### **The solar eclipse of the crucifixion** It was customary during the Han dynasty (started during the Shang dynasty) that the moral burden of the people rests solely on the emperor. > "If there is sin in the myriad regions, it lies with me, the One Man; if I, the One Man, have sin, it does not involve the myriad regions" \- King Tang of the Shang Dynasty[^1] After this, during the Han dynasty this became an institutionalized practice, which led up to quite an interesting event. > "Summer, fourth month, on the day of Ren Wu: Yin and Yang have mistakenly switched, and the **sun and moon were eclipsed**. The **sins of all the people are now on one man**. **Pardon is proclaimed to all under heaven**" \- Emperor Guangwu, Han dynasty[^2] While this occurred a handful of times (albeit only this once in the first century AD) and yielded omenological purposes for the emperors at the time, it still is interesting that this statement is matching the timeline of **the eclipse of crucifixion**, when pardon was proclaimed to all under heaven and one man bore all the sins of all. > "Eclipse on the day of Gui Hai, the Man from heaven died" \- [History of Latter Han, Annals Np. 18, Gui Hai](https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%BE%8C%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7108) This is recorded on the 7th year of [[Emperor Guangwu]] reign, which aligns with the approximate date of the crucifixion. [[Emperor Guangwu]] reigned from 25-56 AD. > "During the reign of emperor Guang Wu, on the day of Bing Yin of the fourth month of Jian Wu, a halo - a rainbow - encircled the sun" \- [History of Latter Han, Treatise on the five elements, Part six](https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%BE%8C%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7103) Some speculate that this record could be on the third day after the crucifixion, but it is on the fourth year of [[Emperor Guangwu]] reign, so three years before that date. --- ### **The star of Bethlehem** > 二年二月，彗星出牽牛七十餘日。傳曰：「彗所以除舊布新也。牽牛，日、月、五星所從起，曆數之元，三正之始。彗而出之，改更之象也。其出久者，為其事大也。」其六月甲子，夏賀良等建言當改元易號，增漏刻。詔書改建平二年為太初元將元年，號曰陳聖劉太平皇帝，刻漏以百二十為度。八月丁巳，悉復蠲除之，賀良及黨與皆伏誅流放。其後卒有王莽篡國之禍。 > > In February of the second year, a comet appeared near Qianniu and remained visible for more than seventy days. The Commentary says: "A comet appears to **clear away the old** and **bring forth the new**." Qianniu is where the sun, moon, and five planets originate; it marks the **beginning of calendrical calculations and the start of the three calendar systems**. The appearance of a comet from this region signifies an **omen for change and renewal**. A long-lasting appearance indicates that the matter is significant." In June, on the Jia Zi day, Xia Heliang and others proposed that **the era name should be changed**, a new title adopted, and the number of ke in the day increased. An edict was issued changing Jianping second year to Taichu Yuanjiang first year, with the title "Chen Sheng Liu Taiping Huangdi," and the water clock adjusted to 120 ke as its measure. On the Bing Si day of August, all these changes were completely abolished; He Liang and his associates were all executed or exiled. After this came the calamity of Wang Mang usurping the throne. \- [Ban GU, Hanshu, Tianwen Zhi, Volume 26, 156th entry](https://ctext.org/han-shu/tian-wen-zhi#n63677) The closest thing to the phenomena described in the bible is a comet, since it is recorded as a moving star-like object. ![[Matt-02#v9]] The appearance of this comet perfectly aligns with the timeline of Jesus's birth (6-5 BC), in the Chinese records it is dated to appear 5 BC. --- [^1]: Shangshu, Tang Gao [^2]: [The Chronicles of Emperor Guangwu- English Interlinear](https://ctext.org/hou-han-shu/guang-wu-di-ji-xia/zh#n71660) Main source for article: [Book of the Later Han](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_the_Later_Han)