Chinese constellation
The Chinese have a tradition of grouping stars in constellations that is completely different from the Western one.
In traditional Chinese thought, the arrangement of the sky reflects the political arrangements on Earth: the most northern stars represents the most elevated figures, and Polaris represent the Emperor - around which all other stars revolve. [1] Also, the sky around the North Celestial Pole (the circumpolar region) is divided into Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán).
In addition, for the Chinese, the region of sky passed through by the ecliptic is not divided into 12 zodiacal constellations, but into Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù). In each day of the month, the Moon occupies one of these mansions. The Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon, whereas the Zodiac reflects that of the Sun. (Indian astronomy also has a system of lunar mansions, called Nakshatras.)
Three Enclosures
The Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán) are:
- Purple Forbidden enclosure (紫微垣, Zǐ Wēi Yuán) - the nothersmost area of the night sky, contain the north pole, in the center of stars' movements;
- Supreme Palace enclosure (太微垣, Tài Wēi Yuán) - lies at one side of the Forbidden Enclosure;
- Heavenly Market enclosure (天市垣, Tiān Shì Yuán) - lies at the other side of the Forbidden Enclosure.
Twenty-eight Mansions
The Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) are:
| Four Symbols (四象) |
"Xiu" (宿) | |||
| name | pinyin | litteral translation [2] | approx. localization due to official constellations | |
| The Azure Dragon of the East (東方青龍) |
角 | Jiăo | Horn | Virgo, around Spica |
| 亢 | Kàng | Neck | Virgo | |
| 氐 | Dī | Root | Libra | |
| 房 | Fáng | Room | Libra | |
| 心 | Xīn | Heart | Scorpius, around Antares | |
| 尾 | Wěi | Tail | Scorpius | |
| 箕 | Jī | Winnowing Basket | Sagittarius | |
| The Black Tortoise of the North (北方玄武) |
斗 | Dǒu | Dipper | Sagittarius |
| 牛 | Niú | Ox | Capricornus | |
| 女 | Nǚ | Girl | Aquarius | |
| 虛 | Xū | Emptiness | Aquarius | |
| 危 | Wēi | Rooftop, Danger | Aquarius/Pegasus | |
| 室 | Shì | Encampment, Room | Pegasus | |
| 壁 | Bì | Wall | Pegasus, around Algenib | |
| The White Tiger of the West (西方白虎) |
奎 | Kuí | Legs | Andromeda |
| 婁 | Lóu | Bond | Aries | |
| 胃 | Wèi | Stomach | Aries | |
| 昴 | Mǎo | Hairy Head | Taurus, around The Pleiades | |
| 畢 | Bì | Net | Taurus | |
| 觜 | Zī | Turtle Beak | Orion | |
| 參 | Shēn | Three Stars | Orion | |
| The Vermillion Bird of the South (南方朱雀) |
井 | Jǐng | Well | Gemini |
| 鬼 | Guǐ | Ghost, Demon | Cancer | |
| 柳 | Liǔ | Willow | Hydra | |
| 星 | Xīng | Star | Hydra, around Alphard | |
| 張 | Zhāng | Extended Net,Growth | Crater | |
| 翼 | Yì | Wings | Corvus | |
| 軫 | Zhěn | Chariot, Strongly (as of emotion) |
Corvus | |