佛祖統紀 43.5

43.5

In the first year of the Jianlong era (gengshen), on the jiachen day of the first month, Emperor Gong of the [Later] Zhou abdicated the throne. Earlier, the Emperor [Taizu] received orders to undertake a northern expedition and lodged at the Chenqiao Postal Station. The officers and soldiers supported and acclaimed him, escorting him into the capital. At that time, the Grand Dowager Lady Du (Taizu's mother, Empress Zhaoxian) together with Lady Wang (Taizu's consort, Empress Xiaoming) were just holding a vegetarian feast at Dingli Temple to pray for blessings. Hearing of the upheaval, Lady Wang was terrified, but the Grand Dowager said, "Throughout my son's life there have been many marvels, and people say he is destined for ultimate nobility; why worry?" (from the *Tanyuan* of Duke Yang Wen). Earlier, Emperor Mingzong of the Later Tang burned incense in the inner palace and prayed to Heaven, saying, "I, your servant, am originally a barbarian, unworthy to be king over the Central Plains. I pray that a sage be born early to bring peace to the realm." On the sixteenth day of the second month in the second year of the Tiancheng era, the Emperor [Taizu] was born at the Jiama Barracks within the Grand Inner Palace of Luoyang. A divine light filled the chamber, an extraordinary fragrance did not disperse, and his body was tinged with golden color, transforming only after three days. People knew that this was in response to Mingzong's prayer (from the *Records of the August Dynasty's Auspicious Mandate*).