The Golden Frog

Editors’ Note: The Chinese people traditionally believe that strange phenomena, such as shooting stars and animals’ unnatural or unseasonable behaviors, are usually harbingers of enormous changes in the human realm around the corner. Lately there have been unusual signs around the world. Winter Jasmine, whose blossom is known by the Chinese people as the first sign of spring, has been spotted to be already blossoming now.[1] A tree is found growing autumn’s brown leaves and spring’s fresh fruits. Polar bears are found refusing to hibernate although it is now the middle of winter. Astronomers keep discovering new births of stars in the cosmos. Based on the wisdom of the ancient Chinese people, these are unusual signs that foretell possible enormous changes in the human society are about to happen. We have compiled a series of unusual signs in the ancient China that had been recorded in the historical records that might help us interpret and better understand the strange phenomena that we have been observing lately.

Emperor Gao Zong of the Tang Dynasty (650-683A.D.)[2] suffered from terrible and persistent migraines. He called in many famous medical doctors from all over China, but none of them was able to treat his migraine.

One of the servants in the imperial palace claimed that he had come from a family with a long line of medical doctors for many generations, and asked for Emperor Gao Zong’s permission to make medicine for his Majesty. Emperor Gao Zong agreed.

In ancient China, a pharmacist would typically dig a pit in the ground so that the medical pot could be easily balanced. While the servant was digging in the ground, a frog suddenly leaped out of the dirt. It had golden skin and a red Chinese character, “Wu”, on its back. The servant dared not hide this strange incident from the Emperor, so he told the Emperor what he had seen.

Emperor Gao Zong was astonished. He ordered the servant to release the frog into a pond in the imperial garden. The servant continued his task, but this time he decided to dig a pit at a different location. However, another golden frog with a red character “Wu” on its back leaped out again from the earth. The Emperor thought it was an ominous omen, and ordered the frog killed. That night the servant died suddenly of a mysterious disease.

After the emperor died, his wife Wu Zetian usurped the throne and went down in Chinese history as the one and only ruling Empress in Chinese history.[3]

References:

[1] PureInsight.org: Spring Has Come http://www.pureinsight.org/pi/articles/2005/1/17/2698.html
[2] Wikipedia: Tang Dynasty: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Dynasty
[3] Wikipedia: Empress Wu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Zetian