1
五行傳曰：「治宮室，飾臺榭，內淫亂，犯親戚，侮父兄，則稼穡不成。」 謂土失其性，則有水旱之災，草木百穀不熟也。 又曰：「思心不睿，是謂不聖。 厥咎霿，厥罰常風，厥極凶短折。 時則有脂夜之妖，時則有華孽、臝蟲之孽，時則有牛禍，時則有心腹之痾，時則有黃眚黃祥，時則有木、火、金、水沴土。」
The Treatise on the Five Elements states: "When rulers lavish effort on palaces and adorned terraces, harbor inner licentiousness, offend against kin, and show contempt for fathers and elder brothers, grain crops fail to ripen. This refers to earth losing its proper character: flood and drought follow, and grasses, trees, and every grain fail to mature. It further says: "When the deliberative mind lacks clarity, this is called being unsagely. The blame lies in gloom and murk, the penalty in persistent wind, and the extreme manifestation in untimely death. Then come demons of the murky night; portents of strange blossoms and calamities of naked insects; disasters involving cattle; diseases of the heart and bowels; yellow omens and yellow auspices; and wood, fire, metal, and water harming earth."
2
稼穡不成。
Grain crops fail to ripen.
3
貞觀元年，關內饑。
In the first year of Zhenguan (627), famine struck the Guannei region.
4
總章二年，諸州四十餘饑，關中尤甚。
In the second year of Zongzhang (669), famine hit more than forty prefectures; the Guanzhong region was hardest hit.
5
儀鳳四年春，東都饑。
In the spring of the fourth year of Yifeng (679), famine struck the Eastern Capital.
6
調露元年秋，關中饑。
In the autumn of the first year of Tiaolu (679), famine struck Guanzhong.
7
永隆元年冬，東都饑。
In the winter of the first year of Yonglong (680), famine struck the Eastern Capital.
8
永淳元年，關中及山南州二十六饑，京師人相食。
In the first year of Yongchun (682), famine afflicted Guanzhong and twenty-six prefectures south of the mountains; in the capital people resorted to cannibalism.
9
垂拱三年，天下饑。
In the third year of Chuigong (687), famine spread across the empire.
10
大足元年春，河南諸州饑。
In the spring of the first year of Dazu (701), famine struck the prefectures of Henan.
11
景龍二年春，饑。 三年三月，饑。
In the spring of the second year of Jinglong (708), famine occurred. In the third month of the third year (709), famine occurred.
12
先天二年冬，京師、岐、隴、幽州饑。
In the winter of the second year of Xiantian (713), famine struck the capital and the Qi, Long, and You regions.
13
開元十六年，河北饑。
In the sixteenth year of Kaiyuan (728), famine struck Hebei.
14
乾元三年春，饑，米斗錢千五百。
In the spring of the third year of Qianyuan (760), famine struck; a dou of rice sold for fifteen hundred cash.
15
廣德二年秋，關輔饑，米斗千錢。
In the autumn of the second year of Guangde (764), famine afflicted the Guanfu region; a dou of rice sold for a thousand cash.
16
永泰元年，饑，京師米斗千錢。
In the first year of Yongtai (765), famine struck; in the capital a dou of rice sold for a thousand cash.
17
貞元元年春，大饑，東都、河南、河北米斗千錢，死者相枕。 二年五月，麥將登而雨霖，米斗千錢。 十四年，京師及河南饑。 十九年秋，關輔饑。
In the spring of the first year of Zhenyuan (785), a severe famine struck; in the Eastern Capital, Henan, and Hebei a dou of rice sold for a thousand cash, and corpses lay piled upon one another. In the fifth month of the second year (786), wheat was nearly ready for harvest when unending rain fell; a dou of rice sold for a thousand cash. In the fourteenth year (798), famine struck the capital and Henan. In the autumn of the nineteenth year (803), famine afflicted the Guanfu region.
18
元和七年春，饑。 八年，廣州饑。 九年春，關內饑。 十一年，東都、陳許州饑。
In the spring of the seventh year of Yuanhe (812), famine occurred. In the eighth year (813), famine struck Guangzhou. In the spring of the ninth year (814), famine struck the Guannei region. In the eleventh year (816), famine struck the Eastern Capital and Chenxu prefecture.
19
長慶二年，江淮饑。
In the second year of Changqing (822), famine struck the Jianghuai region.
20
大和四年，河北及太原饑。 六年春，劍南饑。 九年春，饑，河北尤甚。
In the fourth year of Dahe (830), famine struck Hebei and Taiyuan. In the spring of the sixth year (832), famine struck Jiannan. In the spring of the ninth year (835), famine occurred; Hebei was hardest hit.
21
開成四年，溫、台、明等州饑。
In the fourth year of Kaicheng (839), famine struck Wen, Tai, Ming, and other prefectures.
22
大中五年冬，湖南饑。 六年夏，淮南饑，海陵、高郵民於官河中漉得異米，號「聖米」。 九年秋，淮南饑。
In the winter of the fifth year of Dazhong (851), famine struck Hunan. In the summer of the sixth year (852), famine struck Huainan; people in Hailing and Gaoyou strained unusual rice from the official canal and called it "Sacred Rice." In the autumn of the ninth year (855), famine struck Huainan.
23
咸通三年夏，淮南、河南饑。 九年秋，江左及關內饑，東都尤甚。
In the summer of the third year of Xiantong (862), famine struck Huainan and Henan. In the autumn of the ninth year (868), famine afflicted the lands east of the Yangtze and the Guannei region; the Eastern Capital was hardest hit.
24
乾符三年春，京師饑。
In the spring of the third year of Qianfu (876), famine struck the capital.
25
中和二年，關內大饑。 四年，關內大饑，人相食。
In the second year of Zhonghe (882), a severe famine struck the Guannei region. In the fourth year (884), a severe famine afflicted Guannei; people resorted to cannibalism.
26
光啟二年二月，荊、襄大饑，米斗三千錢，人相食。 三年，揚州大饑，米斗萬錢。
In the second month of the second year of Guangqi (886), severe famine struck Jing and Xiang; a dou of rice sold for three thousand cash, and people resorted to cannibalism. In the third year (887), severe famine struck Yangzhou; a dou of rice sold for ten thousand cash.
27
大順二年春，淮南大饑。
In the spring of the second year of Dashun (891), severe famine struck Huainan.
28
天祐元年十月，京師大饑。
In the tenth month of the first year of Tianyou (904), severe famine struck the capital.
29
常風。 武德二年十二月壬子，大風拔木。 易巽為風，「重巽以申命」。 其及物也，象人君誥命，其鼓動於天地間，有時飛沙揚塵，怒也，發屋拔木者，怒甚也。 其占：「大臣專恣而氣盛，眾逆同志，君行蒙暗，施於事則皆傷害，故常風。」 又「飄風入宮闕，一日再三，若風聲如雷觸地而起，為兵將興。」
Persistent wind. In the twelfth month of the second year of Wude (619), on the renzi day, a great wind uprooted trees. In the Book of Changes, the trigram Xun represents wind: "Double Xun to proclaim commands." In its effect upon the world it resembles a ruler's proclamation; stirring through heaven and earth, it sometimes raises flying sand and dust in anger, and when it tears off roofs and uproots trees, its wrath is extreme. Its interpretation runs: "When great ministers grow willful and overbearing, many rebels share a common purpose, and the ruler's conduct grows dark and obscured—applied to affairs, all suffer harm; hence persistent wind. It also says: "When gusting wind enters the palace gates several times in a single day, and the wind sounds like thunder striking the ground and rising, armies will soon arise."
30
貞觀十四年六月乙酉，大風拔木。
In the sixth month of the fourteenth year of Zhenguan (640), on the yiyou day, a great wind uprooted trees.
31
咸亨四年八月己酉，大風落太廟鴟尾。
In the eighth month of the fourth year of Xianheng (673), on the jiyou day, a great wind knocked down the owl-tail ornaments of the Grand Temple.
32
永隆二年七月，雍州大風害稼。
In the seventh month of the second year of Yonglong (681), a great wind in Yongzhou damaged the crops.
33
弘道元年十二月壬午晦，宋州大風拔木。
On the last day of the twelfth month of the first year of Hongdao (683), the renwu day, a great wind in Songzhou uprooted trees.
34
嗣聖元年四月丁巳，寧州大風拔木。
In the fourth month of the first year of Sisheng (684), on the dingsi day, a great wind in Ningzhou uprooted trees.
35
垂拱四年十月辛亥，大風拔木。
In the tenth month of the fourth year of Chuigong (688), on the xinhai day, a great wind uprooted trees.
36
永昌二年五月丁亥，大風拔木。
In the fifth month of the second year of Yongchang (689), on the dinghai day, a great wind uprooted trees.
37
神龍元年三月乙酉，睦州大風拔木。 崔玄暐封博陵郡王也，大風折其輅蓋。 二年六月乙亥，滑州大風拔木。
In the third month of the first year of Shenlong (705), on the yiyou day, a great wind in Muzhou uprooted trees. When Cui Xuanwei was enfeoffed as Prince of Boling, a great wind broke the canopy of his carriage. In the sixth month of the second year (706), on the yihai day, a great wind in Huazhou uprooted trees.
38
景龍元年七月，郴州大風，發屋拔木。 八月，宋州大風拔木，壞廬舍。 二年十月辛亥，滑州暴風發屋。 三年三月辛未，曹州大風拔木。
In the seventh month of the first year of Jinglong (707), a great wind in Chenzhou tore off roofs and uprooted trees. In the eighth month, a great wind in Songzhou uprooted trees and destroyed houses. In the tenth month of the second year (708), on the xinhai day, a violent wind in Huazhou tore off roofs. In the third month of the third year (709), on the xinwei day, a great wind in Caozhou uprooted trees.
39
開元二年六月，京師大風發屋，大木拔者十七八。 四年六月辛未，京師、陝、華大風拔木。 九年七月丙辰，揚州、潤州暴風雨，發屋拔木。 十四年六月戊午，大風拔木發屋，端門鴟尾盡落。 端門，號令所從出也。 十九年六月乙酉，大風拔木。 二十二年五月戊子，大風拔木。
In the sixth month of the second year of Kaiyuan (714), a great wind in the capital tore off roofs; seven or eight out of every ten large trees were uprooted. In the sixth month of the fourth year (716), on the xinwei day, great winds in the capital, Shan, and Hua uprooted trees. In the seventh month of the ninth year (721), on the bingchen day, violent wind and rain in Yangzhou and Runzhou tore off roofs and uprooted trees. In the sixth month of the fourteenth year (726), on the wuwu day, a great wind uprooted trees and tore off roofs; all the owl-tail ornaments of the Duan Gate fell. The Duan Gate is where imperial commands issue forth. In the sixth month of the nineteenth year (731), on the yiyou day, a great wind uprooted trees. In the fifth month of the twenty-second year (734), on the wuzi day, a great wind uprooted trees.
40
天寶十一載五月甲子，東京大風拔木。 十三載三月辛酉，大風拔木。
In the fifth month of the eleventh year of Tianbao (752), on the jiazi day, a great wind in the Eastern Capital uprooted trees. In the third month of the thirteenth year (754), on the xinyou day, a great wind uprooted trees.
41
永泰元年三月辛亥，大風拔木。
In the third month of the first year of Yongtai (765), on the xinhai day, a great wind uprooted trees.
42
大曆七年五月乙酉，大風拔木。 十年五月甲寅，大風拔木。
In the fifth month of the seventh year of Dali (772), on the yiyou day, a great wind uprooted trees. In the fifth month of the tenth year (775), on the jiayin day, a great wind uprooted trees.
43
貞元元年七月庚子，大風拔木。 六年四月甲申，大風雨。 八年五月己未，暴風發太廟屋瓦，毀門闕、官署、廬舍不可勝紀。 十年六月辛未，大風拔木。 十四年八月癸未，廣州大風，壞屋覆舟。
In the seventh month of the first year of Zhenyuan (785), on the gengzi day, a great wind uprooted trees. In the fourth month of the sixth year (790), on the jiashen day, a great wind and rainstorm occurred. In the fifth month of the eighth year (792), on the jiwei day, a violent wind tore off the roof tiles of the Grand Temple and destroyed gate towers, government offices, and dwellings beyond number. In the sixth month of the tenth year (794), on the xinwei day, a great wind uprooted trees. In the eighth month of the fourteenth year (798), on the guiwei day, a great wind in Guangzhou destroyed houses and capsized boats.
44
元和元年六月丙申，大風拔木。 三年四月壬申，大風毀含元殿欄檻二十七間。 占為兵起。 四年十月壬午，天有氣如煙，臭如燔皮，日昳大風而止。 五年三月丙子，大風毀崇陵上宮衙殿鴟尾及神門戟竿六，壞行垣四十間。 八年六月庚寅，京師大風雨，毀屋飄瓦，人多壓死者。 丙申，富平大風，拔棗木千餘株。 十二年春，青州一夕暴風自西北，天地晦冥，空中有若旌旗狀，屋瓦上如蹂躒聲。 有日者占之曰：「不及五年，茲地當大殺戮。」
In the sixth month of the first year of Yuanhe (806), on the bingshen day, a great wind uprooted trees. In the fourth month of the third year (808), on the renshen day, a great wind destroyed twenty-seven bays of railing at Hanyuan Hall. This was interpreted as a portent of war. In the tenth month of the fourth year (809), on the renwu day, vapor like smoke filled the sky, smelling of burning hide; a great wind arose at mid-afternoon and it ceased. In the third month of the fifth year (810), on the bingzi day, a great wind destroyed the owl-tail ornaments of the upper palace office hall at Chongling and six halberd poles at the spirit gate, and damaged forty bays of the corridor wall. In the sixth month of the eighth year (813), on the gengyin day, a great wind and rainstorm in the capital destroyed houses and scattered roof tiles; many people were crushed to death. On the bingshen day, a great wind in Fuping uprooted more than a thousand jujube trees. In the spring of the twelfth year (817), in Qingzhou a violent wind from the northwest blew one night; heaven and earth turned dark and murky; banner-like shapes appeared in the sky, and roof tiles rattled as if under trampling feet. A diviner who read the heavens said: "Within five years this place will witness great slaughter."
45
長慶二年正月己酉，大風霾。 十月，夏州大風，飛沙為堆，高及城堞。 三年正月丁巳朔，大風，昏霾終日。 四年六月庚寅，大風毀延喜門及景風門。
In the first month of the second year of Changqing (822), on the jiyou day, a great wind brought haze. In the tenth month, a great wind in Xizhou piled flying sand into heaps as high as the city battlements. On the first day of the first month of the third year (823), the dingsi day, a great wind blew; murky haze lasted all day. In the sixth month of the fourth year (824), on the gengyin day, a great wind destroyed the Yanxi Gate and the Jingfeng Gate.
46
大和八年六月癸未，暴風壞長安縣署及經行寺塔。 九年四月辛丑，大風拔木萬株，墮含元殿四鴟尾，拔殿廷樹三，壞金吾仗舍，發城門樓觀內外三十餘所，光化門西城十數雉壞。
In the sixth month of the eighth year of Dahe (834), on the guiwei day, a violent wind destroyed the Chang'an county office and the pagoda of Jingxing Temple. In the fourth month of the ninth year of Dahe (835), on the xinchou day, a great wind uprooted ten thousand trees, knocked down four owl-tail ornaments on Hanyuan Hall, uprooted three trees in the palace courtyard, wrecked the Jinwu guard barracks, and tore down more than thirty gate towers and pavilions inside and outside the city; at Guanghua Gate on the west side of the capital, a dozen or more sections of the battlements were destroyed.
47
開成三年正月戊辰，大風拔木。 五年四月甲子，大風拔木； 五月壬寅，亦如之； 七月戊寅，亦如之。
In the first month of the third year of Kaicheng (838), on the wuchen day, a great wind uprooted trees. In the fourth month of the fifth year (840), on the jiazi day, a great wind uprooted trees; In the fifth month, on the renyin day, the same thing occurred; In the seventh month, on the wuyin day, it happened again.
48
會昌元年三月，黔南大風飄瓦。
In the third month of the first year of Huichang (841), a great wind in southern Guizhou scattered roof tiles.
49
咸通六年正月，絳州大風拔木，有十圍者。 十一月己卯晦，潼關夜中大風，山如吼雷，河噴石鳴，羣烏亂飛，重關傾側。 十二月，大風拔木。
In the first month of the sixth year of Xiantong (865), a great wind in Jiangzhou uprooted trees, some of them ten arm-spans in girth. On the last day of the eleventh month, the jimao day, a great wind blew through Tong Pass in the dead of night; the mountains thundered, the river cast up stones with a roaring sound, crows flew wildly in every direction, and the layered fortress swayed on its foundations. In the twelfth month, a great wind uprooted trees.
50
乾符五年五月丁酉，大風拔木。
In the fifth month of the fifth year of Qianfu (878), on the dingyou day, a great wind uprooted trees.
51
廣明元年四月甲申，京師及東都、汝州雨雹，大風拔木。 四年六月乙巳，太原大風雨，拔木千株，害稼百里。
In the fourth month of the first year of Guangming (880), on the jiashen day, hail fell in the capital, the Eastern Capital, and Ruzhou, and a great wind uprooted trees. In the sixth month of the fourth year (883), on the yisi day, a great wind and rainstorm in Taiyuan uprooted a thousand trees and destroyed crops across a hundred li.
52
光化三年七月乙丑，洺州大風，拔木發屋。
In the seventh month of the third year of Guanghua (900), on the yichou day, a great wind in Mingzhou uprooted trees and tore roofs from houses.
53
天復二年，昇州大風，發屋飛大木。
In the second year of Tianfu (902), a great wind in Shengzhou tore roofs from houses and hurled large trees through the air.
54
夜妖。
Night omens.
55
大和九年十一月戊辰，晝晦。
In the eleventh month of the ninth year of Dahe (835), on the wuchen day, daylight faded into darkness.
56
咸通七年九月辛卯朔，天闇。
On the first day of the ninth month of the seventh year of Xiantong (866), the xinmao day, the sky went dark.
57
乾符二年二月，宣武境內黑風，雨土。
In the second month of the second year of Qianfu (875), a black wind swept through the Xuanwu region and earth fell like rain.
58
天祐元年閏四月乙未朔，大風，雨土。
On the first day of the intercalary fourth month of the first year of Tianyou (904), the yiwei day, a great wind blew and earth fell from the sky.
59
華孽。
Flower portents.
60
延載元年九月，內出梨華一枝示宰相。 萬木搖落而生華，陰陽黷也。 傳曰：「天反時為災。」 又近常燠也。
In the ninth month of the first year of Yanzai (694), the palace produced a branch of pear blossom and displayed it to the chief ministers. When the myriad trees were shedding their leaves yet burst into blossom, yin and yang had fallen out of balance. The Treatise says: "When heaven reverses the seasons, calamity follows. This also approximates a portent of unseasonable warmth.
61
神龍二年十月，陳州李有華，鮮茂如春。
In the tenth month of the second year of Shenlong (706), plums blossomed in Chenzhou, fresh and lush as though it were spring.
62
元和十一年十二月，桃杏華。
In the twelfth month of the eleventh year of Yuanhe (816), peach and apricot trees came into bloom.
63
大和二年九月，徐州、滑州李有華，實可食。
In the ninth month of the second year of Dahe (828), plums blossomed in Xuzhou and Huazhou, and the fruit that formed was fit to eat.
64
會昌三年冬，沁源桃李華。
In the winter of the third year of Huichang (843), peach and plum trees blossomed in Qinyuan.
65
廣明元年冬，桃李華，山華皆發。
In the winter of the first year of Guangming (880), peach and plum trees blossomed, and wildflowers on the hills all burst into bloom.
66
中和二年九月，太原諸山桃杏華，有實。
In the ninth month of the second year of Zhonghe (882), peach and apricot trees blossomed on the mountains around Taiyuan, and some even bore fruit.
67
景福中，滄州城塹中冰有文，如畫大樹華葉芬敷者，時人以為其地當有兵難。 近華孽也。
During the Jingfu era (892–893), the ice in the moat at Cangzhou bore patterns like painted trees in full leaf and blossom; people of the time took this as a sign that the region would soon see war. This too was taken as a flower portent.
68
臝蟲之孽。
Insect calamities.
69
貞觀二十一年八月，萊州螟。
In the eighth month of the twenty-first year of Zhenguan (647), stem borers infested Laizhou.
70
開元二十二年八月，榆關虸蚄蟲害稼，入平州界，有羣雀來食之，一日而盡。 二十六年，榆關虸蚄蟲害稼，羣雀來食之。
In the eighth month of the twenty-second year of Kaiyuan (734), armyworms ravaged the crops at Yuguan; when they crossed into Pingzhou, flocks of sparrows descended on them and devoured them all in a single day. In the twenty-sixth year (738), armyworms again ravaged the crops at Yuguan, and flocks of sparrows came and ate them.
71
三載，青州紫蟲食田，有鳥食之。
In the third year of Tianbao (744), purple insects devoured the fields in Qingzhou, and birds came and ate the insects.
72
廣德元年秋，虸蚄蟲害稼，關中尤甚，米斗千錢。
In the autumn of the first year of Guangde (763), armyworms ravaged the crops; Guanzhong suffered worst of all, and a dou of rice sold for a thousand cash.
73
貞元十年四月，江西溪澗魚頭皆戴蚯蚓。
In the fourth month of the tenth year of Zhenyuan (794), in Jiangxi earthworms clung to the heads of fish in every stream and brook.
74
長慶四年，絳州虸蚄蟲害稼。
In the fourth year of Changqing (824), armyworms ravaged the crops in Jiangzhou.
75
大和元年秋，河東、同虢等州虸蚄蟲害稼。
In the autumn of the first year of Dahe (827), armyworms ravaged the crops in Hedong, Tong, Guo, and other prefectures.
76
開成元年，京城有蟻聚，長五六十步，闊五尺至一丈，厚五寸至一尺者。 四年，河南黑蟲食田。
In the first year of Kaicheng (836), ant swarms appeared in the capital measuring fifty or sixty paces long, five chi to one zhang wide, and five cun to one chi thick. In the fourth year (839), black insects devoured the fields in Henan.
77
牛禍。
Cattle omens.
78
調露元年春，牛大疫。 京房易傳曰：「牛少者穀不成。」 又占曰：「金革動。」
In the spring of the first year of Tiaolu (679), a great cattle plague broke out. Jing Fang's Commentary on the Changes says: "When cattle are scarce, grain crops fail to ripen." The omen reading also says: "Arms and war are set in motion."
79
長安中，有獻牛無前膊，三足而行者。 又有牛膊上生數足，蹄甲皆具者。 武太后從姊之子司農卿宗晉卿家牛生三角。
During the Chang'an period, someone presented a cow lacking forelegs that walked on three legs. There was also a cow that grew several extra legs from its shoulder, each complete with hooves and nails. At the home of Zong Jinqing, Minister of Agriculture and maternal cousin's son of Empress Wu, a cow was born with three horns.
80
神龍元年春，牛疫。 二年冬，牛大疫。
In the spring of the first year of Shenlong (705), a cattle plague broke out. In the winter of the second year (706), a great cattle plague broke out.
81
先天初，洛陽市有牛，左脅有人手，長一尺，或牽之以乞丐。
At the beginning of the Xiantian era (712), a cow in the Luoyang market bore a human hand a foot long on its left flank; its owner sometimes led it about to beg for alms.
82
開元十五年春，河北牛大疫。
In the spring of the fifteenth year of Kaiyuan (727), a great cattle plague struck Hebei.
83
大曆八年，武功、櫟陽民家牛生犢，二首。
In the eighth year of Dali (773), a cow among the common households of Wugong and Liyang bore a calf with two heads.
84
貞元二年，牛疫。 四年二月，郊牛生犢，六足。 足多者，下不一。 郊所以奉天。 七年，關輔牛大疫，死者十五六。
In the second year of Zhenyuan (786), a cattle plague broke out. In the second month of the fourth year (788), the suburban sacrificial ox bore a calf with six legs. Many legs signify that those below are not of one mind. The suburban rite is the means by which one serves Heaven. In the seventh year (791), a great cattle plague struck Guanfu; five or six out of every ten cattle died.
85
咸通七年，荊州民家牛生犢，五足。 十五年夏，渝州江陽有水牛生驢駒，駒死。
In the seventh year of Xiantong (866), a cow among the common households of Jingzhou bore a calf with five legs. In the summer of the fifteenth year (874), a water buffalo in Jiangyang, Yuzhou, bore a mule foal, but the foal died.
86
光啟元年，河東有牛人言，其家殺而食之。 二年，延州膚施有牛死復生。
In the first year of Guangqi (885), a cow in Hedong spoke; its owners killed it and ate the meat. In the second year (886), a cow in Fushi, Yanzhou, died and then came back to life.
87
黃眚黃祥。
Yellow omens and yellow portents.
88
貞觀七年三月丁卯，雨土。 二十年閏三月己酉，有黃雲闊一丈，東西際天。 黃為土功。
In the third month of the seventh year of Zhenguan (633), on the dingmao day, earth fell from the sky. In the intercalary third month of the twentieth year (646), on the jiyou day, a band of yellow cloud one zhang wide stretched from east to west across the entire sky. Yellow is the color of earth and portends labor upon the land.
89
永徽三年三月辛巳，雨土。
In the third month of the third year of Yonghui (652), on the xinsi day, earth fell from the sky.
90
景龍元年六月庚午，陝州雨土。 十二月丁丑，雨土。
In the sixth month of the first year of Jinglong (707), on the gengwu day, earth rained down in Shaanzhou. In the twelfth month, on the dingchou day, earth fell from the sky.
91
天寶十三載二月丁丑，雨黃土。
In the second month of the thirteenth year of Tianbao (754), on the dingchou day, yellow earth fell from the sky.
92
大曆七年十二月丙寅，雨土。
In the twelfth month of the seventh year of Dali (772), on the bingyin day, earth fell from the sky.
93
貞元二年四月甲戌，雨土。 八年二月庚子，雨土。
In the fourth month of the second year of Zhenyuan (786), on the jiaxu day, earth fell from the sky. In the second month of the eighth year (792), on the gengzi day, earth fell from the sky.
94
大和八年十月甲子，土霧晝昏，至于十一月癸丑。
From the jiazi day of the tenth month of the eighth year of Dahe (834) until the guichou day of the eleventh month, a haze of earth dust darkened the daylight.
95
開成元年七月乙亥，雨土。
In the seventh month of the first year of Kaicheng (836), on the yihai day, earth fell from the sky.
96
咸通十四年三月癸巳，雨黃土。
In the third month of the fourteenth year of Xiantong (873), on the guisi day, yellow earth fell from the sky.
97
中和二年五月辛酉，大風，雨土。
In the fifth month of the second year of Zhonghe (882), on the xinyou day, a great wind blew and earth fell from the sky.
98
天復三年二月，雨土，天地昏霾。
In the second month of the third year of Tianfu (903), earth fell from the sky and heaven and earth were shrouded in murky haze.
99
天祐元年閏四月甲辰，大風，雨土。
On the jiachen day of the intercalary fourth month of the first year of Tianyou (904), a great wind blew and earth fell from the sky.
100
木火金水沴土。
Wood, fire, metal, and water harming earth.
101
武德二年十月乙未，京師地震。 陰盛而反常則地震，故其占為臣彊，為后妃專恣，為夷犯華，為小人道長，為寇至，為叛臣。 七年七月，巂州地震，山摧壅江，水噎流。
In the tenth month of the second year of Wude (619), on the yiwei day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake. When yin grows excessive and the natural order turns abnormal, the earth quakes; the omen is read as strong ministers, willful empresses and consorts, barbarians encroaching upon the Central Lands, petty men gaining the upper hand, invaders arriving, and treacherous ministers rising up. In the seventh month of the seventh year (624), an earthquake struck Xizhou; mountains collapsed and dammed the river, choking its flow.
102
貞觀七年十月乙丑，京師地震。 十二年正月壬寅，松、叢二州地震，壞廬舍。 二十年九月辛亥，靈州地震，有聲如雷。 二十三年八月癸酉朔，河東地震，晉州尤甚，壓殺五十餘人； 乙亥，又震。 十一月乙丑，又震。
In the tenth month of the seventh year of Zhenguan (633), on the yichou day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake. In the first month of the twelfth year (638), on the renyin day, earthquakes struck Song and Cong prefectures and destroyed dwellings. In the ninth month of the twentieth year (646), on the xinhai day, an earthquake struck Lingzhou with a sound like thunder. On the first day of the eighth month of the twenty-third year (642), the guiyou day, an earthquake struck Hedong; Jinzhou suffered worst of all, crushing more than fifty people to death; On the yihai day, the earth shook again. In the eleventh month, on the yichou day, it shook again.
103
永徽元年四月己巳朔，晉州地震； 己卯，又震。 六月庚辰，又震，有聲如雷。 二年十月，又震。 十一月戊寅，定襄地震。 帝始封晉王，初即位而地屢震，天下將由帝而動搖象也。
On the first day of the fourth month of the first year of Yonghui (650), the jisi day, an earthquake struck Jinzhou; On the jimao day, the earth shook again. In the sixth month, on the gengchen day, the earth shook again with a sound like thunder. In the tenth month of the second year (651), the earth shook again. In the eleventh month, on the wuyin day, an earthquake struck Dingxiang. The Emperor had first been enfeoffed as Prince of Jin; when he first took the throne the earth shook again and again—a sign that the realm would be unsettled through him.
104
儀鳳二年正月庚辰，京師地震。
In the first month of the second year of Yifeng (677), on the gengchen day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake.
105
永淳元年十月甲子，京師地震。
In the tenth month of the first year of Yongchun (682), on the jiazi day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake.
106
垂拱三年七月乙亥，京師地震。 四年七月戊午，又震。 八月戊戌，神都地震。
In the seventh month of the third year of Chuigong (687), on the yihai day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake. In the seventh month of the fourth year (688), on the wuwu day, the earth shook again. In the eighth month, on the wuxu day, Shendu was shaken by an earthquake.
107
延載元年四月壬戌，常州地震。
In the fourth month of the first year of Yanzai (694), on the renxu day, an earthquake struck Changzhou.
108
大足元年七月乙亥，揚、楚、常、潤、蘇五州地震。 二年八月辛亥，劍南六州地震。
In the seventh month of the first year of Dazu (701), on the yihai day, earthquakes struck the five prefectures of Yang, Chu, Chang, Run, and Su. In the eighth month of the second year (702), on the xinhai day, earthquakes struck six prefectures in Jiannan.
109
景龍四年五月丁丑，剡縣地震。
In the fifth month of the fourth year of Jinglong (710), on the dingchou day, an earthquake struck Shan County.
110
景雲三年正月甲戌，幷、汾、絳三州地震，壞廬舍，壓死百餘人。
In the first month of the third year of Jingyun (712), on the jiaxu day, earthquakes struck Bing, Fen, and Jiang prefectures, destroying dwellings and crushing more than a hundred people to death.
111
開元二十二年二月壬寅，秦州地震。 西北隱隱有聲，坼而復合，經時不止，壞廬舍殆盡，壓死四千餘人。 二十六年三月癸巳，京師地震。
In the second month of the twenty-second year of Kaiyuan (734), on the renyin day, an earthquake struck Qinzhou. A faint rumbling came from the northwest; the ground split open and closed again, and the tremors went on without cease; dwellings were nearly all destroyed, and more than four thousand people were crushed to death. In the third month of the twenty-sixth year (738), on the guisi day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake.
112
至德元載十一月辛亥朔，河西地震裂有聲，陷廬舍，張掖、酒泉尤甚，至二載三月癸亥乃止。
On the first day of the eleventh month of the first year of Zhide (756), the xinhai day, Hexi was shaken by an earthquake that cracked the ground with audible roars and swallowed dwellings; Zhangye and Jiuquan suffered worst of all, and the tremors did not stop until the third month of the second year (758), on the guihai day.
113
大曆二年十一月壬申，京師地震，自東北來，其聲如雷者。 三年五月丙戌，又震。 十二年，恆、定二州地大震，三日乃止，束鹿、寧晉地裂數丈，沙石隨水流出平地，壞廬舍，壓死者數百人。
In the eleventh month of the second year of Dali (767), on the renshen day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake coming from the northeast with a sound like thunder. In the fifth month of the third year (768), on the bingxu day, the earth shook again. In the twelfth year (777), Heng and Ding prefectures were struck by a great earthquake that continued for three days; in Shulu and Ningjin the ground split open several zhang, sand and stones surged with water onto the plain, dwellings were destroyed, and several hundred people were crushed to death.
114
建中元年四月己亥，京師地震。 三年六月甲子，又震。 四年四月甲子，又震。 五月辛巳，又震。
In the fourth month of the first year of Jianzhong (780), on the jihai day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake. In the sixth month of the third year (782), on the jiazi day, the earth shook again. In the fourth month of the fourth year (783), on the jiazi day, the earth shook again. In the fifth month, on the xinsi day, the earth shook again.
115
貞元二年五月己酉，又震。 三年十一月丁丑夜，京師、東都、蒲、陝地震。 四年正月庚戌朔夜，京師地震； 辛亥、壬子、丁卯、戊辰、庚午、癸酉、甲戌、乙亥，皆震，金、房二州尤甚，江溢山裂，屋宇多壞，人皆露處。 二月壬午，京師又震； 甲申、乙酉、丙申，三月甲寅、己未、庚午、辛未，五月丙寅、丁卯，皆震。 八月甲午，又震，有聲如雷； 甲辰，又震。 九年四月辛酉，又震，有聲如雷，河中、關輔尤甚，壞城壁廬舍，地裂水涌。 十年四月戊申，京師地震； 癸丑，又震，侍中渾瑊第有樹湧出，樹枝皆戴蚯蚓。 十三年七月乙未，又震。
In the fifth month of the second year of Zhenyuan (786), on the jiyou day, the earth shook again. On the night of the eleventh month of the third year (787), on the dingchou day, earthquakes struck the capital, the Eastern Capital, and Pu and Shan prefectures. On the night of the first day of the first month of the fourth year (788), the gengxu day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake; On the xinhai, renzi, dingmao, wuchen, gengwu, guiyou, jiaxu, and yihai days, the earth shook again and again; Jin and Fang prefectures suffered worst of all, rivers overflowed and mountains split open, many buildings were ruined, and people were forced to sleep out in the open. In the second month, on the renwu day, the capital shook again; On the jiashen, yiyou, and bingshen days; in the third month on the jiayin, jiwei, gengwu, and xinwei days; and in the fifth month on the bingyin and dingmao days—the earth shook each time. In the eighth month, on the jiawu day, the earth shook again with a sound like thunder; On the jiachen day, the earth shook again. In the fourth month of the ninth year (793), on the xinyou day, the earth shook again with a sound like thunder; Hezhong and the Guanfu region suffered worst of all, city walls and dwellings were destroyed, the ground split open, and water gushed forth. In the fourth month of the tenth year (794), on the wushen day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake; On the guichou day, the earth shook again; at the mansion of Grand Counselor Hun Jian a tree suddenly sprang up from the ground, and every branch was covered with earthworms. In the seventh month of the thirteenth year (797), on the yiwei day, the earth shook again.
116
元和七年八月，京師地震，草樹皆搖。 九年三月丙辰，巂州地震，晝夜八十，壓死百餘人，地陷者三十里。 十年十月，京師地震。 十一年二月丁丑，又震。 十五年正月，穆宗即位，戊辰，始朝羣臣於宣政殿，是夜地震。
In the eighth month of the seventh year of Yuanhe (812), an earthquake shook the capital, and grasses and trees swayed with it. In the third month of the ninth year (814), on the bingchen day, an earthquake struck Xizhou and trembled eighty times day and night, crushing more than a hundred people to death; the ground subsided over an area of thirty li. In the tenth month of the tenth year (815), the capital was shaken by an earthquake. In the second month of the eleventh year (816), on the dingchou day, the earth shook again. In the first month of the fifteenth year (820), Muzong ascended the throne; on the wuchen day he first received the assembled ministers in audience at Xuanzheng Hall, and that very night the earth shook.
117
大和二年正月壬申，地震。 七年六月甲戌，又震。 九年三月乙卯，京師地震，屋瓦皆墜，戶牖間有聲。
In the first month of the second year of Taihe (828), on the renshen day, the earth shook. In the sixth month of the seventh year (833), on the jiaxu day, the earth shook again. In the third month of the ninth year (835), on the yimao day, an earthquake shook the capital, roof tiles fell everywhere, and sounds rattled through doors and windows.
118
開成元年二月乙亥，又震。 二年十一月乙丑夜，又震。 四年十一月甲戌，又震。
In the second month of the first year of Kaicheng (836), on the yihai day, the earth shook again. On the night of the eleventh month of the second year (837), on the yichou day, the earth shook again. In the eleventh month of the fourth year (839), on the jiaxu day, the earth shook again.
119
會昌二年正月癸亥，宋、亳二州地震。 十二月癸未，京師地震。
In the first month of the second year of Huichang (842), on the guihai day, earthquakes struck Song and Bo prefectures. In the twelfth month, on the guiwei day, the capital was shaken by an earthquake.
120
大中三年十月辛巳，上都及振武、河西、天德、靈武、鹽夏等州地震，壞廬舍，壓死數十人。 十二年八月丁巳，太原地震。
In the tenth month of the third year of Dazhong (849), on the xinsi day, earthquakes struck the Upper Capital and the prefectures of Zhenwu, Hexi, Tiande, Lingwu, Yanxia, and others, destroying dwellings and crushing several tens of people to death. In the eighth month of the twelfth year (858), on the dingsi day, an earthquake struck Taiyuan.
121
咸通元年五月，上都地震。 六年十二月，晉、絳二州地震，壞廬舍，地裂泉湧，泥出青色。 八年正月丁未，河中、晉、絳三州地大震，壞廬舍，人有死者。 十三年四月庚子朔，浙東、西地震。
In the fifth month of the first year of Xiantong (860), the Upper Capital was shaken by an earthquake. In the twelfth month of the sixth year (865), earthquakes struck Jin and Jiang prefectures, destroying dwellings; the ground split open and springs gushed forth, and blue-green mud welled up. In the first month of the eighth year (867), on the dingwei day, a great earthquake struck Hezhong, Jin, and Jiang prefectures, destroying dwellings and killing people. On the first day of the fourth month of the thirteenth year (872), the gengzi day, earthquakes struck eastern and western Zhe.
122
乾符三年六月乙丑，雄州地震，至七月辛巳止，州城廬舍盡壞，地陷水湧，傷死甚眾。 是月，濮州地震。 十二月，京師地震有聲。 四年六月庚寅，雄州地震。 六年二月，京師地震，有聲如雷，藍田山裂水湧。
In the sixth month of the third year of Qianfu (876), on the yichou day, an earthquake struck Xiongzhou and did not stop until the xinsi day of the seventh month; the prefectural city and all its dwellings were destroyed, the ground sank and water gushed forth, and casualties were very heavy. In that same month, an earthquake struck Puzhou. In the twelfth month, the capital was shaken by an earthquake that could be heard. In the sixth month of the fourth year (877), on the gengyin day, an earthquake struck Xiongzhou. In the second month of the sixth year (879), an earthquake shook the capital with a sound like thunder; Lantian Mountain split open and water gushed forth.
123
中和三年秋，晉州地震，有聲如雷。
In the autumn of the third year of Zhonghe (883), an earthquake struck Jinzhou with a sound like thunder.
124
光啟二年春，成都地震，月中十數。 占曰：「兵、饑。」 十二月，魏州地震。
In the spring of the second year of Guangqi (886), Chengdu was shaken by earthquakes more than ten times within the month. The omen reading says: "War and famine." In the twelfth month, an earthquake struck Weizhou.
125
乾寧二年三月庚午，河東地震。
In the third month of the second year of Qianning (895), on the gengwu day, an earthquake struck Hedong.
126
山摧。
Mountains collapsing.
127
貞觀八年七月，隴右山摧。 山者高峻，自上而隕之象也。
In the seventh month of the eighth year of Zhenguan (634), mountains collapsed in Longyou. Mountains are lofty and steep; their collapse is an image of ruin falling from on high.
128
垂拱二年九月己巳，雍州新豐縣露臺鄉大風雨，震電，有山湧出，高二十丈，有池周三百畝，池中有龍鳳之形，禾麥之異，武后以為休應，名曰「慶山」。 荊州人俞文俊上言：「天氣不和而寒暑隔，人氣不和而贅疣生，地氣不和而堆阜出。 今陛下以女主居陽位，反易剛柔，故地氣隔塞，山變為災。 陛下以為『慶山』，臣以為非慶也。 宜側身脩德以答天譴，不然，恐災禍至。」 后怒，流于嶺南。
In the ninth month of the second year of Chuigong (686), on the jisi day, a great storm with thunder and lightning struck Lütai township in Xinfeng County, Yongzhou; a mountain suddenly surged up twenty zhang high, ringed by a pool three hundred mu around; within the pool appeared shapes of dragon and phoenix and strange grain and wheat; Empress Wu took this as a blessed omen and named it "Celebration Mountain." Yu Wenjun of Jingzhou submitted a memorial saying: "When heaven's qi falls out of harmony, cold and heat are estranged; when human qi falls out of harmony, wens and warts appear; when earth's qi falls out of harmony, mounds rise up. Now Your Majesty, a woman ruler occupying the yang position, has reversed hard and soft; therefore earthly qi is blocked and estranged, and mountains become calamity. Your Majesty calls it the 'Celebration Mountain,' but I hold that it is no cause for celebration. You should turn inward and cultivate virtue to answer Heaven's reproof; otherwise, I fear disaster will follow." The Empress was enraged and had him exiled to Lingnan.
129
永昌中，華州赤水南岸大山，晝日忽風昏，有聲隱隱如雷，頃之漸移東數百步，擁赤水，壓張村民三十餘家，山高二百餘丈，水深三十丈，坡上草木宛然。 金縢曰：「山徙者人君不用道，祿去公室，賞罰不由君，佞人執政，政在女主，不出五年，有走王。」
During the Yongchang era (689), on the south bank of the Chishui in Huazhou, a great mountain—in broad daylight the wind suddenly darkened the sky and a faint rumbling like thunder was heard; shortly the mountain shifted east several hundred paces, pressing against the Chishui and crushing more than thirty households of Zhang village; the mountain stood more than two hundred zhang high, the water thirty zhang deep, and the grasses and trees on the slope remained intact as before. The Metal Casket says: "When mountains shift, the ruler has abandoned the Way; emoluments leave the royal house; rewards and punishments no longer rest with the ruler; flatterers hold power; government lies with a woman; within five years there will be a king who flees."
130
開元十七年四月乙亥，大風震電，藍田山摧裂百餘步，畿內山也。 國主山川，山摧川竭，亡之證也。 占曰：「人君德消政易則然。」
In the fourth month of the seventeenth year of Kaiyuan (729), on the yihai day, a great wind with thunder and lightning struck; Lantian Mountain collapsed and split open for more than a hundred paces—it was a mountain within the capital region. The ruler of a state presides over its mountains and rivers; when mountains collapse and rivers run dry, these are signs of a state's ruin. The omen reading says: "When the ruler's virtue fades and government turns corrupt, then this occurs."
131
大曆九年十一月戊戌，同州夏陽有山徙于河上，聲如雷。 十三年，郴州黃芩山摧，壓死者數百人。
In the eleventh month of the ninth year of Dali (774), on the wuxu day, a mountain in Xiayang, Tongzhou, shifted onto the river with a sound like thunder. In the thirteenth year (778), Huangqin Mountain in Chenzhou collapsed, crushing several hundred people to death.
132
建中二年，霍山裂。
In the second year of Jianzhong (781), Huo Mountain split open.
133
元和八年五月丁丑，大隗山摧。 十五年七月丁未，苑中土山摧，壓死二十人。
In the fifth month of the eighth year of Yuanhe (813), on the dingchou day, Great Wei Mountain collapsed. In the seventh month of the fifteenth year (820), on the dingwei day, an earthen hill in the imperial park collapsed, crushing twenty people to death.
134
光啟三年四月，維州山崩，累日不止，塵坌亙天，壅江水逆流。 占曰：「國破。」
In the fourth month of the third year of Guangqi (887), a mountain in Weizhou collapsed and went on for days without cease; dust filled the sky, dammed the river, and forced the water to flow backward. The omen reading says: "The state will be broken."
135
山鳴。
Mountains rumbling.
136
武德二年三月，太行山聖人崖有聲。 占曰：「有寇至。」
In the third month of the second year of Wude (619), Sage Cliff in the Taihang Mountains gave forth a sound. The omen reading says: "Invaders will arrive."
137
開元二十八年六月，吐蕃圍安戎城，斷水路，城東山鳴石坼，湧泉二。
In the sixth month of the twenty-eighth year of Kaiyuan (740), the Tibetans besieged Anrong Fortress and cut off its water supply; east of the city a mountain rumbled, stones split open, and two springs gushed forth.
138
土為變怪。
Earth manifesting strange transformations.
139
垂拱元年九月，淮南地生毛，或白或蒼，長者尺餘，遍居人牀下，揚州尤甚，大如馬鬣，焚之臭如燎毛。 占曰：「兵起，民不安。」
In the ninth month of the first year of Chuigong (685), hair sprouted from the ground in Huainan, white or gray-green, some more than a foot long; it spread beneath people's beds everywhere, Yangzhou worst of all, some tufts as large as a horse's mane; when burned, they smelled of singed hair. The omen reading says: "War will arise; the people will be unsettled."
140
長壽中，東都天宮寺泥像皆流汗霢霂。
During the Changshou era (692–694), the clay statues at Tiangong Temple in the Eastern Capital all sweated in a fine, steady drizzle.
141
天寶十一載六月，虢州閺鄉黃河中女媧墓因大雨晦冥，失其所在，至乾元二年六月乙未夜，瀕河人聞有風雷聲，曉見其墓踊出，下有巨石，上有雙柳，各長丈餘，時號風陵堆。 占曰：「塚墓自移，天下破。」 十三載，汝州葉縣南有土塊鬬，中有血出，數日不止。
In the sixth month of the eleventh year of Tianbao (752), the tomb of Nüwa in the Yellow River at Yinyi in Guozhou was lost to sight in heavy rain and murky darkness; then on the night of the sixth month of the second year of Qianyuan (759), the yiwei day, people along the river heard wind and thunder, and at dawn saw the tomb thrust up from the water; beneath it lay a great stone, and upon it stood twin willows, each more than a zhang tall; at the time it was called Fengling Mound. The omen reading says: "When tombs and graves shift of themselves, the realm will be broken." In the thirteenth year (754), south of Ye County in Ruzhou, clods of earth fought one another; blood welled from within them and flowed for several days without cease.
142
大曆六年四月戊寅，藍田西原地陷。
In the fourth month of the sixth year of Dali (771), on the wuyin day, the ground subsided on the western plain of Lantian.
143
建中初，魏州魏縣西四十里，地數畝忽長崇數尺。 四年四月甲子，京師地生毛，或黃或白，有長尺餘者。
At the beginning of the Jianzhong era (circa 780), forty li west of Wei County in Weizhou, several mu of ground suddenly swelled several chi high. In the fourth month of the fourth year (783), on the jiazi day, hair sprouted from the ground in the capital, yellow or white, some more than a foot long.
144
貞元四年四月，淮南及河南地生毛。
In the fourth month of the fourth year of Zhenyuan (788), hair sprouted from the ground in Huainan and Henan.
145
元和十二年四月，吳元濟郾城守將鄧懷金以城降，城自壞五十餘步。
In the fourth month of the twelfth year of Yuanhe (817), Deng Huaijin, the defending general of Yancheng under Wu Yuanji, surrendered the city, whereupon the city wall collapsed of its own for more than fifty paces.
146
大和六年二月，蘇州地震，生白毛。
In the second month of the sixth year of Dahe (832), Suzhou was shaken by an earthquake, and white hair sprouted from the ground.
147
長慶中，新都大道觀泥人生須數寸，拔之復生。
During the Changqing era (821–824), the clay figures at Dadao Abbey in Xindu grew beards several inches long; plucked out, they grew back again.
148
咸通五年十月，貞陵隧道摧陷。 神策軍有浮屠像，懿宗嘗跪禮之，像沒地四尺。
In the tenth month of the fifth year of Xiantong (864), the tunnel of Emperor Yizong's Zhenling tomb collapsed. The Shence Army possessed a Buddhist statue; Emperor Yizong once knelt and paid it reverence, and the statue sank four feet into the ground.
149
五行傳曰：「好攻戰，輕百姓，飾城郭，侵邊境，則金不從革。」 謂金失其性而為變怪也。 又曰：「言之不從，是謂不乂。 厥咎僭，厥罰常暘，厥極憂。 時則有詩妖、訛言，時則有毛蟲之孽，時則有太禍，時則有口舌之痾，時則有白眚白祥，惟木沴金。」
The Treatise on the Five Elements states: "When rulers love warfare, treat the common people lightly, adorn walls and ramparts, and encroach on the borderlands, then metal does not obey transformation. This refers to metal losing its proper character and manifesting as strange transformations. It further says: "When words are not heeded, this is called lack of good governance. The blame lies in presumption, the penalty in constant drought, and the extreme manifestation in sorrow. Then come poetic omens and slanderous rumors; calamities of hairy insects; great disasters; diseases of speech; white omens and white auspices; and wood alone harming metal."
150
金不從革。
Metal failing to obey transformation.
151
堯君素為隋守蒲州，兵器夜皆有光如火。 火鑠金，金所畏也，敗亡之象。 劉武周據幷州，兵勢甚盛，城上矟刃夜每有火光。
While Yao Junsu held Puzhou for the Sui, at night all the weapons gleamed like fire. Fire melts metal—metal's natural dread—and this was an omen of defeat and ruin. Liu Wuzhou held Bingzhou at the height of his power; each night the spear blades on the city walls gleamed with firelight.
152
貞觀十七年八月，涼州昌松縣鴻池谷有石五，青質白文成字曰：「高皇海出多子李元王八十年太平天子李世民千年太子李治書燕山人士樂太國主尚汪譂奬文仁邁千古大王五王六王七王十風毛才子七佛八菩薩及上果佛田天子文武貞觀昌大聖延四方上不治示孝仙戈八為善。」 太宗遣使祭之曰：「天有成命，表瑞貞石，文字昭然，曆數惟永，既旌高廟之業，又錫眇身之祚。 迨于皇太子治，亦降貞符，具紀姓氏。 甫惟寡薄，彌增寅懼。」 昔魏以土德代漢，涼州石有文。 石，金類，以五勝推之，故時人謂為魏氏之妖，而晉室之瑞。 唐亦土德王，石有文，事頗相類。 然其文初不可曉，而後人因推已事以驗之。 蓋武氏革命，自以為金德王，其「佛菩薩」者，慈氏金輪之號也； 「樂太國主」則鎮國太平公主、安樂公主，皆以女亂國； 其「五王六王七王」者，唐世十八之數。
In the eighth month of the seventeenth year of Zhenguan (643), at Hongchi Valley in Changsong County, Liangzhou, five green stones appeared bearing white inscriptions prophesying the reign of Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan, the eighty-year rule of Taiping Son of Heaven Li Shimin (Emperor Taizong), the thousand-year succession of Crown Prince Li Zhi, titles for princes and talented men, praise for the Wen-Wu Son of Heaven, and the flourishing Zhenguan era of great sagehood extending in all directions." Emperor Taizong sent an envoy to make sacrifice, saying: 「Heaven has fulfilled its mandate; the auspicious stone displays its portent; the characters shine clearly; the succession is everlasting; it honors the ancestral temple's achievement and grants this unworthy person the throne. It extends even to Crown Prince Zhi, granting tokens of legitimacy and recording the imperial surname in full. I am unworthy and slight, and this only deepens my reverence and alarm." In former times Wei replaced Han under the virtue of earth, and stones in Liangzhou bore inscriptions. Stone belongs to the metal phase; by the logic of mutual conquest among the five phases, people at the time took it as an ill omen for Wei and an auspice for Jin. Tang also ruled under the virtue of earth, and inscribed stones appeared—a case much the same. Yet at first the inscription could not be deciphered; later people retrofitted past events to confirm it. Presumably the Wu clan's revolution, claiming to reign under the virtue of metal, took its 「Buddhas and Bodhisattvas」 as the title of the Maitreya Golden Wheel; 「Lord of Joy in the Great State」 referred to Princess Zhenguo Taiping and Princess Anle—both of whom brought the state to disorder through women; Its 「Five Kings, Six Kings, and Seven Kings」 pointed to the number eighteen among Tang emperors.
153
垂拱三年七月，魏州地出鐵如船數十丈。 廣州雨金。 金位正秋，為刑、為兵。 占曰：「人君多殺無辜，一年兵災于朝。」
In the seventh month of the third year of Chuigong (687), iron emerged from the ground in Weizhou in a mass like a ship dozens of feet long. Gold rained in Guangzhou. Metal corresponds to mid-autumn; it signifies punishment and warfare. The omen reading says: "When the ruler kills many innocent people, within a year military disaster will strike at court."
154
開元二十三年十二月乙巳，龍池聖德頌石自鳴，其音清遠如鐘磬。 石與金同類。 春秋傳「怨讟動于民，則有非言之物言。」 石鳴，近石言也。
In the twelfth month of the twenty-third year of Kaiyuan (735), on the yisi day, the stone bearing the Ode to Sagely Virtue of Dragon Pool rang of itself, its tone clear and far-reaching like bells and chimes. Stone belongs to the same category as metal. The Zuo Commentary says: 「When resentment and slander stir among the people, then things that do not speak will speak." Stones ringing—this approximates stones speaking.
155
天寶十載六月乙亥，大同殿前鐘自鳴。 占曰：「庶雄為亂。」
In the sixth month of the tenth year of Tianbao (751), on the yihai day, the bell before the Datong Hall rang of itself. The omen reading says: "Lesser strongmen will rise in rebellion."
156
至德二載，昭陵石馬汗出。 昔周武帝之克晉州也，齊有石像，汗流濕地，此其類也。
In the second year of Zhide (757), the stone horses at Emperor Taizong's Zhaoling Mausoleum sweated. Formerly when Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou captured Jizhou, a stone image in Qi sweated until the ground was soaked—this was of the same kind.
157
乾元二年七月乙亥晝，渾天儀有液如汗下流。
In the seventh month of the second year of Qianyuan (759), on the yihai day, at midday the armillary sphere exuded liquid like sweat flowing downward.
158
上元二年，楚州獻寶玉十三：曰「玄黃天符」，形如笏，長八寸，有孔，云辟兵疫； 曰「玉雞毛」，白玉也； 曰「穀璧」，亦白玉也，粟粒自然，無雕鐫迹； 曰「西王母白環」二； 曰「如意寶珠」，大如雞卵； 曰「紅靺鞨」，大如巨粟； 曰「琅玕珠」二，形如玉環，四分缺一； 曰「玉印」，大如半手，理如鹿，陷入印中； 曰「皇后採桑鉤」如箸屈其末； 曰「雷公石斧」無孔； 其一闕。 凡十三。 寘之日中，白氣連天。
In the second year of Shangyuan (761), Chuzhou presented thirteen precious jades: one called 「Black and Yellow Heavenly Talisman」, shaped like an official tablet, eight inches long, with a hole, said to ward off warfare and pestilence; one called 「Jade Cock Feather」, of white jade; one called 「Grain Disk」, also of white jade, with millet grains formed naturally and no trace of carving or incising; two called 「White Ring of the Queen Mother of the West」; one called 「Wishing-fulfillment Precious Pearl」, as large as a chicken's egg; one called 「Red Mohe」, as large as a large grain of millet; two called 「Langgan Pearls」, shaped like jade rings with one quarter missing; one called 「Jade Seal」, half the size of a hand, with a deer-like grain pattern sunk into the seal; one called 「Queen's Silkworm-gathering Hook」, like chopsticks with the tip bent inward; one called 「Lord of Thunder's Stone Axe」, without a hole; One piece was missing. In all, thirteen. When they were placed in the sun at midday, white vapor rose to the sky.
159
元和中，文水武士彠碑失其龜頭。 翰林院有鈴，夜中文書入，則引之以代傳呼，長慶中，河北用兵，夜輒自鳴，與軍中息耗相應，聲急則軍事急，聲緩則軍事緩。 資州有石方丈，走行數畝。
During the Yuanhe era (806–820), the tortoise head of Wu Shiyi's stele in Wenshui was lost. The Hanlin Academy had a bell that was rung at night when documents arrived, replacing shouted announcements. During the Changqing era (821–824), while Hebei was at war, it rang of itself at night in correspondence with military news—when the sound was urgent, military affairs were urgent; when slow, affairs were slow. In Zizhou there was a square stone one zhang across that moved on its own, traveling several mu.
160
大和三年，南蠻圍成都，毀玉晨殿為礧，有吼聲三，乃止。 四年五月己卯，通化南北二門鎖不可開，鑰入，如有持之者。 破其管，門乃啟。 又浙西觀察使王璠治潤州城隍，中得方石，有刻文曰：「山有石，石有玉，玉有瑕，瑕即休。」
In the third year of Dahe (829), southern tribes besieged Chengdu and demolished the Yuchen Hall for catapult stones; there were three roars, then it stopped. In the fifth month of the fourth year (830), on the jimao day, the locks on the north and south gates of Tonghua could not be opened; when the key was inserted, it was as if someone held it fast. When the lock cylinder was broken, the gate then opened. Moreover Zhexi Observation Commissioner Wang Fan repaired the wall and moat of Runzhou and found a square stone within, with an inscription reading: 「In mountains there is stone; in stone there is jade; in jade there is a flaw—when the flaw appears, stop."
161
廣明元年，華岳廟玄宗御製碑隱隱然有聲，聞數里間，浹旬乃止。 近石言也。
In the first year of Guangming (880), at the Mount Hua temple the stele inscribed by Emperor Xuanzong faintly gave forth a sound audible for several li; after ten days it stopped. This approximates stones speaking.
162
光化三年冬，武德殿前鐘聲忽嘶嗄； 天復元年九月，聲又變小。
In the winter of the third year of Guanghua (900), the bell before Wude Hall suddenly turned hoarse and raspy; In the ninth month of the first year of Tianfu (901), the sound again grew smaller.
163
常暘。
Persistent drought.
164
武德三年夏，旱，至于八月乃雨。 四年，自春不雨，至于七月。 雨，少陰之氣，其氣毀則不雨。 少陰者，金也，金為刑、為兵，刑不辜，兵不戢，則金氣毀，故常為旱。 火為盛陽，陽氣彊悍，故聖人制禮以節之。 禮失則僭而驕炕，以導盛陽，火勝則金衰，故亦旱。 於五行，土實制水，土功興則水氣壅閼，又常為旱。 天官有東井，主水事，天漢、天江，亦水祥也。 水與火仇，而受制于土，土火謫見，若日蝕過分而未至，與七曜循中道之南，皆旱祥也。 七年秋，關內、河東旱。
In the summer of the third year of Wude (620), drought persisted until rain finally came in the eighth month. In the fourth year (621), no rain fell from spring until the seventh month. Rain belongs to the qi of lesser yin; when that qi is damaged, rain fails. Lesser yin is metal; metal signifies punishment and warfare; when the innocent are punished and armies are not restrained, the qi of metal is damaged, and drought commonly follows. Fire is flourishing yang; yang qi is fierce and overbearing; therefore the sages established ritual to restrain it. When ritual fails, presumption, pride, and arrogance arise, feeding flourishing yang; when fire overcomes metal, drought follows as well. Among the five phases, earth truly restrains water; when earthworks are undertaken on a large scale, the qi of water is obstructed, and drought commonly results. In the celestial offices there is the Eastern Well, governing water affairs; the Celestial River and Heavenly River are also water omens. Water is hostile to fire yet subject to earth's restraint; when earth and fire appear as censures—as when an eclipse passes the allotted degree without fully arriving, or when the seven luminaries travel south of the middle path—all are drought omens. In the autumn of the seventh year of Wude (624), drought struck Guannei and Hedong.
165
貞觀元年夏，山東大旱。 二年春，旱。 三年春、夏，旱。 四年春，旱。 自太上皇傳位至此，而比年水旱。 九年秋，劍南、關東州二十四，旱。 十二年，吳、楚、巴、蜀州二十六，旱； 冬，不雨，至于明年五月。 十七年春、夏，旱。 二十一年秋，陝、絳、蒲、夔等州旱。 二十二年秋，開、萬等州旱； 冬，不雨，至于明年三月。
In the summer of the first year of Zhenguan (627), Shandong suffered severe drought. In the spring of the second year (628), drought. In the spring and summer of the third year (629), drought. In the spring of the fourth year (630), drought. From the Taishang Huang's abdication to this point, flood and drought struck year after year. In the autumn of the ninth year (635), twenty-four prefectures in Jiannan and Guandong suffered drought. In the twelfth year (638), twenty-six prefectures in Wu, Chu, Ba, and Shu suffered drought; That winter brought no rain until the fifth month of the following year (639). In the spring and summer of the seventeenth year (643), drought. In the autumn of the twenty-first year (647), drought struck Shan, Jiang, Pu, Kui, and other prefectures. In the autumn of the twenty-second year (648), drought struck Kai, Wan, and other prefectures; That winter brought no rain until the third month of the following year (649).
166
永徽元年，京畿雍、同、絳等州十，旱。 二年九月，不雨，至于明年二月。 四年夏、秋，旱，光、婺、滁、潁等州尤甚。
In the first year of Yonghui (650), drought afflicted ten prefectures in the capital region, including Yong, Tong, and Jiang. In the ninth month of the second year (651), no rain fell until the second month of the following year (652). In the summer and autumn of the fourth year (653), drought struck; Guang, Wu, Chu, Ying, and other prefectures were hardest hit.
167
顯慶五年春，河北州二十二，旱。
In the spring of the fifth year of Xianqing (660), twenty-two prefectures in Hebei suffered drought.
168
總章元年，京師及山東、江淮大旱。 二年七月，劍南州十九，旱； 冬，無雪。
In the first year of Zongzhang (668), severe drought struck the capital, Shandong, and the Jianghuai region. In the seventh month of the second year (669), nineteen prefectures in Jiannan suffered drought; That winter brought no snow.
169
咸亨元年春，旱； 秋，復大旱。
In the spring of the first year of Xianheng (670), drought; In autumn, severe drought returned.
170
儀鳳二年夏，河南、河北旱。 三年四月，旱。
In the summer of the second year of Yifeng (677), drought struck Henan and Hebei. In the fourth month of the third year (678), drought.
171
永隆二年，關中旱，霜，大饑。
In the second year of Yonglong (681), Guanzhong suffered drought and frost, and a great famine followed.
172
永淳元年，關中大旱，饑。 二年夏，河南、河北旱。
In the first year of Yongchun (682), severe drought struck Guanzhong, and famine ensued. In the summer of the second year (683), drought struck Henan and Hebei.
173
永昌元年三月，旱。
In the third month of the first year of Yongchang (689), drought.
174
神功元年，黃、隋等州旱。
In the first year of Shengong (698), drought afflicted Huang, Sui, and other prefectures.
175
久視元年夏，關內、河東旱。
In the summer of the first year of Jiushi (700), drought struck Guannei and Hedong.
176
長安二年春，不雨，至于六月。 三年冬，無雪，至于明年二月。
In the spring of the second year of Chang'an (702), no rain fell until the sixth month. That winter of the third year (703) brought no snow until the second month of the following year (704).
177
神龍二年冬，不雨，至于明年五月，京師、山東、河北、河南旱，饑。
In the winter of the second year of Shenlong (706), no rain fell until the fifth month of the following year (707); drought struck the capital, Shandong, Hebei, and Henan, and famine followed.
178
太極元年春，旱； 七月復旱。
In the spring of the first year of Taiji (712), drought; In the seventh month, drought returned.
179
開元二年春，大旱。 十二年七月，河東、河北旱，帝親禱雨宮中，設壇席，暴立三日。 九月，蒲、同等州旱。 十四年秋，諸道州十五，旱。 十五年，諸道州十七，旱。 十六年，東都、河南、宋亳等州旱。 二十四年夏，旱。
In the spring of the second year of Kaiyuan (714), severe drought. In the seventh month of the twelfth year (724), Hedong and Hebei suffered drought; the emperor personally prayed for rain within the palace, set up an altar and mats, and stood exposed in penance for three days. In the ninth month, drought struck Pu, Tong, and other prefectures. In the autumn of the fourteenth year (726), fifteen prefectures across the circuits suffered drought. In the fifteenth year (727), seventeen prefectures across the circuits suffered drought. In the sixteenth year (728), drought struck the Eastern Capital, Henan, Song, Bo, and other prefectures. In the summer of the twenty-fourth year (736), drought.
180
永泰元年春、夏，旱。 二年，關內大旱，自三月不雨，至于六月。
In the spring and summer of the first year of Yongtai (765), drought. In the second year (766), Guannei suffered severe drought; from the third month no rain fell until the sixth month.
181
大曆六年春，旱，至于八月。
In the spring of the sixth year of Dali (771), drought persisted until the eighth month.
182
建中三年，自五月不雨，至于七月。
In the third year of Jianzhong (782), no rain fell from the fifth month until the seventh month.
183
興元元年冬，大旱。
In the winter of the first year of Xingyuan (784), severe drought.
184
貞元元年春，旱，無麥苗，至于八月，旱甚，灞、滻將竭，井皆無水。 六年春，關輔大旱，無麥苗； 夏，淮南、浙西、福建等道大旱，井泉竭，人暍且疫，死者甚眾。 七年，揚、楚、滁、壽、澧等州旱。 十四年春，旱，無麥。 十五年夏，旱。 十八年夏，申、光、蔡州旱。 十九年正月，不雨，至七月甲戌乃雨。
In the spring of the first year of Zhenyuan (785), drought left no wheat seedlings; by the eighth month the drought was severe, the Ba and Chan rivers nearly ran dry, and wells everywhere went dry. In the spring of the sixth year (790), Guanfu suffered severe drought, and no wheat seedlings appeared; That summer, Huainan, Zhexi, Fujian, and other circuits suffered severe drought; wells and springs ran dry; heatstroke and plague killed a great many people. In the seventh year (791), Yang, Chu, Chuzhou, Shou, Li, and other prefectures suffered drought. In the spring of the fourteenth year (798), drought brought no wheat harvest. In the summer of the fifteenth year (799), drought. In the summer of the eighteenth year (802), Shen, Guang, and Cai prefectures suffered drought. In the first month of the nineteenth year (803), no rain fell until the jiaxu day of the seventh month, when rain finally came.
185
永貞元年秋，江浙、淮南、荊南、湖南、鄂岳陳許等州二十六，旱。
In the autumn of the first year of Yongzhen (805), twenty-six prefectures in Jiangzhe, Huainan, Jingnan, Hunan, E(Yue), Chen, Xu, and other regions suffered drought.
186
元和三年，淮南、江南、江西、湖南、廣南、山南東西皆旱。 四年春、夏，大旱； 秋，淮南、浙西、江西、江東旱。 七年夏，揚、潤等州旱。 八年夏，同、華二州大旱。 十五年夏，旱。
In the third year of Yuanhe (808), Huainan, Jiangnan, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangnan, and the eastern and western Shannan circuits all suffered drought. In the spring and summer of the fourth year (809), severe drought; In autumn, Huainan, Zhexi, Jiangxi, and Jiangdong suffered drought. In the summer of the seventh year (812), Yang, Run, and other prefectures suffered drought. In the summer of the eighth year (813), Tong and Hua prefectures suffered severe drought. In the summer of the fifteenth year (820), drought.
187
寶曆元年秋，荊南、淮南、浙西、江西、湖南及宣、襄、鄂等州旱。
In the autumn of the first year of Baoli (825), Jingnan, Huainan, Zhexi, Jiangxi, Hunan, Xuan, Xiang, E, and other prefectures suffered drought.
188
大和元年夏，京畿、河中、同州旱。 六年，河東、河南、關輔旱。 七年秋，大旱。 八年夏，江淮及陝、華等州旱。 九年秋，京兆、河南、河中、陝華同等州旱。
In the summer of the first year of Taihe (827), the capital region, Hezhong, and Tong Prefecture suffered drought. In the sixth year (832), Hedong, Henan, and Guanfu suffered drought. In the autumn of the seventh year (833), severe drought. In the summer of the eighth year (834), Jianghuai and Shan, Hua, and other prefectures suffered drought. In the autumn of the ninth year (835), Jingzhao, Henan, Hezhong, Shan, Hua, Tong, and other prefectures suffered drought.
189
開成二年春、夏，旱。 四年夏，旱，浙東尤甚。
In the spring and summer of the second year of Kaicheng (837), drought. In the summer of the fourth year (839), drought struck, Zhedong hardest of all.
190
會昌五年春，旱。 六年春，不雨； 冬，又不雨，至明年二月。
In the spring of the fifth year of Huichang (845), drought. In the spring of the sixth year (846), no rain fell; That winter brought no rain again until the second month of the following year (847).
191
大中四年，大旱。
In the fourth year of Dazhong (850), severe drought.
192
咸通二年秋，淮南、河南不雨，至于明年六月。 九年，江淮旱。 十年夏，旱。 十一年夏，旱。
In the autumn of the second year of Xiantong (861), Huainan and Henan received no rain until the sixth month of the following year (862). In the ninth year (868), Jianghuai suffered drought. In the summer of the tenth year (869), drought. In the summer of the eleventh year (870), drought.
193
廣明元年春、夏，大旱。
In the spring and summer of the first year of Guangming (880), severe drought.
194
中和四年，江南大旱，饑，人相食。
In the fourth year of Zhonghe (884), Jiangnan suffered severe drought and famine, and people resorted to cannibalism.
195
景福二年秋，大旱。
In the autumn of the second year of Jingfu (893), severe drought.
196
光化三年冬，京師旱，至于四年春。
In the winter of the third year of Guanghua (900), drought struck the capital and persisted until the spring of the fourth year (901).
197
詩妖。
Poetic omens.
198
竇建德未敗時，有謠曰：「豆入牛口，勢不得久。」
Before Dou Jiande's defeat, a rhyme ran: "The bean enters the ox's mouth; the force cannot last long."
199
貞觀十四年，交河道行軍大總管侯君集伐高昌。 先是其國中有童謠曰：「高昌兵馬如霜雪，漢家兵馬如日月，日月照霜雪，回首自消滅。」
In the fourteenth year of Zhenguan (640), Hou Junji, grand general of the mobile column on the Jiaohe Circuit, attacked Gaochang. Earlier, within that kingdom a children's rhyme ran: "Gaochang's troops are like frost and snow; the Han house's troops are like sun and moon. Sun and moon shine upon frost and snow, and looking back they vanish of themselves."
200
永徽後，民歌武媚娘曲。
After the Yonghui era (650 onward), the people sang the song of Wu Meiniang.
201
調露初，京城民謠有「側堂堂，橈堂堂」之言。 太常丞李嗣真曰：「側者，不正； 橈者，不安。 自隋以來，樂府有堂堂曲，再言堂堂者，唐再受命之象。」
At the beginning of the Diaolu era (679), a capital folk rhyme ran, "Ce tangtang, rao tangtang." Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Li Sizhen said: "Ce means not upright; rao means unsettled. Since the Sui, the Music Bureau has had a Tangtang tune; to speak of tangtang twice is an image of Tang receiving the mandate anew."
202
永淳元年七月，東都大雨，人多殍殕。 先是童謠曰：「新禾不入箱，新麥不入場，迨及八九月，狗吠空垣牆。」
In the seventh month of the first year of Yongchun (682), heavy rain struck the Eastern Capital, and many people died of exposure and starvation. Earlier a children's rhyme had run: "New rice never reaches the bin, new wheat never reaches the threshing floor; by the eighth and ninth months, dogs bark at empty courtyard walls."
203
高宗自調露中欲封嵩山，屬突厥叛而止； 後又欲封，以吐蕃入寇遂停。 時童謠曰：「嵩山凡幾層，不畏登不得，但恐不得登，三度徵兵馬，傍道朾騰騰。」
From the Diaolu era onward Emperor Gaozong wished to perform the feng and shan rites at Mount Song, but stopped when the Turks rebelled; Later he again wished to perform the rites, but halted when Tibet invaded. At the time a children's rhyme ran: "Mount Song has how many tiers? Do not fear that one cannot climb; only fear that one will not be allowed to climb. Three times troops are levied, and along the road they stamp and thunder."
204
永徽末，里歌有桑條韋也、女時韋也樂。
At the end of the Yonghui era (655), neighborhood songs included "Sangtiao Wei ye" and "Nüshi Wei ye le."
205
龍朔中，時人飲酒令曰：「子母相去離，連臺拗倒。」 俗謂盃盤為子母，又名盤為臺。 又里歌有突厥鹽。
During the Longshuo era (661–663), drinking-game verses ran: "Mother and child part and separate; linked trays topple together. The common people called cups and plates "mother and child," and also called a plate a "platform." Neighborhood songs also included "Tujue yan" (Turkic salt).
206
永淳後，民歌曰：「楊柳楊柳漫頭駝。」
After the Yongchun era, the people sang: "Willow, willow, camels cover the head."
207
垂拱後，東都有契苾兒歌，皆淫豔之詞。 契苾，張易之小字也。
After the Chuigong era (685 onward), the Eastern Capital had Qibi'er songs, all lascivious in wording. Qibi was the childhood name of Zhang Yizhi.
208
如意初，里歌曰：「黃麞黃麞草裏藏，彎弓射爾傷。」 其後，壬孝傑敗於黃麞谷。
At the beginning of the Ruyi era (692), a neighborhood song ran: "Yellow river-deer, yellow river-deer, hiding in the grass—bending the bow, I shoot and wound you." Later Wang Xiaojie was defeated at Huangzhi Valley.
209
神龍以後，民謠曰：「山南烏鵲窠，山北金駱駝，鐮柯不鑿孔，斧子不施柯。」 山南，唐也，烏鵲窠者，人居寡也； 山北，胡也，金駱駝者，虜獲而重載也。 安樂公主於洛州造安樂寺，童謠曰：「可憐安樂寺，了了樹頭懸。」
After the Shenlong era (705 onward), a folk rhyme ran: "South of the mountains, magpie nests; north of the mountains, golden camels. The sickle handle needs no bored hole; the axe needs no fitted helve." "South of the mountains" is Tang; "magpie nests" means few people dwelling; "North of the mountains" is the barbarians; "golden camels" means captives taken and heavily laden with booty. Princess Anle built Anle Temple in Luozhou; a children's rhyme ran: "Pitiable Anle Temple—clearly hung from the treetops."
210
景龍中，民謠曰：「黃牸犢子挽紖斷，兩足踏地鞵𪎱斷，城南黃牸犢子韋。」 又有阿緯娘歌。 時又謠曰：「可憐聖善寺，身著綠毛衣，牽來河裏飲，踏殺鯉魚兒。」
During the Jinglong era (707–710), a folk rhyme ran: "The yellow heifer calf breaks the harness rope; both feet on the ground, the shoe straps snap—south of the city, the yellow heifer calf is Wei." There was also the Awei-niang song. At the time another rhyme ran: "Pitiable Shengshan Temple—clad in a green wool coat, led to the river to drink, trampling the carp to death."
211
玄宗在潞州，有童謠曰：「羊頭山北作朝堂。」
When Emperor Xuanzong was at Luzhou, a children's rhyme ran: "North of Yangtou Mountain, build the court hall."
212
天寶中，有術士李遐周於玄都觀院廡間為詩曰：「燕市人皆去，函關馬不歸，人逢山下鬼，環上繫羅衣。」 而人皆不悟，近詩妖也。 又祿山未反時，童謠曰：「燕燕飛上天，天上女兒鋪白氈，氈上有千錢。」 時幽州又有謠曰：「舊來誇戴竿，今日不堪看，但看五月裏，清水河邊見契丹。」
During the Tianbao era (742–756), the adept Li Xiazhou wrote a poem in the corridor of Xuandu Temple: "The people of Yan's market all depart; the horses of Hangu Pass do not return. One meets the ghost beneath the mountain; on the ring a gauze robe is tied." Yet no one understood the portent—it was a case of poetic omen. Before An Lushan rebelled, a children's rhyme ran: "Swallows fly up to heaven; a heavenly maiden spreads white felt; on the felt lie a thousand coins." At the time Youzhou also had a rhyme: "Once they boasted of Dai's pole; today it is unfit to look upon—just watch in the fifth month, and by the Qing River you will see the Khitan."
213
德宗時，或為詩曰：「此水連涇水，雙眸血滿川，青牛逐朱虎，方號太平年。」 近詩妖也。 朱泚未敗前兩月，有童謠曰：「一隻筯，兩頭朱，五六月，化為胆。」
During Emperor Dezong's reign, someone wrote a poem: "This water joins the Jing River; both eyes fill the stream with blood; a green ox chases a red tiger—and then they call it a year of great peace." It was another poetic omen. Two months before Zhu Ci's defeat, a children's rhyme ran: "One chopstick, red at both ends—in the fifth or sixth month it turns to gall."
214
元和初，童謠曰：「朾麥朾麥三三三。」 乃轉身曰：「舞了也。」
At the beginning of the Yuanhe era (806), a children's rhyme ran: "Zheng mai, zheng mai—three, three, three." Then turning around it added: "The dance is finished."
215
大中末，京師小兒疊布漬水，紐之向日，謂之曰「拔暈」。
Near the end of the Dazhong era (859), children in the capital stacked wet cloth, twisted it toward the sun, and called the game "pulling the dizzy spell."
216
咸通七年，童謠曰：「草青青，被嚴霜，鵲始後，看顛狂。」 十四年，成都童謠曰：「咸通癸巳，出無所之，蛇去馬來，道路稍開，頭無片瓦，地有殘灰。」 是歲，歲陰在巳，明年在午。 巳，蛇也； 午，馬也。
In the seventh year of Xiantong (866), a children's rhyme ran: "Grass green-green, struck by hard frost—after the magpie begins, watch for madness." In the fourteenth year (873), a Chengdu children's rhyme ran: "Xiantong, year guisi—go out with nowhere to go; the snake departs and the horse comes; the road opens a little; not a tile on the head, but ash on the ground." That year the cyclical branch was si; the following year would be wu. Si corresponds to the snake; wu corresponds to the horse.
217
僖宗時，童謠曰：「金色蝦蟆爭努眼，翻却曹州天下反。」
During Emperor Xizong's reign, a children's rhyme ran: "Golden toads strain their eyes—overturn Caozhou and the realm rises in revolt."
218
乾符六年，童謠曰：「八月無霜寒草青，將軍騎馬出空城，漢家天子西巡狩，猶向江東更索兵。」
In the sixth year of Qianfu (879), a children's rhyme ran: "In the eighth month, no frost yet the cold grass is green; a general rides out of an empty city; the Son of Heaven of Han hunts westward—yet still seeks troops from the lands east of the Yangtze."
219
中和初，童謠曰：「黃巢走，泰山東，死在翁家翁。」
At the beginning of the Zhonghe era (881), a children's rhyme ran: "Huang Chao flees east of Mount Tai—he dies at old man Weng's house, old man Weng."
220
訛言。
False rumors.
221
貞觀十七年七月，民訛言官遣棖棖殺人，以祭天狗。 云其來也，身衣狗皮，鐵爪，每於闇中取人心肝而去。 於是更相震怖，每夜驚擾，皆引弓劍自防，無兵器者剡竹為之，郊外不敢獨行。 太宗惡之，令通夜開諸坊門，宣旨慰諭，月餘乃止。
In the seventh month of the seventeenth year of Zhenguan (643), a rumor spread that officials had sent demon-hunters called "cheng cheng" to kill people as sacrifices to the Heavenly Dog. They said the creature wore dog skin and iron claws, and in the dark it would seize people's hearts and livers and vanish. Panic spread; every night the city was thrown into alarm. People armed themselves with bows and swords, and those without weapons carved bamboo substitutes; no one dared walk alone in the suburbs. Emperor Taizong abhorred the panic. He ordered ward gates kept open all night and sent edicts of reassurance; after more than a month the scare subsided.
222
武后時，民飲酒謳歌，曲終而不盡者，謂之「族鹽」。
Under Empress Wu, when people drank and sang, a song whose melody ended but whose words were not exhausted was called "clan salt."
223
開元二十七年十月，改作東都明堂，訛言官取小兒埋明堂下，以為厭勝。 村野兒童藏于山谷，都城騷然，或言兵至。 玄宗惡之，遣使慰諭，久之乃止。
In the tenth month of Kaiyuan 27 (739), while the Bright Hall in the Eastern Capital was being rebuilt, a rumor spread that officials were burying children beneath it as a ritual to ward off misfortune. Children in villages and the countryside hid in the hills; the capital was in uproar, and some said soldiers were coming. Emperor Xuanzong was troubled by the panic and sent envoys to reassure the people; only after a long while did the disturbance die down.
224
天寶三載二月辛亥，有星如月，墜于東南，墜後有聲，京師訛言官遣棖棖捕人，取肝以祭天狗，人頗恐懼，畿內尤甚，遣使安諭之，與貞觀十七年占同。
On xinhai day in the second month of Tianbao 3 (744), a moon-sized star fell in the southeast with a sound afterward. The capital rumor of "cheng cheng" demon-hunters seizing livers for the Heavenly Dog spread again; fear was widespread, especially in the capital region. Envoys were dispatched to calm the people—the same portent as in Zhenguan 17.
225
天寶後，詩人多為憂苦流寓之思，及寄興于江湖僧寺。 而樂曲亦多以邊地為名，有伊州、甘州、涼州等，至其曲遍繁聲，皆謂之「入破」。 又有胡旋舞，本出康居，以旋轉便捷為巧，時又尚之。 破者，蓋破碎云。
After the Tianbao era, poets increasingly wrote of sorrow, hardship, and exile, finding their themes on rivers, lakes, and in Buddhist temples. Musical pieces too were often named for frontier regions—Yizhou, Ganzhou, Liangzhou, and the like—and when a tune reached its dense, elaborate climax, it was called "entering the break." There was also the Hu whirl dance, originally from Kangju, prized for its swift spinning; the age admired it. "Break" here meant shattering—a sign of ruin.
226
建中三年秋，江淮訛言有毛人食其心，人情大恐。 朱泚既僭號，名其舊第曰潛龍宮，移內府珍貨以實之。 占者以為易稱「潛龍勿用」，此敗祥也。
In the autumn of Jianzhong 3 (782), a rumor spread through the Jiang-Huai region of hairy men who devoured human hearts, and the people were terrified. After Zhu Ci declared himself emperor, he named his old residence the Hidden Dragon Palace and stocked it with treasures from the inner palace. Diviners cited the Changes: "The hidden dragon—do not act"—and took this as an omen of defeat.
227
大和九年，京師訛言鄭注為上合金丹，生取小兒心肝，密旨捕小兒無算。 往往陰相告曰：「某處失幾兒矣。」 方士言金丹可致神仙，蓋誕妄不經之語，或信而服之，則發熱多死，如有所戒云。 小兒，無辜者，取其心肝，將有殺戮象。
In Dahe 9 (835), the capital rumor held that Zheng Zhu was making elixir pills for the emperor by seizing children's hearts and livers alive; secret orders were said to have taken untold numbers of children. People whispered to one another: "So many children have vanished from such-and-such a place." Adepts claimed golden elixir could make one immortal—absurd nonsense—but those who believed and took it mostly died of fever, as if heaven itself were warning against it. Seizing the hearts and livers of innocent children foretold slaughter.
228
劉從諫未死時，潞州有狂人折腰於市曰：「石雄七千人至矣。」 從諫捕斬之。
Before Liu Congjian died, a madman in Luzhou bowed in the market and cried: "Shi Xiong's seven thousand men have arrived." Congjian had him arrested and executed.
229
咸通十四年秋，成都訛言有㹫母鬼夜入人家，民皆恐，夜則聚坐。 或曰某家見鬼，眼晃然如燈焰，民益懼。
In the autumn of Xiantong 14 (873), Chengdu rumor told of a "tan mu" demon entering homes at night; the people were terrified and sat together in groups after dark. Some said a household had seen the ghost, its eyes flickering like lamp flames, and fear deepened.
230
黃巢未入京師時，都人以黃米及黑豆屑蒸食之，謂之「黃賊打黑賊」。 僖宗時，里巷鬬者激怒，言：「任見右廂天子。」
Before Huang Chao entered the capital, people steamed yellow millet mixed with black bean crumbs and called the dish "Yellow Bandit beats Black Bandit." During Emperor Xizong's reign, brawlers in the alleys, in a rage, would say: "Just wait until you see the Son of Heaven of the Right Wing."
231
毛蟲之孽。
Calamities involving hairy beasts.
232
永徽中，河源軍有狼三，晝入軍門，射之，斃。
During the Yonghui era (650–655), three wolves entered the gate of Heyuan Army by daylight and were shot dead.
233
永淳中，嵐、勝州兔害稼，千萬為羣，食苗盡，兔亦不復見。
During the Yongchun era (682), rabbits in Lan and Sheng prefectures ravaged the crops in swarms of millions, devouring every seedling before vanishing entirely.
234
開元三年，有熊晝入揚州城。
In Kaiyuan 3 (715), a bear entered Yangzhou city in broad daylight.
235
乾元二年十月，詔百官上勤政樓觀安西兵赴陝州，有狐出于樓上，獲之。
In the tenth month of Qianyuan 2 (759), officials were ordered to Qinzheng Tower to watch Anxi troops march toward Shanzhou; a fox appeared on the tower and was caught.
236
大曆四年八月己卯，虎入京師長壽坊宰臣元載家廟，射殺之。 虎，西方之屬，威猛吞噬，刑戮之象。 六年八月丁丑，獲白兔于太極殿之內廊。 占曰：「國有憂。 白，喪祥也。」
On jimao day in the eighth month of Dali 4 (769), a tiger entered Chief Minister Yuan Zai's family temple in Changshou Ward, Beijing, and was shot dead. The tiger belongs to the West—fierce and devouring—an omen of punishment and slaughter. On dingchou day in the eighth month of the sixth year (771), a white rabbit was caught in the inner corridor of the Hall of Supreme Ultimate. Divination reads: "The state faces grief. White is an omen of mourning."
237
建中三年九月己亥夜，虎入宣陽里，傷人二，詰朝獲之。
On the night of jihai in the ninth month of Jianzhong 3 (782), a tiger entered Xuanyang Lane, injuring two people; it was captured the next morning.
238
貞元二年二月乙丑，有野鹿至于含元殿前，獲之； 壬申，又有鹿至于含元殿前，獲之。 占曰：「有大喪。」 四年三月癸亥，有鹿至京師西市門，獲之。
On yichou day in the second month of Zhenyuan 2 (786), a wild deer came before the Hall of Encompassing Primacy and was captured; On renshen day, another deer came before the Hall of Encompassing Primacy and was captured. Divination reads: "Great mourning will follow." In the third month of the fourth year (788), on guihai day, a deer came to the West Market Gate of the capital and was captured.
239
開成四年四月，有麞出于太廟，獲之。
In the fourth month of Kaicheng 4 (839), a river-deer appeared in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and was captured.
240
犬禍。
Calamities involving dogs.
241
武德三年，突厥處羅可汗將入寇，夜聞犬羣嘷而不見犬。
In Wude 3 (620), as the Türk Chulo Qaghan prepared to invade, people heard dogs howling at night but saw no dogs.
242
武后初，酷吏丘神勣家狗生子皆無首，當項有孔如口，晝夜鳴吠，俄失所在。
Early in Empress Wu's reign, the harsh official Qiu Shenji's dogs whelped headless pups with mouth-like holes in their necks; they barked day and night, then vanished.
243
神功元年，安國獻兩首犬。 首多者，上不一也。
In Shengong 1 (697), Anguo presented a two-headed dog. Many heads signified that the ruler was not one.
244
天寶十一載，李林甫晨起盥飾將朝，取書囊視之，中有物如鼠，躍于地即變為狗，壯大雄目，張牙視林甫，林甫射之，中，殺然有聲，隨箭沒。
In Tianbao 11 (752), Li Linfu was dressing for court when he opened his book pouch and found something like a rat. It leapt to the floor and became a large, fierce-eyed dog that bared its teeth at him. Linfu shot it; there was a sharp crack, and it vanished with the arrow.
245
貞元七年，趙州柏鄉民李崇貞家黃犬乳犢。
In Zhenyuan 7 (791), Li Chongzhen of Baixiang in Zhao prefecture had a yellow dog that nursed a calf.
246
會昌三年，定州深澤令家狗生角。
In Huichang 3 (843), a dog in the magistrate of Shenze's household in Ding prefecture grew horns.
247
大中初，狗生角。 京房曰：「執正失將害之應。」 又曰：「君子危陷，則狗生角。」
At the beginning of the Dazhong era (847), dogs were reported growing horns. Jing Fang wrote: "When rectitude is upheld yet the general is lost—this is the omen of harm." He also wrote: "When gentlemen fall into peril, dogs grow horns."
248
咸通中，會稽有狗生而不能吠，擊之無聲。 狗職吠以守禦，其不能者，象鎮守者不能禦寇之兆。
During the Xiantong era (860–874), in Kuaiji a dog was born unable to bark; beating it produced no sound. A dog's duty is to bark in defense; one that cannot bark foretold that those charged with defense would fail against invaders.
249
成汭為荊南節度使，城中犬皆夜吠，日者向隱以為城郭將丘墟。
When Cheng Rui was military commissioner of Jingnan, every dog in the city barked at night; the calendrist Xiang Yin interpreted this as a sign that the city would become a ruin.
250
中和二年秋，丹徒狗與彘交。 占曰：「諸侯有謀害國者。」
In the autumn of Zhonghe 2 (882), in Dantu a dog mated with a pig. Divination reads: "Feudal lords plot to harm the state."
251
白眚白祥。
White calamities and white auspices.
252
調露元年十一月壬午，秦州神亭冶北霧開如日初耀，有白鹿、白狼見。 近白祥也。
On renwu day in the eleventh month of Tiaolu 1 (679), north of Shentingye in Qin prefecture the fog parted like the first light of dawn, and a white deer and white wolf were seen. It was a case of white auspice.
253
神龍二年四月己亥，雨毛于越州之鄮縣。 占曰：「邪人進，賢人遁。」
On jihai day in the fourth month of Shenlong 2 (706), hair rained down in Mao county, Yue prefecture. Divination reads: "Evil men advance and worthy men withdraw."
254
大曆二年七月甲戌日入時，有白氣亙天。 九月戊午夜，白霧起西北，亙天。 五年五月甲申，西北有白氣亙天。
On jiaxu day at sunset in the seventh month of Dali 2 (767), white vapor stretched across the sky. On the night of wuwu in the ninth month, white mist rose from the northwest and filled the sky. On jiashen day in the fifth month of the fifth year (770), white vapor in the northwest spanned the heavens.
255
貞元二十年九月庚辰甲夜，有白氣八，東西際天。
On gengchen day in the ninth month of Zhenyuan 20 (804), on jia night eight white vapors stretched from east to west across the sky.
256
大和三年八月，西方有白氣如柱。 七年十月已酉，西方又有白氣如柱者三。
In the eighth month of Dahe 3 (829), a pillar-like white vapor appeared in the west. On jiyou day in the tenth month of the seventh year (833), three pillar-like white vapors again appeared in the west.
257
光啟二年四月，有白氣頭黑如髮，自東南入于揚州滅。
In the fourth month of Guangqi 2 (886), a white vapor with a black, hair-like head entered Yangzhou from the southeast and disappeared.
258
光化二年三月乙巳，日中有白氣亙天，自西南貫于東北。
On yisi day in the third month of Guanghua 2 (899), white vapor within the sun spanned the heavens from southwest to northeast.
259
天復元年八月己亥，西方有白雲如履底，中出白氣如匹練，長五丈，上衝天，分為三彗，頭下垂。 占曰：「天下有兵。 白者，戰祥也。」
On jihai day in the eighth month of Tianfu 1 (901), in the west a white cloud shaped like a shoe sole appeared; from it white vapor like a bolt of silk, five zhang long, shot upward and split into three comet-like tails hanging down. Divination reads: "War will spread across the realm. White is an omen of battle."
260
木沴金。
Subsection: wood overcoming metal.
261
神龍中，東都白馬寺鐵像頭無故自落於殿門外。
During the Shenlong era (705–707), at White Horse Temple in the Eastern Capital the head of an iron statue fell off by itself outside the hall gate.
262
天寶五載四月，宰臣李適之常列鼎具膳羞，中夜，鼎躍出相鬬不解，鼎耳及足皆折。
In the fourth month of Tianbao 5 (746), Chief Minister Li Shizhi had set out tripods with a feast when at midnight the tripods leapt up and fought one another; their ears and legs all snapped off.
263
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Collation Notes