Sincerity and Reverence Can Touch Heaven

In one summer during the Qingli era (1041 – 1048 AD) under Emperor Song Renzong’s rule, there was a terrible drought in the capital. Admonishing Official Wang Su requested Emperor Song Renzong to pray for rain personally. The Emperor said, "The director of astronomy claimed that it would rain on the second day of this month, so I will prepare to pray for rain on the first day."

Wang Su responded, "I am not the director of astronomy, but I am sure that it will not rain that day." The Emperor asked why. Wang Su answered, "Your majesty, you prepare to pray for rain when you know that it will rain soon. Thus you do not have any sincerity. How can you move the heavens without any sincerity? That's why I know it will not rain."

The Emperor said, "Then I will go to Liquan Taoist Temple to pray for rain tomorrow." Wang Su said, "The temple is so close to the palace. Could it be that you are afraid of the burning heat and are unwilling to go on a long journey?"

The Emperor was flushed. He said, "Then I will go to the Western Taiyigong." Wang Su asked the Emperor to issue the order so that the common people would know about the situation.

The next day, the Emperor, as well as Wang Su, proceeded to the Western Taiyigong. The sun was hot, and dust filled the sky. The Emperor looked anxious. After the prayer was done and the Emperor was on his way back to the palace, he looked back at the sky over the Western Taiyigong and saw that a cloud was starting to form. After only a moment, there was thunder, lightning, and pouring rain. The Emperor had not yet reached the palace.

The next morning, very pleased, the Emperor said to Wang Su, "Thanks to you it rained a seasonable and timely rain!" He also mentioned that the night before—in the rain—he had burned incense until midnight to express his gratitude to the heavens and that he was soaked as a result.

Seeing that the Emperor had served the heavens so respectfully and reverently, Wang Su was very happy. He urged the Emperor to pay attention to his health. The Emperor said, "My thought then was that, if it did not rain, I would sacrifice my body as an offering. So there is nothing to be worried about."

Both the Emperor and the official showed so much solicitude to the common people, and served the heavens with complete sincerity and reverence. How could the heavens not be moved?

心诚敬畏　可感苍天

宋仁宗庆历年夏天，京师发生大旱。谏官王素请求仁宗皇帝亲自祈神降雨，皇帝说：“太史官说本月二日下雨，我准备等一日那天再去求神降雨。”

王素说：“我虽然不是史官，但我知道二日那天肯定不会下雨了。”皇帝问为什么，王素说：“陛下您在知道即将下雨时再去求雨，这是不诚，心不诚怎么能感动上天呢？所以臣知道不会下雨了。”

皇帝说：“那我明天就到醴泉观去求雨。”王素说：“醴泉这么近，几乎就在宫廷外面，难道您是害怕酷暑炎热不愿走远路吗？”

皇帝一听，面红耳赤的说道：“那到西太乙宫去。”王素又让皇帝传旨，将此事告知百姓。

第二天，皇帝叫上王素，一行人浩浩荡荡一起前往西太乙宫而去。此时正艳阳高照，尘埃满天，皇帝的脸色有些忧虑。等到祈雨完毕，在往回走的路上，再回望太乙宫上空，只见天上已经有云气渐渐起来了，仅片刻间，雷电大雨齐降。而此时，皇帝还没有返回宫中。

隔天早上，皇帝高兴的对王素说：“多亏你才能天降喜雨啊！”并说自己昨晚在雨中焚香拜谢上天，直到半夜，以致全身都被雨湿透了。

王素见皇帝事天如此恭畏，也非常高兴，劝皇帝要注意身体，皇帝说：“我当时想，如果再不下雨，就拿我的身体来当祭品，没有什么好担心的。”

君臣都能如此心系百姓，以至诚、敬畏之心来侍奉上天，上天怎么会不被感动呢？