元史五行志二

    生成旗。民皆流。生成。伐遭殃。

    Wordsreferringtopeople(civilians)havingtoleavehomeandwanderaroundtoescapefromwar,andtohowtheyarekilledinthewar——

    至正二十八年彰德路童

    元史五行志二

    塔黑。北人作主南人客。塔。朱衣人作主人公。

    WhenthecoloroftheTianNingtowerwasblack,peoplefromthenorthruled;whenthecolorofthetowerwasred,amaninredshallbethemaster.Thisisachildren’ssongpredictingthecomingtopowerofZhu(meaningred)YuanZhang’scomingtopowerandtheendoftheMongoliandynasty——

    至元十六年彰德民

    元史五行志二

    李生瓜。民皆家。Peoplebecomehomelesswhencucumbersgrowonaplumtree.WordsreferringtothedifficultyoflifewhenChinawasinthetransitionfromtheYuan(theMongolian)dynastytotheMingdynasty——

    至元五年八月京童

    元史五行志二

    白雁望南。札望北跳。

    Thewhitegeeseflytowardsthesouthandthehorsesjumptowardsthenorth.Achildren’ssonginthecapitalcityreferringtotheMongolians’headingnorthforhomesoon——

    至正五年淮楚童

    元史五行志二

    富莫起。莫起屋。但看羊。便是家。Arichmanshouldnotbuildamansionandapoormanshouldnotbuildahouse.Simplylookingattheheadofasheep,thenyouknowyouhaveneitherhomenorcountry.Achildren’ssongreferringtotheroughlifeundertheMongolians’rule——

    至正十五年京童

    元史五行志二

    一一沙。千里里人家。回雪消不堪看。三眼和尚弄瞎。Agustyyellowanddustywindblowsonthousandsofmileswherepeopledonotreside.Whenoneturnsone’shead,thesnowmeltsbeforeseesit.Athree-eyedmonkisplayingwithablindhorse——

    元二年彰德民

    元史五行志二

    天雨【】。事不。

    Whentheskyisrainingwhitehair,everythingisgoingwrong——

    至元三年彰德民

    元史五行志二

    天雨。民起怨。中原地。事必。

    Whentheskyisrainingthreads,peoplearecomplaininggreatly.Somethingsevereisgoingtohappentothecentralplains(ofChina)——

    金末庚午童

    元史郭玉

    罟罟至。河南拜氏。

    Achildren’ssongpredictingthedefeatoftheJinarmybytheinvadingMongolianarmy——

    夏引

    元史洪君祥

    人一。自三千。

    Whenonekillstenthousandpeopleinawar,onehastolosethreethousandsodiersatthesametime——

    雷州民古歌

    元古

    舄田兮。父之教。渠之泱泱兮。

    我稻。自今有生兮。旱。

    AsongsungbypeopleofLeiZhoupraisingtheirofficialWuGuSunZe,whowasabletoplanirrigationforfarmlandsproperly——

    人柄

    元史

    出角。柄光。

    WordspraisingGuiYangfornotgoingalongwithsomepeoplewhofailedinanattempttoestablishtheirowngovernmentduringtheYuandynasty.HiscontemporaryWuBingwentalongandwasdespised——

    里俞母

    元史列女氏

    欲孝。俞母。Ifonewantstobeafilialdaughter-in-law,oneshouldconsultYuXin’swife——

    州民士信等

    明史五行志三

    丞相做事。靠蔡。一朝西起。乾。

    WordspredictingthedefeatanddeathofZhangShiCheng,whowasoneofthemajorwarlordsattheendofYuandynasty——

    建文初年道士歌

    明史五行志三

    莫逐燕。逐燕日高。高上帝畿。

    AsongsungbyaTaoistpractitionerpredictingthecomingtopowerofEmperorCheng,whotookawaythethronefromhisnephewEmperorJianWenbymilitaryforce——

    正二年京小歌

    明史五行志三

    雨帝雨帝。城隍土地。雨若再。我土地。

    Achildren’ssongsunginthecapitalcity,predictingthatwhenMing’sEmperorYing,whowascapturedbyanortherntribe,returnedtothecapital,hisyoungerbrother,whotookoverthethrone,wouldhavetogivethethronebacktohim——

    末年道士歌

    明史五行志三

    委鬼坐。茄花遍地生。

    AsongsungbyaTaoistpredictingthatwhentheeunuchWeiZongXiantookcontrolofthecourt,therewouldbemuchbloodshed——

    末年

    明史五行志三。曹操再出。

    ArumorpredictinganuprisingorganizedbyLuoRuCaiagainsttheMinggovernment——

    官人后歌

    明史太祖孝慈高皇后氏

    我后慈。化行家邦。我育我。

    德忘。德忘。於斯年。

    毖彼下泉。悠悠天。

    AsongsungbytheservantmaidsintheMingcourtaboutEmpressMawhowasreallykindtoeveryone,includingtheemperor’sconcubinesinthecourt——

    方孝孺命

    明史方孝孺

    天降兮。孰知其由。奸臣得兮。用。

    忠臣兮。血交流。以此殉君兮。抑又何求。呼哀哉兮。庶不我尤。WordssaidbyFangXiaoRu,whowasloyaltoJianWenEmperor,beforehewasexecutedbyEmperorCheng,whotookawayJianWen’sthronebymilitaryforce.Inthesewords,hesaidhedidnotregretdyingforthecauseofbeingloyaltohisemperor——

    郁引

    明史高巍

    者割之不。疏者之不。

    Itisimpossibletocutoffone’srelationswithone’sbloodrelatives,justasitisimpossibletoestablishanybondwithsomeonewhoisnotabloodrelative——

    人雍

    明史

    前有雍。後有。

    Wordsreferringtotwogreedyandcorruptedofficials——

    江民周斌歌

    明史附周斌

    旱。周公之甘露。水患。周公之雨散。

    AsongsungbypeopleofJiangYinconcerningtheirofficialZhouPin,whowasabletocallforrainwhenpeopleneededrain,andabletostoprainwhenafloodwasforming——

    京左鼎

    明史左鼎

    左鼎手。口。

    Wordsspreadinthecapitalcityconcerningtwoofficials.ZuoDingwasgoodatwritingreportstotheemperor,andLianGangdaredtosayanythingtotheemperor——

    成化

    明史安

    糊三老。泥塑六尚。

    Wordsreferringtothosehigh-rankingofficialssurroundingtheemperor.Thewordsdescribehowincompetentanduselesstheywere——

    人朱文

    明史石亨

    朱三千。八百。

    Wordsreferringtohowtwopeopleactuallyboughttheirwayintothegovernmentpoststheywereholding——

    彭引

    明史彭

    子出多母。

    Asoncomesoutofmanymothers.AproverbusedbyPengShitoadvisetheemperortospreadhislovetodifferentconcubinesinthecourtinsteadofjustfocusingononewhocouldnolongerbearchildren,sincetheemperorstillhadnoheiratthetime——

    人李健

    明史健

    李公。公。公尤侃侃。Mr.Liwasgoodatthinking,Mr.Liuwasgoodatjudging,Mr.Xiewasgoodatspeaking.WordsreferringtothreeoutstandingofficialsduringMing’sEmperorXiao’sreign——

    人王恕

    明史王恕

    京十二部。有一王恕。

    WordsabouthowWangShu,ahigh-rankingofficial,wasalwaysreadytotelltheemperorwhathethoughtwasright,tothepointatwhichtheemperorwastiredofhim,too——

    川人梳官土兵

    明史洪

    如梳。如篦。土兵如剃。

    AsongsungbypeopleofEasternSiChuanabouthowthegovernmenttroopswerekillingandrobbingthepeople,likethebanditstheyweretryingtocatch——

    州人金

    明史金

    永通不通。葬江中。其作者。噫。公。WordsbypeopleofXunZhoucomplainingabouthowChenJin,thegovernorofSouthernChina,hadcomeupwithabadpolicytodealwiththeminoritygroupMiao——

    江西民土土兵

    明史金

    土可。土兵我。

    AsongsungbypeopleofJiangXiabouthowthegovernmenttroopswereworsetotheciviliansthanwerethebanditswhomthetroopsweretryingtoeliminate——

    都下林俊黻

    明史林俊

    御史刑曹。出後府。

    Wordsreferringtohowtwoofficialswhowouldnotflatterandbribegotintotroubleandwerethrowninjail——

    京嵩世蕃

    明史盛

    大丞相。小丞相。

    Wordsreferringtothefatherandson,YanSongandYanShuFan.Theyweredominatingthecourtevenwithoutofficialtitles——

    都采方祥

    明史董策

    文武管家。

    WordsreferringtohowtwoofficialsinthecourtwereservingYanSongasthoughtheywerehisbutlers——

    坤引蜀民

    明史坤

    入山一千。出山五百。

    WordssaidbytheloggersofSiChuanabouthowloggingwasatoughjob.Yougotonethousandmantothemountainandyouwouldonlygethalfofthemoutofthemountainalive——

    都人郊

    明史王汝

    欲京堂。章。

    WordssaidaboutChenYuJiao,whowereimpeachedandyetwerepromotedafterthat.Thewordssaidthatifonewantedtobepromotedtohighpositions,oneshouldbeimpeachedfirst——

    南康士民林曾李

    明史李

    前林後李。清和比。

    AsongsungbypeopleofNanKangreferringtotwoverygoodjudgeswhowereabletosaveinnocentlives——

    秦中士民曹文

    明史曹文

    中有一曹。西之心。

    AsongsungbypeopleofShan(firsttone)XiandShan(thirdtone)XiaboutCaoWenZhao,whowasinchargeofeliminatingbanditsinthesetwoprovinces.ThewordssaythatifthereisoneCaointhearmy,allthebanditswillbescaredjustbythethoughtofhim——

    左良玉猛如虎

    明史猛如虎

    想我左。跑我猛。

    Wordssaidbythesoldiersabouttwogenerals.TheymissedZuoLiangYu,sinceheneverletthemworktoohard,andtheycomplainedaboutMengRuHu,sincehetrainedthemtoohard——

    人方克勤歌

    明史方克勤

    孰我役。使君之力。孰活我黍。

    使君之雨。使君勿去。我民父母。

    AsongsungbypeopleofJiNingabouttheirofficialFangKeQin:Itisallbecauseofhimthatwegetoutofmandatorylabor,itishewhogetsusrainforourcrops,andhehadbetternotgoanywhereasheislikeaparentofthepeople——

    松江民豫

    明史豫

    松江太守明日。

    TeasingwordssaidbypeopleofSongJiangabouttheirnewgovernor,ZhaoYu.PeopleofSongJianglikedtosueoneanother.ZhaoYuwouldadvisethemtothinkthingsthroughandcomebacktomorrow.Thewordsgolikethis:theSongJiangGovernorwillcometomorrow——

    人何廷仁宏德洪王畿

    明史德洪

    江有何。浙有王。

    WordsreferringtotheoutstandingstudentsofWangShouRen,whocouldreallyexpoundtheirteacher’sthoughtswell——

    人皇甫氏氏兄弟

    明史皇甫

    前有四皇。後有三。Wordsreferringtothegoodwriters:fourbrothersoftheHuangFuhousehold,andthreebrothersoftheZhanghousehold——

    中李

    明史李

    不得。老。做不得。小李。WordssaidbypeopleintheNationalArchiveofcertainperiodofMingdynasty.IfyoudonotremembersomethingaskXuGuoQi,ifyoucannotdosomethingwell,askLiWeiZhen.Thesearewordspraisingthetwoknowledgeablepeople——

    焦芳引

    明史焦芳

    故。Ifonedoesnothavemoneytobuynewpaper,oneshouldjustusesomescrappaperfrombefore.Aproverbsuggestinghowapoorpersoncansavemoney——

    人李茂李生李蕃

    明史霍

    官要起。三李。

    Ifonewantstogetgovernmentjobsorbepromoted,oneshouldaskthosethreeMr.Li’swhoarehotatthemoment——

    人田耕

    明史田耕

    大田耕。

    Wordsreferringtooneman,TianErGeng,whoworkedforWeiZhongXian,apowerfuleunuchduringacertainperiodofMing.HewasalmostlikethebigsonofWeiZhongXian(whocouldnotpossiblyhavesons)——

    福王南都人

    明史奸臣士英

    方如狗。都督街走。

    Wordsreferringtothetimewhenanevilcourtofficial,MaShiYing,wasdominant.Atthattime,onewouldonlyhavetopayhimtogetagovernmentjob——

    人里

    明史合里

    若要富。往里。

    Ifonewantstogetrich,oneshouldgotoMaLiWu,thesmallislandnationthatwasatradingcenteratthetime.Itisclosetothepresent-dayPhilippines——

    舟人往西洋

    明史童

    上怕七州。下怕。迷舵失。人船存。

    WordsreferringtothedangeroftravelingonshipstooceanswestofChina——

    真

    明史真

    富真。

    Wordsreferringtoarichcountry,ZhenLa——

    三佛港

    明史三佛

    一年。三年生金。

    WordsreferringtothecountrySanFuoQiinpresentdaySoutheastAsia.Thisplacehasveryfertile,arablelandandveryprosperoustradingactivities.