法苑珠林 31.56

31.56

漢成帝建始四年九月。長安城南有鼠銜黃[葶-丁+呆]柏葉。上民塚柏及榆樹上為巢桐柏為多。巢中無子。皆有乾屎數升。時議臣以為恐有水災起。鼠盜竊小獸夜出晝匿。今正晝去穴而登木。象賤人將居貴顯之象也。桐柏衛思后園所在也其後趙后自微賤登至尊。與衛后同類。趙后終無子而為害。明年有䳒焚巢殺子之象云。京房傳曰。臣私祿罔辟。厥妖鼠巢也。

In the ninth month of the fourth year of the Jianshi era of Emperor Cheng of the Han, mice south of the city of Chang'an carried yellow dock and cypress leaves, ascending the cypress and elm trees on commoners' graves to build nests, most frequently in the tung and cypress trees. There were no young in the nests, but all contained several sheng of dry dung. Deliberating officials at the time considered that a flood disaster might arise. The mouse is a petty, thieving beast that emerges by night and hides by day; now, in broad daylight, they abandoned their burrows and climbed trees, which is a portent that base persons will occupy exalted and prominent positions. The tung and cypress trees were where the garden of Empress Wei Si was located. Later, Empress Zhao arose from humble origins to ascend to the supreme position, being of the same class as Empress Wei. Empress Zhao ultimately remained childless and brought harm. In the following year, there was the omen of kites burning their nests and killing their young. Jing Fang's Commentary states: “When ministers seek personal emoluments and deceive their sovereign, the portent is that mice build nests.”