On March 28, 2025, around midday, a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the area close to Mandalay in central Myanmar, soon after which a secondary shock with a magnitude of 6.7 rattled the region.
In mere moments, social media platforms and the web were flooded with videos of the earthquake Many of which started in Bangkok, Thailand, approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away from the earthquake's epicenter.
We witnessed terrifying sights of swaying high-rise buildings, water pouring down from rooftop pools, and panicked individuals in the streets of Thailand’s main city.
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A structure that was still being built close to the well-known Chatuchak Weekend Market fell down, resulting in many workers dying and getting stuck beneath the debris.
Videos coming out of Myanmar were slower in reaching international audiences, yet once they did, the extent of the destruction was truly heart-wrenching to witness.
As of April 4, the death toll in Myanmar exceeded 3,300, with hundreds unaccounted for, while 22 fatalities were reported across in neighboring Thailand.
Prior to modern scientific understanding of moving tectonic plates, ancient Chinese people thought that earthquakes served as celestial alerts caused either by political unrest or an errant leader. According to them, the cosmos functioned based on a fine equilibrium between yin and yang forces; thus, whenever this harmony was disrupted, tremors occurred beneath our feet.
Consider the earthquake in 780 BC, occurring during the second year of King You’s rule over the Western Zhou dynasty. This seismic event took place close to what was then China's capital city, Xi'an, located within today's Shaanxi Province. The king's astronomer interpreted this natural disaster as an omen indicating potential unrest threatening the governing regime.
As per his view, the intense, inactive yin force had overwhelmed the vibrant, dynamic yang force, causing an imbalance that made the Earth shake in objection.
King You gained notoriety for his lack of wisdom. To entertain his favorite concubine, Bao Si, he notoriously staged fake alarms about enemy invasions. This act eventually led him to be associated with an excessive amount of yin energy. In 771 BC, western tribes known as nomads launched an assault on the Western Zhou capital. During this invasion, they managed to kill King You, seize valuables, and take prisoners before retreating.
The collapse of the Western Zhou dynasty, which happened nine lengthy years following the significant seismic event, served as confirmation for numerous people of the royal astrologer’s explanation regarding the earthquake in 780 BC.
In 30 BC, a solar eclipse and an earthquake happened on the same day. A courtier advised Emperor Cheng of the Western Han Dynasty that these dual omens were due to fierce rivalry amongst the emperor’s concubines, which generated an overabundance of yin energy.
Internal conflicts within the royal household triggered turmoil in governance, causing the influence of different concubines’ clans to wax and wane based on their favor with the emperor. Swapping out one powerful clan for another frequently led to violence and disorder.
However, despite their reliance on supernatural explanations, the ancient Chinese surpassed much of the world in earthquake detection and documentation. The ingenious inventor Zhang Heng (AD 78–139), from the Eastern Han era, developed the world’s first seismoscope. Although this early device didn’t elucidate the reasons behind earthquakes, it was capable of identifying remote seismic activities.
Skipping ahead to the early Qing dynasty, an extensive earthquake occurred during the rule of Emperor Shunzhi (1644-1661). Several officials stepped down from their positions due to feelings of culpability, believing that poor management under their watch might have provoked divine wrath, leading to this calamity.
However, Shunzhi held himself accountable, acknowledging that he might have erred and requesting his ministers' assistance to enhance himself.
Theories regarding earthquakes during premodern China might not align with contemporary scientific understanding, yet they provide valuable insights into past perspectives. These quakes weren’t seen as mere accidents; instead, they were considered celestial warnings against poor governance and unjust periods, indicating significant transformations on the horizon.
This being said, numerous individuals globally continue to opt for supernatural or religious interpretations when explaining natural disasters. For them, this is the sole means to comprehend the devastation and loss these events bring about.
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The article initially appeared on the South ChinaMorning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China andAsia.
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