IN the twenty-first year of K‘ang Hsi there was a severe drought, not a green blade appearing in the parched ground all through the spring and well into the summer. On the 13th of the 6th moon a little rain fell, and people began to plant their rice. On the 18th there was a heavy fall, and beans were sown.
Now at a certain village there was an old man, who, noticing two bullocks fighting on the hills, told the villagers that a great flood was at hand, and forth-with removed with his family to another part of the country. The villagers all laughed at him; but before very long rain began to fall in torrents, lasting all through the night, until the water was several feet deep, and carrying away the houses. Among the others was a man who, neglecting to save his two children, with his wife assisted his aged mother to reach a place of safety, from which they looked down at their old home, now only an expanse of water, without hope of ever seeing the children again. When the flood had subsided, they went back, to find the whole place a complete ruin; but in their own house they discovered the two boys playing and laughing on the bed as if nothing had happened. Some one remarked that this was a reward for the filial piety of the parents. It happened on the 20th of the 6th moon.
康熙二十四年，平陽地震，人民死者十有七八。城郭盡墟；僅存一舍，則孝子某家也。茫茫大劫中，惟孝嗣無恙，誰謂天公無皂白耶？
Now at a certain village there was an old man, who, noticing two bullocks fighting on the hills, told the villagers that a great flood was at hand, and forth-with removed with his family to another part of the country. The villagers all laughed at him; but before very long rain began to fall in torrents, lasting all through the night, until the water was several feet deep, and carrying away the houses. Among the others was a man who, neglecting to save his two children, with his wife assisted his aged mother to reach a place of safety, from which they looked down at their old home, now only an expanse of water, without hope of ever seeing the children again. When the flood had subsided, they went back, to find the whole place a complete ruin; but in their own house they discovered the two boys playing and laughing on the bed as if nothing had happened. Some one remarked that this was a reward for the filial piety of the parents. It happened on the 20th of the 6th moon.
水災
康熙二十一年，山東旱，自春徂夏，赤地千里。六月十三日小雨，始種粟。十八日大雨后，乃種豆。一日，石門莊有老叟，暮見二羊斗山上，告村人曰：「大水至矣！」遂攜家播遷。村人共笑之。無何，雨暴注，平地水深數尺，居廬盡沒。一農人棄其兩兒，與妻扶老母奔避高阜。下視村中，匯為澤國，并不復念及兩兒。水落歸家。一村盡成墟墓，入己門，則一屋獨存，見兩兒尚并坐床頭，嬉笑無恙。咸嘆謂夫婦孝感所致。此六月二十二日事也。康熙二十四年，平陽地震，人民死者十有七八。城郭盡墟；僅存一舍，則孝子某家也。茫茫大劫中，惟孝嗣無恙，誰謂天公無皂白耶？
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