Fang Shi Dai Yang left a splendid page in the Book of Jin. Dai Yang was exceptionally accurate in predicting the current situation, the events of rebellion and the life span of people. According to the records, Dai Yang’s predictions were not fulfilled in another life, but were verified at that time; not one thing, but all the predictions were fulfilled, and the history books praised Dai Yang’s prediction ability by saying that “all the predictions were fulfilled in an incomparable way”.
Dai Yang made several predictions for Zuyao, the general of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (? -Zuyao sometimes listened to his predictions and sometimes did not. Sometimes Zuyao would listen to the predictions, sometimes not, and the results would vary.
Zuyo’s brother Zu Ti (266-321, a famous general of the Eastern Jin Dynasty who was the governor of Yuzhou during the reign of Emperor Yuan of Jin) served as the General of Zhenxi. Before Zu Ti’s death, a demon star appeared in the Yu State division. Previously Dai Yang had predicted, “Zu Yu Zhou should die in September.” Another Fang Shi, Chen Xun, also said, “The great general in the northwest should die this year.” Zu Ti also saw the appearance of this star and said with a sigh, “This star should be on me. Just when I want to pacify Hebei, heaven is going to kill me, which is a bad sign for the country.” Soon afterwards, Zu Ti died, fulfilling the prediction of the Buddhist monk.
Saving an old acquaintance regardless of past suspicions
Zuyao inherited his brother’s post and guarded Qiao County, and asked Dai Yang to be the middle canon and promoted to the position of governor. In the first year of Yongchang, on the fourth month of the year Gengchen, a strong wind blew from the southeast at almost noon, breaking many trees. Dai Yang, who was good at reading wind signs, said to Zuyao, “In October, an enemy will definitely invade the eastern part of Qiao Cheng and reach Li Yang, and someone will plot a rebellion in the south.”
Wang Zhen, the chief bookkeeper, thought that Dai Yang was a demon who would disturb the army, so he told Zuyao that he had to be arrested. So he was put in prison and cut off all his food and drink for fifty days. Although there was no food or drink, Dai Yang still talked and laughed as usual. Knowing that Dai Yang had divine magic, Zuoyao pardoned him and rebuked Wang Zhen for acting too recklessly.
Later, when Wang Zhen was arrested for his crime, Dai Yang rushed to his rescue. Zuoyao knew that Wang Zhen had imprisoned Dai Yang before, and was surprised that Dai Yang was the one who rescued Wang Zhen from prison, so he asked Dai Yang why.
Dai Yang said: “This is because Wang Zhen does not know the art of wind angle (wind angle: ancient method of accounting for the wind to determine the auspiciousness of the five sounds), ah, is not an old grudge between us. In the past, when Wang Zhen was about to starve to death, I Dai Yang fed him, Wang Zhen still forget. Being rich but not abandoning poor friends is usually hard to do.” Sensing Dai Yang’s chivalry, Zuoyo pardoned Wang Zhen.
He didn’t listen to the prophecy but attacked, and the whole army was destroyed.
By October 3, Shih Le’s (274-333) cavalry did appear in the eastern part of Qiao Cheng. Dai Yang said to Zuyao, “The enemy army will definitely run towards Chengfu Yi, you can send cavalry to chase them on the south side of the river and send infantry to cut off their way on the north side of the river, and the bandits will surely be defeated.”
However, Zuyo did not listen to Dai Yang and did not send his troops to pursue them, and as a result, Shihle’s army plundered the women and supplies of Chengfu-eup. At this time, Zuyo’s general, Lu Yan, requested to go after them, but Dai Yang said, “No.”
Zuyao disobeyed Dai Yang and sent his brother Zu Ti’s sons, Zu Zhi and Lu Yan, to chase after the enemy army.
The Heavenly Sign Divides Victory and Defeat
At that time, the people of Liang gathered in a rebellion and drove away Yuan Yan, the governor of Liang. Since Liang was a dangerous place, Zuyao wanted to go to conquer the rebels, but he had not yet made up his mind. Dai Yang said, “The rebel army rebelled on Xin You day in August, the day and the hour are all kings, (Xin You day of) ‘Xin’ means virtue is in the south, (Xin You day of) ‘You’ means ‘You ‘ subject to self-punishment, Liang in the north of Qiao Cheng, Qiao Cheng is multiplied by the virtue of felling punishment, so the thief army will be defeated. Furthermore, the day of Azi blows the east wind, while the thunderquake travels west, Qiao Cheng is in the southeast, and the thunderquake rings in front of the army, which is for the army to expel the enemy.”
“In the past, when Wu attacked Guan Yu, Lei Zhen rang in front of the army, and Zhou Yu congratulated. Now it is exactly the same as then, so I know it will be won.” Zuoyo listened to Dai Yang and indeed pacified Liang City.
A shooting star crossed to the southeast and the general’s palace moved in response to an omen
In the first month of the third year of Tai Ning, a big meteor crossed to the southeast. Dai Yang watched the sky and knew what was going on, saying, “In the autumn, the general’s residence will be moved to Shouyang.” It was the time of Wang Dun’s rebellion, and Zuyao asked about the result of the victory or defeat.
Dai Yang analyzed for Zuyao according to the celestial signs, “The star Taibai is in the east and the star Cinnabar does not appear. According to the Art of War, the first to act is the Lord, and the one who should fight is the guest. If the star Cinnabar appears, then Tai Bai is the Lord and Cinnabar is the guest. If the Star of Cinnabar does not appear, then the Star of Tai Bai is the guest. Whoever starts the battle first, loses first. The situation now is that there is a guest without a host, and there is a front without a back. A diatribe should be sent to all the ministries in response to the imperial decree to crush the rebels.” Zuyao led his army to attack Hefei. Soon Wang Dun died, the rebels were defeated, and Zuyao stayed in Shouyang.
Shortly afterwards, Dai Yang made another prediction: “There will be a war between Jianghuai and Huai, and now Qiao City is empty and unguarded, so he should go back and secure the city. Otherwise, Yongqiu and Pei will not be the official’s.” Zuyao did not listen or obey, and a large area of Yu soil was captured by the thieves.
Hearing the sound of thunder and knowing the general’s break
Starting in the spring of the first year of Xianhe, Dai Yang predicted many things about Zuyao, and some visions appeared in Zuyao’s house. When Dai Yang heard thunder in the southwest, he immediately predicted that Zuyo would lose a great general this summer. In that summer, Zuyo’s nephew Zu Ji was caught and given to Shi Le.
The ground in Zuyo’s mansion was suddenly as red as dan sand, and Dai Yang said, “According to the He Tu Zheng, ‘The ground is as red as dan, and the blood pellets are in one mass, it should appear that the lower people are revolting against the upper.’ I’m afraid that on October 27, the horses will come to drink Huai Shui.” On that day, indeed, Shihler’s cavalry attacked massively and launched the siege battle. The west wind blew that day, and the Hu army shot fire into the city, and Zuyao was greatly frightened. It was only when the west wind turned that the bandits retreated.
The vision was repeated but did not listen to advice
In the early year of Xianhe, a halo appeared at the left corner of the moon, accompanied by a red and white light. Dai Yang predicted, “The horn is the gate of heaven, opening the way to Bu Yang, and there will be a great war at the imperial court.”
Soon after, Su Jun sent someone to recruit Zuyao to join the rebellion, and Dai Yang said to him, “Su Jun will be defeated.” He advised him to wait for the change of the times. But Zuyao did not listen and followed Su Jun to rebel with him.
In the fifth month of the third year of Xianhe, a thunderstorm came from the northwest, and a great storm fell from the sky, making the city dark. Dai Yang advised Zuyao: “The thunderclap sounded over the heads of people, warning the emperor that he should distance himself from treachery, be close to the loyal and virtuous, love the people, and save the poor. Such a change in the sky had occurred in the Qin Dynasty before, which eventually led to its downfall.” After hearing this, Zuyao was so angry that he had Dai Yang imprisoned.
Prophecy “Enter the land of Hu and all the families will be destroyed”
Zuyao sent his general Li Gu to lead his army to Lujiang, but all the soldiers in the army defected. After that, Zuyao called out Dai Yang and asked him what would happen if he stayed in the east, Shouyang and entered the land of Hu.
Dai Yang said, “Entering the east would cost half of the army, entering the Hu land full of men would be destroyed, staying in Shouyang would be okay.” Zuyo wanted to go east to Liyang, but his generals were reluctant and all betrayed Zuyo and abducted his sister and sister-in-law to defect to Shihle.
When Zuyo arrived at Liyang, he asked Dai Yang about what would happen afterwards. Dai Yang told him that there would be a rebellion in Liyang. Soon after, Zhaoteng betrayed Zuyao, who led hundreds of his close friends and clansmen to defect to Shi Le. But Shi Le despised Zuyao and never received him.
In the fifth year of Xianhe (330), Cheng Ya advised Shi Le that the world had just been settled and he should kill the rebellious minister. Zuyao had rebelled against Jin and returned to Zhao, which was disloyal. So Shi Le invited Zuyao’s whole family, together with the sons and daughters of his clan, to the capital for a banquet under the pretext of a banquet. As a result, as Dai Yang said, his whole family was destroyed when he entered the land of Hu.
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