1
陳訓
Chen Xun.
2
陳訓，字道元，曆陽人。 少好秘學，天文、算曆、陰陽、占候無不畢綜，尤善風角。 孫晧以為奉禁都尉，使其占侯。 晧政嚴酷，訓知其必敗而不敢言。 時錢唐湖開，或言天下當太平，青蓋入洛陽。 晧以問訓，訓曰：「臣止能望氣，不能達湖之開塞。」 退而告其友曰：「青蓋入洛，將有輿櫬銜璧之事，非吉祥也。」 尋而吳亡。 訓隨例內徙，拜諫義大夫。 俄而去職還鄉。
Chen Xun, whose courtesy name was Daoyuan, came from Liyang. From a young age he was drawn to occult studies, and he commanded the whole range of astronomy, calendar science, yin–yang lore, and omen divination, with particular mastery of wind-angle technique. Sun Hao named him commandant charged with palace prohibitions and set him to reading omens. Sun Hao ruled with pitiless severity; Chen Xun saw the regime was doomed yet held his tongue. When Qiantang Lake burst its bounds, people took it as a sign that peace would return and the emperor's green canopy would soon reach Luoyang. Sun Hao pressed him for an interpretation. Chen Xun replied, "I can read the vapors in the air, not divine whether a lake is opening or silting shut." Privately he told friends, "When they speak of the green canopy entering Luoyang, they are really foretelling a surrender procession—bier, coffin, jade between the lips. That is no good omen." Soon afterward Wu fell. He was relocated inland like other former Wu officials and appointed remonstrance grandee. He soon resigned and went home.
3
及陳敏作亂，遣弟宏為曆陽太守，訓謂邑人曰：「陳家無王氣，不久當滅。」 宏聞，將斬之。 訓鄉人秦琚為宏參軍，乃說訓曰：「訓善風角，可試之。 如不中，徐斬未晚也。」 乃赦之。 時宏攻征東參軍衡彥于曆陽，乃問訓曰：「城中有幾千人？ 攻之可拔不？」 訓登牛渚山望氣，曰：「不過五百人。 然不可攻，攻之必敗。」 宏復大怒曰：「何有五千人攻五百人而有不得理？」 命將士攻之，果為彥所敗，方信訓有道術，乃優遇之。
When Chen Min rose in revolt and installed his brother Hong as Liyang governor, Chen Xun told his neighbors, "The house of Chen carries no aura of kingship; it will not last." Hong, hearing that, meant to put him to death. Qin Ju of the same town, serving as Hong's adjutant, pleaded, "Chen Xun's wind-angle art is genuine—test him first. If he fails, you can always kill him later." Hong relented and spared him. While Hong besieged Heng Yan, the Eastern Expedition staff officer, in Liyang, he demanded of Chen Xun, "How many defenders are inside? Can we storm it successfully?" Chen Xun climbed Mount Niuzhu, read the vapors, and said, "Fewer than five hundred. But do not attack; an assault will end in rout." Hong flared again: "What sense is there in five thousand men failing against five hundred?" He threw his army at the walls and was crushed by Heng Yan. Only then did Hong concede that Chen Xun possessed true art and began to honor him.
4
都水參軍淮南周亢嘗問訓以官位，訓曰：「君至卯年當剖符近郡，酉年當有曲蓋。」 亢曰：「脫如來言，當相薦拔。」 訓曰：「性不好官，惟欲得米耳。」 後亢果為義興太守、金紫將軍。 時劉聰、王彌寇洛陽，曆陽太守武瑕問訓曰：「國家人事如何？」 訓曰：「胡賊三逼，國家當敗，天子野死。 今尚未也。」 其後懷湣二帝果有平陽之酷焉。 或問其以明年吉凶者，訓曰：「揚州刺史當死，武昌大火，上方節將亦當死。」 至時，劉陶、周訪皆卒，武昌大火，燒數千家。 時甘卓為曆陽太守，訓私謂所親曰：「甘侯頭低而視仰，相法名為眄刀，又目有赤脈，自外而入，不出十年，必以兵死，不領兵則可以免。」 卓果為王敦所害。 丞相王導多病，每自憂慮，以問訓。 訓曰：「公耳豎垂肩，必壽，亦大貴，子孫當興于江東。」 咸如其言。 訓年八十餘卒。
Zhou Kang of Huainan, who served on the waterways staff, asked about his career. Chen Xun said, "In the year of the Hare you will split tallies in a neighboring command; in the year of the Rooster you will earn a curved canopy." Kang replied, "If it unfolds as you say, I will see you advanced." Chen Xun answered, "I have no taste for rank—only for grain." Kang later became governor of Yixing and golden-purple general, just as foretold. When Liu Cong and Wang Mi struck at Luoyang, Liyang governor Wu Xia asked him, "What lies ahead for the dynasty?" Chen Xun said, "The barbarian hosts will close in three times; the state will collapse and the emperor will perish in the fields. That hour has not yet struck." The reigns of Emperors Huai and Min ended in the horrors of Pingyang, as he had warned. Asked about the coming year, he predicted the death of the Yangzhou governor, a great blaze in Wuchang, and the fall of a high frontier commander. Liu Tao and Zhou Fang died on schedule; Wuchang burned and thousands of homes were lost. While Gan Zhuo held Liyang, Chen Xun confided to friends, "Gan's chin is tucked yet his eyes look up—a face called 'blade in the sidelong glance'—and red veins run into the whites from without. Within a decade he will die by the sword unless he lays down command." Gan Zhuo was indeed killed on Wang Dun's orders. Chancellor Wang Dao, often sick with worry, consulted Chen Xun. Chen Xun told him, "Your ears rise straight to your shoulders—you will live long and rise to the highest honor, and your line will flourish south of the river." Every detail proved true. He died in his eighties.
5
戴洋
Dai Yang.
6
戴洋，字國流，吳興長城人也。 年十二，遇病死，五日而蘇。 說死時天使其為酒藏吏，授符錄，給吏從幡麾，將上蓬萊、昆侖、積石、太室、恆、廬、衡等諸山。 既而遣歸，逢一老父，謂之曰：「汝後當得道，為貴人所識。」 及長，遂善風角。
Dai Yang, courtesy name Guoliu, was from Changcheng in Wuxing commandery. At twelve he fell ill, "died," and returned to life after five days. He described how, in death, heaven appointed him cellar-master for the brews, handed him registers and tallies, gave him a retinue with banners, and led him on a tour of Penglai, Kunlun, Jishi, the central peaks, and the northern and southern Heng and Lu ranges. Sent back to life, he met an old man who said, "You will later perfect the Way and be singled out by the great." As an adult he excelled at wind-angle divination.
7
為人短陋，無風望，然好道術，妙解占侯卜數。 吳末為台吏，知吳將亡，託病不仕。 及吳平，還鄉里。 後行至瀨鄉，經老子祠，皆是洋昔死時所見使處，但不復見昔物耳。 因問守藏應鳳曰：「去二十餘年，嘗有人乘馬東行，過老君而不下馬，未達橋，墜馬死者不？」 鳳言有之。 所問之事，多與洋同。
He was plain, short, and undistinguished in bearing, yet he loved occult arts and had a genius for omens, yarrow, and number-craft. In Wu's last days he served as a terrace clerk; foreseeing the kingdom's fall, he feigned illness and refused appointment. After Wu surrendered he went home. Later, passing through Lai village, he recognized Laozi's shrine as the very post he had held among the shades—only the old scenery was gone. He asked the custodian Ying Feng whether, twenty years earlier, a rider bound east had refused to dismount at the Lao shrine and had been thrown dead before the bridge. Feng confirmed it. The details matched Dai Yang's own memory.
8
揚州刺史嘗問吉凶於洋，答曰：「熒惑入南斗，八月有暴水，九月當有客軍西南來。」 如期果大水，而石冰作亂。 冰既據揚州，洋謂人曰：「視賊雲氣，四月當破。」 果如其言。 時陳敏為右將軍，堂邑令孫混見而羨之。 洋曰：「敏當作賊族滅，何足願也！」 未幾，敏果反而誅焉。 初，混欲迎其家累，洋曰：「此地當敗，得臘不得正，豈可移家於賊中乎！」 混便止。 歲末，敏弟昶攻堂邑，混遂以單身走免。 其後都水馬武舉洋為都水令史，洋請急還鄉。 將赴洛，夢神人謂之曰：「洛中當敗，人盡南渡，後五年揚州必有天子。」 洋信之，遂不去。 既而皆如其夢。
The Yangzhou governor sought his counsel. Dai Yang replied, "Mars sits in the Southern Dipper: violent floods in the eighth month, an alien army from the southwest in the ninth." The floods came; Shi Bing's revolt followed. Once Shi Bing held Yangzhou, Dai Yang said, "Their vapors show collapse in the fourth month." So it proved. Chen Min was then General of the Right; Sun Hun, magistrate of Tangyi, saw him and burned with envy. Dai Yang said, "Chen Min will turn bandit and wipe out his kin—hardly a model to envy!" Soon Chen Min revolted and paid with his life. Sun Hun meant to fetch his family; Dai Yang warned, "This county is lost: you might survive to Laba, not to New Year's Day—why drag kin into a rebel nest?" Hun dropped the plan. At year's end Chen Min's brother Chang stormed Tangyi, and Hun escaped alone. Later Ma Wu of the waterways office nominated him clerk; Dai Yang begged leave and went home. As he prepared for Luoyang, a spirit in a dream said, "The capital will fall and the people stream south; within five years a Son of Heaven will arise in Yangzhou." He believed the dream and stayed. Events matched the dream.
9
廬江太守華譚問洋曰：「天下誰當復作賊者？」 洋曰：「王機。」 尋而機反。 陳眕問洋曰：「人言江南當有貴人，顧彥先、周宣珮當是不？」 洋曰：「顧不及臘，周不見來年八月。」 榮果以十二月十七日卒，十九日臘，珮以明年七月晦亡。 王導遇病，召洋問之。 洋曰：「君侯本命在申，金為土使之主，而于申上石頭立冶，火光照天，此為金火相爍，水火相煎，以故受害耳。」 導即移居東府，病遂差。
Lujiang governor Hua Tan asked who would next rise in arms." Wang Ji," said Dai Yang. Wang Ji soon mutinied. Chen Zhen asked whether Gu Rong and Zhou Pei were the destined worthies of the south. Dai Yang answered, "Gu will not outlive Laba; Zhou will not see the eighth month next year." Gu Rong died on the seventeenth of the twelfth month, two days before Laba; Zhou Pei died on the last day of the seventh month the following year. Wang Dao took sick and called Dai Yang in. Dai Yang said, "Your honor's fate sits in shen; metal serves earth, yet atop shen at Stone Citadel they run a foundry whose glare scorches the sky—metal and fire wear each other down, water and fire clash—hence your illness." Wang Dao moved to the Eastern Quarter and recovered.
10
鎮東從事中郎張闓舉洋為丞相令史。 時司馬颺為烏程令，將赴職，洋曰：「君宜深慎下吏。」 揚後果坐吏免官。 洋又謂曰：「卿雖免官，十一月當作郡，加將軍。」 至期，為太山太守、鎮武將軍。 颺賣宅將行，洋止之曰：「君不得至，當還，不可無宅。」 颺果為徐龕所逼，不得之郡。 元帝增颺眾二千，使助祖逖。 洋勸颺不行，颺乃稱疾。 收付廷尉，俄而因赦得出。
Eastern headquarters adjutant Zhang Kai nominated him chancellor's clerk. When Sima Yang was leaving for Wucheng magistrate, Dai Yang warned, "Guard against petty clerks." Sima Yang later lost his post through clerkly malfeasance. Dai Yang added, "Even dismissed, in the eleventh month you will take a command and general's title." He became Taishan governor and Guarding-Might general on schedule. As Sima Yang sold his house to leave, Dai Yang stopped him: "You will never reach the post and will need a roof when you turn back." Xu Kan blocked him; he never took up the governorship. Emperor Yuan gave him two thousand extra troops to reinforce Zu Ti. Dai Yang urged refusal; Sima Yang pleaded sick instead. He was jailed at the commandant of justice, then freed by a general amnesty.
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元帝將登阼，使洋擇日，洋以為宜用三月二十四日丙午。 太史令陳卓奏用二十二日，言：「昔越王用甲辰三月反國，范蠡稱在陽之前，當主盡出，上下盡空，德將出遊，刑入中宮，今與此同。」 洋曰：「越王為吳所囚，雖當時遜媚，實懷怨憤，蠡故用甲辰，乘德而歸，留刑吳宮。 今大王內無含咎，外無怨憤，當承天洪命，納祚無窮，何為追越王去國留殃故事邪！」 乃從之。
As Emperor Yuan prepared to take the throne, Dai Yang chose the bing-wu day, the twenty-fourth of the third month. Grand astrologer Chen Zhuo urged the twenty-second, citing the Yue king's jia-chen third-month return and Fan Li's doctrine of empty courts and wandering virtue—claiming this day matched that case. Dai Yang objected: "The Yue king was Wu's prisoner; his humility masked rage, so Fan Li chose jia-chen to ride auspicious force home while leaving ill omen in Wu's court. Our prince bears no hidden guilt and nurses no outer grievance; he accepts heaven's great charge and boundless fortune—why copy a defeated king's ill-starred precedent?" The court followed Dai Yang's date.
12
及祖約代兄鎮譙，請洋為中典軍，遷督護。 四月庚辰，禺中時有大風，起自東南，折木。 洋謂約曰：「十月必有賊到譙城東，至曆陽，南方有反者。」 主簿王振以洋為妖，白約收洋，付刺奸而絕其食五十日，言語如故。 約知其有神術，乃赦之而讓振。 振後有罪被收，洋救之。 約曰：「振往日相系，今何以救之？」 洋曰：「振不識風角，非有宿嫌。 振往時垂餓死，洋養活之，振猶尚遺忘。 夫處富貴而不棄貧賤甚難。」 約義之，即原振，賜洋米三十石。 至十月三日，石勒騎果到譙城東。 洋言於約曰：「賊必向城父，可遣騎水南追之，步軍于水北斷要路，賊必敗。」 約竟不追，賊乃掠城父婦女輜重而去。 約將魯延求追賊，洋曰：「不可。」 約不從，使兄子智與延追之。 賊偽棄婦女輜重走，智與延等爭物，賊還掩之，智、延僅以身免，士卒皆死。 約表洋為下邑長。 時梁國人反，逐太守袁晏。 梁城峻險，約欲討之而未決，洋曰：「賊以八月辛酉日反，日辰俱王，辛德在南方，酉受自刑，梁在譙北，乘德伐刑，賊必破亡。 又甲子日東風而雷西行，譙在東南，雷在軍前，為軍驅除。 昔吳伐關羽，天雷在前，周瑜拜賀。 今與往同，故知必克。」 約從之，果平梁城。
When Zu Yue replaced his brother on the Qiao garrison, he took Dai Yang as central-army aide and raised him to protector. On geng-chen in the fourth month, at mid-morning, a gale from the southeast snapped trees. He told Zu Yue, "In the tenth month raiders will reach the east of Qiao and push to Liyang; someone in the south will turn traitor." Chief clerk Wang Zhen called it witchcraft and had him jailed without food fifty days—yet he spoke as clearly as ever. Zu Yue saw his power, freed him, and scolded Wang Zhen. When Zhen later fell foul of the law, Dai Yang interceded. Zu Yue asked why he would save a man who had bound him. Dai Yang replied, "He did not understand wind-angle; there was no deep feud. When Zhen nearly starved, I fed him—memory is short in the prosperous toward the poor. It is rare for the rich to remember the humble." Zu Yue honored the sentiment, spared Zhen, and gave Dai Yang thirty shi of rice. On the third of the tenth month Shi Le's horsemen appeared east of Qiao, exactly as Dai Yang had said. Dai Yang urged Zu Yue: "They will make for Chengfu—send horse south of the water to chase them, foot north of the water to block the choke points, and you will shatter them." Zu Yue refused to move; the raiders looted Chengfu's families and baggage and rode away. General Lu Yan begged leave to pursue; Dai Yang said no. Zu Yue overruled him, sending his nephew Zhi with Lu Yan in pursuit. The enemy dropped camp followers and wagons as bait; Zhi and Yan fell to squabbling over the spoil; the riders wheeled back and cut them down—only the two leaders lived. Zu Yue had him named magistrate of Lower Yi county. The people of Liang princedom rose and expelled Governor Yuan Yan. Liang's walls were formidable; Zu Yue hesitated. Dai Yang read the calendar: the rebels chose xin-you, stems at full strength; xin's power points south while you turns on itself; Liang sits north of Qiao—virtue striking self-destruction means their ruin. On a jia-zi day an east wind carried thunder west—Qiao lies southeast of that path, thunder marching ahead of the host clears the way. When Wu struck Guan Yu, lightning led the van and Zhou Yu hailed it as a good omen. The signs match that campaign—we cannot lose. Zu Yue attacked and took Liang as predicted.
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正月，有大流星東南行，洋曰：「至秋，府當移壽陽。」 及王敦作逆，約問其勝敗，洋曰：「太白在東方，辰星不出。 兵法先起為主，應者為客。 辰星若出，太白為主，辰星為客。 辰星不出，太白為客，先起兵者敗。 今有客無主，有前無後，宜傳檄所部，應詔伐之。」 約乃率眾向合肥。 俄而敦死眾敗，遂住壽陽。 洋又曰：「江淮之間當有軍事，譙城虛曠，宜還固守。 不者，雍丘、沛皆非官有也。」 約不從，豫土遂陷於賊。
A bolide streaked southeast; Dai Yang said the command post would relocate to Shouyang by autumn. When Wang Dun rebelled, Zu Yue asked the outcome. Dai Yang answered: Venus shines in the east while Mercury stays hidden. In the art of war the first mover is host, the reactor guest. Were Mercury to show, Venus would be host and Mercury guest. With Mercury absent, Venus plays guest—whoever strikes first loses. Today the stars show a guest with no host, a van with no rear—issue orders through your army and march under the edict to crush him." Zu Yue marched on Hefei. Wang Dun soon died and his army collapsed; Zu Yue ended up holding Shouyang. Dai Yang added: "War is coming to the Jiang-Huai belt; Qiao stands empty—pull back and hold it fast. Otherwise neither Yongqiu nor Pei will stay yours." Zu Yue ignored him and lost the Yu region to the enemy.
14
春，約南行佃，遇大雷雨西南來，洋曰：「甲子西南天雷，其夏必失大將。」 至夏，汝南人反，執約兄子濟，送于石勒。 約府內地忽赤如丹，洋曰：「案《河圖徵》云：『地赤如丹血丸丸，當有下反上者。』 恐十月二十七日胡馬當來飲淮水。」 至時，石勒騎大至，攻城大戰。 其日西風，兵火俱發，約大懼。 會風回，賊退。 時傳言勒遣騎向壽陽，約欲送其家還江東，洋曰：「必無此事。」 尋而傳言果妄。
That spring Zu Yue went south to camp and met a thunderstorm from the southwest. Dai Yang said a jia-zi thunderbolt from the southwest foretold the loss of a top commander that summer. By summer Runan had risen, seized Zu Yue's nephew Ji, and handed him to Shi Le. The soil inside Zu Yue's yamen flushed red as lacquer. Dai Yang cited the River Chart augury: crimson earth like bloody pearls means subjects will turn on their lords. I fear barbarian horses will water in the Huai on the twenty-seventh of the tenth month." On that day Shi Le's cavalry swarmed in and stormed the walls. A west wind rose; blades and flames mingled; Zu Yue panicked. Then the gale veered and the besiegers drew off. Rumors claimed Shi Le aimed at Shouyang; Zu Yue meant to evacuate his kin across the river. Dai Yang said the tale was false. The rumor soon collapsed.
15
咸和初，月暈左角，有赤白珥。 約問洋，洋曰：「角為天門，開布陽道，官門當有大戰。」 俄而蘇峻遣使招約俱反，洋謂約曰：「蘇峻必敗，然其初起，兵鋒不可當，可外和內嚴，以待其變。」 約不從，遂與峻反。 至三年五月，大風雷雨西北來，城內晦螟，洋謂約曰：「雷鳴人上，明使君當遠佞近直，愛下振貧。 昔秦有此變，卒致亂亡。」 約大怒，收洋系之。 遣部將李概將兵到盧江，其眾盡散。 約召洋出，問之曰：「吾還東何如留壽陽？ 若留壽陽，何如入胡？」 洋曰：「東入失半，入胡滅門，留壽陽尚可。」 約欲東向曆陽，其眾不樂東下，皆叛約，劫約姊及嫂奔于石勒。 約到曆陽，祖煥問洋曰：「君昔言平西在壽陽可得五年，果如君言。 今在曆陽，可得幾時？」 洋曰：「得六月耳。」 約問洋：「台下及此氣侯何如？」 洋曰：「此當復有反者。 台下來年三月當太平，江州當大喪。 後南方復有軍事，去此千里。」 尋而牽騰叛約，約率所親將家屬奔于石勒。 二月而天子反正，四月而溫嶠卒，郭默據湓口以叛。 後勒誅約及親屬並盡，皆如洋言。
Early in the Xian-he era a lunar halo ringed the moon's left horn with red and white spikes. Zu Yue asked its meaning. Dai Yang said the horn is Heaven's Gate opening the solar path—expect a major clash at the palace gates. Su Jun soon invited Zu Yue into revolt. Dai Yang warned that Su must fail yet his first rush would be unstoppable—feign peace, steel the defenses, and wait for his slide. Zu Yue refused the counsel and joined Su Jun. In the fifth month of year three a northwest storm plunged the city into utter darkness. Dai Yang said thunder rolling over men tells a governor to banish flatterers, embrace honest men, cherish troops, and succor the needy. Qin once saw the same sign and soon fell to chaos. Zu Yue, enraged, had Dai Yang arrested and bound. He dispatched Li Gai toward Lujiang; the column melted away. Zu Yue released Dai Yang and asked whether to retreat east or remain in Shouyang. If he stayed in Shouyang, how would that compare to throwing in with the barbarians? Dai Yang replied: flight east costs half your following; submission to the Hu wipes out your line; holding Shouyang is the least ill choice. Zu Yue tried for Liyang; his men refused the eastern march, mutinied, and carried his sister and sister-in-law off to Shi Le. At Liyang Zu Huan reminded Dai Yang: "You once said the Pingxi general could keep Shouyang five years, and you were right. Now that he is in Liyang, how long does he have?" Six months, no more," said Dai Yang. Zu Yue pressed him about the capital and local omens. Dai Yang said another rising would strike this region. The capital will quiet down by the third month next year, but Jiangzhou will suffer a great bereavement. Later fighting will flare again a thousand li to the south. Qian Teng soon mutinied; Zu Yue fled with kinsmen into Shi Le's camp. The second month saw the emperor restored; the fourth brought Wen Jiao's death and Guo Mo's seizure of Penkou. Shi Le later executed Zu Yue and his entire clan, just as Dai Yang foretold.
16
約既敗，洋往尋陽。 時劉胤鎮尋陽，胤問洋曰：「我病當差不？」 洋曰：「不憂使君不差，憂使君今年有大厄。 使君年四十七，行年入庚寅。 《太公陰謀》曰：『六庚為白獸，在上為客星，在下為害氣。』 年與命並，必凶當忌。 十二月二十二日庚寅勿見客。」 胤曰：「我當解職，將君還野中治病。」 洋曰：「使君當作江州，不得解職。」 胤曰：「溫公不復還邪？」 洋曰：「溫公雖還，使君故作江州。」 俄如其言。 九月甲寅申時，回風從東來，入胤兒船中，西過，狀如匹練，長五六丈。 洋曰：「風從咸池下來，攝提下去，咸池為刀兵，大殺為死喪。 到甲子日申時，府內大聚骨理之。 胤問在何處，洋曰：「不出州府門也。」 胤架府東門。 洋又曰：「東為天牢，牢下開門，憂天獄至。」 十二月十七日，洋又曰：「臘近可閉門，以五十人備守，並以百人備東北寅上，以卻害氣。」 胤不從。 二十四日壬辰，胤遂為郭默所害。
When Zu Yue fell, Dai Yang went to Xunyang. Liu Yin, then holding Xunyang, asked whether his illness would mend. Dai Yang said he did not fear the sickness lingering but feared a mortal stroke within the year. You are forty-seven; your yearly star enters geng-yin. The Grand Duke's Secret Stratagem says the six geng days are the White Beast—above as guest stars, below as injurious vapor. When the year-star meets your fate, disaster follows—beware. On the twenty-second of the twelfth month, a geng-yin day, admit no visitors." Liu Yin answered that he would resign and take Dai Yang home to cure him. Dai Yang replied, "You are destined to govern Jiangzhou—you cannot step down. Will Wen Qiao not come back?" Even if Wen Qiao returns, you will still take Jiangzhou. It unfolded exactly so. On jia-yin of the ninth month at mid-afternoon a whirlwind from the east struck Liu Yin's son's boat, then swept west in a band five or six zhang like white silk. Dai Yang read it: wind dropped from the celestial Xianchi while Sheti sank—Xianchi means arms, the Great Kill means death. On the next jia-zi day at the shen hour the yamen will heap bones for burial. Liu Yin asked where; Dai Yang said within the governor's gate. Liu Yin kept the compound's east gate open as the main entrance. Dai Yang added: east is the celestial prison—open its gate and the jail star enters. On the seventeenth of the twelfth month he urged: with Laba near, seal the gates, post fifty defenders plus a hundred on the northeast yin corner to turn the baleful vapor. Liu Yin ignored him. On ren-chen, the twenty-fourth, Guo Mo murdered Liu Yin.
17
南中郎將桓宣以洋為參軍，將隨宣往襄陽，太尉陶侃留之住武昌。 時侃謀北伐，洋曰：「前年十一月熒惑守胃昴，至今年四月，積五百餘日。 昴，趙之分野，石勒遂死。 熒惑以七月退，從畢右順行入黃道，未及天關，以八月二十二日復逆行還鉤，繞畢向昴。 昴畢為邊兵，主胡夷，故置天弓以射之。 熒惑逆行，司無德之國，石勒死是也。 勒之餘燼，以自殘害。 今年官與太歲、太陰三合癸巳，癸為北方，北方當受災。 歲鎮二星共合翼軫，從子及巳，徘徊六年。 荊楚之分，歲鎮所守，其下國昌，豈非功德之徵也！ 今年六月，鎮星前角亢。 角亢，鄭之分。 歲星移入房，太白在心。 心房，宋分。 順之者昌，逆之者亡。 石季龍若興兵東南，此其死會也。 官若應天伐刑，徑據宋鄭，則無敵矣。 若天與不取，反受其咎。」 侃志在中原，聞而大喜。 會病篤，不果行。
Huan Xuan, South Center general, took Dai Yang as aide for a march to Xiangyang, but Tao Kan kept him in Wuchang. As Tao Kan planned a northern push, Dai Yang noted Mars had lingered in Mao and the Pleiades since last year's eleventh month—over five hundred days by the fourth month. Mao marks Zhao's astrological field—Shi Le died under that sign. Mars withdrew in the seventh month, sliding right of Bi into the ecliptic; before reaching the Celestial Gate it turned retrograde on the twenty-second of the eighth, looping the Hook and wrapping Bi toward the Pleiades. Bi and the Pleiades mean border war and barbarians—heaven strings the bow to shoot them. Retrograde Mars punishes virtueless realms—Shi Le's end fits the pattern. Shi Le's leftover sparks will consume themselves. This year the bureaucratic star, Grand Year, and Grand Yin meet in gui-si—gui is north, and the north will suffer. Year and Garrison stars conjoin in Yi and Zhen from zi through si, hovering six years. They guard the Jing-Chu field—states beneath them prosper. Surely this marks your merit. This sixth month Garrison advanced before Horn and Neck. Horn and Neck belong to Zheng's asterism. The Year star entered Chamber while Venus sat in Heart. Heart and Chamber mark Song's field. Follow heaven's layout and thrive; resist it and perish. Should Shi Hu march southeast, that campaign will be his death day. March in accord with heaven, strike the guilty, seize Song and Zheng, and none will stand against you. Heaven offers the opening—refuse it and you earn heaven's blame. Tao Kan's heart was set on the north; the reading delighted him. He fell mortally ill and never marched.
18
侃薨，征西將軍庾亮代鎮武昌，復引洋問氣侯。 洋曰：「天有白氣，喪必東行，不過數年必應。」 尋有大鹿向西城門，洋曰：「野獸向城，主人將去。」 城東家夜半望見城內有數炬火，從城上出，如大車狀，白布幔覆，與火俱出城東北行，至江乃滅。 洋聞而歎曰：「此與前白氣同。」 時亮欲西鎮石城，或問洋：「此西足當欲東不？」 洋曰：「不當也。」 ，洋言於亮曰：「武昌土地有山無林，政可圖始，不可居終。 山作八字，數不及九。 昔吳用壬寅來上； 創立宮城，至己酉，還下秣陵。 陶公亦涉八年。 土地盛衰有數，人心去就有期，不可移也。 公宜更擇吉處，武昌不可久住。」 五年，亮令毛寶屯邾城。 九月，洋言於亮曰：「毛豫州今年受死問。 昨朝大霧晏風，當有怨賊報仇，攻圍諸侯，誠宜遠偵邏。」 寶問當在何時，答曰：「五十日內。」 其夕，又曰：「九月建戌，硃雀飛驚，征軍還歸，乘戴火光，天示有信，災發東房，葉落歸本，慮有後患。」 明日，又曰：「昨夜火殃，非國福，今年架屋，致使君病，可因燒屋，移家南渡，無嫌也。」 寶即遣兒婦還武昌。 尋傳賊當來攻城，洋曰：「十月丁亥夜半時得賊問，幹為君，支為臣，丁為征西府，亥為邾城，功曹為賊神，加子時十月水王木相，王相氣合，賊必來。 寅數七，子數九，賊高可九千人，下可七千人。 從魁為貴人加丁，下克上，有空亡之事，不敢進武昌也。」 賊果陷邾城而去。 亮問洋曰：「故當不失石城否？」 洋曰：「賊從安陸向石城，逆太白，當伐身，無所慮。」 亮曰：「天何以利胡而病我？」 洋曰：「天符有吉凶，土地有盛衰，今年害氣三合己亥，己為天下，亥為戎胡，季龍亦當受死。 今乃不憂賊，但憂公病耳。」 亮曰：「何方救我疾？」 洋曰：「荊州受兵，江州受災，公可去此二州。」 亮曰：「如此，當有解不」？」 洋曰：「恨晚，猶差不也。」 亮竟不能解二州，遂至大困。 洋曰：「昔蘇峻時，公于白石祠中祈福，許賽其牛，至今未解，故為此鬼所考。」 亮曰：「有之，君是神人也。」 或問洋曰：「庾公可得幾時？」 洋曰：「見明年。」 時亮已不識人，咸以為妄，果至正月一日而薨。
After Tao Kan died, Yu Liang took the western command at Wuchang and again consulted Dai Yang on omens. Dai Yang said white vapor in the sky meant mourning moving east within a few years. Soon a stag walked toward the west gate; wild beasts facing the walls mean the lord will leave. East-side households saw at midnight bundles of flame slide from the battlements like covered wagons, wrapped in white sheets, rolling northeast out of town until they vanished in the river. Hearing the tale, Dai Yang sighed: "That repeats the white-vapor omen we saw earlier." Yu Liang planned to move west to garrison Shicheng. Someone asked Dai Yang whether "west" here meant a drift eastward instead. Dai Yang said it would not serve. He told Yu Liang: "Wuchang is ridged but treeless—fine to start a venture, fatal to finish one there. The hills trace the shape of the character ba; numerically they never reach nine—a place that cannot endure. Eastern Wu rose on a ren-yin year and moved the court upstream; they built the palace enclosure, then by ji-you had withdrawn downstream to Moling. Tao Kan's stay there lasted eight years as well. Soil has its cycle of boom and bust, and popular allegiance its term—no edict can fix that. Choose another seat of power; Wuchang must not be your long-term capital." In the fifth year Yu Liang stationed Mao Bao at Zhu fortress. That ninth month Dai Yang warned Yu Liang: "Mao Bao, your Yuzhou governor, faces a death omen this year. Yesterday's thick fog and sluggish wind mean vengeful raiders will ring a nobleman's walls—push your patrols deep into the country. Mao Bao asked when; Dai Yang said within fifty days. That night he added a hexagram reading: ninth month, xu month, the Vermilion Bird startled, armies wheeling home under livid fire—heaven vouches the sign; calamity rises in the east wing, like leaves seeking the root—expect a lingering blow. Next morning he blamed the new roofs for Yu Liang's illness: burn the structures, move the family south across the river without scruple. Mao Bao immediately sent his daughter-in-law back to Wuchang. Word spread of a siege. Dai Yang set a divination clock for ding-hai at midnight: stems mark lord and minister, ding stands for the western expedition yamen and hai for Zhu fort; with water ruling the tenth night hour and wood assisting, host and guest vapors merge—the raiders will come. Yin counts seven and zi nine: expect between seven and nine thousand foemen. The deity Congkui sitting on ding shows subordinates overcoming superiors with hollow middle—too weak to push on to Wuchang. The enemy stormed Zhu fort and withdrew, as he said. Yu Liang asked whether Shicheng would still hold. Dai Yang said their march from Anlu toward Shicheng runs counter to Venus—they will wound themselves; have no fear. Yu Liang cried, "Why does heaven help the barbarians and hurt us?" Dai Yang answered: omens cut both ways, and ground has its seasons; this year's malignant conjunction stacks on ji-hai—ji is the realm, hai the northern tribes—Shi Hu too should die. Worry not the enemy but your own sickness. Yu Liang asked where to turn for a cure. Dai Yang said Jingzhou would see arms and Jiangzhou calamity—flee both regions. Yu Liang asked whether any remedy remained. Dai Yang answered: the hour is late, yet something may still be salvaged. Yu Liang could not abandon either province and fell into mortal crisis. Dai Yang reminded him: during Su Jun's revolt Yu Liang had vowed an ox at the White Rock shrine and never redeemed it—angry spirits now pressed him. Yu Liang confessed, "You read me like a god. Another asked how long Yu Liang had left. Dai Yang said he would last into the next year—barely. By then Yu Liang no longer knew faces; they mocked the prophecy—yet he died on New Year's Day.
19
庾翼代亮，洋復為占侯。 少時卒，年八十餘。 所占驗者不可勝紀。
Yu Yi replaced his brother and again retained Dai Yang for omens. Dai Yang died soon after, aged over eighty. His verified predictions are too many to count.
20
韓友
Han You.
21
韓友，字景先，廬江舒人也。 為書生，受《易》于會稽伍振，善占卜，能圖宅相塚，亦行京費厭勝之術。 龍舒長鄧林婦病積年，垂死，醫巫皆息意。 友為筮之，使畫作野豬著臥處屏風上，一宿覺佳，於是遂差。 舒縣廷掾王睦病死，已復魄。 友為筮之，令以丹畫版作日月置床頭，又以豹皮馬鄣泥臥上，立愈。 劉世則女病魅積年，巫為攻禱，伐空塚故城間，得狸鼉數十，病猶不差。 友筮之，命作布囊，依女發時，張囊著窗牖間，友閉戶作氣，若有所驅。 斯須之間，見囊大脹如吹，因決敗之，女仍大發。 友乃更作皮囊二枚，遝張之，施張如前，囊復脹滿。 因急縛囊口，懸著樹二十許日，漸消，開視有二斤狐毛，女遂差。
Han You, courtesy name Jingxian, came from Shu county in Lujiang. He studied the Book of Changes under Wu Zhen of Kuaiji, excelled at milfoil divination, geomancy for houses and graves, and the apotropaic methods of the Jing and Fei schools. The wife of Longshu magistrate Deng Lin had lain near death for years while doctors and exorcists gave up. Han You divined for her, told her to paint a boar on her bedside screen, and after one comfortable night she mended. Wang Mu, a Shu county clerk, died of sickness and came back to life. Han You had him paint red sun and moon on a board at his pillow and drape a mud-splashed leopard-hide horse blind over the couch—he healed at once. Liu Shize's daughter endured a fox-spirit for years; shamans raided old tombs and dragged out dozens of otters and soft-shelled turtles, yet she stayed ill. Han You cast yarrow, sewed a cloth sack, and when her seizure began hung it in the window while he shut the door and drove spirits with breath control. The sack swelled as if inflated; he slit it and the girl convulsed worse. He made two leather bags, hung them as before, and they ballooned again. He lashed the mouths shut and hung them on a tree twenty days until they deflated; inside were two jin of fox fur, and the girl recovered.
22
宣城邊洪以四月中就友卜家中安否，友曰：「卿家有兵殃，其禍甚重。 可伐七十束柴，積於庚地，至七月丁酉放火燒之，咎可消也。 不爾，其凶難言。」 洪即聚柴。 至日，大風，不敢發火。 洪後為廣陽領校，遭母喪歸家，友來投之，時日已暮，出告從者，速裝束，吾當夜去。 從者曰：「今日已暝，數十里草行，何急復去？」 友曰：「非汝所知也。 此間血覆地，寧可復住！」 苦留之，不待食而去。 其夜洪欻發狂，絞殺兩子，並殺婦，又斫父妾二人，皆被創，因出亡走。 明日，其宗族往收殯亡者，尋索洪，數日，于宅前林中得之，已自經死。
Fourth month, Xuancheng's Bian Hong asked Han You if his home was safe. Han You said a military scourge loomed, very grave. Stack seventy faggots on the geng sector and burn them on ding-you of the seventh month to lift the curse. Ignore the rite and the misfortune beggars description. Bian Hong collected the wood. On the appointed day a gale rose and he feared to light it. Later Bian Hong served as Guangyang chief inspector. Mourning his mother, he returned home; Han You visited at dusk, then burst out to servants to pack—he must leave that night. They protested: night had fallen and the moor road was long—why flee again? Han You said they could not understand. Blood would soak the ground—no one should stay. They pressed him to dine; he refused and rode off. That night Bian Hong went mad, throttled two sons, slew his wife, hacked his father's two concubines, and bolted wounded from the house. Next day kinsmen buried the dead and searched until they found him hanged in the grove before his gate.
23
宣城太守殷祐有病，友筮之，曰：「七月晦日，將有大鸜鳥來集廳事上，宜勤伺取，若獲者為善，不獲將成禍。」 祐乃謹為其備。 至日，果有大鸜垂尾九尺，來集廳事上，掩捕得之，祐乃遷石頭督護，後為吳郡太守。
Xuancheng governor Yin You fell sick. Han You divined: on the seventh month's last day a giant mynah would land in the audience hall—catch it or disaster would follow. Yin You prepared meticulously. The bird appeared with a nine-chi tail; they netted it, Yin You was promoted Stone Citadel protector, then Wu commandery governor.
24
友卜占神效甚多，而消殃轉禍，無不皆驗。 于寶問其故，友曰：「筮封用五行相生殺，如案方投藥治病，以冷熱相救。 其差與不差，不可必也。」 友以舉賢良，元帝渡江，以為廣武將軍，永嘉末卒。
Han You's readings were uncannily accurate, and every apotropaic rite he prescribed worked. Gan Bao asked why. Han You compared yarrow to prescribing hot or cold drugs by formula. Recovery, of course, is never guaranteed. Recommended worthy and excellent, he became General Who Extends Might after Emperor Yuan crossed the river and died at Yongjia's end.
25
淳于智
Chunyu Zhi.
26
淳于智，字叔平，濟北盧人也。 有思義，能《易》筮，善厭勝之術。 高平劉柔夜臥，鼠齧其左手中指，以問智。 智曰：「是欲殺君而不能，當為君使其反死。」 乃以硃書手腕橫文後三寸作田字，辟方一寸二分，使露手以臥。 明旦，有大鼠伏死手前。 譙人夏侯藻母病困，詣智卜，忽有一狐當門向之嗥。 藻怖愕，馳見智。 智曰：「其禍甚急，君速歸，在狐嗥處拊心啼哭，令家人驚怪，大小必出，一人不出，哭勿止，然後其禍可救也。」 藻還，如其言，母亦扶病而出。 家人既集，堂屋五間拉然而崩。 護軍張劭母病篤，智筮之，使西出市沐猴，系母臂，令傍人捶拍，恆使作聲，三日放去。 劭從之。 其猴出門即為犬所咋死，母病遂差。 上党鮑瑗家多喪病貧苦，或謂之曰：「淳于叔平神人也，君何不試就卜，知禍所在？」 瑗性質直，不信卜筮，曰：「人生有命，豈卜筮所移！」 會智來，應詹謂曰：「此君寒士，每多屯虞，君有通靈之思，可為一卦。」 智乃為卦，卦成，謂瑗曰：「君安宅失宜，故令君困。 君舍東北有大桑樹，君徑至市，入門數十步，當有一人持荊馬鞭者，便就買以懸此樹，三年當暴得財。」 瑗承言詣市，果得馬鞭，懸之三年，浚井，得錢數十萬，銅鐵器復二十餘萬，於是致贍，疾者亦愈。 其消災轉禍，不可勝紀，而卜筮所占，千百皆中。 應詹少亦多病，智乃為符使詹佩之，誦其文，既而皆驗，莫能學也。
Chunyu Zhi, courtesy name Shuping, was a man of Lu in Jibei. He was dutiful and thoughtful, divined from the Changes, and mastered apotropaic rites. Gaoping's Liu Rou woke to a rat chewing his left middle finger and consulted Chunyu Zhi. Chunyu Zhi said the beast meant murder but lacked power—he would turn the bane back on the rat. He drew a cinnabar "field" character on the transverse crease three cun above the wrist, each side one cun two fen, and had Liu sleep with the mark bare. At dawn a huge rat lay dead before the marked hand. Qiao man Xia Zao sought Chunyu Zhi for his dying mother; a fox stood howling at the gate. Terror-struck, Xia Zao raced to Chunyu Zhi. Chunyu Zhi said speed home, wail and beat your breast where the fox cried until every soul, high or low, rushes outdoors—if anyone stays inside, never stop keening—only then can the house be saved. Xia Zao obeyed; even his sick mother let herself be helped outside. When the family had gathered, their five-bay hall crashed flat. Protector Zhang Shao's mother lay dying. Chunyu Zhi sent him west to market for a macaque, bound it on her arm, had attendants pat it until it shrieked three days, then released it. Zhang Shao obeyed. The monkey was killed by a dog at the door; the mother recovered. Shangdang's Bao Yuan suffered repeated deaths, sickness, and poverty. Friends urged him to consult "spirit-man" Chunyu Zhi. Bao Yuan, blunt and skeptical, said fate ruled life—how could yarrow move it? Chunyu Zhi arrived; Ying Zhan begged a reading for the hard-luck scholar. Chunyu Zhi cast the lines and told Bao Yuan his house sat wrong, hence his troubles. A giant mulberry stood northeast of the house—Bao must enter the market, walk a few dozen paces inside the gate, buy the thorn switch a vendor held, hang it on that tree, and in three years wealth would explode upon him. He found the whip, hung it three years, cleaned his well, and pulled up hundreds of thousands in coin plus two hundred thousand more in bronze and iron, ending want and curing the household. His turnings of ill luck are legion, and his yarrow casts hit time after time. Ying Zhan had been sickly as a boy; Chunyu Zhi gave him a talisman to wear and chant—every omen proved true, yet no one could copy the craft.
27
性深沈，常自言短命，曰：「辛亥歲天下有事，當有巫醫挾道術者死。 吾守《易》義以行之，猶當不應此乎！」 太康末，為司馬督，有寵于楊駿，故見殺。
Brooding and reserved, he predicted a short life: in the xin-hai year the realm would convulse and spirit-doctors would die. He asked whether keeping faith with the Changes could spare him—it could not. Late in Taikang he served as palace Sima inspector, favored by Yang Jun, and died in the purge.
28
步熊
Bu Xiong.
29
步熊，字叔羆，陽平發幹人也。 少好卜筮數術，門徒甚盛。 熊學舍側有一人燒死，吏持熊諸生，謂為失火。 熊曰：「已為卿卜得其人矣。 使從道南行，當有一人來問得火主未者，便縛之。」 吏如熊言，果是耕人，自言草惡難耕，故燒之，忽風起延燒遠近，實不知草中有人。 又鄰人兒遠行，或告已死，其父母號哭制服，熊為之卜，克日當還，如期果至。 趙王倫聞其名，召之。 熊謂諸生曰：「倫死不久，不足應也。」 倫怒，遣兵圍之數重。 熊乃使諸生著其裘南走，倫兵悉赴捉之，熊密從北出，得脫。 後為成都王穎所辟，穎使熊射覆，物無所失。 後穎奔關中，平昌公模鎮鄴，以熊穎黨，誅之。
Bu Xiong, courtesy name Shupi, came from Fagan in Yangping. He loved yarrow and number-craft and drew a crowd of disciples. When a neighbor burned to death beside his school, clerks arrested Bu Xiong's pupils for careless fire. Bu Xiong told the clerk, "I have already found your arsonist. Send a man south along the track until someone asks whether the fire's owner has been caught—seize him." The officer obeyed: a plowman admitted he had torched tough stubble without knowing a sleeper lay in the weeds; a gust had spread the blaze. When a neighbor's son was rumored dead abroad, Bu Xiong set a return date; the youth walked in on that very day. Prince Sima Lun of Zhao summoned him. Bu Xiong told his disciples Sima Lun would soon perish—not worth serving. Sima Lun ringed the school with soldiers. He dressed pupils in his own pelts to draw the chase south while he slipped out north. Prince Chengdu Sima Ying employed him; in the "cover the jar" divination game he never missed. When Sima Ying fled to Guanzhong, Prince Pingchang Sima Mo held Ye and executed Bu Xiong as his partisan.
30
杜不愆
Du Buqian.
31
杜不愆，廬江人也。 少就外祖郭璞學《易》卜。 屢有驗。 高平郗超年二十餘，得重疾，試令筮之。 不愆曰：「案卦言之，卿所苦尋除。 然宜於東北三十里上宮姓家索其所養雄雉，籠盛置東簷下，卻後九日丙午日午時，必當有雌雉飛來與交，既而雙去。 若如此，不出二十日病都除，又是休應，年將八十，位極人臣。 若但雌逝雄留者，病一周方差，年半八十，名位亦失。」 超時正羸篤，慮命在旦夕，笑而答曰：「若保八十之半，便有餘矣。 一周病差，何足為淹！」 然未之信。 或勸依其言，索雉果得。 至丙午日，超臥南軒之下觀之，至日晏，果有雌雉飛入籠，與雄雉交而去，雄雉不動。 超歎曰：「雖管郭之奇，何以尚此！」 超病彌年乃起，至四十，卒于中書郎。 不愆後占筮轉疏，無復此類。 後為桓嗣建威參軍。
Du Buqian came from Lujiang. As a boy he learned the Book of Changes and milfoil from his grandfather Guo Pu. His readings repeatedly proved true. Xi Chao of Gaoping, barely twenty, fell dangerously ill; his household had Du Buqian cast yarrow. Du Buqian said the hexagram promised relief. But he must fetch a penned rooster from the Shang family on the northeast hill thirty li away, set the cage under the east eaves, and on the ninth day at noon on a bing-wu day a hen would fly in, couple, and both depart. If so, within twenty days the sickness lifts and the omen adds long life—nearly eighty—and ministerial peak. If the hen alone leaves, recovery takes a full week, life stops near forty, and rank is lost. Xi Chao, wasted and near death, laughed: half of eighty was plenty. A week's illness—what delay is that? He still doubted. Friends pressed him to obey; he found the rooster. At noon on bing-wu he watched from the south loggia: a hen flew into the cage, mounted the rooster, and flew off while the cock stayed. Xi Chao marveled: even Guan Lu and Guo Pu never matched such precision. Yet he lingered a year before rising, died at forty as a Secretariat gentleman. Later Du Buqian's art grew rougher; nothing again matched that feat. He ended aide to Huan Si, Establishing Might general.
32
嚴卿
Yan Qing.
33
嚴卿，會稽人也。 善卜筮。 鄉人魏序欲暫東行，荒年多抄盜，令卿筮之。 卿筮曰：「君慎不可東行，必遭暴害之氣，而非劫也。」 序不之信。 卿曰：「既必不停，宜以禳之，可索西郭外獨母家白雄狗系著船前。」 求索止得駁狗，無白者。 卿曰：「駁者亦足，然猶恨其色不純，當餘小毒，正及六畜輩耳，無所復憂。」 序行半路，狗忽然作聲甚急，有如人打之者。 比視，已死，吐黑血鬥餘。 其夕，序墅上白鵝數頭無故自死，而序家無恙。
Yan Qing came from Kuaiji. He excelled at yarrow divination. Fellow villager Wei Xu planned an eastern journey in famine years rife with bandits and asked Yan Qing to read the omens. The oracle forbade the east road: violent air, not common brigands. Wei Xu scoffed. If he must sail, hang a white male dog from the lone widow west of the wall on the boat's bow. He could only find a spotted dog, none pure white. Yan Qing said piebald would serve yet left a taint of venom—livestock would bear the brunt, not people. Mid-voyage the dog yelped as if flogged. It lay dead, heaving a dou of black blood. That night his white geese dropped dead, yet the family stayed untouched.
34
隗炤
Wei Zhao.
35
隗炤，汝陰人也。 善於《易》。 臨終，書版授其妻曰：「吾亡後當大荒窮，雖爾慎莫賣宅也。 卻後五年春，當有詔使來頓此亭，姓龔，此人負吾金，即以此版往責之，勿違言也。」 炤亡後，其家大困乏，欲賣宅，憶夫言輒止。 期日，有龔使者止亭中，妻遂齎版往責之。 使者執版惘然，不知所以。 妻曰：「夫臨亡，手書版見命如此，不敢妄也。」 使者沈吟良久而悟，謂曰：「賢夫何善？」 妻曰：「夫善於《易》，而未會為人卜也。」 使者曰：「噫，可知矣！」 乃命取蓍筮之，卦成，撫掌而歎曰：「妙哉隗生！ 含明隱跡，可謂鏡窮達而洞吉凶者也。」 於是告炤妻曰：「吾不相負金也，賢夫自有金耳，知亡後當暫窮，故藏金以待太平，所以不告兒婦者，恐金盡而困無已也。 知吾善《易》，故書版以寄意耳。 金有五百斤，盛以青甕，覆以銅柈，埋在堂屋東頭，去壁一丈，入地九尺。」 妻還掘之，皆如卜焉。
Wei Zhao came from Ruyin. He mastered the Book of Changes. Dying, he inscribed a board for his wife: after his death want would come—yet never sell the house. In the fifth spring an edict-bearer surnamed Gong would lodge at their post—he owed Wei Zhao gold; she must present the board to collect—ignore the order at peril. Poverty pressed them to sell, but his warning checked them each time. On schedule Envoy Gong arrived; she brought the tally to claim the debt. Gong stared at the board, baffled. She said her dying husband had written the instructions himself. After long thought Gong asked what arts her husband had. She said he knew the Changes but never took clients. Gong exclaimed that he understood. He cast yarrow himself and cried, "Brilliant Wei Zhao! He hid brilliance yet mirrored every rise and fall of fortune." He told her Gong carried no debt: Wei Zhao had buried five hundred jin for the lean years, hiding it from children lest they spend the hoard and still starve. He knew Gong understood the Changes, so the board was the cipher. Five hundred jin lay in green jars under bronze lids, one zhang from the east hall wall, nine chi down. She dug and found every coin as the yarrow said.
36
卜珝
Bu Xu.
37
卜珝，字子玉，匈奴後部人也。 少好讀《易》，郭璞見而歎曰：「吾所弗如也，柰何不免兵厄！」 珝曰：「然。 吾大厄在四十一，位為卿將，當受禍耳。 不爾者，亦為猛獸所害。 吾亦未見子之令終也。」 璞曰：「吾禍在江南，甚營之，未見免兆。 雖然，在南猶可延期，住此不過時月。」 珝曰：「子勿為公吏，可以免諸。」 璞曰：「吾不能免公吏，猶子之不能免卿將也。」 珝曰：「吾此雖當有帝王子，終不復奉二京矣。 琅邪可奉，卿謹奉之，主晉祀者必此人也。」 珝遂隱于龍門山。 劉元海僭號，徵為大司農、侍中，固以疾辭。 元海曰：「人各有心，卜珝不欲在吾朝，何異高祖四公哉！ 可遂其高志。」 後復徵為光祿大夫，珝謂使者曰：「非吾死所也。」 及劉聰嗣偽位，徵為太常。 時劉琨據并州，聰問何時可平，珝答曰：「并州陛下之分，今茲克之必矣。」 聰戲曰：「朕欲勞先生一行可乎？」 珝曰：「臣所以來不及裝者，正為是行也。」 聰大悅，署珝使持節、平北將軍。 將行，謂其妹曰：「此行也，死自吾分，後慎勿紛紜。」 及攻晉陽，為琨所敗，珝卒先奔，為其元帥所殺。
Bu Xu, courtesy name Ziyu, belonged to the Xiongnu rear division. Guo Pu, seeing his mastery of the Changes, praised him yet foretold a violent end. Bu Xu agreed. His fate peaked at forty-one as minister-general in disaster. Otherwise a savage beast would kill him. Nor would Guo Pu enjoy a peaceful death, he added. Guo Pu said his doom lay south of the Yangzi—he saw no escape. Southward he might buy time; staying north gave only months. Bu Xu told him to shun official clerking to dodge fate. Guo Pu answered that neither could flee the roles heaven chose. Bu Xu predicted an imperial prince would rise yet he would never serve Luoyang or Chang'an again. Serve the house of Langye faithfully—the man who keeps the Jin altars will come from there. Bu Xu withdrew to Mount Longmen. Liu Yuan summoned him as grand minister of agriculture and palace attendant; illness was his excuse. Liu Yuan likened his refusal to the recluses who snubbed Han Gaozu. He let Bu Xu keep his lofty resolve. Later summons to grand master of splendid brightness drew his refusal: that office was not where he would die. Liu Cong named him grand master of ceremonies. Liu Cong asked when Liu Kun's Bingzhou would fall. Bu Xu said it belonged to the barbarian house and would fall that year. Liu Cong teased whether Bu Xu would lead the campaign. Bu Xu said he had hurried north unfinished precisely to take that march. Delighted, Liu Cong made him credential-bearing general who pacifies the north. Before leaving he told his sister the campaign meant his death and begged her not to stir strife afterward. At Jinyang Liu Kun routed the host; Bu Xu ran first and his commander-in-chief executed him for it.
38
鮑靚
Bao Jing.
39
鮑靚，字太玄，東海人也。 年五歲，語父母云：「本是曲陽李家兒，九歲墜井死。」 其父母尋訪得李氏，推問皆符驗。 靚學兼內外，明天文河洛書，稍遷南陽中部都尉，為南海太守。 嘗行部入海，遇風，饑甚，取白石煮食之以自濟。 王機時為廣州刺史，入廁，忽見二人著烏衣，與機相捍，良久擒之，得二物似烏鴨。 靚曰：「此物不祥。」 機焚之，徑飛上天，機尋誅死。 靚嘗見仙人陰君，授道訣，百餘歲卒。
Bao Jing, courtesy name Taixuan, came from Donghai. At five he told his parents he had been a Li boy in Quyang who drowned in a well at nine. They traced the Li household and every detail matched. He mastered Confucian and occult lore, astronomy, and River Chart texts, rose to Nanyang commandant, then Nanhai governor. Caught in a gale at sea, he boiled white stones to stay alive. Guangzhou governor Wang Ji, in his privy, wrestled two black-clad figures into two crow-shaped things. Bao Jing called them ill omens. Wang Ji burned them; they shot skyward; soon he was executed. He met transcendent Yin Jun, received Dao formulas, and died past a hundred.
40
吳猛
Wu Meng.
41
吳猛，豫章人也。 少有孝行，夏日常手不驅蚊，懼其去己而噬親也。 年四十，邑人丁義始授其神方。 因還豫章，江波甚急，猛不假舟楫，以白羽扇畫水而渡，觀者異之。 庾亮為江州刺史，嘗遇疾，聞猛神異，乃迎之，問己疾何如。 猛辭以算盡，請具棺服。 旬日而死，形狀如生。 未及大斂，遂失其屍。 識者以為亮不祥之徵。 亮疾果不起。
Wu Meng came from Yuzhang. In summer he let mosquitoes bite his own flesh lest they reach his parents. At forty Ding Yi of his town gave him spirit recipes. Returning to Yuzhang he fanned the rapids with a white feather fan and walked the waves while crowds gaped. Jiangzhou governor Yu Liang, ill, summoned the wonder-worker Wu Meng to ask his prognosis. Wu Meng said his allotted span was spent and asked for shroud and coffin. Within ten days he was dead, yet looked as though he merely slept. Before the lying-in-state, the body vanished. Knowledgable men took it for a dark portent for Yu Liang. Yu Liang's sickness proved fatal.
42
幸靈
Xing Ling.
43
幸靈者，豫章建昌人也。 性少言，與小人群居，見侵辱而無慍色，邑裏號之癡，雖其父母兄弟亦以為癡也。 嘗使守稻，群牛食之，靈見而不驅，待牛去乃往理其殘亂者。 其父母見而怒之，靈曰：「夫萬物生天地之間，各欲得食。 牛方食，柰何驅之！」 其父愈怒曰：「即如汝言，復用理壞者何為？」 靈曰：「此稻又欲得終其性，牛自犯之，靈可以不收乎！」
Xing Ling came from Jianchang in Yuzhang commandery. He was a man of few words who lived among laborers, bore insult without anger, and was dismissed by kin and neighbors alike as simple-minded. Set to watch the paddies, he let cattle graze unmolested, then straightened the trampled stalks once they wandered off. His parents raged; he answered that every creature under heaven must eat. The oxen were feeding—why drive them away? His father snapped: if that were true, why bother straightening ruined grain? He replied that the crop too had its nature to fulfill; the beasts had wronged it, and he must restore what he could.
44
時順陽樊長賓為建昌令，發百姓作官船於建城山中，吏令人各作箸一雙。 靈作而未輸，或竊之焉。 俄而竊者心痛欲死，靈謂之曰：「爾得無竊我箸乎？」 竊者不應。 有頃，愈急，靈曰：「若爾不以情告我者，今真死矣。」 竊者急遽，乃首出之。 靈於是飲之以水，病即立愈。 行人由此敬畏之。 船成，當下，吏以二百人引一艘，不能動，方請益人。 靈曰：「此以過足，但部分未至耳。 靈請自牽之。」 乃手執箸，惟用百人，而船去如流。 眾大驚怪，咸稱其神，於是知名。
Fan Changbin of Shunyang, then Jianchang magistrate, levied labor to build government barges in Jiancheng hills and ordered every household to carve one pair of chopsticks. Xing Ling carved his pair but someone stole them before delivery. Soon the thief doubled over with cardiac pain until Xing Ling asked if he had stolen the chopsticks. The thief stayed silent. As the pain sharpened, Xing Ling warned that only a confession would lift the curse. The thief confessed in panic. Xing Ling gave him water and the fit vanished. Wayfarers spread word of his power and learned to fear him. Two hundred men could not budge a finished hull downstream; the overseers meant to call for more hands. Xing Ling said the haulers were ample—the formation was wrong. He asked to take the lines himself. Gripping his chopsticks, he used just a hundred men and the hull slid like a current. The crowd cried miracle and his fame spread.
45
有龔仲儒女病積年，氣息財屬，靈使以水含之，已而強起，應時大愈。 又呂猗母皇氏得痿痹病，十有餘年，靈療之，去皇氏數尺而坐，冥目寂然，有頃，顧謂猗曰：「扶夫人令起。」 猗曰：「老人得病累年，奈何可倉卒起邪？」 靈曰：「但試扶起。」 於是兩人夾扶以立。 少選，靈又令去扶，即能自行，由此遂愈。 於是百姓奔趣，水陸輻輳，從之如雲。 皇氏自以病久，懼有發動，靈乃留水一器令食之，每取水，輒以新水補處，二十餘年水清如新，塵垢不能加焉。
Gong Zhongru's daughter had lain at death's door for years; he had her rinse with water, then she sat up and healed. Lu Yi's mother Huang had been paralyzed a decade; Xing Ling sat in trance yards away, then told Yi to raise her. Lu Yi protested that an aged invalid could not simply stand. Xing Ling insisted they try. Two servants propped her upright. Moments later he bade them let go; she walked unaided and thereafter recovered. Commoners flocked from every road and river until his following swelled like clouds. Fearing relapse, she kept his water jar—each draught she refilled, and for twenty years the water stayed pure as when he charmed it.
46
時高悝家有鬼怪，言語訶叱，投擲內外，不見人形，或器物自行，再三發火，巫祝厭劾而不能絕。 適值靈，乃要之。 靈於陌頭望其屋，謂悝曰：「此君之家邪？」 悝曰：「是也。」 靈曰：「知之足矣。」 悝固請之，靈不得已，至門，見符索甚多，謂悝曰：「當以正止邪，而以邪救邪，惡得已乎！」 並使焚之，惟據軒小坐而去，其夕鬼怪即絕。
Gao Kui's house was plagued by a poltergeist—voices, flying objects, self-moving tools, recurrent fires—shamans failed to quell it. They met Xing Ling and pressed him to help. From the lane mouth he asked Gao Kui if that was his roof. Kui confirmed it. Xing Ling said knowing sufficed. Pressed to enter, he saw talismans plastered everywhere and scolded Kui for fighting wrong with wrong. He ordered the charms burned, lingered briefly on the porch, and that night the haunting ended.
47
靈所救愈多此類，然不取報謝。 行不騎乘，長不娶妻，性至恭，見人即先拜，言輒自名。 凡草木之夭傷于山林者，必起理之，器物之傾覆于途路者，必舉正之。 周旋江州間，謂其士人曰：「天地之於人物，一也，咸欲不失其情性，奈何制服人以為奴婢乎！ 諸君若欲享多福以保性命，可悉免遣之。」 十餘年間，賴其術以濟者極多。 後乃娶妻，畜車以奴婢，受貨賂致遺，於是其術稍衰，所療得失相半焉。
He cured countless folk yet took no fee. He walked everywhere, never married, bowed first to every passerby, and always named himself in speech. He straightened broken saplings in the hills and righted overturned jars on the road. He told Jiangzhou gentry that heaven treats all beings alike—why turn men into bondservants? Release your slaves, he urged, if they sought fortune and long life. For a decade multitudes owed him their lives. Later he wed, kept carriage and concubines, took fees, and his cures hit or miss.
48
佛圖澄
Fotucheng.
49
佛圖澄，天竺人也。 本姓帛氏。 少學道，妙通玄術。 ，來適洛陽，自雲百有餘歲，常服氣自養，能積日不食。 善誦神咒，能役使鬼神。 腹旁有一孔，常以絮塞之，每夜讀書，則拔絮，孔中出光，照於一室。 又嘗齋時，平旦至流水側，從腹旁孔中引出五藏六府洗之，訖，還內腹中。 又能聽鈴音以言吉凶，莫不懸驗。
Fotucheng came from India. His clan had originally been Bo. Youthful Dao study gave him mastery of occult technique. He reached Luoyang claiming a century of age, nourished himself on breath, and fasted for days on end. He chanted dharanis and commanded ghosts and gods. A hole in his flank, corked with cotton, blazed forth lamplight each night he read. At dawn on a fast day he drew organs from the aperture, rinsed them in running water, and tucked them back. Temple bells told him fortune, and every omen proved true.
50
及洛中寇亂，乃潛草野以觀變。 石勒屯兵葛陂，專行殺戮，沙門遇害者其眾。 澄投勒大將軍郭黑略家，黑略每從勒征伐，輒豫克勝負，勒疑而問曰：「孤不覺卿有出眾智謀，而每知軍行吉凶何也？」 黑略曰：「將軍天挺神武，幽靈所助，有一沙門智術非常，雲將軍當略有區夏，己應為師。 臣前後所白，皆其言也。」 勒召澄，試以道術。 澄即取缽盛水，燒香咒之，須臾缽中生青蓮花，光色曜日，勒由此信之。
Luoyang's turmoil drove him to lie low in the weeds and watch events. Shi Le camped at Gebei in slaughter; monks died in droves. Fotucheng sheltered with general Guo Heilie, whose uncanny forecasts of battle Shi Le credited until he demanded an explanation. Heilie said a monk of rare power prophesied Shi Le's conquest of the heartland and named himself the general's teacher. Every counsel Heilie had offered came from the monk. Shi Le summoned Fotucheng to test his powers. Fotucheng conjured a blazing green lotus in a water bowl, and Shi Le believed.
51
勒自葛陂還河北，過枋頭，枋頭人夜欲斫營，澄謂黑略曰：「須臾賊至，可令公知。」 果如其言，有備，故不敗。 勒欲試澄，夜冠胄衣甲，執刀而坐，遣人告澄云：「夜來不知大將軍何所在。」 使人始至，未及有言，澄逆問曰：「平居無寇，何故夜嚴？」 勒益信之。 勒後因忿，欲害諸道士，並欲苦澄。 澄乃潛避至黑略舍，語弟子曰：「若將軍信至，問吾所在者，報雲不知所之。」 既而勒使至，覓澄不得。 使還報勒，勒驚曰：「吾有惡意向澄，澄舍我去矣。」 通夜不寢，思欲見澄。 澄知勒意悔，明旦造勒。 勒曰：「昨夜何行？」 澄曰：「公有怒心，昨故權避公。 今改意，是以敢來。 勒大笑曰：「道人謬矣。」
Marching past Fangtou, Fotucheng warned Guo Heilie of a night raid so Shi Le could ready the camp. The raid came as foretold but met prepared defenses. Shi Le donned armor one night and sent a messenger pretending not to find him—a test of the monk. Fotucheng intercepted the envoy: "No raiders threaten—why the midnight alert?" Shi Le's faith deepened. Later, in a rage, Shi Le meant to kill Daoist priests and torture Fotucheng. Fotucheng hid with Guo Heilie and told disciples to feign ignorance of his whereabouts. Shi Le's runners found no trace of him. Shi Le panicked, fearing his ill will had driven the monk away. He lay sleepless, longing to see him. Sensing remorse, Fotucheng appeared at dawn. Shi Le asked where he had been the night before. Fotucheng said he had dodged the duke's wrath. Now that the temper had passed, he dared return. Shi Le laughed and called him a sly monk.
52
襄國城塹水源在城西北五里，其水源暴竭，勒問澄何以致水。 澄曰：「今當敕龍取水。」 乃與弟子法首等數人至故泉源上，坐繩床，燒安息香，咒願數百言。 如此三日，水泫然微流，有一小龍長五六寸許，隨水而來，諸道士競往觀之。 有頃，水大至，隍塹皆滿。
Xiangguo's moat ran dry; Shi Le asked Fotucheng to restore it. Fotucheng said he would bid a dragon to refill the spring. He and disciples like Fashou sat rope beds at the dry head, burned frankincense, and chanted hundreds of lines. After three days a trickle began; a six-inch dragon rode the flow while Daoists crowded to watch. Soon torrents filled ditch and moat.
53
鮮卑段末波攻勒，眾甚盛。 勒懼，問澄。 澄曰：「昨日寺鈴鳴雲，明旦食時，當擒段末波。」 勒登城望末波軍，不見前後，失色曰：「末波如此，豈可獲乎！」 更遣夔安問澄。 澄曰：「已獲末波矣。」 時城北伏兵出，遇末波，執之。 澄勸勒宥末波，遣還本國，勒從之，卒獲其用。
Xianbei chieftain Duan Mobo besieged Shi Le with a mighty host. Shi Le, afraid, consulted Fotucheng. Fotucheng said the stupa bell had promised Duan Mobo's capture by breakfast next day. From the wall Shi Le saw endless ranks and despaired of taking Mobo. He sent Kui An back to the monk. Fotucheng said Mobo was already taken. Northern ambushers sprang forth and seized Duan Mobo. Fotucheng urged mercy; Shi Le released Mobo and later profited from his loyalty.
54
劉曜遣從弟岳攻勒，勒遣石季龍距之。 嶽敗，退保石梁塢，季龍堅柵守之。 澄在襄國，忽歎曰：「劉嶽可憫！」 弟子法祚問其故，澄曰「昨日亥時，嶽已敗被執。」 果如所言。
Liu Yao sent cousin Liu Yue against Shi Le, who answered with Shi Hu. Liu Yue retreated to Shiliang stockade; Shi Hu locked palisades around him. From Xiangguo Fotucheng cried that Liu Yue was doomed. Disciple Fazuo asked why; Fotucheng said Liu Yue had fallen at the previous day's hai hour. News proved him right.
55
及曜自攻洛陽，勒將救之，其群下咸諫以為不可。 勒以訪澄，澄曰：「相輪鈴音云：'秀支替戾岡，僕穀劬禿當。」 此羯語也，秀支，軍也。 替戾岡，出也。 僕谷，劉曜胡位也。 劬禿當，捉也。 此言軍出捉得曜也。」 又令一童子潔齋七日，取麻油合胭脂，躬自研於掌中，舉手示童子，粲然有輝。 童子驚曰：「有軍馬甚眾，見一人長大白晳，以硃絲縛其肘。」 澄曰：「此即曜也。」 勒其悅，遂赴洛距曜，生擒之。
When Liu Yao besieged Luoyang, Shi Le meant to march; every minister called it folly. Fotucheng cited the stupa bell's Jie-language line: 'Xiuzhi tiligang, pugu qutu dang.' That tongue was Jie: xiuzhi meant 'army.' Tiligang meant 'march forth.' Pugu was the Jie title for Liu Yao. Qutu dang meant 'capture.' The verse meant the host would march out and take Liu Yao alive. He had a lad fast seven days, then rubbed sesame oil and rouge in his palm until it flashed blindingly for the boy to see. The boy cried that he saw hosts of cavalry and a tall pale man with red cord wound round his arm. Fotucheng said that man was Liu Yao. Shi Le rejoiced, marched to Luoyang, and took Liu Yao prisoner.
56
勒僭稱趙天王，行皇帝事，敬澄彌篤。 時石蔥將叛，澄誡勒曰：「今年蔥中有蟲，食必害人，可令百姓無食蔥也。」 勒班告境內，慎無食蔥。 俄而石蔥果走。 勒益重之，事必諮而後行，號曰大和尚。
Shi Le styled himself Zhao heaven-king and ruled as emperor while honoring Fotucheng ever more deeply. When Shi Cong plotted revolt, Fotucheng warned that worm-ridden scallions would poison anyone who ate them. Shi Le banned scallions across the realm. Shi Cong soon fled as foretold. Shi Le deferred on every policy and titled him Great Monk.
57
勒愛子斌暴病死，將殯，勒歎曰：「朕聞虢太子死，扁鵲能生之，今可得效乎？」 乃令告澄。 澄取楊枝沾水，灑而咒之。 就執斌手曰：「可起矣！」 因此遂蘇，有頃，平復。 自是勒諸子多在澄寺中養之。 勒死之年，天靜無風，而塔上一鈴獨鳴，澄謂眾曰：「鈴音雲，國有大喪，不出今年矣。」 既而勒果死。
Shi Le's favorite Shi Bin died young; the king wondered if Fotucheng could repeat Bian Que's revival of Guo's heir. He summoned Fotucheng. The monk sprinkled Bin with willow water and chanted. He seized the boy's hand and commanded him to rise. Shi Bin stirred, then fully recovered. After that Shi Le boarded his sons in Fotucheng's cloister. The year Shi Le would die, a windless day rang a single stupa bell; Fotucheng told the assembly the realm would mourn before year's end. Shi Le died on cue.
58
及季龍僭位，遷都於鄴，傾心事澄，有重於勒。 下書衣澄以綾錦，乘以雕輦，朝會之日，引之升殿，常侍以下悉助舉輿，太子諸公扶翼而上，主者唱大和尚，眾坐皆起，以彰其尊。 又使司空李農旦夕親問，其太子諸公五日一朝，尊敬莫與為比。 支道林在京師，聞澄與諸石遊，乃曰：「澄公其以季龍為海鷗鳥也。 百姓因澄故多奉佛，皆營造寺廟，相競出家，真偽混淆，多生愆過。 季龍下書料簡，其著作郎王度奏曰：「佛，外國之神，非諸華所應祠奉。 漢代初傳其道，惟聽西域人得立寺都邑，以奉其神，漢人皆不出家。 魏承漢制，亦循前軌。 今可斷趙人悉不聽詣寺燒香禮拜，以遵典禮，其百辟卿士下逮眾隸，例皆禁之，其有犯者，與淫祀同罪。 其趙人為沙門者，還服百姓。」 朝士多同度所奏。 季龍以澄故，下書曰：「朕出自邊戎，忝君諸夏，至於饗祀，應從本俗。 佛是戎神，所應兼奉，其夷趙百姓有樂事佛者，特聽之。」
Shi Hu moved the court to Ye and honored Fotucheng more than Shi Le had. He draped the monk in silk, gave him a carved litter, and made the whole court hoist him to the throne dais while criers hailed Great Monk and every seat rose. Minister Li Nong tended him daily; princes waited on him every five days—unmatched homage. Zhi Dun in the capital sneered that Fotucheng treated Shi Hu like the tame gulls of the parable—unafraid of the butcher's heart. Masses aped the monk, built shrines, and tonsured until true faith mingled with fraud and scandal multiplied. Shi Hu ordered a purge; Wang Du argued Buddha was a foreign god unfit for Chinese worship. Han law had let only westerners build urban temples while native Chinese stayed lay. Wei continued the same rule. Wang Du urged banning all Zhao subjects from temples on pain of illicit-cult statutes, high to low. Chinese monks must laicize. Most courtiers backed Wang Du. Shi Hu cited Fotucheng and proclaimed his barbarian origin: rites should follow tribal ways. He declared Buddha a tribal deity whom Zhao might freely worship.
59
澄時止鄴城寺中，弟子遍于郡國。 嘗遣弟子法常北至襄國，弟子法佐從襄國還，相遇于梁基城下，對車夜談，言及和尚，比旦各去。 佐始入，澄逆笑曰：「昨夜爾與法常交車共說汝師邪？」 佐愕然愧懺。 於是國人每相語：「莫起噁心，和尚知汝。」 及澄之所在，無敢向其方面涕唾者。
Fotucheng lived at Ye's great cloister with disciples in every province. Disciples Fachang and Fazuo met at Liangji, talked in their carts till dawn about their teacher, then parted. Fotucheng greeted Fazuo with a laugh about his midnight cart talk with Fachang. Fazuo flushed with shame. Folk warned one another: the monk read every wicked thought. None spat toward Fotucheng's quarter.
60
季龍太子邃有二字，在襄國，澄語邃曰：「小阿彌比當得疾，可往看之。」 邃即馳信往視，果已得疾。 太醫殷騰及外國道士自言能療之。 澄告弟子法牙曰：「正使聖人復出，不愈此疾，況此等乎！」 後三日果死。 邃將圖為逆，謂內豎曰：「和尚神通，儻發吾謀。 明日來者，當先除之。」 澄月望將入覲季龍，謂弟子僧慧曰：「昨夜天神呼我曰：'明日若入，還勿過人。」 我儻有所過，汝當止我。」 澄常入，必過邃。 邃知澄入，要侯甚苦。 澄將上南台，僧慧引衣，澄曰：「事不得止。」 坐未安便起，邃固留不住，所謀遂差。 還寺，歎曰：「太子作亂，其形將成，欲言難言，欲忍難忍。」 乃因事從容箴季龍，季龍終不能解。 俄而事發，方悟澄言。
Fotucheng told crown prince Shi Sui that his son Little Maitreya would sicken. Sui's courier found the boy already ill. Court physician Yin Teng and foreign priests boasted a cure. Fotucheng told Faya that neither sages nor charlatans could save the child. The boy died in three days. Shi Sui schemed regicide and feared the monk would expose him. He ordered tomorrow's visitors killed first. On the fifteenth Fotucheng told Seng Hui a god had warned him not to visit others after court. If he detoured to anyone, Hui must stop him. Fotucheng always called on Shi Sui after audience. Shi Sui lay in wait. Seng Hui tugged his sleeve on the south terrace stair; Fotucheng said the meeting could not be avoided. He rose before sitting long; Shi Sui could not hold him and the plot misfired. Back at the cloister he groaned that the heir's revolt was ripening yet speech was impossible. He hinted to Shi Hu, who grasped nothing. When the coup erupted, Shi Hu recalled the warning.
61
後郭黑略將兵征長安北山羌，墮羌伏中。 時澄在堂上坐，慘然改容曰：「郭公今有厄。」 乃唱云：「眾僧祝願。」 澄又自祝願。 須臾，更曰：若東南出者活，余向者則困。」 復更祝願。 有頃，曰：「脫矣。」 後月餘，黑略還，自說墜羌圍中，東南走，馬乏，正遇帳下人，推馬與之曰：「公乘此馬，小人乘公馬，濟與不濟，命也。」 略得其馬，故獲免。 推檢時日，正是澄祝願時也。
Guo Heilie marched against northern Qiang and walked into an ambush. Seated in the Dharma hall Fotucheng blanched: Guo Heilie faced doom. He called the sangha to chant blessings. He added his own prayer. Moments later he said flight southeast meant life; other routes meant death. He chanted again. Then he said, "He has broken free." A month later Guo Heilie returned, telling how he broke out southeast, swapped mounts with an orderly, and escaped by fate. That spare horse saved him. The timestamps matched Fotucheng's chant.
62
時天旱，季龍遣其太子詣臨漳西滏口祈雨，久而不降，乃令澄自行，即有白龍二頭降於祠所，其日大雨方數千里。 澄嘗遣弟子向西域市香，既行，澄告余弟子曰：「掌中見買香弟子在某處被劫垂死。」 因燒香祝願，遙救護之。 弟子後還，雲某月某日某處為賊所劫，垂當見殺，忽聞香氣，賊無故自驚曰：「救兵已至。」 棄之而走。 黃河中舊不生黿，時有得者，以獻季龍。 澄見而之曰：「桓溫入河，其不久乎！」 溫字元子，後果如其言也。 季龍嘗晝寢，夢見群羊負魚從東北來，寤以訪澄。 澄曰：「不祥也，鮮卑其有中原乎！」 後亦皆驗。 澄嘗與季龍升中台，澄忽驚曰：「變，變，幽州當火災。」 乃取酒噀之，久而笑曰：「救已得矣。」 季龍遣驗幽州，雲爾日火從四門起，西南有黑雲來，驟雨滅之，雨亦頗有酒氣。
During drought Shi Hu's heir prayed at Fuyin in vain until Fotucheng went; twin white dragons descended and rain soaked a thousand li. He sent men west for incense, then told others he saw them ambushed and dying. He burned incense and rescued them at a distance. They returned reporting how bandits were about to kill them when incense filled the air and robbers fled shouting that relief had come. The brigands dropped them and bolted. Yellow River turtles were rare; someone presented one to Shi Hu. Fotucheng said the turtle meant Huan Wen would soon cross the Yellow River. Huan Wen's courtesy name was Yuanzi; the prophecy came true. Shi Hu dreamed sheep carrying fish from the northeast and asked Fotucheng. Fotucheng read it as Xianbei seizing the heartland. Later events proved him right. On the middle terrace he cried that Youzhou would burn. He sprayed wine and laughed that the fire was quenched. Inspectors reported four-gate fires doused by a southwest black cloud and a rain that smelled of wine.
63
石宣將殺石韜，宣先到寺與澄同坐，浮屠一鈴獨鳴，澄謂曰：「解鈴音乎？ 鈴雲鬍子洛度。」 宣變色曰：「是何言歟？」 澄謬曰：「老胡為道，不能山居無言，重茵美服，豈非洛度乎！」 石韜後至，澄孰視良久。 韜懼而問澄，澄曰：「怪公血臭，故相視耳。」 季龍夢龍飛西南，自天而落，旦而問澄，澄曰：「禍將作矣，宜父子慈和，深以慎之。」 季龍引澄入東閣，與其後杜氏問訊之。 澄曰：「脅下有賊，不出十日，自浮圖以西，此殿以東，當有血流，慎勿東也。」 杜後曰：「和尚耄邪！ 何處有賊？」 澄即易語云：「六情所受，皆悉是賊。 老自應耄，但使少者不昏即好耳。」 遂便寓言，不復彰的。 後二日，宣果遣人害韜於佛寺中，欲因季龍臨喪殺之。 季龍以澄先誡，故獲免。 及宣被收，澄諫季龍曰：「皆陛下之子也，何為重禍邪！ 陛下若含怒加慈者，尚有六十餘歲。 如必誅之，宣當為彗星下掃鄴宮。」 季龍不從。 後月餘，有一妖馬，髦尾皆有燒狀，入中陽門，出顯陽門，東首東宮，皆不得入，走向東北，俄爾不見。 澄聞而歎曰：「災其及矣！」 季龍大享群臣于太武前殿，澄吟曰：「殿乎，殿乎！ 棘子成林，將壞人衣。」 季龍令發殿石下視之，有棘生焉。 冉閔小字棘奴。
Before murdering Shi Tao, Shi Xuan sat with Fotucheng while one bell tolled; the monk asked if he grasped its message. The bell tolled a Jie phrase foretelling blood. Shi Xuan snarled at the riddle. Fotucheng feigned senile chatter about silks and cushions. When Shi Tao entered, Fotucheng stared. Shi Tao flinched; Fotucheng said he smelled blood. Shi Hu dreamed a dragon fall from the sky; Fotucheng urged father-son harmony before disaster. Shi Hu brought him to Empress Du in the east closet. He warned of a killer under the ribs, blood west of the stupa and east of the hall, and forbade eastward movement. Empress Du called him a dotard. Where was any assassin? Fotucheng retreated to metaphor: every passion is a thief. He claimed old folly—if the young stayed sober, well enough. He spoke in parables and dropped plain speech. Two days later Shi Xuan had Shi Tao murdered in a temple, planning to kill Shi Hu at the funeral. Shi Hu survived thanks to Fotucheng's warning. When Shi Xuan was arrested, Fotucheng begged Shi Hu not to multiply the blood curse—all were his sons. Mercy would buy Shi Hu sixty more years of life. Execute him and a comet would scour the Ye palace—meaning ruin. Shi Hu refused the plea. A month later a spectral horse with scorched mane and tail galloped through the gates, failed to enter the heir's east palace, fled northeast, and vanished. Hearing the omen, Fotucheng sighed that disaster was closing in. At a great feast in Taiwu hall Fotucheng chanted a riddle about the hall. Thorn scrub would sprout to shred men's robes—he foretold Ran Min. Shi Hu had workers lift the foundation stones and found brambles sprouting below. Ran Min's pet name had been Thorn-slave.
64
季龍造太武殿初成，圖畫自古賢聖、忠臣、孝子、烈士、貞女，皆變為胡狀，旬餘，頭悉縮入肩中，惟冠䯰仿佛微出，季龍大惡之，秘而不言也。 澄對之流涕，乃自啟塋墓於鄴西紫陌，還寺，獨語曰：「得三年乎？」 自答：「不得。」 又曰：「得二年、一年、百日、一月乎？」 自答：「不得。」 遂無復言。 謂弟子法祚曰：「戊申歲禍亂漸萌，己酉石氏當滅。 吾及其未亂，先從化矣。」 卒于鄴宮寺。 後有沙門從雍州來，稱見澄西入關，季龍掘而視之，惟有一石無屍。 季龍惡之曰：「石者，朕也，葬我而去，吾將死矣。」 因而遇疾。 明年，季龍死，遂大亂。
New Taiwu hall murals of Chinese paragons morphed into barbarian faces, heads sinking into shoulders—Shi Hu hid the horror. Fotucheng wept, opened his own grave west of Ye, and muttered whether he had three years left. He answered himself: no. He asked again for two years, one year, hundred days, a month. Again: no. Then he fell silent. He told Fazuo that wu-shen would see chaos and ji-you the end of the house of Shi. He would depart before the storm. He died in the palace monastery at Ye. A monk from Yongzhou claimed Fotucheng went west; Shi Hu opened the tomb and found only a stone. Shi Hu read stone as himself and knew his death neared. He fell ill. Shi Hu died the next year and the realm collapsed.
65
麻襦
Ma Ru.
66
麻襦者，不知何許人也，莫得其姓名。 石季龍時，在魏縣市中乞丐，恆著麻襦布裳，故時人謂之麻襦。 言語卓越，狀如狂者，乞得米穀不食，輒散置大路，雲飴天馬。 趙興太守籍狀收送詣季龍。
No one knew Ma Ru's origin or true name. Under Shi Hu he begged in Weixian in hemp breeches—hence the name Hemp-cloth. He raved like a madman, scattered alms rice on the road, calling it fodder for heaven's horses. Zhao Xing governor Ji Zhuang arrested and sent him to Shi Hu.
67
先是，佛圖澄謂季龍曰：「國東二百里某月日當送一非常人，勿殺之也。」 如期果至。 季龍與共語，了無異言，惟道：「陛下當終一柱殿下。」 季龍不解，送以詣澄。 麻襦謂澄曰：「昔在光和中會，奄至今日。 酉戎受玄命，絕曆終有期。 金離消于壞，邊荒不能遵，驅除靈期跡，莫已已之懿。 裔苗葉繁，其來方積。 休期於何期，永以歎之。」 澄曰：「天回運極，否將不支，九木水為難，無可以術寧。 玄哲雖存世，莫能基必莫能基必頹。 久游閻浮利，擾擾多此患。 行登陵雲宇，會于虛遊間。」 其所言人莫能曉。 季龍遣驛馬送還本縣，既出城，請步，云：「我當有所過，君至合口橋見待。」 使人如言而馳，至橋，麻襦已先至。
Fotucheng had warned Shi Hu not to kill a strange man coming from the east. Ma Ru arrived on schedule. Shi Hu found him taciturn except for the line about dying under a single-pillar hall. Puzzled, Shi Hu sent him to Fotucheng. Ma Ru told Fotucheng they had met since the Guanghe conclave ages ago. The western tribes took the mystic mandate; the broken calendar ends on schedule. Metal fate melts in collapse; the frontiers cannot hold; spirit tracks must be swept away—endless virtue. Sprouts and leaves multiply—the reckoning piles up. When will the pause come—only endless sighs. Fotucheng answered in matching verse: the cosmic wheel nears its stop; decline cannot be propped; wood and water spell peril—no rite can calm it. Even hidden sages cannot shore the foundation—it must fall. Long wandering this world brings such vexation. Soon we mount the cloud terraces and meet in the void. None understood their exchange. Shi Hu sent him home by post; outside the walls he insisted on walking and told the escort to wait at Hegkou bridge. The rider galloped ahead yet Ma Ru was waiting on the bridge.
68
後慕容俊投季龍屍于漳水，倚橋柱不流，時人以為「一柱殿下」即謂此也。 及元帝嗣位江左，亦以為「天馬」之應云。
Murong Jun cast Shi Hu's corpse in the Zhang where it lodged against a pier—folk said that fulfilled the one-pillar hall prophecy. Eastern Jin courtiers also linked the tale to the heaven-horse omen.
69
單道開
Shan Daokai.
70
單道開，敦煌人也。 常衣粗褐，或贈以繒服，皆不著，不畏寒暑，晝夜不臥。 恆服細石子，一吞數枚，日一服，或多或少。 好山居，而山樹諸神見異形試之，初無懼色。 石季龍時，從西平來，一日行七百里，其一沙彌年十四，行亦及之。 至秦州，表送到鄴，季龍令佛圖澄與語，不能屈也。 初止鄴城西沙門法綝祠中，後徙臨漳昭德寺。 于房內造重閣，高八九尺，于上編管為禪室，常坐其中。 季龍資給甚厚，道開皆以施人。 人或來諮問者，道開都不答。 日服鎮守藥數丸，大如梧子，藥有松蜜姜桂伏苓之氣，時復飲荼蘇一二升而已。 自雲能療目疾，就療者頗驗。 視其行動，狀若有神。 佛圖澄曰：「此道士觀國興衰，若去者，當有大亂。」 及季龍末，道開南渡許昌，尋而鄴中大亂。
Shan Daokai came from Dunhuang. He shunned silk gifts, braved heat and cold, and never slept. He daily swallowed a handful of fine pebbles. Mountain spirits tested him with visions; he never flinched. He walked seven hundred li from Xiping in a day with a fourteen-year-old novice at his heels. Qinzhou forwarded him to Ye where Fotucheng could not best him in debate. He first lodged at monk Fachin's west-city shrine, then moved to Zhaode Monastery in Linzhang. He wove a meditation loft eight or nine chi high in his cell. Shi Hu showered gifts; Shan Daokai gave them all away. He answered no questions. He lived on walnut-sized pills scented with pine honey, ginger, cinnamon, and poria, plus an occasional liter or two of herb tea. He claimed to heal eyes and often succeeded. His movements seemed superhuman. Fotucheng said the hermit read the dynasty's fate and that his flight would mean chaos. Late in Shi Hu's reign Shan Daokai fled south to Xuchang; Ye soon erupted.
71
至京師，後至南海，入羅浮山，獨處茅茨，蕭然物外。 年百餘歲，卒於山舍，敕弟子以屍置石穴中，弟子乃移入石室。 陳郡袁宏為南海太守，與弟穎叔及沙門支法防共登羅浮山，至石室口，見道開形骸如生，香火瓦器猶存。 宏曰：「法師業行殊群，正當如蟬蛻耳。」 乃為之贊雲。
He passed through the capital to Nanhai and lived alone in a Luofu hut. He died past a hundred in a mountain cell, ordering disciples to lay him in a stone cave—they moved him to a stone room. Yuan Hong, his brother, and monk Zhi Fafang climbed Luofu and found Shan Daokai's body intact in the cave with incense pots still there. Yuan Hong said the master's merit outshone the world—his corpse was a cicada shell. Yuan Hong wrote his elegy.
72
黃泓
Huang Hong.
73
黃泓，字始長，魏郡斥丘人也。 父沈，善天文秘術。 泓從父受業，精妙逾深，兼博覽經史，尤明《禮》《易》。 性忠勤，非禮不動。 永嘉之亂，與渤海高瞻避地幽州，說瞻曰：「王浚昏暴，終必無成，宜思去就以圖久安。 慕容廆法政修明，虛懷引納，且讖言真人出東北，儻或是乎？ 宜相與歸之，同建事業。」 瞻不從。 泓乃率宗族歸廆，廆待以客禮，引為參軍，軍國之務動輒訪之。 泓指說成敗，事皆如言。 廆常曰：「黃參軍，孤之仲翔也。」 及皝嗣位，遷左常侍，領史官，甚重之。 石季龍攻皝，皝將走遼東，泓曰：「賊有敗氣，無可憂也，不過二日，必當奔潰。 宜嚴勒士馬，為追擊之備。」 皝曰：「今寇盛如此，卿言必走，孤未敢信。」 泓曰：「殿下言盛者，人事耳，臣言必走者，天時也，胡足為疑！」 及期，季龍果退，皝益奇之。
Huang Hong, courtesy name Shizhang, came from Chiqiu in Wei commandery. His father Huang Shen mastered astronomy and occult arts. Huang Hong surpassed his father in star lore and knew the canon, especially Rites and Changes. He was dutiful and never acted against propriety. During Yongjia's chaos he fled to Youzhou with Gao Zhan and urged him to abandon the tyrant Wang Jun. Murong Hui ruled justly and omens named a true king in the northeast—perhaps Murong was he? They should join Murong Hui and build a future together. Gao Zhan refused. Huang Hong led his clan to Murong Hui, who made him military adviser on every weighty matter. His forecasts of rise and fall proved true. Murong Hui called him his Zhongxiang. Murong Huang raised Huang Hong to left attendant-in-ordinary and chief astrologer, deeply trusted. As Shi Hu struck Murong Huang, the king planned flight to Liaodong; Huang Hong read rout-qi within two days. He urged Murong Huang to ready a pursuit. Murong Huang doubted: the foe looked too strong. Huang Hong replied that strength was mere human show while heaven decreed rout—no room for doubt. Within two days Shi Hu retreated as predicted.
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及慕容俊即王位，遷從事中郎，儁聞冉閔亂，將圖中原，訪之於泓，泓勸行，儁從之。 及僭號，署為進謀將軍、太史令、關內侯，尋加奉車都尉、西海太守、領太史令、開陽亭侯，又封平舒縣五等伯，常從左右，諮決大事，靈台令許敦害其寵，諂事慕容評，設異議以毀之，及以泓為太史靈台諸署統，加給事中。 泓待敦彌厚，不以毀己易心。 慕容暐敗，以老歸家，歎曰：「燕必中興，其在吳王，恨吾年過不見耳。」 年九十七卒。 卒後三年，偽吳王慕容垂興焉。
Murong Jun, hearing Ran Min's chaos, asked Huang Hong, who urged a central-plain campaign—Jun agreed. Murong Jun heaped titles on him—forward-planning general, grand astrologer, marquis, chariot commandant, West Sea governor—while Xu Dun slandered him and Ping reassigned him to head every astrological office plus palace attendant. Huang Hong treated Xu Dun generously despite the slander. After Murong Wei's fall he retired, predicting Yan's revival under the Prince of Wu—too old to see it. He died at ninety-seven. Three years later Murong Chui, the "Wu" prince, rose as he foretold.
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索紞
Suo Dan.
76
索紞，字叔徹，敦煌人也。 少游京師，受業太學，博綜經籍，遂為通儒。 明陰陽天文，善術數占侯。 司徒辟，除郎中，知中國將亂，避世而歸。 鄉人從紞占問吉凶，門中如市，紞曰：「攻乎異端，戒在害己； 無為多事，多事多患。」 遂詭言虛說，無驗乃止。 惟以占夢為無悔吝，乃不逆問者。
Suo Dan, courtesy name Shuche, came from Dunhuang. He studied at the capital academy and became a broad scholar. He knew yin-yang, astronomy, and number divination. The minister named him gentleman; foreseeing chaos, he went home. Neighbors mobbed his gate for fortunes until he quoted the Analects: attacking heterodoxy harms oneself. More business meant more trouble—best stay quiet. He gave absurd answers until seekers quit. Dream interpretation alone he took seriously and never refused.
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孝廉令狐策夢立冰上，與冰下人語。 紞曰：「冰上為陽，冰下為陰，陰陽事也。 士如歸妻，迨冰未泮，婚姻事也。 君在冰上與冰下人語，為陽語陰，媒介事也。 君當為人作媒，冰泮而婚成。」 策曰：「老夫耄矣，不為媒也。」 會太守田豹因策為子求鄉人張公徵女，仲春而成婚焉。 郡主簿張宅夢走馬上山，還繞舍三周，但見松柏，不知門處。 紞曰：「馬屬離，離為火。 火，禍也。 人上山，為凶字。 但見松伯，墓門象也。 不知門處，為無門也。 三周，三期也。 後三年必有大禍。」 宅果以謀反伏誅。 索充初夢天上有二棺落充前，紞曰：「棺者，職也，當有京師貴人舉君。 二官者，頻再遷。」 俄而司徒王戎書屬太守使舉充，太守先署充功曹而舉孝廉。 充後夢見一虜，脫上衣來詣充。 紞曰：「虜去上中，下半男字，夷狄陰類，君婦當生男。」 終如其言。 宋桷夢內中有一人著赤衣，桷手把兩杖，極打之。 紞曰：「內中有人，肉字也。 肉色，赤也。 兩杖，箸象也。 極打之，飽肉食也。」 俄而亦驗焉。 黃平問紞曰：「我昨夜夢舍中馬舞，數十人向馬拍手，此何祥也？」 紞曰：「馬者，火也，舞為火起。 向馬拍手，救火人也。」 平未歸而火作。 索綏夢東有二角書詣綏，大角朽敗，小角有題韋囊角佩，一在前，一在後。 紞曰：「大角朽敗，腐棺木。 小角有題，題所詣。 一在前，前紞凶也。 一在後，後背也。 當有凶背之問。」 時綏父在東，居三日而凶問至。 郡功曹張邈嘗奉使詣州，夜夢狼啖一腳。 紞曰：「腳肉被啖，為卻字。」 會東虜反，遂不行。 凡所占莫不驗。
Recommended scholar Linghu Ce dreamed he stood on ice talking to someone under the ice. Suo Dan said ice above was yang, below yin—a yin-yang matter. He cited the Book of Songs: taking a wife while frost still holds—marriage. Standing on yang ice speaking to yin below meant matchmaking. He would broker a wedding once the ice broke. Linghu Ce said he was too old to mediate matches. Prefect Tian Bao soon had Ce broker his son's betrothal to Zhang Gongzheng's daughter—the wedding came that mid-spring. Chief clerk Zhang Zhai dreamed a horse climb a hill, circle his house thrice, yet saw only pines with no gate in sight. Suo Dan said horses signified the Li trigram—fire. Fire meant disaster. A man on a mountain formed the graph for 'ominous.' Pines and cypresses hinted at a cemetery gate. No visible gate meant no escape. Three rounds meant three years. A great disaster would strike within three years. Zhang Zhai was executed for treason three years later. Suo Chong dreamed sky-coffins; Suo Dan read coffins as office—a capital patron would recommend him. Two coffins meant two swift promotions. Wang Rong soon had the prefect recommend Suo Chong, first as merit clerk, then as filially incorrupt. Suo Chong later dreamed a barbarian strip his jacket and approach him. Suo Dan parsed the graph: captive minus top yields 'male'—his wife would bear a son. It proved true. Song Jue dreamed a red figure inside his house whom he beat with twin rods. Suo Dan said a man indoors formed the graph rou 'flesh. Flesh-colored meant red. Twin sticks stood for chopsticks. Beating fiercely meant feasting on meat.' The dream soon came true. Huang Ping dreamed horses dancing at home while a crowd clapped. Horses meant fire; dancing meant flames rising. Clapping toward the horses meant firefighting. Fire broke out before Huang Ping got home. Suo Sui dreamed two horned edicts from the east—one rotted, one inscribed, one before, one aft. The crumbling great horn meant a decaying coffin. The marked small horn showed the message's target. The front slip foretold Suo Dan's ill omen approaching. The rear slip pointed to someone's back—kin behind him. A bereavement message would come from the east. Suo Sui's father lay eastward; within three days news of his death arrived. Merit clerk Zhang Miao dreamed a wolf chewed his foot on a mission. Gnawed foot-flesh formed the graph for 'withdraw.' Eastern rebels rose and the journey was canceled. Every divination Suo Dan gave proved true.
78
太守陰澹從求占書，紞曰：「昔入太學，因一父老為主人，其人無所不知，又匿姓名，有似隱者，紞因從父老問占夢之術，希申鄙藝，審測而說，實無書也。」 澹命為西閣祭酒，紞辭曰：「少無山林之操，遊學京師，交結時賢，會中國不靖，欲養志終年。 老亦至矣，不求聞達。 又少不習勤，老無吏幹，濛汜之年，弗敢聞命。」 澹以束帛禮之，月致羊酒。 年七十五，卒於家。
Prefect Yin Dan asked for manuals; Suo Dan said he had learned dream lore from a nameless elder at the academy—no written text existed. Yin Dan named him west-gallery libationer; Suo Dan refused, citing no reclusive bent and wishing to ride out the turmoil quietly. He was old and sought no office. He pleaded age and no talent for administration. Yin Dan honored him with silk, mutton, and wine each month. He died at home aged seventy-five.
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孟欽
Meng Qin.
80
孟欽，洛陽人也。 有左慈、劉根之術，百姓惑而赴之。 苻堅召詣長安，惡其惑眾，命苻融誅之。 俄而欽至，融留之，遂大宴郡僚，酒酣，目左右收欽。 欽化為旋風，飛出第外。 頃之，有告在城東者，融遣騎追之，垂及，忽然已遠，或有兵眾距戰，或前有溪澗，騎不得過，遂不知所在。 堅未，復見於青州。 苻朗尋之，入於海島。
Meng Qin came from Luoyang. He wielded arts like Zuo Ci and Liu Gen and drew credulous crowds. Fu Jian summoned him to Chang'an, then ordered Fu Rong to kill him for misleading the people. Fu Rong feasted him, then at a signal moved to arrest him. Meng Qin became a whirlwind and blew out of the hall. Pursuers nearly caught him but met phantom armies and uncrossable streams until he vanished. Late in Fu Jian's reign he reappeared in Qingzhou. Fu Lang tracked him to a sea isle.
81
王嘉
Wang Jia.
82
王嘉，字子年，隴西安陽人也。 輕舉止，醜形貌，外若不足，而聰睿內明。 滑稽好語笑，不食五穀，不衣美麗，清虛服氣，不與世人交遊。 隱于東陽穀，鑿崖穴居，弟子受業者數百人，亦皆穴處。 石季龍之末，棄其徒眾，至長安，潛隱於終南山，結庵廬而止。 門人聞而復隨之，乃遷於倒獸山。 苻堅累徵不起，公侯已下咸躬往參詣，好尚之士無不師宗之。 問其當世事者，皆隨問而對。 好為譬喻，狀如戲調； 言未然之事，辭如讖記，當時鮮能曉之，事過皆驗。
Wang Jia, courtesy name Zinian, came from Anyang in Longxi. He seemed a buffoon but was inwardly brilliant. He jested, shunned grain and silk, fed on qi, and shunned society. He and hundreds of pupils lived in cliff caves in Dongyang valley. Late under Shi Hu he abandoned followers, hid on Zhongnan near Chang'an, and built a hut. Pupils found him so he moved to Mount Daoshou. Fu Jian's summons failed; nobles visited in person and scholars revered him. He answered every question about current events. He spoke in riddling jest; his future tense lines read like cryptic verse—few understood until they came true.
83
堅將南征，遣使者問之。 嘉曰：「金剛火強。」 乃乘使者馬，正衣冠，徐徐東行數百步，而策馬馳反，脫衣服，棄冠履而歸，下馬踞床，一無所言。 使者還告，堅不語，復遣問之，曰：「吾世祚云何？」 嘉曰：「未央。」 咸以為吉。 明年癸未，敗於淮南，所謂未年而有殃也。 人侯之者，至心則見之，不至心則隱形不見。 衣服在架，履杖猶存，或欲取其衣者，終不及，企而取之，衣架逾高，而屋亦不大，覆杖諸物亦如之。
Before Fu Jian's southern campaign he sent an envoy to Wang Jia. Wang Jia answered: "Metal hard, fire strong"—a warning. He borrowed the envoy's horse, rode east slowly, galloped back stripping clothes and shoes, then sat mute on a couch. Fu Jian sent again to ask how long his line would last. Wang Jia said "Weiyang"—literally "not yet end." Courtiers mistook it for good news. Next year gui-wei he lost at Fei River—the wordplay meant disaster in the wei year, not endless blessing. Earnest visitors saw him; half-hearted seekers found him invisible. His robe and staff on a rack eluded grasp—stretching for them raised the rack while the hut stayed small.
84
姚萇之入長安，禮嘉如苻堅故事，逼以自隨，每事諮之。 萇既與苻登相持，問嘉曰：「吾得殺苻登定天下不？」 嘉曰：「略得之。」 萇怒曰：「得當云得，何略之有！」 遂斬之。 先此，釋道安謂嘉曰：「世故方殷，可以行矣。」 嘉答曰：「卿其先行，吾負債未果去。」 俄而道安亡，至是而嘉戮死，所謂「負債」者也。 苻登聞嘉死，設壇哭之，贈太師，諡曰文。 及萇死，萇子興字子略方殺登，「略得」之謂也。 嘉之死日，人有隴上見之。 其所造《牽三歌讖》，事過皆驗，累世猶傳之。 又著《拾遺錄》十卷，其記事多詭怪，今行於世。
Yao Chang honored him as Fu Jian had and kept him for counsel. Yao Chang asked if he could kill Fu Deng and unify the realm. Wang Jia said "lue de zhi"—roughly "you will get it." Yao Chang raged at the hedge word lue. He had Wang Jia beheaded. Earlier monk Daoan had told him to flee the mounting troubles. Wang Jia answered that Daoan should leave first—he still owed a karmic debt. Daoan died soon after; Wang Jia's execution fulfilled the "debt" riddle. Fu Deng mourned Wang Jia as Grand Preceptor Wen. When Yao Chang died, his son Yao Xing—style Zilue—killed Fu Deng, fulfilling the "lue de" wordplay. The day he died, witnesses saw him alive on the Long plateau. His Qiansange prophecy verses all came true and circulated for generations. His ten-scroll Records of Gathered Remains of odd events still circulates.
85
僧涉
Seng She.
86
僧涉者，西域人也，不知何姓。 少為沙門，苻堅時入長安。 虛靜服氣，不食五穀，日能行五百里，言未然之事，驗若指掌。 能以秘祝下神龍，每旱，堅常使之咒龍請雨。 俄而龍下缽中，天輒大雨，堅及群臣親就缽觀之。 卒于長安。 後大旱移時，苻堅歎曰：「涉公若在，豈憂此乎！」
Monk She came from the west; his surname was unknown. He tonsured young and reached Chang'an under Fu Jian. He fasted on qi, walked five hundred li a day, and foretold the future with clarity. Secret spells drew dragons into bowls whenever drought struck. Dragons entered his bowl and rain followed while Fu Jian and courtiers watched. He died in Chang'an. Years later Fu Jian sighed in drought that only Monk She could have saved them.
87
郭黁
Guo Wu.
88
郭黁，西平人也。 少明《老》《易》，仕郡主簿。 張天錫末年，苻氏每有西伐之問，太守趙凝使黁筮之，黁曰：「若郡內二月十五日失囚者，東軍當至，涼祚必終。」 凝乃申約屬縣。 至十五日，鮮卑折掘送馬於凝，凝怒其非駿，幽之內廄，鮮卑懼而夜遁。 凝以告黁，黁曰：「是也。 國家將亡，不可復振。」
Guo Wu came from Xiping. He mastered Laozi and Changes and served as chief clerk. As Former Liang neared fall, Zhao Ning had Guo Wu cast yarrow: if a prisoner escaped on the second month's fifteenth, eastern troops would end Liang. Zhao Ning alerted every county. On the day Xianbei herders delivered horses Zhao Ning jailed them for poor stock and they broke out by night. Zhao Ning told Guo Wu, who said the omen fit. The state would fall beyond saving."
89
苻堅末，當陽門震，刺史梁熙問黁曰：「其祥安在？」 黁曰：「為四夷之事也。 當有外國二王來朝主上，一當反國，一死此城。」 歲餘而鄯善及前部王朝於苻堅，西歸，鄯善王死于姑臧。
When Dangyang gate shook under Fu Jian, Liang Xi asked the meaning. Guo Wu said it foretold barbarian affairs. Two foreign kings would visit; one would return home, one die in the city. A year later Shanshan and Front-Department kings paid court; Shanshan's king died at Guzang on the way west.
90
呂光之王河西也，西海太守王楨叛，黁勸光襲之。 光之左丞呂寶曰：「千里襲人，自昔所難，況王者之師天下所聞，何可僥倖以邀成功！ 黁不可從，誤人大事。」 黁曰：「若其不捷，黁自伏鈇鉞之誅。 如其克也，左丞為無謀矣。」 光從而克之。 光比之京管，常參帷幄密謀。
When Lu Guang held Hexi, rebel Wang Zhen drew Guo Wu's advice to attack. Lu Bao warned that a thousand-li strike on a famous army was folly. He said Guo Wu must not be heeded. Guo Wu vowed to face execution if the raid failed. If it won, Lu Bao would look a fool. Lu Guang attacked and won. Lu Guang likened him to Guan Zhong and kept him in secret council.
91
光將伐乞伏乾歸，黁諫曰：「今太白未出，不宜行師，往必無功，終當覆敗。」 太史令賈曜以為必有秦隴之地。 及克金城，光使曜詰黁，黁密謂光曰：「昨有流星東墮，當有伏屍死將，雖得此城，憂在不守。 正月上旬，河冰將解，若不早渡，恐有大變。」 後二日而敗問至，光引軍渡河訖，冰泮。 時人服其神驗。 光以黁為散騎常侍、太常。
Guo Wu warned against marching before Venus rose—failure awaited. Grand astrologer Jia Yao predicted victory in Qin and Long. After taking Jincheng Guo Wu whispered that a fallen meteor meant dead generals and a city hard to hold. River ice would break in early first month—cross soon or face disaster. Two days later defeat news came; Lu Guang finished crossing as the ice broke. Contemporaries marveled at his accuracy. Lu Guang named him supernumerary attendant and grand master of ceremonies.
92
黁後以光年老，知其將敗，遂與光僕射王祥起兵作亂。 百姓聞黁起兵，咸以聖人起事，事無不成，故相率從之如不及。 黁以為代呂者王，乃推王乞基為主。 後呂隆降姚興，興以王尚為涼州刺史，終如黁言。 黁之與光相持也，逃人稱呂統病死，黁曰：「未也，光、統之命盡在一時。」 黁後統死三日而光死。 黁嘗曰：「涼州謙光殿后當有索頭鮮卑居之。」 終於禿髮傉檀、沮渠蒙遜迭據姑臧。 黁性褊酷，不為士庶所附。 戰敗，奔乞伏乾歸。 乾歸敗，入姚興。 黁以滅姚者晉，遂將妻子南奔，為追兵所殺也。
Seeing Lu Guang aged and doomed, Guo Wu rebelled with steward Wang Xiang. The people thought a sage led a sure revolt and flocked to him. He read the prophecy "Wang replaces Lu" and raised Wang Qiji as figurehead. When Lu Long yielded to Yao Xing, Wang Shang became Liangzhou governor—fulfilling Guo Wu's line. Rumors said Lu Tong had died; Guo Wu said Lu Guang would die with him. Lu Tong died; three days later Lu Guang died. He predicted Tuoba Xianbei would hold the hall behind Liangzhou's Qian-Guang palace. Tufa Rutan and Juqu Mengxun later seized Guzang in turn. Guo Wu was harsh and won little loyalty. He fled to Qifu Gangui after defeat. After Gangui fell he joined Yao Xing. Believing Jin would destroy Yao, he fled south with family and died under pursuit.
93
鳩摩羅什
Kumarajiva.
94
鳩摩羅什，天竺人也。 世為國相。 父鳩摩羅炎，聰懿有大節，將嗣相位，乃辭避出家，東渡蔥嶺。 龜茲王聞其名，郊迎之，請為國師。 王有妹，年二十，才悟明敏，諸國交娉，並不許，及見炎，心欲當之，王乃逼以妻焉。 既而羅什在胎，其母慧解倍常。 及年七歲，母遂與俱出家。
Kumarajiva came from India. His clan had long served as chief ministers. His father Kumarayana renounced succession as minister, took orders, and crossed the Pamirs east. Kucha's king welcomed him as national preceptor. The princess, wooed by many realms, chose Kumarayana; the king compelled their marriage. His mother grew doubly wise while carrying him. At seven mother and son both ordained.
95
羅什從師受經，日誦千偈，偈有三十二字，凡三萬二千言，義亦自通。 年十二，其母攜到沙勒，國王甚重之，遂停沙勒一年。 博覽五明諸論及陰陽星算，莫不必盡，妙達吉凶，言若符契。 為性率達，不拘小檢，修行者頗共疑之。 然羅什自得於心，未嘗介意，專以大乘為化，諸學者皆共師焉。 年二十，龜茲王迎之還國，廣說諸經，四遠學徒莫之能抗。
He memorized a thousand thirty-two-character gathas daily—thirty-two thousand graphs—and grasped their sense. At twelve he visited Shule and stayed a year, honored by the king. He mastered the five sciences, astrology, and omens with uncanny accuracy. His easy manner drew suspicion from ascetics. He ignored critics and taught Mahayana to universal acclaim. At twenty Kucha recalled him to preach; none could match his learning.
96
有頃，羅什母辭龜茲王往天竺，留羅什住，謂之曰：「方等深教，不可思議，傳之東土，惟爾之力。 但於汝無利，其可如何？」 什曰：「必使大化流傳，雖苦而無恨。」 母至天竺，道成，進登第三果。 西域諸國咸伏羅什神俊，每至講說，諸王皆長跪坐側，令羅什踐而登焉。 苻堅聞之，密有迎羅什之意。 會太史奏云：「有星見外國分野，當有大智入輔中國。」 堅曰：「朕聞西域有鳩摩羅什，將非此邪？」 乃遣驍騎將軍呂光等率兵七萬，西伐龜茲，謂光曰：「若獲羅什，即馳驛送之。」 光軍未至，羅什謂龜茲王白純曰：「國運衰矣，當有勍敵從日下來，宜恭承之，勿抗其鋒。」 純不從，出兵距戰，光遂破之，乃獲羅什。 光見其年齒尚少，以凡人戲之，強妻以龜茲王女，羅什距而不受，辭甚苦至。 光曰：「道士之操不逾先父，何所固辭？」 乃飲以醇酒，同閉密室。 羅什被逼，遂妻之。 光還，中路置軍於山下，將士已休，羅什曰：「在此必狼狽，宜徙軍隴上。」 光不納。 至夜，果大雨，洪潦暴起，水深數丈，死者數千人，光密異之。 光欲留王西國，羅什謂光曰：「此凶亡之地，不宜淹留，中路自有福地可居。」 光還至涼州，聞苻堅已為姚萇所害，於是竊號河右。 屬姑臧大風，羅什曰：「不祥之風當有奸叛，然不勞自定也。」 俄而有叛者，尋皆殄滅。
His mother left for India, charging him to carry the Mahayana east. She warned the task would not profit him personally. He vowed to spread the dharma despite hardship. In India his mother reached the third fruit of arhatship. Western kings knelt for him to step on their backs mounting the dais. Fu Jian resolved to fetch him. Court astrologers reported a star over foreign fields—a sage would aid China. Fu Jian guessed it meant Kumarajiva. He sent Lu Guang with seventy thousand men to seize Kumarajiva alive. Kumarajiva warned King Bai Chun to yield to Lu Guang. Bai Chun fought and lost; Lu Guang took the monk. Lu Guang mocked his youth, forced a royal bride on him; he refused bitterly. Lu Guang sneered that monastic vows had not stopped his father. Lu Guang drunk him and locked him with the princess. Coerced, Kumarajiva wed her. Mid-march he urged moving camp uphill to avoid flood. Lu Guang ignored him. Night brought a deluge that drowned thousands; Lu Guang marveled. He dissuaded Lu Guang from staying in the deadly western basin. Reaching Liangzhou, Lu Guang learned Fu Jian was dead and seized the Hexi throne. A Guzang gale foretold brief rebellion. Rebels rose and were crushed.
97
沮渠蒙遜先推建康太守段業為主，光遣其子纂率眾討之。 時論謂業等烏合，纂有威聲，勢必全克。 光以訪羅什，答曰：「此行未見其利。」 既而纂敗于合黎，俄又郭黁起兵，纂棄大軍輕還，復為黁所敗，僅以身免。
Juqu Mengxun raised Duan Ye; Lu Guang sent Lu Zuan against them. Court opinion expected Lu Zuan's easy victory. Kumarajiva said the campaign would not pay. Lu Zuan lost at Heli, fled from Guo Wu's revolt, and barely survived.
98
中書監張資病，光博營救療。 有外國道人羅叉，雲能差資病。 光喜，給賜甚重。 羅什知叉誑詐，告資曰：「叉不能為益，徒煩費耳。 冥運雖隱，可以事試也。」 乃以五色絲作繩結之，燒為灰末，投水中，灰若出水還成繩者，病不可愈。 須臾，灰聚浮出，復為繩，叉療果無效，少日資亡。
Lu Guang spared no effort to heal Zhang Zi. A foreign monk Luocha claimed a cure. Lu Guang showered Luocha with gifts. Kumarajiva exposed Luocha as a fraud. Yet fate could be tested by a sign. He burned a knotted five-color silk cord to ash and floated it—if it reknotted in water, death was certain. The ash re-formed the rope; Luocha failed; Zhang Zi soon died.
99
頃之，光死，纂立。 有豬生子，一身三頭。 龍出東箱井中，於殿前蟠臥，比旦失之。 纂以為美瑞，號其殿為龍翔殿。 俄而有黑龍升于當陽九宮門，纂改九宮門為龍興門。 羅什曰：「比日潛龍出遊，豕妖表異，龍者陰類，出入有時，而今屢見，則為災眚，必有下人謀上之變。 宜克己修德，以答天戒。」 纂不納，後果為呂超所殺。
Lu Guang died; Lu Zuan ruled. A sow farrowed a three-headed piglet. A dragon left the east well, coiled in the court, vanished by dawn. Lu Zuan called it an omen and renamed his hall Dragon Soaring. A black dragon at Nine Palaces gate brought the name Dragon Rising. Kumarajiva read dragons and pigs as yin omens of minister murdering lord. He urged self-discipline to answer heaven. Lu Zuan ignored him and died at Lu Chao's hands.
100
羅什之在涼州積年，呂光父子既不弘道，故蘊其深解，無所宣化。 姚興遣姚碩德西伐，破呂隆，乃迎羅什，待以國師之禮，仍使入西明閣及逍遙園，譯出眾經。 羅什多所暗誦，無不究其義旨，既覽舊經多有紕繆，於是興使沙門僧睿、僧肇等八百餘人傳受其旨，更出經論，凡三百餘卷。 沙門慧睿才識高明，常隨羅什傳寫，羅什每為慧睿論西方辭體，商略同異，云：「天竺國俗甚重文制，其宮商體韻，經入管弦為善。 凡覲國王，必有贊德，經中偈頌，皆其式也。」 羅什雅好大乘，志在敷演，常歎曰：「吾若著筆作大乘阿毗曇，非迦旃子比也。 今深識者既寡，將何所論！」 惟為姚興著《實相論》二卷，興奉之若神。
Under Lu Guang's irreligious court he hid his deepest learning. Yao Xing destroyed Later Liang, welcomed Kumarajiva as national teacher, and set him translating in Chang'an gardens. He retranslated more than three hundred scrolls with eight hundred assistants, correcting old errors. Hui Rui transcribed while Kumarajiva explained Indic metrics and how hymns suited music. Royal audiences required hymns—sutra verses followed that form. He sighed he could outwrite Katyayani if scholars existed to hear a Great Vehicle Abhidharma. Few could follow his depth. He wrote two fascicles on true marks for Yao Xing alone.
101
嘗講經於草堂寺，興及朝臣、大德沙門千有餘人肅容觀聽，羅什忽下高坐，謂興曰：「有二小兒登吾肩，欲鄣須婦人。」 興乃召宮女進之，一交而生二子焉。 興嘗謂羅什曰：「大師聽明超悟，天下莫二，何可使法種少嗣。」 遂以伎女十人，逼令受之。 爾後不住僧坊，別立解舍。 諸僧多效之。 什乃聚針盈缽，引諸僧謂之曰：「若能見效食此者，乃可畜室耳。」 因舉匕進針，與常食不別，諸僧愧服乃止。
Mid-lecture he told Yao Xing two spirits on his shoulders demanded women. Yao Xing sent palace ladies; he fathered twin sons. Yao Xing said his genius should not lack dharma heirs. He forced ten courtesans on the monk. Kumarajiva thereafter lived apart from the cloister in a private compound. Many monks copied his householding. He filled a bowl with needles and dared the assembly to eat them like him if they wanted wives. He ate them like rice until the monks, shamed, dropped the pretense.
102
杯渡比丘在彭城，聞羅什在長安，乃歎曰：「吾與此子戲，別三百餘年，相見杳然未期，遲有遇于來生耳。」 羅什未終少日，覺四大不愈，乃口出三番神咒，令外國弟子誦之以自救，未及致力，轉覺危殆，於是力疾與眾僧告別曰：「因法相遇，殊未盡心，方復後世，惻愴可言。」 死于長安。 姚興於逍遙園依外國法以火焚屍，薪滅形碎，惟舌不爛。
Monk Beidu in Pengcheng sighed that he and Kumarajiva were old friends separated three centuries, reunion left to another birth. Feeling death near, he tried spells, then bade the sangha a tearful farewell to meet again in future lives. He died in Chang'an. Yao Xing cremated him by Indian rite; only his tongue survived the fire.
103
僧曇霍
Seng Tanhuo.
104
沙門曇霍者，不知何許人也。 禿髮傉檀時從河南來，持一錫杖，令人跪曰：「此是般若眼，奉之可以得道。」 時人咸異之。 或遺以衣服，受而投之於河，後日以還其本主，衣無所汙。 行步如風雲，言人死生貴賤無毫釐之差。 人或藏其錫杖，曇霍大哭數聲，閉目須臾，起而取之，咸奇其神異，莫能測也。 每謂傉檀曰：「若能安坐無為，則天下可定，祚胤克昌，如其窮兵好殺，禍將及己。」 傉檀不能從。 傉檀女病甚，請救療，曇霍曰：「人之生死自有定期，聖人亦不能轉禍為福，曇霍安能延命邪！ 正可知早晚耳。」 傉檀固請之。 時後宮門閉，曇霍曰：急開後門，及開門則生，不及則死。」 傉檀命開之，不及而死。 後兵亂，不知所在也。
Monk Tanhuo's origin was unknown. Under Tufa Rutan he came from Henan with a tin staff, bidding folk kneel and calling it the eye of prajna. All thought him strange. Gifts of clothing he cast in the river; garments returned spotless to donors. He strode like wind, predicting life and death without fault. If his staff was hidden, he wailed briefly, then walked straight to its hiding place. He urged Tufa Rutan to rule quietly or face self-ruin through war. Rutan refused the counsel. Asked to heal the princess, Tanhuo said fate could not be bought. He could only tell the hour of death. Rutan pressed him. With the inner gate shut he cried to open the rear gate instantly or she would die. The gate opened too late; the princess died. War swallowed him without trace.
105
台產
Tai Chan.
106
台產，字國俊，上洛人，漢侍中崇之後也。 少專京氏《易》，善圖讖、秘緯、天文、洛書、風角、星算、六日七分之學，尤善望氣、占候、推步之術。 隱居商洛南山，兼善經學，泛情教授，不交當世。 劉曜時，災異特甚，命公卿各舉博識直言之士一人。 其大司空劉均舉產。 曜親臨東堂，遣中黃門策問之，產極言其故。 曜覽而嘉之，引見，訪以政事。 產流涕歔欷，具陳災變之禍，政化之闕，辭甚懇至。 曜改容禮之，署為博士祭酒、諫議大夫，領太史令。 至明年而其言皆驗，曜彌重之，轉太中大夫，歲中三遷。 歷位尚書、光祿大夫、太子少師，位特進，金章紫綬，爵關中侯。
Tai Chan, courtesy name Guojun, came from Shangluo, descended from Han's Tai Chong. He mastered Jing Fang's Changes, apocrypha, astronomy, Luo charts, wind-angle, and calendrical arts, especially qi-watching. He taught classics in hermitage on Shangluo South Mountain, shunning office. Liu Yao's reign brought dire omens; he ordered each minister to nominate a truth-telling scholar. Grand minister of works Liu Jun nominated Tai Chan. Liu Yao questioned him at the east hall; Tai Chan explained every portent. Liu Yao praised his memorials and sought policy advice. Tai Chan wept, listing omens and policy failures with brutal honesty. Liu Yao honored him as erudite libationer, remonstrance grandee, and grand astrologer. His forecasts proved within the year; Liu Yao promoted him thrice. He rose to minister, splendid brightness grandee, junior tutor, specially advanced, golden seal and purple ribbon, marquis within the passes.
107
史評
Historians' appraisal.
108
史臣曰：陳戴等諸子並該洽墳典，研精數術，究推步之幽微，窮陰陽之秘奧，雖前代京管，何以加之！ 郭黁知有晉之亡姚，去姚以歸晉，追兵奄及，致斃中途，斯則遠見秋毫，不能近知目睫。 澄什爰自遐裔，來游諸夏。 什既兆見星象，澄乃驅役鬼神，並通幽洞冥，垂文闡教，諒見珍於道藝，非取貴於他山，姚石奉之若神，良有以也。 鮑、吳、王、幸等或假靈道訣，或受教神方，遂能厭勝禳災，隱文彰義，雖獲譏於妖妄，頗有益於世用者焉。 然而碩學通人，未宜枉轡。
The annalists praise Chen Xun, Dai Yang, and their peers for mastering the canon and cosmology beyond even Jing Fang and Guan Zhong. Guo Wu foresaw Jin ending Yao yet died fleeing—sharp on distant stars, blind to his own peril. Fotucheng and Kumarajiva came from afar to teach China. One read stars, the other mastered spirits; both taught scripture—Yao and Shi honored their arts, not mere foreign curiosities, with cause. Bao Jing, Wu Meng, Wang Jia, and Xing Ling used charms to help the world despite charges of sorcery. True scholars should not blindly follow such paths.
109
贊曰：《傳》敘災祥，《書》稱龜筮。 應如影響，葉若符契。 怪力亂神，詭時惑世。 崇尚弗已，必致流弊。
The verse says: the Documents record omens; the Canon praises tortoise and yarrow. They answer like shadow and echo; align like tallies matched. Uncanny powers and unruly spirits deceive the age and bewilder the world. Endless veneration of such arts invites lasting harm.