1
聽之不聰，是謂不謀
When the ruler's hearing is not clear, the fault is classified as a breakdown of counsel.
2
《傳》曰：「聽之不聰，是謂不謀，厥咎急，厥罰恆寒，厥極貧。 時則有鼓妖，時則有魚孽，時則有豕禍，時則有耳痾，時則有黑眚黑祥。 惟火沴水。」 聽之不聰，是謂不謀，言上偏聽不聰，下情隔塞，則謀慮利害，失在嚴急，故其咎急也。 盛冬日短，寒以殺物，政促迫，故其罰常寒也。 寒則不生百穀，上下俱貧，故其極貧也。 君嚴猛而閉下，臣戰慄而塞耳，則妄聞之氣發於音聲，故有鼓妖。 寒氣動，故有魚孽。 而龜能為孽，龜能陸處，非極陰也，魚去水而死，極陰之薛也。 于《易》，坎為水，為豕，豕大耳而不聰察，聽氣毀，故有豕禍也。 一曰，寒歲豕多死及為怪，亦是也。 及人，則多病耳者，故有耳痾。 水色黑，故有黑眚黑祥。 凡聽傷者，病水敢； 水氣病，則火沴之。 其極貧者，順之，其福曰富。 劉歆《聽傳》曰有介蟲之孽也。
The commentary reads: 'If one does not listen with discernment, the omen is reckoned as want of planning: the blame falls on rash severity, heaven answers with unrelenting cold, and the upshot is grinding poverty. In such seasons haunted drums sound, fish show freakish behavior, pigs become portents of woe, ears suffer disease, and somber black prodigies appear. Fire then clashes with and injures the water phase.' The gloss explains that biased, deaf listening at court cuts the ruler off from his people; judgment grows harsh and rushed, which is why the omen is named 'haste.' The short, killing cold of midwinter mirrors a regime that drives its policies too hard; hence the retribution is enduring chill. Where frost rules out the harvest, ruler and people sink together into want—that is the 'extreme' of poverty. A harsh sovereign who shuts out counsel leaves officials too frightened to listen; stray rumor takes audible form, which is why drums beat of themselves. When yin cold stirs in the depths, freakish things happen among fish. Turtles, which sometimes bask on shore, are not the purest yin omen; fish dying out of water show yin run to its lethal extreme, while the closing word in the text is a scribal slip for the word normally meaning calamity. The Book of Changes pairs water with the pig—an animal with big ears yet dull hearing—so when the faculty of listening fails, scourges involving swine follow. Another gloss adds that in bitter winters pigs die in droves or act monstrously—the same class of sign. Among mankind it shows up as widespread ear disease—hence the omen of 'ear affliction.' Because water corresponds to black, the portents take the form of dark calamities and inauspicious signs. When the ruler stops listening, water turns sickly and drought follows; the stray character is a copyist slip for drought. A diseased water element invites fire to strike across it. Turn back from the brink of utter want, and the counter-blessing is abundance. Liu Xin's commentary classifies these signs under prodigies among shelled creatures.
3
庶徵之恆寒，劉歆以為大雨雪，及未當雨雪而雨雪，及大雨雹，隕霜殺菽草，皆恆寒之罰也。 京房《易傳》曰：「有德遭險茲謂逆命，厥異寒。 誅罰過深，當燠而寒，盡六日，亦為雹。 害正不誅茲謂養賊，寒七十二日，殺飛禽。 道人始去茲謂傷，其寒，物無霜而死，湧水而出。 戰不量敵幫茲謂辱命，其寒，雖雨物不茂。 聞善不予，厥咎聾。」
Liu Xin grouped under 'persistent cold' any untimely blizzard, hailstorm, or killing frost—every such excess counts as that punishment. Jing Fang warns that virtue beset by danger—fate resisted—brings uncanny cold in reply. Cruel, excessive executions can turn warm season into a six-day freeze—another pattern that ends in hail. Letting evildoers who injure honest men go unpunished 'feeds robbers' and can lock the realm in ten weeks of killing cold that strikes down birds in the air. When worthy guides are driven off, the 'injury' sign appears: a cold so wrong that plants wither without frost while springs burst from the ground. Marching without sizing up the enemy dishonors heaven's charge; rain may fall, yet nothing thrives—the word read here as enemy strength is a copyist error for multitudes in older editions. Ignoring merit one knows to be good earns the omen of deafness.
4
吳孫權九月朔，隕霜傷穀。 案劉向說，誅罰不由君出，在臣下之象也」。 是時，校事呂壹專作威福，與漢元帝時石顯用事隕霜同應。 班固書九月二日，陳壽言朔，皆明未可以傷穀也。 壹後亦伏誅。 京房《易傳》曰：「興兵妄誅茲謂亡法，厥災霜，夏殺五穀，冬殺麥。 誅不原情茲謂不仁，其霜，夏先大雷風，冬先雨，乃隕霜，有芒角。 賢聖遭害，其霜附木不下地。 佞人依刑茲謂私賊，其霜在草根土隟間。 不教而誅茲謂虐，其霜反在草下。
Under Sun Quan of Wu, killing frost on the first day of the ninth month ruined the crops. Liu Xiang read it as a sign that capital justice had slipped from the sovereign into the hands of his underlings. Lü Yi, the palace investigator, was then throwing his weight about unchecked—just as Shi Xian had under Yuan of Han when killing frost had answered the same moral fault. Ban Gu dates the frost to the second of the month while Chen Shou says the new moon; either way, the calendar shows the grain was not yet at a stage frost could ruin—so the portent lay in policy, not in the season alone. Lü Yi was later put to death as well. Jing Fang warns that wanton war and arbitrary executions 'abolish the law' and bring frost that strikes summer crops or winter wheat out of season. Killing without weighing the circumstances is 'inhuman'; the frost comes heralded by summer gales or winter rains, then settles in jagged, spearlike crystals. When good men are cut down, the frost clings to the branches and never touches the soil. Sycophants who hide behind the penal code breed 'private robbery'; the frost creeps along roots and cracks in the dirt. Punishing people one never instructed is sheer cruelty; the frost forms under the blades of grass, upside down from the norm.
5
四年七月，雨雹，又隕霜。 案劉向說，「雹者，陰協陽也」。 是時，呂壹作威用事，詆毀重臣，排陷無辜。 自太子登以下咸患毒之，而壹反獲封侯寵異，與春秋時公子遂專任雨雹同應也。 漢安帝信讒，多殺無辜，亦雨雹。 董仲舒曰：「凡雹皆為有脅，行專一之政故也。」
In the seventh month of the fourth year came hailstorms and more killing frost. Liu Xiang explained hail as yin forces pressing up against yang. Lü Yi was then abusing his office, smearing senior officials and railroading the guiltless. Everyone from Crown Prince Deng on lived in dread of him, yet Lü Yi won a marquisate and special favor—the same pattern as when Prince Sui's monopoly of power in the Chunqiu era drew hail from heaven. Emperor An of Han, credulous of malice and executing the innocent, likewise saw hailstorms. Dong Zhongshu held that every hailstorm reflected coercive rule—a regime that brooked no dissent.
6
正月，大雪，平地深三尺，鳥獸死者太半。 是年夏，全琮等四將軍攻略淮南、襄陽，戰死者千餘人。 其後，權以讒邪數責讓陸議，議憤恚致卒，與漢景武大雪同事。
In the first month snow piled three feet deep on the flats, and better than half the wild creatures perished. That summer the four generals led by Quan Cong campaigned in Huainan and Xiangyang and lost over a thousand men. Sun Quan then heaped blame on Lu Yi (Lu Xun) on the word of slanderers until Yi died of bitter rage—paralleling the great snow omens of Jing and Wu of Han.
7
十一年四月，雨雹。 是時權聽讒，將危太子。 其後，硃據、屈晃以迕意黜辱，陳正、陳象以忠諫族誅，而太子終廢。 此有德遭險，誅罰過深之應也。
In the fourth month of the eleventh year hail fell. Sun Quan was then lending his ear to malice and poised to imperil the crown prince. Zhu Ju and Qu Huang were cast aside for crossing him; Chen Zheng and Chen Xiang died with their kin for speaking truth; the heir was deposed in the end. It answered the pattern of virtue trapped in peril and executions pushed too far.
8
武帝冬，大雪。 七年十二月，又大雪。 明年，有步闡、楊肇之敗，死傷甚眾，不聰之罰也。
During the reign of Emperor Wu a blizzard struck. The twelfth month of the seventh year brought another heavy snowfall. The following year the debacle at Bu Chan and Yang Zhao's defeat cost countless lives—the penalty, as the canon says, for deafness to good counsel.
9
九年四月辛未，隕霜。 是時，賈充親党比周用事，與魯定公、漢元帝時隕霜同應也。
On xinwei in the fourth month of the ninth year killing frost descended. Jia Chong's clique was then running the court—the same moral climate that had produced killing frost under Duke Ding of Lu and Emperor Yuan of Han.
10
八月，平原、安平、上党、泰山四郡霜，害三豆。 是月，河間暴風寒冰，郡國五隕霜傷穀。 是後大舉征吳，馬隆又帥精勇討涼州。
In the eighth month frost struck four commanderies—Pingyuan, Anping, Shangdang, and Taishan—and ruined the bean crops. That same month Hejian was hit by gales and bitter ice, and five provinces reported frost damage to the harvest. Soon afterward the court launched the great expedition against Wu while Ma Long led an elite force into Liangzhou.
11
五年五月丁亥，钜鹿、魏郡雨雹，傷禾麥。 辛卯，雁門雨雹，傷秋稼。 六月庚戌，汲郡、廣平、陳留、滎陽雨雹。 丙辰，又雨雹，隕霜，傷秋麥千三百餘頃，壞屋百二十餘間。 癸亥，安定雨雹。 七月丙申，魏郡又雨雹。 閏月壬子，新興又雨雹。 八月庚子，河南、河東、弘農又雨雹，兼傷秋稼三豆。
On dinghai in the fifth month of the fifth year hailstorms in Julu and Weijun battered the standing grain and wheat. On xinmao hail in Yanmen ruined the autumn fields. On gengxu in the sixth month hail fell across Jijun, Guangping, Chenliu, and Yingyang. On bingchen more hail arrived with killing frost, wiping out over thirteen hundred qing of late wheat and wrecking more than a hundred twenty dwellings. On guihai Anding was pelted with hail. On bingshen in the seventh month Weijun was hit by hail again. On renzi in the intercalary month Xinxing saw another hailstorm. On gengzi in the eighth month Henan, Hedong, and Hongnong were struck again, hail tearing through the late beans and grain.
12
三月，河東、高平霜雹，傷桑麥。 四月，河南、河內、河東、魏郡、弘農雨雹，傷麥豆。 是月庚午，畿內縣二及東平、范陽雨雹。 癸酉，畿內縣五又雨雹。 五月，東平、平陽、上黨、雁門、濟南雨雹，傷禾麥三豆。 是時王浚有大功，而權戚互加陷抑，帝從容不斷，陰脅陽之應也。
In the third month Hedong and Gaoping suffered frost and hail that ruined the mulberries and wheat. In the fourth month hailstorms across Henan, Henei, Hedong, Weijun, and Hongnong battered the wheat and beans. On gengwu that month hail struck two capital counties plus Dongping and Fanyang. On guiyou five metropolitan counties were hit again. In the fifth month hail swept Dongping, Pingyang, Shangdang, Yanmen, and Jinan, shattering the grain, wheat, and beans. Wang Jun had won a major victory, yet in-laws and favorites conspired to pull him down while the emperor hesitated—classic yin pressing on yang.
13
二年二月辛酉，隕霜於濟南、琅邪，傷麥。 壬申，琅邪雨雹，傷麥。 三月甲午，河東隕霜，害桑。 五月丙戌，城陽、章武、琅邪傷麥。 庚寅，河東、樂安、東平、濟陰、弘農、濮陽、齊國、頓丘、魏郡、河內、汲郡、上黨雨雹，傷禾稼。 六月，郡國十七雨雹。 七月，上黨雨雹。 三年十二月，大雪。
On xinyou in the second month of the second year killing frost hit Jinan and Langye and cut down the wheat. On renshen Langye was pelted with hail that ruined the wheat. On jiawu in the third month Hedong frost blackened the mulberry crop. On bingxu in the fifth month frost or hail damaged wheat in Chengyang, Zhangwu, and Langye. On gengyin hailstorms raked a dozen commanderies from Hedong to Shangdang and tore through the standing crops. In the sixth month seventeen provinces reported hail. In the seventh month Shangdang was struck by hail. The twelfth month of the third year brought a blizzard.
14
五年七月乙卯，中山、東平雨雹，傷秋稼。 甲辰，中山雨雹。 九月，南安大雪，折木。
On yimao in the seventh month of the fifth year hail in Zhongshan and Dongping ruined the autumn harvest. On jiachen Zhongshan was hit by hail. In the ninth month Nan'an was buried in snow that snapped limbs off the trees.
15
六年二月，東海隕霜，傷桑麥。 三月戊辰，齊郡臨淄、長廣不其等四縣，樂安梁鄒等八縣，琅邪臨沂等八縣，河間易城等六縣，高陽北新城等四縣隕霜，傷桑麥。 六月，榮陽、汲郡、雁門雨雹。
In the second month of the sixth year killing frost in Donghai ruined mulberries and wheat. On wuchen in the third month frost settled over thirty counties spanning Qi, Le'an, Langye, Hejian, and Gaoyang, shattering the mulberry and wheat. In the sixth month hailstorms struck Yingyang, Jijun, and Yanmen.
16
八年四月，齊國、天水二郡隕霜。 十二月，大雪。 九年正月，京都大風雨雹，髮屋拔木。 四月，隴西隕霜。 十年四月，郡國八隕霜。
In the fourth month of the eighth year killing frost visited Qi and Tianshui. December brought a heavy blizzard. In the first month of the ninth year a violent wind drove hail through the capital, stripping roofs and toppling trees. In the fourth month Longxi was touched by killing frost. In the fourth month of the tenth year eight provinces reported frost.
17
惠帝八月，沛及蕩陰雨雹。 三年四月，滎陽雨雹。 六月，弘農湖、華陰又雨雹，深三尺。 是時，賈后凶淫專恣，與春秋魯桓夫人同事，陰氣盛也。
In the eighth month of Emperor Hui's reign hail struck Pei and Tangyin. In the fourth month of the third year Yingyang was pelted with hail. In the sixth month Hongnong's Lake district and Huayin were buried three feet deep in hailstones. Empress Jia was then ruling through cruelty and license, much like Duke Huan of Lu's queen in the Chunqiu annals—yin run wild.
18
五年六月，東海雨雹，深五寸。 十二月，丹陽建鄴雨雹。 是月，丹陽建鄴大雪。 六年三月，東海隕雪，殺桑麥。 七年五月，魯國雨雹。 七月，秦、雍二州隕霜，殺稼也。
In the sixth month of the fifth year Donghai was carpeted five inches deep in hail. In the twelfth month hail hammered Jianye in Danyang commandery. That same month Jianye saw a heavy snowfall. In the third month of the sixth year a late snowstorm in Donghai wiped out the mulberries and wheat—likely a killing frost or snow out of season. In the fifth month of the seventh year Lu was struck by hail. In the seventh month killing frost swept Qin and Yong and destroyed the fields.
19
九年三月旬有八日，河南、滎陽、潁川隕霜，傷禾。 五月、雨雹。 是時，賈后凶躁滋甚，及冬，遂廢湣懷。
On the eighteenth of the third month in the ninth year frost in Henan, Yingyang, and Yingchuan cut down the young grain. In the fifth month hailstorms struck. Empress Jia's cruelty and caprice were mounting; by winter she had engineered the deposition of Crown Prince Minhuai.
20
七月，襄城、河南雨雹。 十月，襄城、河南、高平、平陽又風雹，折木傷稼。
In the seventh month hail pelted Xiangcheng and Henan. In October gales and hail again tore through Xiangcheng, Henan, Gaoping, and Pingyang, snapping trees and flattening the fields.
21
閏八月甲申朔，霰雪。 劉向曰：「盛陽雨水，傷熱，陰氣脅之，則轉而為雹。 盛陰雨雪，凝滯，陽氣薄之，則散而為霰。 今雪非其時，此聽不聰之應。」 是年，帝崩。
On the first day of the intercalary eighth month, jiashen, sleet and snow fell together. Liu Xiang explained that when fierce yang-driven rain meets pressing yin, the moisture turns to hailstones. When heavy yin locks up as snow or freezing rain and a trace of yang stirs it, the mass breaks into sleet. Snow out of season answered the moral fault of a ruler who would not listen. That same year the emperor passed away.
22
孝懷帝十二月冬，雪，平地三尺。 七年十月庚午，大雪。
In the twelfth month of Emperor Huai's reign snow piled three feet deep on the flats. On gengwu in the tenth month of the seventh year a blizzard struck.
23
元帝三月丁未，成都風雹，殺人。 三年三月，海鹽雨雹。 是時，王敦陵上。
On dingwei in the third month of Emperor Yuan's reign a wind-driven hailstorm in Chengdu killed people. In the third month of the third year Haiyan was struck by hail. Wang Dun was then bullying the throne.
24
十二月，幽、冀、-{幷}-三州大雨。
In the twelfth month You, Ji, and Bing provinces were deluged.
25
明帝十二月，幽、冀、-{幷}-三州大雪。 二年四月庚子，京都雨雹，燕雀死。 三年三月丁丑，雨雪。 癸巳，隕霜。 四月，大雨雹。 是年，帝崩，尋有蘇峻之亂。
In Emperor Ming's twelfth month blizzards blanketed You, Ji, and Bing. On gengzi in the fourth month of the second year hailstorm in the capital killed songbirds in droves. On dingchou in the third month of the third year rain turned to snow. On guisi killing frost descended. In the fourth month violent hailstorms swept the region. The emperor died that year, and Su Jun's rebellion followed hard on.
26
成帝三月癸未，雨雹。 是時，帝幼弱，政在大臣。 九年八月，成都大雪。 是歲，李雄死。
On guiwei in Emperor Cheng's third month hail fell. The boy emperor held no real power; the great ministers ruled. In the eighth month of the ninth year Chengdu was buried in snow. Li Xiong died the same year.
27
正月丁巳，皇后見於太廟，其夕雨雹。
On dingsi in the first month the empress worshipped at the Grand Temple; hail fell that night.
28
康帝八月，大雪。 是時，政在將相，陰氣盛也。 劉向曰：「凡雨陰也，雪又雨之陰也。 出非其時，迫近象也。」
In Emperor Kang's eighth month a blizzard struck. Generals and ministers held the reins—yin had grown overpowering. Liu Xiang observed that all rain belongs to yin, and snow is yin doubled. When it appears out of season, heaven is pressing a warning upon the throne.'
29
穆帝八月，冀方大雪，人馬多凍死。 五年六月，臨漳暴風震電，雨雹，大如升。
In Emperor Mu's eighth month the Ji plain froze; men and mounts died in the cold. In the sixth month of the fifth year Linzhang was hit by a squall, lightning, and hailstones the size of a peck measure.
30
十年五月，涼州雪。 明年八月，張祚枹罕護軍張瓘率宋混等攻滅祚，更立張耀靈弟玄靚。 京房《易傳》曰：「夏雪，戒臣為亂。」 此其亂之應也。
In the fifth month of the tenth year snow fell in Liangzhou. The following August Zhang Guan, garrison commander at Baohan under Zhang Zuo, joined Song Hun to overthrow Zuo and enthrone Zhang Yaoling's younger brother Xuanjing. Jing Fang warns that summer snow foretells ministerial revolt. It was heaven's answer to the coming disorder.
31
十一年四月壬申朔，霜。 十二月戊午，雷。 己未，雪。 是時帝幼，母后稱制，政在大臣，陰盛故也。
On the first day of the fourth month, renshen, in the eleventh year, frost appeared. On wuwu in the twelfth month thunder sounded. On jiwei snow fell. The child emperor sat on the throne while the empress dowager reigned and ministers governed—classic excess of yin.
32
正月，大雪。
The first month brought a blizzard.
33
海西四月，雨雹，折木。
In the fourth month of the deposed emperor of Haixi hail snapped trees.
34
孝武四月己酉，雨雹。 十二月，大雪。 是時帝幼，政在將相，陰之盛也。
On jiyou in Emperor Wu's fourth month hail fell. December brought heavy snow. The young emperor was a figurehead while generals and ministers ruled—again yin in the ascendant.
35
十二年四月己丑，雨雹。 二十年五月癸卯，上虞雨雹。
On jichou in the twelfth year's fourth month hailstorms struck. On guimao in the fifth month of the twentieth year Shangyu was pelted with hail.
36
二十一年四月丁亥，雨雹。 是時，張夫人專寵，及帝暴崩，兆庶尤之。 十二月，雨雪二十三日。 是時嗣主幼沖，塚宰專政。
On dinghai in the fourth month of the twenty-first year hail fell. Lady Zhang's exclusive favor was notorious; when the emperor died suddenly the people laid the fault at her feet. For twenty-three days in the twelfth month rain and snow alternated without cease. The new boy ruler could not govern; the chief minister held sole power.
37
安帝三月乙卯，雨雹。 是秋，王恭、殷仲堪稱兵內侮，終皆誅之也。
On yimao in Emperor An's third month hail fell. That autumn Wang Gong and Yin Zhongkan marched on the capital; both were put to death in the end.
38
十二月，酷寒過甚。 是時，桓玄篡位，政事煩苛。 識者以為朝政失在舒緩，玄則反之以酷。 案劉向曰：「周衰無寒歲，秦滅無燠年。」 此之謂也。
The twelfth month was colder than anyone could remember. Huan Xuan had seized the throne and rule grew petty and cruel. Critics had said Jin's fault was slack government; Huan Xuan answered with tyranny instead. Liu Xiang noted that dying Zhou never saw a killing winter, and falling Qin never knew a mild year. His point applies here.
39
三年正月甲申，霰雪又雷。 雷霰同時，皆失節之應也。 四月丙午，江陵雨雹。 是時，安帝蒙塵。
On jiashen in the first month of the third year sleet, snow, and thunder came together. Thunder mingled with sleet—every sign of a cosmos out of joint. On bingwu in the fourth month Jiangling was struck by hail. Emperor An was then a refugee from his own capital.
40
四月壬申，雨雹。 是時，四方未一，鉦鼓日戒。
On renshen in the fourth month hail fell. The realm was still at war; every day brought alarms of battle.
41
五年三月己亥，雪，深數尺。 五月癸巳，溧陽雨雹。 九月己丑，廣陵雨雹。 明年，盧循至蔡洲。
On jihai in the third month of the fifth year snow fell several feet deep. On guisi in the fifth month Liyang was hit by hail. On jichou in the ninth month Guangling saw hail. The next year Lu Xun's fleet closed on Cai Isle outside the capital.
42
六年正月丙寅，雪又雷。 五月壬申，雨雹。 八年四月辛未朔，雨雹。 六月癸亥，雨雹，大風髮屋。 是秋，誅劉蕃等。
On bingyin in the first month of the sixth year snow fell amid thunder. On renshen in the fifth month hailstorms struck. On the first day of the fourth month, xinwei, in the eighth year hail fell. On guihai in the sixth month hail and a gale ripped roofs from houses. That autumn Liu Fan and his associates were put to death.
43
十年四月辛卯，雨雹。
On xinmao in the fourth month of the tenth year hail fell.
45
雷震
Thunderstroke.
46
=魏明帝景初中，洛陽城東橋、城西洛水浮橋桓楹同日三處俱時震。 尋又震西城上候風木飛鳥。 時勞役大起，帝尋晏駕。
During Wei Mingdi's Jingchu years lightning struck at once the east Luoyang bridge, the west-side Luo floating bridge, and a third span—three sets of pier caps shuddered the same day. Soon lightning also struck the wind-vane birds on the western ramparts. Forced labor was then at its height, and the emperor died not long after.
47
吳孫權夏，震宮門柱，又擊南津大橋桓楹。
One summer under Sun Quan of Wu lightning shattered palace gateposts and the pier caps of the great bridge at the southern ford.
48
孫亮十二月朔，大風震電。 是月，又雷雨。 義同前說，亮終廢。
On the first day of Sun Liang's twelfth month a gale and thunderstorm broke. Later that month came more thunder squalls. The moral matches the earlier cases—Sun Liang was deposed in the end.
49
武帝十二月甲申朔，淮南郡震電。 七年十二月己亥，毗陵雷電，南沙司鹽都尉戴亮以聞。 十年十二月癸卯，廬江、建安雷電大雨。
On jiashen, the new moon of Emperor Wu's twelfth month, Huainan was rocked by thunderstorms. On jihai in the twelfth month of the seventh year Piling flashed with lightning; Dai Liang, the southern sand salt intendant, memorialized it. On guimao in the tenth year's twelfth month Lujian and Jian'an were lashed by thunder, lightning, and cloudbursts.
50
惠帝六月癸卯，震崇陽陵標，西南五百步標破為七十片。 是時，賈后陷害鼎輔，寵樹私戚，與漢桓帝時震憲陵寢同事也。 後終誅滅。
On guimao in Emperor Hui's sixth month lightning shattered the spirit way marker at Chongyang Mausoleum; five hundred paces to the southwest the stele splintered into seventy shards. Empress Jia was then destroying chief ministers and promoting her own kin—just as lightning had blasted Emperor Shun's tomb park at Luoyang under Emperor Huan of Han. Her faction was extirpated in the end.
51
十月丁丑，雷震。
On dingchou in the tenth month thunder cracked the sky.
52
懷帝十月，震電。
In Emperor Huai's tenth month thunderstorms raged.
53
湣帝十一月戊午，會稽大雨震電。 己巳夜，赤氣曜於西北。 是夕，大雨震電。 庚午，大雪。 案劉同說，「雷以二月出，八月入。」 今此月震電者，陽不閉藏也。 既發洩而明日便大雪，皆失節之異也。 是時，劉聰僭號平陽，李雄稱制於蜀，九州幅裂，西京孤微，為君失時之象也。 赤氣，赤祥也。
On wuwu in Emperor Min's eleventh month Kuaiji was drenched and rocked by thunder. On the night of jisi a red glow lit the northwest sky. That evening brought torrents and thunder. On gengwu a blizzard followed. The text ascribed to Liu Tong—almost certainly Liu Xiang—notes that thunder should appear in the second month and retire by the eighth. Lightning so late in the year shows yang failing to withdraw and hide. The storm burst forth, then snow blanketed the land the next day—twin signs of a calendar gone wrong. Liu Cong had declared himself at Pingyang and Li Xiong ruled Shu while the nine regions shattered and Chang'an stood alone—the classic omen of a sovereign who had missed his moment. A crimson aura in the sky counts among the red portents of woe.
54
元帝十一月乙卯，暴雨雷電。
On yimao in Emperor Yuan’s eleventh month a cloudburst and thunderstorm broke.
55
七月庚子朔，雷震太極殿柱。 十二月，會稽、吳郡雷震電。
Lightning on the gengzi new moon struck the Taiji Hall columns. In the twelfth month Kuaiji and Wu were rocked by thunderstorms.
56
成帝十月己巳，會稽郡大雨震電。 三年六月辛卯，臨海大雷，破郡府內小屋柱十枚，殺人。 九月二日壬午立冬，會稽雷電。 四年十一月，吳郡、會稽大震電。
On jisi in Emperor Cheng’s tenth month Kuaiji was lashed by rain and thunder. A thunderclap at Linhai in the sixth month of the third year shattered ten posts in the yamen and killed people. On renwu, the second of the ninth month, when winter began, Kuaiji flashed with lightning. In the eleventh month of the fourth year Wu and Kuaiji saw violent thunderstorms.
57
穆帝十月壬午，雷雨震電。 升平元年十一月庚戌，雷。 乙丑，又雷。
On renwu in Emperor Mu’s tenth month came thunder, rain, and lightning. On gengxu in the eleventh month of the first Shengping year thunder sounded. On yichou thunder pealed again.
58
五年十月庚午，雷發東南方。
On gengwu in the tenth month of the fifth year thunder rolled out of the southeast.
59
孝武帝六月甲寅，雷震含章殿四柱，並殺內侍二人。 十年十二月，雷聲在南方。 十四年七月甲寅，雷震，燒宣陽門西柱。
Lightning on jiayin in Emperor Wu’s sixth month shattered four columns of Hanzhang Hall and killed two eunuchs. In the twelfth month of the tenth year thunder rumbled from the south. On jiayin in the fourteenth year’s seventh month lightning scorched the western gatepost of Xuanyang.
60
安帝九月壬辰，雷雨。
On renchen in Emperor An’s ninth month came a thunderstorm.
61
，永安皇后至自巴陵，將設儀導入宮，天雷震，人馬各一俱殪焉。
As Empress Yong’an came up from Baling and the procession formed to bring her into the palace, a bolt killed one rider and one mount.
62
十一月辛卯朔，西北方疾風發。 癸丑，雷。 五年六月丙寅，雷震太廟，破東鴟尾，徹柱，又震太子西池合堂。 是時，帝不親蒸嘗，故天震之，明簡宗廟也。 西池是明帝為太子時所造次，故號太子池。 及安帝多病，患無嗣，故天震之，明無後也。
On the xinmao new moon a gale sprang from the northwest. On guichou thunder sounded. Lightning on bingyin in the sixth month of the fifth year blasted the Grand Temple roof, shattered a column, and hit the crown prince’s hall beside the west pool. The emperor had ceased tending the seasonal sacrifices, so heaven struck the shrine to show contempt for the house of the ancestors. That pool was dug when Mingdi was crown prince—hence the name Heir’s Pond. Emperor An was sickly and heirless, so heaven struck again to signal extinction of the line.
63
六年正月丙寅，雷，又雪。 十二月壬辰，大雷。 九年十一月甲戌，雷。 乙亥，又雷。
On bingyin in the first month of the sixth year came thunder, then snow. On renchen in the twelfth month a tremendous peal rolled. On jiaxu in the eleventh month of the ninth year thunder sounded. On yihai thunder came again.
65
鼓妖
Section heading: prodigies of sounding drums.
67
惠帝三月，有聲若牛，出許昌城。 十二月，廢湣懷太子，幽于許宮。 明年，賈后遣黃門孫慮殺太子，擊以藥杵，聲聞於外，是其應也。
In the third month of Emperor Hui’s reign a lowing like cattle rose from within Xuchang’s walls. In the twelfth month the heir Minhuai was cast aside and locked in the palace at Xu. The following year Jia’s agents beat the prince to death with a pestle until the blows carried beyond the walls—the drum-like omen fulfilled.
68
蘇峻在曆陽外營，將軍鼓自鳴，如人弄鼓者。 峻手自破之，曰：「我鄉土時有此，則城空矣。」 俄而作亂夷滅，此聽不聰之罰也。
Outside Su Jun’s Liyang camp a battle drum throbbed without a hand on it. Su Jun smashed the drum himself, muttering that at home such a sign meant the town would fall. He rose in revolt soon after and was wiped out—the penalty for deafness to counsel.
69
石季龍末，洛陽城西北九里，石牛在青石趺上，忽鳴，聲聞四十里。 季龍遣人打落兩耳及尾，鐵釘釘四腳。 尋而季龍死。
Late in Shi Hu’s reign a stone ox northwest of Luoyang began to bellow so loudly it carried forty li. Shi Hu had the ears and tail knocked off and the legs spiked to the plinth. Shi Hu died not long after.
70
孝武三月己酉朔，東北方有聲如雷。 案劉向說，以為「雷當托於雲，猶君托於臣。 無雲而雷，此君不恤於下，下人將叛之象也。」 及帝崩而天下漸亂，孫恩、桓玄交陵京邑。
On the jiyou new moon of Emperor Wu’s third month the northeast rumbled like thunder. Liu Xiang held that thunder should ride on clouds the way a ruler rides on ministers. Lightning from a clear sky shows a sovereign who ignores his people—revolt is near. After his death Sun En and Huan Xuan tore the heartland apart.
71
吳興長城夏架山有石鼓，長丈餘，面逕三尺許，下有磐石為足，鳴則聲如金鼓，三吳有兵。 至安帝隆安中大鳴，後有孫恩之亂。
A stone drum on Xiajia Mountain boomed like bronze when struck—an omen of war in the Wu lands. It roared loudly under Emperor An’s Longan reign before Sun En’s rebellion.
73
魚孽
Section heading: fish prodigies.
75
魏齊王五月，有二魚集於武庫屋上，此魚孽也。 王肅曰：「魚生於水，而亢於屋，介鱗之物，失其所也。 邊將其殆有棄甲之變乎！」 後果有東關之敗。 干寶又以為高貴鄉公兵禍之應。 二說皆與班固旨同。
In the fifth month of Wei’s Qi prince two fish landed on the arsenal roof—a classic fish omen. Wang Su read it as creatures out of their element—fish stranded aloft. Frontier armies may soon shed their armor in rout! The debacle at Dongguan followed. Gan Bao linked it to the coup against the Duke of Gaoxiang. Both glosses match Ban Gu’s reading.
76
武帝太康中，有鯉魚二見武庫屋上。 干寶以為：「武庫兵府，魚有鱗甲，亦兵類也。 魚既極陰，屋上太陽，魚見屋上，象至陰以兵革之禍幹太陽也。 至惠帝初，誅楊駿，廢太后，矢交館閣。 元康末，賈后謗殺太子，尋亦誅廢。 十年之間，母后之難再興，是其應也，自是禍亂構矣。」 京房《易傳》曰：「魚去水，飛入道路，兵且作。」
During Taikang two carp were seen atop the imperial arsenal. Gan Bao reasoned that scaled fish on a weapons depot echoed armored war. Fish are deep yin perched on high yang—yin’s war trouble striking the throne. Early under Hui, Yang Jun died, the dowager fell, and shafts flew through the halls. At Yuankang’s close Jia murdered the prince and was herself destroyed. Two dowager crises in a decade matched the omen; chaos followed. Jing Fang warned that fish leaving water mean war is coming.
78
蝗蟲
Section heading: locust plagues.
79
=《春秋》，螽。 劉歆從介蟲之孽，與魚同占。
The Chunqiu names such plagues chong. Liu Xin classed them with shelled-creature prodigies like fish.
80
魏文帝七月，冀州大蝗，人饑。 案蔡邕說，「蝗者，在上貪苛之所致也」。 是時，孫權歸順，帝因其有西陵之役，舉大眾襲之，權遂背叛也。
In the seventh month of Wei Wendi’s reign Jizhou’s locusts brought famine. Cai Yong blamed locusts on rapacious rule from above. Sun Quan had pledged allegiance, yet the court attacked him over Xiling and drove him to revolt.
81
武帝六月，蝗。 是時，荀、賈任政，疾害公直。
Locusts swarmed in Emperor Wu’s sixth month. The Xun and Jia factions persecuted honest men.
82
惠帝，郡國六蝗。
Under Emperor Hui six provinces suffered locusts.
83
懷帝五月，大蝗，自幽、并、司、冀至於秦雍，草木牛馬毛鬣皆盡。 是時，天下兵亂，漁獵黔黎，存亡所繼，惟司馬越、苟晞而已。 競為暴刻，經略無章，故有此孽。
In Emperor Huai’s fifth month a swarm swept from the northeast to Qin and Yong, stripping every blade and beast. War devoured the people; only Sima Yue and Gou Xi seemed to hold order. Their cruelty and chaos invited the plague.
84
湣帝六月，大蝗。 去歲劉曜頻攻北地、馮翊，麹允等悉眾禦之，卒為劉曜所破，西京遂潰。 五年，帝在平陽，司、冀、青、雍螽。
Great locust clouds came in Emperor Min’s sixth month. Liu Yao had hammered Beidi and Fengyi until Qu Yun’s defense broke and Chang’an fell. In the fifth year, with the emperor captive at Pingyang, Si, Ji, Qing, and Yong were overrun by locusts.
85
元帝六月，蘭陵合鄉蝗，害禾稼。 乙未，東莞蝗蟲縱廣三百里，害苗稼。 七月，東海、彭城、下邳、臨淮四郡蝗蟲害禾豆。 八月，冀、青、徐三州蝗，食生草盡，至於二年。 是時，中州淪喪，暴亂滋甚也。
In Emperor Yuan’s sixth month locusts ruined the crop at Hexiang in Lanling. On yiwei a three-hundred-li swarm in Dongguan devoured the young grain. In the seventh month four Huai-side commanderies lost their beans and grain to hoppers. From the eighth month Ji, Qing, and Xu were stripped bare for two years running. The heartland had collapsed into anarchy.
86
二年五月，淮陵、臨淮、淮南、安豐、廬江等五郡蝗蟲食秋麥。 是月癸丑，徐州及揚州江西諸郡蝗，吳郡百姓多餓死。 是年，王敦並領荊州，苛暴之釁自此興矣。
In the second year’s fifth month five Yangzi commanderies lost their late wheat to locusts. That guichou month locusts blanketed Xu and western Yang; multitudes starved in Wu. Wang Dun’s grip on Jingzhou brought ruthless rule in its train.
87
孝武帝八月，兗州蝗。 是時，慕容氏逼河南，征戍不已，故有斯孽。 十六年五月，飛蝗從南來，集堂邑縣界，害苗稼。 是年春，發江州兵營甲士二千人，家口六七千，配護軍及東宮，後尋散亡殆盡。 又邊將連有征役，故有斯孽。
Locusts struck Yanzhou in Emperor Wu’s eighth month. Murong’s raids on Henan and endless levies brought the scourge. In the fifth month of the sixteenth year a southern swarm settled on Tangyi and ate the green shoots. That spring two thousand Jiangzhou troops and their families were drafted to the guard and Eastern Palace and almost all deserted. Border war again fed the locust omen.
89
豕禍
Section heading: pig portents.
90
=吳孫皓，野豕入右大司馬丁奉營，此豕禍也。 後奉見遣攻穀陽，無功而反。 皓怒，斬其導軍。 及舉大眾北出，奉及萬彧等相謂曰：「若至華里，不得不各自還也。」 此謀泄，奉時雖已死，皓追討穀陽事，殺其子溫，家屬皆遠徙，豕禍之應也。 龔遂曰，「山野之獸，來入宮室，宮室將空」，又其象也。
Under Sun Hao of Wu a boar burst into Ding Feng’s headquarters—a pig omen. Ding Feng was ordered against Guyang and came back empty-handed. Sun Hao executed his guide general in fury. On the great northern march Ding Feng and Wan Yu whispered they would scatter before reaching Huali. The talk leaked; though Ding Feng was dead, Sun Hao slaughtered his son Wen and exiled his kin—the boar’s revenge. Gong Sui had warned that beasts in the court mean the throne will empty.
91
懷帝永嘉中，壽春城內有豕生兩頭而不活。 周馥取而觀之，時識者云：「豕，北方畜，胡狄象。 兩頭者，無上也。 生而死，不遂也。 天戒若曰，勿生專利之謀，將自致傾覆也。」 周馥不寤，遂欲迎天子令諸侯，俄為元帝所敗，是其應也。 石勒亦尋渡淮，百姓死者十有其九。
During Min’s Yongjia years a two-headed piglet was born dead inside Shouchun. Zhou Fu inspected it; wise men said pigs stand for northern barbarians. Two heads meant no Son of Heaven held authority. Born alive yet dead at once—fulfillment denied. Heaven seemed to warn against monopolizing profit—such scheming ends in ruin. Zhou Fu ignored the omen, tried to seize the emperor to sway the lords, and was crushed by Sima Rui—the sign fulfilled. Shi Le crossed the Huai soon after, and nine tenths of the people perished.
92
元帝，有豕生八足，此聽不聰之罰，又所任邪也。 是後有劉隗之變。
Under Yuan a piglet with eight legs appeared—an omen of deaf policy and crooked ministers. The Liu Wei incident followed.
93
成帝六月，錢唐人家豭豕產兩子，而皆人面，如胡人狀，其身猶豕。 京房《易妖》曰：「豕生人頭豕身者，危且亂。 今此豭豕而產，異之甚者也。」
In Cheng’s sixth month a Qiantang sow bore twin piglets with human Hu-like faces on porcine bodies. Jing Fang warns that man-faced pigs mean danger and chaos. A boar farrowing such things was doubly monstrous.
94
孝武帝四月，京都有豚一頭二脊八足。 十三年，京都人家豕產子，一頭二身八足，並與建武同妖也。 是後，宰相沈酗，不恤朝政，近慣用事，漸亂國綱，至於大壞也。
In Wu’s fourth month the capital saw a pig with twin backbones and eight trotters. In the thirteenth year another two-bodied eight-legged piglet appeared—matching the Jianwu portent. Ministers drank away their duties while favorites rotted the state from within.
96
黑眚黑祥
Section heading: black calamities.
97
=孝懷帝十二月，黑氣四塞，近黑祥也。 帝尋淪陷，王室丘墟，是其應也。
In Huai’s twelfth month black vapor choked the sky—a black omen. The sovereign was lost and the dynasty’s altars lay in dust—the sign answered.
98
湣帝正月己已朔，黑霧著人如墨，連夜，五日乃止，此近黑祥也。 其四年，帝降劉曜。
On the jisi new moon of Min’s first month black mist stained people like ink for five nights—a black prodigy. In the fourth year the emperor yielded to Liu Yao.
99
元帝十月，京師大霧，黑氣蔽天，日月無光。 十一月，帝崩。
In Yuan’s tenth month the capital sank under black fog that swallowed sun and moon. The emperor died the next month.
101
火沴水
Section heading: fire injuring water.
102
=武帝六月，任城、魯國池水皆赤如血。 案劉向說，近水沴水，聽之不聰之罰也。 京房《易傳》曰：「君淫于色，賢人潛，國家危，厥異水流赤。」
In Wu’s sixth month pools in Rencheng and Lu ran blood-red. Liu Xiang read red water as water harmed by its own element—deaf rule. Jing Fang links crimson streams to debauchery that drives worthies into hiding.
103
穆帝二月，涼州城東池中有火。 四年四月，姑臧澤水中又有火。 此火沴水之妖也。 明年，張天錫殺中護軍張邕。 邕，執政之人也。
In Mu’s second month flames rose from a pool east of Liangzhou. In the fourth month of the fourth year fire danced on Guzang’s marsh. It was the classic fire-over-water omen. The following year Zhang Tianxi slew Zhang Yong, who held military power. Zhang Yong had been a power at court.
104
安帝十月，錢唐臨平湖水赤，桓玄諷吳郡使言開除以為己瑞，俄而桓玄敗。
Huan Xuan forced a memorial claiming red water at Linping as his omen—then he fell.
105
思心之不容，是謂不聖
Failure of the thinking heart to embrace counsel is classed as “lack of sageness.”
106
《傳》曰：「思心之不容，是謂不聖，厥咎霿，厥罰恆風，厥極凶短折。 時則有脂夜之妖，時則有華孽，時則有牛禍，時則有心腹之痾，時則有黃眚黃祥，時則有金木水火沴土。」 思心不容，是謂不聖。 思心者，心思慮也。 容，寬也。 孔子曰：「居上不寬，吾何以觀之哉！」 言上不寬大包容，臣下則不能居聖位。 貌言視聽，以心為主，四進皆失，則區霿無識，故其咎霿也。 雨旱寒燠，亦以風為本，四氣皆亂，故其罰恆風也。 恆風傷物，故其極凶短折也。 傷人曰凶，禽獸曰短，草木曰折。 一曰，凶，夭也； 兄喪弟曰短，父喪子曰折。 在人，腹中肥而包裹心者，脂也。 心區霿則冥晦，故有脂夜之妖。 一曰，有脂物而夜為妖，若脂夜汙人衣，淫之象也。 一曰，夜妖者，雲風並起而杳冥，故與常風同象也。 溫而風則生螟螣，有裸蟲之孽。 劉向以為：「于《易》，《巽》為風，為木。 卦在三月四月，繼陽而治，主木之華實。 風氣盛至，秋冬木復華，故有華孽。」 一曰，地氣盛同秋冬復華。 一曰，華者色也，土為內事，謂女孽也。 于《易》，《坤》為土，為牛。 牛大心而不能思慮，心氣毀，故有牛禍。 一曰，牛多死及為怪，亦是也。 及人，則多病心腹者，故有心腹之痾。 土色黃，故有黃眚黃祥。 凡思心傷者，病土氣； 土氣病，則金木水火沴之，故曰時則有金木水火沴土。 不言「惟」而獨曰「時則有」者，非一沖氣所沴，明其異大也。 其極凶短折者，順之，其福曰考終命。 劉歆《思心傳》曰：「時有臝蟲之孽，謂螟螣之屬也。」
The text lists fog, ceaseless gales, and untimely death as its penalties. Then come night-fats, freak blossoms, ox disasters, belly sickness, yellow bale, and the four phases injuring earth. A closed mind is reckoned unwise. It is the faculty of deliberation. “Rong” here means breadth of spirit. Confucius demanded generosity from superiors. Without breadth from the throne, no minister can be truly wise. When all four senses fail the ruler, judgment turns murky as fog. Weather chaos expresses itself in endless wind. Relentless wind wastes life—hence the “early death” extreme. Human death is “violent”; beasts “cut short”; plants “broken.” Another gloss: xiong is untimely end. Brother-loss is “short”; son-loss is “broken.” In the body, the fat that sheaths the heart is zhi. A benighted heart brings “fat-night” omens. Some read night-fats as foul smears—lust signs. Others equate them with wind-driven midnight gloom. Warmth mixed with wind breeds caterpillars—naked-worm scourges. Liu Xiang cites Hexagram Xun as wind and wood. It presides spring’s flowering and fruiting. When wind runs wild, trees reflower in winter—freak blossoms. Some blame surging earth qi for off-season blooms. Another gloss links freak flowers to feminine intrigue. The Changes pairs Kun with earth and the ox. The ox’s dull wit mirrors a ruined mind—hence ox portents. Mass ox deaths in harsh winters count too. Among people it shows as belly and heart disease. Earth’s hue is yellow—yellow bale follows. A wounded mind sickens the earth phase. Then the other phases gang up on earth. The wording stresses many elements striking at once. Heeding the warning turns the extreme into a full lifespan. Liu Xin classes caterpillars under naked-worm scourges.
108
庶徵恆風
Section heading: persistent wind.
109
=魏齊王十一月，大風數十日，髮屋折樹。 十二月戊午晦尤甚，動太極東閣。
Wei’s Qi prince saw weeks of gales that unroofed houses and snapped trees. On the wuwu eclipse-day the wind shook the Taiji east annex.
110
正月壬辰朔，西北大風，髮屋折樹木，昏塵蔽天。 案管輅說，此為時刑大臣，執政之憂也。 是時，曹爽區霿自專，驕僭過度，天戒數見，終不改革，此思心不睿，恆風之罰也。 後逾旬而爽等誅滅。 京房《易傳》曰：「眾逆同志，至德乃潛，厥異風。 其風也，行不解，物不長，雨小而傷。 政悖德隱茲謂亂，厥風先風不雨，大風暴起，髮屋折木。 守義不進茲謂眊，厥風與雲俱起，折五穀莖。 臣易上政茲謂不順，厥風大飆髮屋。 賦斂不理茲謂禍，厥風絕經紀，止即溫，溫即蟲。 侯專封茲謂不統，厥風疾而樹不搖，穀不成。 辟不思道里茲謂無澤，厥風不搖木，旱無雲，傷禾。 公常於里茲謂亂，厥風微而溫，生蟲蝗，害五穀。 棄政作淫茲謂惑，厥風溫，螟蟲起，害有益人之物。 諸侯不朝茲謂畔，厥風無恆，地變赤，雨殺人。」
The renchen new moon brought a northwest gale that stripped roofs and filled the sky with dust. Guan Lu read it as heaven punishing chief ministers. Cao Shuang’s blind arrogance drew repeated winds of warning until he was swept away. Within a fortnight Cao Shuang’s clique was exterminated. Jing Fang lists omens of mass defiance that drive virtue underground. Such wind stalls growth and brings spiteful drizzle. Tyranny without hidden virtue brings dry gales, then tempests. Hesitant justice yields wind that snaps the grain. Ministerial usurpation calls down roof-ripping squalls. Predatory taxes bring erratic wind, warmth, and vermin. Over-mighty nobles bring wind that fails to stir trees yet kills the crop. Rulers who ignore the highways get windless drought that blights fields. Absentee lords breed warm breezes and locusts. Neglect of duty for pleasure brings warm wind and caterpillars. When lords shun court, wind shifts wildly, earth reddens, and killing rain falls.
111
吳孫權八月朔，大風，江海湧溢，平地水深八尺，拔高陵樹二千株，石碑蹉動，吳城兩門飛落。 案華核對，役繁賦重，區霿不容之罰也。 明年，權薨。
Sun Quan’s eighth-month gale flooded the coast eight feet deep, tore two thousand trees on Gaoling, shifted steles, and blew off two city gates. Hua He blamed crushing labor and taxes—mind too cramped for mercy. Sun Quan died the next year.
112
孫亮十二月丙申，大風震電。 是歲，魏遣大眾三道來攻，諸葛恪破其東興軍，二軍亦退。 明年，恪又攻新城，喪眾太半，還，伏誅。
On bingshen in Sun Liang’s twelfth month came a thunderstorm. Wei invaded on three fronts; Zhuge Ke routed Dongxing; the rest retreated. Ke besieged Xincheng next year, lost half his army, and was assassinated on return.
113
孫休十一月甲午，風四轉五復，蒙霧連日。 是時，孫綝一門五侯，權傾吳主，風霧之災，與漢五侯、丁、傅同應也。 十二月丁卯夜，有大風，發木揚沙。 明日，綝誅。
On jiawu under Sun Xiu the wind veered and mist hung for days. Sun Lin’s clan held five marquises and overshadowed the king—the same wind-and-mist answer as the five Wangs and the Ding and Fu consorts of Han. On dingmao’s night a gale uprooted timber and whipped sand. Sun Lin died the next day.
114
武帝五月辛卯朔，廣平大風，折木。
On the xinmao new moon of Wu’s fifth month Guangping’s wind snapped trees.
115
五月，下邳、廣陵大風，壞千餘家，折樹木。 其月甲申，廣陵、司吾、下邳大風，折木。 三年八月，河間大風，折木。
That fifth month Xiapi and Guangling gales wrecked a thousand houses. On jiashen Guangling, Siwu, and Xiapi saw wind that broke trees. In the third year’s eighth month Hejian’s storm snapped trees.
116
五月，濟南暴風，折木，傷麥。 六月，高平大風，折木，發壞邸閣四十餘區。 七月，上黨又大風，傷秋稼。 八年六月，郡國八大風。 九年正月，京都風雹，髮屋拔樹。 後二年，宮車晏駕。
Jinan’s fifth-month squall ruined the wheat. Gaoping’s sixth-month gale wrecked over forty state granaries. In the seventh month Shangdang was hit again by gales that ruined the late harvest. In the sixth month of the eighth year eight provinces were swept by violent winds. In the first month of the ninth year a hail-laced storm stripped the capital’s roofs and toppled trees. Two years later the emperor died.
117
惠帝六月，大風雨，拔木。 五年四月庚寅夜，暴風，城東渠波浪殺人。 七月，下邳大風，壞廬舍。 九月，雁門、新興、太原、上黨災風傷稼。 明年，氐羌反叛，大兵西討。
In Emperor Hui’s sixth month a tempest uprooted trees. On the night of gengyin in the fourth month of the fifth year a squall whipped the eastern moat into waves that drowned people. In the seventh month Xiapi’s gale wrecked dwellings. In the ninth month freak winds across Yanmen, Xinxing, Taiyuan, and Shangdang battered the fields. The following year Di and Qiang tribes rose in revolt and imperial armies marched west.
118
九年六月，飆風吹賈謐朝服飛數百丈。 明年，謐誅。 十一月甲子朔，京都連大風，髮屋折木。 十二月，湣懷太子廢，幽於許昌。
In the sixth month of the ninth year a gust snatched Jia Mi’s court dress and carried it hundreds of yards through the air. Jia Mi was put to death the following year. On the jiazi new moon the capital suffered day after day of gales that unroofed houses and snapped trees. In the twelfth month the heir Minhuai was cast down and imprisoned at Xuchang.
119
二月，大風拔木。 三月，湣懷被害。 己卯，喪柩發許昌還洛。 是日，又大風雷電，幃蓋飛裂。 四月，張華第舍飆風起，折木飛繒，折軸六七。 是月，華遇害。 十一月戊午朔，大風從西北來，折木飛沙石，六日止。 明年正月，趙王倫篡位。
In the second month a gale tore up trees. In the third month Crown Prince Minhuai was killed. On jimao the prince’s coffin left Xuchang for Luoyang. That same day brought another thunderstorm that shredded the funeral banners and shades. In April a cyclone struck Zhang Hua’s compound, snapped trees, whipped silk through the air, and shattered six or seven cart axles. Zhang Hua was assassinated that month. On the wuwu new moon a six-day northwest gale drove sand and broke timber. The following first month Prince Zhao Lun seized the throne.
120
八月，郡國三大風。
In the eighth month three provinces were swept by high winds.
121
正月乙丑，西北大風。 趙王倫建始元年正月癸酉，趙土倫祠太廟，災風暴起，塵四合。 其年四月，倫伏辜。
On yichou in the first month a fierce northwest wind blew. On guiyou when Prince Zhao Lun worshipped at the Grand Temple, a freak wind whipped dust until the sky closed in—the manuscript miswrites the title graph for prince. Lun was executed in the fourth month that year.
122
元帝七月丙寅，大風拔木，屋瓦皆飛。 八月，暴風壞屋，拔御道柳樹百餘株。 其風縱橫無常，若風自八方來者。 是時，王敦專權，害尚書令刁協、僕射周顗等，故風縱橫若非一處也。 此臣易上政，諸侯不朝之罰也。 十一月，宮車晏駕。
On bingyin in Emperor Yuan’s seventh month a gale tore up trees and sent tiles flying. In August a squall wrecked buildings and ripped out over a hundred willows lining the imperial road. The gusts veered wildly, as though eight winds struck at once. Wang Dun was then killing Diao Xie and Zhou Yi—hence the wind seemed to blow from every quarter. It answered ministerial usurpation and lords who shunned court. The emperor died in the eleventh month.
123
成帝三月壬辰，成都大風，髮屋折木。 四月，李壽襲殺李期，自立。
On renchen in Emperor Cheng’s third month Chengdu suffered a storm that stripped roofs and snapped trees. In the fourth month Li Shou murdered Li Qi and seized Cheng-Han’s throne.
124
穆帝八月丁未，策立皇后何氏。 是日，疾風。 後桓玄篡位，乃降後為零陵縣君，不睿之罰也。 五年正月戊戌朔，疾風。
On dingwei in Emperor Mu’s eighth month Lady He was enthroned as empress. A sharp gale blew that same day. When Huan Xuan seized power he reduced Empress He to a county lady—the omen of an unwise heart. On the wuxu new moon of the fifth year a fierce wind struck.
125
海西公二月，大風迅急，是年被廢。
In the deposed emperor of Haixi’s second month came racing gales; he was cast down that year.
126
孝武帝三月，京都大風，火大起。 是時，桓溫入朝，志在陵上，帝又幼少，人懷憂恐，斯不睿之徵也。 三年三月戊申朔，暴風迅起，從醜上來，須臾逆轉，從子上來，飛沙揚礫。
In Emperor Wu’s third month the capital was rocked by wind and great fires broke out. Huan Wen had marched to the capital to bully the throne while the boy emperor inspired dread—tokens of collective unwisdom. On the wushen new moon a cyclone sprang from the northeast branch azimuth, then suddenly whirled to strike from the north, driving sand and stones.
127
二月乙丑朔，暴風折木。 閏三月甲子朔，暴風疾雨俱至，髮屋折木。 三年六月，長安大風，拔苻堅宮中樹。 其後，堅再南伐，遂有淝水之敗，身戮國亡。 四年八月乙未，暴風揚沙石。
The yichou new moon brought a squall that snapped trees. On the intercalary jiazi new moon wind and driving rain together stripped roofs and broke timber. In the sixth month of the third year Chang’an’s gale tore trees from Fu Jian’s palace grounds. Fu Jian’s second southern campaign ended at Feishui; he died and his kingdom fell. On yiwei in the fourth year’s eighth month a sandstorm struck.
128
十二年正月壬子夜，暴風。 七月甲辰，大風折木。 十三年十二月乙未，大風，晝晦。 其後帝崩而諸侯違命，權奪於元顯，禍成于桓玄，是其應也。 十七年六月乙卯，大風折木。
On the night of renzi in the twelfth year’s first month a violent wind blew. On jiachen in the seventh month a gale snapped trees. On yiwei in the thirteenth year’s twelfth month a wind darkened the noon sky. After his death lords defied orders, Sima Yuanxian seized power, and Huan Xuan finished the ruin—the omen answered. On yimao in the seventeenth year’s sixth month a gale snapped trees.
129
安帝二月甲辰夜，大風雨，大航門屋瓦飛落。 明年，桓玄篡位，由此門入。
On the night of jiachen in Emperor An’s second month a storm tore tiles from the Great Bridge Gate. The next year Huan Xuan seized power and marched in through that very gate.
130
三年正月，桓玄出遊大航南，飄風飛其䡟輗蓋，經三月而玄敗歸江陵。 五月，江陵又大風折木。 是月，桓玄敗于崢嶸洲，身亦屠裂。 十一月丁酉，大風，江陵多死者。
In the first month of the third year Huan Xuan paraded south of the Great Bridge; a gust tore off his carriage hood, and three months later he fled defeated to Jiangling. In the fifth month Jiangling was again hit by tree-snapping winds. That same month Huan Xuan lost the battle on Zhengrong Isle and died under the blade. On dingyou in the eleventh month a gale killed many in Jiangling.
131
十一月辛卯朔，西北疾風起。 五年閏十月丁亥，大風髮屋。 明年，盧循至蔡洲。 六年五月壬申，大風拔北郊樹，樹幾百年也。 並吹琅邪、揚州二射堂倒壞。 是日，盧循大艦漂沒。 甲戌，又風，髮屋折木。 是冬，王師南討。 九年正月，大風，白馬寺浮圖刹柱折壞。 十年四月己丑朔，大風拔木。 六月辛亥，大風拔木。 七月，淮北大風，壞廬舍。 明年，西討司馬休之應。
On the xinmao new moon a northwest gale sprang up. On dinghai in the intercalary tenth month of the fifth year wind stripped roofs. The following year Lu Xun’s fleet closed on Cai Isle. On renshen in the sixth year’s fifth month a gale tore ancient trees from the northern suburban altar. It flattened the Langye and Yangzhou archery halls. That day Lu Xun’s great war junks were sunk by the storm. On jiaxu another gale unroofed houses and broke trees. That winter imperial troops marched south against Lu Xun. In the ninth year’s first month wind snapped the spire mast of Luoyang’s White Horse Monastery stupa. On the jichou new moon of the tenth year’s fourth month a gale tore up trees. On xinhai in the sixth month another wind uprooted trees. In the seventh month gales north of the Huai wrecked homes. The next year answered with the expedition against Sima Xiuzhi.
133
夜妖
Section heading: nocturnal anomalies.
134
=魏高貴鄉公正月戊戌，景帝討毌丘儉，大風晦暝，行者皆頓伏，近夜妖也。 劉向曰：「正晝而暝，陰為陽，臣制君也。」
On wuxu when Sima Shi marched against Guanqiu Jian, noon turned black as night and travelers dropped flat—a classic night-omen. Liu Xiang read noon darkness as ministers overshadowing their ruler.
135
元帝十月，京都大震，晝晦，此夜妖也。 班固曰：「夜妖者，雲風並起而杳冥，故與常風同象也。」 劉向《春秋說》云：「天戒若曰，勿使大夫世官，將令專事。 暝晦，公室卑矣。」 魏見此妖，晉有天下之應也。
In Emperor Yuan’s tenth month the capital quaked and daylight failed—a night anomaly. Ban Gu explained night omens as wind and cloud blotting the sky—kin to ceaseless wind signs. Liu Xiang’s Chunqiu gloss warns against hereditary ministerial houses monopolizing power. Darkened daylight means the ruling house has grown feeble. Wei’s night omen foretold Jin’s takeover of the realm.
136
懷帝十月辛卯，晝昏，至於庚子，此夜妖也。 後年，劉曜寇洛川，王師頻為賊所敗，帝蒙塵於平陽。
From xinmao to gengzi in Emperor Huai’s tenth month the sun stayed dim—a night portent. The next year Liu Yao struck the Luoyang region, imperial troops kept losing, and the emperor fell captive at Pingyang.
137
孝武帝十二月乙未，大風晦暝。 其後帝崩，而諸侯違命，干戈內侮，權奪於元顯，禍成于桓玄。
On yiwei in Emperor Wu’s twelfth month a wind blotted out the light. After he died lords rebelled, civil war flared, Yuanxian seized power, and Huan Xuan brought catastrophe.
139
臝蟲之孽
Section heading: naked-creature scourges.
140
=《京房易傳》曰：「臣安祿位茲謂貪，厥災蟲食根。 德無常茲謂煩，蟲食葉。 不絀無德，蟲食本。 與東作爭茲謂不時，蟲食莖。 蔽惡生孽，蟲食心。」
Jing Fang warns that complacent ministers draw root-eating pests. Fickle virtue brings caterpillars that strip leaves. Failing to remove the unworthy invites pests at the root. Forcing spring labor out of season lets borers eat the stalks. Concealed wickedness breeds vermin that devour the heart.”
141
武帝咸甯元年七月，郡國螟。 九月。 青州又螟。 是月，郡國有青蟲食其禾稼。 四年，司、冀、兗、豫、荊、揚郡國二十螟。
In the seventh month of Xianning 1 under Emperor Wu locust larvae swept the provinces. The ninth month followed. Qingzhou was hit again by blight worms. That month green caterpillars devoured grain across many provinces. In the fourth year twenty provinces along the Si–Yang belt suffered blight.
142
，會稽彭蜞及蟹皆化為鼠，甚眾，復大食稻為災。 九年八月，郡國二十四螟。 九月，蟲又傷秋稼。 是時，帝聽讒諛，寵任賈充、楊駿，故有蟲蝗之災，不絀無德之罰。
In Kuaiji fiddler crabs and true crabs turned into swarms of rats that devoured the rice. In the eighth month of the ninth year twenty-four provinces reported blight. In the ninth month worms ruined the late harvest again. The court indulged slanderers and empowered Jia Chong and Yang Jun—hence locusts answered the failure to purge the unworthy.
143
惠帝九月，帶方等六縣螟，食禾葉盡。
In Emperor Hui’s ninth month blight worms in Daifang and six neighboring counties stripped every rice blade.
144
永甯元年七月，梁、益、涼三州螟。 是時，齊王冏執政，貪苛之應也。 十月，南安、巴西、江陽、太原、新興、北海青蟲食禾葉，甚者十傷五六。 十二月，郡國六螟。
In the seventh month of Yongning 1 blight struck Liang, Yi, and Liangzhou. Prince Sima Jiong’s regime matched the greedy-rule omen. October saw green caterpillars ravage six commanderies, often destroying more than half the crop. In the twelfth month six provinces reported blight.
146
牛禍
Section heading: bovine portents.
147
=武帝，幽州塞北有死牛頭語，近牛禍也。 是時，帝多疾病，深以後事為念，而託付不以至公，思瞀亂之應也。 案師曠曰：「怨讟動於人。 則有非言之物而言。」 又其義也。 京房《易傳》曰：「殺無罪，牛生妖。」
Under Emperor Wu a dead ox’s head beyond the Youzhou frontier spoke—a bovine omen. The ailing emperor’s unfair choice of heirs matched the omen of muddled judgment. Shi Kuang said when malice stirs among the people, creatures that should not speak will speak. That gloss fits the case. Jing Fang warns that executing innocents brings ox prodigies.
148
惠帝太安中，江夏張騁所乘牛言曰：「天下亂，乘我何之！」 騁懼而還，犬又言曰：「歸何早也？」 尋後牛又人立而行。 騁使善卜者卦之，謂曰：「天下將有兵亂，為禍非止一家。」 其年，張昌反，先略江夏，騁為將帥，於是五州殘亂，騁亦族滅。 京房「易傳」曰：「牛能言，如其言占吉凶。」 《易萌氣樞》曰：「人君不好士，走馬被文繡，犬狼食人食，則有六畜談言。」 時天子諸侯不以惠下為務，又其應也。
In Tai’an years Zhang Cheng’s mount in Jiangxia suddenly demanded why it was ridden in a collapsing age. Zhang Cheng fled homeward; even his dog reproached him for returning too soon. Soon the ox walked upright like a man. A diviner warned Zhang Cheng that war would engulf more than his own household. Zhang Chang rose that year, seized Jiangxia, made Zhang Cheng a general, and five provinces burned until Cheng’s kin were wiped out. Jing Fang says a talking ox must be read for its prophecy. The Yimeng qishu adds that when rulers despise scholars yet pamper beasts, livestock will speak. Sons of Heaven and lords had ceased caring for the people—another match for the omen.
149
元帝七月，晉陵陳門才牛生犢，一體兩頭。 案京房《易傳》言：「牛生子二首一身，天下將分之象也。」 是時，湣帝蒙塵於平陽，尋為逆胡所殺。 元帝即位江東，天下分為二，是其應也。
In Yuan’s seventh month a two-headed calf was born at a Jinling byway. Jing Fang reads a two-headed calf as a realm split in two. Emperor Min was then a captive at Pingyang and soon murdered by barbarian rebels. Sima Rui enthroned himself south of the Yangzi while the north was lost—the sign fulfilled.
150
，武昌太守王諒牛生子，兩頭八足，兩尾共一腹，三年後死。 又有牛一足三尾，皆生而死。 案司馬彪說，「兩頭者，政在私門，上下無別之象也。」 京房《易傳》曰：「足多者，所任邪也； 足少者，不勝任也。」 其後王敦等亂政，此其祥也。
Wuchang governor Wang Liang’s cow dropped a monster calf—two heads, eight legs, twin tails on one belly—that died within three years. Another cow bore a one-legged, three-tailed calf that perished at birth. Sima Biao read two heads as power trapped in private cliques, high and low blurred. Jing Fang adds that too many feet mean wicked ministers hold office; too few mean they cannot bear their tasks.' Wang Dun’s revolt followed as the omen predicted.
151
四年十二月，郊牛死。 案劉向說《春秋》效牛死曰：「宣公區霿昏亂，故天不饗其祀。」 今元帝中興之業，實王導之謀也。 劉隗探會上意，以得親幸，導見疏外，此區霿不睿之禍。
In the twelfth month of the fourth year the suburban-sacrifice ox died. Liu Xiang cites Duke Xuan’s moral fog that cost him heaven’s acceptance at sacrifice. Yet Yuan’s restoration rested on Wang Dao’s counsel. Liu Wei’s flattery and Wang Dao’s exile matched the unwise-ruler omen.
152
成帝五月，護軍牛生犢，兩頭六足。 是冬，蘇峻作亂。 七年，九德人袁榮家牛產犢，兩頭八足，二尾共身。
In Cheng’s fifth month a guard command cow bore a six-legged two-headed calf. Su Jun rebelled that winter. In the seventh year Yuan Rong of Jiude saw a two-headed eight-legged calf born.
153
桓玄之國，在荊州詣刺史殷仲堪，行至鶴穴，逢一老公驅青牛，形色瑰異，桓玄即以所乘牛易取。 乘至零陵涇溪，駿駛非常，息駕飲牛，牛逕入江水不出。 玄遣人覘守，經日無所見。 于後玄敗被誅。
Huan Xuan swapped mounts with a strange old man at Crane Grotto on his way to see Yin Zhongkan. At Lingling’s Jingxi the beast bolted into the river and vanished. Huan Xuan’s watchers found nothing after a day. Huan Xuan later died under the blade.
155
黃眚黃祥
Section heading: yellow bale and yellow auspice.
156
=蜀劉備，東伐。 二月，自秭歸進屯夷道。 六月，秭歸有黃氣見，長十餘里，廣數十丈。 後逾旬，備為陸議所破，近黃祥也。
Liu Bei of Shu marched east. In the second month he moved from Zigui to Yidao. In June a yellow band of mist stretched ten-odd li along the sky at Zigui. Within ten days Liu Bei lost to Lu Xun—a yellow omen fulfilled.
157
魏齊王正始中，中山王周南為襄邑長。 有鼠從穴出，語曰：「王周南，爾以某日死。」 周南不應，鼠還穴。 後至期，更冠幘皁衣出，語曰：「周南，汝日中當死。」 又不應，鼠復入穴。 斯須更出，語如向。 日適欲中，鼠入須臾復出，出復入，轉更數，語如前。 日適中，鼠曰：「周南，汝不應，我復何道！」 言絕，顛蹶而死，即失衣冠。 取視，俱如常鼠。 案班固說，此黃祥也。 是時，曹爽專政，競為比周，故鼠作變也。
Under Wei’s Qi prince, Zhou Nan of Zhongshan served as Xiangyi magistrate. A rat emerged and prophesied Zhou Nan’s death date. Zhou Nan ignored the rat, which slipped back into its burrow. On the appointed day the rat reappeared in black cap and robe to renew the noon death threat. Zhou Nan stayed silent and the rat withdrew again. Moments later it repeated the same words. The rat darted in and out as noon approached, repeating its warning. At noon it cried that Zhou Nan’s silence left nothing more to say. It fell dead and shed its human-like garb. The corpse was an ordinary rat. Ban Gu classed it as a yellow omen. Cao Shuang’s clique-ridden rule drew the talking rat.
158
惠帝十二月，大霧。 帝時昏眊，政非已出，故有區霿之妖。
In Emperor Hui’s twelfth month heavy fog blanketed the land. The helpless emperor’s fog matched a court he could not see.
159
元帝八月，黃霧四寒，埃氛蔽天。
Yellow mist choked the horizon in Yuan’s eighth month.
160
十月，京師大霧，黑氣貫天，日無光。
In October black vapor swallowed the capital sun.
161
明帝正月癸巳，黃霧四塞。 二月，又黃霧四塞。 是時王敦擅權，謀逆愈甚。
On guisi in Ming’s first month yellow fog returned. February brought another yellow smother. Wang Dun’s treason thickened with the mist.
162
穆帝三月，涼州大風拔木，黃霧下塵。 是時，張重華納譖，出謝艾為酒泉太守，而所任非其人，至九年死，嗣子見殺，是其應也。 京房《易傳》曰：「聞善不予茲謂不知，厥異黃，厥咎聾，厥災不嗣。 黃者，有黃濁氣四塞天下。 蔽賢絕道，災至絕世也。」
In Mu’s third month Liangzhou saw gales and yellow dust fall from the sky. Zhang Chonghua’s purge of Xie Ai and bad appointments led to his death and his heir’s murder within nine years. Jing Fang links yellow haze to refusing to reward merit. Yellow means murky vapor filling the world. Blocking worthies ends the dynasty’s line.'
163
孝武二月癸未，黃霧四塞。 是時，道子專政，親近佞人，朝綱方替。
On guiwei in Emperor Wu’s second month yellow fog returned. Sima Daozi’s faction and flatterers were rotting the court.
164
安帝十月丙申朔，黃霧昏濁不雨。 是時桓玄謀逆之應。
On the bingshen new moon of Emperor An’s tenth month yellow murk hung without rain. It answered Huan Xuan’s rising treason.
165
十一月，大霧。 十年十一月，又大霧。 是時，帝室衰微，臣下權盛，兵及土地，略非君有，此其應也。
November brought dense fog. The eleventh month of the tenth year saw fog again. The feeble throne and grasping ministers matched the omen.
167
地震
Section heading: seismic portents.
168
=劉向曰：「地震，金木水火沴土者也。 伯陽甫曰：「天地之氣，不過其序； 若過其序，人之亂也。 陽伏而不能出，陰迫而不能升，於是有地震。」
Liu Xiang read quakes as the four phases striking earth. Boyang Fu said heaven and earth keep an order; when that order breaks, human affairs are in chaos. Trapped yang and pressing yin produce earthquakes.'
169
吳孫權，江東地連震。 是時，權受魏爵命為大將軍、吳王，改元專制，不修臣跡。 京房《易傳》曰：「臣事雖正，專必震。 其震，于水則波，於木則搖，於屋則瓦落。 大經在辟而易臣茲謂陰動，厥震搖政宮。 大經搖政茲謂不陰，厥震搖山，出湧水。 嗣子無德專祿茲謂不順，厥震動丘陵，湧水出。」 劉向並云：「臣下強盛，將動而為害之應也。」
Eastern Wu’s lands quaked repeatedly under Sun Quan. Sun Quan took Wei’s patent yet ruled like an independent king. Jing Fang warns that ministerial monopoly brings tremors. Such shaking stirs water, bends trees, and drops roof tiles. When law sits with the throne but ministers are swapped lightly, palace halls shake. When the norm itself totters, mountains slide and springs burst forth. Heirs without virtue yet clinging to salary shake hills and loose floods. Liu Xiang concludes that ministerial strength foretells destructive upheaval.'
170
魏明帝十一月，京都地震，從東來，隱隱有聲，搖屋瓦。
In Ming’s eleventh month Luoyang felt an eastern tremor that rattled tiles.
171
六月戊申，京都地震。 是秋，吳將朱然圍江夏，荊州刺史胡質擊退之。 又，公孫文懿叛，自立為燕王，改年，置百官。 明年，討平之。
On wushen in the sixth month the capital shook again. That autumn Zhu Ran besieged Jiangxia until Hu Zhi drove him off. Gongsun Yuan rose as king of Yan, adopted a new reign title, and filled out a court. He was crushed the next year.
172
吳孫權五月，江東地震。
In Sun Quan’s fifth month eastern Wu quaked.
173
正月，地再震。 是時，呂壹專事，步騭上疏曰：「伏聞校事吹毛求瑕，趣欲陷人，成其威福，無罪無辜，橫受重刑，雖有大臣，不見信任，如此，天地焉得無變！ 故地連震動，臣下專政之應也。 冀所以警悟人主，可不深思其意哉！」 壹後卒敗。
The first month brought another tremor. Lü Yi’s investigators, says Bu Zhi’s memorial, hunted petty faults, framed the innocent, and left great ministers untrusted—small wonder heaven and earth shuddered. The ground kept trembling because power had slipped into the hands of the ministers. Heaven means such signs to rouse the sovereign—its message deserves the gravest reflection! Before long Lü Yi himself was brought down.
174
魏齊王十一月，南安郡地震。 三年七月甲申，南安郡地震。 十二月，魏郡地震。 六年二月丁卯，南安郡地震。 是時，曹爽專政，遷太后于永甯宮，太后與帝相泣而別。 連年地震，是其應也。
In the eleventh month of Cao Fang's reign as King of Qi of Wei, Nan'an commandery quaked. On the jiashen day of the seventh month in the third year of that reign, Nan'an shook again. The twelfth month brought a tremor in Wei commandery. On the dingmao day of the second month in the sixth year, Nan'an commandery quaked. Cao Shuang dominated the court, removed the empress dowager to Yongning Palace, and left her and the young emperor weeping as they were forced apart. Year after year the earth shuddered in answer to that usurpation.
175
吳孫權二月，江東地仍震。 是時，權聽讒，尋黜硃據，廢太子。
In Sun Quan's second month eastern Wu was still shaking. Sun Quan had lent his ear to slander, cashiered Zhu Ju, and stripped the heir of his title.
176
蜀劉禪，蜀地震。 是時宦人黃皓專權。 案司馬彪說，「閹官無陽施，猶婦人也」。 皓見任之應，與漢和帝時同事也。 是冬，蜀亡。
Under Liu Shan of Shu the Shu heartland trembled. The eunuch Huang Hao had seized unchecked authority at court. Sima Biao remarks that "eunuchs, lacking the male principle, stand in the yin position like women." Huang Hao's rise matched what had happened when eunuchs ruled Emperor He's Han court. That same winter Shu fell.
177
武帝四月辛酉，地震。 是年冬，新平氐羌叛。 明年，孫皓遣大眾入渦口。 七年六月丙申，地震。
On the xinyou day of Emperor Wu's fourth month the ground shook. That winter the Di and Qiang tribes of Xinping rose in revolt. The following year Sun Hao sent a large army toward the Wo Estuary. On the bingshen day of the sixth month in the seventh year there was an earthquake.
178
八月庚辰，河南、河東、平陽地震。 四年六月丁未，陰平廣武地震，甲子又震。
On the gengchen day of the eighth month Henan, Hedong, and Pingyang all quaked together. On dingwei in the sixth month of the fourth year Yinping and Guangwu shook, and another tremor followed on jiazi.
179
二月庚申，淮南、丹陽地震。 五年正月朔壬辰，京師地震。 六年七月己丑，地震。 七年七月，南安、犍為地震。 八月，京兆地震。 八年五月壬子，建安地震。 七月，陰平地震。 八月，丹陽地震。 九年正月，會稽、丹陽、吳興地震。 四月辛酉，長沙、南海等郡國八地震。 七月至於八月，地又四震，其三有聲如雷。 九月，臨賀地震，十二月又震。 十年十二月己亥，丹楊地震。
On the gengshen day of the second month Huainan and Danyang were shaken. On the new year's day renchen in the fifth year the capital quaked. On the jichou day of the seventh month in the sixth year the earth shook. In the seventh month of the seventh year Nan'an and Jianwei trembled. The eighth month brought a quake in the Jingzhao region around the capital. On the renzi day of the fifth month in the eighth year Jian'an shook. Yinping quaked in the seventh month. Danyang shook again in the eighth month. In the first month of the ninth year Kuaiji, Danyang, and Wuxing all trembled. On the xinyou day of the fourth month Changsha, Nanhai, and six other commanderies and kingdoms—eight in all—were shaken. Between the seventh and eighth months four more shocks struck, three of them rolling like thunder. Linhe quaked in the ninth month and shook again in the twelfth. On the jihai day of the twelfth month in the tenth year Danyang province trembled.
180
正月，地又震，武帝世，始于賈充，終於楊駿，阿黨昧利，苟竊朝權。 至於末年，所任轉弊，故頻年地震，過其序也，終喪天下。
Another shock struck in the first month. Throughout Emperor Wu's reign, from Jia Chong to Yang Jun, cliques traded favors for gain and quietly pocketed the authority of the state. Late in his reign his appointments only worsened, so tremors came year on year—nature out of step—and the dynasty soon lost the empire.
181
惠帝十二月辛酉，京都地震。 此夏，賈后使楚王瑋殺汝南王亮及太保衛瓘，此陰道盛、陽道微故也。
On the xinyou day of Emperor Hui's twelfth month the capital shook. That summer Empress Jia used Prince Wei of Chu to murder Prince Liang of Runan and Grand Tutor Wei Guan—yin had swelled while yang had thinned.
182
四年二月，上穀、上庸、遼東地震。 五月，蜀郡山移； 淮南壽春洪水出，山崩地陷，壞城府。 八月，上谷地震，水出，殺百餘人。 十月，京都地震。 十一月，滎陽、襄城、汝陰、梁國、南陽地皆震。 十二月，京都又震。 是時，賈后亂朝，終至禍敗之應也。 漢鄧太后攝政時，郡國地震。 李固以為：「地，陰也，法當安靜。 今乃越陰之職，專陽之政，故應以震。」 此同事也。 京房《易傳》曰：「小人剝廬，厥妖山崩，茲謂陰乘陽，弱勝強。」 又曰：「陰背陽則地裂，父子分離，夷羌叛去。」
In the second month of the fourth year Shanggu, Shangyong, and Liaodong quaked together. In the fifth month mountains in Shu commandery visibly shifted; while at Shouchun in Huainan a flood burst from the earth, hills gave way, the ground fell in, and city walls and yamen were swallowed. In the eighth month Shanggu quaked, springs erupted from the soil, and over a hundred people perished. The capital trembled again in the tenth month. November saw the ground shudder from Xingyang and Xiangcheng through Ruyin, Liang, and Nanyang. The capital was shaken once more in the twelfth month. Empress Jia had thrown the court into turmoil—another omen of the catastrophe to come. Under Empress Dowager Deng's Han regency commandery after commandery had quaked. Li Gu argued that earth belongs to yin and ought by nature to lie quiet. When it usurps yang's office and yin seizes the government, it answers with tremors. The present case matched that pattern. Jing Fang's 《Yi zhuan》 warns that when petty men tear down the common good, mountains may fall—"yin riding yang, the weak overwhelming the strong." He adds that when yin rejects yang the ground splits, families are torn apart, and frontier peoples rise and leave.
183
五年五月丁丑，地震。 六月，金城地震。 六年正月丁丑，地震。 八年正月丙辰，地震。
On the dingchou day of the fifth month in the fifth year the earth shook. Jincheng quaked in the sixth month. On dingchou in the first month of the sixth year there was another tremor. The bingchen day of the first month in the eighth year brought a quake.
184
十月，地震。 時齊王冏專政之應。 二年十二月丙辰，地震。 是時，長沙王乂專政之應也。
The tenth month saw an earthquake. Heaven was answering Sima Jiong, the Prince of Qi, who monopolized power. On bingchen in the twelfth month of the second year the ground shook. The tremor answered Sima Yi, Prince of Changsha, who had seized the government.
185
孝杯帝十月，荊、湘二州地震。 時司馬越專政。 四年四月，兗州地震。 五月，石勒寇汲郡，執太守胡寵，遂南濟河，是其應也。
In the tenth month of Emperor Huai's reign Jing and Xiang provinces quaked. Sima Yue held the reins of state. Yan Province shook in the fourth month of the fourth year. In the fifth month Shi Le struck Ji commandery, captured Prefect Hu Chong, and pushed south across the Yellow River—another sign in the earth.
186
湣帝四月甲辰，地震。 三年六月丁卯，長安又地震。 是時主幼，權傾于下，四方雲擾，兵亂不息之應也。
On the jiachen day of Emperor Min's fourth month the ground trembled. On dingmao in the sixth month of the third year Chang'an shook again. The boy on the throne had no real authority, the great families pulled the strings, and rebellion boiled in every quarter—small wonder the capital quaked.
187
元帝四月，西平地震，湧水出。 十二月，廬陵、豫章、武昌、西陵地震，湧水出，山崩。 干寶以為王敦陵上之應也。
In Emperor Yuan's fourth month Xiping shook and water gushed from the ground. In the twelfth month Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiling trembled together, springs burst forth, and hillsides gave way. Gan Bao read this as heaven's rebuke of Wang Dun's bullying of his sovereign.
188
二年五月己丑，祁山地震，山崩，殺人。 是時，相國南陽王保在祁山，稱晉王不終之象也。 三年五月庚寅，丹陽、吳郡、晉陵又地震。
On jichou in the fifth month of the second year Qishan shook, a peak fell, and lives were lost. Sima Bao, the Prince of Nanyang and minister of state, was camped at Qishan—a token that the house of Jin would not see its mandate fulfilled. On gengyin in the fifth month of the third year Danyang, Wu, and Jinling shook once more.
189
成帝二月，江陵地震。 三月，益州地震。 四月己未，豫章地震。 是年，蘇峻作亂。 九年三月丁酉，會稽地震。
In Emperor Cheng's second month Jiangling quaked. Yizhou trembled in the third month. On the jiwei day of the fourth month Yuzhang shook. That same year Su Jun raised revolt against the court. On the dingyou day of the third month in the ninth year Kuaiji quaked.
190
穆帝六月癸亥，地震。 是時，嗣主幼沖，母后稱制，政在臣下，所以連年地震。 二年十月，地震。 三年正月丙辰，地震。 九月，地又震。 四年十月己未，地震。
On the guihai day of Emperor Mu's sixth month the earth shook. The boy emperor sat on the throne only in name while his mother ruled from behind the screen and ministers wielded real power—hence the tremors year after year. The second year's tenth month brought another earthquake. On bingchen in the first month of the third year the ground shook. September saw yet another shock. On jiwei in the tenth month of the fourth year there was an earthquake.
191
五年正月庚寅，地震。 是時，石季龍僭即皇帝位，亦過其序也。
The gengyin day of the first month in the fifth year brought a tremor. Shi Hu had just arrogated the imperial title—another case of the cosmic order thrown out of step.
192
九年八月丁酉，京都地震，有聲如雷。 十年正月丁卯，地震，聲如雷，雞雉皆鳴呴。 十一年四月乙酉，地震。 五月丁未，地震。
On dingyou in the ninth year's eighth month the capital shook with a roar like thunder. On dingmao in the tenth year's first month the earth boomed like thunder and every bird in the city took to screeching. The yiyou day of the fourth month in the eleventh year saw another quake. On dingwei in the fifth month the ground shook again.
193
升平二年十一月辛酉，地震。 五年八月，涼州地震。
On the xinyou day of the eleventh month in the second Shengping year there was an earthquake. Liang Province quaked in the eighth month of the fifth year.
194
哀帝四月甲戌，地震。 是時，政在將相，人主南面而已。
On the jiaxu day of Emperor Ai's fourth month the earth moved. Generals and chief ministers held every real lever of power while the Son of Heaven merely faced south on his throne.
195
興甯元年四月甲戌，揚州地震，湖瀆溢。 二年二月庚寅，江陵地震。 是時，桓溫專政。
On jiaxu in the fourth month of the first Xingning year Yang Province shook and lakes and rivers burst their banks. On gengyin in the second month of the second year Jiangling trembled. Huan Wen dominated the court.
196
海西公二月，涼州地震，水湧。 是海西將廢之應也。
In the Duke of Haixi's second month Liang Province quaked and water welled from the earth. It foretold the coming deposition of the Duke of Haixi.
197
簡文帝十月辛未，安成地震。 是年帝崩。
On the xinwei day of Emperor Jianwen’s tenth month Ancheng shook. That same year the emperor passed away.
198
孝武帝甯康元年十月辛未，地震。 二年二月丁巳，地震。 七月甲午，涼州地又震，山崩。 是時，嗣主幼沖，權在將相，陰盛之應也。
In the first Ningkang year, on the xinwei day of Emperor Xiaowu’s tenth month, the earth moved. On the dingsi day of the second month in the second year there was an earthquake. On jiawu in the seventh month Liang Province quaked once more and a mountainside gave way. The boy emperor held no real authority while generals and ministers ruled—a sign of yin swelling at the court’s expense.
199
閏三月壬午，地震。 五月丁丑，地震。 十一年六月己卯，地震。 是後緣河諸將連歲兵役，人勞之應也。 十五年二月己酉朔夜，地震。 八月，京都地震。 十二月己未，地震。 十七年六月癸卯，地震。 十二月己未，地又震。 是時，群小弄權，天下側目。 十八年正月癸亥朔，地震。 二月乙未夜，地震。
The intercalary third month’s renwu day brought a tremor. On dingchou in the fifth month the ground shook. On jimao in the sixth month of the eleventh year there was an earthquake. Year after year the river garrisons were called to arms until the realm groaned under the labor—a tremor answered that strain. On the night of the jiyou new moon in the second month of the fifteenth year the earth shook. The capital quaked in the eighth month. On jiwei in the twelfth month there was an earthquake. On guimao in the sixth month of the seventeenth year the ground moved. Jiwei in the twelfth month brought another shock. Petty favorites twisted the government while the empire watched in fear and anger. The guihai new moon of the eighteenth year’s first month was marked by an earthquake. The earth trembled on the night of yiwei in the second month.
200
安帝四月乙未，地震。 九月癸丑，地震。 是時，幼主沖昧，政在臣下。
On yiwei in Emperor An’s fourth month the ground shook. Guichou in the ninth month brought another quake. The child on the throne was still in his minority while ministers held every lever of power.
201
正月壬子夜，地震有聲。 十月癸亥，地震。 五年正月戊戌夜，尋陽地震，有聲如雷。 明年，盧循下。 八年，自正月至四月，南康、廬陵地四震。 明年，王旅西討荊益。 十年三月戊寅，地震。
On the night of renzi in the first month the earth shook audibly. On guihai in the tenth month there was an earthquake. On the night of wuxu in the fifth year’s first month Xunyang shook with a roar like thunder. The following year Lu Xin’s host swept down the river. Between the first and fourth months of the eighth year Nankang and Lulling were shaken four times. The next year imperial troops marched west into Jingzhou and Yizhou. On wuyin in the third month of the tenth year the earth moved.
203
山崩地陷裂
Hills fell, the earth sank, and great cracks opened.
204
=吳孫權八月，丹陽、句容及故鄣、甯國諸山崩，鴻水溢。 案劉向說，「山，陽，君也。 水，陰，百姓也。 天戒若曰，君道崩壞，百姓將失其所與」！ 春秋梁山崩，漢齊、楚眾山發水，同事也。 夫三代命祀，祭不越望，吉凶禍福，不是過也。 吳雖稱帝，其實列國，災發丹陽，其天意矣。 劉歆以為：「國主山川，山崩川竭，亡之徵也。」 後二年而權薨，又二十六年而吳亡。
In Sun Quan’s eighth month mountains gave way across Danyang, Jurong, Guchang, and Ningguo, and torrents poured over the lowlands. Liu Xiang reads the mountain as yang and therefore as the figure of the ruler. Water stands for yin and for the common people. Heaven’s warning is that when the ruler’s order fails, the people lose their protector! Mount Liang fell in the Spring and Autumn period, and in Han times Qi and Chu saw hills burst and release floods—omens of the same kind. The kings of the Three Dynasties limited sacrifice to what lay within their gaze, and fortune never outran that boundary. Wu called its ruler emperor, yet it was only one of many states; when disaster struck Danyang, Heaven had spoken. Liu Xin argued that mountains and rivers belong to the state; when they fail, the dynasty is near its end. Sun Quan died within two years, and a generation later Wu was gone.
205
魏元帝二月，太行山崩，此魏亡之徵也。 其冬，晉有天下。
In Cao Huan’s second month the Taihang peaks fell—a token that Wei’s mandate was spent. That winter the Sima house seized the empire.
206
武帝三月戊午，大石山崩。 四年七月，泰山崩墜三里。 京房《易傳》曰：「自上下者為崩，厥應泰山之石顛而下，聖王受命人君虜。」 及帝晏駕，而祿去王室，惠皇懦弱，懷湣二帝俱辱虜庭，淪胥於北，元帝中興于南，此其應也。
On wuwu in Emperor Wu’s third month Great Stone Mountain came down. In the fourth year’s seventh month a three-li stretch of Mount Tai broke away and fell. Jing Fang’s gloss on the Changes warns that stones tumbling from Mount Tai foretell a change of mandate and a captive king. The prophecy played out in the Jin succession: weak emperors, captivity in the north, and renewal under Yuan in the south.
207
五月丙午，宣帝廟地陷。 六年十月，南安新興山崩，湧水出。 七年二月，硃提之大瀘山崩，震壞郡舍，陰平之仇池崖隕。 八年七月，大雨，殿前地陷，方五尺，深數丈，中有破船。
On bingwu in the fifth month the soil subsided at the temple of Sima Yi. In the sixth year’s tenth month Xinxing mountain in Nan’an fell and sent up springs from the bedrock. In the seventh year’s second month Dalu peak in Zhuti commandery buried the yamen in rubble, while the Chouchi cliff line in Yinping gave way. After heavy rains in the eighth year’s seventh month a pit opened before the hall, some yards across and many yards deep, and exposed a rotted hull.
208
惠帝，蜀郡山崩，殺人。 五月壬子，壽春山崩，洪水出，城壞，地陷方三十丈，殺人。 六月，壽春大雷，山崩地坼，人家陷死，上庸亦如之。 八月，居庸地裂，廣三十六丈，長八十四丈，水出，大饑。 上庸四處山崩，地墜廣三十丈，長百三十丈，水出殺人。 皆賈后亂朝之應也。
Under Emperor Hui a Shu commandery hillside fell and took lives. On renzi in the fifth month Shouchun’s ridge split, a flood tore the walls down, a vast sink opened, and many died. June thunder at Shouchun shook mountains apart and swallowed homes; Shangyong suffered the same. In the eighth month a great rift opened at Juyong, water flooded out, and famine followed. Four slopes around Shangyong fell at once, dropping a slab of earth thirty by a hundred thirty zhang and drowning those below. Each event answered Empress Jia’s ruin of the government.
209
四月，西墉崩。
The western wall fell in the fourth month.
210
懷帝三月，洛陽東北步廣裏地陷。 二年八月乙亥，鄄城城無故自壞七十餘丈，司馬越惡之，遷于濮陽，此見沴之異也。 越卒以陵上受禍。 三年七月戊辰，當陽地裂三所，廣三丈，長三百餘步。 京房《易傳》曰：「地坼裂者，臣下分離，不肯相從也。」 其後司馬越苟晞交惡，四方牧伯莫不離散，王室遂亡。 三年十月，宜都夷道山崩。 四年四月，湘東[需阝]黑石山崩。
In Emperor Huai’s third month the soil opened in Bu Guang lane northeast of Luoyang. Yihai in the second year’s eighth month saw Juancheng’s ramparts crumble for no clear reason; Sima Yue took it as an ill omen and withdrew to Puyang. Sima Yue’s high-handedness toward his sovereign brought him to a violent end. On wuchen in the seventh month of the third year three long fissures opened at Dangyang. Jing Fang read ground riven as ministers turning on one another. Sima Yue and Gou Xi soon fell out, the provinces broke away, and the house of Jin collapsed. In the third year’s tenth month Yidao peak in Yidu commandery fell. In the fourth month of the fourth year Blackstone Mountain in eastern Xiang commandery fell.
211
元帝二月，廬陵、豫章、武昌，西陽地震山崩。 二年五月，祁山地震，山崩，殺人。 三年，南平郡山崩，出雄黃數千斤。 時王敦陵傲，帝優容之，示含養禍萌也。 四年八月，常山崩，水出，滹沲盈溢，大木傾拔。
In Emperor Yuan’s second month Luling, Yuzhang, Wuchang, and Xiyang shook and shed their hillsides. Qishan quaked in the second year’s fifth month, burying lives under the slide. In the third year a Nanping ridge collapsed and disgorged tons of realgar ore. Wang Dun bullied the throne while Emperor Yuan bore it patiently—nursing the seed of revolt. In the fourth year’s eighth month Mount Chang fell, the Hutuo burst its banks, and forests were torn out by the flood.
212
成帝十月，柴桑廬山西北崖崩。 十二月，劉胤為郭默所殺。
In Emperor Cheng’s tenth month the northwest face of Mount Lu above Chaisang slid away. Guo Mo slew Liu Yin in the twelfth month.
213
穆帝九月，峻平、崇陽二陵崩。 十二年十一月，遣散騎常侍車灌修峻平陵，開埏道，崩壓，殺數十人。
In Emperor Mu’s ninth month two imperial tombs, Junping and Chongyang, fell in. When Che Guan opened the approach to the Junping tomb in the twelfth year’s eleventh month, the roof gave way and crushed dozens of workers.
214
升平五年二月，南掖門馬足陷地，得鐘一，有文四字。
In the fifth Shengping year a horse sank to the fetlock at the south gate of Ye and uncovered a bell carved with four characters.
215
哀帝四月丁丑，浩亹山崩，張天錫亡徵也。
Mount Haomen fell on dingchou in Emperor Ai’s fourth month, foretelling Zhang Tianxi’s fall.
216
安帝三月壬寅，山陰地陷，方四丈，有聲如雷。 十年五月戊寅，西明門地穿，湧水出，毀門扇及限，此水沴土也。 十一年五月，霍山崩，出銅鐘六枚。 十三年七月，漢中成固縣水涯有聲若雷，既而岸崩，出銅鐘十有二枚。
On renyin in Emperor An’s third month Shanyin opened a pit forty feet across with a thunderclap. Wuyin in the tenth year’s fifth month saw water burst through the soil at Ximing Gate and tear the doors away—water overwhelming earth. Mount Huo fell in the eleventh year’s fifth month and yielded six bronze bells. Thunder rolled along the Han at Cheng’gu in the thirteenth year’s seventh month; the bank then gave way and twelve bells rolled free.
217
惠帝六月夜，暴雷雨，賈謐齋屋柱陷入地，壓謐床帳，此木沴土，土失其性，不能載也。 明年，謐誅焉。
A summer storm drove Jia Mi’s hall pillar through the floor onto his couch—wood piercing earth until the soil could no longer bear. The next year Jia Mi was put to death.
218
五月，范陽國地燃，可以爨，此火沴土也。 是時，禮樂征伐自諸候出。
Earth in Fanyang flamed hot enough to cook on—a case of fire scorching the soil. Rites, music, and war were then decided by the regional lords alone.
219
皇之不極，是謂不建
The sovereign failing to stand at the center is called "failing to establish."
220
《傳》曰：「皇之不極，是謂不建，厥咎眊，厥罰恆陰，厥極弱。 時則有射妖，時則有龍蛇之孽，時則有馬禍，時則有下人伐上之痾，時則有日月亂行，星辰逆行。」 皇之不極，是謂不建。 皇，君； 極，中； 建，立也。 人君貌言視聽思心五事皆失，不得其中，不能立萬事，失在眊悖，故其咎眊也。 王者自下承天理物。 雲起於山，而彌於天； 天氣亂，故其罰恆陰，一曰：「上失中，則下強盛而蔽君明也。」 《易》曰：「亢龍有悔，貴而亡位，高而亡民，賢人在下位而亡輔。」 如此，則君有南面之尊，而亡一人之助，故其極弱也。 盛陽動進輕疾。 禮，春而大射，以順陽氣。 上微弱則下奮驚動，故有射妖。 《易》曰：「雲從龍。」 又曰：「龍蛇之蟄，以存身也。」 陰氣動，故有龍蛇之孽。 于《易》，乾為君，為馬。 任用而強力，君氣毀，故有馬禍。 一曰，馬多死及為怪，亦是也。 君亂且弱，人之所叛，天之所去，不有明王之誅，則有篡殺之禍，故有下人伐上之痾。 凡君道傷者，病天氣。 不言五行沴天，而曰「日月亂行，星辰逆行」者，為若下不敢沴天，猶《春秋》曰「王師敗績於貿戎」，不言敗之者，以自敗為文，尊尊之意也。 劉歆《皇極傳》曰有下體生於上之痾。 說以為下人伐上，天誅已成，不得復為痾云。
The classic gloss warns that a drifting king brings dim vision, endless gloom, and feeble rule! Then come warped archery omens, dragon-and-snake scourges, horse calamities, revolts from below, and the lamps of heaven running awry. So the text repeats: a king who misses the mean cannot "establish." Here "huang" denotes the ruler. "Ji" means the true center. "Jian" means to set things upright. If deportment, speech, sight, hearing, and thought all miss the mean, nothing the king undertakes will stand, and the fault is called dimness. The king takes heaven’s pattern from below and sets the world in order. Clouds billow from the peaks until they veil the sky. When heaven’s breath is tangled, the land lies under endless murk; one gloss adds that a strong below blinds the throne. The Changes speaks of the overproud dragon: exalted yet unsupported, high yet friendless. Thus a king may keep the throne in name yet lack even one true helper—hence the omen ends in weakness. Vigorous yang moves quickly and lightly. The rites prescribe the great spring shoot to align the court with rising yang. When the crown is feeble, the realm stirs in alarm, and warped archery omens appear. The Changes adds that clouds trail the dragon. The text adds that dragons and snakes withdraw to endure. When yin stirs below, dragon-and-snake omens follow. In the Zhou "Changes," the qian trigram is both sovereign and steed. When power is seized by force, the ruler's vitality fails and horse omens appear. Another gloss counts mass equine death and freak beasts as the same class of sign. A feckless king loses men and mandate alike, inviting either heaven's stroke or revolt from below. When royal conduct fails, the very weather of heaven grows sick. The canon couches cosmic disorder in astral terms, much as it blames the royal army itself at Maorong to spare the king's dignity. Liu Xin's treatise on the royal apex mentions the malady of the base usurping the crown. Some argued that completed heavenly vengeance ends the omen; the text disagrees.
222
恆陰
Section heading: unending gloom.
223
=吳孫亮，自八月沈陰不雨，四十餘日。 是時，將誅孫綝，謀泄。 九月戊午，綝以兵圍宮，廢亮為會稽王，此恆陰之罰也。
Under Sun Liang of Wu the sky stayed leaden and rainless for over forty days from the eighth month onward. A cabal meant to kill Sun Lin, but word slipped out first. On wuwu in the ninth month Sun Lin ringed the palace with soldiers and reduced Sun Liang to prince of Kuaiji—Heaven's murk made visible.
224
吳孫皓十二月，太史奏久陰不雨，將有陰謀。 孫皓驚懼。 時陸凱等謀因其謁廟廢之。 及出，留平領兵前驅，凱先語平，平不許，是以不果。 皓既肆虐，群下多懷異圖，終至降亡
Sun Hao's court astronomers warned that endless cloud without rain foretold conspiracy. Sun Hao took fright. Lu Kai and others planned a coup during Sun Hao's next temple visit. Liu Ping marched ahead as escort; Lu Kai sounded him out beforehand, yet Liu Ping refused, and the plot died stillborn. Sun Hao's cruelty bred treachery in every quarter until Wu bowed to Jin.
226
射妖
Section heading: warped archery omens.
227
=蜀車騎將軍鄧芝征涪陵，見玄猨緣山，手射中之。 猨拔其箭，卷木葉塞其創。 芝曰：「嘻！ 吾違物之性，其將死矣！」 俄而卒，此射妖也。 一曰，猨母抱子，芝射中之，子為拔箭，取木葉塞創。 芝歎息，投弩水中，自知當死。
Deng Zhi of Shu, campaigning in Fuling, spied dark gibbons on a cliff and brought one down with a shaft from his own bow. The ape tugged the bolt free and packed the wound with wadded leaves. "Alas," said Deng Zhi! I have violated the way of living things; I shall not live long!" He died shortly thereafter—a classic "archery" omen. Another version says Deng Zhi shot a mother ape; her infant drew the dart and dressed the wound with leaves. Deng Zhi sighed, flung his crossbow into the river, and accepted his fate.
228
恭帝為琅邪王，好奇戲，嘗閑一馬於門內，令人射之，欲觀幾箭死，左右有諫者曰：「馬，國姓也。 今射之，不祥。」 於是乃止，而馬已被十許箭矣。 此蓋射妖也。 俄而禪位於宋焉。
As Prince of Langye, Prince Gong once shut a horse inside his gate and told guards to shoot it for sport until a counselor cried that the horse was the imperial surname. To shoot the Sima beast would be a curse on the house." He called off the game, but the animal had already taken nearly a dozen shafts. That was reckoned another archery omen. Soon afterward he yielded the throne to Liu Yu of Song.
230
龍蛇之孽
Section heading: dragon and serpent scourges.
231
=魏明帝正月甲申，青龍見郟之摩陂井中。 凡瑞興非時，則為妖孽，況困于井，非嘉祥矣。 魏以改年，非也。 干寶曰：「自明帝，終魏世，青龍、黃龍見者，皆其主興廢之應也。 魏土運，青木色，而不勝於金。 黃得位，青失位之象也。 青能多見者，君德國運內相克伐也。 故高貴鄉公卒敗於兵。」 案劉向說，龍貴象而困井中，諸侯將有幽執之禍也。 魏世，龍莫不在井，此居上者逼制之應。 高貴鄉公著《潛龍詩》，即此旨也。
On jiashen in Cao Rui's first month a green dragon was seen coiled in the Mojing well near Jia. A sign out of season is already inauspicious; caged in a well it cannot be read as grace. Wei renamed the reign to celebrate it, quite wrongly. Gan Bao reads every azure or saffron dragon of Wei as a barometer of the throne's fortune. Wei sat in the earth phase; green belongs to wood, which cannot master metal. Yellow held the true seat of power; green showed power slipping away. Repeated green dragons meant the ruler's virtue and the state's fate were at war inside the court. Hence Cao Mao met his end under the blade. Liu Xiang adds that a dragon trapped in a well foretells lords clapped in fetters. Every Wei dragon lurked in a well—Heaven mirroring rulers who smothered their lords. Cao Mao's "Suffering Dragon" verses spell out the same warning.
232
高貴鄉公十月戊戌，黃龍見於鄴井中。
On wuxu in the tenth month a yellow dragon rose from a well at Ye.
233
正月辛丑，青龍見軹縣井中。 六月乙丑，青龍見元城縣界井中。 二年二月，青龍見溫縣井中。 三年，黃龍、青龍俱見頓丘、冠軍、陽夏縣界井中。 四年正月，黃龍二見寧陵縣界井中。
A green dragon showed itself in the Zhi county well on xinchou in the first month. On yichou in the sixth month another green dragon appeared at Yuancheng. The second year's second month brought a green dragon sighting at Wen county. In the third year saffron and azure dragons shared wells along the Dunqiu, Guanjun, and Yangxia frontiers. Two yellow dragons surfaced at Ningling in the fourth year's first month.
234
元帝十二月甲申，黃龍見華陰縣井中。 三年二月，龍見軹縣井中。
On jiashen in Emperor Yuan's twelfth month a yellow dragon appeared at Huayin. In the third year's second month a dragon was seen again at Zhi county.
235
吳孫皓天冊中，龍乳于長沙人家，啖雞雛。 京房《易妖》曰：「龍乳人家，王者為庶人。」 其後皓降晉。
During Sun Hao's Tiance era a dragon nursed in a Changsha home and fed on chicks. Jing Fang's omen list warns that dragons reared in common roofs reduce kings to commoners. Sun Hao soon knelt to Jin.
236
武帝六月丙午，白龍二見於九原井中。
On bingwu in Emperor Wu's sixth month twin white dragons rose from Jiuyuan's well.
237
正月癸卯，二龍見武庫井中。 帝觀之，有喜色。 百僚將賀，劉毅獨表曰：「昔龍漦夏庭，禍發周室。 龍見鄭門，子產不賀。」 帝答曰：「朕德政未修，未有以應受嘉祥。」 遂不賀也。 孫盛曰：「龍，水物也，何與於人！ 子產言之當矣。 但非其所處，實為妖災。 夫龍以飛翔顯見為瑞，今則潛伏幽處，非休祥也。」 漢惠帝二年，兩龍見蘭陵井中，本志以為其後趙王幽死之象。 武庫者，帝王威禦之器所寶藏也，屋宇邃密，非龍所處。 是後七年，籓王相害，二十八年，果有二胡僭竊神器，二逆皆字曰龍，此之表異，為有證矣。
On guimao in the first month two dragons appeared in the Luoyang armory well. The emperor gazed on them with open delight. Courtiers moved to congratulate, but Liu Yi cited the dragon slime in Xia that foretold Zhou's ruin. When a dragon perched at Zheng's gate, Zichan refused to call it lucky. The emperor answered that his virtue was too slight to claim such signs. The court therefore held no celebration. Sun Sheng objected that dragons belong to the watery realm, not human politics. Zichan had the right of it. Yet a dragon out of place is still a calamity. Dragons augur well when they soar in plain sight, not when they skulk in wells. Two Lanling dragons in Han Huidi's second year foreshadowed the Prince of Zhao dying in chains. The armory hoards the weapons of majesty; its vaults are no place for dragons. Seven years on the princes turned on one another, and in the twenty-eighth year two northern warlords seized the throne, each styling himself with the name Long, matching the omen.
238
湣帝十一月，枹罕羌妓產一龍子，色似錦，文常就母乳，遙見神光，少得就視。 此亦皇之不建，於是帝竟淪沒。
In Emperor Min's eleventh month a Qiang bondwoman at Fuhan bore a scaled child like brocade that nursed and glowed until few dared look close. Again the king had lost the mean, and the Son of Heaven was swallowed by chaos.
239
呂纂末，龍出東廂井中，到其殿前蟠臥，比旦失之。 俄又有黑龍升其宮門。 纂咸以為美瑞。 或曰：「龍者陰類，出入有時，今而屢見，必有下人謀上之變。」 後纂果為呂超所殺。
Late in Lü Zuan's reign a dragon left the eastern well and coiled before his hall until dawn hid it again. Soon a black dragon climbed his palace gate. Zuan's courtiers hailed both as blessings. A dissenting voice warned that yin dragons out of season mean a rising from below against the throne. Lü Chao murdered Zuan soon afterward.
240
武帝咸甯中，司徒府有二大蛇，長十許丈，居聽事平橑上而人不知，但數年怪府中數失小兒及豬犬之屬。 後有一蛇夜出，被刃傷不能去，乃覺之，發徒攻擊，移時乃死。 夫司徒，五教之府； 此皇極不建，故蛇孽見之。 漢靈帝時，蛇見御座，楊賜云為帝溺于色之應也。 魏代宮人猥多，晉又過之，燕遊是湎，此其孽也。 《詩》云「惟虺惟蛇，女子之祥」也。
During Xianning two serpents some ten zhang long hid in the minister of education's rafters while children and livestock vanished year after year. When one serpent showed itself by night and could not flee a slash, the staff cornered and killed it after a long fight. The minister of education is charged with the five moral teachings. When the royal apex fails, serpent omens appear in its halls. Yang Ci read Han Lingdi's throne serpent as lust drowning the ruler. Wei and Jin both stuffed the inner palace and drowned in pleasure—hence the serpent scourge. The "Odes" already ties snakes to the women's quarters.
241
惠帝三月癸巳，臨淄有大蛇，長十餘丈，負二小蛇入城北門，逕從市入漢城陽景王祠中，不見。 天戒若曰，昔漢景王有定傾之功，而不厲節忠慎，以至失職奪功之辱。 今齊王冏不寤，雖建興復之功，而驕陵取禍，此其徵也。
On guisi in Emperor Hui's third month a huge serpent with two young in tow crossed Linzi's market and vanished into the shrine of Prince Jing of Chengyang. Heaven recalls how Prince Jing once saved the realm yet lost honor through pride. Sima Jiong repeats the error, boasting of restoration while inviting ruin.
242
明帝太甯初，武昌有大蛇，常居故神祠空樹中，每出頭從人受食。 京房《易妖》曰：「蛇見於邑，不出三年有大兵，國有大憂。」 尋有王敦之逆。
Early in Taining a great snake at Wuchang lived in a hollow shrine tree and took food from passersby. Jing Fang promises war within three years of such a sighting. Wang Dun's revolt followed on schedule.
244
馬禍
Section heading: equine calamities.
245
=武帝，遼東有馬生角，在兩耳下，長三寸。 案劉向說曰，「此兵象也」。 及帝晏駕之後，王室毒於兵禍，是其應也。 京房《易傳》曰：「臣易上，政不順，厥妖馬生角，茲謂賢士不足。」 又曰：「天子親伐，馬生角。」 《呂氏春秋》曰：「人君失道，馬有生角。」 及惠帝踐阼，昏愚失道，又親征伐成都，是其應也。
Under Emperor Wu a Liaodong horse sprouted three-cun horns below its ears. Liu Xiang read it as a sign of war. After Sima Yan died, the house of Jin reeled from endless campaigns, matching the omen. Jing Fang warns that horns on horses mean ministers overturn order and worthies are few. The same text ties horned horses to the ruler taking the field himself. The "Lüshi chunqiu" likewise says lost Way brings horned horses. Emperor Hui proved a witless ruler who took the field against Chengdu himself, matching the horned-horse omen.
246
惠帝十二月，皇太子將釋奠，太傅趙王倫驂乘，至南城門，馬止，力士推之不能動。 倫入軺車，乃進。 此馬禍也。 天戒若曰，倫不知義方，終為亂逆，非傅導行禮之人也。
As the heir prepared his offering, Sima Lun rode escort, yet the team froze at the south gate despite every shove. Only when Lun switched to a light carriage could the procession move. That was reckoned a horse calamity. Heaven warned that Lun lacked the moral bearing to tutor a crown prince and would end in treason.
247
九年十一月戊寅，忽有牡騮馬驚奔至廷尉訊堂，悲鳴而死。 天戒若曰，湣懷冤死之象也。 見廷尉訊堂，其天意乎！
On wuyin in the eleventh month a bay stallion charged the ministry of justice hall, cried out, and dropped dead. It foreshadowed the murder of Crown Prince Minhuai. That it died in the hall of interrogations showed Heaven's hand plainly!
248
懷帝二月，神馬鳴南城門。
In Emperor Huai's second month a spirit horse screamed at the southern gate.
249
湣帝九月，蒲子縣馬生人。 京房《易傳》曰：「上亡天子，諸侯相伐，厥妖馬生人。」 是時，帝室衰微，不絕如線，胡狄交侵，兵戈日逼，尋而帝亦淪陷，故此妖見也。
In Emperor Min's ninth month a Puzi mare delivered a human-shaped foal. Jing Fang lists mares foaling men when the throne is empty and warlords clash. The Jin house was a fraying thread while barbarian hosts closed in, and the emperor soon followed into captivity.
250
元帝，丹陽郡吏濮陽演馬生駒，兩頭，自項前別，生而死。 司馬彪說曰：「此政在私門，二頭之象也。」 其後王敦陵上。
A clerk's mare in Danyang foaled a two-headed stillborn colt with split necks. Sima Biao read twin heads as power split among private factions. Wang Dun's bullying of the throne followed.
251
成帝五月甲戌，有馬色赤如血，自宣陽門直走入於殿前，盤旋走出，尋逐，莫知所在。 己卯，帝不豫。 六月，崩。 此馬禍，又赤祥也。 是年，張重華在涼州，將誅其西河相張祚，廄馬數十匹，同時悉無後尾也。
On jiaxu in Emperor Cheng's fifth month a blood-red horse galloped from Xuanyang Gate to the palace forecourt, wheeled, and vanished without trace. On jimao the emperor sickened. He died in the sixth month. It counted as both a horse omen and a red calamity sign. That same year Zhang Chonghua prepared to kill Zhang Zuo, and dozens of horses in his stables suddenly lost their tails.
252
安帝十月，梁州有馬生角，刺史郭銓送示桓玄。 案劉向說曰，馬不當生角，猶玄不當舉兵向上也。 玄不寤，以至夷滅。
In Emperor An's tenth month a horned horse in Liangzhou was presented to Huan Xuan by Prefect Guo Quan. Liu Xiang's logic: horns on horses matched Huan Xuan's revolt against the throne. Huan Xuan ignored the warning and was destroyed.
253
石季龍在鄴，有一馬尾有燒狀，入其中陽門，出顯陽門，東宮皆不得入，走向東北，俄爾不見。 術者佛圖澄歎曰：「災其及矣！」 逾年季龍死，其國遂滅。
At Ye a horse with a charred-looking tail raced through the gates, shunned the heir's palace, and vanished toward the northeast. Fotucheng cried that disaster was at hand! Shi Hu died within the year, and his dynasty followed.
255
人痾
Section heading: freaks among humankind.
256
=魏文帝黃初，清河宋士宗母化為鱉，入水。
Early in Wei's Huangchu era a Qinghe matron turned turtle and slipped into the river.
257
明帝，曹休部曲丘奚農女死復生。 時又有開周世塚，得殉葬女子，數日而有氣，數月而不能言，郭太后愛養之。 又，太原人發塚破棺，棺中有一生婦人，問其本事，不知也，視其墓木，可三十歲。 案京房《易傳》曰：「至陰為陽，下人為上。」 宣帝起之象也。 漢平帝、獻帝並有此異，占以為王莽、曹操之徵。
A serf girl in Cao Xiu's army rose from the dead under Mingdi. Another crew opened an ancient Zhou tomb and found a living burial girl whom Empress Dowager Guo adopted. At Taiyuan grave robbers found a woman alive in a coffin who remembered nothing; the timber dated some thirty years. Jing Fang reads such returns as yin turning to yang and inferiors rising above. It foretold Sima Yi's seizure of power. The same omens had attended Han's last boys on the throne before Wang Mang and Cao Cao.
258
孫休，安吳民陳焦死七日復生，穿塚出。 干寶曰：「此與漢宣帝同事，烏程侯皓承廢故之家，得位之祥也。」
Under Sun Xiu a commoner named Chen Jiao clawed out of his grave on the seventh day. Gan Bao likened it to Xuandi's portents and Sun Hao's luck in inheriting a ruined line.
259
孫皓，丹陽宣騫母年八十，因浴化為黿，兄弟閉戶衛之。 掘堂上作大坎，實水其中，黿入坎遊戲，一二日恆延頸外望。 伺戶小開，便輪轉自躍，入於遠潭，遂不復還。 與漢靈帝時黃氏母同事，吳亡之象也。
Sun Hao's reign saw an old woman turn turtle in her bath while her sons barred the door. They sank a pool in the hall where she circled and craned toward the outdoors. When a door cracked she spun free and plunged into a distant pond, never to return. It matched Mother Huang's omen in Han and foretold Wu's fall.
260
魏元帝八月，襄武縣言有大人見，長三丈餘，跡長三尺二寸，髮白，著黃巾黃單衣，柱杖呼王始語曰：「今當太平。」 晉尋代魏。
A giant in yellow robes appeared at Xiangwu proclaiming peace under the name Wang Shi. Jin replaced Wei almost at once.
261
武帝，元城人年七十生角。 殆趙王倫篡亂之象也。
A seventy-year-old man at Yuancheng sprouted horns under Emperor Wu. It augured Sima Lun's coup.
262
十二月，琅邪人顏畿病死，棺斂已久，家人咸夢畿謂己曰； 「我當復生，可急開棺。」 遂出之，漸能飲食屈伸視瞻，不能行語，二年復死。 京房《易傳》曰：「至陰為陽，下人為上，厥妖人死復生。」 其後劉元海、石勒僭逆，遂亡晉室，下為上之應也。
Yan Ji of Langye was long buried when every kin dreamed him speaking. "Open my coffin at once," he said, "I shall rise again." They opened the tomb; he fed and moved but never walked or spoke, and died again within two years. Jing Fang cites the dead returning as yin turning upward. Liu Yuan and Shi Le then overturned Jin, matching the omen of inferiors on top.
263
惠帝元康中，安豐有女子周世寧，年八歲，漸化為男，至十七八而氣性成。 京房《易傳》曰：「女子化為丈夫，茲謂陰昌，賤人為王。」 此亦劉元海、石勒蕩覆天下之妖也。
An eight-year-old girl at Anfeng slowly became a man through her teens. Jing Fang calls female-to-male change yin surging so commoners seize the throne. Again it pointed to Liu Yuan and Shi Le's scourge.
264
永甯初，齊王冏唱義兵，誅除亂逆，乘輿反正。 忽有婦人詣大司馬門求寄產，門者詰之，婦曰； 「我截臍便去耳。」 是時，齊王冏匡復王室，天下歸功，識者為其惡之，後果斬戮。
Sima Jiong raised loyal troops at Yongning and restored the emperor. A woman appeared at the grand marshal's gate begging shelter to give birth. "I only need to sever the cord and go." Wise men shuddered at the omen while the realm praised Jiong; he was executed soon after.
265
永甯元年十二月甲子，有白頭公入齊王冏大司馬府，大呼曰：「有大兵起，不出甲子旬。」 冏殺之。 明年十二月戊辰，冏敗，即甲子旬也。
On jiazi a greybeard burst into Jiong's yamen shouting that war would erupt within ten days. Jiong had him cut down. Jiong fell on wuchen the next winter, inside the predicted decad.
266
四月癸酉，有人自雲龍門入殿前，北面再拜曰：「我當作中書監。」 即收斬之。 干寶以為「禁庭尊秘之處，今賤人徑入而門衛不覺者，宮室將虛而下人逾上之妖也」。 是後帝北遷鄴，又遷長安，宮闕遂空焉。
On guiyou an intruder crossed Cloud Dragon Gate to proclaim himself future secretariat director. Guards seized and beheaded him at once. Gan Bao read it as a sign that the palace would empty while inferiors trampled their betters. The emperors were dragged north to Ye and Chang'an, leaving Luoyang hollow.
267
元康中，梁國女子許嫁，已受禮娉，尋而其夫戍長安，經年不歸，女家更以適人。 女不樂行，其父母逼強，不得已而去，尋得病亡。 後其夫還，問其女所在，其傢俱說之。 其夫逕至女墓，不勝哀情，便發塚開棺，女遂活，因與俱歸。 後婿聞知，詣官爭之，所在不能決。 秘書郎王導議曰：「此是非常事，不得以常理斷之，宜還前夫。」 朝廷從其議。
A betrothed Liang bride was remarried after her fiancé vanished on garrison duty. She went unwillingly to the second match and died of grief. When the first fiancé returned, her kin confessed everything. He broke open her tomb in anguish and found her alive, and brought her home. The second husband sued; no magistrate could settle the case. Wang Dao ruled for the first husband as a miracle outside common law. The court agreed.
268
惠帝世，杜錫家葬而婢誤不得出，後十年開塚祔葬而婢尚生。 始如瞑，有頃漸覺，問之，自謂再宿耳。 初，婢之埋年十五六，及開塚更生，猶十五六也，嫁之有子。
Du Xi's household buried a maid alive by mistake; she survived a decade until the tomb reopened. She woke as from a two-night sleep. She emerged as young as when interred and later bore children.
269
，會稽謝真生子，頭大而有髮，兩蹠反向上，有男女兩體，生便作丈夫聲，經一日死。 此皇之不極，下人伐上之痾，於是諸王有僭亂之象也。
Xie Zhen of Kuaiji fathered a hermaphrodite infant with reversed soles and a man's voice that lived one day. It marked royal weakness and princely revolt.
270
惠帝之世，京洛有人兼男女體，亦能兩用人道，而性尤淫，此亂氣所生。 自咸甯、太康之後，男寵大興，甚于女色，士大夫莫不尚之，天下相仿效，或至夫婦離絕，多生怨曠，故男女之氣亂而妖形作也。
Luoyang then had a lustful hermaphrodite, a creature of disorderly qi. After Xianning and Taikang male favorites eclipsed women, gentlemen aped the fashion, marriages broke, and freak births followed.
271
懷帝，吳郡吳縣萬詳婢生子，鳥頭，兩足馬蹄，一手，無毛，尾黃色，大如枕。 此亦人妖，亂之象也。
A Wu bondmaid bore a bird-headed, hoof-footed monster with a pillow-sized tail. Another human-shaped portent of chaos.
272
五年五月，枹罕令嚴根妓產一龍，一女，一鵝。 京房《易傳》曰：「人生他物，非人所見者，皆為天下大兵。」 是時，帝承惠皇之後，四海沸騰，尋而陷於平陽，為逆胡所害，此其徵也。
Magistrate Yan Gen's concubine at Fuhan delivered a dragon, a girl, and a goose in one birth. Jing Fang warns that inhuman births herald universal war. Emperor Huai inherited a boiling realm, fell captive at Pingyang, and died at barbarian hands, matching the omen.
273
湣帝，新蔡縣吏任僑妻產二女，腹與心相合，自胸以上、臍以下各分，此蓋天下未一之妖也。 時內史呂會上言：「案《瑞應圖》，異根同體謂之連理，異畝同穎謂之嘉禾。 草木之異猶以為瑞，今二人同心，《易》稱'二人同心，其利斷金'，蓋四海同心之瑞也。」 時皆哂之。 俄而四海分崩，帝亦淪沒。
Emperor Min's reign saw conjoined twins split at chest and navel, a sign the realm was still divided. Lü Hui cited the omen canon on intertwining trees and twin ears of grain. He twisted the omen into praise of a united empire, quoting the Changes on two hearts as one. The court laughed him down. The empire shattered and Emperor Min perished.
274
元帝太興初，有女子其陰在腹，當臍下，自中國來至江東，其性淫而不產。 又有女子陰在首，渡在揚州，性亦淫。 京房《易妖》曰； 「人生子，陰在首，天下大亂； 在腹，天下有事； 在背，天下無後。」 于時王敦據上流，將欲為亂，是其徵。
Early in Taixing a woman from the north with misplaced organs settled east of the Yangzi, barren and promiscuous. Another woman bore her organs atop her head in Yangzhou, likewise wanton. Jing Fang's omen list records: A child with organs on the head means great chaos. On the belly means unrest. On the back means the line will fail. Wang Dun then held the middle Yangzi and rose in revolt, matching the omen.
275
三年十二月，尚書騶謝平妻生女，墮地濞濞有聲，須臾便死。 鼻目皆在頂上，面處如項，口有齒，都連為一，胸如鱉，手足爪如鳥爪，皆下勾。 此亦人生他物，非人所見者。 後二年，有石頭之敗。
Xie Ping's wife bore a girl who hit the floor with a wet slap and died instantly. Her face was a crown of eyes and nose, her mouth a ring of teeth, her chest turtle-shell, her digits raptor claws. Another inhuman birth of the kind Jing Fang warned against. Two years later came the rout at Stone Fort.
276
明帝七月，丹陽江甯侯紀妻死，經三日復生。
In Mingdi's seventh month a noblewoman of Danyang rose on the third day after death.
277
成帝四月，下邳民王和僑居暨陽，息女可年二十，自云上天來還，得徵瑞印綬，當母天下。 晉陵太守以為妖，收付獄。 至十一月，有人持柘杖絳衣詣止車門，口列為聖人使求見天子。 門侯受辭，辭稱姓呂名賜，其言王和女可右足下有七星，星皆有毛，長七寸，天今命可為天下母。 奏聞，即伏誅，並下晉陵誅可。
In Emperor Cheng's fourth month Wang He's daughter Ke, a Jiyang sojourner, claimed heaven had sent her back with seals to rule as mother of the realm. The Jinling prefect jailed her as a charlatan. In the eleventh month a crimson-robed figure with a mulberry staff demanded the gate admit a prophet to the emperor. The gate captain recorded a tale of seven starred hairs on Ke's sole and a divine mandate to mother the world. The court had the messengers killed at once and sent word to behead Ke in Jinling.
278
康帝十月，衛將軍營督過望所領兵陳瀆女台有文在其足，曰「天下之母」，灸之愈明。 京都喧嘩，有司收系以聞。 俄自建康縣獄亡去。 明年，帝崩，獻後臨朝，此其祥也。
In Emperor Kang's tenth month a camp woman's sole at Chen Du bore the characters "Mother of the realm," clearer still after moxa was applied. Luoyang erupted in rumor until officials made arrests and reported upward. The marked woman soon broke out of the Jiankang county jail. The next year Emperor Kang died and Empress Dowager Chu ruled from behind the screen—exactly the sign portended.
279
孝武帝甯康初，南郡州陵女唐氏漸化為丈夫。
Early in Ningkang a Tang woman of Zhouling in Nan commandery slowly became a man.
280
安帝，無錫人趙未年八歲，一旦暴長八尺，髭須蔚然，三日而死。
An eight-year-old Wuxi boy named Zhao Wei shot up overnight with a full beard and died within three days.
281
義熙中，東陽人莫氏生女不養，埋之數日，於土中啼，取養遂活。
A Yixi-era Dongyang matron buried an unwanted daughter who cried from the soil and lived when dug up.
282
義熙末，吳豫章人有二陽道，重累生。
Near Yixi's end a Yuzhang native of Wu was born doubly endowed with male organs.
283
恭帝，建安人陽道無頭，正平，本下作女人形體。
Under Prince Gong a Jian'an man bore a smooth phallus without glans merging below into a woman's form.