1
南齊書卷十九‧志第十一
Book of the Southern Qi, Volume 19 — Treatise 11
2
《木傳》曰：「東方，《易經》地上之木爲《觀》。 故木於人，威儀容貌也。 木者，春生氣之始，農之本也。 無奪農時，使民歲不過三日，行什一之稅，無貪欲之謀，則木氣從。 如人君失威儀，逆木行，田獵馳騁，不反宮室，飲食沈湎，不顧禮制，出入無度，多發繇役，以奪民時，作爲姦詐，以奪民財，則木失其性矣。 蓋以工匠之爲輪矢者多傷敗，故曰木不曲直。」
The Wood Treatise says: 「In the east, the Book of Changes takes wood on the earth as the hexagram Guan (Viewing). Wood, then, stands for a man's dignity and countenance. Wood is where spring's life-force begins and the root of farming. Do not rob the seasons of ploughing; keep yearly corvée to three days or less; take a tenth in tax; plot no greedy schemes — and the wood qi will align. But if the ruler casts off dignity, turns against the wood phase, hunts and races without returning to court, drowns in feasting without heed for rites, goes in and out without limit, sends out corvée after corvée to steal the people's seasons, and schemes fraud to steal their goods — then wood loses its true nature. Craftsmen who shape wheels and arrows often spoil their work; hence the omen that wood will not bend true.
3
建元元年，朱爵𦨵華表柱生枝葉。
In the first year of Jianyuan, foliage grew on the ornamental pillar at the Vermilion Sparrow Gate.
4
建元初，李子生毛。
Early in Jianyuan, plum fruit sprouted hairlike growth.
5
二年，武陵沅頭都尉治有桑樹，方冬生葉。 《京房易傳》曰：「木冬生花，天下有喪。」 其占同。 後二年，宮車晏駕。
In year 2, at the Wuling Yuan-head commandery seat, a mulberry put out leaves in the depth of winter. Jing Fang's Commentary on the Changes says: 「Wood flowering in winter — mourning falls on the realm. 」The reading matched. Two years on, the imperial carriage came to rest — the emperor died.
6
四年，巴州城西古樓腳柏柱數百年，忽生花。
In year 4, a cypress pillar at the base of the ancient tower west of Bazhou, centuries old, burst into bloom.
7
永明六年，石子崗柏木長二尺四寸，廣四寸半，化爲石。 時車駕數游幸，應本傳「木失其性」也。
In Yongming year 6, a cypress on Stonezi Ridge, two feet four inches long and four and a half inches across, turned to stone. The throne was constantly on tour — fulfilling this treatise's line that 「wood had lost its nature.」
8
永明中，大𦨵一舶無故自沈，艚中無水。
In Yongming, one great warship sank for no apparent reason; the hold held no water.
9
隆昌元年，廬陵王子卿齋屋梁柱際無故出血。
In the first year of Longchang, blood seeped without cause from the beam-and-post joint in Prince Ziqing of Luling's fasting hall.
10
建武初，始安王遙光治廟，截東安寺屋以直廟垣，截梁，水出如淚。
Early in Jianwu, Prince Yaoguang of Shi'an rebuilt his ancestral shrine, trimming Dong'an Temple's roofline to square the shrine wall; when the beams were cut, water welled up like tears.
11
《貌傳》曰：「失威儀之制，怠慢驕恣，謂之狂，則不肅矣。 下不敬，則上無威。 天下旣不敬，又肆其驕恣，肆之則不從。 夫不敬其君，不從其政，則陰氣勝，故曰厥罰常雨。」
The Appearance Treatise says: 「Cast off the rules of dignity, grow slack, proud, and wild — that is called frenzy, and reverence is gone. When inferiors withhold respect, superiors have no awe. When the realm is already disrespectful and then indulges pride and license, indulgence breeds disobedience. Fail to honor the ruler and refuse his rule, and yin overcomes — hence the penalty called unending rain.」
12
永明八年四月，己巳起陰雨，晝或暫晴，夜時見星月，連雨積霖，至十七日乃止。
In Yongming the eighth year, fourth month, from jisi day rain set in; days sometimes briefly cleared, nights sometimes showed stars and moon; the downpour lasted until the seventeenth before it broke.
13
十一年四月辛巳朔，去三月戊寅起，而其間暫時晴，從四月一日又陰雨，晝或見日，夜乍見月，回復陰雨，至七月乃止。
On the xinsi new moon of the fourth month in year 11 — rain had begun in the third month on wuyin day, with brief clears between — from the first of the fourth month cloud and rain returned; by day the sun sometimes broke through, by night the moon flickered, then rain again, until the seventh month at last ended.
14
永泰元年十二月二十九日雨，至永元元年五月二十一日乃晴。 京房《易》曰：「冬雨，天下饑。 春雨，有小兵。」 時虜寇雍州，餘應本傳。
Rain from the twenty-ninth of the twelfth month, Yongtai year 1, until fair skies on the twenty-first of the fifth month, Yongyuan year 1. Jing Fang's Changes says: 「Rain in winter — famine under Heaven. Rain in spring — small wars. 」Barbarians were raiding Yongzhou — the rest fulfilled this treatise.
15
《傳》曰：「大雨雪，猶庶征之常雨也，然有甚焉。 雨，陰。 大雨雪者，陰之畜積甚也。 一曰與大水同象，曰攻爲雪耳。」
The Treatise says: 「Great rain and snow belong among the usual signs of unending rain, yet they mark something worse. Rain is yin. Heavy rain and snow mean yin has stockpiled to excess. Another reading: it shares the omen of great flood — assault turned into snow.」
16
建元二年閏月己丑，雨雪。
the second year of Jianyuan, intercalary month, jichou day — rain mixed with snow.
17
三年十一月，雨雪，或陰或晦，八十餘日，至四年二月乃止。
Eleventh month, year 3 — rain and snow, skies dull or dark, for eighty-odd days until the second month of year 4.
18
《傳》曰：「雷於天地爲長子，以其首長萬物，與之出入。 故雷出萬物出，雷入萬物入。 夫雷者，人君之象，入則除害，出則興利。 雷之微氣以正月出，其有聲者以二月出，以八月入，其餘微者以九月入。 冬三月雷無出者； 若是陽不閉陰，則出涉危難而害萬物也。」
The Treatise says: 「Thunder between Heaven and Earth is the eldest son — it goes first among the myriad things in their rising and falling. Thunder out, the myriad things come out; thunder in, they go in. Thunder images the ruler: inward it clears harm, outward it brings gain. Thunder's faint breath appears in the first month; audible thunder in the second; it withdraws in the eighth; what remains, faintly, in the ninth. Through the three winter months thunder should not sound; but if yang fails to seal yin, it breaks out, trespasses on danger, and harms the myriad things.」
19
建元元年十月壬午，夜電光，因雷鳴。
the first year of Jianyuan, tenth month, renwu night — lightning, then thunder.
20
十一月庚戌，電光，有頃雷鳴，久而止。
Eleventh month, gengxu — lightning; thunder followed after a moment and rumbled on before stopping.
21
永明五年正月戊申，夜西北雷聲。
Yongming the fifth year, first month, wushen night — thunder in the northwest.
22
六年十月甲申，夜陰細雨，始聞雷鳴於西北上。
In the sixth year, tenth month, jiashen night — a light, steady rain; thunder first rolled from the northwest.
23
七年正月甲子，夜陰，雷鳴西南坤宮，隆隆一聲而止。
In the seventh year, first month, jiazi night — overcast; thunder in the southwest Kun quarter, a single deep roll and silence.
24
八年正月庚戌，夜雷起坎宮水門，其音隆隆，一聲而止。
In the eighth year, first month, gengxu night — thunder at the Kan quarter's water gate, a deep rumble, one stroke and done.
25
九年二月丙子，西北有電光，因聞雷聲隆隆，仍續十聲而止。
In the ninth year, second month, bingzi — lightning northwest, then rolling thunder, ten strokes in succession before it ceased.
26
十年二月庚戌，夜南方有電光，因聞雷聲隆隆相續，丁亥止。
In the tenth year, second month, gengxu night — lightning in the south, then rolling thunder one after another until dinghai.
27
十月庚子，電雷起西北。
Tenth month, gengzi — lightning and thunder broke out in the northwest.
28
十一月丁丑，西南有光，因聞雷聲隱隱，再聲而止。 西南坤宮。
In the eleventh month, on the day dingchou, light appeared in the southwest; then faint thunder rolled twice and fell silent. Southwest—the Kun palace sector.
29
十二月甲申，陰雨，有電光，因聞西南及西北上雷鳴，頻續三聲。 丙申，夜聞西北上雷頻續二聲。
In the twelfth month, on the day jiashen, the sky was overcast and rain fell; lightning flashed, and thunder rolled three times from the southwest and from above the northwest. On the day bingshen, at night thunder rolled twice from above the northwest.
30
辛亥，雷雨。
On the day xinhai, thunder and rain.
31
《傳》曰：「雨雹，君臣之象也。 陽之氣專爲雹，陰之氣專爲霰。 陽專而陰脅之，陰盛而陽薄之。 雹者，陰薄陽之象也。 霰者，陽脅陰之符也。 《春秋》不書霰者，猶月蝕也。」
The Treatise says: 「Rain and hail image the ruler and his ministers. Yang qi by itself forms hail; yin qi by itself forms graupel. When yang holds sway and yin presses upon it; when yin grows strong and yang is driven thin. Hail is the sign of yin pressing yang thin. Graupel is the token of yang constraining yin. The Spring and Autumn Annals does not record graupel—much as it omits lunar eclipses.」
32
建元四年五月戊午朔，雹。
the fourth year of Jianyuan, fifth month, new moon of the day wuwu: hail fell.
33
永明元年九月乙丑，雹落大如蒜子，須臾乃止。
Yongming 1, ninth month, day yichou: hailstones fell as large as garlic cloves, then ceased in a moment.
34
十一年四月辛亥，雹落大如蒜子，須臾滅。
In the eleventh year, fourth month, day xinhai: hailstones as large as garlic cloves fell, then vanished in a moment.
35
《貌傳》又曰：「上失節而狂，下怠慢而不敬，上下失道，輕法侵制，不顧君上，因以薦饑。 貌氣毀，故有雞禍。」 「一曰水歲雞多死及爲怪，亦是也。 上下不相信，大臣姦宄，民爲寇盜，故曰厥極惡。」 「一曰民多被刑，或形貌醜惡，風俗狂慢，變節易度，則爲輕剽奇怪之服，故曰時則有服妖。」
The Appearance Treatise also says: 「When the ruler above loses measure and turns reckless, those below grow negligent and disrespectful; above and below abandon the Way, laws are trifled with and boundaries violated, with no regard for the throne—then famine is offered up. When the qi of appearance is ruined, calamities of chickens arise. 」Another reading: 「In a Water year chickens die in great numbers or turn strange—this too applies. When sovereign and subjects no longer trust one another, ministers breed conspiracy, and the people turn to banditry—hence the reading that the ultimate omen is wickedness. When sovereign and subjects no longer trust one another, ministers breed conspiracy, and the people turn to banditry—hence the reading that the ultimate omen is wickedness.
36
永明中，宮內服用射獵錦文，爲騎射兵戈之象。 至建武初，虜大爲寇。
In Yongming, the palace adopted hunting brocades patterned with bow and lance—emblems of horsemen, archery, and arms. By the opening of Jianwu, the northern foes raided on a great scale.
37
永明中，蕭諶開博風帽後裙之制，爲破後帽。 世祖崩後，諶建廢立，誅滅諸王。
In Yongming, Xiao Chen introduced broad wind hats with long back skirts—the style called the torn-back hat. After Shizu’s death, Chen engineered deposition and enthronement and put the princes to death.
38
永明末，民間制倚勸帽。 及海陵廢，明帝之立，勸進之事，倚立可待也。
At the end of Yongming, the people fashioned leaning-admonition hats. When Hailing was deposed and Mingdi took the throne—the urging of accession: lean and stand, and the deed was done.
39
建武中，帽裙覆頂； 東昏時，以爲裠應在下，而今在上，不祥，斷之。 羣下反上之象也。
In Jianwu, hat skirts were worn over the crown; under Dong Hun they judged it ill that skirts meant to hang below now hung above—ill-omened—and had them cut away. An omen of the many rebelling against their superiors.
40
永元中，東昏侯自造遊宴之服，綴以花采錦繡，難得詳也。 羣小又造四種帽，帽因勢爲名：一曰山鵲歸林者，《詩》云「《鵲巢》，夫人之德」，東昏寵嬖淫亂，故鵲歸其林藪； 二曰「兔子度坑」，天意言天下將有逐兔之事也； 三曰「反縛黃離嘍」，黃口小鳥也，反縛，面縛之應也； 四曰「鳳皇度三橋」，鳳皇者嘉瑞，三橋，梁王宅處也。
In Yongyuan, the Marquis of Dong Hun devised his own garments for feasts and outings, sewn with floral brocade beyond full reckoning. Petty men fashioned four kinds of hat, each named from the drift of events: first, 「Magpie of the hills returning to the grove」—the Odes have 「Magpie Nest—the wife’s virtue」; Dong Hun doted on favorites and lewd disorder, so the magpie returned to its covert; second, 「Rabbit crossing the ditch」—Heaven’s meaning was that the realm would soon know the chase of the hare; third, 「Bound yellow fledgling」—the yellow-beaked nestling; reversed binding—the omen of bonds drawn across the face; fourth, 「Phoenix crossing three bridges」—the phoenix is a blessed omen; the three bridges mark where the Prince of Liang dwelt.
41
《貌傳》又曰：「危亂端見，則天地之異生。 木者青，故曰青眚，爲惡祥。 凡貌傷者，金沴木，木沴金，衡氣相通。」
The Appearance Treatise also says: 「When the first signs of peril appear, Heaven and Earth produce anomalies. Wood is green; hence the green portent—a baleful sign. Whenever appearance is wounded, metal injures wood and wood injures metal—the qi of the scales flow into one another.」
42
延興元年，海陵王初立，文惠太子冢上有物如人，長數丈，青色，直上天，有聲如雷。
Yanxing 1, when the Prince of Hailing was first raised to the throne, above Crown Prince Wen Hui’s mound a figure like a man, several zhang in height and green in color, rose straight to Heaven with a roar like thunder.
43
火，南方，揚光輝，出炎𤓀爲明者也。 人君向明而治，蓋取其象。 以知人爲分，讒佞旣遠，羣賢在位，則爲明而火氣從矣。 人君疑惑，棄法律，不誅讒邪，則讒口行，內間骨肉，外疏忠臣，至殺世子，逐功臣，以妾爲妻，則火失其性，上災宗廟，下災府榭，內熯本朝，外熯闕觀，雖興師衆，不能救也。
Fire belongs to the south; it lifts light and splendor, and from leaping flame comes radiance. The ruler faces the light in his rule—he takes this for his emblem. He assigns office by men’s gifts; flatterers are kept distant and the worthy stand in post—then he is luminous and fire qi answers. When the ruler wavers, casts aside law, and will not punish slander and wickedness—then slander runs free, flesh and bone are divided within and loyal ministers cast off without, until the heir is slain and worthy servants banished, a concubine raised to wife—then fire loses its nature: disaster strikes the ancestral shrines above and the palaces below, flame devours the court within and the gate-towers without; though hosts be mobilized, none can redeem it.
44
永明三年正月，甲夜西北有野火，光上生精。 西北有四，東北有一，並長七八尺，黃赤色。
Yongming 3, first month, first watch of night: wild fire in the northwest; from its light fire-essence rose. Four in the northwest and one in the northeast—each seven or eight chi long, yellow and red.
45
三月庚午，丙夜北面有野火，光上生精，長六尺； 戊夜又有一枚，長五尺，並黃赤色。
Third month, day gengwu, third watch of night: wild fire to the north; essence rose from its light, six chi long; fifth watch again one, five chi long—all yellow-red.
46
四年正月丁亥，夜有火精三處。
In the fourth year, first month, day dinghai: at night fire essence appeared in three places.
47
閏月丁巳，夜有火精四所。
Intercalary month, day dingsi: at night fire essence appeared in four places.
48
十二月辛酉，夜東南有野火精二枚。
Twelfth month, day xinyou: at night two wild fire essences in the southeast.
49
五年十二月丙寅，夜西北有野火，火上生精，一枚，長三尺，黃白色。
In the fifth year, twelfth month, day bingyin: at night wild fire in the northwest; essence rose from the flame, one piece three chi long, yellow-white.
50
六年十一月戊申，夜西南及北三面有野火，火生精，九枚，竝長二尺，黃赤色。
In the sixth year, eleventh month, day wushen: at night wild fire burned in the southwest and on three sides to the north; the flames bore essence, nine in all, each two chi long and yellow-red.
51
九年二月丙寅，甲夜北面有野火，火上生精，二枚，西北又一枚，並長三尺，須臾消。
In the ninth year, second month, bingyin day: on the jia watch, wild fire burned in the north; spirit-forms rose from the flames—two together, and a third in the northwest—each three chi tall; in a breath they were gone.
52
永元二年八月，宮內火，燒西齋璿儀殿及昭陽、顯陽等殿，北至華林牆，西及秘閣，凡屋三千餘間。 《京房易傳》曰：「君不思道，厥妖火燒宮。」 秘閣與《春秋》宣榭火同，天意若曰，旣無紀綱，何用典文爲也！
Yongyuan the second year, eighth month: palace fire consumed the Xuanyi Hall in the west quarters, the Zhaoyang and Xianyang halls, and more—north to the Hualin wall, west to the archives—over three thousand rooms in all. Jing Fang's Commentary on the Changes says: 「When the ruler turns from the Way, the omen is fire in the palace. 」The archives blaze matched the Xuan she fire in the Spring and Autumn Annals—as if Heaven said: with no order left in the realm, of what use are the classics?
53
二年冬，京師民間相驚云，當行火災，南岸人家往往於籬間得布火纏者，云公家以此禳之。
That winter, rumor swept the capital that a great fire was due; on the south bank families kept finding cloth-wrapped fire bundles in their hedges—said to be the court's way of warding the calamity off.
54
三年正月，豫章郡天火燒三千餘家。 京房《易》占曰：「天火下燒民屋，是謂亂治殺兵作。」 是年，臺軍與義師偏衆相攻於南江諸郡。
In the third year, first month: heaven fire in Yuzhang commandery burned more than three thousand homes. Jing Fang's Changes divination says: 「Heaven fire that falls and burns commoners' houses means rule in chaos and armies raised for slaughter. 」That year court armies and righteous-army factions clashed across the southern river commanderies.
55
三年二月，乾和殿西廂火，燒屋三十間。 是時西齋旣火，帝徙居東齋，高宗所住殿也。 與燒宮占同。
In the third year, second month: fire in the west wing of Qianhe Hall destroyed thirty rooms. The west quarters were already ash; the emperor moved to the east quarters—the hall where Emperor Gaozong had lived. The same reading as for a burning palace.
56
《傳》又曰：「犯上者不誅，則草犯霜而不死。 或殺不以時，事在殺生失柄，故曰草妖也。」 一曰：「草妖者，失衆之象也。」
The Treatise also says: 「If those who rise against their betters go unpunished, grass will meet frost and not die. Or killing out of season—the fault is slaughter without mastery; hence the omen of grass. 」Another text says: 「Grass portents show the ruler has lost the people.」
57
永元中，御刀黃文濟家齋前種昌蒲，忽生花，光影照壁，成五采，其兒見之，餘人不見也。 少時，文濟被殺。
In Yongyuan, Huang Wenji of the Imperial Blades had calamus before his study suddenly bloom; colored light played on the wall; only his child saw it—the rest did not. Soon after, Wenji was put to death.
58
劉歆《視傳》有羽蟲之孽，謂雞禍也。 班固案《易》雞屬《巽》，今以羽蟲之孽類是也，依歆說附《視傳》云。
Liu Xin's Treatise on Appearances lists portents among feathered creatures—the calamity of the chicken. Ban Gu notes that in the Changes the chicken belongs to Xun, Wind; feathered portents are classed likewise. Following Liu Xin, appended to the Treatise on Appearances:
59
建武二年，有大鳥集建安，形如水犢子。 其年，郡大水。
Jianwu year 2: a great bird settled at Jian'an, shaped like a water-buffalo calf. That year the commandery was struck by flood.
60
三年，大鳥集東陽郡，太守沈約表云：「鳥身備五采，赤色居多。」 案《樂緯葉圖徵》云：「焦明鳥質赤，至則水之感也。」
Year 3: a great bird gathered in Dongyang; Administrator Shen Yue reported: 「Its body showed all five colors, red predominating. 」The Music Weft's Leaf Diagram Prognostications says: 「The Jiaoming bird is red in substance; its coming is water's omen.」
61
永明二年四月，烏巢內殿東鴟尾。
Yongming the second year, fourth month: crows nested on the inner palace's eastern chiwen finial.
62
三年，大鳥集會稽上虞。 其年，縣大水。
Year 3: a great bird gathered at Shangyu in Kuaiji. That year the county was flooded.
63
《傳》曰：「維水沴火。」 又曰：「赤眚赤祥。」
The Treatise says: 「Water injures fire. 」It also says: 「Red portent, red omen.」
64
建武四年，王晏子德元所居帷屏，無故有血灑之，少日而散。 晏尋被誅。
Jianwu year 4: at the screens in the home of Wang Yan's son Deyuan, blood appeared from nowhere and faded within days. Soon after, Yan was executed.
65
《思心傳》曰：「心者，土之象也。 思心不睿，其過在瞀亂失紀。 風於陽則爲君，於陰則爲大臣之象，專恣而氣盛，故罰常風。 心爲五事主，猶土爲五行主也。」 一曰：「陰陽相薄，偏氣陽多爲風，其甚也常風。 陰氣多者，陰而不雨，其甚也常陰。」 一曰：「風宵起而晝晦，以應常陰同象也。」
The Traditions on the Mind says: 「The mind images earth. When the mind is not clear, the fault is confusion and the collapse of rule. Wind in yang stands for the ruler, in yin for great ministers—willfulness and surging breath bring the penalty of unending wind. The mind governs the five duties as earth governs the five phases. 」Another reading: 「Yin and yang clash; where breath leans yang, wind rises—at the extreme, wind without end. Where yin abounds, cloud without rain—at the extreme, yin without end. 」Another reading: 「Wind by night and dimness by day share the omen of unending yin.」
66
建元元年十一月庚戌，風夜暴起，雲雷合冥，從戌亥上來。
the first year of Jianyuan, eleventh month, gengxu day: at night wind burst up; cloud and thunder shut out the sky; it came from the northwest along the xu-hai quarter.
67
四年十一月甲寅，酉時風起小駃，至二更雪落，風轉浪津。
In the fourth year, eleventh month, jiayin: at you hour a light wind rose; at the second watch snow fell and the wind became a tide-surge gale.
68
永明四年二月丙寅，巳時風迅急。
Yongming the fourth year, second month, bingyin day: at si hour the wind blew hard and fast.
69
十一月己丑，戌時風迅急，從西北戌亥上來。
Eleventh month, jichou day: at xu hour a fierce wind came from the northwest along xu-hai.
70
五年五月乙酉，子時風迅急，從西北戌亥上來。
In the fifth year, fifth month, yiyou day: at zi hour a fierce wind came from the northwest along xu-hai.
71
七年正月丁卯，陽徵陰賊之日，時加子，風起迅急，從北方子丑上來，暴疾浪津，寅時止。
In the seventh year, first month, dingmao—a yang-zhi, yin-thief day, zi hour: wind rose hard from the north along zi-chou, a violent tide-surge gale; it ceased at yin hour.
72
八年六月乙酉，時加子，風起迅急，暴疾浪津，發屋折木，塵沙，從西南未上來，因雷雨，須臾，風微雨止。
In the eighth year, sixth month, yiyou day, zi hour: wind rose hard—a violent tide-surge gale that stripped roofs and snapped trees, dust and sand from the southwest along wei; thunder and rain followed; presently the wind fell and the rain stopped.
73
九年七月甲寅，陽羽廉貞之日，時加亥，風起迅急，從東方來，暴疾彭勃浪津，至乙卯陰賊時漸微，名羽動羽。
In the ninth year, seventh month, jiayin—a yang-yu, lianzhen day, hai hour: wind rose hard from the east, a violent surging tide-surge gale; by yimao, yin-thief hour, it slowly died—named 「yu stirring yu.」
74
九月乙丑，時加未，雷，驟雨，風起迅急，暴疾浪津，從西北戌上來。
Ninth month, yichou day, wei hour: thunder and a downpour; wind rose hard—a violent tide-surge gale from the northwest along xu.
75
十月壬辰，陽羽姦邪之日，時加丑，風起從北方子丑上來，暴疾浪津，迅急，塵埃，五日寅時漸微，名羽動宮。
Tenth month, renchen—a yang-yu, jianxie day, chou hour: wind from the north along zi-chou, a violent tide-surge gale, swift and dusty; on the fifth day at yin hour it slowly died—named 「yu stirring gong.」
76
十年正月辛巳，陽商寬大之日，時加寅，風從西北上來，暴疾浪津，迅急，揚沙折木，酉時止。
In the tenth year, first month, xinsi—a yang-shang, kuanda day, yin hour: wind from the northwest, a violent tide-surge gale, swift, lifting sand and breaking trees; it ceased at you hour.
77
二月甲辰，陽徵姦邪之日，時加辰，風起迅急，從西北亥上來，暴疾彭勃浪津，至酉時止。
Second month, jiachen—a yang-zhi, jianxie day, chen hour: wind rose hard from the northwest along hai, a violent surging tide-surge gale; it ceased at you hour.
78
三月丁酉，陽徵廉貞之日，時加未，風從北方子丑上來，迅急，暴疾浪津，戌時止。
Third month, dingyou—a yang-zhi, lianzhen day, wei hour: wind from the north along zi-chou, swift and violent as a tide-surge gale; it ceased at xu hour.
79
七月庚申，陰角貪狼之日，時加午，風從東北丑上來，迅急浪津，至辛酉巳時漸微。
Seventh month, gengshen—a yin-jue, tanlang day, wu hour: wind from the northeast along chou, a swift tide-surge gale; by xinyou si hour it slowly died.
80
十一年二月庚寅，陽角廉貞之日，時加亥，風從西北亥上來，迅疾浪津，丑時漸微，爲角動角。
Eleventh year, second month, gengyin: on a yang-jue Integrity day, at the hai hour, wind rose from the northwest at hai in a fierce surging billow-gale, easing by chou; the omen was named jue stirring jue.
81
七月甲寅，陽羽廉貞之日，時加巳，風從東北寅上來，迅疾浪津，發屋折木，戊夜漸微，爲羽動徵。 己巳，陽角寬大之日，時加未，風從戌上來，暴疾，良久止，爲角動商及宮。
Seventh month, jiayin: on a yang-yu Integrity day, at si hour, wind from the northeast at yin drove a surging billow-gale that stripped roofs and broke trees; it faded in the deep watches of the night — yu stirring zhi. On jisi, a yang-jue Magnanimity day at wei hour, wind burst from xu, violent and sudden, and raged a long while before it ceased — jue stirring shang and gong.
82
凡時無專恣，疑是陰陽相薄。
Taken together, when no season held exclusive sway, the reading was yin and yang clashing.
83
建武元年三月乙酉，未時風起，浪津暴急，從北方上來，應本傳瞀亂。
Jianwu 1, third month, yiyou: at wei hour wind rose from the north, a violent surging billow-gale — fulfilling this treatise's omen of muddled rule and lost order.
84
建武二年、三年、四年，每秋七月、八月，輒大風，三吳尤甚，髮屋折木，殺人。 京房占：「獄吏暴，風害人。」 時帝嚴刻。
In Jianwu 2, 3, and 4 every autumn's seventh and eighth months brought great winds; the Three Wu suffered most — roofs torn away, trees shattered, people killed. Jing Fang's reading: 「When jailers turn savage, wind becomes a scourge upon the people. 」The throne was pitiless.
85
永元元年七月十二日，大風，京師十圍樹及官府居民屋皆拔倒，應本傳。
Yongyuan 1, seventh month, day twelve: a great wind uprooted every tree ten arm-spans around in the capital, government halls and private houses alike — as this treatise foretold.
86
《傳》又曰：「山之於地，君之象也。 山崩者，君權損，京陵易處，世將變也。 陵轉爲澤，貴將爲賤也。」
The Treatise also says: 「A mountain on the earth images the ruler. When mountains fall, royal power wanes, the dynastic tombs must shift, and the age is turning. Tombs sink into marsh; the high-born sink low.」
87
建元二年夏，廬陵石陽縣長溪水沖激山麓崩，長六七丈，下得柱千餘口，皆十圍，長者一丈，短者八九尺，頭題有古文字，不可識。 江淹以問王儉，儉云：「江東不閑隸書，此秦漢時柱也。」 後年宮車晏駕，世變之象也。
the second year of Jianyuan, summer: in Shiyang, Luling, the Chang stream scoured the mountain foot until six or seven zhang fell away; beneath lay a thousand-odd pillars, each ten arm-spans thick, from one zhang down to eight or nine chi, their heads carved with ancient script no one could read. Jiang Yan consulted Wang Jian, who said: 「South of the Yangtze they no longer read clerical script — these are Qin-Han pillars. 」The year after, the emperor died — an omen that the world was shifting.
88
永明二年秋，始興曲江縣山崩，壅底溪水成陂。 京房占：「山崩，人主惡之。」
Yongming 2, autumn: a mountain fell in Qujiang, Shixing, and blocked the stream at its foot into a lake. Jing Fang's reading: 「Mountain collapse bodes ill for the sovereign.」
89
《傳》又曰：「雷電所擊，蓋所感也。 皆思心有尤之所致也。」
The Treatise also says: 「Thunder and lightning strike where they have been provoked. All such blows spring from failings of mind and heart.」
90
建元二年閏六月丙戌，戊夜震電。
the second year of Jianyuan, intercalary sixth month, bingxu: thunder and lightning in the fifth watch of the night.
91
四年五月五日，雷雹暗都，雷震于樂游安昌殿，電火焚蕩盡。
In the fourth year, fifth month, fifth day: thunder and hail plunged the capital into gloom; lightning hit the Anchang Hall in the Music Stroll quarter and fire from the bolt consumed it utterly.
92
永明八年四月六日，雷震會稽山陰恒山保林寺，刹上四破，電火燒塔，下佛面窗戶不異也。
Yongming 8, fourth month, day six: lightning struck Baolin Temple on Mount Heng in Shanyin, Kuaiji — the stupa split four ways and fire from the bolt charred the tower, but the Buddha's face and the windows beneath were untouched.
93
永明中，雷震東宮南門，無所傷毀，殺食官一人。
In Yongming, lightning hit the Eastern Palace's south gate without harming the buildings, yet killed one commissary officer.
94
十一年三月，震于東齋，棟崩。 左右密欲治繕，竟陵王子良曰：「此豈可治！ 留之志吾過，且旌天之愛我也。」 明年，子良薨。
In the eleventh year, third month: lightning at the East Studio; the main beam gave way. His close attendants quietly proposed repairs; Prince Zi Liang of Jingling said: 「This is not something to mend! Leave it as a record of my faults — and a sign that Heaven still favors me. 」The year after, Zi Liang died.
95
《傳》又曰：「土氣亂者，木金水火亂之。」
The Treatise also says: 「When earth's breath falls into chaos, wood, metal, water, and fire throw it into chaos.」
96
建武二年二月丁巳，地震。
Jianwu 2, second month, dingsi: the earth quaked.
97
永元元年七月，地日夜十八震。
Yongyuan 1, seventh month: eighteen shocks between dusk and dawn.
98
九月十九日，地五震。
Ninth month, day nineteen: five tremors.
99
金者，西方，萬物旣成，殺氣之始也。 其于王事，兵戎戰伐之道也。 王者興師動衆，建立旗鼓，仗旄把鉞，以誅殘賊，止暴亂，殺伐應義，則金氣從。 工冶鑄化，革形成器也。 人君樂侵陵，好攻戰，貪城邑，輕百姓之命，人民不安，內外騷動，則金失其性。 蓋冶鑄不化，冰滯固堅，故曰金不從革，又曰維木沴金。
Metal belongs to the west: when the ten thousand things are complete, it is where the breath of slaughter begins. In the business of kings it is the path of armies, war, and punitive expeditions. When a king marshals hosts, plants flags and drums, takes the yak-tail pennon and battle-axe to cut down the cruel and quell riot, and killing answers to justice, metal's breath aligns with him. Craftsmen smelt and cast; leather and hide become tools. But when a ruler revels in seizing what is not his, thirsts for battle, grasps at walled towns, and treats common lives as nothing — the people uneasy, turmoil within and without — metal loses its true nature. Furnaces fail to transform; ice sets hard and will not yield — hence the omen that metal refuses to be worked, and that wood overwhelms metal.
100
建武四年，明帝出舊宮送豫章王第二女綏安主降嬪，還上輦，輦上金翅無故自折落地。
Jianwu 4: Emperor Ming left the old palace to send off Princess Sui'an, second daughter of the Prince of Yuzhang, married down as a consort; as he climbed back into the imperial carriage, the golden wing ornaments snapped off without cause and dropped to the ground.
101
《言傳》曰：「言《易》之道，西方曰《兌》，爲口。 人君過差無度，刑法不一，斂從其重，或有師旅，炕陽之節，若動衆勞民，是言不從。 人君旣失衆，政令不從，孤陽持治，下畏君之重刑，陽氣勝則旱象至，故曰厥罰常陽也。」
The Speech Treatise says: 「In the Changes, the west is Dui — the mouth. When a ruler's excess has no measure, law is inconsistent, taxes take the heavier rate, or armies march in a season of blazing yang — if he stirs hosts and exhausts the people, speech does not follow. Once the ruler has lost the people and edicts go unheeded, a lone yang clings to power; inferiors dread his heavy punishments; yang overcomes and drought follows — hence the penalty called unending yang.」
102
建元三年，大旱，時有虜寇。
the third year of Jianyuan: severe drought; barbarians were raiding.
103
永民三年，大旱，明年，唐㝢之起。
Yongming 3: severe drought; the year after, Tang Yu rebelled.
104
建武二年，大旱，時虜寇方盛，皆動衆之應也。
Jianwu 2: severe drought while barbarian raids were at their peak — in each case the omen answered to armies on the march.
105
《言傳》曰：「下旣悲苦君上之行，又畏嚴刑而不敢正言，則必先發於歌謠。 歌謠，口事也。 口氣逆則惡言，或有怪謠焉。」
The Speech Treatise says: 「When the people grieve at their lord's ways yet fear his harsh law and dare not speak straight, the grievance surfaces first in songs. Ballads are the work of the mouth. When breath in the mouth turns awry, vicious words appear — or uncanny rhymes.」
106
宋泰始旣失彭城，江南始傳種消梨，先時所無，百姓爭欲種植。 識者曰：「當有姓蕭而來者。」 十餘年，齊受禪。
After the Song lost Pengcheng in the Taishi era, south of the Yangtze a new pear called the melt-away pear — unknown before — spread from hand to hand, and everyone rushed to plant it. Readers of portents said: 「Someone of the Xiao clan is coming. 」A dozen years later Qi took the Mandate.
107
元徽中，童謠曰：「襄陽白銅蹄，郎殺荊州兒。」 後沈攸之反，雍州刺史張敬兒襲江陵，殺沈攸之子元琰等。
In the Yuanhui years, children sang: 「White bronze hooves at Xiangyang—the young lord will slay Jingzhou's heir. 」Shen Youzhi rose in revolt; Yongzhou inspector Zhang Jinger stormed Jiangling and killed Youzhi's son Yuan Yan and his kin.
108
永明元年元日，有小人發白虎樽，旣醉，與筆札，不知所道，直云「憶高帝」。 敕原其罪。
Yongming 1, New Year's Day: a commoner broached the White Tiger wine jar; drunk, he seized brush and paper and scrawled nonsense—over and over only 「I remember the Founding Emperor.」 An edict pardoned him.
109
世祖起青溪舊宮，時人反之曰：「舊宮者，窮廄也。」 及上崩後，宮人出居之。
Emperor Shizu restored the old palace at Qingxi; wits reversed the name and said 「Old Palace—nothing but a beggared stable. 」When the emperor was gone, palace women were sent out to live there.
110
永明初，百姓歌曰：「白馬向城啼，欲得城邊草。」 後句間云「陶郎來」。 白者金色，馬者兵事。 三年，妖賊唐㝢之起，言唐來勞也。
Early Yongming, folk sang: 「A white horse weeps at the wall, hungering for grass along the ramparts. 」The next line ran 「Young Tao is coming.」 White belongs to metal; the horse images war. In the third year the outlaw Tang Yu rebelled—his slogan that Tang had come to ease their toil.
111
世祖起禪靈寺初成，百姓縱觀。 或曰：「禪者授也，靈非美名，所授必不得其人。」 後太孫立，見廢也。
When Emperor Shizu first completed Chanling Temple, the people thronged to see it. Some murmured: 「Chan means to transmit; ling is no lucky word—whoever is handed the throne will not be fit to hold it. 」Soon after the heir was enthroned—and cast down.
112
永明中，宮內坐起御食之外，皆爲客食。 世祖以客非家人名，改呼爲別食，時人以爲分別之象。 少時，上晏駕。
In Yongming, inside the palace every meal but the emperor's own at morning and evening was called a guest meal. Emperor Shizu said guest was no name for kin and renamed them separate meals; men read it as an omen of parting. Not long after, the emperor died.
113
文惠太子在東宮，作「兩頭纖纖」詩，後句云「磊磊落落玉山崩」，自此長王宰相相繼薨徂，二宮晏駕。
Crown Prince Wenhuai in the Eastern Palace wrote 「Two Ends, Fine and Fine」; its last line was 「jade mountains crumble, stone on stone」—after that great princes and chief ministers fell one after another, and both palaces buried their lords.
114
文惠太子作七言詩，後句輒云「愁和諦」。 後果有和帝禪位。
Wenhuai wrote seven-character verses whose last line always ended 「sorrow—and the Harmonious Emperor.」 In time Emperor He did yield the throne.
115
永明中，虜中童謠云：「黑水流北，赤火入齊。」 尋而京師人家忽生火，赤於常火，熱小微，貴賤爭取以治病。 法以此火灸桃板七炷，七日皆差。 敕禁之，不能斷。 京師有病癭者，以火灸數日而差。 鄰人笑曰：「病偶自差，豈火能爲。」 此人便覺頤閒癢，明日癭還如故。 後梁以火德興。
In Yongming a northern children's rhyme ran: 「Black water runs northward; red fire enters Qi. 」Soon fires sprang up in capital homes—brighter red than ordinary flame, barely warm; high and low scrambled to take the coals as cure. The rite was seven burns of peachwood with that fire—within seven days every case healed. Edicts forbade it; nothing could stop it. A man in the capital had a wen on his neck; cauterized with the fire for days, he recovered. A neighbor scoffed: 「The wen cleared on its own—what could fire have done? 」At once his jaw grew itchy; next day the wen was back as before. Later Liang rose under the virtue of fire.
116
文惠太子起東田，時人反云「後必有癲童。」 果由太孫失位。
Crown Prince Wenhuai laid out the Eastern Fields; wits read the name backward and said 「after this a frenzied child. 」So it was when the heir lost his seat.
117
齊宋以來，民間語云：「擾攘建武上。」 明帝初，誅害蕃戚，京師危駭。
Since Qi and Song, folk said: 「Turmoil—set Jianwu on high.」 When Emperor Ming began his reign he cut down the imperial kin; terror seized the capital.
118
永元元年，童謠曰：「洋洋千里流，流翣東城頭。 烏馬烏皮袴，三更相告訴。 腳跛不得起，誤殺老姥子。」 千里流者，江祏也。 東城，遙光也。 遙光夜舉事，垣歷生者烏皮袴褶往奔之。 跛腳，亦遙光。 老姥子，孝字之象，徐孝嗣也。
Yongyuan 1, children sang: 「Wide, wide—a thousand li runs; funeral streamers at the eastern rampart's crown. Black horse, black leather breeches—at the third watch they whisper word to word. The cripple cannot stand—by error they slay the old mother's boy. A thousand li flows pointed to Jiang Shi. The eastern wall meant Yao Guang. Yao Guang struck by night; Yuan Lisheng ran to him in black leather breeches and jacket. The cripple, too, was Yao Guang. The old mother's boy—the shape of the character for filial piety—was Xu Xiaosi.
119
齊、宋之際，民間語云「和起」，言以和顏而爲變起也。 後和帝立。
At the Qi-Song turn folk said 「He rises,」 meaning rule would change under a mild countenance. Later Emperor He took the throne.
120
崔慧景圍臺城，有一五色幡，飛翔在雲中，半日乃不見，衆皆驚怪，相謂曰：「幡者，事尋當飜覆也。」 數日而慧景敗。
As Cui Huijing besieged the capital, a five-colored banner hung in the sky; half a day it would not fade; the host cried in wonder: 「A banner—soon everything turns upside down. 」Within days Huijing was broken.
121
《言傳》曰：「言氣傷則民多口舌，故有口舌之痾。 金者白，故有日眚，若有白爲惡祥。」
The Treatise on Speech says: 「When the breath of speech is wounded the people grow mouths upon mouths—hence sores of lip and tongue. Metal is white—hence blemishes on the sun; white appearing is an ill sign.」
122
宋昇明二年，飆風起建康縣南塘里，吹帛一匹入雲，風止，下御路。 紀僧真啓太祖當宋氏禪者，其有匹夫居之。
Song Shengming 2: a whirlwind in Nantang hamlet, Jiankang county, lifted a bolt of cloth into the sky; when the wind died it fell on the Imperial Way. Ji Sengzhen told Emperor Taizu that the Song mandate was his—and that a common man would dwell on the omen.
123
水，北方，冬藏萬物，氣至陰也，宗廟祭祀之象。 死者精神放越不反，故爲之廟以收其散，爲之貌以收其魂神，而孝子得盡禮焉。 敬之至，則神歆之，此則至陰之氣從，則水氣從溝瀆隨而流去，不爲民害矣。 人君不禱祀，簡宗廟，廢祭祀，逆天時，則霧水暴出，川水逆溢，壤邑軼鄉，沉溺民人，故曰水不潤下。
Water is the north; in winter it hoards the ten thousand things; its qi is utmost yin—the sign of ancestral rites. When the dead man's spirit drifts and will not come back, they raise a temple to call the scattered home and shape a likeness to call the soul home—so the filial son may offer the full rite. When reverence is complete the spirits feast on it; utmost yin then aligns, and water's breath runs off through ditch and sluice without harm to the people. If a ruler neglects prayer and sacrifice, strips the ancestral temples, abandons the rites, and turns against the season, mist and floodwater erupt, rivers run backward and spill over, towns and hamlets are swept away, and people drown — hence the omen called water failing to soak down.
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建元二年，吳、吳興、義興三郡大水。
the second year of Jianyuan: Wu, Wuxing, and Yixing commanderies were struck by great floods.
125
二年夏，丹陽、吳二郡大水。
That summer, Danyang and Wu commanderies flooded.
126
四年，大水。
Year 4 brought another great flood.
127
永明五年夏，吳興、義興水雨傷稼。
Yongming 5, summer: rain and flood ruined the harvest in Wuxing and Yixing.
128
六年，吳興、義興二郡大水。
Year 6: Wuxing and Yixing flooded again.
129
建武二年冬，吳、晉陵二郡水雨傷稼。
Jianwu 2, winter: rain and flood destroyed the crops in Wu and Jinling.
130
永元元年七月，濤入石頭，漂殺緣淮居民。 應本傳。
Yongyuan 1, seventh month: the tide surged into Stone Castle and swept away those living along the Huai. It fulfilled this treatise.
131
荊州城內有沙池，常漏水。 蕭穎胄爲長史，水乃不漏，及穎胄亡，乃復竭。
Within Jingzhou city stood a sand-lined pool that never stopped leaking. While Xiao Yingkou served as chief clerk the pool held its water; when he died, it drained away once more.
132
《傳》曰：「極陰氣動，故有魚孽。 魚孽者，常寒罰之符也。」
The Commentary says: 「When yin at its utmost begins to move, fish portents appear. Fish portents mark the penalty of unending cold.」
133
永明九年，鹽官縣石浦有海魚乘潮來，水退不得去，長三十餘丈，黑色無鱗，未死，有聲如牛。 土人呼爲海燕，取其肉食之。
Yongming 9: at Shipu in Yanguan a sea fish came in on the tide and, when the water fell, could not escape — thirty-odd zhang long, black and without scales, still alive, bellowing like an ox. Country folk named it a 「sea swallow」 and butchered it for meat.
134
永元元年四月，有大魚十二頭入會稽上虞江，大者近二十餘丈，小者十餘丈，一入山陰稱蒲，一入永興江，皆暍岸側，百姓取食之。
Yongyuan 1, fourth month: twelve huge fish entered the Shangyu River in Kuaiji — the largest nearly twenty zhang, the smallest above ten; one stranded at Chengpu in Shanyin, another in the Yongxing River. All lay drying on the banks while commoners carved them up for food.
135
《聽傳》曰：「不聰之象見，則妖生於耳，以類相動，故曰有鼓妖也。」 一曰，聲屬鼓妖。
The Listening Treatise says: 「When the sign of deaf rule appears, monsters breed in the ear; like calls to like — hence the omen of the drum. 」Another reading: sound itself is the drum portent.
136
永明元年十一月癸卯夜，天東北有聲，至戊夜。
Yongming 1, eleventh month, guimao night: a sound rolled from the northeast sky until the wu watch.
137
《傳》曰：「皇之不極，是謂不建，其咎在霿亂失聽，故厥咎霿。」 思心之咎亦霧。 天者，正萬物之始，王者，正萬事之始，失中則害天氣，類相動也。 天者轉於下而運於上，雲者起於山而彌於天，天氣動則其象應，故厥罰常陰。 王者失中，臣下盛強，而蔽君明，則雲陰亦衆多而蔽天光也。
The Commentary says: 「When the king misses the Pole, the realm is not established; the blame is muddle and lost counsel — hence the penalty named obscuring. 」The fault of a wavering heart is fog as well. Heaven aligns the birth of the ten thousand things; the king aligns the birth of ten thousand affairs — lose the center and heaven's qi is wounded; like answers to like. Heaven wheels beneath and runs above; clouds climb from the hills and spread across the sky — stir heaven's qi and the sign answers; hence the penalty called unending yin. When the throne loses its center, powerful ministers below eclipse the ruler's light — and cloud-shadow too grows thick until it blinds the sky.
138
建元四年十月丙午，日入后土霧勃勃如火煙。
the fourth year of Jianyuan, tenth month, bingwu: after sunset, earth-fog rose thick and pulsing like smoke from a fire.
139
永明二年十一月己亥，四面土霧入人眼鼻，至辛丑止。
Yongming 2, eleventh month, jihai: earth-fog on every side crept into eyes and nose until xinchou, then lifted.
140
二年十一月丙子，日出後及日入後，四面土霧勃勃如火煙。
That year, eleventh month, bingzi: after dawn and again after dusk, earth-fog on every side billowed like fire-smoke.
141
六年十一月庚戌，丙夜土霧竟天，昏塞濃厚，至六日未時小開，到甲夜後仍濃密，勃勃如火煙，辛慘，入人眼鼻。
In the sixth year, eleventh month, gengxu: at the bing watch earth-fog swallowed the sky, dim and suffocating; on the sixth day at wei it thinned a little, but by the first jia watch of night it closed in again, pulsing like flame-smoke, sharp and bitter in eyes and nose.
142
八年十月壬申，夜土霧竟天，濃厚勃勃如火煙，氣入人眼鼻，至九日辰時開除。
In the eighth year, tenth month, renshen: all night earth-fog choked the sky, heavy and smoking like fire, burning eyes and nose; on the ninth, at chen, it finally cleared.
143
九年十月丙辰，晝夜恒昏霧勃勃如火煙，其氣辛慘，入人眼鼻，兼日色赤黃，至四日甲夜開除。
In the ninth year, tenth month, bingchen: day and night stayed dim, fog pulsing like fire-smoke, harsh and bitter in eyes and nose, the sun itself turned red-yellow; on the fourth, at the first jia watch, the murk broke.
144
十年正月辛酉，酉初四面土霧勃勃如火煙，其氣辛慘入人眼鼻。
In the tenth year, first month, xinyou: at the opening of you hour fog on every side rose like fire-smoke, sharp and bitter in eyes and nose.
145
《傳》曰：「《易》曰『《乾》爲馬』。 逆天氣，馬多死，故曰有馬禍。」 一曰，馬者，兵象也。 將有寇戎之事，故馬爲怪。
The Commentary says: 「In the Changes, 「Qian is the horse.」 Turn against heaven's qi and horses die in droves — hence the omen of the horse calamity. 」Another reading: the horse images war. When raids and border war draw near, horses turn monstrous.
146
建武四年，王晏出至草市，馬驚走，鼓步從車而歸，十餘日，晏誅。
Jianwu 4: Wang Yan rode out to Grass Market; his horse panicked and fled; drummers and runners chased the carriage home — within a fortnight Yan was put to death.
147
建武中，南岸有一蘭馬，走逐路上女子，女子窘急，走入人家床下避之，馬終不置，發床食女子股腳間肉都盡。 禁司以聞，敕殺此馬，是後頻有寇賊。
In Jianwu a blue horse on the south bank chased women along the road; one, desperate, crawled beneath a household bed — the beast would not relent, tore up the bed, and devoured the flesh from her thighs and legs to the bone. The prohibition office reported it; the throne ordered the horse slain — and thereafter raids came again and again.
148
《京房易傳》曰：「生子二胷以上，民謀其主。 三手以上，臣謀其主。 二口已上，國見驚以兵。 三耳已上，是謂多聽，國事無定。 二鼻以上，國主久病。 三足三臂已上，天下有兵。」 其類甚多，蓋以象占之。
Jing Fang's Commentary on the Changes says: 「A child born with two chests or more — the people plot against their lord. Three hands or more — ministers plot against their lord. Two mouths or more — the realm is shaken by arms. Three ears or more — called too many listeners; the state's business never settles. Two noses or more — the sovereign falls into long illness. Three feet or three arms or more — war under Heaven. 」The kinds are countless — all are divined by likeness.
149
永明五年，吳興東遷民吳休之家女人雙生二兒，胷以下齊以上合。
Yongming 5: in Dongqian, Wuxing, a woman of Wu Xiu's household bore twin boys joined from the chest down and from the navel up.
150
《京房易傳》曰：「野獸入邑，其邑大虛。」 又曰：「野獸無故入邑朝廷門及宮府中者，邑逆且虛。」
Jing Fang's Commentary on the Changes says: 「When wild beasts enter a town, the town is hollowed out. 」Also: 「Beasts that wander without cause into a town, its court gates, or its offices — the town turns traitor and is emptied.」
151
永明中，南海王子罕爲南兗州刺史，有麞入廣陵城，投井而死，又有象至廣陵，是後刺史安陸王子敬於鎮被害。
In Yongming, Prince Zihan of Nanhai governed Southern Xuzhou; a roe deer entered Guangling, leapt into a well, and died; an elephant came to Guangling as well — and later the inspector, Prince Zijing of Anlu, was murdered in his commandery.
152
建武四年春，當郊治圜丘，宿設已畢，夜虎攫傷人。
Jianwu 4, spring: on the eve of the Round Mound sacrifice, when the night encampment was ready, a tiger broke in after dark and mauled the attendants.
153
建武中，有鹿入景皇寢廟，皆爲上崩及禪代也。 凡無占者，皆爲不應本傳。
During Jianwu, deer entered the shrine of the Jing Emperor; in every case the reading was the sovereign's death and the turning of the age. In sum, what is recorded without an omen-reading does not answer to this treatise.
154
贊曰：木怪夔魍，火爲水妃。 土產載物，金作明威。 形聲異迹，影響同歸。 皆由象應，莫不類推。 [1]
In praise: wood breeds the kui and the wangliang; fire is water's bride. Earth begets and bears the ten thousand things; metal shapes clear dread. Form and voice leave different tracks; shadow and echo find one return. All come by signs that answer in kind; none escape reasoning by analogy. [1] Endnote marker.
155
全文以中華書局、一九七二年一月版《南齊書》爲本校。
The entire text has been collated against the Zhonghua Shuju edition of the Book of Southern Qi (January 1972).