The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-25
THE OLD CHINESE CALENDAR.
How It's Errors Were Rectined BY a
Jesuit Astronomer.
From the Living Church.

From the Living Church.
In the old Chinese classic. The Rec
ord of Yao, we are told that he babe
Hi and Ho reverently to regard the
signs and respectfully give the times
of men," Hi, Ho and two others of
their respective families were ordered
to the four points of the compass to
determine the equinoxes and solstices
Inc bird, supposed to be our Cor Hy-
drae, was to be the star of spring; An
tares (Alpha ScorpiD, of summer:
Beta Aquarii for autumn; and the
world renowned Pleiades the sign of
the winter solstice. 'Oh, You Hi and
Hon. the old document continues "all
around there are 366 days; use the extra
moon, order the seasons and perfect
the year. Faithfully regulate the hun
dred ofhces and all the works will be
perfect" Thus was formed the first
Chlnese calendar about 230O wears ago
before the Christian era: and its regI,-
lation has always been an object of
care and interest to the Emperors from
1ao down to the present day
Practically no changes were made in
y until the mission of the Jesuits to
Peking in the seventeenth century. The
nelp Oh Mohammedan astronomers. had
Deen sought, but they were unable 10
cope with the difficulties which nre.
sented themselves; and the Ernperor
hang-Hi, was thankful to let the Jesuits
take the lead in all Astronomical re-
searches. He built them an observa-
Tory at Peking, which Father Verbiest
ntted up Tin 1863 in thorough "up-to-
1atef style. The errors of centuries
had accumulated In all departnnents ~
the science, and the foreigners had
hard task to eliminate them ana
lntIouuce european improvements
without exciting hostility. The ac-
curacy of their calculations soon in
spired such confidence that Father
nerplest was appointed President of
tne mathematical tribunal. he soon
turned his attention to the calendar
reotifying the errors, but not rnalsin !,
many changes beyond introducing The
tWeiVe signs of the zodiac. and divid-
ing II INTO $50 degrees instead of 265Is
-as was the old Chinese division rbe
reformed calendar went into MANY de-
tails and the calculations were given
uown 10 the year 2O20 A. ID. It was
pupished in thirty-two volumes ana
called, in honor Of the Emperor "tba
Aang-Hi Perpetual Calendar. -
ne solar and lunar years are both
useu, ana combination is effected he
tween the two by adding seven exfra
moons during the period of the lunar
cycle-that is, 10 solar years. The
~'A SNoA NOiltnenCeS with the second
new moon after the winter solstice. and
consists of twelve months or moons.
which are called large or small, ac-
cording to whether they consist of
twenty-nine or thirty days. When an
extra moon is 10 be used a thirteenth
month is not added. but one OF the
months is doubled. The rule that the
winter solstice shall be kept In The
eleventh moon Is never departed from.
As our weeks Is not used, except
among Christian converts, the Chinese
are accustomed to count by the DAYS
OF the moon. Certain days are consid-
cred specially sacred; such as the first
and fifteenth OF each month. and the
dates on which the numbers are doubt
ful-aH the 30 Of the third month OF
the 7th Of the seventh Particular
attention Is given. in the calendars for
general use, 10 the lucky and I'M
lucky dayf-aomotimcs even 90 the
neglect u Astronomical Information
hno predictions. Some editions com-
pine rather poeilcnl matter with tbs
practical and superatitious notes. civ.
Ms The date when the rainbow Will