Chinese Constellation

Chinese constellations are different from the western constellations, due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy. Ancient Chinese skywatchers divided their night sky in a different way, but there are also similarities. The Chinese counterpart of the 12 western zodiac constellations are the 28 "Xiu" (宿) or "mansions" (a literal translation). The zodiac was divided into four regions, or four symbols (四象), with 7 Xiu in each one of them:
colspan="5" align="left" | note: all translations of the names of the Xiu are done literally, they may not be the true and original meaning
note 2: the name following the tranlations are the approximate location of the Xiu on the western skymap
owspan="2" align="center"|four symbols
(四象)
colspan="4" align="center" | "Xiu" (宿)
ame pinyin lit. translation vicinity in western sky
owspan="7"|The Azure Dragon of the East
(東方青龍)
Jiao Horn Spica
#20130; Kang Neck Virgo
#27664; Di Root Libra
#25151; Fang Room Libra
#24515; Xin Heart Antares
#23614; Wei Tail Scorpius
#31637; Ji Winnowing-basket Sagittarius
owspan="7"|The Black Tortoise (or Xuan Wu) of the North
(北方玄武)
Dou Dipper Sagittarius
#29275; Niu Ox Capricornus
#22899; Girl Aquarius
#34395; Xu Emptiness Aquarius
#21361; Wei Rooftop Aquarius/Pegasus
#23460; Shi Encampment Pegasus
#22721; Bi Wall Pegasus
owspan="7"|The White Tiger of the West
(西方白虎)
Kui Legs Andromeda
#23105; Lou Bond Aries
#32963; Wei Stomach Aries
#26164; Mao Hairy head Pleiades
#30050; Bi Net Taurus
#35292; Zi Turtle beak Orion
#21443; Shen Three stars Orion
owspan="7"|The Vermillion Bird of the South
(南方朱雀)
Jing Well Gemini
#39740; Gui Ghosts Cancer
#26611; Liu Willow Hydra
#26143; Xing Star Alphard
#24373; Zhang Extended net Crater
#32764; Yi Wings Corvus
#36587; Zhen Chariot Corvus

See also

External links

  • http://www.chinapage.com/astronomy/astronomy.html
  • http://homepages.primex.co.uk/~sproston/sstar9.htm

 

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