候Mantic arts dossier · Celestial omens and signs
风角、云气与物候杂占
Fēngjiǎo, Yúnqì yǔ Wùhòu Zázhān·Wind, cloud, phenological and animal omens
Reading winds, cloud forms and colors, rainbows, thunder, animal behavior and unusual phenology for war, weather and affairs, at the boundary between practical observation and symbolic omenology.
- Aliases
- wind divination, cloud omenology, animal and weather signs
- Formation
- Pre-imperial precedents; extensive manuals from Qin-Han through Tang
- Evidence status
01Core principles
Core principles
Translate formulas into structure: what enters, how the model is arranged, and which relations drive interpretation.
Time, direction, color, sound and duration were recorded and matched to omen statements through phases, directions, offices, armies or topics. Some rules may preserve weather experience; others are symbolic analogies.
Key concepts
- wind-angle divination
- cloud qi
- phenology
- miscellaneous omens
02Origins and historical development
Origins and historical development
Keep traditional accounts, surviving evidence and later transformations distinct.
Pre-imperial narratives, Qin-Han daybooks, Mawangdui and Dunhuang materials preserve many examples. Tang works such as Yisi Zhan and Kaiyuan Zhanjing compiled earlier omen lore.
03Evidence limits and research debates
Evidence limits and research debates
Mystery belongs to the unknown—not to presenting uncertainty as fact.
Practical meteorology and auspicious interpretation must be analyzed separately. Animal behavior cannot be treated as portent without ecology, season and observational bias.
This dossier supports historical, textual and methodological study. Internal traditional explanations are not modern empirical validation and do not replace medical, legal, financial or other professional advice.
04Core texts and materials
Core texts and materials
- 01Yisi Zhan
- 02Kaiyuan Zhanjing
- 03Dunhuang cloud and bird-call manuals
- 04Qin-Han daybooks