Chinese constellation: Difference between revisions

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The Chinese have a tradition of grouping stars that is very different from the Western one. These groups are what we call [[Chinese Constellation]]s.
The '''Chinese''' have a tradition of grouping stars in '''constellations''' that is completely different from the Western one.  


In traditional Chinese thought, the celestial arrangement of sky reflects the political arrangements on Earth; the most northern stars represents the most elevated figures, and [[Polaris]] represent the Emperor - around which all other stars revolve. <ref>Ronan, Colin A. ''The Cambridge Illustrated History of the World's Science'', Vol. 2. 1984: Cambridge University Press.</ref> Also, the sky around [[North Celestial Pole]] (the [[circumpolar region]]) is divided in '''Three Enclosures''' (三垣  sān yuán).
In traditional Chinese thought, the arrangement of the sky reflects the political arrangements on Earth: the most northern stars represents the most elevated figures, and [[Polaris]] represent the Emperor - around which all other stars revolve. <ref>Ronan, Colin A. ''The Cambridge Illustrated History of the World's Science'', Vol. 2. 1984: Cambridge University Press.</ref> Also, the sky around the [[North Celestial Pole]] (the [[circumpolar region]]) is divided into '''Three Enclosures''' (三垣  sān yuán).


In addition, for the Chinese, the region of sky passed through by the [[ecliptic]] is not divided into 12 [[zodiac|zodiacal constellations]], but in '''Twenty-eight Mansions''' (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù). The division is that as in each day of the month, the [[Moon]] ocupes one of these mansions. The Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon, whereas the Zodiac reflects that of the Sun. ([[Indian astronomy]] also has a system of lunar mansions, called ''[[Nakshatras]]''.)
In addition, for the Chinese, the region of sky passed through by the [[ecliptic]] is not divided into 12 [[zodiac|zodiacal constellations]], but into '''Twenty-eight Mansions''' (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù). In each day of the month, the [[Moon]] occupies one of these mansions. The Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon, whereas the Zodiac reflects that of the Sun. ([[Indian astronomy]] also has a system of lunar mansions, called ''[[Nakshatras]]''.)


==3 Enclosures==
==Three Enclosures==


The '''Three Enclosures''' (三垣  sān yuán) are:
The '''Three Enclosures''' (三垣  sān yuán) are:
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* [[Heavenly Market enclosure]] (天市垣, Tiān Shì Yuán) - lies at the other side of the Forbidden Enclosure.
* [[Heavenly Market enclosure]] (天市垣, Tiān Shì Yuán) - lies at the other side of the Forbidden Enclosure.


==28 Mansions==
==Twenty-eight Mansions==


The '''Twenty-Eight Mansions''' (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) are:
The '''Twenty-eight Mansions''' (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) are:


{| cellspacing="0" border="1" bgcolor="white"
{| cellspacing="0" border="1" bgcolor="white"
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||'''name'''
||'''name'''
||'''[[pinyin]]'''
||'''[[pinyin]]'''
||'''litteral translation <ref>Translations of the Xiu names are done literally and may not be the true and original meaning</ref>'''
||'''literal translation <ref>Translations of the Xiu names are done literally and may not be the true and original meaning</ref>'''
||'''approx. localization due <br>to official constellations'''
||'''approx. localization due <br>to official constellations'''
|-
|-
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||Jiăo
||Jiăo
||[[Horn (Chinese constellation)|Horn]]
||[[Horn (Chinese constellation)|Horn]]
||[[Virgo]], around [[Spica]]
||[[Virgo (constellation)|Virgo]], around [[Spica]]
|-
|-
|亢
|亢
||Kàng
||Kàng
||[[Neck (Chinese constellation)|Neck]]
||[[Neck (Chinese constellation)|Neck]]
||[[Virgo]]
||[[Virgo (constellation)|Virgo]]
|-
|-
|氐
|氐
||Dī
||Dī
||[[Root (Chinese constellation)|Root]]
||[[Root (Chinese constellation)|Root]]
||[[Libra]]
||[[Libra (constellation)|Libra]]
|-
|-
|房
|房
||Fáng
||Fáng
||[[Room (Chinese constellation)|Room]]
||[[Room (Chinese constellation)|Room]]
||[[Libra]]
||[[Libra (constellation)|Libra]]
|-
|-
|心
|心
||Xīn
||Xīn
||[[Heart (Chinese constellation)|Heart]]
||[[Heart (Chinese constellation)|Heart]]
||[[Scorpius]], around [[Antares]]
||[[Scorpius (constellation)|Scorpius]], around [[Antares]]
|-
|-
|尾
|尾
||Wěi
||Wěi
||[[Tail (Chinese constellation)|Tail]]
||[[Tail (Chinese constellation)|Tail]]
||[[Scorpius]]
||[[Scorpius (constellation)|Scorpius]]
|-
|-
|箕
|箕
||Jī
||Jī
||[[Winnowing Basket (Chinese constellation)|Winnowing Basket]]
||[[Winnowing Basket (Chinese constellation)|Winnowing Basket]]
||[[Sagittarius]]
||[[Sagittarius (constellation)|Sagittarius]]
|-
|-
|rowspan="7" align="center"|[[The Black Tortoise of the North]]<br>(北方玄武)
|rowspan="7" align="center"|[[The Black Tortoise of the North]]<br>(北方玄武)
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||Dǒu
||Dǒu
||[[Dipper (Chinese constellation)|Dipper]]
||[[Dipper (Chinese constellation)|Dipper]]
||[[Sagittarius]]
||[[Sagittarius (constellation)|Sagittarius]]
|-
|-
|牛
|牛
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||Nǚ
||Nǚ
||[[Girl (Chinese constellation)|Girl]]
||[[Girl (Chinese constellation)|Girl]]
||[[Aquarius]]
||[[Aquarius (constellation)|Aquarius]]
|-
|-
|虛
|虛
||Xū
||Xū
||[[Emptiness (Chinese constellation)|Emptiness]]
||[[Emptiness (Chinese constellation)|Emptiness]]
||[[Aquarius]]
||[[Aquarius (constellation)|Aquarius]]
|-
|-
|危||Wēi||[[Rooftop (Chinese constellation)|Rooftop]], Danger
|危||Wēi||[[Rooftop (Chinese constellation)|Rooftop]], Danger
||[[Aquarius]]/[[Pegasus]]
||[[Aquarius (constellation)|Aquarius]]/[[Pegasus (constellation)|Pegasus]]
|-
|-
|室
|室
||Shì
||Shì
||[[Encampment (Chinese constellation)|Encampment]], Room
||[[Encampment (Chinese constellation)|Encampment]], Room
||[[Pegasus]]
||[[Pegasus (constellation)|Pegasus]]
|-
|-
|壁
|壁
||Bì
||Bì
||[[Wall (Chinese constellation)|Wall]]
||[[Wall (Chinese constellation)|Wall]]
||[[Pegasus]], around [[Algenib]]
||[[Pegasus (constellation)|Pegasus]], around [[Algenib]]
|-
|-
|rowspan="7" align="center"|[[The White Tiger of the West]]<br>(西方白虎)
|rowspan="7" align="center"|[[The White Tiger of the West]]<br>(西方白虎)
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||Kuí
||Kuí
||[[Legs (Chinese constellation)|Legs]]
||[[Legs (Chinese constellation)|Legs]]
||[[Andromeda]]
||[[Andromeda (constellation)|Andromeda]]
|-
|-
|婁
|婁
||Lóu
||Lóu
||[[Bond (Chinese constellation)|Bond]]
||[[Bond (Chinese constellation)|Bond]]
||[[Aries]]
||[[Aries (constellation)|Aries]]
|-
|-
|胃
|胃
||Wèi
||Wèi
||[[Stomach (Chinese constellation)|Stomach]]
||[[Stomach (Chinese constellation)|Stomach]]
||[[Aries]]
||[[Aries (constellation)|Aries]]
|-
|-
|昴
|昴
||Mǎo
||Mǎo
||[[Hairy Head (Chinese constellation)|Hairy Head]]
||[[Hairy Head (Chinese constellation)|Hairy Head]]
||[[Taurus]], around [[Pleiades|The Pleiades]]
||[[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]], around [[Pleiades|The Pleiades]]
|-
|-
|畢
|畢
||Bì
||Bì
||[[Net (Chinese constellation)|Net]]
||[[Net (Chinese constellation)|Net]]
||[[Taurus]]
||[[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]]
|-
|-
|觜
|觜
||Zī
||Zī
||[[Turtle Beak (Chinese constellation)|Turtle Beak]]
||[[Turtle Beak (Chinese constellation)|Turtle Beak]]
||[[Orion]]
||[[Orion (constellation)|Orion]]
|-
|-
|參
|參
||Shēn
||Shēn
||[[Three Stars (Chinese constellation)|Three Stars]]
||[[Three Stars (Chinese constellation)|Three Stars]]
||[[Orion]]
||[[Orion (constellation)|Orion]]
|-
|-
|rowspan="7" align="center"|[[The Vermillion Bird of the South]]<br>(南方朱雀)
|rowspan="7" align="center"|[[The Vermillion Bird of the South]]<br>(南方朱雀)
Line 137: Line 137:
||Jǐng
||Jǐng
||[[Well (Chinese constellation)|Well]]
||[[Well (Chinese constellation)|Well]]
||[[Gemini]]
||[[Gemini (constellation)|Gemini]]
|-
|-
|鬼
|鬼
Line 147: Line 147:
||Liǔ
||Liǔ
||[[Willow (Chinese constellation)|Willow]]
||[[Willow (Chinese constellation)|Willow]]
||[[Hydra]]
||[[Hydra (constellation)|Hydra]]
|-
|-
|星
|星
||Xīng
||Xīng
||[[Star (Chinese constellation)|Star]]
||[[Star (Chinese constellation)|Star]]
||[[Hydra]], around [[Alphard]]
||[[Hydra (constellation)|Hydra]], around [[Alphard]]
|-
|-
|張
|張
||Zhāng
||Zhāng
||[[Extended Net (Chinese constellation)|Extended Net]],Growth
||[[Extended Net (Chinese constellation)|Extended Net]],Growth
||[[Crater]]
||[[Crater (constellation)|Crater]]
|-
|-
|翼
|翼
||Yì
||Yì
||[[Wings (Chinese constellation)|Wings]]
||[[Wings (Chinese constellation)|Wings]]
||[[Corvus]]
||[[Corvus (constellation)|Corvus]]
|-
|-
|軫
|軫
||Zhěn
||Zhěn
||[[Chariot (Chinese constellation)|Chariot]], <br>Strongly (as of emotion)   
||[[Chariot (Chinese constellation)|Chariot]], <br>Strongly (as of emotion)   
||[[Corvus]]
||[[Corvus (constellation)|Corvus]]
|}
|}


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The Chinese have a tradition of grouping stars in constellations that is completely different from the Western one.

In traditional Chinese thought, the arrangement of the sky reflects the political arrangements on Earth: the most northern stars represents the most elevated figures, and Polaris represent the Emperor - around which all other stars revolve. [1] Also, the sky around the North Celestial Pole (the circumpolar region) is divided into Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán).

In addition, for the Chinese, the region of sky passed through by the ecliptic is not divided into 12 zodiacal constellations, but into Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù). In each day of the month, the Moon occupies one of these mansions. The Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon, whereas the Zodiac reflects that of the Sun. (Indian astronomy also has a system of lunar mansions, called Nakshatras.)

Three Enclosures

The Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán) are:

Twenty-eight Mansions

The Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) are:

Four Symbols
(四象)		 "Xiu" (宿)
name pinyin literal translation [2] approx. localization due
to official constellations
The Azure Dragon of the East
(東方青龍) 		角 Jiăo Horn Virgo, around Spica
亢 Kàng Neck Virgo
氐 Dī Root Libra
房 Fáng Room Libra
心 Xīn Heart Scorpius, around Antares
尾 Wěi Tail Scorpius
箕 Jī Winnowing Basket Sagittarius
The Black Tortoise of the North
(北方玄武) 		斗 Dǒu Dipper Sagittarius
牛 Niú Ox Capricornus
女 Nǚ Girl Aquarius
虛 Xū Emptiness Aquarius
危 Wēi Rooftop, Danger Aquarius/Pegasus
室 Shì Encampment, Room Pegasus
壁 Bì Wall Pegasus, around Algenib
The White Tiger of the West
(西方白虎) 		奎 Kuí Legs Andromeda
婁 Lóu Bond Aries
胃 Wèi Stomach Aries
昴 Mǎo Hairy Head Taurus, around The Pleiades
畢 Bì Net Taurus
觜 Zī Turtle Beak Orion
參 Shēn Three Stars Orion
The Vermillion Bird of the South
(南方朱雀) 		井 Jǐng Well Gemini
鬼 Guǐ Ghost, Demon Cancer
柳 Liǔ Willow Hydra
星 Xīng Star Hydra, around Alphard
張 Zhāng Extended Net,Growth Crater
翼 Yì Wings Corvus
軫 Zhěn Chariot,
Strongly (as of emotion) 		Corvus

References

  1. ↑ Ronan, Colin A. The Cambridge Illustrated History of the World's Science, Vol. 2. 1984: Cambridge University Press.
  2. ↑ Translations of the Xiu names are done literally and may not be the true and original meaning
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