The ancients paid attention to "heaven and man induction".
It is believed that the heavens can intervene in the affairs of the world, and at the same time, people's actions can also move the heavens or anger the heavens.
The ancient emperors were known as the Son of Heaven, the sons of heaven, and if they did not practice benevolent government and offended the heavens, the heavenly lao tzu would be angry and would retaliate against mankind with various calamities.
If the Son of Heaven is diligent in government and loves the people, wise and wise, and creates a prosperous situation, the heavens will send down auspicious rui to express their affirmation of the Son of Heaven, and at the same time, the wind and rain will be smooth, and the country will be safe.
In ancient times, when earthquakes, droughts, floods, locusts, hailstorms and other catastrophic extreme weather occurred, the ancients would say that this was condemned by heaven.
After the disaster, the emperor would pray to the heavens, or issue a decree to reflect on his mistakes, and use various shows to calm the people's hearts.
If the disaster disappeared in time, the emperor would be overjoyed and order the historian to write a special book and exaggerate his "great achievements" infinitely.
When there was a calamity, most of the ancient emperors would stabilize the ruling situation by sacrificing the heavens and promulgating edicts for their sins, etc., of course, there were also very strange ways.
The "Zhenguan Politicians" records: "In the second year of Zhenguan, there was a drought in Beijing, and locusts rose up. Emperor Taizong entered the court to see the locusts..."
In the second year of Zhenguan (628 AD), a drought occurred near Chang'an City, followed by a plague of locusts.
Tang Taizong Li Shimin came to the self-reserved land of the royal garden and watched the scene of the crops being devoured by locusts, and his heart was full of sorrow.
Tang Taizong grabbed a few locusts and cursed, "People take the valley for their lives, and ru eating it is harmful to the people." The people have had it, and they have given it to one person, but when it erodes my heart, it is harmless to the people. ”
- Man feeds on grain, and you eat the crops, which is a scourge to the people! The people are at fault, and the fault is mine, and if you have spirituality, bite my heart, and do not harm the people!
Tang Taizong then swallowed it, and the ministers advised, "Fear of becoming a disease, don't do it!" "------------------------------------------------------
Tang Taizong said, "If you want to move the disaster and fall, what disease should be avoided!" He just wanted to transfer the calamity to his body, so how could he be afraid of getting sick?
Tang Taizong "swallowed it", which is strange to say, "since the locusts have not become a plague again", shortly thereafter, the disaster was alleviated, and the locusts disappeared without a trace.
When Song Taizong encountered a disaster, he emulated Tang Taizong and put on a show in a more bizarre way.
Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, proclaimed himself the Son of Taiping, and his first era of power was named "Taiping Xingguo", but unfortunately, during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Song, he was not very peaceful.
The "History of Song" records that during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Song for twenty-one years, there were eighteen more serious floods, droughts, and locust plagues.
The "History of Song" records: "In the second year of Chunhua's own life, he prayed for rain and rain with locusts, and commanded The Prime Minister Lü Mengzheng and so on: 'The Emperor will set himself on fire in order to answer the heavens. 'The next day it rained, and the locusts died. ”
In the spring and March of the second year of Chunhua (991), there was a long drought and no rain in many places in the Northern Song Dynasty, and Song Taizong organized officials to pray for rain collectively, but there was no effect.
In a hurry, Emperor Taizong of Song launched a poisonous oath and wrote a handwritten edict to the chancellor Lü Mengzheng, saying: "Shuo intends to set himself on fire in response to the condemnation of the heavens." ”
It just so happened, and the next day, God was very touched, and it began to rain.
The Zizhi Tongjian records more detailed:
Song Taizong also has a passage in the edict - "What is the sin of yuan yuan?" Heaven condemns it as it is, and it is also caused by the immorality of Gai. Qing waited to build one in front of the Wende Hall, and it would be exposed. For three days without rain, Qing and others burned together to answer the heavenly rebuke. ”
This text means:
What is the sin of the common people? You have built a high platform in front of the Wende Hall, and if it does not rain after three days, you will pile up firewood around the platform and raise a torch to burn to death, in return for heaven's condemnation!
Of course, Song Taizong's harsh words were just words.
Just a few days before the edict was issued, Emperor Taizong was still quite interested in "fortunate jin mingchi, royal dragon boat, and fortunate qionglin garden feast shooting", which was like a posture of self-immolation, and it was clear that he was in a very happy mood and had a good time.
Of course, the ministers did not dare to "burn it together to answer the heavenly rebuke", and Emperor Taizong did not "expose it" at all.
What happened next was very strange, after the edict was issued, "the next day it rained, the locusts died", just in time for the rain to come, the locusts were very interesting to die and warp.