Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-05-08
QUEER ASTRONOMY :
THAT OF THE CHINESE, FOR 1T IS
AS YET MERELY AsTROLoeY.

'"'s VI N" apparent Use--WOnderfu
Boil In the Observatory Tower.
Astronomy in China is in a very
primitive condition. The observatory
1T lcking is the only one belonging &c
Chlna which is of any Importance. II
is situated upon terrace, which runs
along the Notifications of the city and
could, if necessary, be used us a for.
.ress
The instruments which il contains are
remarkable for their historical interest
aud artistic beauty rather than for their
scientific value. Perhaps the most in.
teresting of these is the huge bronze
quadrant sent by Louis XIV to the Chi.
nese Emperor Kang Hi in the seven
teenth century. 1t is probably the most
modern and consequently the most ac.
curate instrument i'll the whole collec.
tlon. The chief piece of the observato-
ry is all extremely ornate bronze instru-
ment which was constructed by the
chief astronomer of the Emperor Kublai-
Khan in the thirteenth century. The
form of the instrument somewhat re-
sembles a modern equatorial, but its
use is problematical. This astronomer,
whose name was Kou Shou King, may
be called the Napoleon of Chinese as
tronomy, for he was the first to con-
struct instruments Of any practical val
ue, and the observatory owes to him
nearly all its astronomical appliances.
The gigantic celestial sphere is another
object of interest. Though feet in di :
ameter and weighing more than ton,
yet it can be easily rotated by child,
so carefully is it balanced
The instruments are all Of very orna-
mental construction. Utility was a sec
ondary consideration to appearance, and
the native workmen who constructed
them were far more concerned about the
dragons with flames issuing from their
mouths and the hideous figures adorn-
ing the instruments than they were
about the accuracy Of the divisions
The number of men employed by the
Celestial government to manage the OBJ
servatory is very large. Including all
the officials and salaried students, there
are 200. There is a chancellor at the
head, and after him are directors, sub
directors and assistant subdirectors with
out number A post in the Peking OBJ
servatory, though honorary, is consid-
cred to be very important position, and
the present chancellor is an uncle of
the emperor.
His subordinates are also men of
rank, the two directors having a right
to the button of precious stones and
jeweled image Of the sea raven. which
is worn on the heart. Their offices are
hereditary (about the only ones in Chi
ma which aro), because they alone have
the calculation tables which the Jesuits
in the seventeenth century,
and they keep them carefully hidden
away.
One Of the principal features Ia "a
modern observatory Is telescope. In
the Peking observatory there Is not "a
single telescope. and there never has been
one, or at least there IL no record Of IL.
This is not astonishing ia view OF the
use which the Chinese make Of astrono-
my. The only real value Il has for
them Is 10 determine their numerous
fast days aud the dates OF idolaIrOus
feasts which the emperor periodically
holds Ut the various temples when be
executes the sacrifices aud performs the
rites laid down Ia the sacred books.
The astronomy Of tho Chinese was IN
fact and IL YET merely nstroiogy. The
duty Of tixing these dates falls upon the
officials Of the observatory and the
council of tho board also meets 0n tbs
last day of every year, aud al midnight
the ohaneellor solelnnly asoortains the
direction u the ind aud Informs tho
board. They theB draw their oonolu'
sions. aud the reaalt IL eireglAtsd far
aud yide,
The most favorable Dissection u the
wind 10 from tho northwest, Rad should
this wind prevail every sort of bappl'
n0ss may be expected daring the ensp'
ing year. Tbs Ghlpese ypaf begins Feb
~ on chat dsis 1904, fhs wind Sas
BON ihe southeast
Tbs clocks usad w ih0 observatory
aTe al water 0l0oks, like tho aDglenl
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llie nlglli watches ea fbo gfoai boil "
Isllns which hAgss w ihs Lsll tower
and weighs ls0, 600 pounds 10 4 ferl
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