Volume 27 Treatises 17: Auspicious Signs 1

夫體睿窮幾，含靈獨秀，謂之聖人，所以能君四海而役萬物，使動植之類，莫不各得其所。百姓仰之，歡若親戚，芬若椒蘭，故為旗章輿服以崇之，玉璽黃屋以尊之，以神器之重，推之於兆民之上，自中智以降，則萬物之為役者也。性識殊品，蓋有愚暴之理存焉。見聖人利天下，謂天下可以為利，見萬物之歸聖人，謂之利萬物。力爭之徒，至以逐鹿方之，亂臣賊子，所以多於世也。夫龍飛九五，配天光宅，有受命之符，天人之應。易曰：「河出圖，洛出書，而聖人則之。」符瑞之義大矣。

One who unites profound wisdom with insight into hidden causes, and stands alone in spiritual excellence, is called a sage. Such a person can govern all within the seas and put the myriad creatures to use, so that both animals and plants each find their rightful place. The people look up to them with the joy one feels for close kin, drawn as by the scent of pepper and orchid. Hence flags, insignia, and ceremonial dress are made to honor them, jade seals and the imperial yellow canopy to magnify them. By the weight of the sacred regalia they are set above the myriad masses; from ordinary intelligence downward, they are the ones who serve the myriad things. Human nature and understanding vary in degree; within this difference lies the root of foolishness and brutality. When they see that the sage benefits the realm, they imagine the realm itself can be mined for profit; when they see the myriad things yield to the sage, they call it benefiting the myriad things. Men who fight for power even compare their struggle to the race for the central plain; treacherous ministers and wicked heirs are therefore so numerous in the world. When the dragon ascends to sovereignty, aligning with Heaven and bringing light to the realm, there appear signs of a received mandate — the mutual response of Heaven and humanity. The Book of Changes says: "When the Yellow River yields the Chart and the Luo River yields the Writ, the sage models himself upon them." The significance of portents and felicitous signs is profound indeed.

上古

High Antiquity

赫胥、燧人之前，無聞焉。

Before the times of He-Xu and Suiren, nothing is recorded.

太昊帝宓犧氏，母曰華胥。燧人之世，有大迹出雷澤，華胥履之，而生伏犧於成紀。蛇身人首，有聖德。燧人氏沒，宓犧代之，受龍圖，畫八卦，所謂「河出圖」者也。有景龍之瑞。

The Great August Emperor Fu Xi — his mother was named Hua Xu. During the age of Suiren, a great footprint emerged at Lei Marsh. Hua Xu stepped upon it and gave birth to Fu Xi at Chengji. His body was that of a serpent, his head that of a man, and he possessed sage virtue. After Suiren passed away, Fu Xi succeeded him, received the Dragon Chart, and drew the Eight Trigrams — the event known as "the River brings forth the Chart." The portent of the Luminous Dragon appeared.

炎帝神農氏，母曰女登，遊於華陽，有神龍首感女登於常羊山，生炎帝。人身牛首，有聖德，致大火之瑞。嘉禾生，醴泉出。

The Flame Emperor Shen Nong — his mother was Nü Deng. While traveling at Huayang, a divine dragon's head touched her on Mount Changyang, and she gave birth to the Flame Emperor. His body was human, his head that of an ox. He possessed sage virtue and brought about the portent of the Great Fire. Excellent grain appeared, and sweet spring water welled up.

黃帝軒轅氏，母曰附寶，見大電光繞北斗樞星，照郊野，感而孕。二十五月而生黃帝於壽丘。弱而能言，龍顏，有聖德，劾百神朝而使之。應龍攻蚩尤，戰虎、豹、熊、羆四獸之力。以女魃止淫雨。天下既定，聖德光被，羣瑞畢臻。有屈軼之草生於庭，佞人入朝，則草指之，是以佞人不敢進。有景雲之瑞，有赤方氣與青方氣相連，赤方中有兩星，青方中有一星，凡三星，皆黃色，以天清明時見於攝提，名曰景星。黃帝黃服齋于中宮，坐于玄扈洛水之上，有鳳皇集，不食生蟲，不履生草，或止帝之東園，或巢于阿閣，或鳴於庭，其雄自歌，其雌自舞。麒麟在囿，神鳥來儀。有大螻如羊，大螾如虹。黃帝以土氣勝，遂以土德王。五十年秋七月庚申，天霧三日三夜，晝昏。黃帝以間天老、力牧、容成曰：「於公何如？」天老曰：「臣聞之，國安，其主好文，則鳳皇居之。國亂，其主好武，則鳳皇去之。今鳳皇翔於東郊而樂之，其鳴音中夷則，與天相副。以是觀之，天有嚴教以賜帝，帝勿犯也。」乃召史卜之，龜燋。史曰：「臣不能占也。其問之聖人。」帝曰：「已問天老、力牧、容成矣。」史北面再拜曰：「龜不違聖智，故燋。」霧除，遊于洛水之上，見大魚，殺五牲以醮之，天乃甚雨，七日七夜，魚流於海，得圖、書焉。龍圖出河，龜書出洛，赤文篆字，以授軒轅。軒轅接萬神於明庭，今寒門谷口是也。

The Yellow Emperor Xuan Yuan — his mother was Fu Bao. She beheld great lightning coil around the Pivot Star of the Northern Dipper, lighting the countryside, and conceived through this encounter. Twenty-five months later she gave birth to the Yellow Emperor at Shouqiu. Even in infancy he could speak. His face was like a dragon's, and he possessed sage virtue, commanding the hundred spirits to attend him and do his bidding. The Responsive Dragon assailed Chiyou, wielding the power of the four beasts — tiger, leopard, bear, and grizzly. He deployed Nü Ba to stop the torrential rains. Once the realm was pacified, his sage virtue shone across the land, and every felicitous portent appeared. The Qu-Yi grass grew in the courtyard. Whenever a sycophant entered court, the grass pointed at him, so that flatterers dared not come forward. The portent of the Luminous Cloud appeared: red qi and green qi connected. Within the red region were two stars, within the green one star — three stars in all, all yellow, visible near Sheti when the sky was clear. This was called the Luminous Star. The Yellow Emperor, clad in yellow and fasting in the central palace, sat by the dark ford of the Luo River. Phoenixes gathered, refusing living insects for food and living grass underfoot. Some alighted in the emperor's eastern garden, some nested in the lofty pavilion, some sang in the courtyard — the males sang on their own, the females danced on their own. The qilin appeared in the royal park, and divine birds came to present their homage. Great ants appeared as large as sheep, and great earthworms as vast as rainbows. Because the power of earth qi prevailed, the Yellow Emperor adopted the virtue of Earth and ascended as king. In the fiftieth year, on the gengshen day of the seventh month in autumn, fog shrouded the sky for three days and three nights, and daylight turned dim. The Yellow Emperor asked Tian Lao, Li Mu, and Rong Cheng: "What do you make of this, gentlemen?" Tian Lao replied: "I have heard that when the state is secure and its ruler favors culture, the phoenix will dwell there. When the state falls into chaos and its ruler favors warfare, the phoenix departs. Now the phoenix soars at the eastern suburbs in evident joy; its cry strikes the Yize pitch, harmonizing with Heaven. From this we may see that Heaven has sent a solemn teaching to the emperor; Your Majesty must not violate it." He then summoned the scribe to perform a tortoise divination, and the shell burned up. The scribe said: "I cannot divine this matter. You must consult the sage." The emperor said: "I have already asked Tian Lao, Li Mu, and Rong Cheng." The scribe bowed twice toward the north and said: "The tortoise would not contradict sage wisdom — that is why it burned." When the fog lifted, he went to the Luo River and saw a great fish. He sacrificed the five animals to offer libation, whereupon Heaven sent torrential rain for seven days and seven nights. The fish drifted out to sea, and he obtained the Chart and the Writ. The Dragon Chart emerged from the River and the Tortoise Writ from the Luo, inscribed in red seal characters, and were bestowed upon Xuan Yuan. Xuan Yuan received the myriad spirits at the Bright Court — the site of present-day Hanmen Valley Mouth.

帝摯少昊氏，母曰女節，見星如虹，下流華渚，既而夢接意感，生少昊。登帝位，有鳳皇之瑞。

Emperor Zhi of the Lesser August Shao Hao clan — his mother was Nü Jie. She saw a star like a rainbow descend upon Hua Zhu, then dreamed of union and conceived through divine influence, giving birth to Shao Hao. Upon ascending the throne, the portent of the phoenix appeared.

帝顓頊高陽氏，母曰女樞，見瑤光之星，貫月如虹，感己於幽房之宮，生顓頊於若水。首戴干戈，有聖德。生十年而佐少昊氏，二十而登帝位。

Emperor Zhuanxu of the Gaoyang clan — his mother was Nü Shu. She saw the Yaoguang star pierce the moon like a rainbow, conceived in the palace of the secluded chamber, and gave birth to Zhuanxu at Ruoshui. He bore helm and weapon upon his head and possessed sage virtue. At the age of ten he assisted the Shao Hao clan; at twenty he ascended the throne.

帝嚳高辛氏，生而駢齒，有聖德，代高陽氏王天下。使鼓人拊鞞鼓，擊鍾磬，鳳皇鼓翼而舞。

Emperor Ku of the Gaoxin clan was born with double teeth and possessed sage virtue. He succeeded the Gaoyang clan and ruled all under Heaven. He ordered the drummer to beat the hand-drum and strike the bells and chimes, and the phoenix flapped its wings and danced.

帝堯之母曰慶都，生於斗維之野，常有黃雲覆護其上。及長，觀于三河，常有龍隨之。一旦龍負圖而至，其文要曰：「亦受天祐。」眉八彩，鬢髮長七尺二寸，面銳上豐下，足履翼宿。既而陰風四合，赤龍感之。孕十四月而生堯於丹陵，其狀如圖。及長，身長十尺，有聖德，封於唐。夢攀天而上。高辛氏衰，天下歸之。在帝位七十年，景星出翼，鳳皇在庭，朱草生，嘉禾秀，甘露潤，醴泉出，日月如合璧，五星如連珠。厨中自生肉，其薄如箑，搖動則風生，食物寒而不臭，名曰「箑脯」。又有草夾階而生，月朔始生一莢，月半而生十五莢，十六日以後，日落一莢，及晦而盡，月小則一莢焦而不落，名曰「蓂莢」，一曰「曆莢」。歸功於舜，將以天下禪之，乃潔齋修壇塲於河、雒，擇良日，率舜等升首山，遵河渚。有五老游焉，蓋五星之精也。相謂曰：「河圖將來告帝以期，知我者重瞳黃姚。」五老因飛為流星，上入昴。二月辛丑昧明，禮備，至於日昃，榮光出河，休氣四塞，白雲起，回風搖，乃有龍馬銜甲，赤文綠色，臨壇而止，吐甲圖而去。甲似龜，背廣九尺，其圖以白玉為檢，赤玉為字，泥以黃金，約以青繩。檢文曰：「闓色授帝舜。」言虞、夏、殷、周、秦、漢當授天命。帝乃寫其言，藏于東序。後二年二月仲辛，率羣臣沈璧于洛。禮畢，退俟，至于下昃，赤光起，玄龜負書而出，背甲赤文成字，止于壇。其書言當禪舜。遂讓舜。

Emperor Yao's mother was Qingdu. Born in the wilds of Douwei, she was constantly sheltered beneath yellow clouds. When she grew to maturity and visited the Three Rivers, a dragon constantly followed her. One day a dragon arrived bearing a chart on its back. Its essential text read: "You too shall receive Heaven's blessing." Her eyebrows were eight-colored, her temples and hair seven feet two inches long, her face tapering above and full below, her feet resting upon the Wings Lodge constellation. Then yin winds gathered from all four quarters, and the red dragon touched her through divine influence. After fourteen months of pregnancy she gave birth to Yao at Danling, and his appearance matched the chart. When he grew to manhood, he stood ten feet tall, possessed sage virtue, and was enfeoffed at Tang. He dreamed of climbing up to Heaven. As the Gaoxin clan waned, the realm submitted to him. During his seventy years on the throne, the Luminous Star appeared at Wings, the phoenix nested in the courtyard, cinnabar grass sprang up, excellent grain flourished, sweet dew fell, sweet spring water welled forth, the sun and moon shone like joined jades, and the five planets aligned like pearls on a string. In the kitchen, meat grew of its own accord, thin as a fan. When shaken it produced a breeze; the food was cool yet never spoiled. It was called "Fan-Dried Meat." Another grass grew along the steps. On the first day of the month one pod appeared; by mid-month there were fifteen pods. After the sixteenth, one pod fell each day until the month ended. In a short month one pod withered but did not fall. It was called the "Ming Pod," also known as the "Calendar Pod." Attributing his achievements to Shun, he prepared to abdicate the realm to him. He purified himself, fasted, and built an altar at the He and Luo rivers, chose an auspicious day, led Shun and his party up Mount Shou, and followed the river's islets. Five elders appeared there — presumably the essences of the Five Stars. They said to one another: "The River Chart is about to arrive and tell the emperor of the appointed time. He who knows us is Double-Pupil of Yellow Yao." The five elders then flew away as shooting stars, ascending into the Mao constellation. On the xinchou day of the second month at dawn, the rites were complete. By sunset glorious light emerged from the river, auspicious qi filled the four quarters, white clouds rose, and whirlwinds stirred. Then a dragon-horse appeared bearing armor inscribed in red on green ground. It halted at the altar, spat out the armored chart, and departed. The armor resembled a tortoise shell, nine feet wide on its back. The chart used white jade for its case and red jade for its characters, sealed with yellow gold and bound with green cord. The text on the case read: "The opening color bestows the imperial mandate upon Shun." It declared that Yu, Xia, Yin, Zhou, Qin, and Han would each receive the Mandate of Heaven. The emperor copied its text and stored it in the eastern wing. Two years later, on the mid-xin day of the second month, he led his ministers to sink a jade disk in the Luo River. When the rites were finished, he withdrew to wait. By late afternoon red light appeared, and a dark tortoise emerged bearing a writ on its back, red characters inscribed on its shell. It halted at the altar. The writ declared that he should abdicate to Shun. He then abdicated in favor of Shun.

帝舜有虞氏，母曰握登，見大虹意感，而生舜於姚墟。目重瞳子，故名重華。龍顏大口，黑色，身長六尺一寸。舜父母憎舜，使其塗廩，自下焚之，舜服鳥工衣服飛去。又使浚井，自上填之以石，舜服龍工衣自傍而出。耕於歷山，夢眉長與髮等。及即帝位，蓂莢生於階，鳳皇巢於庭，擊石拊石，百獸率舞，景星出房，地出乘黃之馬，西王母獻白環、玉玦。舜在位十有四年，奏鍾石笙筦未罷，而天大雷雨，疾風發屋拔木，桴鼓播地，鍾磬亂行，舞人頓伏，樂正狂走。舜乃擁璿持衡而笑曰：「明哉！夫天下非一人之天下也，亦乃見于鍾石笙筦乎。」乃薦禹於天，使行天子事。于時和氣普應，慶雲興焉，若煙非煙，若雲非雲，郁郁紛紛，蕭索輪囷，百工相和而歌慶雲。帝乃倡之曰：「慶雲爛兮，糾縵縵兮。日月光華，旦復旦兮。」羣臣咸進，稽首曰：「明明上天，爛然星陳。日月光華，弘予一人。」帝乃再歌曰：「日月有常，星辰有行。四時從經，萬姓允誠。於予論樂，配天之靈。遷于聖賢，莫不咸聽。鼚乎鼓之，軒乎舞之。精華以竭，褰裳去之。」於是八風修通，慶雲叢聚，蟠龍奮迅於其藏，蛟魚踊躍於其淵，龜鼈咸出其穴，遷虞而事夏。舜乃設壇於河，依堯故事。至于下昃，榮光休氣至，黃龍負圖，長三十二尺，廣九尺，出于壇畔，赤文綠錯，其文言當禪禹。

Emperor Shun of the Youyu clan — his mother was Wodeng. She saw a great rainbow, conceived through divine influence, and gave birth to Shun at Yaoxu. His eyes had double pupils, hence his name Double Splendor. His face was like a dragon's, his mouth large, his complexion dark, and he stood six feet one inch tall. Shun's parents despised him. They made him repair the granary and then set fire to it from below. Shun, clad in bird-craft garments, flew away. They also made him dig a well and filled it with stones from above. Shun, clad in dragon-craft garments, emerged from the side. While farming at Mount Li, he dreamed that his eyebrows were as long as his hair. Upon ascending the throne, Ming pods grew on the steps and the phoenix nested in the courtyard. When stones were struck, the hundred beasts led the dance. The Luminous Star appeared at Chamber, the earth produced the horse Cheng Huang, and the Queen Mother of the West presented a white ring and jade tablet. In the fourteenth year of Shun's reign, while bells, stones, pipes, and flutes were still sounding, Heaven sent a great thunderstorm. Fierce winds tore off roofs and uprooted trees. Drumsticks and drums were scattered across the ground, bells and chimes fell into disarray, dancers collapsed prostrate, and the music master fled in panic. Shun then embraced the scepter, held the balance, and laughed, saying: "How clear! The realm does not belong to one man alone — has this not been revealed even in the sounding of bells, stones, pipes, and flutes?" He then recommended Yu to Heaven and had him perform the duties of the Son of Heaven. At that time harmonious qi responded throughout the land, and celebratory clouds arose — like smoke yet not smoke, like clouds yet not clouds, lush and swirling. The hundred craftsmen joined in harmony and sang the Celebratory Cloud. The emperor then led the song: "Celebratory clouds blaze bright, tangled and billowing. Sun and moon shed their radiance — dawn upon dawn." All the ministers advanced, bowed their heads, and said: "Brilliant is High Heaven, blazing with stars arrayed. Sun and moon shed their radiance — enlarge me, the solitary one." The emperor sang again: "Sun and moon have their constancy, stars and planets have their courses. The four seasons follow their proper order; the myriad people are truly sincere. In my discourse on music, I harmonize with the spirit of Heaven. Turning to the sage and worthy — all heed without exception. Thunderously beat the drums; loftily perform the dance. Essence and splendor are spent — lift the robe and depart." Thereupon the eight winds flowed in harmony, celebratory clouds gathered in clusters. Coiled dragons stirred swiftly in their lairs, flood-dragons and fish leaped in their depths, tortoises and turtles emerged from their holes — and he transferred from Yu to serve Xia. Shun then established an altar at the River, following Yao's precedent. By late afternoon, glorious light and auspicious qi arrived. A yellow dragon bore the chart, thirty-two feet long and nine feet wide, emerging beside the altar with red characters on green ground. Its text declared that Shun should abdicate to Yu.

三代

The Three Dynasties

帝禹有夏氏，母曰脩己，出行，見流星貫昴，夢接意感，既而吞神珠。脩己背剖，而生禹於石紐。虎鼻大口，〈虎鼻大口各本並脫「大」字，據元龜四四、御覽八二引帝王世紀補。〉兩耳參鏤，首戴鉤鈐，胸有玉斗，足文履己，故名文命。長有聖德。長九尺九寸，夢自洗於河，以手取水飲之。又有白狐九尾之瑞。當堯之世，舜舉之。禹觀於河，有長人白面魚身，出曰：「吾河精也。」呼禹曰：「文命治淫。」言訖，授禹河圖，言治水之事，乃退入于淵。禹治水既畢，天錫玄珪，以告成功。夏道將興，草木暢茂，青龍止於郊，祝融之神，降于崇山。乃受舜禪，即天子之位。洛出龜書六十五字，是為洪範，此謂「洛出書」者也。南巡狩，濟江，中流有二黃龍負舟，舟人皆懼。禹笑曰：「吾受命於天，屈力以養人。生，性也。死，命也。奚憂龍哉！」龍於是曳尾而逝。

Emperor Yu of the Youxia clan — his mother was Xiuji. While traveling she saw a shooting star pierce the Mao constellation, dreamed of union, conceived through divine influence, and swallowed a divine pearl. Xiuji's back split open, and she gave birth to Yu at Shiniu. Tiger nose, large mouth, 〈Tiger nose, large mouth — all editions omit the character "large"; this reading is restored from Yuan Gui 44 and Taiping Yulan 82, which cite the Diwang Shiji.〉 His ears were intricately carved, he wore Gouling upon his head, a jade dipper on his chest, and the pattern Li-ji on his feet — hence his name Wenming. When he grew to manhood, he possessed sage virtue. He stood nine feet nine inches tall. He dreamed of bathing in the river and drinking water scooped up in his hands. The portent of the white fox with nine tails also appeared. During the age of Yao, Shun recommended him. While observing the River, Yu saw a tall figure with a white face and fish body emerge, saying: "I am the spirit of the River." He called to Yu: "Wenming, control the floods." Having spoken, he gave Yu the River Chart and instructed him on controlling the waters, then withdrew into the depths. When Yu had finished controlling the waters, Heaven bestowed a dark jade tablet to proclaim his success. As the Way of Xia was about to rise, grass and trees flourished luxuriantly. The green dragon halted at the suburbs, and the spirit of Zhurong descended upon Mount Chong. He then received Shun's abdication and ascended the throne. The Luo brought forth the Tortoise Writ of sixty-five characters, which became the Great Plan — the event known as "the Luo brings forth the Writ." On a southern tour of inspection, while crossing the river, two yellow dragons bore up the boat midstream, and all aboard were terrified. Yu laughed and said: "I have received Heaven's mandate and bend my strength to nourish the people. Life is one's nature. Death is one's fate. Why should I fear dragons!" The dragons then dragged their tails and departed.

高辛氏之世妃曰簡狄，以春分玄鳥至之日，從帝祀郊禖，與其妹浴於玄丘之水。有玄鳥銜卵而墜之，五色甚好，二人競取，覆以玉筐。簡狄先得而吞之，遂孕。胸剖而生契。長為堯司徒，成功於民，受封于商。後十三世，生主癸。主癸之妃曰扶都，見白氣貫月，意感，以乙日生湯，號天乙。豐下銳上，晳而有髥，句身而揚聲，身長九尺，臂有四肘，是曰殷湯。湯在亳，能修其德。伊摯將應湯命，夢乘船過日月之傍，湯乃東至于洛，觀帝堯之壇，沈璧退立，黃魚雙踴，黑鳥隨魚止于壇，化為黑玉。又有黑龜，並赤文成字，言夏桀無道，湯當代之。檮杌之神，見于邳山。有神牽白狼銜鉤而入商朝。金德將盛，銀自山溢。湯將奉天命放桀，夢及天而舓之，遂有天下。商人後改天下之號曰殷。

In the age of Gaoxin, there was a consort named Jiandi. On the spring equinox, when the dark bird arrives, she followed the emperor to sacrifice at the suburban Mound of Birth and bathed with her sister in the waters of Xuansqiu. A dark bird flew down carrying an egg and dropped it. The egg was finely colored in five hues. The two women raced to pick it up and covered it with a jade basket. Jiandi reached it first, swallowed it, and conceived. Her chest split open, and she gave birth to Xie. When he grew to manhood, he became Yao's Minister over the Masses, achieved success for the people, and received a fief at Shang. Thirteen generations later, Zhugui was born. Zhugui's consort was Fudu. She saw a white vapor pierce the moon and conceived through spiritual influence. On a yi day she bore Tang, who was styled Tianyi. He was full below and sharp above, fair-skinned with a beard, his body slightly bent yet his voice resounding. He stood nine feet tall, his arms had four elbows, and he was known as Tang of Yin. Tang ruled from Bo and cultivated his virtue. As Yi Yin was about to answer Tang's mandate, he dreamed of sailing a boat past the sun and moon. Tang then traveled east to the Luo River, visited Emperor Yao's altar, sank a jade disk, and withdrew to stand aside. Two yellow fish leaped together, a black bird followed the fish to the altar, and changed into black jade. A black tortoise also appeared, bearing red characters that declared Jie of Xia devoid of the Way and Tang destined to replace him. The spirit of Taowu appeared on Mount Pi. A spirit led a white wolf bearing a hook into the court of Shang. As the Metal Virtue was about to flourish, silver overflowed from the mountains. As Tang prepared to follow Heaven's mandate and banish Jie, he dreamed of reaching Heaven and passing through it — and so he came to possess the realm. The people of Shang later changed the name of the realm to Yin.

高辛氏之世妃曰姜嫄，助祭郊禖，見大人迹履之，當時歆如有人道感己，遂有身而生男。以為不祥，棄之阨巷，羊牛避而不踐；又送之山林之中，會伐林者薦覆之；又取而置寒冰上，大鳥來以一翼藉覆之。姜嫄以為異，乃收養焉，名之曰棄。枝頤有異相。長為堯稷官，有功於民。后稷之孫曰公劉，有德，諸侯皆以天子之禮待之。初黃帝之世，讖言曰：「西北為王，期在甲子，昌制命，發行誅，旦行道。」及公劉之後，十三世而生季歷。季歷之十年，飛龍盈於殷之牧野，此蓋聖人在下位將起之符也。季歷之妃曰太任，夢長人感己，溲于豕牢而生昌，是為周文王。龍顏虎肩，身長十尺，胸有四乳。太王曰：「吾世當有興者，其在昌乎！」季歷之兄曰太伯，知天命在昌，適越終身不反。弟仲雍從之，故季歷為嗣以及昌。昌為西伯，作邑于豐。文王之妃曰太姒，夢商庭生棘，太子發植梓樹於闕間，化為松栢棫柞。以告文王，文王幣告羣臣，與發並拜告夢。季秋之甲子，赤爵銜書及豐，止于昌戶，昌拜稽首受之。其文要曰：「姬昌，蒼帝子，亡殷者紂王。」將畋，史徧卜之，曰：「將大獲，非熊非羆，天遺汝師以佐昌。臣太祖史疇為禹卜畋，得臯陶。其兆如此。」王至于磻谿之水，呂尚釣於涯，王下趨拜曰：「望公七年，乃今見光景于斯。」尚立變名答曰：「望釣得玉璜，其文要曰：『姬受命，昌來提，撰爾雒鈐報在齊。』」尚出游，見赤人自雒出，授尚書曰：「命曰呂，佐昌者子。」文王夢日月著其身，又鸑鷟鳴於岐山。孟春六旬，五緯聚房。後有鳳皇銜書，游文王之都。書又曰：「殷帝無道，虐亂天下，皇命已移，不得復久，靈祇遠離，百神吹去，五星聚房，昭理四海。」文王既沒，太子發代立，是為武王。武王駢齒望羊。將伐紂，至于孟津，八百諸侯，不期而會。咸曰：「紂可伐矣。」武王不從。及紂殺比干，囚箕子，微子去之，乃伐紂。度孟津，中流，白魚躍入王舟。王俯取魚，長三尺，目下有赤文成字，言紂可伐。王寫以世字，魚文消。燔魚以告天。有火自天止于王屋，流為赤烏，烏銜穀焉。穀者，紀后稷之德；火者，燔魚以告天，天火流下，應以吉也。遂東伐紂，勝於牧野，兵不血刃，而天下歸之。乃封呂望於齊。周德既隆，草木茂盛，蒿堪為宮室，因名蒿宮。武王沒，成王少，周公旦攝政七年，制禮作樂，神鳥鳳皇見，蓂莢生。乃與成王觀于河、洛，沈璧。禮畢，王退俟，至于日昧，榮光並出幕河，青雲浮至，青龍臨壇，銜玄甲之圖，坐之而去。禮于洛，亦如之。玄龜青龍蒼兕止于壇，〈玄龜青龍蒼兕止于壇「蒼兕」各本並譌「蒼光」，據元龜二二改。〉背甲刻書，赤文成字，周公援筆以世文寫之，書成文消，龜墮甲而去。其言自周公訖于秦、漢盛衰之符。麒麟遊苑，鳳皇翔庭，成王援琴而歌曰：「鳳皇翔兮於紫庭，余何德兮以感靈，賴先王兮恩澤臻，于胥樂兮民以寧。」

In the age of Gaoxin, there was a consort named Jiang Yuan. While assisting at the suburban sacrifice to the Mound of Birth, she saw a great man's footprint and stepped in it. She was suddenly moved as though touched by a human presence, conceived, and bore a son. Thinking him ill-omened, she abandoned him in a narrow alley. Sheep and cattle avoided him and would not step on him; She sent him again into the forest, where woodcutters happened to cover him with brushwood; She took him again and set him on the frozen ice. A great bird came and sheltered him beneath one wing. Jiang Yuan saw this as a marvel and took him in to raise. She named him Qi. His projecting jaw gave him an unusual appearance. When he grew to manhood, he served as Yao's minister of grain and achieved merit for the people. Hou Ji's grandson was Gong Liu. Endowed with virtue, the feudal lords all treated him with the rites due a Son of Heaven. In the age of the Yellow Emperor, a prophecy said: "He who will be king in the northwest — his time comes in the jiazi cycle. Chang will hold the mandate, Fa will carry out punishment, and Dan will walk the Way." Thirteen generations after Gong Liu, Jili was born. In Jili's tenth year, flying dragons filled the pastures of Yin. This was the omen of a sage in humble station about to rise. Jili's consort was Tai Ren. She dreamed that a tall figure touched her, and while relieving herself in the pigsty she bore Chang — who became King Wen of Zhou. He had a dragon-like face and tiger-like shoulders, stood ten feet tall, and had four nipples on his chest. The Grand King said: "Our line is destined to rise in my generation — surely it is Chang!" Jili's elder brother Taibo, knowing Heaven's mandate rested with Chang, went to Yue and never returned. His younger brother Zhongyong followed him, so Jili became the heir and the succession passed to Chang. Chang became the Western Earl and established his capital at Feng. King Wen's consort Taisi dreamed that thorns sprang up in the Shang court. The crown prince Fa planted a catalpa between the gate towers, and it transformed into pine, cypress, oak, and zha trees. She told King Wen, who made offerings and announced the dream to his ministers. He and Fa bowed together in reporting it. On a jiazi day in late autumn, a red sparrow bearing a writ arrived at Feng and stopped at Chang's door. Chang bowed prostrate to receive it. Its text in essence read: "Ji Chang, son of the Azure Emperor — King Zhou is the one who will bring ruin to Yin." When he was about to go hunting, the historian Bian divined and said: "You will make a great catch — neither bear nor brown bear. Heaven sends you a teacher to assist Chang. My founding ancestor, the historian Chou, once divined for Yu on a hunt and obtained Gao Yao. The omen will be just like that." The king arrived at the waters of Panxi, where Lü Shang was fishing on the bank. The king hurried down and bowed, saying: "For seven years I have sought you, sir — only now do I behold your radiance here." Shang stood, changed his name, and replied: "While fishing I obtained a jade tablet. Its text in essence read: 'The Ji receive the mandate; Chang comes to carry it; take up your Luogou — your reward lies in Qi.'" On his travels Shang saw a red man emerge from the Luo River. The man gave Shang a book, saying: "Your mandate is called Lü; you are the one who assists Chang." King Wen dreamed the sun and moon rested upon his body, and the simurgh called out on Mount Qi. During the sixty days of early spring, the five planets gathered in the Fang constellation. Later a phoenix bearing a book flew through King Wen's capital. The book also declared: "The Emperor of Yin is without the Way, tyrannizing and plunging the realm into chaos. The imperial mandate has already shifted — he cannot last much longer. Spirits and earth-gods withdraw; the hundred deities depart. The five stars gather in Fang to bring order to the four seas." After King Wen died, the crown prince Fa succeeded him — this was King Wu. King Wu had paired teeth and eyes like a sheep's. When he was about to attack Zhou, he reached Mengjin, where eight hundred feudal lords gathered without prior arrangement. All said: "Zhou can be attacked now." King Wu did not agree. After Zhou killed Bi Gan, imprisoned Jizi, and Weizi fled, King Wu marched to attack Zhou. While crossing Mengjin, midstream, a white fish leaped into the king's boat. The king leaned down and took the fish. It was three feet long, with red characters beneath its eyes declaring that Zhou could be attacked. The king copied the text in the script of his age, and the characters on the fish vanished. He burned the fish as an offering to announce it to Heaven. Fire descended from Heaven and stopped on the royal house. It flowed into the form of a red crow, which bore grain in its beak. The grain commemorated Hou Ji's virtue; The fire responded to the burnt offering of the fish — Heaven's fire flowed down as an auspicious sign. He then marched east to attack Zhou, prevailed at Muye without staining a blade with blood, and all under Heaven submitted to him. He then enfeoffed Lü Wang at Qi. As Zhou's virtue flourished, grass and trees grew luxuriantly. Artemisia grew sturdy enough to serve as palace walls, so the palace was named the Artemisia Palace. After King Wu died, the young King Cheng took the throne. The Duke of Zhou, Dan, served as regent for seven years, established rites and composed music. The divine phoenix appeared, and felicitous plants sprouted. He then went with King Cheng to observe at the He and Luo Rivers and sank jade disks as offerings. When the rites were complete, the king withdrew to wait. By dusk, radiant light shone beyond the river, azure clouds drifted in, and a green dragon approached the altar bearing the chart on dark armor. It sat a moment, then departed. At the Luo, the rites were performed, and the same wonders occurred. A dark tortoise, green dragon, and azure rhinoceros halted at the altar, 〈Dark tortoise, green dragon, and azure rhinoceros halted at the altar — all editions read "azure light" in place of "azure rhinoceros"; this reading is restored from Yuan Gui 22.〉 Characters in red script were carved on its back shell. The Duke of Zhou took up his brush and copied them in the script of the age. When he finished writing, the characters vanished, and the tortoise shed its shell and departed. Its text recorded omens from the Duke of Zhou down through the rise and fall of Qin and Han. The qilin roamed the gardens and the phoenix soared in the courtyard. King Cheng took up his zither and sang: "The phoenix soars in the purple court — what virtue have I to move the spirits? By the former king's grace, blessings have arrived — let us all rejoice, and may the people find peace."

魯哀公十四年，孔子夜夢三槐之間，豐、沛之邦，有赤煙氣起，乃呼顏淵、子夏往視之。驅車到楚西北范氏街，見芻兒摘麟，傷其左前足，薪而覆之。孔子曰：「兒來，汝姓為赤誦，名子喬，字受紀。」孔子曰：「汝豈有所見邪？」兒曰：「見一禽，巨如羔羊，頭上有角，其末有肉。」孔子曰：「天下已有主也，為赤劉，陳、項為輔，五星入井從歲星。」兒發薪下麟示孔子，孔子趨而往，麟蒙其耳，吐三卷圖，廣三寸，長八寸，每卷二十四字，其言赤劉當起，曰：「周亡，赤氣起，大燿興，玄丘制命，帝卯金。」孔子作春秋，制孝經，既成，使七十二弟子向北辰星罄折而立，使曾子抱河、洛事北向。孔子齋戒向北辰而拜，告備于天曰：「孝經四卷，春秋、河、洛凡八十一卷，謹已備。」天乃洪鬱起白霧摩地，赤虹自上下，化為黃玉，長三尺，上有刻文。孔子跪受而讀之曰：「寶文出，劉季握。卯金刀，在軫北。字禾子，天下服。」

In the fourteenth year of Duke Ai of Lu, Confucius dreamed one night of the land of Feng and Pei between three sophoras, where red smoke was rising. He called Yan Yuan and Zixia to go and see. He drove to Fan Family Street in northwest Chu, where he saw a boy gathering hay who had captured a qilin and injured its left foreleg. The boy piled firewood over it. Confucius said: "Come here, boy — your surname is Chisong, your given name is Ziqiao, and your style is Shouji." Confucius said: "Have you seen something unusual?" The boy said, "I saw a creature as large as a lamb, with horns on its head — and flesh at the tips of the horns." Confucius said, "The realm already has its master — it will be the Red Liu. Chen and Xiang will serve as his helpers. The five planets will enter the Well, following Jupiter." The boy removed the firewood and revealed the qilin to Confucius. Confucius hurried over. The qilin covered its ears and spat out three scroll-diagrams, three inches wide and eight inches long, with twenty-four characters on each, foretelling the rise of the Red Liu: "Zhou will fall, red vapor will rise, Great Yao will ascend, the Dark Mound will receive Heaven's command — the emperor of Mao-jin." After Confucius finished the Spring and Autumn Annals and composed the Classic of Filial Piety, he had his seventy-two disciples stand with deep bows toward the North Star, and had Zengzi hold the documents of the River and Luo, facing north. Confucius fasted and made ritual purification, then bowed toward the North Star and reported to Heaven: "The Classic of Filial Piety in four scrolls, together with the Spring and Autumn and the River and Luo texts — eighty-one scrolls in all — have been duly completed." Then Heaven grew dark and heavy; white mist rose until it brushed the ground. A red rainbow descended from above and turned into a piece of yellow jade three feet long, bearing engraved characters. Confucius knelt to receive it and read: "The precious text has appeared; Liu Ji will grasp power. The Mao-jin blade lies north of the Chariot. The character formed by He and zi — and all under Heaven will submit."

西漢

Western Han

漢高帝父曰劉執嘉。執嘉之母，夢赤鳥若龍戲己，而生執嘉，是為太上皇帝。母名含始，是為昭靈后。昭靈后游於洛池，有玉雞銜赤珠，刻曰玉英，吞此者王。昭靈后取而吞之。又寢於大澤，夢與神遇。是時雷電晦冥，太上皇視之，見蛟龍在其上，遂有身而生季，是為高帝。高帝隆準而龍顏，美須髥，左股有七十二黑子。微時，數從王媼、武負貰酒，醉臥，上常有光怪。每留飲，售輒數倍。武負異之，輒折其契。單父人呂公好相人，見高帝，謂曰：「臣少好相人，相人多矣，無如季相，願季自愛。臣有息女，願為箕箒妾。」呂公妻媼怒呂公曰：「公常奇此女，欲為貴人。沛令善公，求不與。何妄許劉季。」呂公曰：「非女子所知。」卒與高帝。生惠帝、魯元公主。呂后嘗與兩子居田中，有一老公過，請飲，呂后因饋之食。老父相呂后曰：「夫人，天下貴人也。」令相二子，見惠帝曰：「夫人所以貴者，乃此男。」相魯元公主，亦貴。老父已去，高帝適從傍舍來，呂后具言之。高帝追問老父。老父曰：「向者夫人、兒子之貴，皆以君相。君貴不可言。」高帝被飲，夜行徑澤中。前人反曰：「有大蛇當道，願還。」高帝醉，曰：「壯士行，何畏。」乃前，拔劍斬蛇，蛇分為兩，道開而過。後人來者，見老嫗守蛇曰：「向者赤帝子過，殺之。」見者疑嫗為詐，欲笞之，忽然不見。具以狀告高帝，帝心喜。秦始皇帝曰：「東南有天子氣。」於是東遊以厭之。高帝隱於芒、碭山澤之間，呂后常知其處。高帝怪問之，對曰：「季所居，上常有雲氣，故知之。」高帝為沛公，入秦，五星聚于東井，歲星先至，而四星從之。占曰：「以義取天下。」初，張良遊於下邳沂水之上，〈張良遊於下邳沂水之上漢書張良傳作下邳圯上。服虔曰：「圯音頤。楚人謂橋曰圯。」應劭曰：「汜水之上也。」文穎曰：「沂水上橋也。」師古曰：「下邳之水，非汜水也，又非沂水。服說是矣。」〉有老父來，直至良前，而墮其履。顧謂良曰：「孺子下取履。」良愕然，欲毆之，以其老，乃下取跪進。父以足受，笑而去，良殊大驚。父去里所復來，曰：「孺子可教也。後五日平明，與我會此。」良怪之，跪應曰：「諾。」五日，良往，父已先來，怒曰：「何與長者期而後也？五日，更與我會此。」凡三期而良前至。老父喜曰：「不當如是邪！」即出懷中一卷書與之，曰：「讀之，此為王者師。後十三年，孺子見我濟北穀城山下，黃石即我也。」旦視其書，乃太公兵法。良以黃石篇為他人說，皆不省，唯高帝說焉。良曰：「此殆天所授矣。」五年而成帝業。後十三年，張良果得穀城山下黃石，寶而祠之，死與合葬。

The father of the Han High Emperor was named Liu Zhijia. Zhijia's mother dreamed of a red bird like a dragon sporting with her, and bore Zhijia — who became the Supreme Emperor. Her name was Hanshi — she is known as Empress Zhaoling. While Empress Zhaoling was strolling at the Luo Pool, a jade rooster appeared holding a red pearl inscribed "Jade Splendor — whoever swallows this shall become king." Empress Zhaoling took the pearl and swallowed it. Later she slept in a great marsh and dreamed that she met a spirit. Thunder and lightning then darkened the sky. The Supreme Emperor looked and saw a flood dragon upon her. She conceived and bore Ji — who became the High Emperor. The High Emperor had a high-bridged nose and a dragon-like face, a handsome beard and whiskers, and seventy-two black moles on his left thigh. In his humble days he often bought wine on credit from Wang Ao and Wu Fu. When he lay drunk, strange lights would appear above him. Whenever he stayed to drink, sales were several times what they normally were. Wu Fu was astonished by this and always tore up his debt slips. Lu Gong of Shanfu was skilled at reading faces. When he saw the High Emperor, he said, "I have read faces since youth and have read countless men, but none like Ji. May Ji take care of himself. I have a daughter, and I wish to offer her as a humble wife." Lu Gong's wife angrily said to him, "You always prized this daughter and wanted her to marry into nobility. The magistrate of Pei treated you well and sought her hand — yet you would not give her to him. Why would you rashly promise her to Liu Ji?" Lu Gong said, "This is not something a woman would understand." In the end he gave her to the High Emperor. She bore Emperor Hui and the Princess of Lu. Empress Lü once lived in the fields with her two children. An old man passed by and asked for a drink, and Empress Lü gave him food. The old man read Empress Lü's face and said, "Madam, you are destined for the highest rank under Heaven." He then read the two children. Seeing Emperor Hui, he said, "The reason Madam is destined for greatness is this boy." He read the Princess of Lu as well — she too was destined for nobility. The old man had already gone when the High Emperor happened to return from a neighboring house. Empress Lü told him everything. The High Emperor went after the old man. The old man said, "The nobility I read in Madam and her sons just now all came from your face. Your destiny for greatness is beyond words." The High Emperor, having drunk heavily, traveled by night straight through the marsh. Those ahead came back and said, "A great serpent blocks the road — we wish to turn back." The High Emperor, drunk, said, "A brave man walks on — what is there to fear?" He went forward, drew his sword, and cut the serpent in two. The road cleared, and he passed through. Those who came later saw an old woman guarding the serpent. She said, "The Red Emperor's son just passed and killed it." Those who saw her suspected trickery and wanted to whip her, but suddenly she vanished. They reported the whole affair to the High Emperor, and the Emperor was delighted. The First Emperor of Qin said, "In the southeast there is the aura of a Son of Heaven." Thereupon he toured east to suppress it. The High Emperor hid among the marshes between Mount Mang and Mount Dang, yet Empress Lü always knew where he was. The High Emperor wondered at this and asked her. She replied, "Wherever Ji stays, clouds and vapor always gather above — that is how I know." When the High Emperor became Duke of Pei and entered Qin, the five planets gathered in the Eastern Well. Jupiter arrived first, and the four other planets followed. The divination read, "The realm will be taken by righteousness." At first, Zhang Liang was wandering above the Yi River at Xiapi, 〈Zhang Liang wandered above the Yi River at Xiapi — the Hanshu Biography of Zhang Liang reads "above the bridge at Xiapi." Fu Qian says, "Yi (the cited text) is pronounced yi (the cited text). The people of Chu call a bridge yi." Ying Shao says, "Above the Si River." Wen Ying says, "The bridge above the Yi River." Ban Gu says, "The water at Xiapi is neither the Si River nor the Yi River. Fu's explanation is correct."〉" An old man came, walked straight up to Zhang Liang, and dropped his shoe. He turned and said to Zhang Liang, "Boy, go down and fetch the shoe." Zhang Liang was startled and wanted to strike him, but because the man was old, he went down, retrieved the shoe, and kneeling, presented it. The old man received it with his foot, smiled, and left. Zhang Liang was deeply astonished. The old man went about a li and returned, saying, "This boy can be taught. In five days at dawn, meet me here." Zhang Liang was puzzled by this, knelt, and replied, "Yes." Five days later Zhang Liang went, but the old man had already arrived first. Angrily he said, "Why make an appointment with an elder and arrive late? In five days, meet me here again." After three such appointments, Zhang Liang arrived first each time. The old man said with pleasure, "Should it not be just so!" He took from his bosom a scroll and gave it to him, saying, "Read this — it will be the teacher of a king. In thirteen years, boy, you will see me at Mount Gucheng north of the Ji River — Yellow Stone is me." At dawn he looked at the book — it was Taigong's Art of War. When Zhang Liang explained the Yellow Stone text to others, none understood it — only the High Emperor did. Zhang Liang said, "This must be Heaven's gift." In five years the imperial enterprise was accomplished. Thirteen years later Zhang Liang indeed obtained the Yellow Stone at Mount Gucheng. He treasured it and made offerings to it, and when he died it was buried with him.

文帝之母薄姬，魏豹為魏王，納之後宮。許負相之，當生天子，魏王豹於是背漢，漢高帝擊虜，而薄姬輸織室。高帝見而美之，內於後宮，歲餘乃得幸。將見幸，薄姬言：「妾昨夢青龍據妾心。」高帝曰：「我是也。吾為爾成之。」一御而生文帝。

Emperor Wen's mother, Lady Bo, was taken into the rear palace when Wei Bao was King of Wei. Xu Fu read her face and said she would bear a Son of Heaven. King Bao of Wei thereupon turned against Han. The Han High Emperor defeated and captured him, and Lady Bo was sent to the weaving rooms. The High Emperor saw her and admired her beauty. He took her into the rear palace, but more than a year passed before she finally gained his favor. As she was about to receive his favor, Lady Bo said, "Your handmaid dreamed last night that a blue dragon rested upon my heart." The High Emperor said, "That is me. I shall fulfill it for you." After a single visit she bore Emperor Wen.

景帝王皇后初嫁為金王孫妻，母臧兒卜筮曰：「當貴。」乃奪金氏而內太子宮，生男。男方在身，夢日入其懷，以告太子。太子曰：「是貴徵也。」生男，是為武帝。

Emperor Jing's Empress Wang had first married a man surnamed Jin. Her mother Zang Er divined and said, "She is destined for greatness." Thereupon they took her from the Jin family and placed her in the crown prince's palace, where she bore a son. While the boy was still in her womb, she dreamed that the sun entered her bosom, and she told the crown prince. The crown prince said, "That is a sign of greatness." She bore a son — who became Emperor Wu.

武帝趙婕妤，家在河間，生而兩手皆拳，不可開。武帝巡狩過河間，〈武帝巡狩過河間「狩」各本並作「守」，據漢書外戚傳改。〉望氣者言，此有奇女天子氣。召而見之。武帝自披其手，既時申，得一玉鉤。由是見幸，號曰「拳夫人」。進為婕妤，居鉤弋宮，大有寵。十四月生男，是為昭帝，號曰「鉤弋子」。武帝曰：「聞昔堯十四月而生，今鉤弋子亦然。」乃名其門曰堯母門。

Emperor Wu's Lady Zhao came from Hejian. From birth both her hands were clenched and could not be opened. Emperor Wu passed through Hejian on an imperial tour, 〈Emperor Wu on imperial tour passed through Hejian — all editions read "guard" rather than "hunt/tour"; emended according to the Hanshu Biography of the Empresses and Consorts.〉 A reader of atmospheric signs said that there was an extraordinary woman here with the aura of a Son of Heaven. She was summoned and brought before him. Emperor Wu himself pried open her hands. At once they extended, and a jade hook was found inside. Thereby she gained his favor and was styled "Lady Fist." She was advanced to Lady of Handsome Fairness, took up residence in the Hook-and-Bow Palace, and enjoyed great favor. After fourteen months she bore a son — who became Emperor Zhao, styled "the Hook-and-Bow Son." Emperor Wu said, "I have heard that in antiquity Yao was born after fourteen months. Now the Hook-and-Bow Son is the same." Thereupon he named her gate the Gate of Yao's Mother.

昭帝元鳳三年正月，〈昭帝元鳳三年正月「三年」各本並作「二年」，據漢書眭弘傳、漢書五行志、元龜二一改。〉泰山、萊蕪山南，民夜聞訩訩有數千人聲，晨往視之，見大石自立，高丈五尺，大四十八圍，〈大四十八圍各本並作「大三十八圍」，據漢書眭弘傳、漢書五行志、元龜二一改。〉入地八尺，三石為足，立後，白烏數千集其旁。又上林苑中柳樹斷臥地，一朝自起生枝葉，蟲齧其葉成文，曰：「公孫病已立。」陳留襄邑王社忽移至長安。博士眭孟占之曰：「石，陰類。泰山，岱宗，王者禪代之處。將有廢故之家，姓公孫，名病已，從白衣為天子者。」時昭帝幼少，霍光輔政，以孟妖言誅之。及昭帝崩，昌邑王又廢，光立宣帝，武帝曾孫，本名病已，在民間白衣三世，如孟言焉。

In the first month of the third year of Yuanfeng under Emperor Zhao, 〈In the first month of the third year of Yuanfeng under Emperor Zhao — all editions read "second year" rather than "third year"; emended according to the Hanshu Biography of Sui Hong, Hanshu Treatise on the Five Processes, and Yuan Gui II.〉 South of Mount Tai and Mount Laigu, the people heard at night a clamor like several thousand voices. At dawn they went to look and saw a great stone standing upright by itself, fifteen chi high and forty-eight wei around, 〈Forty-eight wei in circumference — all editions read "thirty-eight wei in circumference" rather than "forty-eight wei"; emended according to the Hanshu Biography of Sui Hong, Hanshu Treatise on the Five Processes, and Yuan Gui II.〉 It sank eight chi into the earth, with three stones serving as feet. Once it stood upright, several thousand white crows gathered beside it. Moreover, in the Shanglin Park a willow tree that had broken and lain on the ground rose up one morning of its own accord and sprouted branches and leaves. Insects gnawed its leaves into characters that read, "Gongsun Bingyi is established." The altar of the land god at Xiangyi in Chenliu suddenly relocated to Chang'an. Erudite Su Meng interpreted the omen and said, "Stone belongs to the yin category. Mount Tai, the Daizong, is the place where sovereigns perform the rites of ceding and receiving the mandate. There will be a man from a deposed former house, surnamed Gongsun and named Bingyi, who from the ranks of commoners in white will become Son of Heaven." At that time Emperor Zhao was still young, and Huo Guang served as regent. Because of Meng's prophetic words, he had Meng executed. When Emperor Zhao died and the Prince of Changyi was also deposed, Guang enthroned Emperor Xuan, a great-grandson of Emperor Wu whose original name was Bingyi. He had lived among the people in plain white for three generations, just as Meng had foretold.

元帝王皇后，齊田氏之苗裔。祖父翁孺，自東平陵徙元城。元城建公曰：「昔春秋沙鹿崩，晉史卜之，陰為陽雄，土火相乘，故沙鹿崩。後六百四十五年，宜有聖女興，其齊田乎？今翁孺之徙，正值其地，日月當之。元城郭東有五鹿之墟，即沙鹿地。後八十年，當有貴女興天下。」翁孺生禁。禁妻李氏方任身，夢月入其懷，生女，是為元后。每許嫁，未行，所許者輒死。卜相者云：「當大貴。」遂為元帝皇后，生成帝。

Emperor Yuan's Empress Wang was a descendant of the Tian clan of Qi. Her grandfather Weng Ru had moved from Dongpingling to Yuancheng. The Lord of Yuancheng said, "In antiquity during the Spring and Autumn period the Sha Plain collapsed. The Jin historian divined it: yin serving as yang's consort, earth and fire multiplying each other — therefore the Sha Plain collapsed. After six hundred forty-five years a sage woman should arise. Will she not be of the Tian clan of Qi? Now Weng Ru's move fell exactly upon that place, with sun and moon aligned with it. East of Yuancheng's outer wall lay the ruins of Wulu — the very site of the Sha Plain. After eighty years a noble woman would rise to dominate the realm." Weng Ru begat Jin. Jin's wife Lady Li was pregnant when she dreamed the moon entered her bosom. She bore a daughter — who became the Grand Empress. Each time she was promised in marriage, the betrothed man would die before the wedding could take place. A diviner and physiognomist said, "She is destined for greatness." Thereupon she became Emperor Yuan's empress and bore Emperor Cheng.

初，秦始皇世，有長人十二，身長五丈，足跡六尺，見於隴西臨洮，前史以為秦亡之徵，史臣以為漢興之符也。自高帝至于平帝，十二主焉。

In the beginning, during the reign of the First Emperor of Qin, twelve tall men appeared at Lintao in Longxi — each five zhang in height, with footprints six chi across. Earlier histories took this as a sign of Qin's downfall; the historiographer takes it as an omen of Han's rise. From the High Emperor down to Emperor Ping, there were twelve rulers.

東漢

Eastern Han

光武皇帝，父為濟陽令。濟陽有武帝行宮，常封閉。哀帝建平元年十二月甲子夜，光武將產，乃開而居之。時有赤光，室中盡明，皇考異焉。使卜者王長卜之。長辟左右曰：「此善事，不可言。」是歲，有嘉禾生產屋景天中，一莖九穗，異於凡禾，縣界大豐，故名光武曰秀。時又有鳳皇集濟陽，於是畫宮為鳳皇之象。明年，方士有夏賀良者，上言哀帝云：「漢家歷運中衰，當再受命。」於是改號為太初元將元年，稱陳聖劉太平皇帝以厭勝之。王莽時，善望氣者蘇伯阿望光武所居縣舂陵城郭，唶曰：「氣佳哉！鬱鬱葱葱然。」莽忌惡漢，而錢文有金，乃改鑄貨泉以易之。既而光武起於舂陵之白水鄉，貨泉之文為「白水真人」也。初起兵，望見家南有火光，以為人持火，呼之而光遂盛，䓇然上屬天，有頃不見。及在河北，為王郎所逼，將南濟滹沱河。導吏還云：「河水流澌，無船可渡。」左右皆恐懼。帝更遣王霸視之。霸往視，如吏言。霸慮還以實對，驚動眾心，乃謬云：「冰堅可渡。」帝馳進。比至，而河冰皆合，其堅可乘。既渡，餘數乘車未畢而冰陷。前至下博城西，疑所之。有一白衣老公在道旁，曰：「努力！信都為長安城守，去此八十里耳。」言畢，失所在。遂至信都，投太守任光。初光武微時，穰人蔡少公曰：「讖言劉秀發兵捕不道，卯金修德為天子。」國師公劉子駿名秀。少公曰：「國師公是也。」光武笑曰：「何用知非僕？」道士西門君惠等並云：「劉秀當為天子。」光武平定河北，還至中山，將軍萬脩得赤伏符，言光武當受命。羣臣上尊號，光武辭。前至鄗縣，諸生彊華又自長安詣鄗，上赤伏符，文與脩合。羣下又請曰：「受命之符，人應為大。」光武又夢乘赤龍登天，乃即位，都洛陽，營宮闕。一夕有門材自至，是時琅邪開陽縣城門，一夕無故自亡，檢所得材，即是也，遂名其門曰開陽門。先是秦穆公時，陳倉人掘地得物，若羊非羊，若猪非猪，怪，將獻之。道逢二僮子，謂之曰：「子知彼乎，名為，常在地下食死人腦。若欲殺之，以栢東南枝指之，則死矣。」因言曰：「此二僮子，名為寶。得其雄者王，得其雌者霸。」於是陳倉人遂棄而逐二僮子，二僮子化為雉，飛入林。陳倉人以告穆公，穆公發徒大獵，得其雌者，化而為石，置之汧、渭之間。至文公，為之立祠，名曰陳寶祠。雄南飛集南陽穰縣，其後光武興於南陽。光武之初興也，隗囂擁眾隴右，招集英俊，而公孫述稱帝於蜀，天下雲擾，大者連州郡，小者據縣邑。囂問扶風人班彪曰：「往者周亡，戰國並爭，天下分裂，數世然後定。縱橫之事，復起於今乎？將承運迭興，在於一人也？願先生論之。」對曰：「周之廢興與漢異。昔周立爵五等，諸侯從政，本根既微，枝葉強大，故其末流有縱橫之事，其勢然也。漢家承秦之制，郡縣治民，主有專己之威，臣無百年之柄。至於成帝，假借外家，哀、平短祚，國嗣三絕，禍自上起，傷不及下。故王氏之貴，傾擅朝廷，能竊號位，而不根於民，是以即真之後，天下莫不引領而歎。十餘年間，中外騷擾，遠近俱發，假號雲合，咸稱劉氏，不謀而同辭。方今雄桀帶州域者，皆無七國世業之資。詩云：『皇矣上帝，臨下有赫。鑒觀四方，求民之瘼。』今民皆謳吟思漢，向仰劉氏，已可知矣。」隗囂曰：「先生言周、漢之勢，可也。至於但見愚民習識劉氏姓號之故，而謂漢復興，疎矣。昔秦失其鹿，劉季逐而掎之，時民復知漢乎？」彪既感囂言，又愍狂狡之不息，乃著王命論以救時難。辭曰：

Emperor Guangwu — his father was magistrate of Jiyang. Jiyang had an imperial traveling palace built by Emperor Wu, which was always sealed and closed. On the night of the jiazi day in the twelfth month of the first year of Jianping under Emperor Ai, as Guangwu was about to be born, they opened it and took up residence there. At that moment red light filled the room until it was entirely bright, and the imperial father was astonished. He had the diviner Wang Chang perform a divination. Chang withdrew from those standing by and said, "This is an auspicious matter — it cannot be spoken of." That year fine grain sprouted in the roof timbers above the birthing room — one stalk bearing nine ears, unlike ordinary grain. The county enjoyed a great harvest, so they named Guangwu Xiu. At that time a phoenix also alighted at Jiyang, whereupon they painted the palace with the likeness of a phoenix. The following year a fangshi named Xia Heliang submitted a memorial to Emperor Ai saying, "The Han house's allotted fortune is in mid-decline; it should receive the mandate anew." Thereupon the reign era was changed to the first year of the Grand Primordial Primordial General, and Chen Sheng Liu Taiping Emperor was styled as a counter-charm. During Wang Mang's time, the expert in reading atmospheric signs Su Bo'a gazed upon the walls of Chunling county where Guangwu dwelt and clicked his tongue, saying, "Excellent qi! Lush and verdant." Mang hated the Han, and since the coin inscriptions contained the character for metal, he had Huoquan coins recast to replace them. Soon afterward Guangwu rose at Baishui Township in Chunling — and the text of the Huoquan coin reads "Baishui True Man." When he first raised troops, he saw firelight south of his home and thought someone held a torch. He called out, and the light blazed up, flaming skyward until it reached heaven — then in a moment it vanished. When he was in Hebei, pressed by Wang Lang, he prepared to cross the Hutuo River heading south. The guide officer returned and reported, "The river runs with ice floes — there are no boats to cross." Those at his side were all afraid. The emperor sent Wang Ba again to look. Ba went to look — it was exactly as the officer had said. Ba feared that reporting the truth would shake the hearts of the multitude, so he falsely declared, "The ice is solid enough to cross." The emperor galloped forward. By the time he arrived, the river ice had all joined, firm enough to bear crossing. After he had crossed, several chariots that had not yet finished crossing fell through as the ice gave way. Advancing to west of Xiabo city, he was uncertain which way to go. An old man in plain white clothes stood by the roadside and said, "Press on! Xindu holds Chang'an city — it is only eighty li from here." When he finished speaking, he vanished without a trace. Thereupon he reached Xindu and placed himself under Governor Ren Guang. When Guangwu was still obscure, Cai Shaogong of Rang said, "A prophecy reads: Liu Xiu will raise troops to capture the lawless; mao-jin cultivating virtue shall be Son of Heaven." The Duke and National Preceptor Liu Zijun was named Xiu. Shaogong said, "The Duke and National Preceptor is the one." Guangwu laughed and said, "How do you know it is not me?" The daoshi Ximen Junhui and others all said, "Liu Xiu is destined to be Son of Heaven." Guangwu pacified Hebei and returned to Zhongshan. General Wan Xiu obtained the Red Manifest talisman, which declared that Guangwu was to receive the mandate. The ministers presented him with the honorific title, but Guangwu declined. Advancing to Gao county, the scholar Qiang Hua also came from Chang'an to Gao and presented the Red Manifest talisman — its text matched Xiu's. The subordinates again petitioned, "The talisman of receiving the mandate — a man should answer to what is great." Guangwu also dreamed of riding a red dragon up to heaven. Thereupon he ascended the throne, made Luoyang his capital, and built palaces and towers. One night gate timber arrived of itself. At that time the city gate of Kaiyang county in Langye vanished without cause in a single night. Examining the timber recovered, they found it was exactly that timber — thereupon they named the gate Kaiyang Gate. Earlier, during the time of Duke Mu of Qin, a man of Chen Cang dug in the earth and obtained a creature — not quite a sheep, not quite a pig. Finding it strange, he was about to present it as tribute. On the road he met two youths who said to him, "Do you know that thing? Its name is — [character missing in text]; it always dwells underground eating the brains of the dead. If you wish to kill it, point the southeast branch of a cypress at it, and it will die." Then he said, "These two youths are named Bao. Whoever obtains the male shall be king; whoever obtains the female shall be hegemon." Thereupon the Chen Cang man abandoned it and pursued the two youths. The two youths transformed into pheasants and flew into the forest. The Chen Cang man reported this to Duke Mu. Duke Mu dispatched men on a great hunt and obtained the female, which transformed into stone and was placed between the Qian and Wei rivers. By the time of Duke Wen, a shrine had been established for it, named the Chen Bao Shrine. The male flew south and alighted at Rang county in Nanyang — and afterward Guangwu rose in Nanyang. At Guangwu's first rise, Wei Xiao held the multitude in Longyou and gathered outstanding men, while Gongsun Shu declared himself emperor in Shu. The realm was cloud-tossed in turmoil — the great linked province to province and commandery to commandery, the small seized counties and townships. Xiao asked Ban Biao of Fufeng, "In the past when Zhou perished, the Warring States contended together. The realm split apart, and only after several generations was it settled. Will the affairs of the Vertical and Horizontal alliances rise again in the present age? Or will fortune pass in succession and rise in a single man? I wish you, sir, to discuss this." He replied, "The rise and fall of Zhou differ from Han. In the past Zhou established five ranks of nobility, and feudal lords shared in government. The root was already weak while branches and leaves were strong; therefore at the end there were affairs of Vertical and Horizontal alliances. Such was the force of circumstances. The Han house received Qin's system — commanderies and counties governed the people. The ruler held sole authority, and ministers had no power lasting a hundred years. As for Emperor Cheng, power was lent to the maternal kin. Emperors Ai and Ping had short reigns, and the imperial succession was extinguished three times — calamity arose from above, and harm did not reach below. Therefore the Wang family's nobility monopolized the court, able to usurp title and throne yet without roots among the people. Hence after Wang Mang took the throne, none under heaven did not stretch their necks and sigh. Within a dozen years turmoil spread at home and abroad. Near and far all arose; those who assumed titles gathered like clouds, all calling themselves Liu — of one mind without prior consultation. The heroes and champions of today who hold commanderies within their grasp all lack the hereditary resources of the Seven Kingdoms. The Odes say: 'Great is God on high, looking down below with majesty. Surveying the four directions, seeking the people's afflictions.' Now the people all sing and sigh, longing for Han, turning toward the Liu house — this can already be known." Wei Xiao said, "Sir, what you say about the fortunes of Zhou and Han is acceptable. As for merely seeing that ignorant people are accustomed to the Liu surname and title and therefore saying Han will revive — that is shallow. In the past Qin lost the deer; Liu Ji pursued and grappled for it — did the people then yet know of Han?" Biao, moved by Xiao's words and grieving that mad and cunning men would not cease, thereupon composed the Discourse on the Mandate of Kings to rescue the age from calamity. The text reads:

:昔在帝堯之禪曰：「咨爾舜，天之曆數在爾躬。」舜亦以命禹。洎于稷、契，咸佐唐、虞，光濟四海，奕世載德，至于湯、武，而有天下。雖其遭遇異時，禪代不同，至于應天從民，其揆一焉。是故劉氏承堯之祚，氏族之世，著于春秋。唐據火德，而漢紹之。始起沛澤，則神母夜號，以章赤帝之符。由是言之，帝王之祚，必有明聖顯懿之德，豐功厚利積累之業，然後精誠通于神明，流澤加於生民。故能為鬼神所福嚮，天下所歸往。未見運世無本，功德不紀，而得堀起在此位者也。世俗見高祖興於布衣，不達其故，以為適遭暴亂，得奮其劍。游說之士，至比天下於逐鹿，幸捷而得之。不知神器有命，不可以智力求也。悲夫！此世之所以多亂臣賊子者也。若然者，豈徒闇於天道哉，又不覩之於人事矣。

:In antiquity, at Emperor Yao's cession it was said, "Consult you, Shun — Heaven's allotted span is in your person." Shun also used it to charge Yu. Down through Ji and Qi, all assisted Tang and Yu, their radiance aiding the four seas. Generation after generation they carried virtue, down to Tang and Wu — and they possessed the realm. Though their encounters were in different times and their modes of abdication and succession differed, in responding to Heaven and following the people their measure was one. Therefore the Liu house received Yao's mandate, and the generations of the clan are recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals. Yao's house stood for the element fire, and Han took up that line. At the first rising in the Pei marshes the spirit mother wailed by night to prove the Red Emperor's omen. From this it follows that imperial fortune demands luminous virtue and piled-up achievements before sincerity moves the spirits and blessing reaches the people. Then ghosts and spirits bless them and all under Heaven turns their way. No one has ever seen a man without mandate or merit vault onto this throne from nothing. Common opinion sees Gaozu rise from the ranks, misses the real cause, and thinks he merely seized a sword in chaotic times. Rhetoricians liken the realm to a deer hunt, won by whoever gets lucky. They miss that the sacred vessel answers only to fate, not to cunning or muscle. A bitter pity. That blindness is why treason and usurpation multiply. If so, is the fault only ignorance of Heaven's Way? They have not even looked at the evidence of human affairs.

:夫餓饉流隸，饑寒道路，思有裋褐之褻，檐石之畜，所願不過一金，然終於轉死溝壑。何則？貧窮亦有命也。況乎天子之貴，四海之富，神明之祚，可得而妄據哉！故雖遭罹厄會，竊其權柄，勇如信、布，強如梁、籍，成如王莽，然卒潤鑊伏鑕，烹菹分裂；又況么麼不及數子，而欲闇干天位者乎？是故駑蹇之乘，不騁千里之塗；䴏雀之儔，不奮六翮之用；楶梲之材，不荷棟梁之任；斗筲之子，不秉帝王之重。易曰：「鼎折足，覆公餗。」不勝其任也。當秦之末，豪桀共推陳嬰而王之。嬰母止嬰曰：「自吾為子家婦，而世貧賤，卒富貴，不祥。不如以兵屬人，事成，少受其利，不成，禍有所歸。」嬰從其言，而陳氏以寧。王陵之母，亦見項氏之必亡，而劉氏之將興也。是時陵為漢將，而母獲於楚。有漢使來，陵母見之，謂曰：「願告吾子，漢王長者，必得天下，子謹事之，無有二心。」遂對漢使，伏劍而死，以固勉陵。其後果定於漢，陵為宰相封侯。夫以匹婦之明，猶能推事理之致，探禍福之機，全宗祀於無窮，垂冊書於春秋，而況大丈夫之事乎。是故窮達有命，吉凶由人，嬰母知廢，陵母知興，審此二者，帝王之分決矣。

:Starving drifters on the highway dream only of a patched coat, a sack of grain, a few coins of wealth—and still rot in the ditch. Why should that be? Even poverty and plenty ride an appointed lot. How then could anyone lightly seize the Son of Heaven's rank, the wealth of the realm, and the spirits' favor? Think of Xin, Bu, Xiang Yu, or even Wang Mang, who briefly seized power yet ended in the pot or on the block, diced and torn apart; What hope have petty upstarts far beneath them of darkly grasping the throne? A cripple nag cannot run the thousand-mile road; sparrows cannot soar like great birds; splinter wood will not roof a hall; a small-minded man cannot wear the crown. The Zhou yi warns that when the tripod snaps its legs and spills the lord's porridge, the office has outstripped the man. Near Qin's fall the warlords tried to crown Chen Ying. His mother warned that sudden fortune after generations of poverty boded ill, and urged him to lend his army to a stronger leader so success would bring modest reward and failure would not crush the clan. Chen Ying obeyed, and his house survived the wars unscathed. Wang Ling's mother likewise saw that Xiang Yu would fall and Han would rise. While Wang Ling served Han, his mother languished in Chu captivity. Meeting a Han envoy she begged him to tell her son that Liu Bang was the true victor and deserved undivided loyalty. She then drew a blade before the envoy and fell dead to steel her son's resolve. Han triumphed, Wang Ling rose to chancellor, and ennoblement followed. If a woman's wit could read fate, save her lineage, and earn a line in the annals, how much more should a grown man grasp the mandate! Fortune governs rise and fall, yet human choice steers blessing or curse; Chen's mother knew whom to quit, Wang's mother knew whom to back, and those two judgments settle who may be king.

:蓋在高祖，其興也有五：一曰帝堯之苗裔，二曰體貌多奇異，三曰神武有徵應，四曰寬明而仁恕，五曰知人善任使。加之以信誠好謀，達於聽受，見善如不及，用人如由己，從諫如從流，趨時如響赴；當食吐哺，納子房之策；拔足揮洗，揖酈生之說；寤戍卒之言，斷懷土之情；高四皓之名，割肌膚之愛；舉韓信於行陣，收陳平於亡命；英雄陳力，羣才畢舉，此高祖之大略所以成帝業也。若乃靈瑞符應，又可略聞矣。初劉媼任高祖而夢與神遇，震雷晦冥，有龍蛇之怪。及長多靈異，有殊於眾，是以王、武感物而折契，呂公覩貌而進女；秦皇東遊以厭其氣，呂后望雲而知所處；始受命則白蛇分，西入關則五星聚。故淮陰、留侯謂之天授，非人力也。

:Gaozu's ascent rested on five signs: Yao's bloodline, a singular physique, omens that blessed his arms, a generous humane temper, and a gift for placing the right men. He was candid, loved strategy, listened well, chased every good counsel, handed offices as freely as if they were his own limbs, took advice like running water, and seized each moment as though answering a call; he spat out a mouthful mid-meal to enact Zhang Liang's scheme; he broke off his bath to salute Li Yiji's plea; he heeded a guardsman's plea and checked his homesick march; he courted the Four Elders though it cost him a father's love; He pulled Han Xin from the ranks and rescued Chen Ping from flight; and let every able man lend strength until the imperial work was done. The portents that marked him deserve a word as well. Lady Liu dreamed of a spirit when she conceived him; thunder rolled in black sky and dragon shapes writhed. As he matured, uncanny signs set him apart, so Wang and Wu tore up old debts at a glance and Lü Gong married him a daughter for his bearing; the Qin First Emperor toured east to smother his qi, while Empress Lü read clouds to find him; His first mandate split the white serpent, and the five planets clustered when he entered the passes. Han Xin and Zhang Liang called such things Heaven's investiture, not mortal striving.

:歷古今之得失，驗行事之成敗，稽帝王之世運，考五者之所謂，取舍不厭斯位，符應不同斯度，而欲昧於權利，越次妄據，〈越次妄據「次」各本並作「久」，據漢書序傳及文選卷五二所載改。〉外不量力，內不知命，則必喪保家之主，失天年之壽，〈失天年之壽「天年」各本並作「大年」，據漢書序傳及文選卷五二所載改。〉遇折足之凶，伏鈇鉞之誅。英雄誠知覺寤，畏若禍戒，超然遠覽，淵然深識，收陵、嬰之明分，絕信、布之覬覦，距逐鹿之瞽說，審神器之有授，無貪不可幾，為二母之所笑，則福祚流于子孫，天祿其永終矣。

:Survey history, weigh deeds, test the five signs of true kingship, and if you still covet the throne without the omens or the merit, if you blindly grasp for power and leap out of turn to seize the seat, 〈Emendation on "leaps out of order and occupies it rashly": all editions read "long" for "order"; corrected per the Hanshu afterword and Wen xuan, juan 52.〉 outwardly overreaching and inwardly blind to fate, you invite family ruin and forfeit the years Heaven grants, 〈Emendation on "forfeit the years Heaven grants": all editions read "great years" for "years Heaven grants"; corrected per the Hanshu afterword and Wen xuan, juan 52.〉 meet the broken tripod's curse, and lie under the headsman's block. Wake to that lesson, shun Xin and Bu's ambition, laugh off the deer hunt, respect Heaven's chosen vessel, and you may pass fortune to your heirs instead of becoming a jest to history's mothers.

隗囂不納，果敗。

Wei Xiao refused the warning and was destroyed in the end.

漢元、成世，道士言：「讖者云：『赤厄三七。』三七，二百一十年，有外戚之篡。祚極三六，當有龍飛之秀，興復祖宗。」及莽篡漢，漢二百一十年矣。莽十八年而敗，光武興焉。

In the reigns of Emperors Yuan and Cheng of Han, Taoists said, "The prophetic texts declare: 'Red calamity, three-seven. Three-seven means two hundred ten years—then consort kin will usurp the throne. When the mandate reaches three-six, a dragon-rising hero will restore the ancestral house." When Wang Mang usurped Han, the dynasty had indeed lasted two hundred ten years. Eighteen years later Mang fell, and Guangwu rose.

明帝初生，豐下兌上，赤色似堯，終登帝位。

At birth Emperor Ming's broad jaw and narrow forehead glowed red like Yao's; he went on to take the throne.

和帝鄧皇后，祖父禹，佐命光武，常曰：「我將百萬人，未嘗妄殺一人，子孫當大興。」后少時，相者蘇文見后，〈相者蘇文見后「蘇文」各本並作「蘇大」，據後漢書和熹鄧皇后傳李賢注引續漢書改。〉驚曰：「此成湯之骨法也，貴不可言。」后嘗夢登梯，以手捫天，天體蕩蕩正青而滑，有若鍾乳者，后仰吮之。以訊之占夢。占夢者曰：「堯夢攀天而上，〈堯夢攀天而上各本並作「堯攀天而止」，據後漢書和熹鄧皇后傳補正。〉湯夢及天而[口+氏]之，〈湯夢及天而[口+氏]之「[口+氏]」後漢書和熹鄧皇后傳作「咶」。按說文：「舓，以舌取食也。從舌易聲。或從也作𦧇。」段玉裁注云：「[口+氏]或作舐，或作狧。」此「[口+氏]」字，蓋又「舐」之省文。〉此皆非常夢也。」既而入宮，遂登尊位。

Empress Deng of Emperor He was granddaughter of Yu, who had helped Guangwu win the throne; he often said, "I have led a million men and never killed without cause—my line will flourish." When she was young the physiognomist Su Wen saw her, 〈Emendation on "the physiognomist Su Wen saw the empress": all editions read "Su Da" for "Su Wen"; corrected per Li Xian's Hou Hanshu commentary citing the Xu Hanshu.〉 and cried in astonishment, "This is the bone pattern of Cheng Tang—nobility beyond words." She once dreamed she climbed a ladder, touched heaven with her hand, found the sky vast, clear blue and smooth like stalactites, and raised her head to sip and drink. She asked the dream interpreters. They said, "Yao dreamed of climbing to heaven, 〈Emendation on "Yao dreamed of climbing heaven and ascending": all editions read "Yao climbed heaven and stopped"; corrected per the Hou Hanshu biography of Empress Hexi Deng.〉 Tang dreamed of reaching heaven and licking it, 〈Emendation on "Tang dreamed of reaching heaven and licking it": the Hou Hanshu biography of Empress Hexi Deng writes the lick-character as "gua." The Shuowen defines the character shi as "to take food with the tongue. It combines the tongue radical with yi as phonetic. With ye as phonetic it appears in another variant form." Duan Yucai notes that the mouth-plus-shi form may also be written shi or ta. This mouth-plus-shi character is probably an abbreviated form of shi, "to lick."〉 These were all extraordinary dreams." She then entered the palace and ascended the throne.

安帝未即大位，在邸，數有神光赤蛇嘉應，照曜室內，磐紆殿屋牀第之間，後遂入承大統。

Before Emperor An took the throne, while he still lived at his princely residence, divine light and a red serpent repeatedly appeared as auspicious signs, shining through the rooms and coiling among hall beams and bed curtains; he later entered and succeeded to the great succession.

初桓帝之世，有黃星見於楚、宋之分。遼東殷馗曰：「後五十年，當有真人起於譙、沛之間，其鋒不可當。」靈帝熹平五年，黃龍見譙。光祿大夫橋玄問太史令單颺曰：〈光祿大夫橋玄問太史令單颺曰「橋玄」各本並作「喬玄」，據三國志魏志武帝紀改。〉「此何祥也？」颺曰：「其國後當有王者興，不及五十年，亦當復見天事恒象，此其徵也。」內黃殷登默記之。其後曹操起於譙，是為魏武帝。建安五年，於黃星見之，歲五十年矣。而武帝破袁紹，天下莫敵。

During Emperor Huan's reign a yellow star appeared over the Chu–Song sky sector. Yin Kui of Liaodong said, "Within fifty years a true man will rise between Qiao and Pei, and his force will be irresistible." In the fifth year of Xiping under Emperor Ling, a yellow dragon appeared at Qiao. Grand Counselor of the Household Qiao Xuan asked Grand Astrologer Shan Yang, 〈Emendation on "Grand Counselor of the Household Qiao Xuan asked Grand Astrologer Shan Yang": all editions write a homophone for Qiao Xuan's surname; corrected per the Sanguo zhi biography of Emperor Wu.〉 "What omen is this? Shan Yang answered, "This land will one day produce a true king; within fifty years Heaven's constant signs should appear again—this is the token." Yin Deng of Neihuang quietly committed the prophecy to memory. Later Cao Cao rose at Qiao—this was Emperor Wu of Wei. In the fifth year of Jian'an, when the yellow star appeared, fifty years had passed. Emperor Wu broke Yuan Shao, and none under Heaven could match him.

春秋讖曰：「代漢者，當塗高也。」漢有周舒者，善內學。人或問之，舒曰：「當塗高者，魏也。」舒既沒，譙周又問術士杜瓊曰：「周徵君以為當塗高，魏也。其義何在？」瓊曰：「魏，闕名也。當塗而高，聖人以類言耳。」又問周曰：「寧復有所怪邪？」周曰：「未達也。」瓊曰：「古者名官職不言曹，自漢以來，名官盡言曹，吏言屬曹，卒言侍曹，此殆天意也。」周曰：「魏者，大也。曹者，眾也。眾而且大，天下之所歸乎。」建安十八年，武帝為公，又進爵為王。二十五年，武帝薨，太子丕嗣為魏王，是為文帝。文帝始生，有雲青色，圓如車蓋，當其上終日。望氣者以為至貴之祥，非人臣之氣。善相者高元呂曰：「其貴不可言。」延康元年三月，黃龍又見譙，殷登猶存，歎曰：「黃龍見於熹平也，單颺云：『不及五十年，亦當復見。』今四十五年矣，颺之言其驗茲乎。」四月，饒安言白虎見。〈四月饒安言白虎見「四月」各本並作「十月」，下又出八月，今據符瑞志改。符瑞志中云：「延康元年四月丁巳，饒安縣言白虎見。」〉八月，石邑言鳳凰集，又有麒麟見。十月，漢帝禪位於魏，魏王辭讓不受，博士蘇林、董巴上言：「臣聞天之去就，固有常分，聖人當之，昭然不疑。故堯捐骨肉而禪有虞，終無吝色。舜發壟畝而居天下，若固有之。其相授間，不稽漏刻，天下已傳矣。所以急天命，明天下不可一日無君。今漢期運已終，妖異絕之已審。陛下受天之命，符瑞告徵，丁寧詳悉，反覆備至，雖言語相諭，無以代此。今既發詔書，璽綬未御，固執謙讓，上稽天命，下違民情。臣謹按古之典籍，參以圖緯，魏之行運及天道所在，即尊之驗，在於今年此月，昭晢分明。謹條奏如左。唯陛下遷思易慮，以時即位，顯告上帝，布詔天下。然後改正朔，易服色，正大號，天下幸甚。」其所陳事曰：

The Spring and Autumn prophecy says, "The one who replaces Han shall be the height by the road." In Han there was Zhou Shu, skilled in occult learning. When someone asked him, Zhou Shu answered that "tall by the road" meant Wei. After Zhou Shu died, Qiao Zhou asked the adept Du Qiong, "Master Zhou held that 'tall by the road' meant Wei. What is the reasoning? Du Qiong replied that wei was the name of the palace gate tower. Blocking the road and high—the sage had spoken by analogy. He asked Zhou again, "Is there still something odd about it? Zhou said, "I have not yet understood. Du Qiong said, "Ancient offices were not called cao, but since Han every bureau has been called cao—clerks belong to cao, runners attend cao; this is probably Heaven's intent." Zhou said, "Wei — this means 'great. Cao — this means 'the multitude.' Multitudinous and great — is this not what all under Heaven turns toward?" In the eighteenth year of Jian'an, Emperor Wu became Duke and was further ennobled as King. In the twenty-fifth year, Emperor Wu died; Crown Prince Pi succeeded as King of Wei — this was Emperor Wen. When Emperor Wen was born, a green cloud round as a chariot canopy hovered above him all day. Those who read celestial signs took it as an omen of supreme nobility — not the aura of a subject. The skilled physiognomist Gao Yuanlu said, "His nobility is beyond words." In the third month of the first year of Yankang, a yellow dragon again appeared at Qiao. Yin Deng was still alive and sighed, "When the yellow dragon appeared in the Xiping era, Shan Yang said, 'Within fifty years it should appear again. Now forty-five years have passed — has Yang's prophecy been fulfilled in this?" In the fourth month, Rao'an reported that a white tiger had appeared. 〈In the fourth month Rao'an reported that a white tiger appeared — all editions read "tenth month" rather than "fourth month"; since the eighth month appears below, emended according to the Treatise on Auspicious Signs. The Treatise on Auspicious Signs states: "On dingsi day in the fourth month of the first year of Yankang, Rao'an County reported that a white tiger appeared."〉 In the eighth month, Shiyi reported that phoenixes had gathered, and a qilin also appeared. In the tenth month, the Han emperor abdicated in favor of Wei; the King of Wei declined and refused to accept. Academicians Su Lin and Dong Ba submitted a memorial: "We have heard that Heaven's coming and going follows a fixed order; when the sage receives the mandate, he does so clearly and without doubt. Therefore Yao gave up his own kin and abdicated to You Yu — yet to the end he showed no reluctance. Shun rose from the fields and took possession of the realm, as though it had always been his. Between their successive investitures, not a single drip of the water clock was delayed — all under Heaven had already been transferred. This is why they hastened the Mandate of Heaven — to show that the realm cannot go a single day without a ruler. Now the Han dynasty's allotted span has ended; omens foretelling its severance have been thoroughly confirmed. Your Majesty has received Heaven's mandate; auspicious tokens proclaim the signs — earnest, detailed, and repeated to the full — and though words may instruct one another, nothing can take the place of this. Now the decree has already been issued, yet the seal and cord have not been assumed; by stubbornly clinging to humility and refusal, you delay Heaven's mandate above and go against the people's will below. We respectfully examine the ancient canonical texts and cross-reference the charts and weft-texts — Wei's cycle of fortune and the place where Heaven's Way resides: the proof of elevation falls in this year and this month, clear and unmistakable. We respectfully itemize and submit as follows. We only ask that Your Majesty reconsider and change your mind, take the throne at the proper time, proclaim this clearly to High God, and issue an edict to all under Heaven. Then revise the calendar and first month, change the court colors, and establish the great title — all under Heaven would be greatly blessed." What they presented read:

:天有十二次，以為分野，王公之國，各有所屬。周在鶉火，魏在大梁，歲星行歷，凡十二次，所在國天子受命，諸侯以封。周文王始受命，歲星在鶉火，至武王伐紂，十三年，歲星復在鶉火。故春秋傳曰：「武王伐紂，歲在鶉火。」又曰：「歲之所在，則我有周之分野也。」昔光和七年，〈昔光和七年「七年」各本並作「十七年」。按後漢書靈帝紀，光和止七年，其年十二月，改元中平。「十」字衍文，今刪去。〉歲在大梁，武王始受命為將，討黃巾。是歲改年為中平元年。建安元年，歲復在大梁，始拜大將軍。十三年，復在大梁，始拜丞相。今二十五年，歲復在大梁，陛下受命。此魏得歲與周文、武受命相應。

Heaven has twelve stations, which serve as territorial divisions; the domains of kings and dukes each have their allotted correspondences. Zhou lay in Quail Fire; Wei lies in Great Bridge. The Year Star passes through twelve stations in its course; wherever it resides, the Son of Heaven receives the mandate and feudal lords are enfeoffed. When King Wen of Zhou first received the mandate, the Year Star was at Quail Fire; when King Wu attacked Zhou thirteen years later, the Year Star was again at Quail Fire. Therefore the Zuo Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals says, "When King Wu attacked Zhou, the year-star was at Quail Fire." It also says, "Where the year-star stands — that is the territorial allotment of our Zhou." In the seventh year of the Guanghe era, 〈In the seventh year of Guanghe — all editions read "seventeenth year" rather than "seventh year." According to the Annals of Emperor Ling in the Hou Hanshu, Guanghe lasted only seven years; in the twelfth month of that year the reign era was changed to Zhongping. The character "ten" is a superfluous interpolation; it is now deleted.〉 The Year Star was at Great Bridge; Emperor Wu first received the mandate as a general and campaigned against the Yellow Turbans. In that year the era name was changed to the first year of Zhongping. In the first year of Jian'an, the Year Star was again at Great Bridge; he was first appointed Grand General. In the thirteenth year, again at Great Bridge; he was first appointed Chancellor. Now in the twenty-fifth year, the Year Star is again at Great Bridge; Your Majesty has received the mandate. This is Wei gaining the Year Star — corresponding to Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou receiving the mandate.

:今年青龍在庚子，詩推度災曰：「庚者，更也。子者，茲也。聖人制法天下治。」又曰：「王者布德於子，治成於丑。」此言今年天更命聖人，制法天下，布德於民也。魏以改制天下，〈魏以改制天下「改」各本並作「政」，據三國志魏志文帝紀裴注所引改。〉與詩協矣。顓頊受命，歲在豕韋，衞居其地，亦在豕韋。故春秋傳曰：「衛，顓頊之墟也。」今十月，斗之所建，則顓頊受命之分也。魏以十月受禪，此同符始祖受命之驗也。

This year the Azure Dragon is at gengzi. The Poetic Interpretation of Measuring Calamities says, "Geng means 'change. Zi means 'this.' The sage establishes institutions and the realm is governed." It also says, "The king spreads virtue in zi; governance is perfected in chou." This means that this year Heaven changes the mandate to a sage — establishes institutions for the realm and spreads virtue among the people. Wei remakes institutions for the realm, 〈Wei remakes institutions for the realm — all editions read "governs" rather than "remakes"; emended according to Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Annals of Emperor Wen in the Wei section of the Sanguo Zhi.〉 in accord with the Poetic Interpretation. When Zhuanxu received the mandate, the year was at Boar-Wei; the domain of Wey lay in that place — also at Boar-Wei. Therefore the Zuo Commentary says, "Wey — the ruins of Zhuanxu." Now the tenth month is where the Dipper sets its marker — the allotment of Zhuanxu's reception of the mandate. Wei received the abdication in the tenth month — this matches the proof of the primal ancestor receiving the mandate.

三國

Three Kingdoms

魏之氏族，出自顓頊，與舜同祖，見于春秋世家。舜以土德承堯之火，今魏亦以土德承漢之火，其於行運合於堯、舜授受之次。魏王猶未許。太史丞許芝又上天文祥瑞：

The clan of Wei sprang from Zhuanxu and shared an ancestor with Shun — as recorded in the Hereditary Houses of the Spring and Autumn Annals. Shun with the virtue of Earth succeeded Yao's Fire; now Wei also with Earth virtue succeeds Han's Fire — in cyclical fortune it matches the sequence of the transfer between Yao and Shun. The King of Wei still had not assented. Grand Astrologer Assistant Xu Zhi also submitted astronomical auspicious signs:

:自建安三年十二月戊辰，有新天子氣見於東南，到今積二十三年。建安十年，茀星出庫樓，歷犯氐、房宿，北入天市，犯北斗、紫微。氐為天子宿宮，路寢所止。房為天子明堂政教之首。北斗七星，主尊輔象近臣。紫微者，北極最尊。此除掃漢家之大異也。建安十八年秋，歲星、鎮星、熒惑俱入太微，逆行留守帝坐百有餘日。歲星入太微，人主改姓。鎮星入太微，內有兵亂，人主以弱。三者，漢改姓易代之異也。建安十九年正月，白虹貫日。易傳曰：「后妃擅國，白虹貫日。」建安二十一年五月朔己亥，日蝕。建安二十三年三月，茀星晨見東方二十餘日，夕出西方，犯歷五車、東井、五諸侯、文昌、軒轅、太微，鋒炎刺帝坐。茀者除舊布新，亡惡興聖之異也。建安二十四年二月晦壬子，日蝕。日者陽精，月為侯王，而以亥子日蝕，皆水滅火之異也。延康元年九月十日黃昏時，月蝕熒惑，過人定時，熒惑出營室，宿羽林。月為大臣侯王之象；熒惑火精，漢氏之行。占曰：「漢家以兵亡。」延康元年九月二十日，剝卦天子氣不見，皆崩亡之異也。熒惑火精，行縮日一度有餘。故太史令王昱以為漢家衰亡之極。熒惑大而赤色；光不明，赤而小，與小星無別，皆漢家衰亡之異也。

From the third year of Jian'an, on wuchen day of the twelfth month, a new Son-of-Heaven aura appeared in the southeast — twenty-three years have accumulated to the present. In the tenth year of Jian'an, the Broom Star emerged from Storehouse Tower, passing through and invading the lodges Di and Fang, entering the Celestial Market northward and invading the Northern Dipper and Purple Forbidden Enclosure. Di is the lodge of the Son of Heaven's resting palace — where the inner bedroom lies. Fang is the head of the Son of Heaven's Bright Hall of governance and instruction. The Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper govern honored assistants — emblems of close ministers. The Purple Forbidden Enclosure — most honored at the Northern Pole. This is the great omen of sweeping away and clearing the Han house. In autumn of the eighteenth year of Jian'an, the Year Star, the Stationary Star, and the Sparkling Deluder all entered the Supreme Palace Enclosure, moving retrograde and remaining at the Imperial Seat for more than a hundred days. When the Year Star enters the Supreme Palace Enclosure, the ruling house changes surname. When the Stationary Star enters the Supreme Palace Enclosure, there is internal military disorder and the ruler is weakened. These three are omens of the Han house changing surname and exchanging dynasties. In the first month of the nineteenth year of Jian'an, a white rainbow pierced the sun. The Commentary on the Changes says, "When empresses and consorts monopolize the realm, a white rainbow pierces the sun." On the new moon of the fifth month of the twenty-first year of Jian'an, on jihai day, there was a solar eclipse. In the third month of the twenty-third year of Jian'an, the Broom Star appeared at dawn in the east for more than twenty days and at dusk emerged in the west, invading and passing through the Five Chariots, Well, Five Feudal Lords, Literary Glory, Chariot Pivot, and Supreme Palace Enclosure — its blazing tip stabbing the Imperial Seat. The Broom Star — an omen of clearing out the old and spreading the new, extinguishing evil and raising the sage. On the last day of the second month of the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an, on renzi day, there was a solar eclipse. The sun is yang essence; the moon is the emblem of feudal lords and kings — yet eclipses on hai and zi days are all omens of water extinguishing fire. On the tenth day of the ninth month of the first year of Yankang, at dusk, the moon eclipsed the Sparkling Deluder; past the hour of Human Settlement, the Sparkling Deluder emerged from Encampment and lodged at Feathered Forest. The moon is the emblem of great ministers and feudal kings; The Sparkling Deluder is fire essence — the cyclical phase of the Han house. Astrology says, "The Han house will perish by arms." On the twentieth day of the ninth month of the first year of Yankang, the Son-of-Heaven aura of the hexagram Stripping was no longer visible — all omens of collapse and extinction. The Sparkling Deluder, fire essence, travels with its pace shortened by more than one degree per day. Therefore Grand Astrologer Wang Yu took it as the utmost sign of the Han house's decline and extinction. When the Sparkling Deluder is large and red in color, its light is not bright; when red and small, indistinguishable from lesser stars — all omens of the Han house's decline and extinction.

:易傳曰：「上下流通聖賢昌，厥應帝德鳳皇翔，萬民喜樂無咎殃。」易傳又曰：「聖人受命，厥應鳳皇下，天子虜。」易傳又曰：「黃龍見，天災將至，天子絀，聖人出。」黃龍以戊己日見，五色文章皆具，聖人得天受命。黃龍以戊寅見，此帝王受命之符瑞最著明者也。易傳又曰：「聖人清靜行中正，賢人至，民從命，厥應麒麟來。」春秋玉版讖曰：「代赤者魏公子。」春秋佐助期曰：「漢以許昌失天下。」故白馬令甘陵李雲上事，言許昌氣見，當塗高已萌，欲使漢家防絕萌牙。今漢都許，日以微弱，當居許昌以失天下。當塗高者，魏也；魏者，象魏兩闕之名當道而高大者也。魏當代漢，如李雲之言也。春秋佐助期又曰：「漢以蒙孫亡。」說者以蒙孫直漢二十四帝，童蒙愚惑以弱亡。漢帝少時名為董侯，名不正，蒙亂荒惑，其子孫以弱亡也。孝經中黃讖曰：「日載東，紀火光。不橫一，聖明聰。〈日載東紀火光不橫一聖明聰殿本考證云：「日載東者，曹也。曹，古文作𣍘。不橫一者，丕也。然則『紀火光』，自應作『絕火光』，言炎漢亡也。」〉四百之外，易姓而王。天下歸功致太平。」此魏王之姓諱著見圖讖也。易運期曰：「言居東，西有午，兩日並光日居下。其為主，反為輔，〈反為輔「反」各本並作「及」，據三國志魏志文帝紀裴注改。〉五八四十，黃氣受，真人出。」言午「許」字，兩日「昌」字，漢當以許亡，魏當以許昌。今際會之期在許，是其大效也。易運期又曰：「鬼在山，禾女運，王天下。」

The Commentary on the Changes says, "Above and below flow freely — sages and worthies flourish; in response to imperial virtue the phoenix soars; the myriad people rejoice without calamity or disaster." The Commentary on the Changes also says, "The sage receives the mandate; in response the phoenix descends; the Son of Heaven is made captive." The Commentary also says, "When the yellow dragon appears, heavenly disaster is about to arrive; the Son of Heaven is disgraced; the sage emerges." When the yellow dragon appears on wu or ji days, all five colors and patterns are complete — the sage receives Heaven's mandate. When the yellow dragon appears on wuyin — this is the most conspicuous token of an emperor receiving the mandate. The Commentary also says, "The sage is pure and still, acting with centered correctness; worthies arrive, the people follow the mandate; in response the qilin comes." The Spring and Autumn Jade-Board Prophecy says, "He who replaces the Red — the Lord of Wei." The Spring and Autumn Assistant Term Prophecy says, "Han will lose the realm at Xuchang." Therefore Li Yun, magistrate of Baima in Ganling, submitted a memorial saying that the aura of Xuchang had appeared and dang tu gao had already sprouted — wishing to make the Han house guard against and cut off the budding germ. Now Han's capital is Xu, daily growing weaker — it should move to Xuchang to lose the realm. Dang tu gao — this is Wei; Wei is the name of the two gate-towers of the signal-banners that face the road and stand high. Wei should replace Han — as Li Yun's words said. The Spring and Autumn Assistant Term Prophecy also says, "Han will perish through meng sun." Commentators take meng sun to refer directly to Han's twenty-four emperors — childishly blinded and confused, and so perishing in weakness. The Han emperor in his youth was called Marquis Dong — an improper name. Obscured by chaos and delusion, his line perished in weakness. The Classic of Filial Piety Central Yellow Prophecy says, "The sun carries eastward, records fire's light. Not crossing with one — sage, bright, and keen. 〈On "The sun carries eastward, records fire's light, not crossing with one, sage bright and keen": the Dian edition collation notes, "'The sun carries eastward' refers to Cao. Cao — in ancient script written with an archaic variant form. "Not crossing with one" — this is Pi. Thus "records fire's light" should read "extinguishes fire's light" — meaning the Flaming Han perishes."〉 Beyond four hundred years, the surname changes and a new house takes the throne. All under Heaven yields merit and attains great peace." This is the surname and taboo name of the King of Wei plainly revealed in chart prophecies. The Change of Fortune Period says, "Speaking of dwelling in the east, west having wu, two suns share light, the sun dwells below. What should be lord instead becomes assistant, 〈Emendation on "instead becomes assistant": all editions read "and" for "instead"; corrected per Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Wei Annals, Emperor Wen Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms.〉 Five eight forty — yellow qi is received, and the true man emerges." The word wu is the character Xu; two suns is the character Chang — Han should perish through Xu, and Wei should reign through Xuchang. Now the appointed time of convergence is at Xu — this is its great fulfillment. The Change of Fortune Period also says, "Ghost on mountain, grain-woman fortune, rule all under Heaven."

於是魏王受漢禪，柴於繁陽，有黃鳥銜丹書，集于尚書臺，於是改元為黃初。漢中平二年，洛陽民譌言虎賁寺有黃人，觀者日數萬，道路斷絕。中平元年，黃巾賊起，云：「蒼天已死，黃天當立。」此魏氏依劉向自云土德之符也。先是周敬王之四十七年，宋景公問大夫邢史子臣：「天道何祥？」對曰：「後五年五月丁亥，臣將死。死後五年五月丁卯，吳將亡。亡後五年，君將終。終後四百年，邾王天下。」皆如其言。邾王天下，蓋謂魏國之後。言四百年則錯。疑年代久遠，傳記者謬誤。

Thereupon the King of Wei received Han's abdication and performed the feng sacrifice at Fanyang. A yellow bird carrying a red writ settled on the Secretariat Terrace, and the era name was changed to Huangchu. In the second year of Zhongping, Luoyang commoners spread rhymes saying there were yellow men at Huben Temple. Viewers numbered tens of thousands each day, and the roads were impassable. In the first year of Zhongping, Yellow Turban rebels rose, declaring, "The azure Heaven is already dead; Yellow Heaven shall arise." This is the Wei clan citing Liu Xiang's own claim of the token of Earth virtue. Earlier, in the forty-seventh year of King Jing of Zhou, Duke Jing of Song asked the grandee Zichen of the Xing lineage, "What auspicious sign does Heaven's way hold?" He replied, "Five years from now, on dinghai of the fifth month, I will die. Five years after my death, on dingmao of the fifth month, Wu will perish. Five years after Wu falls, Your Lordship will reach your end. Four hundred years after your end, Zhu will rule all under Heaven." All came to pass exactly as he said. "Zhu ruling all under Heaven" presumably refers to the later Wei state. The figure of four hundred years is incorrect. Presumably the dates were so remote that those who recorded the story made mistakes.

高貴鄉公初生，有光氣照燿室屋，其後即大位。

When the Duke of Gaogui Township was born, light and radiance filled the chamber; afterward he ascended to the throne.

劉備身長七尺七寸，垂手過膝，顧自見耳。洛書甄燿度曰：「赤三日，德昌九世會備，合為帝際。」〈赤三日德昌九世會備合為帝際各本並脫「日」字，「為」字，據三國志蜀志先主傳補。〉洛書寶予命曰：「天度帝道備稱皇，以統握契，百成不敗。」洛書錄運期曰：「九侯七傑爭民命，炊骸道路，誰使主者玄且來。」〈九侯七傑爭民命炊骸道路誰使主者玄且來三國志蜀志先主傳載洛書錄運期原文作「九侯七傑爭命，民炊骸，道路籍籍履人頭，誰使主者玄且來」。與宋書文字稍有異同。〉備字玄德，故云「玄且來」也。孝經鉤命決曰：「帝三建，九會備。」先是，術士周羣言，西南數有黃氣，直立數丈，如此積年，每有景雲祥風，從璿璣下來應之。〈每有景雲祥風從璿璣下來應之各本並脫「來」字，據三國志蜀志先主傳補。〉建安二十二年中，屢有氣如旗，從西竟東，中天而行。圖書曰：「必有天子出其方。」太白、熒惑、鎮星從歲星，又黃龍見犍為武陽之赤水，九日乃去。關羽在襄陽，男子張嘉、王休獻玉璽，備後稱帝於蜀。

Liu Bei stood seven chi seven cun tall, his hands hanging past his knees; when he turned his head he could see his own ears. The Luo Shu Appraisal Glorious Measure says, "Red three days, virtue flourishing — nine generations converge on Bei, meeting at the emperor's juncture." 〈Emendation on "Red three days, virtue flourishing nine generations converge Bei meeting as emperor's juncture": all editions omit "day" and "as"; restored per the Shu Annals, Former Lord Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms.〉 The Luo Shu Bestowing Mandate says, "Heaven's measure — the imperial way of Bei entitled emperor, grasping the covenant in rule, a hundred accomplishments without defeat." The Luo Shu Recording Fortune Period says, "Nine marquis and seven heroes contend for the people's lives; corpses boil on the roads — who shall make the lord? Xuan and come." 〈On "Nine marquis seven heroes contend for people's lives, corpses boil on roads, who shall make the lord Xuan and come": the Shu Annals, Former Lord Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms gives the original Luo Shu Recording Fortune Period text as "Nine marquis seven heroes contend for lives, people boil corpses, roads thronged treading on human heads, who shall make the lord? Xuan and come." The wording differs slightly from the Song Shu text.〉 Bei's style name is Xuande — hence the phrase "Xuan and come." The Classic of Filial Piety Hook Mandate Verdict says, "Emperor thrice established, nine converge on Bei." Previously, the technician Zhou Qun reported that in the southwest yellow qi repeatedly rose upright several zhang high, year after year; whenever auspicious clouds and winds appeared, they descended from the Jade Pivot in response. 〈Emendation on "whenever there are auspicious clouds and winds coming down from the Jade Pivot in response": all editions omit "come"; restored per the Shu Annals, Former Lord Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms.〉 In the twenty-second year of Jian'an, banner-like qi repeatedly appeared, running from west to east across the sky. Charts and texts say, "Surely a Son of Heaven will arise from that direction." Venus, Mars, and Saturn followed Jupiter; a yellow dragon also appeared at Red Water in Wuyang of Jianwei and departed after nine days. While Guan Yu was at Xiangyang, the men Zhang Jia and Wang Xiu presented a jade seal; Bei afterward declared himself emperor in Shu.

孫堅之祖名鍾，家在吳郡富春，獨與母居。性至孝。遭歲荒，以種瓜為業。忽有三少年詣鍾乞瓜，鍾厚待之。三人謂鍾曰：「此山下善，可作冢，葬之，當出天子。君可下山百步許，顧見我去，即可葬也。」鍾去三十步，便反顧，見三人並乘白鶴飛去。鍾死，即葬其地。地在縣城東，冢上數有光怪，雲氣五色上屬天，衍數里。父老相謂此非凡氣，孫氏其興矣。堅母任堅，夢腸出繞吳昌門。以告鄰母，鄰母曰：「安知非吉祥也。」昌門，吳郭門也。堅生而容貌奇異。堅妻吳氏初任子策，夢月入其懷；後孕子權，又夢日入懷。告堅曰：「昔任策，夢月入懷，今又夢日入懷，何也？」堅曰：「日月陰陽之精，極貴之象，吾子孫其興乎。」權方頤大口紫髥，長上短下。漢世有劉琬者，能相人，見權兄弟，曰：「孫氏兄弟，雖各才智明達，然祿胙不終。唯中弟孝廉，形貌奇偉，骨體不恒，有大貴之表，年又最壽。爾其識之。」權時為孝廉。初，秦始皇東巡，濟江。望氣者云：「五百年後，江東有天子氣出於吳，而金陵之地，有王者之勢。」於是秦始皇乃改金陵曰秣陵，鑿北山以絕其勢。至吳，又令囚徒十餘萬人掘汙其地，表以惡名，故曰囚卷縣，今嘉興縣也。漢世術士言：「黃旗紫蓋，見於斗、牛之間，江東有天子氣。」獻帝興平中，吳中謠言：「黃金車，斑闌耳。開昌門，出天子。」魏文帝黃初三年，夏口、武昌並言黃龍、鳳皇見。〈夏口武昌並言黃龍鳳皇見「夏口」三朝本作「舉口」，北監本、毛本、殿本作「舉兵」。今據三國志吳志吳主權傳改正。〉其年，權稱尊號。年至七十一而薨。權子休初封琅邪王，夢乘龍上天，顧不見尾。後得大位，其子被廢。

Sun Jian's grandfather was named Zhong. His family lived in Fuchun of Wu Commandery, and he resided alone with his mother. He was supremely filial by nature. During years of famine, he made his living growing melons. Suddenly three young men came to Zhong to beg melons, and he treated them generously. The three told Zhong, "Below this mountain is good ground. Make a tomb there and bury him in it — from that place will come a Son of Heaven. Go down the mountain about a hundred paces. When you look back and see us depart, you may bury him there." Zhong had gone only thirty paces when he turned back and saw the three riding white cranes and flying away together. When Zhong died, he was buried on that spot. The grave lay east of the county seat. Strange lights repeatedly appeared above the mound; five-colored cloud-qi rose to connect with Heaven and stretched for several li. The elders said to one another that this was no ordinary sign — the Sun clan would surely rise. While carrying Jian, his mother dreamed her intestines came out and wrapped around Wu's Chang Gate. She told a neighbor, who said, "How do you know it is not auspicious?" Chang Gate was Wu's outer city gate. When Jian was born, his features were strange and extraordinary. When Jian's wife Lady Wu first carried Sun Ce, she dreamed the moon entered her belly; later, when pregnant with Sun Quan, she dreamed the sun entered her belly. She told Jian, "When I carried Ce, I dreamed the moon entered my belly; now I dream the sun enters my belly again — what does it mean?" Jian said, "Sun and moon are the essences of yin and yang — tokens of supreme nobility. Will my descendants rise?" Quan had a square jaw, a large mouth, and a purple beard; his torso was long and his legs short. In Han times there was Liu Wan, a face-reader. Seeing Quan's brothers, he said, "The Sun brothers are each intelligent and clear, yet none will enjoy blessings to the end. Only the middle brother, the Filial and Incorrupt graduate, has a form strange and grand, bones and frame unlike others, marks of great nobility, and he will outlive them all. Mark this well." Quan was then a Filial and Incorrupt graduate. Long ago, Qin Shihuang toured east and crossed the river. Qi-readers said, "Five hundred years hence, Son-of-Heaven qi will arise from Wu in Jiangdong, and the land of Jinling will have the momentum of kingship." Thereupon Qin Shihuang renamed Jinling as Moling and tunneled through North Mountain to break its momentum. Reaching Wu, he also ordered more than a hundred thousand convicts to dig and defile the land, marking it with an ill name — hence the district was called Qiujuan, now Jiaxing. Han-era technicians said, "Yellow banner and purple canopy appear between Dipper and Ox — in Jiangdong there is Son-of-Heaven qi." During Emperor Xian's Xingping era, a rhyme in Wu ran, "Golden carriage, spotted bridle ears. Open Chang Gate — a Son of Heaven emerges." In the third year of Huangchu under Wei Emperor Wen, Xiakou and Wuchang both reported sightings of a yellow dragon and a phoenix. 〈Emendation on "Xiakou and Wuchang both report yellow dragon and phoenix sightings": the Three Dynasties edition reads "Jukou" for "Xiakou"; the Northern Supervisory, Mao, and Dian editions read "Jubing." Corrected according to the Wu Annals, Lord Sun Quan Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms.〉 That year, Quan assumed an imperial title. He lived to seventy-one and then died. Sun Quan's son Xiu, first enfeoffed as King of Langye, dreamed of riding a dragon up to Heaven but could not see its tail when he looked back. Later he attained the throne, but his son was deposed.

漢元、成之世，先識之士有言曰：「魏年有和，當有開石於西三千餘里，繫五馬，文曰討曹。」及魏之初興也，張掖刪丹縣金山柳谷有石生焉，周圍七尋，〈周圍七尋各本並脫「七」字，據三國志魏志明帝紀裴注引搜神記補。〉中高一仞，蒼質素章，有五馬、麟、鹿、鳳皇、仙人之象。始見於建安，形成於黃初，文備於太和。至青龍三年，柳谷之玄川溢涌，石形改易，狀似雲龜，廣一丈六尺，長一丈七尺一寸，〈廣一丈六尺長一丈七尺一寸各本脫「一丈六尺長」五字，據三國志魏志明帝紀裴注引魏氏春秋補。〉圍五丈八寸，立于川西。有石馬十二，其一仙人騎之，其一覊靽，〈其一覊靽「覊」各本並作「騎」，據三國志魏志明帝紀裴注引魏氏春秋改。〉其五有形而不善成，其五成形。又有一牛八卦列宿彗星之象。有玉匣開蓋於前，有玉玦二，玉璜一。又有麒麟、鳳皇、白虎、馬、牛於中布列。有文字曰：「上上三天王述大會討大曹金但取之金立中大金馬一疋中正大吉關壽此馬甲寅述水」凡三十五字。〈上上三天王述大會討大曹金但取之金立中大金馬一疋中正大吉關壽此馬甲寅述水凡三十五字按此白石文三十五字，亦見三國志魏志明帝紀裴注引魏氏春秋。「會」魏氏春秋作「金」。「討大曹」魏氏春秋作「大討曹」。「中正」魏氏春秋作「在中」。「關」魏氏春秋作「開」。〉石色蒼，而物形及字，並白石書之，皆隆起。魏明帝惡其文有「討曹」，鑿去為「計」，以蒼石塞之，宿昔而白石滿焉。當時稱為祥瑞，班下天下。處士張臶曰：「夫神兆未然，不追往事，此蓋將來之休徵，當今之怪異也。」既而晉以司馬氏受禪。太尉屬程猗說曰：「夫大者，盛之極也。金者，晉之行也。中者，物之會也。吉者，福之始也。此言司馬氏之王天下，感德而生，應正吉而王之符也。」猗又為贊曰：「皇德遐通，實降嘉靈。乾生其象，坤育其形。玄石既表，素文以成。瑞虎合仁，白麟燿精。神馬自圖，金言其形。體正而王，中允克明。關壽無疆，於萬斯齡。」

In the eras of Emperors Yuan and Cheng of Han, prescient men had a saying: "In Wei's age there will be harmony; a split stone will appear more than three thousand li to the west, bearing five horses, with text reading 'Strike Cao.' When Wei first rose, stone appeared at Willow Valley of Golden Mountain in Shandan County of Zhangye — seven xun in circumference, 〈Emendation on "circumference seven xun": all editions omit "seven"; restored per Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Wei Annals, Emperor Ming Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, citing In Search of the Supernatural.〉 one ren high at the center, of blue-gray substance with plain markings, bearing images of five horses, qilin, deer, phoenix, and immortals. It first appeared in Jian'an, took form in Huangchu, and its inscription was complete by Taihe. By the third year of Qinglong, the dark river of Willow Valley overflowed. The stone's form changed to resemble a cloud-tortoise — one zhang six chi wide and one zhang seven chi one cun long, 〈Emendation on "width one zhang six chi, length one zhang seven chi one cun": all editions omit "one zhang six chi length"; restored per Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Wei Annals, Emperor Ming Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, citing the Wei Clan Spring and Autumn.〉 five zhang eight cun in circumference, standing west of the river. There were twelve stone horses — one with an immortal riding it, one with bridle and saddle flap, 〈Emendation on "one with bridle and saddle flap": all editions read "ride" for "bridle"; corrected per Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Wei Annals, Emperor Ming Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, citing the Wei Clan Spring and Autumn.〉 five had form but did not finish well; five were fully formed. There were also images of an ox, the Eight Trigrams, the lunar lodges, and a comet. A jade casket lay open in front, with two jade rings and one jade pendant. Within were also arrayed qilin, phoenix, white tiger, horse, and ox. There was an inscription reading: "Supreme above, three heavens, the king narrates the great assembly, strike great Cao, gold but take it, gold stands in the center, great gold horse one mount, centered correctness great fortune, Guan Shou, this horse jiayin, narrates water" — thirty-five characters in all. 〈Note on the thirty-five-character white-stone inscription "Supreme above three heavens the king narrates great assembly strike great Cao gold but take it gold stands in center great gold horse one mount centered correctness great fortune Guan Shou this horse jiayin narrates water": these thirty-five characters also appear in Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Wei Annals, Emperor Ming Basic Annals, in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, citing the Wei Clan Spring and Autumn. On "assembly": the Wei Clan Spring and Autumn reads "gold". On "strike great Cao": the Wei Clan Spring and Autumn reads "great strike Cao". On "centered correctness": the Wei Clan Spring and Autumn reads "standing in center". On "Guan": the Wei Clan Spring and Autumn reads "Kai".〉 The stone was dark green. Both the object shapes and the characters were inscribed in white stone, all raised in relief. Emperor Ming of Wei hated that the inscription contained "strike Cao." He had it chiseled away and altered to read "plan," then plugged the gap with dark green stone — but overnight the white stone had filled it again. At the time it was hailed as an auspicious omen and promulgated throughout the realm. The recluse Zhang Zan said, "Divine portents foretell what has not yet occurred; they do not revisit the past. This is surely a token of blessings to come — a marvel of the present age." Thereafter Jin received the mandate through the abdication of the Sima clan. Cheng Yi, an attendant to the Grand Commandant, explained, "What is great is the utmost of fullness. Gold is the element governing Jin. Center is where things converge. Good fortune is the beginning of blessing. This prophesies the Sima clan's rule over all under Heaven — arising in response to virtue, a token of rightful fortune and royal ascent." Yi also composed a eulogy: "Imperial virtue reaches far and wide; truly descends a beneficent spirit. Heaven generates its image; Earth nurtures its form. The dark stone having revealed itself, the plain inscription is complete. An auspicious tiger embodies benevolence; a white qilin radiates spiritual brilliance. The divine horse depicts itself; gold declares its form. Upright in body and fit to rule; centered and faithful, shining with clarity. May Guan's years know no bound, unto ten thousand generations."

晉

Jin

宣帝有狼顧之相，能使面正向後，而身形不異。魏武帝嘗夢有三匹馬在一槽中共食，其後宣帝及景、文相係為宰相，遂傾曹氏。文帝未立世子，有意於齊獻王攸。武帝時為中撫軍，懼不立，以相貌示裴秀，秀言於文帝曰：「中撫軍振髮籍地，垂手過膝，天表如此，非人臣之相也。」由是得立。及嗣晉位，其月，襄武縣言有大人相，長三丈餘，足跡三尺一寸，白髮，黃單衣，黃巾，柱杖呼民王始語云：「今當太平。」頃之，受魏禪。

The Founding Emperor had the aspect of a wolf glancing backward — he could turn his face fully behind him while his body remained unchanged. Emperor Wu of Wei once dreamed of three horses feeding together from a single trough. Thereafter the Founding Emperor and Emperors Jing and Wen served as chief ministers in succession, and thus overturned the house of Cao. Emperor Wen had not yet named an heir apparent and favored Prince Xian of Qi, You. When he was still Central Pacifying General, fearing he would not be named successor, Emperor Wu showed his features to Pei Xiu. Xiu told Emperor Wen, "The Central Pacifying General's hair stands erect and brushes the ground; his hands reach past his knees. A heaven-granted countenance such as this is not that of a subject." By this means he was established as heir. When he ascended the Jin throne, that same month Xiangwu County reported a figure over three zhang tall, with footprints three chi one cun long — white-haired, clad in a yellow unlined robe and yellow headcloth, leaning on a staff. He hailed the people, calling himself Wang Shi, and declared, "Peace is at hand." Shortly afterward, he received the abdication of Wei.

武帝咸寧元年，大風吹帝社樹折，有青氣出社中。占者以為東莞有天子氣。時琅邪武王伷封東莞，伷，元帝祖也。元帝以咸寧二年夜生，有光照室，室內盡明，有白毛生於日角之左，眼有精光燿。隨惠帝幸鄴。成都王穎殺東安王繇，繇，元帝叔父也，帝懼，欲出奔，而月明，邀候急，四衢斷絕，不得去。有頃，天陰，風雨大至，候者皆休，乃得去。初，武帝伐吳，琅邪武王伷率眾出涂中，〈琅邪武王伷率眾出涂中「涂中」各本並作「塗中」，據晉書琅邪武王伷傳改。〉而王渾逼歷陽，王濬已次近路。孫晧欲降，送天子璽綬，近越二將，而遠送詣伷，識者咸怪之。吳之未亡也，吳郡臨平湖一旦自開，湖邊得石函，中有小青石，刻作皇帝字。舊言臨平湖塞天下亂，開則天下太平。吳人以為美祥。俄而吳滅。後元帝興於江左。吳亡後，蔣山上常有紫雲，數術者亦云，江東猶有帝王氣。又謠言曰：「五馬游度江，一馬化為龍。」元帝與西陽、汝南、南頓、彭城五王過江，而元帝升天位。讖書曰：「銅馬入海建業期。」元帝小字銅環。〈元帝小字銅環張森楷校勘記云：「晉書后妃傳言元帝母夏侯氏小字銅環，此直以為元帝。」〉永嘉初，元帝以安東將軍鎮建業，時歲、鎮星、辰、太白四星聚於牛、女之間，常裴回進退。愍帝建興四年，晉陵武進人陳龍在田中得銅鐸五枚，柄口皆有龍虎形；又有將雛雞雀集其前，皆驅去復還，至于再三；又有鵝三四頭，高飛且鳴，周回東西，晝夜不下，如此者六七日。會稽剡縣陳清又於井中得棧鐘，長七寸二分，口徑四寸，其器雖小，形制甚精，上有古文書十八字，其四字可識，云：「會稽徽命。」豫章有大樟樹，大三十五圍，枯死積久，永嘉中，忽更榮茂。景純並言是元帝中興之應。初武帝太康三年，建鄴有寇，餘姚人伍振筮之，曰：「寇已滅矣。三十八年，揚州有天子。」至元帝即天位，果三十八年。先是，宣帝有寵將牛金，屢有功，宣帝作兩口榼，一口盛毒酒，一口盛善酒，自飲善酒，毒酒與金，金飲之即斃。景帝曰：「金名將，可大用，云何害之？」宣帝曰：「汝忘石瑞，馬後有牛乎？」元帝母夏侯妃與琅邪國小史姓牛私通，而生元帝。愍帝之立也，改毗陵為晉陵，時元帝始霸江、揚，而戎翟稱制，西都微弱。干寶以為晉將滅於西而興於東之符也。

In the first year of Xianning under Emperor Wu, a fierce wind snapped the imperial altar tree, and green vapor rose from within the altar. Diviners held that Dongguan bore the aura of a Son of Heaven. At the time Prince Wu of Langya, Zhou, held Dongguan — Zhou was the grandfather of Emperor Yuan. Emperor Yuan was born at night in the second year of Xianning. Light filled the chamber until the room blazed bright. White hair sprouted to the left of the sun-corner of his forehead, and his eyes shone with a brilliant gleam. He accompanied Emperor Hui to Ye. When Prince Chengdu Ying killed Prince Dong'an Yao — Yao was Emperor Yuan's uncle — the Emperor was terrified and wished to flee. But the moon was bright, pursuit guards pressed close, and every crossroads was blocked; he could not escape. Before long the sky darkened and a great storm broke. The watchers all withdrew, and at last he was able to flee. Earlier, when Emperor Wu attacked Wu, Prince Wu of Langya Zhou led his forces out from Tuzhong, 〈Emendation on "Prince Wu of Langya Zhou led troops out from Tuzhong": all editions write the place name with the earth radical for "mud"; corrected per the biography of Prince Wu of Langya Zhou in the History of Jin.〉 while Wang Hun pressed toward Liyang and Wang Jun had already encamped on the nearer route. Sun Hao wished to surrender and sent the imperial seal and cord — bypassing the two nearby generals yet dispatching them from afar to Zhou. Those in the know all found it strange. Before Wu fell, Linping Lake in Wu Commandery opened overnight. By the shore a stone casket was found containing a small green stone carved with the character for emperor. Old lore held that when Linping Lake is blocked, the realm falls into chaos; when it opens, the realm finds great peace. The people of Wu took it for a splendid omen. Before long Wu fell. Later Emperor Yuan rose in the lands east of the Yangzi. After Wu fell, purple clouds often appeared on Mount Jiang. Numerologists also declared that the lands east of the Yangzi still bore the aura of imperial destiny. A ballad also ran: "Five horses roam across the river; one horse transforms into a dragon." Emperor Yuan crossed the river together with the princes of Xiyang, Runan, Nandun, and Pengcheng — five in all — and it was Emperor Yuan who ascended the throne. A prophecy book said, "The bronze horse enters the sea at Jianye — the appointed hour has come." Emperor Yuan's childhood name was Bronze Ring. 〈Collation note on "Emperor Yuan's childhood name Bronze Ring": Zhang Senkai observes that the biography of empresses and consorts in the History of Jin gives the childhood name Bronze Ring to Emperor Yuan's mother Lady Xiahou, whereas here it is applied directly to Emperor Yuan himself.〉 At the beginning of Yongjia, as Eastern Tranquilizing General Emperor Yuan garrisoned Jianye. Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, and Venus gathered between the Ox and Girl lodges, lingering and shifting back and forth. In the fourth year of Jianxing under Emperor Min, Chen Long of Wujin in Jinling found five bronze bells in his fields, each handle and mouth wrought with dragon and tiger forms; chicks about to hatch, young chickens, and sparrows gathered before them — driven away they returned again and again; three or four geese flew high, crying, circling east and west without descending day or night — for six or seven days running. Chen Qing of Shan County in Kuaiji also retrieved a stacked bell from a well — seven cun two fen long, four cun across the mouth. Small though the vessel was, its craftsmanship was exquisite. Eighteen characters in ancient script adorned it; four could be made out: "Kuaiji mandate emblem." In Yuzhang stood a great camphor tree thirty-five arm-spans around. Long dead and withered, it suddenly put forth luxuriant growth during the Yongjia era. Jing Chun declared all of these omens foretold Emperor Yuan's restoration. Earlier, in the third year of Taikang under Emperor Wu, bandits raided Jianye. Wu Zhen of Yuyao divined by the Book of Changes and said, "The bandits are already destroyed. In thirty-eight years, Yang Province will have a Son of Heaven." When Emperor Yuan took the throne, it was exactly thirty-eight years. Before this, the Founding Emperor had a favored general, Niu Jin, who had won repeated victories. The Founding Emperor prepared two flasks — one with poisoned wine, one with good wine. He drank the good wine himself and gave the poisoned wine to Jin, who drank it and immediately died. Emperor Jing protested, "Jin is a renowned general, fit for great service — why would you harm him?" The Founding Emperor replied, "Have you forgotten the stone omen? After the horse comes the ox." Emperor Yuan's mother, Consort Xiahou, had a secret liaison with a petty clerk of Langya Principality surnamed Niu — and bore Emperor Yuan. When Emperor Min was enthroned, Piling was renamed Jinling. Emperor Yuan was then first establishing hegemony over the Jiang and Yang regions, while barbarian tribes held sway and the western capital waned. Gan Bao held this to be proof that Jin would perish in the west and rise in the east.

宋

Song

宋武帝居在丹徒，始生之夜，有神光照室，其夕，甘露降于墓樹。皇考以高祖生有奇異，名為奇奴。皇妣既殂，養於舅氏，改為寄奴焉。少時誕節嗜酒，自京都還，息於逆旅。逆旅嫗曰：「室內有酒，自入取之。」帝入室，飲於盎側，醉臥地。時司徒王謐有門生居在丹徒，還家，亦至此逆旅。逆旅嫗曰：「劉郎在室內，可入共飲酒。」此門生入室，驚出謂嫗曰：「室內那得此異物？」嫗遽入之，見帝已覺矣。嫗密問：「向何所見？」門生曰：「見有一物，五采如蛟龍，非劉郎。」門生還以白謐，謐戒使勿言，而與結厚。帝嘗行至下邳，遇一沙門，沙門曰：「江表尋當喪亂，拯之必君也。」帝患手創積年，沙門出懷中黃散一裹與帝曰：「此創難治，非此藥不能瘳也。」倏忽不見沙門所在。以散傅創即愈。餘散帝寶錄之，後征伐屢被傷，通中者數矣，以散傅之，無不立愈。自少至長，目中常見二龍在前，始尚小，及貴轉大。晉陵人車藪善相人，〈晉陵人車藪善相人「車藪」藝文類聚一三引徐爰宋書作「韋藪」。御覽一二八引徐爰宋書、御覽七三０引宋書高祖紀作「韋叟」。〉相帝曰：「君貴不可言，願無相忘。」

Emperor Wu of Song dwelt in Dantu. On the night of his birth, divine light filled the chamber, and that evening sweet dew fell upon the tomb-tree. His Imperial Father, seeing that the High Ancestor's birth was marked by marvels, named him Qinu. After His Imperial Mother died, he was raised by his mother's clan and given the name Jinu. In youth he was singular in temperament and fond of wine. Returning from the capital, he rested at a traveler's inn. The innkeeper's wife said, "There is wine inside — help yourself." The Emperor entered, drank beside a wine jar, and fell drunk to the floor. A disciple of Minister over the Masses Wang Mi, who lived in Dantu, was also returning home and stopped at the same inn. The innkeeper's wife said, "Young Liu is inside — you may go in and share a drink." The disciple entered — then fled in alarm and said to the innkeeper, "What is this uncanny thing in the room?" The innkeeper rushed inside and found the Emperor already awake. She asked him quietly, "What did you see just now?" The disciple answered, "I saw a being, five-colored like a horned dragon — that was no mere Young Liu." The disciple reported this to Mi, who cautioned him to say nothing — and thereafter formed a deep bond with the Emperor. The Emperor once traveled to Xiapi and met a Buddhist monk who said, "The lands south of the Yangzi will soon be plunged into chaos — you alone can save them." The Emperor had suffered from a hand wound for years. The monk drew from his robe a packet of yellow powder and said, "This wound is hard to heal — without this medicine it cannot be cured." In an instant the monk had vanished. He applied the powder to the wound and it healed at once. The Emperor treasured the remaining powder and kept it safe. In later campaigns he was wounded again and again — pierced through the body several times — yet each time the powder healed him instantly. From youth to old age he constantly saw two dragons before his eyes — small at first, growing larger as he rose in power. Che Su of Jinling was skilled at reading faces, 〈Collation note on "Che Su of Jinling was skilled at reading faces": "Che Su" appears as "Wei Su" in juan 13 of the Essentials of Literature, citing Xu Yue's Book of Song. Imperial Readings, juan 128 citing Xu Yue's Book of Song, and Imperial Readings, juan 730 citing the Basic Annals of the High Ancestor in the Book of Song read "Wei Sou".〉 Reading the Emperor's face, he said, "Your nobility is beyond reckoning — promise you will not forget me."

晉安帝義熙初，帝始康晉亂，而興霸業焉。廬江霍山常有鐘聲十二。帝將征關、洛，霍山崩，有六鐘出，制度精奇，上有古文書一百六十字。冀州有沙門法稱將死，語其弟子普嚴曰：「嵩皇神告我云，江東有劉將軍，是漢家苗裔，當受天命。吾以三十二璧，鎮金一餅，與將軍為信。三十二璧者，劉氏卜世之數也。」普嚴以告同學法義。法義以十三年七月，於嵩高廟石壇下得玉璧三十二枚，黃金一餅。漢中城固縣水際，忽有雷聲，俄而岸崩，得銅鐘十二枚。又鞏縣民宋燿得嘉禾九穗。後二年而受晉禪。孔子河雒讖曰：「二口建戈不能方，兩金相刻發神鋒，空穴無主奇入中，女子獨立又為雙。」二口建戈，「劉」字也。晉氏金行，劉姓又有金，故曰兩金相刻。空穴無主奇入中，為「寄」字。女子獨立又為雙，「奴」字。

At the beginning of the Yixi era under Emperor An of Jin, the Emperor first restored order amid Jin's chaos and began his rise to power. On Mount Huo in Lujiang, the sound of twelve bells was often heard. When the Emperor prepared to campaign toward Guan and Luoyang, Mount Huo collapsed. Six bells emerged, exquisitely wrought, bearing one hundred sixty characters in ancient script. In Ji Province, the monk Fasheng lay dying. He told his disciple Puyan, "The god of Mount Song told me that east of the Yangzi is General Liu, a scion of the house of Han, who is destined to receive Heaven's mandate. I leave thirty-two jade discs and one ingot of protective gold as credentials for the general. The thirty-two discs signify the number of generations allotted to the house of Liu." Puyan relayed this to his fellow disciple Fayi. In the seventh month of the thirteenth year, Fayi found thirty-two jade discs and one ingot of gold beneath the stone altar at the Mount Song temple. At the water's edge in Chenggu County, Hanzhong, thunder suddenly pealed. The bank collapsed, and twelve bronze bells were found. Again, a commoner of Gong County named Song Yao found an ear of fine grain bearing nine stalks. Two years later he received the abdication of Jin. The Confucius River-Luo prophecy says, "Two mouths building a halberd cannot be square; two metals carving each other unleash a divine edge; an empty cave without a master — the odd enters the middle; a woman standing alone again becomes double." "Two mouths building a halberd" denotes the character for the Liu surname. The Jin house followed the Metal phase, and the Liu surname also contains the metal element — hence "two metals carving each other." "An empty cave without a master, with the odd entering the middle" forms the character meaning "to lodge." "A woman standing alone that again becomes double" forms the character for "servant."

晉既禪宋，太史令駱達奏陳天文符讖曰：:去義熙元年，至元熙元年十月，太白星晝見經天凡七。占曰：『天下革民更王，異姓興。』義熙元年至元熙元年十一月朔，日有蝕之凡四，皆蝕從上始，臣民失君之象也。 :義熙十一年五月三日，彗星出天市，其芒掃帝坐。天市在房、心之北，宋之分野。得彗柄者興，此除舊布新之徵。 :義熙七年七月二十五日，五虹見于東方。占曰：『五虹見，天子黜，聖人出。』 :義熙七年八月十一日，新天子氣見東南。 :十二年，北定中原，崇進宋公。歲星裴回房、心之間，大火，宋之分野。與武王克殷同，得歲星之分者應王也。 :十一年以來至元熙元年，月行失道，恒北入太微中。占：『月入太微廷，王入為主。』 :十三年十月，鎮星入太微，積留七十餘日，到十四年八月十日，又入太微不去，到元熙元年，積二百餘日。占：『鎮星守太微，亡君之戒。有立王，有徙王。』 :十四年五月十七日，茀星出北斗魁中。占曰：『星茀北斗中，聖人受命。』 :十四年七月二十九日，彗星出太微中，彗柄起上相星下，芒尾漸長至十餘丈，進掃北斗及紫微中。占曰：『彗星出太微，社稷亡，天下易政。入北斗，帝宮空。』一占：『天下得召人。』召人，聖主也。一曰：『彗孛紫微，天下易主。』 :十四年十月一日，熒惑從入太微鉤己，至元年四月二十七日，從端門出積屍，留二百六日，繞鎮星。熒惑與鎮星鉤己天廷，天下更紀。 :十四年十二月，歲、太白、辰裴回居斗、牛之間經旬。斗、牛，曆數之起。占曰：『三星合，是謂改立。』 :元熙元年十二月二十四日，四黑龍登天。易傳曰：『冬龍見，天子亡社稷，大人應天命之符。』 :金雌詩云：『大火有心水抱之，悠悠百年是其時。』火，宋之分野。水，宋之德也。 :金雌詩又曰：『云出而兩漸欲舉，短如之何乃相岨，交哉亂也當何所，唯有隱巖殖禾黍，西南之朋困桓父。』兩云，「玄」字也。短者，云胙短也。巖隱不見，唯應見谷，殖禾谷邊，則聖諱炳明也。易曰：『西南得朋。』故能困桓父也。 :劉向讖曰：『上五盡寄致太平，草付合成集羣英。』前句則陛下小諱，後句則太子諱也。 :十一年五月，西明門地陷，水涌出，毀門扉閾。西者，金鄉之門，為水所毀，此金德將衰，水德方興之象也。 :太興中，民於井中得棧鐘，上有古文十八字，晉自宣帝至今，數滿十八傳。義熙八年，太社生桑，尤著明者也。夫六，亢位也。漢建安二十五年，一百九十六年而禪魏。魏自黃初至咸熙二年，四十六年而禪晉。晉自泰始至今元熙二年，一百五十六年。三代數窮，咸以六年。

After Jin had abdicated to Song, Grand Astrologer Luo Da submitted a memorial on heavenly signs and prophecies: From the first year of Yixi through the tenth month of the first year of Yuanxi, Venus appeared in daylight crossing the heavens seven times in all. The divination reads, "When the realm is reformed the people change kings; a house of different surname rises." From the first year of Yixi through the new moon of the eleventh month of the first year of Yuanxi there were four solar eclipses, all beginning from the top — a sign that subjects had lost their ruler. On the third day of the fifth month in the eleventh year of Yixi, a comet emerged from the Celestial Market, its tail sweeping the Imperial Seat. The Celestial Market lies north of the Fang and Heart lodges — the celestial division of Song. Whoever obtains the comet's handle will rise — a sign of clearing out the old and ushering in the new. On the twenty-fifth day of the seventh month in the seventh year of Yixi, five rainbows appeared in the east. The divination reads, "When five rainbows appear, the Son of Heaven is deposed and a sage emerges." On the eleventh day of the eighth month in the seventh year of Yixi, the qi of a new emperor appeared in the southeast. In the twelfth year the north was pacified and the Central Plains secured, and the Duke of Song was elevated in rank. Jupiter lingered between the Fang and Heart lodges, at Antares — the celestial division of Song. As when the Martial King conquered Yin — he who holds Jupiter's division is destined for kingship. From the eleventh year through the first year of Yuanxi, the moon's course went astray, repeatedly entering the Supreme Palace Enclosure from the north. The divination reads, "When the moon enters the court of the Supreme Palace Enclosure, a prince enters to become master." In the tenth month of the thirteenth year Saturn entered the Supreme Palace Enclosure and remained for more than seventy days; by the tenth day of the eighth month of the fourteenth year it entered again and did not leave; by the first year of Yuanxi it had lingered there for more than two hundred days. The divination reads, "When Saturn guards the Supreme Palace Enclosure — a warning that the ruler will perish. One sign foretells the enthronement of a king; another foretells a king's removal." On the seventeenth day of the fifth month of the fourteenth year the Broom Star emerged from the boss of the Northern Dipper. The divination reads, "When a bushy star appears in the Northern Dipper, a sage receives the mandate." On the twenty-ninth day of the seventh month of the fourteenth year a comet emerged from the Supreme Palace Enclosure. Its handle rose below the Upper Minister Star, its tail gradually lengthening to more than ten zhang as it swept through the Northern Dipper and the heart of the Purple Forbidden Enclosure. The divination reads, "When a comet emerges from the Supreme Palace Enclosure, the state altars perish and governance of the realm changes hands. If it enters the Northern Dipper, the emperor's palace stands empty." Another divination reads, "Under Heaven will obtain a Summon-Person." "Summon-Person" means a sage ruler. One version reads, "When comet and broom star enter the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, the realm's master changes." On the first day of the tenth month of the fourteenth year Mars followed in, entering the Supreme Palace Enclosure in hook-shaped retrograde. By the twenty-seventh day of the fourth month of the first year it exited through the End Gate at Accumulated Corpses, remaining two hundred six days while circling Saturn. When Mars and Saturn form hook-shaped retrograde loops in the celestial court, the realm changes its era. In the twelfth month of the fourteenth year, Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury lingered between the Dipper and Ox lodges for some ten days. The Dipper and the Ox — the lodges where a dynasty's reckoning begins. The divination reads, "When three stars converge, it is called changing the enthronement." On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month of the first year of Yuanxi, four black dragons ascended into Heaven. The Commentary on the Changes says, "When dragons appear in winter, the Son of Heaven loses the state altars and the great man responds to the token of Heaven's mandate." The Golden Hen Poem says, "Great Fire has a heart and water embraces it — in the fullness of a hundred years, the time arrives." Fire is Song's celestial division. Water is Song's dynastic virtue. The Golden Hen Poem also says, "Cloud emerges and two gradually wish to rise; shortened — how can they scale the steep? Chaos intersects — where shall it lead? Only at the hidden cliff, planting millet; the southwest companion ensnares the Huan father." "Two clouds" forms the character Xuan. "Short" refers to the shortened lower portion of the cloud character. When the cliff is concealed from view and only the valley appears, with grain planted beside the valley — then the sage emperor's taboo name stands radiant and clear. The Book of Changes says, "In the southwest one obtains companions." Hence one can ensnare Huan the Father. Liu Xiang's prophecy says, "The upper five entirely lodge, bringing great peace; grass entrusted and combined gathers the host of worthies." The first line encodes Your Majesty's childhood taboo name; the second line encodes the Crown Prince's taboo name. In the fifth month of the eleventh year the ground subsided at the Western Bright Gate; water burst forth and destroyed the gate panels and threshold. The west is the gate of the Metal quarter; destroyed by water — a sign that Metal Virtue is waning and Water Virtue is rising. During the Taixing era, a commoner found a layered bell in a well bearing eighteen characters in ancient script — from Jin's Emperor Xuan to the present the tally reaches eighteen transmissions. In the eighth year of Yixi mulberry grew upon the Grand Earth Altar — the most conspicuous omen of all. Six is the Kang position. From the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an, Han ruled one hundred ninety-six years before yielding the throne to Wei. Wei ruled from Huangchu through the second year of Xianxi — forty-six years — before yielding the throne to Jin. Jin has ruled from Taishi to the present second year of Yuanxi — one hundred fifty-six years. When the three dynasties exhausted their allotted spans, each ended in a sixth year.

少帝即位，景平三年四月，有五色雲見西方。時文帝為荊州刺史，鎮江陵，尋即大位。文帝元嘉中，謠言錢唐當出天子，乃於錢唐置戍軍以防之。其後孝武帝即大位於新亭寺之禪堂。「禪」之與「錢」，音相近也。太宗為徐州刺史，出鎮彭城，昭太后賜以大珠鹿盧劍，此劍是御服，占者以為嘉祥。前廢帝永光初，又譌言湘州出天子，幼主欲南幸湘川以厭之，既而湘東王即尊位，是為明帝。

When Emperor Shao ascended the throne, in the fourth month of the third year of Jingping five-colored clouds appeared in the west. At the time Emperor Wen was Governor of Jingzhou, holding Jiangling — and soon thereafter ascended the throne. During Emperor Wen's Yuanjia reign, rumor held that Qiantang would produce a Son of Heaven, so garrison troops were posted at Qiantang to guard against it. Afterwards Emperor Xiaowu ascended the throne in the abdication hall of Xinting Temple. The word for "abdication" and the word for "Qian" sound nearly alike. When Emperor Taizong served as Governor of Xuzhou and went out to garrison Pengcheng, Empress Dowager Zhao bestowed upon him the Great Pearl Deer-Reed Sword. This sword was imperial regalia, and diviners regarded it as an auspicious sign. At the beginning of Yongguang under the Former Deposed Emperor, another false rumor held that Xiangzhou would produce a Son of Heaven. The young emperor planned a southern tour to the Xiang River to counter it — but soon the Prince of Xiangdong ascended the throne as Emperor Ming.

史臣謹按，冀州道人法稱所云玉璧三十二枚，宋氏卜世之數者，蓋卜年之數也。謂卜世者，謬其言耳。三十二者，二三十，則六十矣。宋氏受命至於禪齊，凡六十年云。

The historiographer observes that the thirty-two jade discs described by the Taoist Fachēng of Jizhou — said to foretell the number of Song generations — in fact foretell the number of years. To speak of divining generations is to misread the prophecy. Thirty-two means two thirties — sixty in all. From the hour Song received the mandate until its abdication to Qi, sixty years passed in all.

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