Summary
What is chen? During the early imperial period, philologists usually interpreted the word chen as “to be fulfilled,”1 “subtle,”2 and “secret writing.”3 Chen were words that seemed trivial and insignificant, but were in fact laden with meaning, mystery, and mysticism. They were words that prophesied future events that eventually came true. “The words were said beforehand, and the evidence came afterward.”4 Chen prophecy refers to unusual verbal or written discourse, or signs that revealed the Mandate of Heaven and prophesied the fate of individuals or regimes. These words and signs contained cryptic messages, and made their revelations and prophecies in a metaphorical and obscure manner.
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- Rumor in the Early Chinese Empires , pp. 169 - 244Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021