Tang Emperor Taizong Swallowed a Locust for the People

 
The ancient Chinese believed in the unity of heaven and man and that man's rise and fall reflects the changes in the cosmos. In the dynasties of the past, the official historians always set aside one chapter in their history books to describe how the changes of the cosmos corresponded to the rise and fall of their dynasties. The historians did this in order to alert people and to urge the kings and emperors to respect heaven, which would bring benefits to the people.
 
Natural disasters originate from man-made calamities. The virtuous monarchs in ancient times often took natural disasters as gods' warnings to them. They then looked within and found the faults in themselves, making it clear that they were responsible. Following the disasters, they did good deeds and took good advice from others. They made the responsible people accountable and punished them, and always showed benevolence. With this kind of rule, disasters faded and disappeared and people lived in harmony and prosperity.
 
The Tang Emperor Taizong (Li Shi-min)
 
In June of the second year of Zhen Guan in the Tang Dynasty (628 AD), there was a severe drought in Chang-an, the capital of Tang, and its neighboring regions. Locusts were plaguing these areas and devouring the crops. Locusts were seen even in the royal gardens. One day Emperor Taizong picked up a locust while visiting the garden. In all seriousness he vowed, "Grain is what common people live on, but you have eaten all the grain. It is my people whom you are hurting! Even if it is the fault of the common people and you are dispatched by gods to punish them, it is not really their fault but mine, because, as an emperor, I have not done my duty well. If you are really spiritual, you should direct the calamity to fall on me instead of the people." Having said that, Emperor Taizong prepared to swallow the locust to show his determination to wipe out the plague. Worried that the emperor might get sick, his page tried to stop him from swallowing the locust. The Emperor responded, "I'm just hoping the gods will shift the disaster from the people to me. How can I allow calamity to go on out of fear of getting sick?" Then he quickly swallowed the insect. Emperor Taizong's determination to suffer for his people moved the gods. Soon after, the locusts gradually disappeared. In the following decades that Emperor Taizong ruled, locusts never plagued the country.
 
Selected from "The Seventeenth Part of the Old History of the Tang Dynasty: Five Primary Elements."
 
太宗罪己过　吞蝗去天灾
 
中国古人讲天人合一，天象的变化下对应人世的兴衰。是故历朝历代，都有史官于史书中专列一章，详述当朝各种天象变化与人世间对应的事例，以警世人，从而也促使君王能敬天知命，造福百姓。
 
天灾源于人祸。古代有德行的君主，都视其为上天对自己的警诫，于是或反躬内省以明其志；或从善纳谏修正己过；或先示罪己诏、再施以仁政。都无不以天灾自去，百姓安居乐业为善果。
 
唐贞观二年（公元628年）六月，京师长安及附近的地方大旱，蝗虫成灾，吞噬百姓的庄稼，甚至在御花园中都能看到飞来的蝗虫。有一天，太宗（李世民）在花园中拾起蝗虫，对着它们郑重的发誓，粮食是百姓们赖以生活的根本，而你们却把粮食吃了，这是在祸害我的百姓啊。纵然是因为百姓们有过错，上天降下你们以示惩诫，但那也是因为我这个做天子的没有尽到责任，而罪不在百姓。你们如果是真正通灵的话，就应该把灾祸降到我的身上，而不要去祸害我的百姓。说完就要把手中的蝗虫吞掉以表明自己的决心。随从们担心太宗因吞食蝗虫会遭致疾病，都劝阻太宗不要这样做。太宗却说，我正希望上天把灾祸转移到我的身上呢，怎么会因为担心患病而逃避呢？于是就吞食掉了手中的蝗虫。太宗为民请命的行为感动了上天，不久以后，蝗灾果然就渐渐的消去了。也是从这一年起，太宗在位的数十年里，蝗虫不再为害。
 
选自《旧唐书﹒志第十七﹒五行》