Wu Zhen (武禎) | 24 Histories

Overview

Wu Zhen was a Diviner and Astrologer.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1224 正大初
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 128
AD 1213 to AD 1217 貞祐間
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 126

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Grandfather of Wu Zhen (武禎之祖)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 124
Child of Father of Wu Zhen (武禎之父)
father 父
Strongly inferred · History of Jin 131, passage 124
Parent of Wu Kang (武亢)
son 子
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 137

Career and standing

registrar of the Directorate of Astronomy 司天臺管勾
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 136

Places and affiliations

Polity Jin 金 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passages 6, 55
At Linhuan in Suzhou 宿州臨渙
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 123
At Bianjing 汴京 · Relation Summoned to
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 128
At Xuzhou 徐州 · Relation Summoned to
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 126

Learning and skills

Skill numerology 數學 · Level deep
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 125

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Wang Xuan (王鉉)
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passages 130-131, 133-134

Events and relationships

Predicted rain ending drought
Divination · Diviner
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passages 131, 135
Relation Friend of · Person Wang Xuan (王鉉)
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 129
Relation Advisor to · Person Pusan Anzhen (僕散安貞)
Directly stated · History of Jin 131, passage 126

References in the histories

History of Jin, Chapter 131Volume 131 Biographies 69: Huan Zhe, Liang Chong, Song Gui, Pan Shouheng, Fang Ji, Liu Wansu, Zhang Congzheng, Li Qingsi, Ji Tianxi, Zhang Yuansu, Ma Guizhong, Wu Zhen Son: Kang, Li Mao, Hu Dexin · 7 passages

Open chapter

金世，如武禎、武亢之信而不誣，劉完素、張元素之治療通變，學其術者皆師尊之，不可不記雲。 Under the Jin, men such as Wu Zhen and Wu Kang proved trustworthy and true, while Liu Wansu and Zhang Yuansu were masters of adaptive treatment. All who learned from them revered them as teachers — and they must be recorded.

武禎，宿州臨渙人。 Wu Zhen was from Linhuan in Suzhou.

禎深數學。 Zhen was deeply versed in numerology and divination.

其友王鉉問禎曰：「朝廷若問國祚修短，子何以對？」 His friend Wang Xuan asked Zhen, "If the court asks how long the dynasty will endure, what will you say?"

禎曰：「當以實告之，但更言周過其曆，秦不及期，亦在修德耳。」 Zhen said, "I must speak the truth — but add that Zhou outlasted its allotted span while Qin fell short of its term. In the end it comes down to cultivating virtue."

時久旱祈禱不應，朝廷為憂，禎忽謂鉉曰：「足下今日早歸，恐為雨阻。」 There had been a long drought and prayers had brought no rain; the court was deeply worried. Zhen suddenly told Xuan, "Go home early today — I fear the rain may block your way."

禎笑曰：「若是，則天不誠也。 Zhen laughed. "If that were so, Heaven would not be sincere.