In the reign of emperor Han Wu Di (141-87 BC), Dong Zhongshu tried to use catastrophes to hold the emperor in check and prevent excessive concentration of political power in his hands. He argued that unusual heavenly events portended major changes in the course of human affairs, and championed the idea that one could predict the future by observing the stars.
官方專業人士細加察看與解釋天象傳達的訊息，更進一步深化了天人感應的層度。漢武帝時，董仲舒試圖利用災異來限制皇權，以避免漢代中央集權體制過度膨脹，因而假藉天象變異象徵人事的更迭禍福。