lu lived, every household left their doors unlocked, and no one stole anything. The Qinghe governor Hua Biao recognized Lu's talent and invited him to serve as a literary officer. Anping man Zhao Kongyao recommended Lu to the Governor of Jizhou, Pei Hui, stating, "Lu is kind-hearted and does not bear grudges. He is as knowledgeable in astronomy as Gan De and Shi Shen, and as proficient in interpreting the Book of Changes as Si Ji. Now you are focusing on governing and seeking the well-being of the people; Lu is very suitable to assist you. Now is the perfect time for you to use him." Pei Hui promptly appointed Lu as a literary officer and specially summoned him, greatly appreciating him. Later, Lu was reassigned to Julu and promoted to the position of assistant.
On his first trip to the state capital for his new post, he and his younger brother Jiru took a ride together. Just when they reached a corner of the old city by the river, he made a divination for himself and then said to his brother, "We will see three civet cats in the old city, which means you’re going to do well." As a result, they really saw three civet cats squatting together on the city wall. The brothers were thrilled. In the ninth year of the Zhengshi era, Lu participated in the imperial examination and passed as a scholar.
On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month, He Yan, the Minister of Personnel, invited me to dinner, with Deng Yang there too. He Yan asked me, "I heard that you are very good at divination; can you do a reading for me to see if I can land a position among the Three Excellencies?" He also asked me, "I've been dreaming for days about dozens of green flies landing on my nose, no matter how hard I try to shoo them away. What does it mean?"
I replied, "The owl is quite an unremarkable bird, but when it eats mulberries in the woods, it also makes a pleasant sound. Besides, I am loyal and wouldn’t dream of not doing my best. Think about it, in ancient times, Yi Yin and Gao Yao assisted Yao and Shun with benevolence and righteousness, and the Duke of Zhou assisted King Cheng with diligence, which is why there was peace in the world and all nations submitted. This was all because they followed the right path, aligning with the will of heaven, not by divination. You are now in a high and powerful position, with authority as majestic as mountains and as swift as thunder, but while few respect your virtue, many fear your power. Maybe being cautious and doing good can ensure peace. Besides, in physiognomy, the nose is associated with the Gen hexagram; it's the mountain in heaven, high but not dangerous, which is why it can maintain dignity for a long time. Now, a filthy fly is perched on your nose, which suggests that those in high positions are prone to disasters, and those who are frivolous and arrogant are prone to destruction. You should consider the principle that extremes lead to opposites, and that power rises and falls. Therefore, humility can reduce losses and increase benefits, and strength must be managed according to rules. There has never been a situation where hurting yourself doesn't hurt your own development, and violating rules does not result in harm. I hope you can grasp the essence of King Wen's divination, understand Confucius's interpretation of the Book of Changes, so that you can eventually obtain the position of the Three Dukes and rid yourself of the nuisance of the filthy fly."
Deng Yang interjected, "These are just clichés." I replied, "What you call 'clichés' comes from not grasping the essence; what you call 'clichés' is because you have not thought deeply." He Yan said, "Let's meet again this time next year." After returning home, I told my uncle everything I had said, and my uncle scolded me for being too blunt. I said, "What’s there to fear when talking to the dead?" My uncle was furious, accusing me of being arrogant and rebellious.
At the beginning of the new year, the northwest was hit by a strong wind, which kicked up dust that obscured the sun for over ten days. Later, I learned that He Yan and Deng Yang had been executed, and that was when my uncle finally believed me.
A man named Zhuge Lu passed through the territory of Zhong Yu, the Governor of Wei County. The two of them talked about the I Ching. Zhuge Lu suddenly said, "I can use divination to calculate the day of your death." Zhong Yu asked him to calculate both his birthday and his death date. Zhuge Lu's calculations were spot on, matching Zhong Yu's birth chart perfectly! Zhong Yu was shocked and said, "You're incredible! Life and death are predetermined; I can't let you control my death date!" So Zhong Yu decided against continuing the divination.
Then, Zhong Yu asked Zhuge Lu, "Will there be peace in the world in the future?" Zhuge Lu said, "Now is the perfect time for 'the sky flies with the numbers four and nine; it's advantageous to meet great men, the divine military rises, and the king's way is civilized,' so what’s there to worry about? Peace in the world is just around the corner!" Zhong Yu didn’t grasp what Zhuge Lu meant at the time, but shortly after, Cao Shuang and others were executed. That’s when Zhong Yu realized that Zhuge Lu’s phrase "the sky flies with the numbers four and nine" referred to the downfall of Cao Shuang’s influence.
The Governor of Pingyuan, Liu Bin, took a seal pouch and a few mountain chicken feathers, placed them in a vessel, and asked Zhuge Lu to divine. Zhuge Lu said, "It's square on the inside and round on the outside, colorful, containing precious things, very reliable and can be of great use when taken out; this is the seal pouch. On the mountain towering into the clouds, there is a bird with a red body, black and yellow feathers, and a clear cry, heard every morning; this is the mountain chicken feather." Liu Bin said, "Strange occurrences have been happening at our county's official residence lately, frightening people; what is going on?" Zhuge Lu replied, "This may be due to the chaos of the late Han Dynasty, where warfare was rampant, corpses littered the land, and rivers ran with blood, polluting the mountains and waters, so various strange phenomena appear at night. You are a person of great virtue, and the heavens will bless you with longevity, health, and wealth!"
Xu Jilong, the magistrate of Qinghe County, sent people to hunt and asked Zhuge Lu to predict the prey. Zhuge Lu said, "You will catch a small wild creature, not a domestic bird; even though it has claws, it's weak, and although it has patterns, it's not bright in color; it's neither a tiger nor a pheasant, its name is a civet cat." The hunter returned in the evening, exactly as predicted by Zhuge Lu. Later, Xu Jilong took thirteen items, placed them in a large box, and asked Zhuge Lu to divine. He stated, "There are thirteen items in this box." Zhuge Lu first identified eggs, then silkworm cocoons, and then correctly identified all the items, only mistakenly identifying a comb as a loquat ear.
Guan Lu followed the army westward, passing by Guan Qiu Jian's graveyard, leaning against a tree and sighing sadly, feeling very upset. When someone asked him what was wrong, Guan Lu said, "Although the trees in this graveyard are lush, they will eventually wither; although the inscriptions are beautifully carved, no one will pay respects to them in the future. The layout of the grave, Xuanwu is headless, the Azure Dragon is missing its feet, the White Tiger is carrying a corpse, and the Vermilion Bird is lamenting; all four directions are dangerous. This family is doomed to extinction. It will happen within two years at the latest." The result really turned out as he said.
Later, Guan Lu took leave and went to visit Prefect Ni in Qinghe County. At that time, the region was experiencing a severe drought, and Ni Taishou asked Guan Lu when it would rain again. Guan Lu said, "It will rain tonight." It was a bright sunny day, with no signs of rain, and the prefect's advisor and the county magistrate were present, and they all thought Guan Lu was wrong. As evening approached and the night watchmen were about to begin their rounds, the stars and moon vanished, and a fierce wind and rain suddenly swept in, and it started pouring rain. So Prefect Ni warmly hosted Guan Lu, and everyone celebrated with joy.
In the second year of Zhengyuan, Guan Lu's younger brother Guan Chen said to him, "The Grand General treats you very well; you’re fated to be just a high-ranking official and make a fortune in the future, right?" Guan Lu sighed and replied, "I know that my fate is fated to be just a low-ranking official, but while the heavens blessed me with intelligence and talent, they didn’t grant me a long life. I’m afraid that by the age of forty-seven or forty-eight, I won’t even get to see my daughter married or my son take a bride. If I can escape this calamity, I want to be a magistrate of Luoyang, so that no one will lose anything and doors can stay open at night in the city, and there will be no public security incidents with gongs and drums. But I fear I’ll only be able to handle ghosts on Mount Tai, not the living—what should I do?" Guan Chen asked him why he said that, and Guan Lu explained, "I have no bone structure on my forehead, no vitality in my eyes, no pillar in my nose, no root in my feet, no third rank on my back, and no third water in my abdomen; these are all signs of a short life. And I was born in the month of the Tiger, during a lunar eclipse. Fate is set and can't be changed; it's just that people are unaware of it. I have predicted the life and death of many people before, with a remarkable accuracy rate, rarely missing." In August of that year, Guan Lu was appointed as the Prefect of the Imperial Stable. In the second month of the following year, Guan Lu passed away at the age of forty-eight. Commentary: The medical skills of Hua Tuo, the music of Du Kui, the fortune-telling of Zhu Jianping, the dream divination of King Zhou Xuan, and the divination and fortune-telling of Guan Lu—these are all incredibly mysterious and rare talents! In the past, Sima Qian wrote biographies of Bian Que, Cang Gong, and fortune-tellers to record these strange and extraordinary events, which is why he recorded the story of Guan Lu.
