On the evening of May 23rd, during the first day of the Chinese Communist Party’s military exercises encircling Taiwan, the sky in Zhoushan, Zhejiang once again turned blood-red. A similar occurrence was witnessed on the evening of May 7th last year in Zhoushan, Zhejiang.
Videos circulating on mainland China’s social media platforms on the 23rd showed the sky over Dinghai District in Zhoushan presenting a blood-red hue.
The person recording the video remarked, “It’s so red, why is this happening?”
Local authorities told mainland media that the phenomenon was due to testing lights to catch squid. However, netizens retorted, “It’s the closed fishing season right now.”
At the end of last month, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Ocean Economy Development of the Chinese Communist Party announced that starting from May 1st, the entire province had entered the closed fishing season, which will continue until September 16th.
Some netizens expressed concerns that the blood-red sky might be an ominous sign.
In traditional Chinese culture, there is a belief in the unity of heaven and humanity. The Book of Changes (I Ching) states, “When phenomena from above are observed, it reveals fortunate or calamitous events; the sage contemplates their significance.” The changes in celestial phenomena often correspond to the fortunes or misfortunes of worldly affairs. Ancient beliefs held that “red signifies military disasters.” The occurrence of a blood moon or a blood-red sky is believed to foreshadow calamities such as war and drought.
In the moment when Zhoushan experienced the blood-red sky, the Chinese Communist Party had just announced military exercises aimed at Taiwan. On May 23rd, the Chinese military claimed that forces from the Eastern Theater Command had organized land, sea, air, rocket forces, and others to conduct joint exercises around Taiwan and the surrounding Jinmen area from the 23rd to the 24th. Although no missiles were launched during the two-day drills, the military exercise was seen as a means to intimidate Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense on the 23rd condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s actions as irrational provocation, undermining regional peace and stability, and stated that they have deployed troops and all personnel are ready to defend freedom and democracy.
This is not the first time Zhoushan has witnessed a blood-red sky.
On May 7, 2022, Putuo District in Zhoushan also witnessed a red sky. Local elderly residents expressed that they had never seen such a scene in their lifetime. At that time, people worried, “When there are strange omens in the sky, there must be malevolent spirits! Is a disaster brewing?” “The blood-red sky is a bit frightening; it’s unlikely to bring any good fortune. With frequent celestial anomalies, the warning signs are clear, so it’s better to be cautious and make necessary disaster preparations.” “Why did the sky turn blood-red? Could it be a precursor to an earthquake?”