At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) lived an unusually gifted blind man from Sichuan named Wang Junming. Despite his disability, Wang Junming could predict future disasters and foretell the country’s future. He relied on auspicious signs caused by the changes in the stars’ locations in the night sky.
Wan Junming predicted disaster for Kaifeng
In the early years of Emperor Huizong’s reign in the Northern Song Dynasty, Wang Junming lived in the capital Kaifeng, which is in today’s Henan Province. He told the local people: “The royal aura of Kaifeng has been exhausted, and its momentum as a capital is gone. I had people set a pot of water outside the room at a set time during the night to observe the water. They reported that no star in the night sky was reflected on the surface water in Kaifeng’s area. I also requested that these people secretly dig the earth two feet below the surface outside the Xuan-De Gate. I smelt a sample piece of soil and found it dry and without vitality. The star of heaven did not shine, and the earth was lifeless and dry; how can Kaifeng remain the capital?”
Wang Junming wrote a letter to the court about his prediction of disaster, begging the emperor to move the capital to Luoyang. At that time, the country was at peace, and after reading his letter, the ministers said that he was very arrogant, so Emperor Huizong ordered Wang Junming to be expelled from Kaifeng.
The country was in danger during the first year of Jingkang’s reign (A.D. 1126). Emperor Qinzong recalled Wang Junming’s warning and contemplated on the possible truth of what he had said, so he ordered him back to the palace for questioning. Wang Junming still insisted on his previous opinion and told Emperor Qinzong that it was not too late to move the capital if he took immediate action. However, Emperor Qinzong was still hesitant and remained unconvinced about his forewarning, hoping the enemy would not attack again. As a result, he refused to give the order to move the capital.
At that time, Wang Junming told his doctor friend, Yu Qinian, who was from Sichuan, that the country would be unstable. Since Sichuan was a blessed place and would not suffer from military disasters, Wang suggested that Qinian move his family to Sichuan.
Yu Qinian asked: “What will happen to you?” Wang Junming replied: “My life will end this year in this city! My only regret will be that I cannot see my wife and children before I die.” Yu’s respect for Wang was such that he believed him unconditionally and hastily resigned from his post to return to his hometown in Chengdu, where he spent the rest of his life peacefully.
Kaifeng falls and disaster follows
When Kaifeng was about to be taken by the Jin soldiers, Emperor Qinzong finally believed what Wang Junming had predicted. He urgently requested that Wang Junming be brought into the palace. As Wang Junming reached the palace gate, people were fleeing for their lives as they had heard that the Jin soldiers had broken into the city. Blind Junming could only crawl and groped off the wagon to find his way amidst the chaos. His whereabouts became unknown, and probably, as he predicted, he died in the city.
After the fall of Kaifeng, Emperor Qinzong surrendered to the Jin army, handing over all the city’s weapons and properties, including Taiyuan and two other towns, to the Jin army.
But the Jin army did not let them go. Next year (A.D. 1127), Qinzong, his father Huizong, and the royal family of more than 3,000 people, together with aristocrats of more than 15,000 people, were transported to the territory of the Great Jin Dynasty. Most of the women were forced into prostitution and suffered terribly.
Emperors Huizong and Qinzong were imprisoned, humiliated, and tortured. One day, Emperor Huizong cut his clothes into strips, knotted them into a rope, and tried to hang himself. He was taken down by Emperor Qinzong, where the father and son hugged and cried bitterly.
Later, the Jin people moved them to Junzhou. At this time, Emperor Huizong was already very sick and soon died on the dirt bed. When Emperor Qinzong found him, his body was already stiff. Emperor Huizong’s body was set on fire over a stone pit, and when it was half charred, the fire was doused with water, and the body was thrown into the pit. It was said that this way, the water in the pit could be made into lamp oil. After his father’s death, Emperor Qinzong continued to be tortured. It was claimed by the people that, in the end, Emperor Qinzong was trampled to death by the Jin soldiers’ horses.
Throughout history, many people with premonitions have given various warnings before the onset of disasters. They saved the people who believed and left a historical witness for future generations. How many people today would consider these predictions beforehand and avoid disastrous calamities?
Translated by Audrey Wang and edited by Maria
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