Draft:Xiangrui

Xiangrui, also known as furui ,  is a group of natural phenomenon considered as an auspicious symbol of good rulership and peaceful times in ancient China. Appearances of xiangrui are often recorded by the state in official state history such as Songshu, Book of Qi, and Book of Wei. Individuals gathered and gifted xiangrui to rulers. There were also public officials whose job is to keep track of xiangrui.

The immersion of the official recording of xiangrui coincided with the promotion of the Mandate of Heaven and the appearance of xiangrui often used to support the legitimacy of a ruler. Xiangrui were believed to be rewards from the gods for successful leadership from the reigning rulers.

Xiangrui in Government
The theory xiangrui was culminated by Dong Zhongshu of the Western Han Dynasty, who combined existing theories of xiangrui, omens, folk legends, and Confucianism. His theories of xiangrui as signs of good leadership, combined with ideas of Taoism and Buddhism, became influential enough to become mainstream official ideology. Since the Emperor Wu of Han, he and successive emperors closely linked the ideas of Xiang Rui, Chenwei or Confucian divination, and Wuxing with official governance.

While some rulers embraced the declaration of xiangrui, others banned them. In AD227, Emperor Cao Rui came to the throne and immediately published a decree banning the reporting of xiangrui.

Emperor Xianzong of Tang and Emperor Wenzong of Tang both had  decrees against the reporting of xiangrui. In one instance, Emperor Taizong of Tang was told of the appearance of white sparrows in the gardens, a common xiangrui. He reported told his chancellors, " I often laugh at the Emperor Wen of Sui for focusing on xiangrui.  The true xiangrui is obtaining good government officials, who cares about the white sparrow?" .

Similarly, upon gifted a lingzhi as a sign of xiangrui, Emperor Kangxi wrote back "History records many xiangrui but they are of no benefit to the nation nor the livelihood of the people. The greatest xiangrui is good crop yields and the ability to feed oneself."

His rules to ignore the recording of xiangrui were ignored by his son the Emperor Yongzheng, whose official texts recorded 31 sightings of xiangrui during Yongzheng's thirteen-year rule.

Types of Xiangrui
Song Dynasty encyclopedia Cefu Yuangui states the most auspicious xiangrui are the jiarui, consisting of the qilin, fenghuang, loong, tortoise, and baihu or white tigers.

Tang Dynasty state records, Tangshu states that, in order of level of auspiciousness, there are 64 types of darui consisting of natural phenomena, 27 types of shangrui   consisting of rare animal sightings such as red hare and white wolves. There are 32 types of zhongrui of other animal sittings such as red geese, and finally 14 types of xiarui  consisting of appearances of rare auspicious plants such as lingzhi. .

In the Qing Dynasty, types of xiangrui were expanded to include objects such as jade art or artifacts.

Famous Stories of Supposed Xiangrui in History

 * Emperor Gaozu of Han: According to shiji, it is said when his mother was pregnant with him, she dreamed of meeting a god when she was resting in the hillsof Dazhe. At that time, the thunder and lightning were dark, and his father Taigong and saw a jiaolong dragon on it. She then gave birth to Gaozu.
 * Sun Jian: According to Records of the Three Kingdoms, on his birth, there were a number of light and strange clouds with five colors, which belonged to the sky and stretched for several miles. All the people went to see it. Fathers and elders said to each other, “This is not an extraordinary air, and the Sun family is on the rise!” Upon waking, his mother was scared and told the neighbor, who asked her, “How do you know it is not a xiangrui.”
 * Wang Mang: Han Dynasty politician obtained what he claimed was an albino pheasant as a xiangrui sign for him to return to politics
 * Emperor Taizong of Tang: The Old Book of Tang says that there were two loong playing outside the pavilion where he was born. They played for three days before leaving.
 * The Sweet Dew Rebellion was a failed coup on December 14, 835  by Emperor Wenzong of the Chinese Tang dynasty to seize power from the eunuchs. It was started by a manufactured claim of a Xiangrui sighting.