Chinese Astronomy

China was among the first nations in the world to foster the development of astronomy. Through careful observation, the ancient Chinese charted the heavens and compiled the earliest start catalogues. However, during the last century, the painstaking works of ancient Chinese astronomers have more or less sunk into oblivion.

Star maps based on the Chinese classification are scanty to say the least. Most appear as appendices to dicourses on ancient Chiense astronomy while others have become mixed with popular astrology and divination.

Chinese star maps do not divide the sky up into distinctly separate constellations but should instead be read as a whole. The sky is divided into 4 quarters, the Eastern Azure Dragon, the Murky Warrior, the White Tiger and the Vermilion Bird. These 4 symbolically represent the 4 cardinal points, East, North, West and South respectively.

There are 3 Enclosures (large constellations), the Purple Palace Enclosure, the Supreme Palace Enclosure and the Heavenly Market Enclosure which stand for the Palace, the Government and the People respectively, and 28 Lunar Mansions (constellations). Each mansion contains many asterisms (star clusters) which are clustered together with special implications. For instance, the lunar mansions Bond and Stomach are connected with crop harvests, while the mansions Hairy Head, Net and Turtle Beak depict hunting games common in ancient times. Similarly, near the lunar mansions Horn, Neck, Root and Room are asterisms with military connotations that enable us to imagine the layout of a large military camp in the sky.

The Chinese divisions of the sky began with the Northern Dipper and the 28 lunar mansions. Images of the Azure Dragon, The White Tiger and the Northern Dipper have been found on clamshells and bones uncovered in the early 1980s in an ancient tomb excavated at Xi Shui Po in Pu Yang, Henan. The tomb dates back to the Neolithic Age, about 6,000 years ago. The star names relating to the 28 lunar mansions have appeared on oracle bones as early as the Wuding Period, about 3,200 years ago. As lunar mansions have such an ancient origin, the meanings of most of their names have become obscure and continues to divide contemporary scholars. This is further complicated by the fact that the name of each lunar mansion consists of only one Chinese character, the meaning of which could vary at different times in history.

As Chinese astronomy was developed independently from its Western counterparts, its star classification system is in many ways unique. It is generally agreed that the Chinese constellations we know today were based on the work of Shi Shen-fu, Gan De and Wuxian and developed to their present form during the period from the Warring States Period to the Han Dynasty. Chen Zhuo of the Three Kingdoms Period combined the work of his predecessors to form the star catalogue containing 283 asterisms and 1,464 stars.

Wang Xi-ming of the Tang dynasty, in his poem "Pacing the Heavens", was the first to divide the sky he saw into 31 regions, the so-called three enclosures and 28 lunar mansions. The 28 lunar mansions which are similar to the 12 signs of the zodiac in the West, lie near the ecliptic and the celestial equator where the Sun, Moon, and planets pass.

The Purple Palace Enclosure occupies the central position in the northern sky centered around the Pole Star and is often called the "Central Palace". This is where the emperor and members of his imperial household live. The star Beta Ursae Minoris represents the emperor and is called the Emperor Star. This star, though dim and inconspicious, was the Pole Star 2,000 years ago during the Zhou Dynasty. Over the years, various stars have held pole position with the current Pole Star only gaining prominence in recent times.

The Supreme Palace Enclosure is also known as the "Celestial Court". This is the southern palace of the emperor and seat of government.

The Heavenly Market Enclosure is where the common people live.

Purple Palace Enclosure ( 37 asterisms)
R.A. 0h to 24h, Dec +50 to +90degrees
North Pole, Four Advisors, Celestial Great One, First Great One, Left Wall, Right Wall, Hidden Virtue, Royal Secretary, Female Protocol, Official of Royal Archives, Maids-in-waiting, Celestial Pillar, Chief Judge, Curved Array, Six Jia, Great Emperor of Heaven, Interior Seats of the Five Emperors, Canopy of the Emperor (with Canopy Support), Guest House, Inner Steps, Celestial Kitchen, Eight Kinds of Crops, Celestial Flail, Inner Kitchen, Administrative Centre, Three Top Instructors, Three Excellencies, Celestial Bed, Royals, Celestial Prison, Guard of the Sun, Eunuch, Prime Minister, Sombre Lance, Judge for Nobility, Northern Dipper (with Assistant), Celestial Spear

Supreme Palace Enclosure (20 asterisms)
R.A. 11h to 13h, Dec -5 to +30degrees
Left Wall, Right Wall, Usher to the Court, Three Excellencies, Nine Senior Officers, Five Feudal Kings, Inner Screen, Seats of the Five Emperors, Office of Honour, Crown Prince, Retunue, Captain of the Bodyguards, Emperor's Bodyguard, Imperial Guards, Official of the Imperial Guard, Cosmological Temple, Astronomical Observatory, Junior Officers, Long Wall, Three Steps

Heavenly Market Enclosure (19 asterisms)
R.A. 16h to 19h, Dec -20 to +30degrees
Left Wall, Right Wall, Municipal Office, Commodity Markets, Official for the Royal Clan, Official of Religious Ceremonies, Patriarchal Clan, Textile Ruler, Butcher's Shops, Astrologer, Emperor's Seat, Eunuch Official, Jewel Market, Dipper for Liquids, Dipper for Solids, Coiled Thong, Seven Excellencies, Celestial Discipline, Woman's Bed

Eastern Azure Dragon (7 Lunar Mansions)
R.A. 12h to 18h, Dec -50 to +50degrees
- Horn Mansion (11 asterisms) Horn, Flat Road, Celestial Farmland, Recommending Virtuous Men, Tripod of the Zhou, Celestial Gate, Judging, Arsenal, Pillars, Railings, Southern Gate)
- Neck Mansion (7 asterisms) Neck, Great Horn, Right Conductor, Left Conductor, Trials, Gate of Yang, Executions
- Root Mansion (11 asterisms) Root, Celestial Milk, Twinkling Indicator, Celestial Lance, Mattress of the Emperor, Boats and Lake, Battle Chariots, Imperial Guards, Chariots and Cavalry, Celestial Spokes, Chariot and Cavalry General
- Room Mansion (7 asterisms) Room (with Lock), Door Bolt, Punishment, Eastern Door, Western Door, Sun, Retinue
- Heart Mansion (2 asterisms) Heart, Group of Soldiers
- Tail Mansion (5 asterisms) Tail (with Changing Room), Tortoise, Celestial River, Fuyue, Fish
- Winnowing Basket (3 asterisms) Winnowing Basket, Chaff, Pestle

Northern Murky Warrior (7 Lunar Mansions)
R.A. 18h to 0h, Dec -50 to +50degrees
- Dipper (10 asterisms) Dipper, Establishment, Market Officer, River Turtle, Celestial Cock, Celestial Keyhole, Territory of Dogs, Celestial Spring, Dog, Peasant
- Ox (11 asterisms) Ox, Celestial Farmland, Nine Water Wells, Drum at the River, Weaving Girl, Left Flag, Right Flag, Celestial Drumbstick, Network of Dykes, Clepsydra Terrace, Imperial Passageway
- Girl (8 asterisms) Girl, Twelve Countries, Pearls on Ladies' Wear, Rotten Gourd, Good Gourd, Celestial Ford, Xizhong, Basket for Mulberry Leaves
- Emptiness (10 asterisms) Emptiness, Deified Judge of Life, Deified Judge of Rank, Deified Judge of Disaster and Good Fortune, Deified Judge of Right and Wrong, Crying, Weeping, Celestial Ramparts, Decayed Mortar, Jade Ornament on Ladies' Wear
- Rooftop (10 asterisms) Rooftop (with Tomb), Humans, Pestle, Mortar, Big Yard for Chariots, Celestial Hook, Zaofu, Roofing, Temple, Celestial Money
- Encampment (10 asterisms) Encampment (with Resting Palace), Thunder and Lighting, Line of Ramparts, Palace Guard, Axe, North Gate of the Military Camp, Net for Catching Birds, Materials for Making Tents, Official for Materials Supply, Flying Serpent
- Wall (6 asterisms) Wall, Thunderbolt, Cloud and Raid, Celestial Stable, Sickle, Official for Earthworks and Buildings

White Tiger (7 Lunar Mansions)
R.A. 0h to 6h, Dec -50 to +50degrees
- Legs (9 asterisms) Legs, Outer Fence, Celestial Pigsty, Master of Constructions, Southern Military Gate, Flying Corridor, Auxiliary Road, Wangliang, Whip
- Bond (6 asterisms) Bond, Official in Charge of the Forest, Official in Charge of Pasturing, Square Celestial Granary, Ricks of Grain, Great General of Heaven
- Stomach (7 asterisms) Stomach, Celestial Foodstuff, Circular Celestial Granary, Mausoleum, Celestial Boat, Heap of Corpses, Stored Water
- Hairy Head (9 asterisms) Hairy Head, Celestial River, Moon, Celestial Yin Force, Hay, Celestial Meadows, Rolled Tongue, Celestial Slander, Whetstone
- Net (14 asterisms) Net (with Whisper), Celestial Street, Celestial Tally, Feudal Kings, Celestial High Terrace, Interpreters of Nine Dialects, Five Chariots, Pillars, Celestial Pier, Pool of Harmony, Celestial Gate, Banner of Three Stars, Imperial Military Flag, Celestial Orchard
- Turtle Beak (3 asterisms) Turtle Beak, Deity in Charge of Monsters, Seat Flags
- Three Stars (6 asterisms) Three Stars (with Punishment), Jade Well, Screen, Military Well, Toilet, Excrement

Vermilion Bird (7 Lunar Mansions)
R.A. 6h to 12h, Dec -50 to +50degrees
- Well (19 asterisms) Well (with Battle Axe), South River, North River, Celestial Wine Cup, Five Feudal Kings, Accumulated Water, Pile of Firewood, Official for Irrigation, Water Level, Four Channels, Market for Soildiers, Wild Cockerel, Grandfather, Son, Grandson, Palace Gate, Celestial Wolf, Bow and Arrow, Old Man
- Ghosts (7 asterisms) Ghosts, Cumulative Corpses, Beacon Fire, Celestial Dog, Outer Kitchen, Celestial Earth God's Temple, Judge for Estimating the Age of Animals
- Willow (2 asterisms) Willow, Banner of a Wine Shop
- Star (5 asterisms) Star, Celestial Premier, Celestial Cereals, Xuanyuan, High Judge
- Extended Net (2 asterisms) Extended Net, Celestial Temple
- Wings (2 asterisms) Wings, Dongou
- Chariot (5 asterisms) Chariot (wtih Changsha, Left Linchpin, Right Linchpin), Green Hill, Military Gate, MAster of Constructions, House for Musical Instruments

Southern Polar Region (23 asterisms)
R.A. 0h to 24h, Dec -50 to -90degrees
Sea and Mountain, Cross, Horse's Tail, horse's Abdomen, Bee, Triangle, Exotic Bird, Peacock, Persia, Snake's Tail, Snake's Abdomen, Snake's Head, Bird's Beak, Crane, Firebird, Crooked Running Water, White Patches Nearby, White Patches Attached, Goldfish, Sea Rock, Flying Fish, Southern Boat, Little Dipper

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Chinese Astronomical Terms (modern)

Sun – Tai4 Yang2
Mercury - Shui3 Xing1
Venus - Jin1 Xing1
Moon – Yue4 Liang1
Earth – Di4 Qiu2
Mars - Huo3 Xing1
Jupiter - Mu4 Xing1
Saturn - Tu3 Xing1
Uranus - Tian1 Wang2 Xing1
Neptune - Hai3 Wang2 Xing1
Pluto - Ming2 Wang2 Xing1
Milky Way – Yin2 He2 Xi4
Telescope - Tian1 Wen2 Jing4
Astronomy - Tian1 Wen2 Xue2