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志第十天文上
Treatise 10: Astronomy, Part One.
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王莽三光武十二
Section heads: three celestial signs under Wang Mang; twelve under Guangwu.
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《易》曰：「天垂象，聖人則之。 庖犧氏之王天下，仰則觀象於天，俯則觀法於地。」 觀象於天，謂日月星辰。 觀法於地，謂水土州分。 形成於下，象見於上。 故曰天者北辰星，合元垂耀建帝形，運機授度張百精。 三階九列，二十七大夫，八十一元士，斗、衡、太微、摄提之屬。 百二十官，二十八宿各布列，下應十二子。 天地設位，星辰之象備矣。
The Classic of Changes reads: “Heaven displays signs; the sage patterns himself on them. When Fuxi reigned over all under Heaven, he raised his eyes to the sky’s patterns and lowered them to the earth’s forms.” By “images in Heaven” is meant sun, moon, stars, and asterisms. By “models on Earth” is meant rivers, soils, and regional allotments. What is shaped below is mirrored in what shines above. Hence Heaven is identified with the circumpolar pivot: it concentrates primordial power, sheds radiance, frames the ruler’s body, spins the cosmic mechanism, sets the degrees, and orders the myriad lights. Such are the triple steps, nine columns, twenty-seven senior officials, eighty-one junior gentlemen, the Dipper, the crossbar, the Supreme Palace Enclosure, Jupiter’s “grasping” lodges, and their kind. One hundred twenty bureaus; the twenty-eight mansions spread in order, pairing below with the twelve branches. Once Heaven and Earth are set in their stations, the stellar map is whole.
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王莽三
Wang Mang: three celestial records.
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王莽地皇三年十一月，有星孛於張，東南行五日不見。 孛星者，恶气所生，為亂兵，其所以孛德。 孛德者，亂之象，不明之表。 又参然孛焉，兵之類也，故名之曰孛。 孛之為言，猶有所伤害，有所妨蔽。 或謂之彗星，所以除穢而布新也。 張為周地。 星孛於張，東南行即翼、轸之分。 翼、轸為楚，是周、楚地將有兵亂。 后一年正月，光武起兵舂陵，会下江、新市賊張昂、王常及更始之兵亦至，俱攻破南陽，斬莽前队大夫甄阜、屬正梁丘赐等，殺其士眾數萬人。 更始為天子，都雒陽，西入長安，敗死。 光武興於河北，复都雒陽，居周地，除穢布新之象。
Dihuang 3, eleventh month: a comet blazed in the lodge Zhang and crawled southeast, vanishing after five days. Comets arise from perverse ether; they foretell rebel armies; what they “sweep” is moral power. “Sweeping virtue” betokens chaos, the outward mask of a dimmed mandate. It also stands bristling like a halberd—an omen of arms—hence the name “broom.” The term suggests harm done and paths obstructed. Others name it a tail-star, for it sweeps out corruption and proclaims renewal. The lodge Zhang governs the Zhou heartland. The comet swept Zhang; southeastward it passed into the fields of Yi and Zhen. Yi and Zhen belong to Chu—so both Zhou’s ground and Chu’s would know war. Next year’s first month saw Guangwu rise at Chunling while Xinshi and Lower Yang rebels under Zhang Ang and Wang Chang joined Gengshi’s host; together they broke Nanyang, cut down Mang’s minister Zhen Fu and Liangqiu Ci, and slaughtered tens of thousands. Gengshi ruled from Luoyang, pushed into Chang’an, then fell and perished. Guangwu built his power north of the River, returned the capital to Luoyang on Zhou soil—the omen of cleansing the old and installing the new.
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四年六月，漢兵起南陽，至昆陽。 莽使司徒王尋、司空王邑將諸郡兵，號曰百萬眾，已至者四十二萬人； 能通兵法者六十三家，皆為將帅，持其圖書器械。 軍出关東，牵从群象虎狼猛兽，放之道路，以示富强，用怖山東。 至昆陽山，作营百余，围城數重，或為冲车以撞城，為云车高十丈以瞰城中，弩矢雨集，城中负户而汲。 求降不听，請出不得。 二公之兵自以必克，不恤軍事，不協計虑。 莽有覆敗之變見焉。 昼有云气如坏山，堕軍上，軍人皆厌，所謂营頭之星也。 占曰：「营頭之所堕，其下覆軍，流血三千里。」 是時，光武將兵數千人赴救昆陽，奔擊二公兵，并力猋发，號呼声动天地，虎豹惊怖敗振。 会天大风，飞屋瓦，雨如注水。 二公兵亂敗，自相賊，就死者數萬人。 竞赴滍水，死者委积，滍水為之不流。 殺司徒王尋。 軍皆散走歸本郡。 王邑还長安，莽敗，俱诛死。 营頭之變，覆軍流血之應也。
Fourth year, sixth month: Han forces mustered in Nanyang and advanced to Kunyang. Mang sent Wang Xun and Wang Yi at the head of allied commandery troops, boasting a million; four hundred twenty thousand had actually assembled. Sixty-three tactical schools supplied commanders bearing maps, manuals, and siege gear. The column left the eastern march, hauling elephants, tigers, wolves, and savage beasts to stampede the highways and overawe Shandong with a show of might. At Kunyang they threw up a hundred stockades, layered siegeworks, wheeled battering rams, and ten-zhang sky-chariots to peer over the ramparts; bolts darkened the sky, and defenders crept under door-planks to reach the wells. Pleas for capitulation went unheard; requests to sally forth were rejected. The twin commanders assumed easy triumph, neglected camp order, and never coordinated strategy. Thus Mang’s presage of total rout showed itself. At noon a vapor like a crumbling peak collapsed on the host; the men could not breathe—the “camp-crown” prodigy. Canon warns: “Where the camp-crown drops, that host is annihilated and blood washes three thousand li.” Then Guangwu raced to Kunyang with a few thousand, hurled himself on the twin armies, and their roar shook heaven; even beasts of prey shuddered and fled. A gale ripped tiles from roofs while rain fell in solid sheets. Mang’s legions dissolved, hacked one another, and tens of thousands fell on the field. They stampeded into the Zhi until bodies dammed the stream. Wang Xun died in the rout. Survivors bolted for their native provinces. Wang Yi fled back to Chang’an and perished with Mang when the capital fell. So the camp-crown omen matched armies destroyed and rivers of gore.
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四年秋，太白在太微中，烛地如月光。 太白為兵，太微為天廷。 太白赢而北入太微，是大兵將入天子廷也。 是時莽遣二公之兵至昆陽，已為光武所破。 莽又拜九人為將軍，皆以虎為號。 九虎將軍至华陰，皆為漢將邓晔、李松所破。 进攻京师，仓將軍韩臣至長門。 十月戊申，漢兵自宣平城門入。 二日己酉，城中少年朱弟、張鱼等數千人起兵攻莽，烧作室門，斧敬法闼。 商人杜吴殺莽渐台之上，校尉公宾就斬莽首。 大兵蹈藉宫廷之中。 仍以更始入長安，赤眉賊立劉盆子為天子，皆以大兵入宫廷，是其應也。
Autumn, year four: Venus blazed within the Supreme Palace Enclosure, lighting the earth like the moon. Venus signals war; the enclosure is Heaven’s court. Brilliant Venus slid northward into the palace—meaning hosts would soon invade the imperial presence. Already Mang’s twin hosts lay broken at Guangwu’s hands in Kunyang. Mang then named nine Tiger Generals. At Huayin the nine tigers met defeat from Deng Ye and Li Song. Rebels pressed the capital until Granary General Han Chen stood at Changmen. Tenth month, day wushen: Han troops poured in through Xuanyping Gate. Next day, jiyou, city youths in thousands led by Zhu Di and Zhang Yu attacked Mang, torched the arsenal gates, and hewed through the law-court barriers. Trader Du Wu cut Mang down on the Gradual Terrace; Gongbin Jiu took his head. Rebel hosts rampaged through the palace. Later Gengshi occupied Chang’an and the Red Eyebrows enthroned Liu Penzi—both were “hosts in the palace,” just as the stars foretold.
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光武十二
Guangwu: twelve celestial records.
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光武建武九年七月乙丑，金犯軒轅大星。 十一月乙丑，金又犯軒轅。 軒轅者，后宫之官，大星為皇后，金犯之為失勢。 是時郭后已失勢見疏，后廢為中山太后，陰貴人立為皇后。
Jianwu 9, seventh month, day yichou: Venus crossed the chief star of the Xuanyuan asterism. Eleventh month, day yichou: Venus crossed Xuanyuan once more. Xuanyuan governs the harem; its chief light is the empress; Venus brushing it marks withdrawn favor. Empress Guo was already estranged; soon she became dowager of Zhongshan as Honored Lady Yin ascended the throne.
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十年三月癸卯，流星如月，从太微出，入北斗魏第六星，色白。 旁有小星射者十余枚，滅則有声如雷，食顷止。 流星為貴使，星大者使大，星小者使小。 太微天子廷，北斗魁主殺。 星从太微出，抵北斗魁，是天子大使將出，有所伐殺。 十二月己亥，大流星如缶，出柳西南行，入轸。 且滅時，分為十余，如遗火状。 须臾有声，隐隐如雷。 柳為周，轸為秦、蜀。 大流星出柳入轸者，是大使从周入蜀。 是時光武帝使大司馬吴漢发南陽卒三萬人，乘船溯江而上，擊蜀白帝公孫述。 又命將軍馬武、劉尚、郭霸、岑彭、冯骏平武都、巴郡。 十二年十月，漢进兵擊述从弟卫尉永，遂至广都，殺述女婿史興。 威虏將軍冯骏拔江州，斬述將田戎。 吴漢又擊述大司馬谢丰，斬首五千余級。 臧宫破涪，殺述弟大司空恢。 十一月丁丑，漢护軍將軍高午刺述洞胸，其夜死。 明日，漢入屠蜀城，诛述大將公孫晃、延岑等，所殺數萬人，夷滅述妻宗族萬余人以上。 是大將出伐殺之應也。 其小星射者，及如遗火分為十余，皆小將随从之象。 有声如雷隐隐者，兵將怒之征也。
Jianwu 10, third month, day guimao: a moon-bright meteor left the Supreme Palace Enclosure and plunged into the sixth star of the Big Dipper (the received text reads oddly here), gleaming white. A dozen small streaks darted alongside; they died away with a peal like thunder that lasted roughly one meal. Meteors betoken imperial messengers: the greater the fireball, the weightier the errand. The enclosure is the celestial court; the Dipper’s bucket governs killing. A bolt from court to bucket means Heaven despatches a mighty agent to strike and slay. Twelfth month, day jihai: a jar-sized fireball rose from Liu, slid southwest, and sank into Zhen. Near extinction it shattered into a dozen embers like falling brands. Moments later a low mutter rolled like far-off thunder. Liu matches Zhou; Zhen matches Qin and Shu. A major messenger thus passes from the Zhou field into the Shu field. Guangwu then told Wu Han to raise thirty thousand Nanyang troops, row upstream, and attack Gongsun Shu at White Emperor. He further sent Ma Wu, Liu Shang, Guo Ba, Cen Peng, and Feng Jun to reduce Wudu and Ba. Twelfth year, tenth month: Han pushed against Shu’s captain Yong, reached Guangdu, and killed Shi Xing. Feng Jun Who Inspires Awe seized Jiangzhou and cut down Tian Rong. Wu Han crushed Grand Minister of War Xie Feng, claiming five thousand heads. Zang Gong stormed Fuling and slew Shu’s brother, Grand Minister of Works Hui. Eleventh month, dingchou: Protector-General Gao Wu ran Shu through the chest; he died before dawn. Next day Han sacked Chengdu, executed Huang, Yan Cen, and other captains, killed tens of thousands, and wiped out over ten thousand of the consort clan. Thus the omen of the great envoy’s killing stroke was fulfilled. The lesser streaks stood for subordinate commanders in the train. The distant thunderous mutter matched an army’s wrath.
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十二年正月己未，小星流百枚以上，或西北，或正北，或東北，二夜止。 六月戊戌辰，小流星百枚以上，四面行。 小星者，庶民之類。 流行者，移徙之象也。 或西北，或東北，或四面行，皆小民流移之征。 是時西北讨公孫述，北征卢芳。 匈奴助芳侵邊，漢遣將軍馬武、骑都尉劉纳、閻興軍下曲陽、临平、呼沱，以備胡。 匈奴入河東，中国未安，米谷荒貴，民或流散。 后三年，吴漢、馬武又徙雁門、代郡、上谷、关西县吏民六萬余口，置常山关、居庸关以東，以避胡寇。 是小民流移之應。
Twelfth year, first month, day jiwei: over a hundred small meteors streaked northwest, north, or northeast for two nights. Sixth month, day wuxu, chen hour: another hundred little fireballs raced on every bearing. Minor lights mean the common people. Their motion foretells removal and flight. Bearings toward northwest, northeast, or all quarters alike mark mass movement of the populace. Then the northwest front faced Gongsun Shu while the north faced Lu Fang. Xiongnu auxiliaries joined Lu Fang; Han posted Ma Wu, Liu Na, and Yan Xing from Xiaquyang to Linping and the Hutuo line to block the nomads. When the nomads crossed Hedong the heartland was still unsettled, rice soared in price, and people drifted. Three years on, Wu Han and Ma Wu relocated sixty thousand officials and commoners from Yanmen, Dai, Shanggu, and west-of-pass counties east of Changshan and Juyong to escape border raids. So the omen of drifting small folk came true.
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十五年正月丁未，彗星見昴，稍西北行，入营室，犯离宫，三月乙未，至東壁滅，見四十九日。 彗星為兵入除穢，昴為邊兵，彗星出之為有兵至。 十一月，定襄都尉陰承反，太守随诛之。 卢芳从匈奴入居高柳，至十六年十月降，上玺綬。 一曰，昴星為狱事。 是時，大司徒欧陽歙以事系狱，逾岁死。 营室，天子之常宫； 离宫，妃后之所居。 彗星入营室，犯离宫，是除宫室也。 是時郭皇后已疏，至十七年十月，遂廢為中山太后，立陰貴人為皇后，除宫之象也。
Jianwu 15, first month, dingwei: a comet rose in Mao, crept northwest through Encampment and the Detached Palace, and on third-month yiwei died at Eastern Wall after forty-nine days. Comets signal armies that scour corruption; Mao governs border hosts; a comet there means blades approach. Eleventh month: Yin Cheng of Dingxiang rose in revolt and the governor put him down. Lu Fang rode out of the steppe to Gaoliu, then in year sixteen’s tenth month yielded his credentials. Alternate gloss: Mao stands for jail matters. Then Ouyang Xi the grand minister of education languished in jail over a year and died. Encampment is the ruler’s standing residence. The Detached Palace is the concubines’ quarter. A comet through Encampment and the Detached Palace foretells harem upheaval. Empress Guo had faded; in year seventeen’s tenth month she became Zhongshan dowager while Lady Yin ascended—the “palace cleared” omen.
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三十年閏月甲午，水在東井二十度，生白气，東南指，炎長五尺，為彗，東北行，至紫宫西籓止，五月甲子不見，凡見三十一日。 水常以夏至放於東井，閏月在四月，尚未当見而見，是赢而进也。 東井為水衡，水出之為大水。 是岁五月及明年，郡国大水，坏城郭，伤禾稼，殺人民。 白气為丧，有炎作彗，彗所以除穢。 紫宫，天子之宫，彗加其籓，除宫之象。 后三年，光武帝崩。
Jianwu 30, intercalary month, day jiawu: Mercury at twenty degrees in the Well generated a white plume and a five-foot blaze that shaped itself into a broom star, crept northeast to the Purple Palace’s western barrier, then vanished on fifth-month jiazi after thirty-one days. Mercury should not have shown in the Well that early in the leap cycle; its premature blaze meant it had swelled and rushed ahead of its season. The Well governs waterways; a planetary flood there foretells inundation. That summer and the following year floods burst dikes, ruined grain, and drowned folk across the provinces. White mist spells death; when it ignites into a tail-star, Heaven is scraping the slate clean. A brush across the emperor’s celestial ward means the court will be swept. Three years on, Guangwu passed away.
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三十一年七月戊午，火在舆鬼一度，入鬼中，出尸星南半度，十月己亥，犯軒轅大星。 又七星间有客星，炎二尺所，西南行，至明年二月二十二日，在舆鬼東北六尺所滅，凡見百一十三日。 荧惑為凶衰，舆鬼尸星主死亡，荧惑入之為大丧。 軒轅為后宫。 七星，周地。 客星居之為死丧。 其后二年，光武崩。
Year thirty-one, seventh month, wuwu: Mars at one degree in Yugu, through the Ghosts and past the Corpse Star; tenth month, jihai, it struck Xuanyuan’s chief light. A stray fire also threaded the Northern Dipper for 113 days, dying northeast of the Ghosts. Mars is the baleful star; the Ghosts’ corpse light is mortality; their conjunction is direst mourning. Xuanyuan marks the harem. The Dipper’s field is Zhou. A guest star camping there spells obsequies. Within two years Guangwu was gone.
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中元二年八月丁巳，火犯太微西南角星，相去二寸。 十月戊子，大流星从西南東北行，声如雷。 火犯太微西南角星，為將相。 后太尉赵憙、司徒李䜣坐事免官。 大流星為使。 中郎將窦固、揚虚侯馬武、揚鄉侯王賞將兵征西也。
Zhongyuan 2, eighth month, dingsi: Mars grazed the enclosure’s southwest horn, two cun away. Tenth month, wuzi: a huge fireball streaked from southwest to northeast with a thunderclap. Mars on that horn targets commanders and ministers of state. Soon Zhao Xi and Li Xin lost their seals for misconduct. A major meteor is Heaven’s courier. Dou Gu, Ma Wu, and Wang Shang then marched west at the head of imperial hosts.