1
}}五行傳曰：「好戰攻，輕百姓，飾城郭，侵邊境，則金不從革。 謂金失其性而為災也。」 又曰：「言之不從，是謂不乂。 厥咎僭，厥罰恒暘，厥極憂。 時則有詩妖，時則有介蟲之孽，時則有犬禍，時則有口舌之痾，時則有白眚、白祥。 惟木沴金。」 介蟲，劉歆傳以為毛蟲。
The Tradition of the Five Elements states: "When the ruler loves war and attack, treats the people lightly, lavishes ornament on walls and ramparts, and violates the frontier, metal loses its power to be reformed. That is, metal abandons its proper nature and disaster follows." It further says: "When counsel goes unheeded, that is called failure to govern. The fault is presumption; the penalty is unending drought; the extreme is grief. In such seasons one finds ominous verses, plagues of shelled insects, canine calamities, disorders of speech, and white disasters and white omens. Wood alone is what afflicts metal." As for armored insects, Liu Xin's tradition interprets them as hairy creatures.
2
金不從革
Metal Fails to Follow Reform
3
魏世張掖石瑞，雖是晉氏之浮命，而於魏為妖。 好攻戰，輕百姓，飾城郭，侵邊境，魏氏三祖皆有其事。 劉歆以為金石同類，石圖發非常之文，此不從革之異也。 晉定大業，多敝曹氏，石瑞文「大討曹」之應也。
During the Wei, the stone portent at Zhangye—though it foretold the Jin dynasty's rise—was an evil omen for Wei itself. Love of war, neglect of the people, ornamented fortifications, and border raids—all three Wei founders were guilty of these. Liu Xin regarded metal and stone as kindred; when a stone chart bore extraordinary inscriptions, that was the prodigy of metal failing to follow reform. When the Jin secured the empire and brought down the house of Cao, the inscription on the stone—"a great punitive expedition against Cao"—was the fulfillment.
4
魏明帝青龍中，盛修宮室，西取長安金狄，承露槃折，聲聞數十里，金狄泣，於是因留霸城。 此金失其性而為異也。
Under Emperor Ming of Wei, in the Qinglong period, as palaces were built on a grand scale, the golden statue was brought from Chang'an in the west; the Dew Basin snapped with a crash heard for miles, and the statue was said to weep—so it was left behind at Bacity. This was metal abandoning its nature and turning into a prodigy.
5
吳時，歷陽縣有巖穿似印，咸云「石印封發，天下太平」。 孫晧天璽元年印發。 又陽羨山有石穴，長十餘丈。 晧初修武昌宮，有遷都之意。 是時武昌為離宮。 班固云：「離宮與城郭同占。」 飾城郭之謂也。 寶鼎三年，晧出東關，遣丁奉至合肥； 建衡三年，晧又大舉出華里。 侵邊境之謂也。 故令金失其性，卒面縛而吳亡。
During Wu, at Liyang County a cliff face bore a mark like a seal, and everyone said, "When the stone seal breaks open, the empire will be at peace." In the first year of Sun Hao's Tianxi reign, the seal opened. At Mount Yangxian there was also a stone cavern over ten zhang in length. When Hao first rebuilt the Wuchang Palace, he intended to move the capital. At that time Wuchang functioned as a secondary palace. Ban Gu wrote: "Detached palaces fall under the same omen category as city walls and ramparts." That is the sense of "adorning city walls." In the third year of Baoding, Hao marched out through the eastern pass and dispatched Ding Feng to Hefei; and in the third year of Jianheng he launched another major expedition from Huali. These were instances of encroaching on the frontier. Thus metal lost its proper nature; in the end he was brought before his enemies in bonds, and Wu was destroyed.
6
晉惠帝永興元年，成都伐長沙，每夜戈戟鋒有火光如縣燭。 此輕民命，好攻戰，金失其性而為變也。 天戒若曰，兵猶火也，不戢將自焚。 成都不悟，終以敗亡。
In the first year of Yongxing under Emperor Hui of Jin, as Chengdu campaigned against Changsha, every night the points of spears and halberds glowed like torches hung in the air. This signified contempt for human life and love of war—metal had lost its nature and changed form. Heaven's warning seemed to say: armies are like fire—if you do not restrain them, you will be consumed. Chengdu took no heed and was ultimately ruined.
7
晉懷帝永嘉元年，項縣有魏豫州刺史賈逵石碑，生金可采。 此金不從革而為變也。 五月，汲桑作亂，羣寇飈起。
In the first year of Yongjia under Emperor Huai of Jin, at Xiang County the stele of Jia Kui, former Inspector of Yuzhou for Wei, sprouted gold that could be gathered. This was metal failing to follow reform and changing its nature. In the fifth month Ji Sang rebelled, and marauders swept across the land.
8
晉清河王覃為世子時，所佩金鈴忽生起如粟者。 康王母疑不祥，毀棄之。 及後為惠帝太子，不終于位，卒為司馬越所殺。
While Prince Qinghe Sima Tan was still heir apparent, on the gold bell at his belt something suddenly sprouted, grain by grain like millet. His mother, the consort of Emperor Kang, took it for a bad omen and had it destroyed. Later, when he became heir to Emperor Hui, he never finished his tenure and was eventually killed by Sima Yue.
9
晉元帝永昌元年，甘卓將襲王敦，既而中止。 及還家，多變怪，照鏡不見其頭。 此金失其性而為妖也。 尋為敦所襲，遂夷滅。
In the first year of Yongchang under Emperor Yuan of Jin, Gan Zhuo prepared to strike Wang Dun, then abandoned the plan. After he returned home, uncanny things multiplied; when he looked in a mirror, his head was not there. This was metal losing its nature and turning into a portent of doom. Soon afterward Dun struck him down, and he and his house were exterminated.
10
石虎時，鄴城鳳陽門上金鳳皇二頭，飛入漳河。
Under Shi Hu, the pair of golden phoenixes on the Fengyang Gate at Ye City flew off into the Zhang River.
11
晉海西太和中，會稽山陰縣起倉，鑿地得兩大船，滿中錢，錢皆輪文大形。 時日向莫，鑿者馳以告官。 官夜遣防守甚嚴。 至明旦，失錢所在，唯有船存，視其狀，悉有錢處。
During the Tahe reign of Emperor Haixi of Jin, when Shanyin County in Kuaiji built a granary, excavators uncovered two great boats packed with coins, each bearing large ring-shaped rims. The day was nearly done; the workmen raced to inform the magistrate. That night the authorities posted a heavy guard. At dawn the money had vanished; only the empty boats remained, their hulls still showing where the coins had lain.
12
晉安帝義熙初，東陽太守殷仲文照鏡不見其頭，尋亦誅翦，占與甘同。
Early in the Yixi era under Emperor An of Jin, Yin Zhongwen, Administrator of Dongyang, looked into a mirror and saw no head; he too was soon executed—the same omen as Gan Zhuo's.
13
宋後廢帝元徽四年，義熙、晉陵二郡，並有霹靂車墜地，如青石，草木燋死。
In the fourth year of Yuanhui under the deposed Liu-Song emperor, in both Yixi and Jinling commanderies thunder-wagons crashed to earth like masses of green stone, and vegetation was burned black.
14
言之不從
Words Not Heeded
15
魏齊王嘉平初，東郡有譌言云，白馬河出妖馬，夜過官牧邊嗚呼，眾馬皆應。 明日見其迹，大如斛，行數里，還入河。 楚王彪本封白馬，兗州刺史令狐愚以彪有智勇，及聞此言，遂與王淩謀共立之。 遣人謂曰：「天下事未可知，願王自愛。」 彪答曰：「知厚意。」 事泄，淩、愚被誅，彪賜死。 此言不從之罰也。 詩云：「民之譌言，寧莫之懲。」
Early in the Jiaping era of Cao Wei's Qi-king, Dong Commandery circulated a saying that a demon horse had come forth from the White Horse River; at night it passed the imperial stud and whinnied, and every horse answered. The next day its tracks were found, each print as large as a grain measure; it had gone several li and gone back into the river. Prince Biao of Chu had originally been enfeoffed at White Horse; Yanzhou Inspector Linghu Yu, judging Biao intelligent and brave, and hearing this rumor, joined Wang Ling in a plot to set him on the throne. He sent a message: "The empire's fate is still uncertain; I pray that Your Highness guard your own person." Biao replied: "I understand your kindness." When the plot was exposed, Ling and Yu were executed, and Biao was ordered to take his own life. This was the penalty for words going unheeded. The Book of Poetry says: "When the people spread rumors, is there no one to check them?"
16
劉禪嗣位，譙周引晉穆侯、漢靈帝命子事譏之曰：「先主諱備，其訓具也。 後主諱禪，其訓授也。 若言劉已具矣，當授與人，甚於穆侯、靈帝之祥也。」 蜀果亡，此言之不從也。
When Liu Shan took the throne, Qiao Zhou cited how Duke Mu of Jin and Emperor Ling of Han had named their heirs, and mocked him: "The late lord's taboo name Bei means 'complete. The present lord's taboo name Shan means 'to hand over. If Liu is already complete and must be handed to someone else, the omen is clearer than those of Duke Mu or Emperor Ling." Shu was indeed destroyed—another case of words not heeded.
17
劉備卒，劉禪即位，未葬，亦未踰月，而改元為建興。 此言之不從也。 習鑿齒曰：「禮，國君即位踰年而後改元者，緣臣子之心，不忍一年而有二君也。 今可謂亟而不知禮矣。 君子是以知蜀之不能東遷也。」 後又降晉。 吳孫亮、晉惠帝、宋元凶亦然。 亮不終其位，惠帝號令非己，元凶尋誅。 言不從也。
When Liu Bei died, Liu Shan ascended before the burial and before a month had passed changed the era name to Jianxing. This too was a case of words not heeded. Xi Zuochi wrote: "By ritual a ruler changes the era name only after a full year in office, because subjects cannot bear to acknowledge two sovereigns within a single year. Here was haste combined with ignorance of ritual. From this the wise knew that Shu could never march east and reclaim the empire." Later it surrendered to Jin." Sun Liang of Wu, Emperor Hui of Jin, and the deposed Yuan of Liu Song did the same. Liang never finished his reign; Hui's commands were not his own; the deposed Yuan was soon put to death. In each case, words had not been heeded.
18
魏太和中，姜維歸蜀，失其母。 魏人使其母手書呼維令反，并送當歸以譬之。 維報書曰：「良田百頃，不計一畝。 但見遠志，無有當歸。」 維卒不免。
During Wei's Taihe era, when Jiang Wei went back to Shu, his mother was left behind. The Wei authorities had his mother write urging him to come back, and sent the herb danggui—"should return"—as a pun. Wei wrote back: "A hundred qing of fertile fields—and not one mu is counted. I see only yuanzhi—'far ambition'—and no danggui—'must return.'" In the end Wei could not escape his fate."
19
魏明帝景初元年，有司奏帝為烈祖，與太祖、高祖並為不毀之廟。 從之。 按宗廟之制，祖宗之號，皆身沒名成，乃正其禮。 故雖功赫天壤，德邁前王，未有豫定之典。 此蓋言之不從，失之甚者也。 後二年而宮車晏駕，於是統微政逸。
In the first year of Jingchu, Emperor Ming of Wei's officials proposed enshrining him as Liezu alongside Taizu and Gaozu in temples that would never be removed. The proposal was accepted. By the rules of the ancestral temple, honorific temple names are fixed only after death, when merit is known, and only then is ritual made correct. Thus even for merit that fills heaven and earth and virtue that eclipses earlier kings, there was no precedent for settling the rites in advance. This was counsel gone unheeded—a grave breach of propriety. Two years later the emperor died, and thereafter the imperial line weakened and government drifted.
20
吳孫休世，烏程民有得困疾，及差，能以響言者，言於此而聞於彼。 自其所聽之，不覺其聲之大也； 自遠聽之，如人對言，不覺聲之自遠來也。 聲之所往，隨其所向，遠者不過十數里。 其鄰人有責息於外，歷年不還。 乃假之使為責讓，懼以禍福，負物者以為鬼神，即傾倒畀之。 其人亦不自知所以然也。 言不從之咎也。
Under Sun Xiu of Wu, a man of Wucheng who had been bedridden with a wasting illness recovered with the power of "resonant speech"—words spoken in one place heard in another. To the listener nearby, the voice did not seem loud; but heard from afar it was like conversation face to face, with no sense that the voice had traveled any distance. The voice went wherever he aimed it, but no farther than ten-odd li. A neighbor had money owed him from afar that for years had not been returned. The neighbor borrowed his gift to demand repayment, threatening fortune or ruin; the debtor took it for the work of spirits and at once paid everything he owed. Even the man with the power did not understand how it worked. This was the penalty for words not heeded.
21
魏世起安世殿，晉武帝後居之。 安世，武帝字也。
In Wei the Anshi Hall was erected; Emperor Wu of Jin later lived there. Anshi was Emperor Wu's courtesy name.
22
晉武帝每延羣臣，多說平生常事，未嘗及經國遠圖。 此言之不從也。 何曾謂子遵曰：「國家無貽厥之謀，及身而已，後嗣其殆乎，此子孫之憂也。」 自永熙後，王室漸亂。 永嘉中，天下大壞。 及何綏以非辜被誅，皆如曾言。
Whenever Emperor Wu of Jin entertained his ministers, he talked mostly of everyday matters from his past and never of statecraft or long-range design. This was another case of words not heeded. He Zeng told his son Zun: "The realm has no plans bequeathed to posterity—only what serves the present. Our descendants are in peril; that is a father's worry." After the Yongxi era the imperial house slowly unraveled." "In the Yongjia years the empire collapsed." "When He Sui was executed though innocent, everything came to pass as Zeng had foretold."
23
趙王倫廢惠帝於金墉城，改號金墉為永安宮。 帝尋復位而倫誅。
Prince Lun of Zhao deposed Emperor Hui at the Jincheng compound and renamed it the Palace of Eternal Peace. The emperor was soon restored, and Lun was put to death.
24
晉惠帝永興元年，詔廢太子覃還為清河王，立成都王穎為皇太弟，猶加侍中，大都督，領丞相，備九錫，封二十郡，如魏王故事。 案周禮，傳國以胤不以勳，故雖公旦之聖，不易成王之嗣。 所以遠絕覬覦，永壹宗祧。 後代遵履，改之則亂。 今擬非其實，僭差已甚。 且既為國副，則不應復開封土，兼領庶職。 此言之不從，進退乖爽。 故帝既播越，穎亦不終，是其咎也。 後猶不悟，又立懷帝為皇太弟。 懷終流弒，不永厥祚，又其應也。 語曰：「變古易常，不亂則亡。」 此之謂乎。
In the first year of Yongxing, Emperor Hui deposed Crown Prince Tan and made him Prince of Qinghe again, while elevating Prince Ying of Chengdu as Imperial Younger Brother—with Palace Attendant, Grand Commander, and Chancellor, the full Nine Bestowals, and twenty commanderies, on the model of Cao Cao. The Rites of Zhou prescribe that the realm passes by lineal descent, not by merit; even the Duke of Zhou, for all his wisdom, did not displace King Cheng's heir. That is how ambition is held at bay and the imperial line kept one. Later ages followed this rule; to alter it was to invite chaos. The present arrangement bore no relation to proper practice; presumption had gone very far. Moreover, once he was heir to the realm, he ought not also to receive territorial fiefs or pile up concurrent posts. This was counsel unheeded, with advance and retreat wholly at odds. Thus the emperor was driven from his capital and Ying likewise came to no good end—the penalty for it. They still took no lesson and again made Emperor Huai Imperial Younger Brother. Huai was ultimately driven out and murdered, his reign cut short—again the fulfillment. The proverb says: "Change what is old and alter what is fixed—if it does not bring chaos, it brings ruin." Was this not the case?"
25
晉惠帝太安中，周玘於陽羨起宅，始成，而邊戶有聲如人嘆咤者。 玘亡後，家誅滅。 此近言不從也。
During the Taian years under Emperor Hui of Jin, Zhou Qi built a house at Yangxian; as soon as it was finished, voices like human sighs and cries were heard at the side doors. After Qi's death his entire house was exterminated. This was a near instance of words not heeded.
26
晉元帝太興四年，吳郡民訛言有大蟲在紵中及樗樹上，嚙人即死。 晉陵民又言曰，見一老女子居市，被髮從肆人乞飲，自言：「天帝令我從水門出，而我誤由蟲門。 若還，天帝必殺我。 如何？」 於是百姓共相恐動，云死者已十數也。 西及京都，諸家有樗紵者，伐去之。 無幾自止。
In the fourth year of Taixing under Emperor Yuan of Jin, Wu Commandery was rife with rumors of a great insect in ramie thickets and ailanthus trees that killed anyone it bit. In Jinling people also claimed to have seen an old woman in the market with loose hair begging drink from shopkeepers, who said: "Heaven commanded me to leave by the Water Gate, but I wrongly took the Insect Gate. If I go back, Heaven will surely kill me. What am I to do?" The populace panicked one another, claiming that more than ten had already died. The panic spread west to the capital; every household that had ailanthus or ramie cut them down. Before long the uproar ceased on its own.
27
晉元帝永昌元年，寧州刺史王遜遣子澄入質，將渝、濮雜夷數百人。 京邑民忽訛言寧州人大食人家小兒，親有見其蒸煮滿釜甑中者。 又云失兒皆有主名，婦人尋道，拊心而哭。 於是百姓各禁錄小兒，不得出門。 尋又言已得食人之主，官當大航頭大杖考竟。 而日有四五百人晨聚航頭，以待觀行刑。 朝廷之士相問者，皆曰信然，或言郡縣文書已上。 王澄大懼，檢測之，事了無形，民家亦未嘗有失小兒者，然後知其訛言也。 此二事，干寶云「未之能論」。
In the first year of Yongchang, Ningzhou Inspector Wang Xun sent his son Cheng to court as a hostage, accompanied by several hundred mixed tribesmen from Yu and Pu. Suddenly the capital was rife with rumors that Ningzhou men were eating people's children, with eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen them steaming children by the potful. They also said each missing child had a known owner, and women searched the streets beating their breasts and wailing. Parents everywhere locked their children indoors and forbade them to go out. Soon they added that the man-eater had been caught and that officials would beat him to death with heavy staves at the great ferry landing. Every morning four or five hundred people gathered at the ferry to watch the execution. When court officials asked one another, all said it was true; some said the local reports had already reached the throne. Wang Cheng was terrified and investigated; nothing was found, and no household had actually lost a child—only then was it recognized as mere rumor. Of these two incidents Gan Bao wrote that he "could not yet explain them."
28
永昌二年，大將軍王敦下據姑孰。 百姓訛言行蟲病，食人大孔，數日入腹，入腹則死。 治之有方，當得白犬膽以為藥。 自淮、泗遂及京都，數日之間，百姓驚擾，人人皆自云已得蟲病。 又云，始在外時，當燒鐵以灼之。 於是翕然被燒灼者十七八矣。 而白犬暴貴，至相請奪，其價十倍。 或有自云能行燒鐵者，賃灼百姓，日得五六萬，憊而後已。 四五日漸靜。 說曰，夫裸蟲人類，而人為之主，今云蟲食人，言本同臭類而相殘賊也。 自下而上，斯其逆也。 必入腹者，言害由中不由外也。 犬有守禦之性，白者金色，而膽用武之主也。 帝王之運，五霸會於戌，戌主用兵。 金者晉行，火燒鐵以治疾者，言必去其類而來，火與金合德，共治蟲害也。 案中興之際，大將軍本以腹心受伊、呂之任，而元帝末年，遂攻京邑，明帝諒闇，又有異謀。 是以下逆上，腹心內爛也。 及錢鳳、沈充等逆兵四合，而為王師所挫，踰月而不能濟。 北中郎將劉遐及淮陵內史蘇峻率淮、泗之眾以救朝廷，故其謠言首作於淮、泗也。 朝廷卒以弱制強，罪人授首，是用白犬膽可救之效也。
In the second year of Yongchang Grand General Wang Dun seized Gushu. Rumors spread of a traveling insect plague that ate people through a large hole, entered the belly within days, and killed once inside. There was said to be a cure: the gall of a white dog. From the Huai and Si regions to the capital, within days the populace was in uproar, everyone claiming to have the insect disease. They also said that while the insect was still outside the body, one should burn iron and cauterize the spot. Suddenly seven or eight out of ten were being burned. White dogs soared in price tenfold, with buyers fighting over them. Men who claimed skill at iron cautery hired themselves out to burn the afflicted, earning fifty or sixty thousand a day until they could work no more. Within four or five days the panic subsided. The interpretation runs: mankind belongs to the class of naked creatures and rules over it; to say insects devour men is to say that those of the same kind destroy one another. Striking from below upward—that is rebellion. That it must enter the belly means the harm arises from within, not from without. Dogs are creatures of defense; white belongs to metal, and gall is the remedy ruled by the agent of war. In the cycles of imperial fortune the Five Hegemons converge at the xu branch, which governs warfare. Metal is Jin's element; burning iron to treat the disease means the hostile kind must be driven out—fire and metal join in power to quell the plague together. At the Restoration the Grand General had been trusted like Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou, yet in Emperor Yuan's last years he attacked the capital; when Emperor Ming was a child in mourning, rebellion brewed again. Hence rebellion from below and corruption at the heart. When the rebel armies of Qian Feng and Shen Chong converged from all sides yet were beaten back by the imperial forces, more than a month passed without victory. North General of the Household Liu Xia and Huailing Interior Minister Su Jun led Huai-Si troops to rescue the court—hence the rumor first appeared in the Huai and Si regions. The court ultimately overcame the strong with the weak and took the rebel leaders' heads—the effect for which white dog's gall was the symbol.
29
晉海西時，庾晞四五年中，喜為挽歌，自搖大鈴為唱，使左右齊和。 又燕會，輒令倡妓作新安人歌儛離別之辭，其聲悲切。 時人怪之，後亦果敗。
Under Emperor Haixi of Jin, for four or five years Yu Xi loved to sing funeral dirges, ringing a great bell himself while his attendants joined the chorus. At feasts he would have entertainers perform the Xin'an parting song and dance, its notes piercingly sad. Contemporaries found it ominous, and he was indeed ruined afterward.
30
晉海西公太和以來，大家婦女，緩鬢傾髻，以為盛飾。 用髮既多，不恒戴。 乃先作假髻，施於木上，呼曰「假頭」。 人欲借，名曰「借頭」。 遂布天下。 自此以來，人士多離事故，或亡失頭首，或以草木為之。 假頭之言，此其先兆也。
From the Taihe reign of Emperor Haixi onward, ladies of great houses wore loose side-locks and slanting chignons as high fashion. They used so much hair that they could not always wear their own. They made false chignons mounted on frames and called them "false heads." To borrow one was to ask for a "borrowed head." The fashion spread across the empire. Thereafter many men were separated from life by death, some losing their real heads, some making do with grass and wood. The talk of "false heads" was the omen beforehand.
31
晉孝武太元中，立內殿名曰清暑，少時而崩。 時人曰，「清暑」者，反言楚聲也。 果有哀楚之聲。 有人曰：「非此之謂，豈可極言乎。 讖云，代晉者楚，其在茲乎？」 及桓玄篡逆，自號曰楚。
During the Taixuan years of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin an inner hall called Clear Summer was built, and soon afterward the emperor died. People said that read backward "Clear Summer" sounded like "Chu." And indeed there came the mournful note of Chu. Someone objected: "That is not the point—can one really press the omen so far? A prophecy says, 'Chu will replace Jin'—is this it?" When Huan Xuan seized the throne, he took the style Chu."
32
太元中，小兒以兩鐵相打於土中，名曰「鬭族」。 後王國寶、王孝伯一姓之中，自相攻擊也。
In the Taixuan years boys knocked two iron pieces together in the dirt, calling the game "clan combat." Later Wang Guobao and Wang Xiaobo, of the same clan, turned on each other.
33
桓玄出鎮南州，立齋名曰蟠龍。 後劉毅居此齋。 蟠龍，毅小字也。
When Huan Xuan took up his post in the south, he built a studio called Coiled Dragon. Later Liu Yi occupied that studio. Coiled Dragon was Yi's courtesy name.
34
桓玄初改年為大亨，遐邇讙言曰：「二月了。」 故義謀以仲春發也。 玄篡立，又改年為建始，以與趙王倫同，又易為永始。 永始，復是王莽受封之年也。 始徙司馬道子于安成，晉主遜位，出永安宮，封晉主為平固王，琅邪王德文為石陽公，並使住尋陽城。 識者皆以為言不從之妖也。 厥咎僭。
When Huan Xuan first changed the era name to Great Prosperity, people far and near joked: "The second month is over." Hence the loyalist rising began in the second month. After usurping the throne Xuan changed the era to Establishing Beginning, then dropped it because it matched Prince Lun's era, and adopted Eternal Beginning. Eternal Beginning was again the year in which Wang Mang had received his fief. First Sima Daozi was banished to Ancheng; the Jin emperor abdicated and left Yong'an Palace; the emperor was made Prince of Pinggu and the Prince of Langye, Dewen, Duke of Shiyang, both confined at Xunyang. The knowing all took this for the portent of words not heeded. The fault was presumption.
35
晉興，何曾薄太官御膳，自取私食，子劭又過之，而王愷又過劭。 王愷、羊琇之疇，盛致聲色，窮珍極麗。 至元康中，夸恣成俗，轉相高尚，石崇之侈，遂兼王、何而儷人主矣。 崇既誅死，天下尋亦淪喪。 僭踰之咎也。
At the founding of Jin, He Zeng disdained the imperial kitchen and ate privately; his son Shao outdid him, and Wang Kai outdid Shao. Wang Kai, Yang Xiu, and their circle lavished music and courtesans, exhausting every rarity and extravagance. By the Yuankang years extravagance had become fashion, each outdoing the next; Shi Chong's luxury surpassed Wang and He together and rivaled the emperor himself. After Chong was executed, the empire soon collapsed. This was the penalty for presumption.
36
恒暘
Constant Drought
37
魏明帝太和二年五月，大旱。 元年以來，崇廣宮府之應也。 又是春，晉宣帝南禽孟達，置二郡； 張郃西破諸葛亮，斃馬謖。 亢陽自大，又其應也。 京房易傳曰：「欲德不用，茲謂張。 厥災荒。 其旱陰雲不雨，變而赤煙四際。 眾出過時，茲謂廣。 其旱不生。 上下皆蔽，茲謂隔。 其旱天赤三月，時有雹殺飛禽。 上緣求妃，茲謂僭。 其旱三月大溫亡雲。 君高臺府，茲謂犯。 陰侵陽。 其旱萬物根死，數有火災。 庶位踰節，茲謂僭。 其旱澤物枯，為火所傷。」
In the fifth month of the second year of Taihe under Emperor Ming of Wei there was a great drought. Since the first year of the era this answered to the lavish expansion of palaces and offices. That same spring Emperor Xuan of Jin captured Meng Da in the south and established two commanderies; while Zhang He in the west defeated Zhuge Liang and killed Ma Su. Yang had grown overbearing—again the fulfillment. Jing Fang's Tradition of the Changes says: "Wishing for virtue but not using it—this is called expansion. Its calamity is famine. Its drought: clouds gather but no rain falls, and red haze spreads on every side. The people go forth out of season—this is called broad. Its drought: nothing will grow. Above and below are blocked—this is called separation. Its drought: the sky is red for three months, and hail sometimes kills birds in flight. The ruler seeks consorts on false pretenses—this is called presumption. Its drought: three months of fierce heat without a cloud. The ruler builds high terraces and mansions—this is called violation. Yin encroaches upon yang. Its drought: the roots of all things die, and fires break out again and again. Inferior ranks overstep their bounds—this is called presumption. Its drought: plants in the marshes wither, harmed by fire."
38
太和五年三月，自去冬十月至此月不雨，辛巳，大雩。 是春，諸葛亮寇天水，晉宣王距卻之，亢陽動眾。 又是時三隅分據，眾出多過時也。 春秋說曰：「傷二穀，謂之不雨。」
In the third month of the fifth year of Taihe, no rain had fallen since the tenth month of the previous winter; on the day xinsi a great rain-prayer ceremony was performed. That spring Zhuge Liang raided Tianshui, and the Emperor Xuan of Jin drove him back—excessive yang and the mobilization of armies. At the same time the three realms held their separate corners, and armies were sent forth far out of season. The Explanatory Tradition of the Spring and Autumn Annals states: "When two grain harvests are harmed, that is called failure of rain."
39
魏齊王正始元年二月，自去冬十二月至此月不雨。 去歲正月，明帝崩。 二月，曹爽白嗣主，轉晉宣王為太傅，外示尊崇，內實欲令事先由己。 是時宣王功蓋魏朝，欲德不用之應也。
In the second month of the first year of Zhengshi under the Qi King of Wei, no rain had fallen since the twelfth month of the previous winter. In the first month of the preceding year Emperor Ming had died. In the second month Cao Shuang petitioned the new emperor to make the Emperor Xuan of Jin Grand Tutor—outwardly an honor, but in truth he meant to keep all affairs in his own hands. At that time the Emperor Xuan's achievements overshadowed the Wei court—the fulfillment of wishing for virtue but not employing it.
40
魏高貴鄉公甘露三年正月，自去秋至此月旱。 時晉文王圍諸葛誕，眾出過時之應也。 初，壽春秋夏常雨潦，常淹城，而此旱踰年，城陷乃大雨。 咸以為天亡。
In the first month of the third year of Ganlu under the Duke of Gaoguixiang of Wei, drought had continued from the previous autumn. At that time the Emperor Wen of Jin was besieging Zhuge Dan—the fulfillment of armies sent forth out of season. Formerly Shou in spring and summer was often flooded by rain and the city was regularly inundated; yet this drought lasted more than a year, and only when the city fell did heavy rain come. All took it as heaven's decree of destruction.
41
吳孫亮五鳳二年，大旱，民饑。 是歲閏月，魏將文欽以淮南眾數萬口來奔； 孫峻又破魏將曹珍于高亭。 三月，朱異襲安豐，不克。 七月，城廣陵、東海二郡。 十二月，以馮朝為監軍使者，督徐州諸軍，軍士怨叛。 此亢陽自大，勞民失眾之罰也。 其役彌歲，故旱亦竟年。
In the second year of Wufeng under Sun Liang of Wu there was a great drought, and the people went hungry. That year in the intercalary month the Wei general Wen Qin defected with tens of thousands of people from Huainan; and Sun Jun also defeated the Wei general Cao Zhen at Gaoting. In the third month Zhu Yi attacked Anfeng but failed to take it. In the seventh month the two commanderies of Guangling and Donghai were walled. In the twelfth month Feng Chao was appointed military overseer commissioner to command the armies of Xuzhou, and the troops mutinied in resentment. This was the penalty for overbearing yang, exhausting the people and losing their support. The corvée labor lasted a full year, and so the drought lasted the whole year as well.
42
吳孫晧寶鼎元年春夏旱。 是時晧遷都武昌，勞民動眾之應也。
In the first year of Baoding under Sun Hao of Wu there was drought through spring and summer. At that time Hao moved the capital to Wuchang—the fulfillment of exhausting the people and mobilizing armies.
43
晉武帝泰始七年五月閏月，旱，大雩。 是春，孫晧出華里，大司馬望帥眾次于淮北。 四月，北地胡寇金城西平，涼州刺史牽弘出戰，敗沒。
In the intercalary fifth month of the seventh year of Taishi under Emperor Wu of Jin there was drought, and a great rain-prayer ceremony was held. That spring Sun Hao marched out to Huali, while the Grand Marshal Wang led his army and encamped north of the Huai. In the fourth month the northern Di and Hu raided Jincheng and Xiping; the Inspector of Liang, Qian Hong, marched out to fight and was defeated and killed.
44
泰始八年五月，旱。 是時帝納荀勗邪說，留賈充不復西鎮，而任愷稍疏，上下皆蔽之應也。 又李憙、魯芝、李胤等並在散職，近欲德不用之謂也。
In the fifth month of the eighth year of Taishi there was drought. At that time the emperor heeded Xun Xu's perverse advice, kept Jia Chong from returning to his western post, and gradually distanced Ren Kai—the fulfillment of obstruction above and below. Li Xi, Lu Zhi, Li Yin, and others were also relegated to empty posts—nearly a case of wishing for virtue but not employing it.
45
泰始九年，自正月旱，至于六月，祈宗廟社稷山川，癸未雨。 去年九月，吳西陵督步闡據城來降，遣羊祜統楊肇等眾八萬救迎闡。 十二月，陸抗大破肇軍，攻闡滅之。
In the ninth year of Taishi drought continued from the first month through the sixth; prayers were offered at the ancestral temples, the altars of soil and grain, and the mountains and rivers, yet on the day guisi still no rain fell. In the ninth month of the previous year Bu Chan, governor of Xiling in Wu, held the city and came over to surrender; Yang Hu was sent to lead Yang Zhao and others with eighty thousand men to rescue and receive him. In the twelfth month Lu Kang routed Zhao's army and attacked and destroyed Chan.
46
泰始十年四月，旱。 去年秋冬，采擇卿校諸葛沖等女，是春五十餘人入殿簡選。 又取小將吏女數十人，母子號哭於宮中，聲聞于外，行人悲酸。 是殆積陰生陽之應也。
In the fourth month of the tenth year of Taishi there was drought. The previous autumn and winter daughters of secretaries and commandants, including Zhuge Chong, were gathered for selection; that spring more than fifty entered the palace to be screened. Dozens of daughters of junior officers and officials were also taken; mothers and daughters wailed inside the palace until the sound carried outside, and passersby were stricken with sorrow. This was likely the fulfillment of accumulated yin giving rise to yang.
47
晉武帝咸寧二年五月，旱，大雩，及社稷山川。 至六月，乃澍雨。
In the fifth month of the second year of Xianning under Emperor Wu of Jin there was drought; a great rain-prayer ceremony was held, including at the altars of soil and grain and the mountains and rivers. By the sixth month soaking rain finally came.
48
晉武帝太康二年，自去冬旱，至此春平吳，亢陽動眾自大之應也。
In the second year of Taikang under Emperor Wu of Jin drought had continued since the previous winter; by that spring Wu was pacified—the fulfillment of overbearing yang, mass mobilization, and arrogance.
49
太康三年四月，旱。 乙酉，詔司空齊王攸與尚書、廷尉、河南尹錄訊繫囚，事從蠲宥。
In the fourth month of the third year of Taikang there was drought. On the day yiyou an edict ordered the Minister of Works, the Prince of Qi You, together with the Masters of Writing, the Court Commandant, and the Intendant of Henan to review and question prisoners; cases were to be treated with clemency and pardon.
50
太康五年六月，旱。 此年正月，天陰，解而復合。 劉毅上疏曰：「必有阿黨之臣，姦以事君者，當誅而不赦也。」 帝不答。 是時荀勗、馮紞僭作威福，亂朝尤甚。
In the sixth month of the fifth year of Taikang there was drought. That year in the first month the sky was overcast, then cleared, then clouded over again. Liu Yi submitted a memorial saying: "There must be clique-forming ministers who serve the ruler treacherously—they should be executed without pardon." The emperor made no reply. At that time Xun Xu and Feng Dan presumptuously wielded power and favor, and they especially ravaged the court.
51
太康六年三月，青、涼、幽、冀郡國旱。
In the third month of the sixth year of Taikang the commanderies and principalities of Qing, Liang, You, and Ji suffered drought.
52
太康六年六月，濟陰、武陵旱，傷麥。
In the sixth month of the sixth year of Taikang Jiyin and Wuling had drought that damaged the wheat crop.
53
太康七年夏，郡國十三旱。
In the summer of the seventh year of Taikang thirteen commanderies and principalities suffered drought.
54
太康八年四月，冀州旱。
In the fourth month of the eighth year of Taikang Ji Province suffered drought.
55
太康九年夏，郡國三十三旱。
In the summer of the ninth year of Taikang thirty-three commanderies and principalities suffered drought.
56
太康九年六月，扶風、始平、京兆、安定旱，傷麥。
In the sixth month of the ninth year of Taikang Fufeng, Shiping, Jingzhao, and Anding had drought that damaged the wheat crop.
57
太康十年二月，旱。
In the second month of the tenth year of Taikang there was drought.
58
晉武帝太熙元年二月，旱。 自太康以後，雖正人滿朝，不被親仗； 而賈充、荀勗、楊駿、馮紞等，迭居要重。 所以無年不旱者，欲德不用，上下皆蔽，庶位踰節之罰也。
In the second month of the first year of Taixi under Emperor Wu of Jin there was drought. From the Taikang era onward, although upright men filled the court, they were not personally trusted; while Jia Chong, Xun Xu, Yang Jun, Feng Dan, and others held one crucial post after another. The reason drought came nearly every year was the penalty for wishing for virtue but not employing it, for obstruction above and below, and for subordinate ranks overstepping their bounds.
59
晉惠帝元康元年七月，雍州大旱，殞霜疾疫。 關中飢，米斛萬錢。
In the seventh month of the first year of Yuankang under Emperor Hui of Jin Yong Province suffered great drought, killing frost, and pestilence. In Guanzhong there was famine; a hu of rice cost ten thousand cash.
60
元康七年七月，秦雍二州大旱。 故其年氐羌反叛，雍州刺史解系敗績。 是年正月，周處、盧播等復敗，關西震亂。 交兵彌歲，至是飢疫荐臻，戎、晉並困，朝廷不能振，詔聽相賣鬻。
In the seventh month of the seventh year of Yuankang the two provinces of Qin and Yong suffered great drought. Accordingly that year the Di and Qiang rebelled, and the Inspector of Yong, Xie Xi, was routed. That year in the first month Zhou Chu, Lu Bo, and others were defeated again, and the region west of the passes was convulsed. Armies clashed for a full year; by then famine and pestilence came one after another, and both the frontier peoples and Jin were exhausted; the court could not recover, and an edict permitted people to sell one another into bondage.
61
元康七年九月，郡國五旱。
In the ninth month of the seventh year of Yuankang five commanderies and principalities suffered drought.
62
晉惠帝永寧元年，自夏及秋，青、徐、幽、并四州旱。 是年春，三王討趙王倫，六旬之中，大小數十戰，死者十餘萬人。 十二月，郡國十二又旱。
In the first year of Yongning under Emperor Hui of Jin drought afflicted the four provinces of Qing, Xu, You, and Bing from summer through autumn. That spring the three princes marched against the Prince of Zhao, Lun; within sixty days they fought dozens of battles large and small, and more than a hundred thousand men died. In the twelfth month twelve commanderies and principalities again suffered drought.
63
晉懷帝永嘉三年五月，大旱。 襄平縣梁水淡淵竭，河、洛、江、漢皆可涉。 是年三月，司馬越歸京都，遣兵入宮，收中書令繆播等九人殺之。 此僭踰之罰也。 又四方諸侯，多懷無君之心，劉淵、石勒、王彌、李雄之徒，賊害民命，流血成泥，又其應也。
In the fifth month of the third year of Yongjia under Emperor Huai of Jin there was a great drought. In Xiangping county the Liang River's shallows and deep pools dried up, and the Yellow, Luo, Yangtze, and Han rivers could all be waded across. That year in the third month Sima Yue returned to the capital, sent troops into the palace, seized the Director of the Secretariat Mi Fu and nine others, and had them killed. This was the penalty for presumption and overstepping. Moreover the lords on all four sides mostly harbored disloyal hearts; Liu Yuan, Shi Le, Wang Mi, Li Xiong, and their kind preyed on the people, and blood flowed like mud—again the fulfillment.
64
永嘉五年，自去冬旱至此春。 去歲十二月，司馬越棄京都，以大眾南出，多將王公朝士，及以行臺自隨，斥黜禁衞，代以國人。 宮省蕭然，無復君臣之節矣。
In the fifth year of Yongjia drought continued from the previous winter into that spring. In the twelfth month of the previous year Sima Yue abandoned the capital and marched south with a great host, taking many princes, dukes, and court officials with him and bringing the mobile imperial secretariat along; he dismissed the palace guard and replaced them with men of his own domain. The palace and ministries stood empty; the rites between ruler and minister were gone.
65
晉陽秋云：「愍帝在西京，旱傷荐臻。」 無注記年月也。
The Spring and Autumn of Jin says: "The Emperor Min in the Western Capital—drought and disaster came one after another." No note records the year and month.
66
晉愍帝建武元年六月，揚州旱。 去年十二月，淳于伯寃死，其年即旱，而太興元年六月又旱。 干寶曰「殺伯之後旱三年」是也。 案前漢殺孝婦則旱，後漢有囚亦旱，見謝見理，並獲雨澍，此其類也。 班固曰：「刑罰妄加，羣陰不附，則陽氣勝，故其罰恒暘。」 建武元年四月，麴允等悉眾禦寇。 五月，祖逖攻譙。 其冬，周訪討杜曾。 又眾出之應也。
In the sixth month of the first year of Jianwu under Emperor Min of Jin Yang Province suffered drought. In the twelfth month of the previous year Chunyu Bo died unjustly; drought came that same year, and in the sixth month of the first year of Taixing there was drought again. Gan Bao's remark that "after Bo was killed there was drought for three years" refers to this. Consider: in Former Han drought followed the killing of the filial daughter-in-law; in Later Han a prisoner also brought drought; when the wrong was confessed and justice was seen, both received soaking rain—this is the same pattern. Ban Gu says: "When punishments are imposed wantonly, the multitude of yin will not adhere, and yang qi prevails—therefore the penalty is constant drought." In the fourth month of the first year of Jianwu Qu Yun and others led all their forces to repel the invaders. In the fifth month Zu Ti attacked Qiao. That winter Zhou Fang campaigned against Du Zeng. Again the fulfillment of armies sent forth.
67
晉元帝太興四年五月，旱。 是時王敦強僭之釁漸著。 又去歲蔡豹、祖逖等，並有征役。
In the fifth month of the fourth year of Taixing under Emperor Yuan of Jin there was drought. At that time the signs of Wang Dun's forcible presumption gradually became clear. In the previous year as well Cai Bao, Zu Ti, and others had all been on campaign.
68
晉元帝永昌元年，大旱。 是年三月，王敦有石頭之變，二宮陵辱，大臣誅死。 僭踰無上，故旱尤甚也。
In the first year of Yongchang under Emperor Yuan of Jin there was a great drought. That year in the third month Wang Dun staged the Shitou coup; the two palaces were humiliated, and great ministers were executed. Presumption knew no bounds, and so the drought was especially severe.
69
永昌元年閏十一月，京都大旱，川谷並竭。
In the intercalary eleventh month of the first year of Yongchang the capital suffered great drought, and rivers and valleys alike ran dry.
70
晉明帝太寧三年，自春不雨，至于六月。 去年秋，滅王敦，亢陽動眾自大之應也。
In the third year of Taining under Emperor Ming of Jin no rain fell from spring until the sixth month. The previous autumn Wang Dun was destroyed—the fulfillment of overbearing yang, mass mobilization, and arrogance.
71
晉成帝咸和元年秋，旱。 是時庾太后臨朝稱制，羣臣奏事稱「皇太后陛下」。 此婦人專王事，言不從而僭踰之罰也。 與漢鄧太后同事。
In the autumn of the first year of Xianhe under Emperor Cheng of Jin there was drought. At that time Empress Dowager Yu held court and claimed regency, and ministers presenting business addressed her as "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager." This was a woman monopolizing royal affairs—the penalty for words not heeded and for presumption. It was the same case as Empress Dowager Deng of Han.
72
咸和二年夏，旱。
In the summer of the second year of Xianhe there was drought.
73
咸和五年五月，旱。 去年殄蘇峻之黨，此春又討郭默滅之。 亢陽動眾之應也。
In the fifth month of the fifth year of Xianhe there was drought. The previous year the faction of Su Jun had been exterminated; this spring the court again campaigned against Guo Mo and destroyed him. This was the fulfillment of overbearing yang and mass mobilization.
74
咸和六年四月，旱。 去年八月，石勒遣郭敬寇襄陽，南中郎將周撫奔武昌。 十月，李雄使李壽寇建平，建平太守楊謙奔宜都。 此正月，劉徵略婁縣，於是起眾警備。
In the fourth month of the sixth year of Xianhe there was drought. In the eighth month of the previous year Shi Le sent Guo Jing to raid Xiangyang, and the Southern Palace Gentleman-Commander Zhou Fu fled to Wuchang. In the tenth month Li Xiong sent Li Shou to raid Jianping, and the Administrator of Jianping, Yang Qian, fled to Yidu. In the first month Liu Zheng plundered Lou County, whereupon the court mobilized troops for emergency defense.
75
咸和八年七月，旱。
In the seventh month of the eighth year of Xianhe there was drought.
76
咸和九年，自四月不雨，至于八月。
In the ninth year of Xianhe no rain fell from the fourth month until the eighth month.
77
晉成帝咸康元年六月，旱。 是時成帝沖弱，不親萬機，內外之政，委之將相。 此僭踰之罰，故連歲旱也。 至四年，王導固讓太傅，復子明辟，是後不旱，殆其應也。 時天下普旱，會稽餘姚特甚，米斗直五百，民有相鬻。
In the sixth month of the first year of Xiankang under Emperor Cheng of Jin there was drought. At that time Emperor Cheng was still a child and did not personally handle affairs of state; both internal and external government was entrusted to generals and chancellors. This was the penalty for presumption, and so there was drought year after year. By the fourth year Wang Dao steadfastly declined the Grand Tutorship and restored the Son to bright governance; drought ceased thereafter—perhaps the fulfillment of that change. At the time drought afflicted the realm; Kuaiji and Yuyao suffered especially severely—a dou of rice sold for five hundred cash, and some among the people sold one another.
78
咸康二年三月，旱。
In the third month of the second year of Xiankang there was drought.
79
咸康三年六月，旱。
In the sixth month of the third year of Xiankang there was drought.
80
晉康帝建元元年五月，旱。 是時宰相專政，方伯擅重兵，又與咸康初同事也。
In the fifth month of the first year of Jianyuan under Emperor Kang of Jin there was drought. At that time the chancellor monopolized government and regional lords wielded heavy armies at will—the same case as at the beginning of Xiankang.
81
晉穆帝永和元年五月，旱。 有司奏依董仲舒術，徙市開水門，遣謁者祭太社。 是時帝在繈抱，褚太后臨朝如明穆太后故事。
In the fifth month of the first year of Yonghe under Emperor Mu of Jin there was drought. The responsible officials memorialized that, following Dong Zhongshu's methods, the market should be moved, the water gate opened, and an internuncio dispatched to sacrifice at the Grand Altar of Soil. At that time the Emperor was still an infant in swaddling clothes, and Empress Dowager Chu held court following the precedent of Empress Dowager Mingmu.
82
永和五年七月，不雨，至于十月。 是年二月，征北將軍褚裒遣軍伐沛，納其民以歸。 六月，又遣西中郎將陳逵進據壽陽，自以舟師二萬至于下邳，喪其前驅而還，逵亦退。
In the seventh month of the fifth year of Yonghe no rain fell until the tenth month. In the second month of that year the General Who Conquers the North Chu Pou dispatched troops to attack Pei and brought its people back under submission. In the sixth month the court again sent the Western Palace Gentleman-Commander Chen Kui to advance and hold Shouyang; Chu Pou himself led twenty thousand river troops as far as Xiapi, lost his vanguard, and withdrew, and Kui also retreated.
83
永和六年閏月，旱。 是春，桓溫以大眾出夏口，上疏欲以舟軍北伐，朝廷駭之。 蕭敬文盜涪，西蠻校尉采壽敗績。
In the intercalary month of the sixth year of Yonghe there was drought. That spring Huan Wen marched out of Xiakou with a great host and submitted a memorial proposing a northern campaign by river forces, alarming the court. Xiao Jingwen pillaged Fu, and the Commandant of the Western Barbarians, Cai Shou, suffered defeat.
84
晉穆帝升平三年十二月，大旱。 此冬十月，北中郎將郄曇帥萬餘人出高平，經略河、兗； 又遣將軍諸葛悠以舟軍入河，敗績。 西中郎將謝萬次下蔡，眾潰而歸。
In the twelfth month of the third year of Shengping under Emperor Mu of Jin there was a great drought. This winter, in the tenth month, the Northern Palace Gentleman-Commander Xi Tan led more than ten thousand men out of Gaoping to secure the He and Yan regions; The court also sent the General Zhuge You with river forces into the Yellow River and suffered defeat. The Western Palace Gentleman-Commander Xie Wan encamped at Xiacai, but his troops routed and returned.
85
升平四年十二月，大旱。
In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Shengping there was a great drought.
86
晉哀帝隆和元年夏，旱。 是時桓溫強恣，權制朝廷，僭踰之罰也。 又去年慕容恪圍冀州刺史呂護，桓溫出次宛陵，范汪、袁真並北伐，眾出過時也。
In the summer of the first year of Longhe under Emperor Ai of Jin there was drought. At that time Huan Wen was powerful and willful and controlled the court by force—the penalty for presumption. Moreover, in the previous year Murong Ke besieged the Inspector of Ji Province, Lu Hu; Huan Wen marched out and encamped at Wanling; Fan Wang and Yuan Zhen both launched northern campaigns—troops had been deployed beyond the proper season.
87
晉海西太和四年十二月，涼州春旱至夏。
In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Taihe under the Deposed Emperor of Jin, Liang Province suffered drought from spring until summer.
88
晉簡文帝咸安二年十月，大旱民飢。 是時嗣主幼沖，桓溫陵僭。
In the tenth month of the second year of Xian'an under Emperor Jianwen of Jin there was great drought and the people faced famine. At that time the successor sovereign was still a child, and Huan Wen was overbearing and presumptuous.
89
晉孝武帝寧康元年二月，旱。 是時桓溫入覲高平陵，闔朝致拜，踰僭之應也。
In the second month of the first year of Ningkang under Emperor Xiaowu of Jin there was drought. At that time Huan Wen entered court to attend at the Gaoping Mausoleum, and the whole court paid obeisance—the fulfillment of excess and presumption.
90
寧康三年冬，旱。 先是，氐賊破梁、益州，刺史揚亮、周仲孫奔退。 明年，威遠將軍桓石虔擊姚萇墊江，破之，退至五城。 益州刺史竺瑤帥眾戍巴東。
In the winter of the third year of Ningkang there was drought. Earlier the Di rebels had overrun Liang and Yizhou, and the Inspectors Yang Liang and Zhou Zhongsun fled. The following year the General Who Establishes Distant Might Huan Shiqian attacked Yao Chang at Dianjiang, defeated him, and withdrew to Wucheng. The Inspector of Yizhou Zhu Yao led troops to garrison Badong.
91
晉孝武帝太元四年六月，大旱。 去歲，氐賊圍南中郎將朱序於襄陽，又圍揚威將軍戴遁於彭城。 桓嗣以江州之眾次鄀援序，北府發三州民配何謙救遁。 是春，襄陽、順陽、魏興城皆沒。 賊遂略淮南，向廣陵。 征虜將軍謝石率水軍次涂中。 兗州刺史謝玄督諸將破之。
In the sixth month of the fourth year of Taiyuan under Emperor Xiaowu of Jin there was a great drought. In the previous year the Di rebels besieged the Southern Palace Gentleman-Commander Zhu Xu at Xiangyang and also besieged the General Who Displays Might Dai Dun at Pengcheng. Huan Si led the troops of Jiang Province to encamp at E and relieve Xu, while the Northern Headquarters mobilized levies from three provinces and assigned them to He Qian to rescue Dun. That spring the cities of Xiangyang, Shunyang, and Weixing all fell. The rebels then overran Huainan and advanced toward Guangling. The General Who Conquers the Barbarians Xie Shi led river forces to encamp at Tuzhong. The Inspector of Yan Province Xie Xuan directed the generals and defeated them.
92
太元八年六月，旱。 夏初，桓沖征襄陽，遣冠軍將軍桓石虔進據樊城。 朝廷又遣宣城內史胡彬次峽石為沖聲勢也。
In the sixth month of the eighth year of Taiyuan there was drought. At the beginning of summer Huan Chong campaigned against Xiangyang and sent the Champion General Huan Shiqian to advance and hold Fancheng. The court also sent the Administrator of Xuancheng Hu Bin to encamp at Xiashi to support Chong's display of force.
93
太元十年七月，旱饑。 初八年，破苻堅； 九年，諸將略地，有事徐、豫； 楊亮、趙統攻討巴、沔。 是年正月，謝安又出鎮廣陵，使子琰進次彭城。
In the seventh month of the tenth year of Taiyuan there was drought and famine. Earlier, in the eighth year they had defeated Fu Jian; in the ninth year the generals had overrun territory and were active in Xu and Yu; Yang Liang and Zhao Tong attacked and suppressed Ba and Mian. In the first month of that year Xie An again went out to govern at Guangling and had his son Yan advance to encamp at Pengcheng.
94
太元十三年六月，旱。 去歲，北府遣戍胡陸，荊州經略河南。 是年，郭銓置戍野王，又遣軍破黃淮。
In the sixth month of the thirteenth year of Taiyuan there was drought. In the previous year the Northern Headquarters had garrisoned Hulu, and Jing Province had secured Henan. That year Guo Qian established a garrison at Yewang and also dispatched troops to break through the Huang and Huai regions.
95
太元十五年七月，旱。 是春，丁零略兗、豫，鮮卑寇河上。 朱序、桓不才等北至太行，東至滑臺，踰時攻討，又戍石門。
In the seventh month of the fifteenth year of Taiyuan there was drought. That spring the Dingling overran Yan and Yu, and the Xianbei raided the northern river banks. Zhu Xu, Huan Bucai, and others reached as far north as the Taihang Mountains and as far east as Huatai; campaigns extended beyond the proper season, and they also garrisoned Shimen.
96
太元十七年秋，旱，至冬。 是時茹千秋為驃騎諮議，竊弄主相威福； 又丘尼乳母親黨及婢僕之子，階緣近習，臨民領眾。 又在所多上春竟囚，不以其辜，建康獄吏枉暴尤甚。 此僭踰不從，寃濫之罰也。
In the autumn of the seventeenth year of Taiyuan drought persisted until winter. At that time Ru Qianqiu served as Military Adviser to the Rapid Cavalry General and secretly wielded the authority and favors of lord and chancellor; moreover the milk kin of nuns, the relatives of wet nurses, and even sons of maidservants and bondsmen rose through proximity to power and governed the people and commanded troops. Moreover in their jurisdictions they often secured spring amnesty for prisoners whose cases had concluded, without regard to guilt, and the prison officers of Jiankang were especially arbitrary and cruel. This was presumption, disobedience, and the penalty for wrongful imprisonment and abuse.
97
晉安帝隆安四年五月，旱。 去冬桓玄迫殺殷仲堪，而朝廷即授以荊州之任； 司馬元顯又諷百僚悉使敬己。 此皆陵僭之罰也。
In the fifth month of the fourth year of Long'an under Emperor An of Jin there was drought. The previous winter Huan Xuan had forced and killed Yin Zhongkan, yet the court immediately granted him the post in Jing Province; Sima Yuanxian also pressured the hundred officials to show him reverence. These were all penalties for overbearing presumption.
98
隆安五年夏秋，大旱，十二月不雨。 去年夏，孫恩入會稽，殺內史謝琰； 此年夏，略吳，又殺內史袁山松。 軍旅東討，眾出過時。
In the fifth year of Long'an there was great drought in summer and autumn, and in the twelfth month still no rain fell. The previous summer Sun En had entered Kuaiji and killed the Interior Minister Xie Yan; This summer he overran Wu and also killed the Interior Minister Yuan Shansong. Armies marched east on punitive campaigns, and troops were deployed beyond the proper season.
99
晉安帝元興元年七月，大饑，九月十月不雨。 是年正月，司馬元顯以大眾將討桓玄，既而玄至，殺元顯。 五月，又遣東征孫恩餘黨，十月，北討劉軌。
In the seventh month of the first year of Yuanxing under Emperor An of Jin there was great famine, and in the ninth and tenth months no rain fell. In the first month of that year Sima Yuanxian prepared to campaign against Huan Xuan with a great host, but Huan Xuan soon arrived and killed Yuanxian. In the fifth month the court again dispatched an eastern campaign against Sun En's remnant faction, and in the tenth month a northern campaign against Liu Gui.
100
元興二年六月，不雨，冬，又旱。 是時桓玄奢僭，十二月，遂篡位。
In the sixth month of the second year of Yuanxing no rain fell, and in winter there was drought again. At that time Huan Xuan was lavish and presumptuous, and in the twelfth month he usurped the throne.
101
元興三年八月，不雨。 是時王旅四伐，西夏未平。
In the eighth month of the third year of Yuanxing no rain fell. At that time the royal armies campaigned on four fronts, and the western regions were not yet pacified.
102
晉安帝義熙六年九月，不雨。 是時王師北討廣固，疆理三州。
In the ninth month of the sixth year of Yixi under Emperor An of Jin no rain fell. At that time the royal army campaigned north against Guanggu and reorganized the boundaries of three provinces.
103
義熙八年十月，不雨。 是秋，王師西討劉毅； 分遣伐蜀。
In the tenth month of the eighth year of Yixi no rain fell. That autumn the royal army campaigned west against Liu Yi; detachments were also dispatched to attack Shu.
104
義熙十年九月，旱，十二月，又旱。 井瀆多竭。
In the ninth month of the tenth year of Yixi there was drought, and in the twelfth month drought again. Wells and drainage channels for the most part ran dry.
105
宋文帝元嘉二年夏，旱。
In the summer of the second year of Yuanjia under Emperor Wen of Song there was drought.
106
元嘉四年秋，京都旱。
In the autumn of the fourth year of Yuanjia the capital suffered drought.
107
元嘉八年五月，揚州諸郡旱。
In the fifth month of the eighth year of Yuanjia drought afflicted the various commanderies of Yang Province.
108
元嘉十九年、二十年，南兗、豫州旱。
In the nineteenth and twentieth years of Yuanjia South Yan and Yu Provinces suffered drought.
109
元嘉二十七年八月，不雨，至二十八年三月。 時索虜南寇。
In the eighth month of the twenty-seventh year of Yuanjia no rain fell until the third month of the twenty-eighth year. At the time the northern barbarians were raiding south.
110
孝武帝大明七年、八年，東諸郡大旱，民飢死者十六七。 先是江左以來，制度多闕，孝武帝立明堂，造五輅。 是時大發徒眾，南巡校獵，盛自矜大，故致旱災。
In the seventh and eighth years of Daming under Emperor Xiaowu the eastern commanderies suffered great drought, and six or seven in ten among the starving people died. Earlier, since the establishment of the realm south of the Yangzi, many institutions had been lacking; Emperor Xiaowu erected the Bright Hall and constructed the five ritual chariots. At that time he massively mobilized conscript labor, toured the south on hunting expeditions, and gloried in his own grandeur, and so drought followed.
111
後廢帝元徽元年八月，京都旱。
In the eighth month of the first year of Yuanhui under the Later Deposed Emperor the capital suffered drought.
112
詩妖
Poetic Prodigies
113
魏明帝太和中，京師歌兜鈴曹子，其唱曰：「其奈汝曹何。 此詩妖也。 其後曹爽見誅，曹氏遂廢。
In the Taihe era of Emperor Ming of Wei the capital sang the Dou-bell Cao-zi, whose refrain ran: "What can be done about you Cao fellows? This was a poetic prodigy. Afterward Cao Shuang was executed and the house of Cao was abolished.
114
魏明帝景初中，童謠曰：「阿公阿公駕馬車，不意阿公東渡河。 阿公東還當奈何！」 及宣王平遼東，歸至白屋，當還鎮長安。 會帝疾篤，急召之。 乃乘追鋒車東渡河，終翦魏室，如童謠之言也。
In the Jingchu era of Emperor Ming of Wei a children's rhyme ran: "Grandfather, grandfather, driving a horse carriage—who thought grandfather would cross the river east? When grandfather returns east, what then shall be done!" When the Lord of Xuan pacified Liaodong and returned to Baiwu, he was about to go back and garrison Chang'an. It happened that the Emperor's illness was grave, and he urgently summoned him. He then rode a pursuit chariot east across the river and in the end cut down the house of Wei, just as the children's rhyme had said.
115
魏齊王嘉平中，有謠曰：「白馬素覊西南馳，其誰乘者朱虎騎。」 朱虎者，楚王彪小字也。 王淩、令狐愚聞此謠，謀立彪。 事發，淩等伏誅，彪賜死。
In the Jiaping era of Emperor Qi of Wei a rhyme ran: "A white horse with plain reins gallops southwest—who rides it but Zhu the Tiger Knight?" Zhu the Tiger was the childhood name of Prince of Chu Biao. Wang Ling and Linghu Yu heard this rhyme and plotted to install Biao. When the affair was exposed, Ling and the others were executed, and Biao was ordered to take his own life.
116
吳孫亮初，童謠曰：「吁汝恪，何若若，蘆葦單衣篾鈎絡，於何相求成子閣。」 成子閣者，反語石子堈也。 鈎落，釣帶也。 及諸葛恪死，果以葦席裹身，篾束其要，投之石子堈。 後聽恪故吏收歛，求之此堈云。
At the beginning of Sun Liang's reign in Wu a children's rhyme ran: "Ah, you Ke, how grand you are—reed matting for a single garment, bamboo strips for a belt hook; where do you seek the Pavilion of the Son Cheng?" The Pavilion of the Son Cheng, read in reverse, is the Stone Mound. A hook falling refers to a fishing belt. When Zhuge Ke died, he was indeed wrapped in a reed mat, his waist bound with bamboo strips, and cast into the Stone Mound. Later, when Ke's former clerks were permitted to gather his remains, they searched for him at this mound, it is said.
117
孫亮初，公安有白鼉鳴。 童謠曰：「白鼉鳴，龜背平，南郡城中可長生，守死不去義無成。」 南郡城可長生者，有急，易以逃也。 明年，諸葛恪敗，弟融鎮公安，亦見襲。 融刮金印龜，服之而死。 鼉有鱗介，甲兵之象。 又白兵祥也。
At the beginning of Sun Liang's reign a white alligator cried out at Gong'an. A children's rhyme ran: "The white alligator cries, the turtle's back is flat; within the city of Nan Commandery one may live long—hold fast and die without fleeing, for righteousness cannot succeed." The city of Nan Commandery where one may live long means that in an emergency one may easily escape. The following year Zhuge Ke was defeated, and his younger brother Rong, garrisoning Gong'an, was also attacked. Rong scraped the gold from the seal turtle and swallowed it to die. The alligator has scales and armor—the image of armored troops. Moreover white is an omen of warfare.
118
孫休永安二年，將守質子羣聚嬉戲，有異小子忽來，言曰：「三公鋤，司馬如。」 又曰：「我非人，熒惑星也。」 言畢上升，仰視若曳一匹練，有頃沒。 干寶曰，後四年而蜀亡，六年而魏廢，二十一年而吳平，於是九服歸晉。 魏與吳、蜀，並為戰國，「三公鋤，司馬如」之謂也。
In the second year of Yong'an of Sun Xiu the hostage sons of generals and garrison commanders gathered to play; a strange youth suddenly appeared and said: "The Three Dukes are hoed under; the Sima is like." He also said: "I am not human—I am the Sparkling Deluder star." When he finished speaking he ascended; looking up, it was as if a bolt of silk were trailing; in a moment he vanished. Gan Bao says that four years later Shu perished, six years later Wei was abolished, twenty-one years later Wu was pacified, and then the nine domains returned to Jin. Wei together with Wu and Shu were all warring states—this is what is meant by "The Three Dukes are hoed under; the Sima is like."
119
孫晧初，童謠曰：「寧飲建業水，不食武昌魚； 寧還建業死，不止武昌居。」 晧尋遷都武昌，民泝流供給，咸怨毒焉。
At the beginning of Sun Hao's reign a children's rhyme ran: "Better drink the water of Jianye than eat the fish of Wuchang; Better return to Jianye to die than remain dwelling at Wuchang." Hao soon moved the capital to Wuchang; the people had to go upstream to supply provisions, and all resented it bitterly.
120
孫晧遣使者祭石印山下妖祠。 使者因以丹書巖曰：「楚九州渚，吳九州都。 揚州士，作天子。 四世治，太平矣。」 晧聞之，意益張，曰：「從大皇帝至朕四世，太平之主，非朕復誰？」 恣虐踰甚，尋以降亡。 近詩妖也。
Sun Hao dispatched an envoy to sacrifice at the demonic shrine beneath Mount Shiyin. The envoy then wrote in cinnabar on the cliff: "Chu had the islets of the nine domains; Wu has the capital of the nine domains. The gentry of Yang Province shall become Son of Heaven. Four generations in good order—great peace has come." When Hao heard this, his mind grew still more inflated, and he said: "From the Grand Emperor down to myself for four generations—lords of great peace—if not myself, then who?" He indulged in cruelty beyond measure and soon submitted and perished. This was a recent poetic prodigy.
121
孫晧天紀中，童謠曰：「阿童復阿童，銜刀游渡江。 不畏岸上虎，但畏水中龍。」 晉武帝聞之，加王濬龍驤將軍。 及征吳，江西眾軍無過者，而王濬先定秣陵。
In the Tianji era of Sun Hao a children's rhyme ran: "Ah Tong again, Ah Tong, holding a blade roaming to cross the river. Not fearing the tiger on the bank, but fearing only the dragon in the water." When Emperor Wu of Jin heard this, he promoted Wang Jun to General of the Soaring Dragon. When they campaigned against Wu, none of the armies west of the river surpassed him, and Wang Jun was first to secure Moling.
122
晉武帝太康後，江南童謠曰：「局縮肉，數橫目，中國當敗吳當復。」 又曰：「宮門柱，且莫朽，吳當復，在三十年後。」 又曰：「雞鳴不拊翼，吳復不用力。」 于時吳人皆謂在孫氏子孫，故竊發亂者相繼。 按橫目者「四」字，自吳亡至晉元帝興，幾四十年，皆如童謠之言。 元帝懦而少斷，局縮肉，直斥之也。 干寶云「不知所斥」，諱之也。
After Taikang of Emperor Wu of Jin a children's rhyme in Jiangnan ran: "Shrunken flesh, counting horizontal eyes—China shall fall and Wu shall rise again." It also said: "The palace gate pillars—do not yet decay; Wu shall rise again, thirty years hence." It also said: "The cock crows without beating its wings—Wu rises again without effort." At the time the people of Wu all believed it referred to Sun clan descendants, and so secret uprisings followed one after another. Examining it, horizontal eyes means the character "four"; from Wu's fall to the rise of Emperor Yuan of Jin was nearly forty years—all as the children's rhyme had said. Emperor Yuan was timid and lacking in resolve—"shrunken flesh" directly rebukes him. Gan Bao says "not knowing whom it rebukes"—this is euphemism.
123
太康末，京、洛始為「折楊柳」之歌，其曲始有兵革苦辛之詞，終以禽獲斬截之事。 是時三楊貴盛而族滅，太后廢黜而幽死。
At the end of Taikang the capital and Luoyang first had the song "Breaking the Willow"; its tune at first had words of the hardship of arms and war, and ended with capture, beheading, and cutting down. At that time the Three Yangs were noble and flourishing yet their clan was destroyed; the Empress Dowager was deposed and died in confinement.
124
晉惠帝永熙中，河內溫縣有人如狂，造書曰：「光光文長，大戟為牆。 毒藥雖行，戟還自傷。」 又曰：「兩火沒地，哀哉秋蘭。 歸形街郵，路人為歎。」 及楊駿居內府，以戟為衞，死時，又為戟所害。 楊太后被廢，賈后絕其膳，八日而崩，葬街郵亭北，百姓哀之。 兩火，武帝諱； 蘭，楊后字也。
In the Yongxi era of Emperor Hui of Jin, in Wen County of Henei a man like one mad composed writing that said: "Bright bright Wen-chang, great halberds for a wall. Though poison is administered, the halberd still wounds itself." It also said: "Two fires sink into the earth—alas, autumn orchid. Returning in form to Jieyou Street, passersby sigh for her." When Yang Jun dwelt in the inner palace and used halberds for guard, at his death he was again harmed by halberds. Empress Dowager Yang was deposed; Empress Jia cut off her food, and after eight days she died; she was buried north of Jieyou Pavilion, and the common people mourned her. Two fires refers to the taboo name of Emperor Wu; Orchid is the style name of Empress Yang.
125
永熙中，童謠曰：「二月末，三月初，荊筆楊版行詔書，宮中大馬幾作驢。」 楊駿初專權，楚王尋用事，故言「荊筆楊版」也。 二人不誅，則君臣禮悖，故云「幾作驢」。
In Yongxi a children's rhyme ran: "End of the second month, beginning of the third—Jing brush and Yang tablet issue the edict; the great horse in the palace nearly becomes a donkey." Yang Jun at first monopolized power; the Prince of Chu soon took charge of affairs—therefore it says "Jing brush and Yang tablet." If the two men were not executed, then the rites between ruler and minister would be violated—therefore it says "nearly becomes a donkey."
126
晉惠帝元康中，京、洛童謠曰：「南風起，吹白沙，遙望魯國何嵯峨，千歲髑髏生齒牙。」 又曰：「城東馬子莫嚨哅，比至三月纏汝鬃。」 南風，賈后字也。 白，晉行也。 沙門，太子小名也。 魯，賈謐國也。 言賈后將與謐為亂，以危太子； 而趙王因釁咀嚼豪賢，以成篡奪也。 是時愍懷頗失眾望，卒以廢黜，不得其死。
In the Yuankang era of Emperor Hui of Jin a children's rhyme in the capital and Luoyang ran: "The south wind rises, blowing white sand; gazing afar at the State of Lu, how towering it is—a thousand-year skull grows teeth." It also said: "The horse colt east of the city, do not roar and bellow—by the third month it will wind your mane." South wind is the style name of Empress Jia. White is the element of Jin. Shamen is the childhood name of the Crown Prince. Lu is the fief of Jia Mi. It means Empress Jia would join with Mi in rebellion to endanger the Crown Prince; and the Prince of Zhao would seize the occasion to chew up the great and worthy and accomplish usurpation. At that time Minhuai had largely lost the people's hopes and in the end was deposed and did not meet a natural death.
127
元康中，天下商農通著大鄣日，童謠曰：「屠蘇鄣日覆兩耳，當見瞎兒作天子。」 及趙王篡位，其目實眇焉。 趙王倫既篡，洛中童謠曰：「虎從北來鼻頭汗，龍從南來登城看，水從西來何灌灌。」 數月而齊王、成都、河間義兵同會誅倫。 按成都西蕃而在鄴，故曰「虎從北來」； 齊東蕃而在許，故曰「龍從南來」； 河間水區而在關中，故曰「水從西來」。 齊留輔政，居宮西，有無君之心，故言「登城看」也。
In Yuankang, throughout the realm merchants and farmers commonly wore large sun-shields; a children's rhyme ran: "Tusu shielding the sun covers both ears—you shall see a blind child become Son of Heaven." When the Prince of Zhao usurped the throne, his eyes were indeed dim. After Prince of Zhao Lun had usurped, a children's rhyme in Luoyang ran: "The tiger comes from the north with sweat on its nose; the dragon comes from the south to climb the wall and look; water comes from the west—how rushing it is." Within several months the righteous armies of the Princes of Qi, Chengdu, and Hejian assembled together and executed Lun. Examining it, Chengdu was a western fief yet was at Ye—therefore it says "the tiger comes from the north"; Qi was an eastern fief yet was at Xu—therefore it says "the dragon comes from the south"; Hejian was a water domain yet was in Guanzhong—therefore it says "water comes from the west." Qi remained to assist in government, dwelling west of the palace, with a mind lacking a ruler—therefore it says "climb the wall and look."
128
晉惠帝太安中，童謠曰：「五馬游度江，一馬化為龍。」 後中原大亂，宗蕃多絕，唯琅邪、汝南、西陽、南頓、彭城同至江表，而元帝嗣晉矣。
In the Tai'an era of Emperor Hui of Jin a children's rhyme ran: "Five horses roam crossing the river; one horse transforms into a dragon." Afterward the Central Plains fell into great chaos; many of the imperial clans perished; only Langye, Runan, Xiyang, Nandun, and Pengcheng together reached the lands south of the river, and Emperor Yuan succeeded Jin.
129
司馬越還洛，有童謠曰：「洛中大鼠長尺二，若不蚤去大狗至。」 及苟晞將破汲桑，又謠曰：「元超兄弟大落度，上桑打椹為苟作。」 由是越惡晞，奪其兗州，隙難遂構。
When Sima Yue returned to Luoyang, a children's rhyme ran: "The great rat in Luoyang is one chi and two cun long—if you do not leave early, the great dog will come." When Gou Xi was about to defeat Ji Sang, there was again a rhyme that ran: "The Yuanchao brothers fall greatly; beating mulberries on the upper mulberry tree makes work for Gou." Because of this Yue hated Xi, stripped him of Yan Province, and enmity was thus formed.
130
晉愍帝建興中，江南歌謠曰：「訇如白阬破，合集持作甒。 揚州破換敗，吳興覆瓿甊。」 按白者晉行，阬器有口，屬甕，瓦質剛，亦金之類也。 「訇如白阬破」者，言二都傾覆，王室大壞也。 「合集持作甒」者，言元皇帝鳩集遺餘，以主社稷，未能克復中原，偏王江南，故其喻小也。 及石頭之事，六軍大潰，兵人抄掠京邑，爰及二宮。 其後三年，錢鳳復攻京邑，阻水而守，相持月餘日，焚燒城邑，井堙木刊矣。 鳳等敗退，沈充將其黨還吳興，官軍踵之，蹈藉郡縣。 充父子授首，黨與誅者以百數。 所謂「揚州破換敗，吳興覆瓿甊」。 瓿甊，瓦器，又小於甒也。
In the Jianxing era of Emperor Min of Jin a song in Jiangnan ran: "With a crash like a white pit breaking, gather the pieces together and make a jar. Yang Province breaks and is ruined; Wuxing overturns its earthen jars." Examining it, white is the element of Jin; a pit vessel has a mouth and belongs to the jar category; earthenware is hard in quality and is also of the metal kind. "With a crash like a white pit breaking" means the two capitals toppled and the royal house was greatly ruined. "Gather the pieces together and make a jar" means Emperor Yuan gathered the scattered remnants to uphold the altars of soil and grain, yet could not recover the Central Plains and ruled only partially in Jiangnan—therefore the metaphor is small. At the Shitou affair the six armies routed in great disorder; soldiers plundered the capital region, reaching even the two palaces. Three years later Qian Feng again attacked the capital region, blocked by water and holding defense; they faced off for more than a month, burning cities and towns until wells were filled in and trees were cut down. Feng and the others were defeated and withdrew; Shen Chong led his faction back to Wuxing; the official armies followed and trampled the commanderies and counties. Chong and his son surrendered their heads; associates executed numbered in the hundreds. This is what is meant by "Yang Province breaks and is ruined; Wuxing overturns its earthen jars." Earthen jars are pottery vessels, again smaller than a jar.
131
晉明帝太寧初，童謠歌曰：「惻力惻力，放馬山側。 大馬死，小馬餓，高山崩，石自破。」 及明帝崩，成帝幼，為蘇峻所逼，遷于石頭，御饍不足。 「高山崩」，言峻尋死； 「石」，峻弟蘇石也，峻死後，石據石頭，尋為諸公所破也。
At the beginning of Taining of Emperor Ming of Jin a children's rhyme song ran: "Ce li, ce li, release the horses on the mountainside. The great horse dies, the small horse starves; the high mountain collapses, the stone breaks of itself." When Emperor Ming died, Emperor Cheng was still a child and was pressed by Su Jun, moved to Shitou, and had insufficient imperial provisions. "The high mountain collapses" means Jun would soon die; "Stone" refers to Jun's younger brother Su Shi; after Jun died, Shi held Shitou and was soon defeated by the lords.
132
晉成帝之末，民間謠曰：「礚礚何隆隆，駕車入梓宮。」 少日而宮車晏駕。
At the end of Emperor Cheng of Jin a folk rhyme ran: "Rumble, rumble—how thunderous! A carriage enters the imperial mausoleum." Within a few days the imperial carriage departed at dusk.
133
晉成帝咸康二年十二月，河北謠語曰：「麥入土，殺石虎。」 後如謠言。
In the twelfth month of the second year of Xiankang of Emperor Cheng of Jin a rhyme in Hebei ran: "Wheat enters the earth—kill Shi Hu." Afterward it happened as the rhyme had said.
134
庾亮初出鎮武昌，出石頭，百姓於岸上歌曰：「庾公上武昌，翩翩如飛鳥。 庾公還揚州，白馬牽旒旐。」 又曰：「庾公初上時，翩翩如飛烏。 庾公還揚州，白馬牽流蘇。」 後連徵不入，及薨，還都葬。
When Yu Liang first went out to govern Wuchang and left Shitou, the people on the bank sang: "Lord Yu goes up to Wuchang, light and graceful as a flying bird. Lord Yu returns to Yang Province—a white horse draws the funeral pennants." It also said: "When Lord Yu first went up, light and graceful as a flying crow. Lord Yu returns to Yang Province—a white horse draws the tassels." Later he was repeatedly summoned but did not enter; when he died, he was returned to the capital for burial.
135
庾羲在吳郡，吳中童謠曰：「寧食下湖荇，不食上湖蓴。 庾吳沒命喪，復殺王領軍。」 無幾而庾羲、王洽相繼亡。
When Yu Yi was in Wu Commandery a children's rhyme in Wu ran: "Better eat duckweed from the lower lake than eat water shield from the upper lake. Yu of Wu loses his life; again they kill the Commanding General Wang." Before long Yu Yi and Wang Qia died one after another.
136
晉穆帝升平中，童子輩忽歌於道曰「阿子聞」，曲終輒云「阿子汝聞不」。 無幾而穆帝崩，太后哭曰：「阿子汝聞不？」
In the Shengping era of Emperor Mu of Jin groups of children suddenly sang in the streets "A-zi heard," and at the end of the tune always said "A-zi, did you hear?" Before long Emperor Mu died, and the Empress Dowager wept: "A-zi, did you hear?"
137
升平末，民間忽作廉歌。 有扈謙者聞之，曰：「廉者臨也。 歌云『白門廉，宮廷廉』，內外悉臨，國家其大諱乎？」 少時而穆帝晏駕。
At the end of Shengping the people suddenly made Lian songs. One Hu Qian heard it and said: "Lian means lin—approaching. The song says 'White Gate approaches, palace court approaches'—inside and outside all draw near; will the state meet its great taboo?" Before long Emperor Mu departed at dusk.
138
晉哀帝隆和初，童兒歌曰：「升平不滿斗，隆和那得久！ 桓公入石頭，陛下徒跣走。」 帝聞而惡之，復改年曰興寧。 民復歌曰：「雖復改興寧，亦復無聊生。」 哀帝尋崩，升平五年，穆帝崩。 不滿斗，不至十年也。
At the beginning of Longhe of Emperor Ai of Jin children sang: "Shengping does not fill a dou—how can Longhe last long! Lord Huan enters Shitou; Your Majesty runs barefoot." The Emperor heard and hated it, and again changed the era name to Xingning. The people again sang: "Though the name is changed to Xingning, still there is no way to live." Emperor Ai soon died; in the fifth year of Shengping Emperor Mu died. Not filling a dou means not reaching ten years.
139
晉海西公太和中，民歌曰：「青青御路楊，白馬紫游韁。 汝非皇太子，那得甘露漿。」 白者金行； 馬者國族； 紫為奪正之色，明以紫間朱也。 海西公尋廢，三子非海西子，並死，縊以馬韁死之。 明日，南方獻甘露。
In the Taihe era of the Deposed Emperor of Jin the people sang: "Green, green—the poplars of the imperial road; white horse with purple bridle reins. You are not the Crown Prince—how can you obtain sweet-dew broth?" White is the element of metal; horse is the imperial clan; purple is the color of usurping the proper—clearly purple is interposed with vermilion. The Deposed Emperor was soon deposed; the three sons were not his sons—all died, strangled with horse reins. The next day the south presented sweet dew.
140
太和末，童謠云：「犁牛耕御路，白門種小麥。」 及海西被廢，處吳，民犁耕其門前，以種小麥，如謠言。
At the end of Taihe a children's rhyme ran: "A plow ox tills the imperial road; at White Gate they plant wheat." When the Deposed Emperor was deposed and dwelt in Wu, the people plowed before his gate and planted wheat, as the rhyme had said.
141
晉海西公生皇子，百姓歌云：「鳳皇生一雛，天下莫不喜。 本言是馬駒，今定成龍子。」 其歌甚美，其旨甚微。 海西公不男，使左右向龍與內侍接，生子以為己子。
When the Deposed Emperor of Jin had a prince born, the people sang: "The phoenix bears a chick—all under Heaven rejoice. Originally said to be a horse colt—now fixed as a dragon's son." The song was very beautiful; its meaning was very subtle. The Deposed Emperor was impotent; he had attendants connect with eunuchs and bear a child, which he claimed as his own.
142
桓石民為荊州，鎮上明，民忽歌曰「黃曇子」。 曲終又曰：「黃曇英，揚州大佛來上明。」 頃之而石民死，王忱為荊州。 「黃曇子」乃是王忱之字也。 忱小字佛大，是「大佛來上明」也。
When Huan Shimin governed Jing Province and garrisoned Shangming, the people suddenly sang "Yellow Tan-zi." At the end of the tune it again said: "Yellow Tan-ying—the Great Buddha of Yang Province comes to Shangming." Before long Shimin died and Wang Chen became Governor of Jing Province. "Yellow Tan-zi" was the style name of Wang Chen. Chen's childhood name was Foda—this is "the Great Buddha comes to Shangming."
143
太元末，京口謠曰：「黃雌雞，莫作雄父啼。 一旦去毛衣，衣被拉颯拪。」 尋王恭起兵誅王國寶，旋為劉牢之所敗也。
At the end of Taiyuan a rhyme in Jingkou ran: "Yellow hen, do not crow like a cock. One day you shed your feather coat; your garments are torn and stripped away." Soon Wang Gong raised troops to execute Wang Guobao and was in turn defeated by Liu Lao.
144
司馬道子於東府造土山，名曰靈秀山。 無幾而孫恩作亂，再踐會稽。 會稽，道子所封。 靈秀，恩之字也。
Sima Daozi built an earthen mountain in the Eastern Palace called Mount Lingxiu. Before long Sun En raised rebellion and twice overran Kuaiji. Kuaiji was Daozi's fief. Lingxiu was En's style name.
145
庾楷鎮歷陽，民歌曰：「重羅犁，重羅犁，使君南上無還時。」 後楷南奔桓玄，為玄所誅。
When Yu Kai garrisoned Liyang the people sang: "Heavy gauze plow, heavy gauze plow—the lord goes south and will not return." Later Kai fled south to Huan Xuan and was executed by Xuan.
146
殷仲堪在荊州，童謠曰：「芒籠目，繩縛腹。 殷當敗，桓當復。」 無幾而仲堪敗，桓玄有荊州。
When Yin Zhongkan was in Jing Province a children's rhyme ran: "Awned basket eyes, rope bound around the belly. Yin shall fall; Huan shall rise again." Before long Zhongkan was defeated and Huan Xuan held Jing Province.
147
王恭鎮京口，舉兵誅王國寶，百姓謠云：「昔年食白飯，今年食麥䴸。 天公誅讁汝，教汝捻嚨喉。 嚨喉喝復喝，京口敗復敗。」 「昔年食白飯」，言得志也。 「今年食麥䴸」，䴸，粗穢，其精已去，明將敗也，天公將加譴讁而誅之也。 「捻嚨喉」，氣不通，死之祥也。 「敗復敗」，丁寧之辭也。 恭尋死，京都大行咳疾，而喉並喝焉。
When Wang Gong garrisoned Jingkou and raised troops to execute Wang Guobao, the people sang: "In former years we ate white rice; this year we eat wheat bran. Heaven's lord will punish you and teach you to choke your throat. Throat choking again and again—Jingkou defeated again and again." In former years we ate white rice" means having achieved one's ambitions. "This year we eat wheat bran"—bran is coarse and foul, its essence already gone—clearly he will be defeated; Heaven's lord will add punishment and execute him. "Choke the throat"—breath cannot pass; an omen of death. "Defeated again and again"—words of earnest warning. Gong soon died; the capital had a great outbreak of coughing illness, and throats all choked.
148
王恭在京口，民間忽云：「黃頭小人欲作賊，阿公在城下，指縛得。」 又云：「黃頭小人欲作亂，賴得金刀作蕃扞。」 「黃」字上，「恭」字頭也。 「小人」，「恭」字下也。 尋如謠者言焉。
When Wang Gong was at Jingkou the people suddenly said: "The yellow-headed little man wants to be a rebel; the old lord is below the wall—point and bind him." They also said: "The yellow-headed little man wants to make rebellion—thankfully the golden blade serves as a frontier guard." Above the character "yellow" is the head of the character "Gong." "Little man" is the lower part of the character "Gong." Soon it happened as the rhyme had said.
149
晉安帝隆安中，民忽作懊惱歌，其曲中有「草生可擥結，女兒可擥抱」之言。 桓玄既篡居天位，義旗以三月二日掃定京都，玄之宮女及逆黨之家子女伎妾，悉為軍賞。 東及甌、越，北流淮、泗，皆人有所獲焉。 時則草可結，事則女可抱，信矣。
In the Long'an era of Emperor An of Jin the people suddenly made regret-and-vexation songs; in the tune were the words "when grass grows it can be gathered and tied; girls can be gathered and embraced." After Huan Xuan usurped the throne, the righteous banner on the second day of the third month swept and settled the capital; Xuan's palace women and the daughters, performers, and concubines of rebel households all became military rewards. East to Ou and Yue, north flowing to the Huai and Si—all had people who gained something. At the time grass could be tied; in the event girls could be embraced—truly so.
150
桓玄既篡，童謠曰：「草生及馬腹，烏啄桓玄目。」 及玄敗走至江陵，五月中誅，如其期焉。
After Huan Xuan usurped a children's rhyme ran: "Grass grows to the horse's belly; crows peck at Huan Xuan's eyes." When Xuan was defeated and fled to Jiangling, in the fifth month he was executed—just at the appointed time.
151
桓玄時，民謠語云：「征鐘落地桓迸走。」 征鐘，至穢之服，桓，四體之下稱。 玄自下居上，猶征鐘之厠歌謠，下體之詠民口也。 而云「落地」，墜地之祥，迸走之言，其驗明矣。
In Huan Xuan's time a folk rhyme ran: "The privy bell falls to earth—Huan flees in panic." Privy bell is the most foul garment; Huan is a name for the lower part of the body. Xuan rose from below to the top, like privy-bell latrine songs—verses of the lower body on the people's lips. Yet it says "falls to earth"—an omen of falling to the ground; the words of fleeing in panic—the fulfillment is clear.
152
司馬元顯時，民謠詩云：「當有十一口，當為兵所傷。 木亘當北度，走入浩浩鄉。」 又云：「金刀既以刻，娓娓金城中。」 此詩云襄陽道人竺曇林所作，多所道，行於世。 孟顗釋之曰，「十一口」者，玄字象也。 「木亘」，桓也。 桓氏當悉走入關、洛，故云「浩浩鄉」也。 「金刀」，劉也。 倡義諸公，皆多姓劉。 「娓娓」，美盛貌也。
In Sima Yuanxian's time a folk rhyme-poem ran: "There shall be eleven mouths—they shall be wounded by soldiers. Mu and huan shall cross north and flee into the vast homeland." It also said: "The golden blade is already carved—flourishing within the golden city." This poem says it was composed by the Daoist Zhu Tanlin of Xiangyang; it spoke of many things and circulated in the world. Meng Yan explained it: "Eleven mouths" is the image of the character Xuan. "Mu and huan" is Huan. The Huan clan would all flee into Guan and Luo—therefore it says "vast homeland." "Golden blade" is Liu. The lords who raised the righteous cause were mostly surnamed Liu. "Flourishing" is the appearance of beauty and splendor.
153
桓玄得志，童謠曰：「長干巷，巷長干。 今年殺郎君，明年斬諸桓。」 及玄走而諸桓悉誅焉。 郎君，司馬元顯也。
When Huan Xuan got his way a children's rhyme ran: "Changgan Lane—lane Changgan. This year kill the young lord; next year behead all the Huans." When Xuan fled, all the Huans were executed. The young lord is Sima Yuanxian.
154
晉安帝義熙初，童謠曰：「官家養蘆化成荻，蘆生不止自成積。」 其時官養盧龍，寵以金紫，奉以名州，養之已極，而不能懷我好音，舉兵內伐，遂成讎敵也。 「蘆生不止自成積」，及盧龍作亂，時人追思童謠，惡其有成積之言。 識者曰：「芟夷蘊崇之，又行火焉，是草之窮也。 伐斫以成積，又以為薪，亦蘆荻之終也。 其盛既極，亦將芟夷而為積焉。」 龍既窮其兵勢，盛其舟艦，卒以滅亡，僵屍如積焉。
At the beginning of Yixi of Emperor An of Jin a children's rhyme ran: "The court raises reeds that turn into rushes; reeds grow without cease and form heaps of themselves." At that time the court raised Lu Long, favored him with gold and purple, granted him a famous province, and raised him to the utmost—yet he could not cherish our goodwill, raised troops for internal attack, and became a sworn enemy. "Reeds grow without cease and form heaps of themselves"—when Lu Long raised rebellion, people of the time recalled the children's rhyme and hated its words about forming heaps. Those who understood said: "Cut down what has been piled up, and again apply fire—this is the end of grass. Cut and chop to form heaps, then use them as fuel—this too is the end of reeds and rushes. When its flourishing had reached its limit, it too would be cut down and piled up." Long exhausted his military power and gloried in his river fleets, yet in the end perished—corpses piled like heaps.
155
盧龍據有廣州，民間謠云：「蘆生漫漫竟天半。」 後擁有上流數州之地，內逼京輦，應「天半」之言。
When Lu Long held Guang Province a folk rhyme ran: "Reeds grow vast and reach halfway to Heaven." Later he held several provinces of the upper reaches and pressed inward on the capital region—fulfilling the words "halfway to Heaven."
156
義熙三年中，小兒相逢於道，輒舉其兩手曰「盧健健」，次曰「鬭嘆，鬭嘆」，末復曰「翁年老，翁年老」。 當時莫知所謂。 其後盧龍內逼，舟艦蓋川，「健健」之謂也。 既至查浦，屢剋期欲與官鬭，「鬭嘆」之應也。 「翁年老」，羣公有期頤之慶，知妖逆之徒，自然消殄也。 其時復有謠言曰：「盧橙橙，逐水流，東風忽如起，那得入石頭。」 盧龍果敗，不得入石頭。
In the third year of Yixi, when children met on the road they would raise both hands and say "Lu jian-jian," next say "Fight and sigh, fight and sigh," and finally say "The old lord is aged, the old lord is aged." At the time no one knew what it meant. Afterward Lu Long pressed inward and river fleets covered the streams—this is what "jian-jian" meant. When he reached Zhapu he repeatedly set dates to fight the officials—the fulfillment of "fight and sigh." "The old lord is aged"—the lords had the blessing of a hundred years and knew the demonic rebels would naturally be destroyed. At that time there was again a rhyme that ran: "Lu cheng-cheng, chasing the water's flow—if the east wind suddenly rises, how can he enter Shitou?" Lu Long was indeed defeated and could not enter Shitou.
157
昔溫嶠令郭景純卜己與庾亮吉凶。 景純云「元吉」。」 嶠語亮：「景純每筮，當是不敢盡言。 吾等與國家同安危而曰元吉，事有成也。」 於是協同討滅王敦。
Formerly Wen Jiao had Guo Jingchun divinate the fortune of himself and Yu Liang. Jingchun said "originally auspicious." Jiao said to Liang: "Whenever Jingchun divines, he surely dares not speak fully. We share the state's safety and peril, yet he says originally auspicious—the affair will succeed." Thereupon they joined together to campaign and destroy Wang Dun.
158
苻堅中，童謠曰：「阿堅連牽三十年，後若欲敗時，當在江湖邊。」 後堅敗於淝水，在偽位凡三十年。
In Fu Jian's time a children's rhyme ran: "Ah Jian linked and led for thirty years—when he later wishes to be defeated, it will be beside rivers and lakes." Later Jian was defeated at the Fei River; on the false throne altogether thirty years.
159
苻堅中，謠語云：「河水清復清，苻詔死新城。」 堅為姚萇所殺，死於新城。
In Fu Jian's time a rhyme ran: "The river water clears and clears again—Fu Zhao dies at New City." Jian was killed by Yao Chang and died at New City.
160
苻堅中，歌云：「魚羊田斗當滅秦。」 「魚羊」，鮮也。 「田斗」，卑也。 堅自號秦，言滅之者鮮卑也。 其羣臣諫堅，令盡誅鮮卑。 堅不從。 及淮南敗還，為慕容沖所攻，亡奔姚萇，身死國滅。
In Fu Jian's time a song ran: "Fish and sheep, field and dou—Qin shall be destroyed." Fish and sheep" is Xian—the Xianbei. "Field and dou" is bei—lowly. Jian styled himself Qin—it means the destroyer is the Xianbei. His ministers remonstrated with Jian, urging him to execute all the Xianbei. Jian did not heed them. When he was defeated at Huainan and returned, he was attacked by Murong Chong, fled to Yao Chang, and died—his person perished and his state was destroyed.
161
毛蟲之孽
Calamities of Hairy Creatures
162
晉武帝太康六年，南陽送兩足虎，此毛蟲之孽也。 識者為其文曰：「武形有虧，金虎失儀，聖主應天，斯異何為。」 言非亂也。 京房易傳曰：「足少者，下不勝任也。」 干寶曰：「虎者陰精，而居于陽。 金獸也。 南陽，火名也。 金精入火，而失其形，王室亂之妖也。 六，水數，言水數既極，火慝得作，而金受其敗也。 至元康九年，始殺太子，距此十四年。 二七十四，火始終相乘之數也。 自帝受命，至愍懷之廢，凡三十五年。」
In the sixth year of Taikang of Emperor Wu of Jin, Nanyang presented a two-legged tiger—this was a calamity of hairy creatures. Those who understood composed a text for it: "The martial form is flawed; the golden tiger loses its proper bearing; the sage lord responds to Heaven—why this anomaly?" It means not rebellion. The Tradition of Changes of Jing Fang says: "When feet are few, the lower cannot bear the burden." Gan Bao says: "The tiger is yin essence yet dwells in yang. It is a creature of metal. Nanyang is a name of fire. Metal essence enters fire and loses its form—an omen of disorder in the royal house. Six is the number of water—it means the water number has reached its limit, fire's evil can act, and metal receives defeat. By the ninth year of Yuankang the Crown Prince was first killed—fourteen years from this. Two times seven is fourteen—the number of fire's beginning and end multiplied together. From the Emperor receiving the Mandate to Minhuai's deposition, altogether thirty-five years."
163
太康九年，荊州獻兩足玃。
In the ninth year of Taikang, Jing Province presented a two-legged ape.
164
太康七年十一月丙辰，四角獸見于河間，河間王顒獲以獻。 角，兵象也。 董仲舒以四角為四方之象。 後河間王數連四方之兵，作為亂階，殆其應也。
In the eleventh month, on the day bingchen of the seventh year of Taikang, a four-horned beast appeared in Hejian; the Prince of Hejian Sima Yong captured and presented it. Horns are the image of arms. Dong Zhongshu took four horns as the image of the four directions. Later the Prince of Hejian repeatedly linked armies from the four directions and made the steps of rebellion—perhaps the corresponding response.
165
晉懷帝永嘉五年，偃鼠出延陵，此毛蟲之孽也。 郭景純筮之曰：「此郡東之縣，當有妖人欲稱制者，亦尋自死矣。」 其後吳興徐馥作亂，殺太守袁琇，馥亦時滅，是其應也。
In the fifth year of Yongjia of Emperor Huai of Jin, a mole-rat appeared at Yanling—this was a calamity of hairy creatures. Guo Jingchun divined it and said: "In a county east of this commandery there will be a demonic man wishing to claim regency—he too will soon die of himself." Afterward Xu Fu of Wuxing raised rebellion, killed the Administrator Yuan Xiu, and Fu too was soon destroyed—the corresponding response.
166
晉成帝咸和六年正月丁巳，會州郡秀孝於樂賢堂，有麏見於前，獲之。 孫盛曰：「夫秀孝，天下之彥士，樂賢堂，所以樂養賢也。 晉自喪亂以後，風教凌夷，秀無策試之才，孝乏四行之實。 麏興於前，或斯故乎。」
On the day dingsi of the first month of the sixth year of Xianhe of Emperor Cheng of Jin, the court assembled the outstanding and filial from the provinces and commanderies at the Hall for Delighting in Worthies; a roe deer appeared before them and was captured. Sun Sheng says: "The outstanding and filial are the finest scholars under Heaven; the Hall for Delighting in Worthies is where worthies are delighted and nurtured. Since the disorders Jin's customs and teaching have declined; the outstanding lack talent for policy examination, the filial lack the substance of the four virtues. A roe deer rising before them—is it for this reason."
167
晉哀帝隆和元年十月甲申，有麈入東海第。 百姓讙言曰：「主入東海第。」 識者怪之。 及海西廢為東海王，先送此第。
In the tenth month, on the day jiashen of the first year of Longhe of Emperor Ai of Jin, an elk entered the residence of the Prince of Donghai. The common people shouted in joy: "The lord enters the residence of Donghai." Those who understood found it strange. When the Deposed Emperor was deposed and made Prince of Donghai, he was first sent to this residence.
168
晉孝武太元十三年四月癸巳，礿祠畢，有兔行廟堂上。 兔，野物也，而集宗廟之堂，不祥莫甚焉。
On the day guisi of the fourth month of the thirteenth year of Taiyuan of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, when the yue sacrifice was completed, a rabbit walked on the temple hall. The rabbit is a wild creature, yet it gathered in the hall of the ancestral temple—nothing could be more inauspicious.
169
宋文帝元嘉二十四年二月，雍州送六足麞，刺史武陵王表為祥瑞。 此毛蟲之孽。
In the second month of the twenty-fourth year of Yuanjia of Emperor Wen of Song, Yong Province presented a six-legged roe deer; the Inspector, the Prince of Wuling, memorialized it as an auspicious portent. This was a calamity of hairy creatures.
170
宋順帝昇明元年，象三頭度蔡洲，暴稻穀及園野。
In the first year of Shengming of Emperor Shun of Song, three elephants crossed Cai Isle and ravaged rice grain and gardens and fields.
171
犬禍
Canine Disasters
172
公孫淵家有犬冠幘絳衣上屋，此犬禍也。 屋上亢陽高危之地。 天戒若曰，淵亢陽無上，偷自尊高，狗而冠者也。 及自立為燕王，果為魏所滅。 京房易傳曰：「君不正，臣欲篡，厥妖狗出朝門。」
In Gongsun Yuan's house a dog wore a kerchief and scarlet clothes and went up on the roof—this was a canine disaster. The roof is a place of excessive yang, high and perilous. Heaven's warning seems to say: Yuan is excessively yang without limit, stealthily elevating himself in arrogance—a dog wearing a cap. When he established himself as King of Yan, he was indeed destroyed by Wei. The Tradition of Changes of Jing Fang says: "When the ruler is not upright and ministers wish to usurp, the anomaly is a dog coming out the court gate."
173
魏侍中應璩在直廬，欻見一白狗，問眾人無見者。 踰年卒。 近犬禍也。
The Wei Palace Attendant Ying Qu, on duty in the lodge, suddenly saw a white dog; he asked the others and none had seen it. After a year he died. This was a recent canine disaster.
174
諸葛恪征淮南歸，將朝會，犬銜引其衣。 恪曰：「犬不欲我行乎？」 還坐，有頃復起，犬又銜衣。 乃令逐犬。 遂升車入而被害。
When Zhuge Ke returned from campaigning in Huainan and was about to attend court assembly, a dog seized and pulled his garment. Ke said: "Does the dog not wish me to go?" He returned to his seat; after a while he rose again, and the dog again seized his garment. He then ordered the dog driven away. He then mounted his carriage and entered, and was killed.
175
晉武帝太康九年，幽州有犬，鼻行地三百餘步。
In the ninth year of Taikang of Emperor Wu of Jin, in You Province there was a dog that walked on its nose for more than three hundred paces.
176
晉惠帝元康中，吳郡婁縣民家聞地中有犬聲，掘視得雌雄各一。 還置窟中，覆以磨石，宿昔失所在。 元帝太興中，吳郡府舍又得二物頭如此。 其後太守張茂為吳興兵所殺。 案夏鼎志曰：「掘地得狗名曰賈。」 尸子曰：「地中有犬，名曰地狼。」 同實而異名也。
In the Yuankang era of Emperor Hui of Jin, a commoner's household in Lou County of Wu Commandery heard dog sounds in the earth; digging they found one male and one female. They returned them to the burrow, covered it with a millstone, and overnight they vanished. In the Taixing era of Emperor Yuan, the Wu Commandery government offices again obtained two creatures' heads like this. Afterward the Administrator Zhang Mao was killed by Wuxing troops. Examining the Record of the Xia Cauldron, it says: "Digging earth and obtaining a dog is called Jia." Master Shi says: "In the earth there is a dog called the earth wolf." The same substance with different names.
177
晉惠帝永興元年，丹陽內史朱逵家犬生三子，皆無頭，後逵為揚州刺史曹武所殺。
In the first year of Yongxing of Emperor Hui of Jin, the Administrator of Danyang Zhu Kui's dog bore three pups, all headless; later Kui was killed by the Inspector of Yang Province Cao Wu.
178
晉孝懷帝永嘉五年，吳郡嘉興張林家狗人言云：「天下人餓死。」
In the fifth year of Yongjia of Emperor Xiaohuai of Jin, the dog at Zhang Lin's house in Jiaxing of Wu Commandery spoke in human words: "All the people under Heaven will starve to death."
179
晉安帝隆安初，吳郡治下狗恒夜吠，聚高橋上。 人家狗有限，而吠聲甚眾。 或有夜出覘之者，云一狗假有兩三頭，皆前向亂吠。 無幾，孫恩亂於吳會。
At the beginning of Long'an of Emperor An of Jin, dogs under the Wu Commandery administration constantly barked at night, gathering on the high bridge. Household dogs were limited in number, yet the barking was very numerous. Some who went out at night to observe said one dog seemed to have two or three heads, all facing forward and barking wildly. Before long Sun En raised disorder in Wu and Kuaiji.
180
桓玄將拜楚王，已設拜席，羣官陪位，玄未及出，有狗來便其席，萬眾暀候，莫不驚怪。 玄性猜暴，竟無言者，逐狗改席而已。
When Huan Xuan was about to be invested as King of Chu, the investiture mat was already set and the hundred officials attended in place; before Xuan could come out, a dog came and soiled his mat—the myriad masses waited in silence, and all were startled. Xuan was suspicious and violent by nature; in the end no one spoke—they merely drove off the dog and changed the mat.
181
宋武帝永初二年，京邑有狗人言。
In the second year of Yongchu of Emperor Wu of Song, in the capital there was a dog that spoke in human words.
182
文帝元嘉二十九年，吳興東遷孟慧度婢蠻與狗通好如夫妻彌年。
In the twenty-ninth year of Yuanjia of Emperor Wen, the bondwoman Man of Meng Huidu in Dongqian of Wuxing consorted with a dog as husband and wife for a full year.
183
孝武孝建初，顏竣為左衞，於省內聞犬子聲在地中，掘焉得烏犬子。 養久之，後自死。
At the beginning of Xiaojian of Emperor Xiaowu, Yan Jun was Left Guard; within the office he heard the sound of a puppy in the earth, dug, and obtained a black puppy. He raised it for a long time; later it died of itself.
184
明帝初，晉安王子勛稱偽號於尋陽，柴桑有狗與女人交，三日不分離。
At the beginning of Emperor Ming, Prince of Jin'an Zixun claimed a false title at Xunyang; at Chaisang a dog coupled with a woman and for three days would not separate.
185
明帝泰始中，秣陵張僧護家犬生豕子。
In the Taishi era of Emperor Ming, the dog at Zhang Senghu's house in Moling bore a piglet.
186
白眚白祥
White Disasters and White Portents
187
晉武帝太康十年，洛陽宮西宜秋里石生地中，始高三尺，如香鑪形，後如傴人，盤薄不可掘。 案劉向說，此白眚也。 明年，宮車晏駕，王室始騷，卒以亂亡。 京房易傳曰：「石立如人，庶人為天下雄。」 此近之矣。
In the tenth year of Taikang of Emperor Wu of Jin, in Yiqiu Lane west of the Luoyang palace stone grew from the earth; at first three chi high, shaped like an incense burner, later like a hunchback—twining and impossible to dig up. Examining Liu Xiang's explanation, this was a white disaster. The following year the imperial carriage departed at dusk; the royal house first grew turbulent and in the end perished in disorder. The Tradition of Changes of Jing Fang says: "Stone stands like a man—the common people become lords of the realm." This came close to it.
188
晉成帝咸康初，地生毛，近白眚也。 孫盛以為民勞之異。 是後胡滅而中原向化，將相皆甘心焉。 於是方鎮屢革，邊戍仍遷，皆擁帶部曲，動有萬數，其間征伐徵賦，役無寧歲，天下擾動，民以疲怨。
At the beginning of Xiankang under Emperor Cheng of Jin hair grew from the earth—a recent white disaster. Sun Sheng took it as an anomaly of the people's exhaustion. After this the Hu were destroyed and the Central Plains turned toward civilization; generals and chancellors all gave their hearts to it. Thereupon regional commands were repeatedly reformed and frontier garrisons continually redeployed; all held personal followings numbering in the tens of thousands; meanwhile campaigns and levies went on year after year without respite—the realm was disturbed and the people grew weary and resentful.
189
咸康三年六月，地生毛。
In the sixth month of the third year of Xiankang hair grew from the earth.
190
晉孝武太元二年五月，京都地生毛。 至四年而氐賊攻襄陽，圍彭城，向廣陵，征戍仍出，兵連不解。
In the fifth month of the second year of Taiyuan under Emperor Xiaowu of Jin hair grew from the earth in the capital. By the fourth year the Di rebels attacked Xiangyang, besieged Pengcheng, and advanced toward Guangling; expeditions and garrisons went out continually and warfare never ceased.
191
太元十四年四月，京都地生毛。 是時苻堅滅後，經略多事。
In the fourth month of the fourteenth year of Taiyuan hair grew from the earth in the capital. At that time, after Fu Jian's destruction, securing the realm involved many affairs.
192
太元十七年四月，地生毛。
In the fourth month of the seventeenth year of Taiyuan hair grew from the earth.
193
晉安帝隆安四年四月乙未，地生毛，或白或黑。
On the day yiwei of the fourth month of the fourth year of Long'an under Emperor An of Jin hair grew from the earth, some white and some black.
194
晉安帝元興三年五月，江陵地生毛。 是後江陵見襲，交戰者數矣。
In the fifth month of the third year of Yuanxing under Emperor An of Jin hair grew from the earth at Jiangling. After this Jiangling was attacked several times in battle.
195
晉安帝義熙三年三月，地生白毛。
In the third month of the third year of Yixi under Emperor An of Jin white hair grew from the earth.
196
義熙十年三月，地生白毛。 明年，王旅西討司馬休之。 又明年，北掃關、洛。
In the third month of the tenth year of Yixi white hair grew from the earth. The following year the royal army campaigned west against Sima Xiuzhi. The year after that they swept north through Guan and Luo.
197
魏明帝青龍三年正月乙亥，隕石于壽光。 按左氏傳，隕石，星也。 劉歆說曰：「庶民，惟星隕於宋者，象宋襄公將得諸侯而不終也。」 秦始皇時有隕石。 班固以為石陰類，又白祥，臣將危君。 是後司馬氏得政。
On the day yihai of the first month of the third year of Qinglong under Emperor Ming of Wei a meteorite fell at Shouguang. Examining the Zuo Tradition, a falling stone is a star. Liu Xin's explanation says: "The common people—only when a star fell in Song did it symbolize Duke Xiang of Song about to gain the feudal lords yet not reaching the end." In the time of the First Emperor of Qin there was a falling meteorite. Ban Gu held that stone is of the yin kind, and also a white portent—ministers will endanger the ruler. After this the house of Sima obtained government.
198
晉武帝太康五年五月丁巳，隕石于溫及河陽各二。
On the day dingsi of the fifth month of the fifth year of Taikang under Emperor Wu of Jin meteorites fell at Wen and Heyang, two at each place.
199
太康六年正月，隕石于溫三。
In the first month of the sixth year of Taikang three meteorites fell at Wen.
200
晉成帝咸和八年五月，星隕于肥鄉一。
In the fifth month of the eighth year of Xianhe under Emperor Cheng of Jin one star fell at Feixiang.
201
咸和九年正月，隕石于涼州。
In the first month of the ninth year of Xianhe a meteorite fell in Liang Province.
202
吳孫亮五鳳二年五月，陽羨縣離里山大石自立。 按京房易傳曰：「庶士為天子之祥也。」 其說曰：「石立於山，同姓。 平地，異姓。」 干寶以為孫晧承廢故之家得位，其應也。 或曰孫休見立之祥也。
In the fifth month of the second year of Wufeng of Sun Liang of Wu a great stone at Mount Lili in Yangxian County stood up of itself. Examining the Tradition of Changes of Jing Fang, it says: "The common gentry becoming Son of Heaven is an auspice." Its explanation says: "Stone standing on a mountain—same surname. On level ground—different surname." Gan Bao held that Sun Hao inherited the position from a deposed former house—the corresponding response. Some say it was the auspice of Sun Xiu's installation.
203
晉惠帝元康五年十二月，有石生于宜年里。
In the twelfth month of the fifth year of Yuankang under Emperor Hui of Jin a stone was born in Yinian Lane.
204
晉惠帝永康元年，襄陽郡上言得鳴石，撞之，聲聞七八里。
In the first year of Yongkang under Emperor Hui of Jin Xiangyang Commandery reported obtaining a sounding stone; struck, its sound was heard seven or eight li away.
205
晉惠帝太安元年，丹陽湖熟縣夏架湖有大石浮二百步而登岸。 民驚譟相告曰：「石來！」 干寶曰：「尋有石冰入建業。」
In the first year of Tai'an under Emperor Hui of Jin, at Xiajia Lake in Hushu County of Danyang a great stone floated two hundred paces and came ashore. The people cried out in alarm to one another: "The stone is coming!" Gan Bao says: "Soon afterward Shi Bing entered Jiankang."
206
晉武帝泰始八年五月，蜀地雨白毛。 此白祥也。 是時益州刺史皇甫晏冒暑伐汶山胡，從事何旅固諫，不從。 牙門張弘等因眾之怨，誣晏謀逆，害之。 京房易傳曰：「前樂後憂，厥妖天雨羽。」 又曰：「邪人進，賢人逃，天雨毛。」 其易妖曰：「天雨毛羽，貴人出走。」 三占皆應也。
In the fifth month of the eighth year of Taishi under Emperor Wu of Jin white hair rained in Shu territory. This was a white portent. At that time the Inspector of Yizhou Huangfu Yan braved the heat to campaign against the Wenshan Hu; the Attendant He Lü firmly remonstrated, but he did not heed him. The Gate Officer Zhang Hong and others, exploiting the troops' resentment, falsely accused Yan of plotting rebellion and killed him. The Tradition of Changes of Jing Fang says: "First joy, then sorrow—the anomaly is Heaven raining feathers." It also says: "Evil men advance, worthy men flee—Heaven rains hair." Its Change anomaly says: "Heaven rains hair and feathers—the noble departs in flight." All three prognostications were fulfilled.
207
晉惠帝永寧元年，齊王冏舉義軍。 軍中有小兒出於襄城繁昌縣，年八歲，髮體悉白，頗能卜。 於洪範，則白祥也。
In the first year of Yongning under Emperor Hui of Jin the Prince of Qi Sima Jiong raised a righteous army. In the army there was a child from Fanchang County in Xiangcheng, eight years old, whose hair and body were entirely white and who could divinate fairly well. In the Great Plan, this is a white portent.
208
晉車騎大將軍東嬴王騰自幷州遷鎮鄴，行次真定。 時久積雪，而當門前方數尺獨消釋，騰怪而掘之，得玉馬高尺許，口齒缺。 騰以馬者國姓，上送之以為瑞。 然論者皆云馬而無齒，則不得食，妖祥之兆，衰亡之徵。 案占，此白祥也。 是後騰為汲桑所殺，而晉室遂亡。
The Jin General of Chariots and Cavalry, Prince of Dongying Sima Teng, moved from Bing Province to garrison Ye and halted at Zhending. Snow had long accumulated, yet for several chi before the gate alone it melted; Teng found it strange and dug there, obtaining a jade horse about a chi high with broken teeth. Teng, since horse is the surname of the state, sent it upward as an auspicious portent. Yet commentators all said a horse without teeth cannot eat—an omen of anomaly and auspice, a sign of decline and ruin. Examining prognostication, this was a white portent. After this Teng was killed by Ji Sang, and the house of Jin then perished.
209
宋文帝元嘉中，徐湛之為丹陽尹。 夜西門內有氣如練，西南指，長數十丈。 又白光覆屋，良久而轉駃乃消。 此白祥也。
In the Yuanjia era of Emperor Wen of Song Xu Tanzhi was Intendant of Danyang. At night within the western gate there was vapor like silk, pointing southwest, several tens of zhang long. Again white light covered the roof; after a long while it turned swift and then vanished. This was a white portent.
210
前廢帝景和元年，鄧琬在尋陽，種紫花皆白，白眚也。
In the first year of Jinghe under the Former Deposed Emperor Deng Wan was at Xunyang; purple flowers planted all turned white—a white disaster.
211
木沴金
Wood Harms Metal
212
魏齊王正始末，河南尹李勝治聽事，有小材激墮，檛受浮吏石虎斷項之。 此木沴金也。 勝後旬日而敗。
At the end of Zhengshi of Emperor Qi of Wei the Intendant of Henan Li Sheng was managing the audience hall; a small timber was struck loose and fell; the mace-bearer Fu Shi Hu severed the neck of the floating clerk. This was wood harming metal. Sheng was defeated ten days later.
213
晉惠帝元康八年三月，郊禖壇石中破為二。 此木沴金也。 郊禖壇者，求子之神位，無故而自毀，太子將危之妖也。 明年，愍懷廢死。
In the third month of the eighth year of Yuankang under Emperor Hui of Jin the stone at the suburban Qi altar split in two. This was wood harming metal. The suburban Qi altar is the spirit seat for seeking sons; destroyed without cause—it is an omen that the Crown Prince will be endangered. The following year Minhuai was deposed and died.
214
晉孝武帝太元十年四月，謝安出鎮廣陵，始發石頭，金鼓無故自破。 此木沴金之異也。 天意若曰，安徒揚經略之聲，終無其實，鉦鼓不用之象也。 八月，以疾還，是月薨。
In the fourth month of the tenth year of Taiyuan under Emperor Xiaowu of Jin Xie An went out to govern at Guangling; as he first set out from Shitou, the gongs and drums broke of themselves without cause. This was an anomaly of wood harming metal. Heaven's intent seems to say: An vainly raises the sound of strategic planning, yet in the end has no substance—the image of gongs and drums unused. In the eighth month he returned due to illness; that month he died.