<p>The said sentence is part of an article written by 熊明遇, purportedly in 萬曆四十三年. Therefore we look for events around that year, and see:</p>
<p>石首雨菽: 明史 卷二十九: 萬曆四十三年四月戊寅，石首雨豆，大小不一，色雜紅黑。</p>
<p>兵端: I haven't found a record of conflict around this year. <a href="https://tpl.ncl.edu.tw/NclService/pdfdownload?filePath=lV8OirTfsslWcCxIpLbUfhQHstx_oOBLmugX_OHwzV3sfVP2HMHzcN9uYfvD6C9Q&amp;imgType=Bn5sH4BGpJw=&amp;key=5Fa9x7S8tb5c9TqndF3qh6QVQJv7jjJCbV2p-wgLr3EeVVU9OyINO4qBZJhLTxWd&amp;xmlId=0007204705" rel="nofollow noreferrer">明史紀事本末補遺</a> says: 五月，北關白羊骨以老女婚煖兔子莽骨兒大。建州兵三千屯南關，然恐撫
順、清河犄其後，按兵不動。</p>
<p>吐火: 明史 卷二十九: 萬曆[...]四十三年[...]遼東長寧堡自二月至五月，火凡五發，毀房屋人畜無算。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-14T03:24:44.807Z
2023-12-14T04:07:28.537Z
2023-12-14T04:07:28.537Z
user2249675
<blockquote>
<p>今春以來，天鼓兩震於晉地，流星晝隕於清豐，地震二十八，天火九，石首雨菽，河內女妖，遼東兵端吐火，即春秋二百四十年間，未有稠於今日者</p>
</blockquote>
<p>in 明史 列傳第一百四十五, under the entry of 熊明遇; mr 熊 submitted a memorial (上疏) to list current malpractice (極陳時弊), which contains the text:</p>
<p><a href="https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&amp;file=143005&amp;page=53" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&amp;file=143005&amp;page=53</a></p>
<p>“石首雨菽”, rough means:</p>
<p>[in the place] (石首), beans and peas rained (雨菽) [from the sky]</p>
<p>i would treat it as fact, it’s not that uncommon:</p>
<p><a href="https://historyofyesterday.com/strange-things-that-rained-from-the-sky-throughout-history/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://historyofyesterday.com/strange-things-that-rained-from-the-sky-throughout-history/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://zippyfacts.com/where-did-food-fall-from-the-sky/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://zippyfacts.com/where-did-food-fall-from-the-sky/</a></p>
<p>“遼東兵端吐火” roughly means:</p>
<p>[in] manchuria (遼東), there’re flame at the tip / point of weapons (兵端吐火)</p>
<p>weapons referred to swords, knifes, spears or halberds, etc . . .</p>
<p>also, i would treat it as fact, with two possible “scientific” explanations</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo%27s_fire" rel="nofollow noreferrer">st elmo’s fire</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will-o%27-the-wisp" rel="nofollow noreferrer">will-o'-the-wisp</a></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>edited, photos added</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/BOIZQ.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BOIZQ.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://atoptics.wordpress.com/tag/st-elmos-fire/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://atoptics.wordpress.com/tag/st-elmos-fire/</a></p>
<p>have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-14T04:49:17.113Z
2023-12-14T15:20:09.500Z
2023-12-14T15:20:09.500Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>In the sentence below there are two phrases: &quot;雨菽&quot; and &quot;兵端吐火&quot;. I am not sure if they should be read as a metaphor for hail (雨菽) and a rebellion/mutiny (兵端吐火)?</p>
<p>今春以來，天鼓兩震於晉地，流星晝隕於清豐，地震二十八，天火九，石首雨菽，河內女妖，遼東兵端吐火，即春秋二百四十年間，未有稠於今日者。</p>

<translation><classical-chinese>
Meaning of the "雨菽" phrase in 明史
# Meaning of the "雨菽" phrase in 明史

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-12-14)

In the sentence below there are two phrases: "雨菽" and "兵端吐火". I am not sure if they should be read as a metaphor for hail (雨菽) and a rebellion/mutiny (兵端吐火)?

今春以來，天鼓兩震於晉地，流星晝隕於清豐，地震二十八，天火九，石首雨菽，河內女妖，遼東兵端吐火，即春秋二百四十年間，未有稠於今日者。

**Tags:** translation, classical-chinese

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-12-14. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

> 今春以來，天鼓兩震於晉地，流星晝隕於清豐，地震二十八，天火九，石首雨菽，河內女妖，遼東兵端吐火，即春秋二百四十年間，未有稠於今日者

in 明史 列傳第一百四十五, under the entry of 熊明遇; mr 熊 submitted a memorial (上疏) to list current malpractice (極陳時弊), which contains the text:

<https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&file=143005&page=53>

“石首雨菽”, rough means:

[in the place] (石首), beans and peas rained (雨菽) [from the sky]

i would treat it as fact, it’s not that uncommon:

<https://historyofyesterday.com/strange-things-that-rained-from-the-sky-throughout-history/>

<https://zippyfacts.com/where-did-food-fall-from-the-sky/>

“遼東兵端吐火” roughly means:

[in] manchuria (遼東), there’re flame at the tip / point of weapons (兵端吐火)

weapons referred to swords, knifes, spears or halberds, etc . . .

also, i would treat it as fact, with two possible “scientific” explanations

* [st elmo’s fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo%27s_fire)
* [will-o'-the-wisp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will-o%27-the-wisp)

edited, photos added

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/BOIZQ.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/BOIZQ.jpg)

<https://atoptics.wordpress.com/tag/st-elmos-fire/>

have fun :)


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### Answer by username_1 on 2023-12-14. Score: 1

The said sentence is part of an article written by 熊明遇, purportedly in 萬曆四十三年. Therefore we look for events around that year, and see:

石首雨菽: 明史 卷二十九: 萬曆四十三年四月戊寅，石首雨豆，大小不一，色雜紅黑。

兵端: I haven't found a record of conflict around this year. [明史紀事本末補遺](https://tpl.ncl.edu.tw/NclService/pdfdownload?filePath=lV8OirTfsslWcCxIpLbUfhQHstx_oOBLmugX_OHwzV3sfVP2HMHzcN9uYfvD6C9Q&imgType=Bn5sH4BGpJw=&key=5Fa9x7S8tb5c9TqndF3qh6QVQJv7jjJCbV2p-wgLr3EeVVU9OyINO4qBZJhLTxWd&xmlId=0007204705) says: 五月，北關白羊骨以老女婚煖兔子莽骨兒大。建州兵三千屯南關，然恐撫
順、清河犄其後，按兵不動。

吐火: 明史 卷二十九: 萬曆[...]四十三年[...]遼東長寧堡自二月至五月，火凡五發，毀房屋人畜無算。


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