Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-04-11
CHINESE ASTRONOMY.
Instructive Facts About the Naming
Stars and ConstelIstions.

CHINESE ASTRONOMY.
Instructive Facts About the Naming ol
Stars and ConstelIstions.
The Chinese have adopted a system
differing considerably from our own as
their conception of animals, birds and
forms always does. They had two
great periods of star naming in ancient
China, the. first between 1000 and
5000 years before Christ and the sec
ond about dozen centuries later. AT
this early period Chinese astronomers
divided the heavens into quarters, con-
tanning twenty-eight groups of stars.
The quarters are distinguished by the
Green Dragon. representing spring and
comprising the seven eastern con-
stellations; the Red Bird, or sum-
mer, the seven southern constella-
tions; the White Tiger, standing for
autumn, the seven western; and the
Dark Warriors, the seven northern.
This name is also known as the Serpent
and sometimes the Tortoise, and it rep
resents winter.
About 100 B. C. the following points
were first brought into prominence in
astronomy: The cycle of twelve years,
dependent on revolution of Jupiter;
the twelve hours into which the hori-
zon is divided by the pointing of the
Bear; the cycles Of ten days; the cycle
of twenty-eight consultations; the four
seasons; the sun, moon and planets.
Astrology was most implicitly believed
in and was the main object of all Chi
nese astronomy, as differences for good
or evil were drawn from all astronom-
ical phenomena The good or evil
fortune of the En- pire was controlled
by the conjunction of the sun and
moon. Each province had its presid-
ing star, which foretold its fortunes
and was invoked whenever any par
ticular thing required.
The naming of stars after individuals
can, in many instances, be traced to
this period of Chinese astronomy.
Characters who were favorites with
the Emperors of the people have had
their names perpetuated by having
them bestowed on groups or on single
stars. The name given during the
Chow dynasty are generally of an i'm
perial origin instead of the more popu-
lar origin characterizing earlier GEN.
turtles. The chief ruler of heaven" is
the name given to the ancient pole,
the star Tai-yi twenty-five degrees
from our present pole. The seven
stars of the Great Bear are the govern
ment rulers of the sun. moon and five
planets. The palace of the heavenly
emperor is bounded by the oval formed
of the fifteen stars of Draco, among
which is Tai-yi. The group containing
Antares is Ming, tang, the council hall
of the emperor where he gives laws to
his subjects. The adjoining stars are
the sons of the Emperor. The palace
of the Emperor is Arcturus, toward
which the handle of the Dipper almost
points, and the two large stars in Cen
taur, to the south of Saggittarius mark
the portals of the south gate of his
dominion.
In Cancer and Leo lies the residence
of the southern emperor, surrounded
by a guard of twelve feudal barons.
Between Procyon and Regulus, and be-
tween the ecliptic and equator, there
is group called the Willow Branch,
which rules over planets and forms the
beak of the Red Bird. The constella-
tions of the seven stars adjoins this,
forming the neck of the Red Bird; its
crop is very appropriately taken to
represent the kitchen of the palace;
Hydra forms the wings; Y is the i'm
perial hOlel, where visitors at the place
are accommodated; the constellation
Corvis finishes the shape of the Red
Bird, and is the last in the zodiac.
The seven western consultations are
''the lake of fulness." the five reser-
voirs of heaven, 1.-The home of the five
emperors," while Hyades is the IAN
nouncer of invasion on the border"
The whole history of Chinese astron-
omy is full of similar comparisons be-
tween the state of the kingdoms of the
earth and the heavenly bodies; as an
example the pole star is said to be the
abode of the Supreme Ruler and the
circum-polar stars his court. Colors
are ascribed to the different emperors,
the white being for west, red for the
southern emperor, north for black en-
peror, and blue for the eastern, and
the central inclosure is the court of the
yellow emperor, whose essence is called
Hau shu-nieu. Within the brilliant
circle of the serpent is star. the
''court of the western heaven" the
twenty-five stars in the serpent being
named after the states into which China
was formerly divided. From these
facts one is induced to believe that the
names were very often first given to
consultations and the outlines of the
object were afterward traced as far as
they possibly could be, the rest being
leftvery much to the strong imagina-
ton of the people, whose credulity was
played upon by the astrologers of that
period to a very considerable degree.
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