Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-01-30
QUEER ASTRONOMY.
THAT or TIE CHINESE, FOR IT IS
AS YET MERELY AsTRoLoGY.


scrvatory, but Many Elaborate 1nstru-
mcnts Of No Apparent wondcrfui
Bell In the Observatory Tower.
Astronomy in China IS in very
primitive condition Tho observatory
OF pcldng IS tho only one belonging 60
China which lie Of any Importance. It
Is situated upon q terrace, which runs
along tho Notifications Of the city and
could, II necessary, DO used as for.
trOss.
Tho instruments which it contains arc
remarkable for thcir historical interest
and artistic beauty rather than for thoir
scientific value Perhaps tho most 300.
torostug Of these IS the hugo bronze
quadrant ECnt by Louis XIV 60 Che Chi.
ncso Emperor kaug III iu tho aryeu.
toonth century, It's probably th1mUst
modern and consequently the most ag.
curato instrument in tho whole c0ll1c.
tion. The chief piece of tho uh-Cvai1.
~ is an extremely ornate bronze iusiru.
mont which was constructed ly the
chief astronomer tho Emperor kuhlai-
Khan iu tho thirteenth century Tho
form uf tho instrument somewhat re-.
somblOs % modern equatorial, hut It's
use Is rr0ulgmaugaL This astronomer
whose nnmo was E1u sh1u King, may
bu called tlu Napoleon Of Chinese ns-
trunomy, for Doc was tib hrt tl con.
struct instrument. Of any practical val.
ne, and tho observatory owes 60 him
nearly al its Astronomical appliance
Tho gigantic celestial aphora is another
object OF interest Though o foot IN Oh.
amCtCr and Weighing moro than % TOM,
yet 10 can DO easily rotated by child,
so carefully IS it balanced.
Tho instruments uro an Of very olna.
mental construction Utility was % sec.
ondary consideration 60 appearance, and
tho native wurknln who constructed
thom were I'm moro concerned about tho
dragons with flames issuing from thCir
mouths and tho hidC0us figures aloru.
ing tho instruments than thoy woro
about the accuracy Of tho divisions
Tho number of mon employed ly tho
Celestial government TO manage tho OBJ
ecryatory is very large. Including all
the officials aud alarioi students, tluo
arc 200 There IS o chancellor nt tho
head. and nitor him arc directors. sub.
dircctounnd assistant ubdiraetUmw with
out number. a post IA tho posiug oh.
toryatory, though honorary BIS ounsid.
cred 20 DO worry important position. and
the present chancellor Is an uncle Of
the emperor
His subordIuatgs arc also mon of
rank, the two directors having % right
90 the button OF precious stones and %
jowol0d image VI tho fca raven. which
is worn on tho heart Their offices nro
hereditary labout the only ones Ia Chi.
nn which ar0l, because thoy alouo hayo
tho calculation tables which the Jcsuits
introduced In the seventeenth century
and thcy keep thom carefully hidden
away
ono Of tho principal features In a
modern observatory Is % telescope. In
the Poking observatory thoro IL not n
single telescope. md thoTo never has been
one, or at least thCrn 80 no record of IL.
This ~ not astonishing ia Wow Of the
hgo which the Chinese mako Of astrono.
my. Tho only real value Il has for
thom Is 20 determine their numorou.
fast days and tho dates OF idllntrou.
fcnsts which tho emperor periodically
holds nj tho various temples whom Nc
executes tho sacrifices and performs tho
ritos laid down In the sacred books.
Tho astronomy OF tho Chinese was IN
fact and is yet merely astrology IN,
duty OF fixing these dates falls upon thJ
officials OF tho observatory, and th,
council Of tho board also meets on th,
last day Of Cv0ry year. aud at midnight
The chancellor solcmnly nsCortaius thl
direction Of tho wind and informs On,
board. They then draw their ouuclu
sions, and tho result Is circulated iui
aud wide.
Tho most favorable direction OF the
wind h from the northwest. and SHOULD
this wind prevail every sort Of happi
ness may DO expected during tho ynsu
ing year, Tho Chinese year begins Feb
IL. On that date, 1904, tho wind wa
from the southeast
Tho clocks used IN tho ohsorvntor,
ire all water clocks, like the nuoiun
olcpydra Of tho Romans and an im
portant part Of tho duties Of tho ohsorv
atory officials Is 20 ring tho changes %
the night watches on tho great bell o.
Picking, which hangs IA tho holl tUwg
and weighs 800, 600 pounds, SIS 10 fec
high, 80 foot IN circumference and
mado Of bronco o inches thick 10 s
struck by % wooden beam, 800 that Oh
noise made BY it is not proportionato &
Is azu
In tho drum tower arc kept tho In
conso sticks, which are continually l,cp
burning and which mark tho passage %
timo in conjunction with tho waite
clocks. Such ur0 the primitive mean
which the Chinese possess for hecumiu
acquainted with astronomical subjects