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志第三天文三
Treatise on Astronomy, Part Three.
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▲星昼见
▲ Daytime Visibility of Stars
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恒星洪武十九年七月癸亥,二十年五月丁丑,七月壬寅,二十一年十二月丁卯,俱三辰昼见。 弘治十八年九月甲午申刻,河鼓、北斗见。 庚子,星昼见。 正德元年二月癸酉,星斗昼见。 天启二年五月壬寅,有星随日昼见。 崇祯十六年十二月辛酉朔,星昼见。
Fixed Stars: Hongwu 19/VII/guihai, 20/V/dingchou, 20/VII/renyin, and 21/XII/dingmao—all recorded the Three Luminaries visible by day. Hongzhi 18, ninth month, jiawu at the shen watch (3–5 p.m.): River Drum and the Northern Dipper appeared. On gengzi, stars were visible by day. Zhengde 1, second month, guiyou: the Dipper was visible in daylight. Tianqi 2, fifth month, renyin: a star accompanied the sun and shone by day. Chongzhen 16, twelfth month, new moon on xinyou: stars visible by day.
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岁星景泰二年九月甲辰,昼见。 三年六月壬戌,四年五月丁丑,六月甲辰,五年七月庚戌、壬子、癸亥,六年七月丁酉,天顺元年五月丙子,五年七月乙卯,六年八月庚午,七年三月乙巳,成化十四年六月庚子,八月丁酉,十六年七月丙申,十八年九月癸亥,二十年八月壬申,弘治元年六月甲寅,二年五月癸亥,六月甲午,五年十月己酉,六年九月癸卯,七年十一月癸卯,九年二月辛亥至甲寅,四月壬午,十年正月甲寅至丙辰,十一年八月甲申,十三年四月庚子至乙巳,十四年六月壬辰至乙未,并如之。 十五年六月,连日昼见。 十六年七月辛卯,十七年七月壬子,十八年五月乙未,八月辛巳至九月癸未,正德元年十一月乙酉,二年十一月辛酉至丁卯,六年三月壬寅至四月壬申,九年八月乙巳至甲寅,十二年十月甲子至乙巳,并如之。 嘉靖二年三月辛未,二十九年八月戊寅,昼见守井。 崇祯十一年四月壬子,昼见。
Jupiter: Jingtai 2, ninth month, jiachen—visible by day. Jingtai 3/VI/renxu through Hongzhi 14/VI/renchen–yiwei (the dates enumerated above): on each occasion Jupiter was likewise visible by day. Hongzhi 15, sixth month: Jupiter was visible by day for many consecutive days. Hongzhi 16/VII/xinmao through Zhengde 12/X/jiazi–yisi (the dates enumerated above): in each case likewise. Jiajing 2/III/xinwei and 29/VIII/wuyin: visible by day, stationing at Well. Chongzhen 11, fourth month, renzi: visible by day.
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荧惑景泰三年八月甲子,昼见于未位。
Mars: Jingtai 3, eighth month, jiazi—visible by day in the Wei station.
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太白洪武四年二月戊午,昼见。 四月戊申,六月壬午朔,五年六月甲申至丁亥,十二月甲申,八年八月丁巳,九年二月乙巳至己酉,三月壬申,十二年闰五月戊戌,十三年七月甲午,十五年四月丁亥,七月戊申、辛酉,九月丁未朔,十六年十月壬辰至乙未,十八年四月己亥至辛丑,六月丙申至辛丑、辛亥,并如之。 九月戊寅,经天与荧惑同度。 乙酉,昼见。 丁亥,又见,犯荧惑。 十月癸巳至丙申,昼见。 戊戌至辛丑,十九年十月甲申朔至庚寅,并如之。 二十年六月戊戌,经天。 七月壬寅至甲辰,昼见。 二十一年四月己巳,七月丙申,二十三年三月丁亥,二十四年八月辛巳,二十五年二月辛酉,二十六年四月甲辰,并如之。 八月庚子,与太阴同昼见。 建文四年七月庚子,经天。 永乐元年五月癸未、癸卯,俱与太阴同昼见。 六月壬申,与太阴昼见。 四年七月壬寅,昼见。 五年八月丙申,六年二月甲辰,八年十月庚戌,十二年九月癸未,十五年七月己酉,八月庚戌,洪熙元年六月戊戌,七月乙巳,八月癸巳,宣德六年十月乙巳,八年九月戊戌至甲寅,九年十二月甲子,十年七月丁亥,正统四年七月壬子,十月丙申,六年五月庚戌,并如之。 十一年七月甲申,经天。 十三年二月辛酉,昼见。 十四年正月辛亥,八月丙子,景泰元年十月乙酉,二年五月庚子、辛亥,并如之。 壬子,经天。 三年五月丁巳,昼见。 十一月壬戌,五年正月甲戌,二月丙戌,六月癸卯,七年正月戊戌,天顺元年四月甲午,八月壬子,二年十月己未,三年四月癸亥、癸酉,四年十一月庚寅,十二月丙戌,五年正月丁未,十二月癸巳,六年六月己丑,八月庚午,七年闰七月辛酉、癸未,八年正月庚申,成化元年二月癸未,三年四月癸丑,四年六月丙申,六年六月丙戌,七年八月癸卯,并如之。 八年正月乙卯,经天,与日争明。 十一年五月己未,昼见。 十二年十月丙戌,十三年十二月甲午,并如之。 十四年六月庚子,与岁星俱昼见。 八月甲午,昼见。 十五年十二月丙子,十七年三月癸未,八月癸亥,十八年九月庚戌,十九年四月癸亥朔,并如之。 二十年八月壬申,与岁星俱昼见。 二十一年十一月丙辰,昼见。 二十二年六月己丑,二十三年九月丙午,弘治元年五月庚午,二年正月壬戌,三月庚申,五月丙戌,八月癸巳、庚子,四年四月辛未,五年五月乙亥,十月辛酉,六年十二月乙丑,七年五月庚戌,八年七月戊子,九年二月己酉朔,十年正月甲子至丁卯,并如之。 六月丙子未刻,经天。 八月癸未及十一年十月辛巳,昼见。 十二年三月戊辰至壬申,八月庚寅,并如之。 十三年四月庚子至乙巳,与岁星同昼见。 十月丁未、己酉,十四年十二月庚戌,十五年五月庚寅至癸巳,十六年七月壬辰,十七年二月戊戌及六月癸亥,十八年二月壬戌,并昼见。 五月辛亥,经天。 八月癸亥至戊辰,昼见。 正德元年十月己未,如之。 二年正月庚辰,经天。 三月戊辰,昼见。 三年五月乙巳至丁未,十月己卯、庚辰,四年十月戊戌至乙巳,五年五月丙子,六年七月壬申至八月癸未,八年正月丙戌至己丑,四月壬戌、癸亥,八月庚戌至乙卯,九年十一月甲申至十二月壬辰,十一年六月甲寅至己未,十四年八月丙寅至庚辰,十五年正月己未至二月辛酉,十六年八月丁亥,嘉靖元年九月辛未,并如之。 二年三月辛未,与岁星俱昼见。 三年四月庚戌,昼见。 五年五月庚子,十一年四月癸巳,十月辛巳、戊子,十一月甲寅,十三年闰二月庚申,并如之。 五月癸巳,与月同昼见。 十七年九月辛卯,昼见。 十八年四月癸亥,十一月壬寅,二十年十一月乙巳至丁未,二十二年七月丙午,二十三年二月辛巳,二十四年闰正月戊寅,二十五年十月辛卯,二十六年四月丙申,二十七年四月丁巳,十一月丙戌至乙未,二十八年十一月乙酉至己丑,二十九年六月戊申、甲寅,三十年六月丙子至辛巳,三十一年正月丙戌至丙申,三十二年二月辛未至甲戌,七月戊辰至辛未,三十五年五月壬午,十月癸卯至丙午,三十六年十二月庚辰朔,三十八年七月癸酉,三十九年正月庚寅至壬辰,并如之。 四十年三月丙子,昼见,历二十四日。 八月辛未,昼见。 四十一年九月乙未,四十二年四月己巳至壬申,四十三年五月甲寅,并如之。 十月戊子,昼见,历二十二日。 四十五年正月己亥,昼见。 隆庆元年七月辛酉,二年正月甲寅,并如之。 三年三月甲子,昼见,历二十二日,四年十一月乙丑至丁卯,昼见。 万历十一年七月辛丑,十二年七月癸巳,十六年九月丁丑,二十一年八月甲午,二十四年十月丙寅,并如之。 二十七年九月辛卯,经天。 三十七年三月辛丑,昼见。 三十八年十月辛巳,四十年五月壬寅,天启二年二月丙戌,三年三月丁巳,十二月乙丑,五年四月癸未,并如之。 七月癸酉,经天。 崇祯元年七月壬戌,昼见。 三年四月己卯,十二月丙辰,并如之。
Venus: Hongwu 4, second month, wuwu—visible by day. Hongwu 4/IV/wushen through 18/VI/bingshen–xinchou & xinhai (the dates enumerated above): in each case Venus was likewise visible by day. Ninth month, wuyin: Venus transited heaven and stood at the same degree as Mars. On yiyou, Venus was visible by day. On dinghai it appeared again and transgressed Mars. Tenth month, guisi through bingshen: visible by day. Wuxu through xinchou, and Hongwu 19/X/jiashen new moon through gengyin: in each case likewise. Hongwu 20, sixth month, wuxu: Venus transited heaven. Seventh month, renyin through jiachen: visible by day. Hongwu 21/IV/jisi, 21/VII/bingshen, 23/III/dinghai, 24/VIII/xinsi, 25/II/xinyou, and 26/IV/jiachen: in each case likewise. Eighth month, gengzi: Venus and the moon were both visible by day. Jianwen 4, seventh month, gengzi: Venus transited heaven. Yongle 1, fifth month, guiwei and guimao: on both dates Venus and the moon were visible by day. Sixth month, renshen: Venus and the moon were visible by day. Yongle 4, seventh month, renyin: visible by day. Yongle 5/VIII/bingshen through Zhengtong 6/V/gengxu (the dates enumerated above): in each case likewise. Yongle 11, seventh month, jiashen: Venus transited heaven. Yongle 13, second month, xinyou: visible by day. Yongle 14/I/xinhai, 14/VIII/bingzi, Jingtai 1/X/yiyou, and Jingtai 2/V/gengzi & xinhai: in each case likewise. On renzi, Venus transited heaven. Jingtai 3, fifth month, dingsi: visible by day. Jingtai 3/XI/renxu through Chenghua 7/VIII/guimao (the dates enumerated above): in each case likewise. Chenghua 8, first month, yimao: Venus transited heaven and vied in brightness with the sun. Chenghua 11, fifth month, jiwei: visible by day. Chenghua 12/X/bingxu and 13/XII/jiawu: in each case likewise. Chenghua 14, sixth month, gengzi: Venus and Jupiter were both visible by day. Eighth month, jiawu: visible by day. Chenghua 15/XII/bingzi, 17/III/guimao, 17/VIII/guihai, 18/IX/gengxu, and 19/IV/guihai new moon: in each case likewise. Chenghua 20, eighth month, renshen: Venus and Jupiter were both visible by day. Chenghua 21, eleventh month, bingchen: visible by day. Chenghua 22/VI/jichou through Hongzhi 10/I/jiazi–dingmao (the dates enumerated above): in each case likewise. Sixth month, bingzi at the wei watch (1–3 p.m.): Venus transited heaven. Eighth month, guimao, and Hongzhi 11/X/xinsi: visible by day. Hongzhi 12/III/wuchen–renshen and 12/VIII/gengyin: in each case likewise. Hongzhi 13, fourth month, gengzi through yisi: Venus and Jupiter were both visible by day. Hongzhi 14/X/dingwei & jiyou, 14/XII/gengxu, 15/V/gengyin–guisi, 16/VII/renchen, 17/II/wuxu & 17/VI/guihai, and 18/II/renxu: all visible by day. Fifth month, xinhai: Venus transited heaven. Eighth month, guihai through wuchen: visible by day. Zhengde 1, tenth month, jiwei: the same. Zhengde 2, first month, gengchen: Venus transited heaven. Third month, wuchen: visible by day. Zhengde 3/V/yisi–dingwei through Jiajing 1/IX/xinwei (the dates enumerated above): in each case likewise. Jiajing 2, third month, xinwei: Venus and Jupiter were both visible by day. Jiajing 3, fourth month, gengxu: visible by day. Jiajing 5/V/gengzi, 11/IV/guisi, 11/X/xinsi & wuzi, 11/XI/jiayin, and 13/interc. II/gengshen: in each case likewise. Fifth month, guisi: Venus and the moon were both visible by day. Jiajing 17, ninth month, xinmao: visible by day. Jiajing 18/IV/guihai through 39/I/gengyin–renchen (the dates enumerated above): in each case likewise. Jiajing 40, third month, bingzi: visible by day for twenty-four days. Eighth month, xinwei: visible by day. Jiajing 41/IX/yiwei, 42/IV/jisi–renshen, and 43/V/jiayin: in each case likewise. Tenth month, wuzi: visible by day for twenty-two days. Jiajing 45, first month, jihai: visible by day. Longqing 1/VII/xinyou and 2/I/jiayin: in each case likewise. Longqing 3/III/jiazi: visible by day for twenty-two days; Longqing 4/XI/yichou–dingmao: visible by day. Wanli 11/VII/xinchou, 12/VII/guisi, 16/IX/dingchou, 21/VIII/jiawu, and 24/X/bingyin: in each case likewise. Wanli 27, ninth month, xinmao: Venus transited heaven. Wanli 37, third month, xinchou: visible by day. Wanli 38/X/xinsi, 40/V/renyin, Tianqi 2/II/bingxu, 3/III/dingsi, 3/XII/yichou, and 5/IV/guimao: in each case likewise. Tianqi 5, seventh month, guiyou: Venus transited heaven. Chongzhen 1, seventh month, renxu: visible by day. Chongzhen 3/IV/jimao and 3/XII/bingchen: in each case likewise.
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▲客星
▲ Guest Stars
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《史记·天官书》有客星之名,而不详其形状。 叙国皇、昭明诸异星甚悉,而无瑞星、妖星之名。 然则客星者,言其非常有之星,殆诸异星之总名,而非有专属也。 李淳风志晋、隋天文,始分景星、含誉之属为瑞星,彗、孛、国皇之类为妖星,又以周伯老子等为客星,自谓本之汉末刘睿《荆州占》。 夫含誉,所谓瑞星也,而光芒则似彗; 国皇,所谓妖星也,而形色又类南极老人。 瑞与妖果有定哉? 且周伯一星也,既属之瑞星,而云其国大昌。 又属之客星,而云其国兵起有丧。 其说如此,果可为法乎? 马迁不复区别,良有以也。 今按《实录》,彗、孛变见特甚,皆别书。 老人星则江以南常见,而燕京必无见理,故不书。 余悉属客星而编次之。
The Records of the Historian's "Heavenly Offices" names the guest star but does not describe its appearance. It treats Guohuang, Zhaoming, and other anomalous stars at length, yet nowhere distinguishes auspicious stars from baleful ones. The term guest star thus denotes an extraordinary apparition—likely a blanket label for anomalous stars rather than a fixed taxon. Li Chunfeng's treatises on Jin and Sui astronomy first classed Jing Star, Hanyu, and their kind as auspicious stars, comets, broom-stars, Guohuang, and the like as baleful stars, and Zhou Bo, Old Man, and others as guest stars—professing to follow Liu Rui's late-Han Jingzhou Prognostications. Hanyu is styled an auspicious star, yet its radiance resembles a comet; Guohuang is styled a baleful star, yet its shape recalls the Old Man of the Southern Pole. Can auspicious and baleful categories truly be fixed? Zhou Bo is a single star: classed as auspicious, it foretells great prosperity for the state; classed as a guest star, it foretells mobilization and mourning. Doctrine so contradictory cannot serve as a rule. That Sima Qian refused further subdivision was well judged. Per the Veritable Records, comets and broom-stars appeared with especial frequency; each is entered separately. The Old Man star is commonly seen south of the Yangzi; at Yanjing it ought not appear, and is therefore omitted. All remaining phenomena are classed as guest stars and arranged below.
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洪武三年七月,太史奏文星见。 九年六月戊子,有星大如弹丸,白色。 止天仓,经外屏、卷舌,入紫微垣,扫文昌,指内厨,入于张。 七月乙亥灭。 十一年九月甲戌,有星见于五车东北,发芒丈余。 扫内阶,入紫微宫,扫北极五星,犯东垣少宰,入天市垣,犯天市。 至十月己未,阴云不见。 十八年九月戊寅,有星见太微垣,犯右执法,出端门。 乙酉,入翼,彗长丈余。 至十月庚寅,犯军门,彗扫天庙。 二十一年二月丙寅,有星出东壁,占曰“文士效用”。 帝大喜,以为将策进士兆也。
Hongwu 3, seventh month: the Grand Astrologer reported the literature star had appeared. Hongwu 9, sixth month, wuzi: a star as large as a pellet, white in color. It halted at Celestial Granary, crossed Outer Screen and Curled Tongue, entered the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, swept Wenchang, pointed at Inner Kitchen, and entered Extended Net. Seventh month, yihai: it vanished. Hongwu 11, ninth month, jiaxu: a star appeared northeast of Five Chariots, its rays extending more than a zhang. It swept Inner Steps, entered the Purple Forbidden Palace, swept the Five Stars of the North Pole, transgressed the Eastern Rampart Lesser Steward, entered the Celestial Market Enclosure, and transgressed Celestial Market. By tenth month, jiwei, overcast clouds hid it from view. Hongwu 18, ninth month, wuyin: a star appeared in the Supreme Palace Enclosure, transgressed the Right Law Administrator, and issued from Terminal Gate. On yiyou it entered Wings, the comet trailing more than a zhang. By the tenth month, on gengyin, it struck Military Gate; the comet swept Heavenly Temple. Hongwu 21, second month, bingyin: a star rose from Eastern Wall. The omen read, "Scholars will be put to use." The Emperor rejoiced, taking it as a sign that the jinshi examination was near.
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永乐二年十月庚辰,辇道东南有星如盏,黄色,光润而不行。 二十二年九月戊戌,有星见斗宿,大如碗,色黄白,光烛地,有声,如撒沙石。
Yongle 2, tenth month, gengchen: southeast of Imperial Carriage Way a star like a wine cup shone yellow, bright and still. Yongle 22, ninth month, xushu: a star appeared in Dipper, bowl-sized and yellow-white, lighting the earth, with a sound like gravel flung abroad.
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宣德五年八月庚寅,有星见南河旁,如弹丸大,色青黑,凡二十六日灭。 十月丙申,蓬星见外屏南,东南行,经天仓、天庾,八日而灭。 十二月丁亥,有星如弹丸,见九斿旁,黄白光润,旬有五日而隐。 六年三月壬午,又见。 八年闰八月戊午,景星三,见西北方天门,青赤黄各一,大如碗,明朗清润,良久聚半月形。 丁丑,有黄赤色见东南方,如星非星,如云非云,盖归邪星也。
Xuande 5, eighth month, gengyin: a pellet-sized blue-black star appeared by Southern River and was gone in twenty-six days. Tenth month, bingshen: a Peng star showed south of Outer Screen, moved southeast past Celestial Granary and Celestial Storehouse, and vanished in eight days. Twelfth month, dinghai: a pellet-sized star, yellow-white and bright, appeared by Nine Banners and faded after fifteen days. Xuande 6, third month, renwu: it appeared again. Xuande 8, intercalary eighth month, wuwu: three Auspicious Stars—blue, red, and yellow, each bowl-bright—showed at the northwestern Heavenly Gate, lingered, then gathered into a half-moon. On dingchou a yellow-red glow rose in the southeast, starlike yet not a star, cloudlike yet not a cloud—the Return-to-Evil star.
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景泰三年十一月癸未,有星见鬼宿积尸气旁,徐徐西行。
Jingtai 3, eleventh month, guiwei: a star appeared by the Corpse-Heap nebula in Ghost and drifted slowly west.
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天顺二年十一月癸卯,有星见于星宿,色白,西行,至丙午,其体微,状如粉絮,在轩辕旁。 庚戌,生芒五寸,犯爟位西北星,至十二月壬戌,没于东井。 五年六月壬辰,天市垣宗正旁,有星粉白,至乙未,化为白气而消。 六年六月丙寅,有星见策星旁,色苍白,入紫微垣,犯天牢,至癸未,居中台下,形渐微。
Tianshun 2, eleventh month, guimao: a white star appeared in Star and moved west; by bingwu it had thinned to powdered floss beside Xuanyuan. On gengxu it sprouted five-inch rays and struck Torch Stand's northwest star; by the twelfth month, renxu, it was lost in Eastern Well. Tianshun 5, sixth month, renchen: a powder-white star stood by the Chancellor of the Ancestral Temple in the Celestial Market Enclosure; by yiwei it thinned to white vapor and vanished. Tianshun 6, sixth month, bingyin: a pale star by Policy Star entered the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, struck Celestial Prison, and by guiwei hung faint below Central Terrace.
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弘治三年十二月丁巳,有星见天市垣,东南行。 戊辰,见天仓下,渐向壁。 七年十二月丙寅,有星见天江旁,徐行近斗,至八年正月庚戌,入危。 十二年七月戊辰,有星见天市垣宗星旁,入紫微垣东籓,经少宰、尚书,抵太子后宫,出西籓少辅旁,至八月己丑灭。 十五年十月戊辰,有星见天庙旁,自张抵翼,复退至张,戊寅灭。
Hongzhi 3, twelfth month, dingsi: a star appeared in the Celestial Market Enclosure and moved southeast. On wuchen it showed below Celestial Granary and drifted toward Wall. Hongzhi 7, twelfth month, bingyin: a star by Celestial River crept toward Dipper; by the first month of the eighth year, gengxu, it entered Danger. Hongzhi 12, seventh month, wuchen: a star by the Ancestral Star in the Celestial Market Enclosure entered the Purple Forbidden Enclosure's eastern rampart, threaded Lesser Steward and Minister, reached the crown prince's rear palace, left by the western rampart's Lesser Assistant, and vanished on jichou of the eighth month. Hongzhi 15, tenth month, wuchen: a star by Heavenly Temple ran from Extended Net to Wings, fell back to Extended Net, and on wuyin was gone.
15
正德十六年正月甲寅朔,东南有星如火,变白,长可六七尺,横亘东西,复变勾屈状,良久乃散。
Zhengde 16, first month, new moon jiayin: a firelike star in the southeast whitened, stretched six or seven chi east and west, curled into hooks, and at last scattered.
16
嘉靖八年正月立春日,长星亘天。 七月又如之。 十一年二月壬午,有星见东南,色苍白,有芒,积十九日灭。 十三年五月丁卯朔,有星见螣蛇,历天厩入阁道,二十四日灭。 十五年三月戊午,有星见天棓旁,东行历天厨,西入天汉,至四月壬辰没。 二十四年十一月壬午,有星出天棓,入箕,转东北行,逾月没。
Jiajing 8, first month, Establishing the Sun day: a long star bridged the heavens. In the seventh month it happened again. Jiajing 11, second month, renwu: a pale star with rays showed in the southeast and faded in nineteen days. Jiajing 13, fifth month, new moon dingmao: a star in Serpent crossed Heavenly Stables, entered Flying Gallery, and was gone in twenty-four days. Jiajing 15, third month, wuwu: a star by Celestial Rope moved east past Celestial Kitchen into Celestial Han and vanished on renchen of the fourth month. Jiajing 24, eleventh month, renwu: a star rose from Celestial Rope, entered Winnowing Basket, turned northeast, and was lost after more than a month.
17
万历六年正月戊辰,有大星如日,出自西方,众星皆西环。 十二年六月己酉,有星出房。 三十二年九月乙丑,尾分有星如弹丸,色赤黄,见西南方,至十月而隐。 十二月辛酉,转出东南方,仍尾分。 明年二月渐暗,八月丁卯始灭。 三十七年,有大星见西南,芒刺四射。 四十六年九月乙卯,东南有白气一道,阔尺余,长二丈余,东至轸,西入翼,十九日而灭。 十一月丙寅,旦有花白星见东方。 天启元年四月癸酉,赤星见于东方。
Wanli 6, first month, wuchen: a sun-bright star rose in the west and the host of stars wheeled west around it. Wanli 12, sixth month, jiyou: a star rose from Room. Wanli 32, ninth month, yichou: a red-yellow pellet-star in the Tail allotment showed in the southwest and hid in the tenth month. Twelfth month, xinyou: it swung out to the southeast, still within Tail. The next year it dimmed through the second month; on dingmao of the eighth month it vanished at last. Wanli 37: a great star blazed in the southwest, rays thrusting four ways. Wanli 46, ninth month, yimao: a white vapor a chi wide and two zhang long ran southeast from Chariot into Wings and dispersed in nineteen days. Eleventh month, bingyin: at dawn a mottled white star showed in the east. Tianqi 1, fourth month, guiyou: a red star appeared in the east.
18
崇祯九年冬,天狗见豫分。
Chongzhen 9, winter: the Heavenly Dog showed in the Yu allotment.
19
▲彗孛
▲ Comets and broom stars.
20
彗之光芒傅日而生,故夕见者必东指,晨见者必西指。 孛亦彗类,其芒气四出,天文家言其灾更甚于彗。
A comet's light clings to the sun: seen at dusk it must point east; seen at dawn, west. The broom star too belongs to the comet kind, its haze shooting four ways; astronomers hold its disaster graver still than a comet's.
21
洪武元年正月庚寅,彗星见于昴、毕。 三月辛卯,彗星出昴北大陵、天船间,长八尺余,指文昌,近五车,四月己酉,没于五车北。 六年四月,彗星三入紫微垣。 二十四年四月丙子,彗星二,一入紫微垣阊阖门,犯天床; 一犯六甲,扫五帝内座。
Hongwu 1, first month, gengyin: a comet appeared in Hairy Head and Net. Third month, xinmao: a comet rose between Great Mound north of Hairy Head and Celestial Boat, eight chi long, aimed at Wenchang and Five Chariots; on jiyou of the fourth month it died north of Five Chariots. Hongwu 6, fourth month: three comets entered the Purple Forbidden Enclosure. Hongwu 24, fourth month, bingzi: two comets—one entered the Purple Forbidden Enclosure's Changhe Gate and struck Celestial Bed; the other struck Six Jia and swept the Inner Seat of the Five Emperors.
22
永乐五年十一月丙寅,彗星见。
Yongle 5, eleventh month, bingyin: a comet appeared.
23
宣德六年四月戊戌,有星孛于东井,长五尺余。 七年正月壬戌,彗星出东方,长丈余,尾扫天津,东南行,十月始灭。 是月戊子,又出西方,十有七日而灭。 八年闰八月壬子,彗星出天仓旁,长丈许。 己巳,入贯索,扫七公。 己卯,复入天市垣,扫晋星,二十有四日而灭。
Xuande 6, fourth month, xushu: a broom star stood in Eastern Well, five chi long. Xuande 7, first month, renxu: a comet rose in the east, a zhang long, its tail sweeping Celestial Ford southeastward; it faded in the tenth month. That month, wuzi: it showed again in the west and was gone in seventeen days. Xuande 8, intercalary eighth month, renzi: a comet rose by Celestial Granary, about a zhang long. On jisi it entered Coiled Thong and swept Seven Lords. On jimao it re-entered the Celestial Market Enclosure, swept the Jin stars, and vanished in twenty-four days.
24
正统四年闰二月己丑,彗星见张宿旁,大如弹。 丁酉,长五丈余,西行,扫酒旗,迤北,犯鬼宿。 六月戊寅,彗星见毕宿旁,长丈余,指西南,计五十有五日乃灭。 九年七月庚午,彗星见太微东垣,长丈许,累日渐长,至闰七月己卯,入角没。 十四年十二月壬子,彗星见天市垣市楼旁,历尾度,长二尺余,至乙亥没。
Zhengtong 4, intercalary second month, jichou: a pellet-sized comet appeared by Extended Net. On dingyou it stretched five zhang, swept west through Wine Banner, curved north, and struck Ghost. Sixth month, wuyin: a comet by Net, a zhang long and pointing southwest, lasted fifty-five days and vanished. Zhengtong 9, seventh month, gengwu: a comet at the Supreme Palace Enclosure's eastern rampart, a zhang at first and lengthening daily; on jimao of the intercalary seventh month it entered Horn and died. Zhengtong 14, twelfth month, renzi: a comet by Market Tower in the Celestial Market Enclosure crossed the Tail degrees, two chi long, and vanished on yihai.
25
景泰元年正月壬午,彗星出天市垣外,扫天纪星。 三年三月甲午朔,有星孛于毕。 七年四月壬戌,彗星东北见于胃,长二尺,指西南。 五月癸酉,渐长丈余。 戊子,西北见于柳,长九尺余,扫犯轩辕星。 甲午,见于张,长七尺余,扫太微北,西南行。 六月壬寅,入太微垣,长尺余。 十二月甲寅,彗星复见于毕,长五寸,东南行,渐长,至癸亥而没。
Jingtai 1, first month, renwu: a comet rose outside the Celestial Market Enclosure and swept Celestial Law. Jingtai 3, third month, new moon jiawu: a broom star stood at Net. Jingtai 7, fourth month, renxu: a comet showed northeast at Stomach, two chi long, tail to the southwest. Fifth month, guiyou: it slowly stretched past a zhang. On wuzi it blazed northwest at Willow, nine chi long, sweeping Xuanyuan. On jiawu it showed at Extended Net, seven chi long, swept north of the Supreme Palace Enclosure, and ran southwest. Sixth month, renyin: it entered the Supreme Palace Enclosure, a chi long. Twelfth month, jiayin: the comet returned at Net, five inches long, lengthened as it ran southeast, and vanished on guihai.
26
天顺元年五月丙戌,彗星见于危,若动摇者,东行一度,芒长五寸,指西南。 六月癸巳朔,见室,长丈余,由尾至东壁,犯天大将军、卷舌第三星,井宿水位南第二星。 十月己亥,彗星见于角,长五寸余,指北,犯角北星及平道东星。 五年六月戊戌,彗见东方,指西南,入井度。 七月丙寅始灭。
Tianshun 1, fifth month, bingxu: a comet at Danger swayed east one degree, five-inch rays pointing southwest. Sixth month, new moon guisi: it showed at Encampment, a zhang long from Tail to Eastern Wall, striking Great Celestial General, Curled Tongue's third star, and the second star south of Well's Water Level. Tenth month, jihai: a comet at Horn, five inches long, pointed north and struck Horn's north star and Level Path's eastern star. Tianshun 5, sixth month, xushu: a comet in the east pointed southwest into the Well degrees. Seventh month, bingyin: it vanished at last.
27
成化元年二月,彗星见。 三月,又见西北,长三丈余,三阅月而没。 四年九月己未,有星见星五度,东北行,越五日,芒长三丈余,尾指西南,变为彗星。 其后晨见东方,昏见室,南犯三公、北斗、瑶光、七公,转入天市垣。 出垣渐小,犯天屏西第一星。 十一月庚辰,始灭。 七年十二月甲戌,彗星见天田,西指,寻北行,犯右摄提,扫太微垣上将及幸臣、太子、从官,尾指正西,横扫太微垣郎位。 己卯,光芒长大,东西竟天。 北行二十八度余,犯天枪,扫北斗、三公、太阳,入紫微垣内,正昼犹见。 自帝星、北斗、魁、庶子、后宫、勾陈、天枢、三师、天牢、中台、天皇大帝、上卫、阁道、文昌、上台,无所不犯。 乙酉,南行犯娄、天河、天阴、外屏、天囷。 八年正月丙午,行奎宿外屏,渐微,久之始灭。
Chenghua 1, second month: a comet appeared. Third month: it showed again in the northwest, three zhang long, and was gone after three months. Chenghua 4, ninth month, jiwei: a star at five degrees of Star moved northeast; in five days its rays reached three zhang, tail southwest, and it became a comet. Thereafter it showed at dawn in the east and at dusk in Encampment, struck south through Three Excellencies, Northern Dipper, Jade Radiance, and Seven Lords, and entered the Celestial Market Enclosure. Leaving the enclosure it waned and struck the first star west of Heavenly Screen. Eleventh month, gengchen: it vanished at last. Chenghua 7, twelfth month, jiaxu: a comet at Celestial Field pointed west, then ran north, struck Right Rearward, and swept the Supreme Palace Enclosure's supreme general, favored ministers, crown prince, and attendants; its tail swept due west through the courtier stations. On jimao its light swelled until it bridged the sky east and west. It ran north twenty-eight degrees and more, struck Heavenly Spear, swept Northern Dipper, Three Excellencies, and the Sun, entered the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, and shone even at noon. Emperor Star, Northern Dipper, Dipper Sceptre, Heir Apparent's Son, Rear Palace, Gouchen, Celestial Pivot, Three Preceptors, Celestial Prison, Central Terrace, Great Celestial Emperor, Upper Guard, Flying Gallery, Wenchang, Upper Terrace—it spared none. On yiyou it turned south through Bond, Celestial River, Celestial Yin, Outer Screen, and Celestial Storehouse. Chenghua 8, first month, bingwu: it skirted Kui's Outer Screen, thinned, and after long while vanished.
28
弘治三年十一月戊戌,彗星见天津南,尾指东北。 犯人星,历杵臼。 十二月戊申朔,入营室。 庚申,犯天仓。 十三年四月甲午,彗星见垒壁阵上,入室壁间,渐长三尺余。 指离宫,扫造父,过太微垣,渐微。 入紫微垣,近女史,犯尚书,六月丁酉没。
Hongzhi 3, eleventh month, xushu: a comet south of Celestial Ford pointed its tail northeast. It struck Man Star and crossed Pestle and Mortar. Twelfth month, new moon wushen: it entered Encampment Chamber. On gengshen it struck Celestial Granary. Hongzhi 13, fourth month, jiawu: a comet atop Rampart Formation, between Room and Wall, slowly stretched past three chi. It aimed at Lixing Palace, swept Zaosu, crossed the Supreme Palace Enclosure, and waned. It entered the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, neared Female Clerk, struck Minister, and on dingyou of the sixth month vanished.
29
正德元年七月己丑,有星见紫微西籓外,如弹丸,色苍白。 越数日,有微芒见参、井间,渐长二尺,如帚,西北至文昌。 庚子,彗星见,有光,流东南,长三尺。 越三日,长五尺许,扫下台上星,入太微垣。 十五年正月,彗星见。
Zhengde 1, seventh month, jichou: a pellet-sized pale star appeared outside the Purple Forbidden Enclosure's western rampart. Days later faint rays showed between Net and Well, lengthened to a two-chi broom, and ran northwest to Wenchang. On gengzi a comet blazed, streaming three chi southeast. In three days it stretched five chi, swept Lower Terrace's upper star, and entered the Supreme Palace Enclosure. Zhengde 15, first month: a comet appeared.
30
嘉靖二年六月,有星孛于天市。 十年闰六月乙巳,彗星见于东井,长尺余,扫轩辕第一星。 芒渐长,至翼,长七尺余。 东北扫天樽,入太微垣,扫郎位,行角度,东南扫亢北第二星,渐敛,积三十四日而没。 十一年八月己卯,彗星见东井,长尺许。 后东北行,历天津,渐至丈余。 扫太微垣诸星及角宿、天门,至十二月甲戌,凡一百十五日而灭。 十二年六月辛巳,彗星见于五车,长五尺余,扫大陵及天大将军。 渐长丈余,扫阁道,犯螣蛇,至八月戊戌而灭。 十八年四月庚戌,彗星见,长三尺许,光指东南。 扫轩辕北第八星,旬日始灭。 三十三年五月癸亥,彗星见天权旁,犯文昌,行入近浊,积二十七日而没。 三十五年正月庚辰,彗星见进贤旁,长尺许,西南指,渐至三尺余。 扫太微垣,次相东北,入紫微垣,犯天床,四月二日灭。 三十六年九月戊辰,彗星见天市垣列肆旁,东北指,至十月二十三日灭。
Jiajing 2, sixth month: a broom star stood in the Celestial Market. Jiajing 10, intercalary sixth month, yisi: a comet at Eastern Well, a chi long, swept Xuanyuan's first star. Its rays lengthened; by Wings it measured seven chi. Northeast it swept Heavenly Wine Jar, entered the Supreme Palace Enclosure, swept the courtier stations, turned southeast past Horn's second star north, slowly contracted, and vanished in thirty-four days. Jiajing 11, eighth month, jimao: a comet appeared at Well, about a foot long. It then moved northeast, passing Celestial Ford, and gradually lengthened to more than a zhang. It swept stars of the Taiwei Enclosure, Horn, and Celestial Gate; on the twelfth month, jiaxu, after one hundred fifteen days in all, it vanished. Jiajing 12, sixth month, xinsi: a comet appeared at the Five Chariots, more than five chi long, sweeping Great Tomb and the Great General of Heaven. It gradually lengthened to more than a zhang, swept the Gallery Bridge, encroached upon Flying Serpent, and vanished on the eighth month, wuxu. Jiajing 18, fourth month, gengxu: a comet appeared, about three chi long, its light pointing southeast. It swept the eighth star north of Xuanyuan; after ten days it vanished. Jiajing 33, fifth month, guihai: a comet appeared beside Celestial Balance, encroached upon Wenchang, entered Near Turbid, and vanished after twenty-seven days. Jiajing 35, first month, gengchen: a comet appeared beside Advancement of the Worthies, about a foot long and pointing southwest; it gradually lengthened to more than three chi. It swept the Taiwei Enclosure, then turned northeast into the Purple Forbidden Enclosure and encroached upon the Celestial Bed; it vanished on the second day of the fourth month. Jiajing 36, ninth month, wuchen: a comet appeared beside Row of Shops in the Celestial Market Enclosure, pointing northeast; it vanished on the twenty-third day of the tenth month.
31
隆庆三年十月辛丑朔,彗星见天市垣,东北指,至庚申灭。
Longqing 3, tenth month, new moon on xinchou: a comet appeared in the Celestial Market Enclosure, pointing northeast; it vanished on gengshen.
32
万历五年十月戊子,彗星见西南,苍白色,长数丈,气成白虹。 由尾、箕越斗、牛逼女,经月而灭。 八年八月庚申,彗星见东南方,每夜渐长,纵横河汉凡七十日有奇。 十年四月丙辰,彗星见西北,形如匹练,尾指五车,历二十余日灭。 十三年九月戊子,彗星出羽林旁,长尺许。 每夕东行,渐小,至十月癸酉灭。 十九年三月丙辰,西北有星如彗,长尺余。 历胃、室、壁,长二尺。 闰三月丙寅朔,入娄。 二十一年七月乙卯,彗星见东井。 乙亥,逆行入紫微垣,犯华盖。 二十四年七月丁丑,彗星见西北,如弹丸。 入翼,长尺余,西北行。 三十五年八月辛酉朔,彗星见东井,指西南,渐往西北。 壬午,自房历心灭。 四十六年十月乙丑,彗星出于氐,长丈余,指东南,渐指西北。 扫犯太阳守星,入亢度,西北扫北斗、璇玑、文昌、五车,逼紫微垣右,至十一月甲辰灭。 四十七年正月杪,彗见东南,长数百尺,光芒下射,末曲而锐,未几见于东北,又未几见于西。
Wanli 5, tenth month, wuzi: a comet appeared in the southwest, pale white and several zhang long; its vapour formed a white rainbow. It passed from Tail and Winnowing Basket across Dipper and Ox and Maiden; after a month it vanished. Wanli 8, eighth month, gengshen: a comet appeared in the southeast; each night it gradually lengthened, crossing the River of Heaven for more than seventy days. Wanli 10, fourth month, bingchen: a comet appeared in the northwest, shaped like a bolt of silk with its tail pointing at the Five Chariots; after more than twenty days it vanished. Wanli 13, ninth month, wuzi: a comet issued beside the Feathered Forest, about a foot long. Each evening it moved eastward and gradually shrank; on the tenth month, guiyou, it vanished. Wanli 19, third month, bingchen: in the northwest a star like a comet appeared, more than a foot long. It passed Stomach, Encampment, and Wall; its length reached two chi. On the intercalary third month, new moon on bingyin, it entered Bond. Wanli 21, seventh month, yimao: a comet appeared at Well. On yihai it moved retrograde into the Purple Forbidden Enclosure and encroached upon the Canopy of Heaven. Wanli 24, seventh month, dingchou: a comet appeared in the northwest like a pellet. It entered Wings, was more than a foot long, and moved northwest. Wanli 35, eighth month, new moon on xinyou: a comet appeared at Well, pointing southwest and gradually shifting toward the northwest. On renwu it passed from Room through Heart and vanished. Wanli 46, tenth month, yichou: a comet issued from Root, more than a zhang long, at first pointing southeast and gradually turning northwest. It swept and encroached upon the Guardian of the Sun, entered Neck, and swept northwest past the Northern Dipper, Sighting Axis, Wenchang, and the Five Chariots, pressing the right side of the Purple Forbidden Enclosure; it vanished on the eleventh month, jiachen. Wanli 47, at the end of the first month: a comet appeared in the southeast, several hundred chi long, its radiance shooting downward and its tip curved and sharp; before long it was seen in the northeast, and before long in the west.
33
崇祯十二年秋,彗星见参分。 十三年十月丙戌,彗星见。
Chongzhen 12, autumn: a comet appeared at the Three Stars. Chongzhen 13, tenth month, bingxu: a comet appeared.
34
▲天变
▲ Heavenly transformations.
35
洪武二十一年八月壬戌至甲子,天鼓鸣,昼夜不止。 二十八年三月戊午,昏刻天鸣,如风水相搏,至一鼓止。 九月戊戌,初鼓,天鸣如泻水,自东北而南,至二鼓止。 宣德元年八月戊辰,昏刻天鸣,如雨阵迭至,自东南而西南,良久乃息。 辛未,东南天鸣,声如万鼓。 正统十年三月庚寅,西北天鸣,如鸟群飞。 正德元年二月壬子,夜东北天鸣,如风水相搏者五七次。 隆庆二年八月甲辰,绛州西北天裂,自丑至寅乃合。 万历十六年九月乙丑,甘肃石灰沟天鸣,云中如犬状乱吠,有声。 崇祯元年三月辛巳,昧爽,天赤如血,射窗牖皆红。 十年九月,每晨夕天色赤黄。
Hongwu 21, eighth month, from renxu to jiazi: the sky drum sounded day and night without cease. Hongwu 28, third month, wuwu: at the dusk watch the sky sounded like wind and water clashing; it stopped at the first watch. Ninth month, wuxu: at the first watch the sky sounded like pouring water, from the northeast toward the south; it stopped at the second watch. Xuande 1, eighth month, wuchen: at the dusk watch the sky sounded like rain squalls arriving in succession, from the southeast toward the southwest; after a long while it ceased. On xinwei the southeast sky sounded like ten thousand drums. Zhengtong 10, third month, gengyin: the northwest sky sounded like a flock of birds in flight. Zhengde 1, second month, renzi: at night the northeast sky sounded like wind and water clashing five or seven times. Longqing 2, eighth month, jiachen: northwest of Jiang Prefecture the sky split open; from chou to yin it closed again. Wanli 16, ninth month, yichou: at Shihuigou in Gansu the sky sounded; in the clouds shapes like dogs barked wildly, with audible sound. Chongzhen 1, third month, xinsi: before dawn the sky was red like blood, and light through the windows was all red. Chongzhen 10, ninth month: every morning and evening the colour of the sky was red-yellow.
36
▲日变月变
▲ Solar and lunar transformations.
37
洪武二年十二月甲子,日中有黑子。 三年九月戊戌,十月丁巳,十一月甲辰,四年三月戊戌,五月壬子至辛巳,九月戊寅,五年正月庚戌,二月丁未,五月甲子,七月辛未,六年十一月戊戌朔,七年二月庚戌至甲寅,八年二月辛亥,九月癸未,十二月癸丑,十四年二月壬午至乙酉,十五年闰二月丙戌,十二月辛巳,并如之。
Hongwu 2, twelfth month, jiazi: there was a black spot on the sun. Hongwu 3/IX/wuxu; 3/X/dingsi; 3/XI/jiachen; 4/III/wuxu; 4/V/renzi–xinsi; 4/IX/wuyin; 5/I/gengxu; 5/II/dingwei; 5/V/jiazi; 5/VII/xinwei; 6/XI/wuxu (new moon); 7/II/gengxu–jiayin; 8/II/xinhai; 8/IX/guiwei; 8/XII/guichou; 14/II/renwu–yiyou; 15/intercalary II/bingxu; 15/XII/xinsi: on each date it was the same.
38
正统元年八月癸酉至己卯,月出入时皆有游气,色赤无光。 十四年八月辛未,月昼见,与日争明。 十月壬申,日上黑气如烟,寻发红光,散焰如火。
Zhengtong 1, eighth month, guiyou–jimao: whenever the moon rose or set there was wandering vapour, red in colour and without light. Zhengtong 14, eighth month, xinwei: the moon was seen by day and vied with the sun for brightness. Tenth month, renshen: black vapour on the sun like smoke; soon it emitted red light and scattered flames like fire.
39
景泰二年四月己卯,月色如赭。 七年九月丙子,日色变赤。
Jingtai 2, fourth month, jimao: the colour of the moon was like ochre. Jingtai 7, ninth month, bingzi: the colour of the sun turned red.
40
天顺二年闰二月己巳,日无光,旋赤如赭。 三年八月丁卯,日色如赭。 六年十月丙子,日赤如血。 七年四月癸未,如之。 乙酉,日色变白。 八年二月己亥,日无光。
Tianshun 2, intercalary second month, jisi: the sun had no light; presently it turned red like ochre. Tianshun 3, eighth month, dingmao: the colour of the sun was like ochre. Tianshun 6, tenth month, bingzi: the sun was red like blood. Tianshun 7, fourth month, guimao: it was the same. On yiyou the colour of the sun turned white. Tianshun 8, second month, jihai: the sun had no light.
41
成化五年闰二月己卯,日色变白。 十一年二月己亥,日色如赭。 四月辛卯,如之。 十三年三月壬申,日白无光。 十月辛卯,十四年三月庚午,十六年三月丙戌,并如之。 十七年三月丁酉,日赤如赭。 十八年四月壬寅,日赤无光。 十二月癸酉,日赤如赭。 二十年二月癸酉,如之。
Chenghua 5, intercalary second month, jimao: the colour of the sun turned white. Chenghua 11, second month, jihai: the colour of the sun was like ochre. Fourth month, xinmao: it was the same. Chenghua 13, third month, renshen: the sun was white and without light. Tenth month, xinmao; Chenghua 14/III/gengwu; 16/III/bingxu: on each date it was the same. Chenghua 17, third month, dingyou: the sun was red like ochre. Chenghua 18, fourth month, renyin: the sun was red and without light. Twelfth month, guiyou: the sun was red like ochre. Chenghua 20, second month, guiyou: it was the same.
42
弘治元年十一月己卯,月生芒如齿,长三尺余,色苍白。 十八年八月癸酉至九月甲午,日无光。
Hongzhi 1, eleventh month, jimao: the moon grew rays like teeth, more than three chi long and pale white in colour. Hongzhi 18, eighth month, guiyou, through ninth month, jiawu: the sun had no light.
43
嘉靖元年正月丁卯,日惨白,变青,无光。 二十八年三月丙申至庚子,日色惨白。 三十四年十二月庚申,晦,日忽暗,有青黑紫日影如盘数十相摩,久之千百,飞荡满天,向西北而散。
Jiajing 1, first month, dingmao: the sun was ghastly white, turned greenish, and had no light. Jiajing 28, third month, bingchen–gengzi: the colour of the sun was ghastly white. Jiajing 34, twelfth month, gengshen: on the last day of the month the sun suddenly darkened; green, black, and purple solar shadows like disks, several dozen rubbing together; after a long while there were thousands, flying and filling the sky, scattering toward the northwest.
44
万历二十五年三月癸丑,黑日二三十余,回绕日旁,移时云隐不见。 五月辛卯朔,日光转荡,旋为黑饼。 三十年三月甲申,日光照地黄赤。 三十五年十一月丙午,日赤无光,烛地如血。 四十二年三月庚辰,日赤黄如赭如血者累日。 四十四年八月戊辰,日中有黑光。 四十六年闰六月丙戌至戊子,黑气出入日中摩荡。
Wanli 25, third month, guichou: twenty or thirty black suns circled beside the sun; after a time clouds hid them from view. Fifth month, new moon on xinmao: the sunlight whirled and turned into a black disk. Wanli 30, third month, jiashen: the sunlight shone on the ground yellow-red. Wanli 35, eleventh month, bingwu: the sun was red and without light, lighting the ground like blood. Wanli 42, third month, gengchen: for many days the sun was red-yellow like ochre and like blood. Wanli 44, eighth month, wuchen: there was black light in the sun. Wanli 46, intercalary sixth month, bingxu–wuzi: black vapour went in and out of the sun, rubbing and churning.
45
天启四年正月癸未,日赤无光,有黑子二三荡于旁,渐至百许,凡四日。 二月壬子,日淡黄无光。 癸丑,黑日摩荡日旁。 四月癸酉,日中黑气摩荡。 十二月辛巳,午刻,非烟非雾,覆压日上,摩荡如盖如吞,通天皆赤。
Tianqi 4, first month, guimao: the sun was red and without light; two or three black spots oscillated beside it, gradually reaching about a hundred; altogether four days. Second month, renzi: the sun was pale yellow and without light. On guichou black suns rubbed and churned beside the sun. Fourth month, guiyou: black vapour in the sun rubbed and churned. Twelfth month, xinsi: at the noon watch, neither smoke nor mist covered and pressed upon the sun, rubbing like a cover and like swallowing; all heaven turned red.
46
崇祯四年正月戊戌,日色如血,照人物皆赤。 二月乙巳朔,日赤如血,无光。 十月丙午,月昼见。 十一年十一月癸亥,日中有黑子及黑青白气。 日入时,日光摩荡如两日。 十二年正月己未朔,日白无光。 辛酉,日光摩荡竟日,有气从日中出,如镜黛喷花。 二月庚子,日旁有红白丸,又白芒黑气交掩,日光摩荡。 十三年九月己巳,两日并出,辰刻乃合为一,入时又分为二。 十四年正月壬寅,日青无光。 后三年正月癸丑,有星入月。 三月壬寅,日色无光者两旬。
Chongzhen 4, first month, wuxu: the colour of the sun was like blood, illuminating people and things all red. Second month, new moon on yisi: the sun was red like blood and without light. Tenth month, bingwu: the moon was seen by day. Chongzhen 11, eleventh month, guihai: in the sun there were black spots and black, green, and white vapour. At sunset the sunlight rubbed and churned like two suns. Chongzhen 12, first month, new moon on jiwei: the sun was white and without light. On xinyou the sunlight rubbed and churned all day; vapour issued from the sun like ink from a mirror spraying flowers. Second month, gengzi: beside the sun there were red and white pellets, and white rays and black vapour crossed and masked one another; the sunlight rubbed and churned. Chongzhen 13, ninth month, jisi: two suns appeared together; at the chen watch they merged into one; at sunset they again divided into two. Chongzhen 14, first month, renyin: the sun was greenish and without light. Three years afterward, first month, guichou: a star entered the moon. Third month, renyin: the sun had no light for two weeks.
47
▲晕适
▲ Halos and related phenomena.
48
洪武六年三月戊辰,日交晕。 十年正月己巳,白虹贯日。 十二月甲子,白虹贯月。 十二年四月庚申,日交晕。 二四年正月壬子,日有珥,白虹贯之。 九月甲辰,白虹贯日。 十五年正月丁未,十九年三月己巳,二十二年十二月戊午,并如之。 二十三年正月壬辰,日晕,白虹贯珥。 二十八年十一月乙亥,日上赤气长五丈余,须臾又生直气、背气,皆青赤色。 又生半晕,两白虹贯珥,已而弥天贯日。 三十年二月辛亥,白虹亘天贯日。
Hongwu 6, third month, wuchen: intersecting halos on the sun. Hongwu 10, first month, jisi: a white rainbow pierced the sun. Twelfth month, jiazi: a white rainbow pierced the moon. Hongwu 12, fourth month, gengshen: the sun showed crossing halos. Hongwu 24, first month, renzi: the sun had parhelia, and a white arc crossed them. Ninth month, jiachen: a white arc crossed the sun. Fifteenth year, dingwei; nineteenth year, third month, jisi; twenty-second year, twelfth month, wuwu: all the same. Twenty-third year, first month, renchen: a solar halo; a white arc crossed the parhelia. Twenty-eighth year, eleventh month, yihai: red vapor on the sun stretched more than five zhang; presently upright vapor and a back aura also appeared, all blue-red. A semicircular halo followed; two white arcs crossed the parhelia, then spanned the sky and crossed the sun. Thirtieth year, second month, xinhai: a white arc spanning heaven crossed the sun.
49
永乐十八年闰正月癸未,日生重半晕,上有青赤背气,左右有珥,白虹贯之,随生黄气、璚气。
Yongle 18, intercalary first month, guimao: the sun showed a double semicircular halo with blue-red back aura above, parhelia left and right, and a white arc crossing them; yellow vapor and jade aura followed.
50
洪熙元年正月乙未,日生两珥,白虹贯之。 四月丁未,如之,复生交晕。
Hongxi 1, first month, yiwei: the sun produced two parhelia, and a white arc crossed them. Fourth month, dingwei: the same; crossing halos appeared again.
51
宣德元年正月庚戌,日生青赤璚气,随生交晕,色黄赤。 二月己卯,日两珥,又生交晕,左右有珥,上重半晕及背气。 昏刻,月生两珥,白虹贯之。 二年十二月甲戌,月生交晕,左右珥,白虹贯之。 三年三月庚寅,日生交晕,色黄赤,两珥及背气、戟气各一,色皆青赤。 丁酉,日晕,又交晕及戟气二道。 十二月己卯,日生交晕。 五年正月癸亥,日晕,随生交晕。 二月甲午,日交晕,随生戟气。 四月庚辰,日生两珥,白虹贯之。 六年二月甲寅,日晕,随生交晕及重半晕璚气。 八年九月戊戌,辰刻,日晕,两珥背气,申刻诸气复生。 十年十二月辛亥,日晕,白虹贯两珥,有璚气,随生重半晕及背气。
Xuande 1, first month, gengxu: the sun showed blue-red jade aura, then crossing halos in yellow-red. Second month, jimao: two parhelia on the sun, then crossing halos with parhelia left and right, a double semicircular halo above, and a back aura. At dusk watch the moon showed two parhelia, and a white arc crossed them. Xuande 2, twelfth month, jiaxu: the moon showed crossing halos with parhelia left and right, and a white arc crossing them. Third year, third month, gengyin: crossing halos on the sun in yellow-red, with two parhelia and one back aura and one halberd aura, all blue-red. Dingyou: a solar halo, then crossing halos and two halberd auras. Twelfth month, jimao: the sun showed crossing halos. Fifth year, first month, guihai: a solar halo, then crossing halos. Second month, jiawu: crossing halos on the sun, then a halberd aura. Fourth month, gengchen: the sun produced two parhelia, and a white arc crossed them. Sixth year, second month, jiayin: a solar halo, then crossing halos and a double semicircular halo with jade aura. Eighth year, ninth month, wuxu: at chen watch a solar halo with two parhelia and a back aura; at shen watch all the phenomena returned. Tenth year, twelfth month, xinhai: a solar halo; a white arc crossed both parhelia; jade aura appeared, then a double semicircular halo and back aura.
52
正统元年二月己酉,白虹贯月。 九月丁未,如之。 十二月丙戌,月生背气,左右珥,白虹贯之。 三年四月庚辰,日生两珥,白虹贯之,随晕。 十二月癸酉,月生两珥,白虹贯之,随生背气。 七年十二月辛丑,月晕,白虹贯之。 十一年正月乙未,日生背气,白虹弥天。 十四年八月戊申,日晕,旁有戟气,随生左右珥及戴气,东北虹霓如杵。
Zhengtong 1, second month, jiyou: a white arc crossed the moon. Ninth month, dingwei: the same. Twelfth month, bingxu: the moon showed a back aura with parhelia left and right, and a white arc crossing them. Third year, fourth month, gengchen: the sun produced two parhelia with a white arc crossing them, then a halo. Twelfth month, guiyou: the moon showed two parhelia with a white arc crossing them, then a back aura. Seventh year, twelfth month, xinchou: a lunar halo with a white arc crossing it. Eleventh year, first month, yiwei: the sun showed a back aura, and a white arc filled heaven. Fourteenth year, eighth month, wushen: a solar halo with a halberd aura beside it, then parhelia left and right and a cap aura; in the northeast a rainbow like a pestle.
53
景泰元年二月壬午,酉刻,日上黑气四道,约长三丈,离地丈许,两头锐而贯日,其状如鱼。 十二月甲午,日交晕,上下背气各一道,两旁戟气各一道。 二年正月癸卯,日生左右珥,白虹贯之,随生背气。 二月丙戌,日交晕。 三年正月丙辰,日生左右珥及背气、白虹。 五年十一月壬戌,月晕,左右珥及背气,又生白虹,贯右珥。 七年六月丁丑,日晕,随生重半晕及左右珥。
Jingtai 1, second month, renwu: at you watch four black vapors on the sun, about three zhang long and one zhang above the ground, pointed at both ends and piercing the disk, shaped like fish. Twelfth month, jiawu: crossing halos on the sun, one back aura above and below, and one halberd aura on each side. Second year, first month, guimao: the sun showed parhelia left and right with a white arc crossing them, then a back aura. Second month, bingxu: the sun showed crossing halos. Third year, first month, bingchen: the sun showed parhelia left and right with back aura and a white arc. Fifth year, eleventh month, renxu: a lunar halo with parhelia and back aura left and right; a white arc then crossed the right parhelion. Seventh year, sixth month, dingchou: a solar halo, then a double semicircular halo and parhelia left and right.
54
天顺元年二月庚戌,辰刻,日交晕,左右珥,旋生抱气及左右戟气,白虹贯日。 未刻,诸气复生。 辛亥,日交晕,左右珥及戟气,白虹贯日,弥天者竟日。 二年二月乙卯,日交晕,上有背气,白虹贯日。 七年正月戊戌,月生连环晕。
Tianshun 1, second month, gengxu: at chen watch crossing halos on the sun with parhelia left and right; embracing aura and halberd auras left and right then appeared, and a white arc crossed the sun. At wei watch all the phenomena returned. Xinhai: crossing halos on the sun with parhelia and halberd aura left and right; a white arc crossed the sun and filled heaven for the whole day. Second year, second month, yimao: crossing halos on the sun with a back aura above, and a white arc crossing the sun. Seventh year, first month, wuxu: the moon showed interlocking halos.
55
成化二年四月壬寅,日交晕,右有珥。 十一年六月己酉,日重晕,左右珥及背气。 十二年正月甲子,日交晕。 二十年二月己未,日生白虹,东北亘天。 二十一年十月癸巳,巳刻,日晕,左右珥。 未刻,复生,又生抱气背气。 二十三年十二月癸巳,日晕,左右珥,又生背气及半晕。
Chenghua 2, fourth month, renyin: crossing halos on the sun with a parhelion on the right. Eleventh year, sixth month, jiyou: double halos on the sun with parhelia and a back aura left and right. Twelfth year, first month, jiazi: the sun showed crossing halos. Twentieth year, second month, jiwei: the sun showed a white arc spanning the northeast sky. Twenty-first year, tenth month, guisi: at si watch a solar halo with parhelia left and right. At wei watch they returned; embracing aura and back aura also appeared. Twenty-third year, twelfth month, guisi: a solar halo with parhelia left and right, then a back aura and semicircular halo.
56
弘治二年正月甲戌,午刻,日晕,白虹弥天。 丙戌,日交晕,左右珥,白虹弥天。 二月壬寅,日生左右珥及背气,又生交晕、半晕及抱、格二气。 十一月戊辰,月晕连环,贯左右珥。 四年二月庚戌,午刻,日交晕,左右珥,下生戟气,白虹弥天。 六年十一月乙巳,月晕,左右珥,连环贯之。 十八年二月己巳,月晕,左右珥,白虹弥天。
Hongzhi 2, first month, jiaxu: at wu watch a solar halo with a white arc filling heaven. Bingxu: crossing halos on the sun with parhelia left and right, and a white arc filling heaven. Second month, renyin: the sun showed parhelia and back aura left and right, then crossing halos, a semicircular halo, and embracing and lattice auras. Eleventh month, wuchen: interlocking halos on the moon crossing the parhelia left and right. Fourth year, second month, gengxu: at wu watch crossing halos on the sun with parhelia left and right, a halberd aura below, and a white arc filling heaven. Sixth year, eleventh month, yisi: a lunar halo with parhelia left and right, crossed by interlocking halos. Eighteenth year, second month, jisi: a lunar halo with parhelia left and right, and a white arc filling heaven.
57
正德元年正月乙酉,日晕,上有背气,左右有珥,白虹弥天。 十二月辛酉,月晕,白虹弥天,甲子,如之。
Zhengde 1, first month, yiyou: a solar halo with back aura above, parhelia left and right, and a white arc filling heaven. Twelfth month, xinyou: a lunar halo with a white arc filling heaven; on jiazi, the same.
58
嘉靖元年四月癸未,月生连环晕。 二年正月己酉,月晕,连环左右珥。 七年正月乙亥,日重晕,两珥及戟气,白虹弥天。 十三年二月壬辰,白虹亘天,日晕,左右珥及戟气。 十八年十二月壬午,立春,日晕右珥,白虹亘天。 二十一年十一月甲子,月晕连环。 四十一年十一月辛丑,日晕,左右珥,上抱下戟,白虹弥天。
Jiajing 1, fourth month, guimao: the moon showed interlocking halos. Second year, first month, jiyou: a lunar halo with interlocking parhelia left and right. Seventh year, first month, yihai: double halos on the sun with two parhelia and a halberd aura, and a white arc filling heaven. Thirteenth year, second month, renchen: a white arc spanning heaven, a solar halo, and parhelia and halberd aura left and right. Eighteenth year, twelfth month, renwu, at Beginning of Spring: a solar halo with a parhelion on the right and a white arc spanning heaven. Twenty-first year, eleventh month, jiazi: interlocking halos on the moon. Forty-first year, eleventh month, xinchou: a solar halo with parhelia left and right, embracing aura above and halberd aura below, and a white arc filling heaven.
59
隆庆五年三月辛巳,日晕,有珥,白虹亘天。
Longqing 5, third month, xinsi: a solar halo with parhelia and a white arc spanning heaven.
60
万历三十五年正月庚午,日晕,黑气蔽天。 四十八年二月癸丑,日连环晕,下有背气,左右戟气,白虹弥天。
Wanli 35, first month, gengwu: a solar halo with black vapor covering heaven. Forty-eighth year, second month, guichou: interlocking halos on the sun with back aura below, halberd auras left and right, and a white arc filling heaven.
61
天启元年二月甲午,日交晕,左右有珥,白虹弥天。 三年十月辛巳,日生重半晕,左右珥。
Tianqi 1, second month, jiawu: crossing halos on the sun with parhelia left and right, and a white arc filling heaven. Third year, tenth month, xinsi: the sun showed a double semicircular halo with parhelia left and right.
62
崇祯八年二月丙午,白虹贯日。
Chongzhen 8, second month, bingwu: a white arc crossed the sun.
63
▲星变
▲ Stellar anomalies.
64
洪武二十八年闰九月辛巳,垒壁阵疏拆复聚。 二十九年八月戊子,钦天监言,井宿东北第二星,近岁渐暗小,促聚不端列。 三十一年五月癸亥,垒壁阵疏者就聚。 正统元年九月丁巳,狼星动摇。 十四年十月辛亥,如之。 成化六年丁巳,荧惑无光。 十三年九月乙丑朔,岁星光芒炫耀而有玉色。 正德元年八月,大角及心中星动摇,北斗中璇、玑、权三星不明。 万历四十四年,权星暗小,辅星沉没。 四十六年九月,太白光芒四映如月影。 天启五年七月壬申,荧惑色赤,体大,有芒。 崇祯九年十二月,荧惑如炬,在太微垣东南。 十二年十月甲午,填星昏晕。 十三年六月,泰阶拆。 九月,五车中三柱隐。 十月,参足突出玉井。 后四年二月,荧惑怒角。 三月壬辰,钦天监正戈承科奏,帝星下移。 已,又轩辕星绝续不常,太小失次。 文昌星拆,天津拆,瑶光拆,芒角黑青。
Hongwu 28, intercalary ninth month, xinsi: Wall Formation grew sparse, split apart, and gathered again. Twenty-ninth year, eighth month, wuzi: the Directorate of Astronomy reported that the second star northeast of Well had grown gradually dim and small, clustering hastily and out of proper alignment. Thirty-first year, fifth month, guihai: the sparse stars of Wall Formation then gathered. Zhengtong 1, ninth month, dingsi: Wolf Star trembled. Fourteenth year, tenth month, xinhai: the same. Chenghua 6, dingsi: Mars was without light. Thirteenth year, ninth month, yichou new moon: Jupiter's light was dazzling and had a jade hue. Zhengde 1, eighth month: Great Horn and the Heart-center stars trembled; within the Northern Dipper, Xuan, Ji, and Quan were not bright. Wanli 44: Quan star was dim and small; Fu star sank from sight. Forty-sixth year, ninth month: Venus's light reflected on four sides like a moon's image. Tianqi 5, seventh month, renshen: Mars was red, large-bodied, and rayed. Chongzhen 9, twelfth month: Mars was like a torch, southeast of the Supreme Palace Enclosure. Twelfth year, tenth month, jiawu: Saturn showed a dim halo. Thirteenth year, sixth month: the Grand Stairway split. Ninth month: three pillars within Five Chariots were hidden. Tenth month: the foot of Shen protruded into Jade Well. Four years later, second month: Mars showed angry horns. Third month, renchen: Ge Chengke, director of the Directorate of Astronomy, memorialized that the Imperial Star had shifted downward. Soon after, Xuanyuan stars were intermittent and irregular, now too large, now too small, missing their stations. Wenchang split, Celestial Ford split, Yaoguang split; rays and horns were black-blue.
65
▲星流星陨
▲ Stars, meteors, and meteorite falls.
66
灵台候簿飞流之记,无夜无有,其小而寻常者无关休咎,择其异常者书之。
The Spirit Terrace observation records note flying streams every night without exception; the small and ordinary bear no relation to fortune or calamity—only the unusual are set down here.
67
洪武三年十月庚辰,有赤星如桃,起天桴至垒壁阵,抵羽林军,爆散有声。 五小星随之,至士司空旁,发光烛天,忽大如碗,曳赤尾至天仓没,须臾东南有声。 二十一年八月乙巳,赤星如杯,自北斗杓东南行三丈余,分为二,又五丈余,分为三,经昴宿复为二,经天廪合为一,没于天苑。
Hongwu 3, tenth month, gengchen: a red star like a peach rose from Celestial Drum to Wall Formation, reached Rosefinch Army, and burst apart with a sound. Five small stars followed; reaching Minister of Works, their light lit heaven; suddenly swelling to bowl size, they trailed a red tail to Celestial Granary and vanished; presently a sound came from the southeast. Twenty-first year, eighth month, yisi: a red star like a cup moved from the Dipper's ladle southeast more than three zhang, split in two, then after five zhang more split in three; passing Hairy Head it became two again; passing Celestial Storehouse it merged into one and vanished at Heavenly Park.
68
永乐元年闰十一月丁卯,有星色苍,大如斗,光烛地,出中天云中。 西南行,隆隆有声,入云中。 二年五月丙午,有赤星大如斗,光烛地,出中天,西北行入云中。 十六年,有星大如斗,色青赤,光烛地,自柳东行至近浊。 二十二年五月己亥,有星如盏,色青白,光烛地,起东南云中。 西北行,入云中,有声如砲。 七月庚寅,有星如碗,色赤有光,自奎入参炸散,众星摇动。
Yongle 1, intercalary eleventh month, dingmao: a blue-green star large as a dipper, its light illuminating the ground, emerged from clouds at mid-heaven. It moved southwest with a rumbling sound and entered the clouds. Yongle 2, fifth month, bingwu: a red star large as a dipper, its light illuminating the ground, rose at mid-heaven and moved northwest into the clouds. Yongle 16: a star large as a dipper, blue-red in color, its light illuminating the ground, traveled east from Willow to near the Turbid. Yongle 22, fifth month, jihai: a star like a lamp-cup, blue-white in color, its light illuminating the ground, rose from clouds in the southeast. It moved northwest into the clouds with a sound like cannon fire. Seventh month, gengyin: a star like a bowl, red and luminous, passed from Kui into Shen and burst apart, and the surrounding stars trembled.
69
宣德元年十二月己巳,有星大如碗,光赤,出卷舌,东行过东井坠地,有声如雷。
Xuande 1, twelfth month, jisi: a star large as a bowl with red light rose from Rolled Tongue, traveled east past Eastern Well, fell to earth, and thundered.
70
正统元年八月乙酉,昏刻至晓,大小流星百余。 四年八月癸卯,大小流星数百。 十四年十月癸丑,有星大如杯,赤光烛地,自三师西北抵少弼,尾迹化苍白气,长五尺余,曲曲西行。 十二月戊申,有星大如杯,色青白,有声,光烛地。 自太乙旁东南行丈余,发光大如斗,至天市西垣没,四小星随之。
Zhengtong 1, eighth month, yiyou: from dusk watch until dawn, more than a hundred large and small meteors. Fourth year, eighth month, guimao: several hundred large and small meteors. Fourteenth year, tenth month, guichou: a star large as a cup with red light illuminating the ground moved from Three Masters northwest to Lesser Assistant; its trail turned pale white vapor more than five chi long, winding westward. Twelfth month, wushen: a star large as a cup, blue-white in color, sounded aloud, and its light illuminated the ground. From beside Supreme One it moved southeast more than a zhang, flared to dipper size, and vanished at the western rampart of Celestial Market; four small stars followed.
71
景泰二年六月丙申,太小流星八十余。 八月壬午,有赤星二,一如桃,一如斗,光烛地。 一出紫微西籓北行,至阴德,三小星随之; 一出天津,东南行至河南,十余小星随之。 尾迹炸散,声如雷。
Jingtai 2, sixth month, bingshen: more than eighty large and small meteors. Eighth month, renwu: two red stars—one like a peach, one like a dipper—whose light illuminated the ground. One rose from the western bulwark of the Purple Forbidden Enclosure and moved north to Yin Virtue, with three small stars following; the other rose from Celestial Ford and moved southeast to the Henan asterism, with more than ten small stars following. Its trail burst apart with a sound like thunder.
72
天顺三年四月癸丑,有星大如碗,赤光烛地,自左旗东南行抵女宿,尾迹炸散。 八年二月壬子,有星如碗,光烛地,自天市至天津,尾化苍白气,如蛇形,长丈余,良久散。
Tianshun 3, fourth month, guichou: a star large as a bowl with red light illuminating the ground moved from Left Banner southeast to Woman's Mansion, its trail bursting apart. Eighth year, second month, renzi: a star like a bowl, its light illuminating the ground, passed from Celestial Market to Celestial Ford; its tail turned pale white vapor like a serpent more than a zhang long and only slowly dispersed.
73
成化十二年十一月乙丑,延绥波罗堡有星二,形如辘轴,一坠樊家沟,一坠本堡,红光烛天。 二十年五月丙申,有大星坠番禺县东南,声如雷,散为小星十余。 既而天地皆晦,良久乃复。 二十一年正月甲申朔,申刻,有火光自中天少西下坠,化白气,复曲折上腾有声。 逾时,西方有赤星大如碗,自中天西行近浊,尾迹化白气,曲曲如蛇行良久,正西轰轰如雷震。
Chenghua 12, eleventh month, yichou: at Bola Fort in Yan'an Circuit two stars shaped like windlass wheels—one fell at Fanjiagou, one at the fort itself—red light lighting heaven. Twentieth year, fifth month, bingshen: a large star fell southeast of Panyu County with a thunderous sound and broke into more than ten small stars. Presently heaven and earth both darkened; only after a long while did light return. Twenty-first year, first month, new moon on jiashen, at the shen watch (3–5 p.m.): fire-light fell from slightly west of mid-heaven, turned to white vapor, then curved upward again with a sound. After a time a red star large as a bowl moved from mid-heaven west toward the Turbid, its trail turning to white vapor that wound like a serpent for a long while; due west thundered like an earthquake.
74
弘治元年八月戊申,巳刻,南方流星如盏,自南行丈余,大如碗,西南至近浊,尾化白云,屈曲蛇行而散。 四年十月丁巳,有星赤,光如电,自西南往东北,声如鼓。 陨光山县,化为石如斗。 光州商城亦见大星飞空,如光山所见。 十一月甲戌,星陨真定西北,红光烛天。 西南天鸣如鼓,又若奔车。 七年五月,宣府、山西、河南有星昼陨。 八年四月辛未,有星如轮,流至西北,陨于铅山县,其声如雷。 九年闰三月戊午,平凉东南有流星如月,红光烛地,至西北止,既而天鼓鸣。 十年正月壬子,有星大如斗,色黄白,光长三十余丈,一小星随之,陨于宁夏西北隅。 天鸣如雷者数声。 九月乙巳,有星如斗,光掩月,流自西北,陨于永平,有声。 十一年正月癸亥,有流星陨于肃州,大如房,响如雷,良久灭。 十月壬申,晓,东方赤星如碗,行丈余,光烛地,东南行,小星数十随之。 十四年闰七月辛巳,山东有星大如车轮,赤光烛天,自东南往西北,陨于寿光。 天鼓鸣。 十六年正月己酉,南京有星昼流。
Hongzhi 1, eighth month, wushen, si watch (9–11 a.m.): a southern meteor like a lamp-cup moved from the south more than a zhang, swelled to bowl size, went southwest to near the Turbid, and its tail turned white cloud that wound like a serpent and dispersed. Fourth year, tenth month, dingsi: a red star with lightning-like light passed from southwest to northeast with a drum-like sound. It fell in Guangshan County and became stone the size of a dipper. Shangcheng in Guang Prefecture also saw a large star fly through the sky, as at Guangshan. Eleventh month, jiaxu: a star fell northwest of Zhending, red light lighting heaven. The southwest sky sounded like drums, then again like rushing chariots. Seventh year, fifth month: stars fell by day in Xuanfu, Shanxi, and Henan. Eighth year, fourth month, xinwei: a star like a wheel streamed northwest and fell at Qianshan County with a thunderous sound. Ninth year, intercalary third month, wuwu: southeast of Pingliang a meteor like the moon, red light illuminating the ground, reached the northwest and halted; then the celestial drum sounded. Tenth year, first month, renzi: a star large as a dipper, yellow-white in color, with light more than thirty zhang long and one small star following, fell at the northwest corner of Ningxia. Heaven thundered several times. Ninth month, yisi: a star like a dipper, its light eclipsing the moon, streamed from the northwest and fell at Yongping with a sound. Eleventh year, first month, guihai: a meteor fell at Suzhou, large as a room, thundering as it went, and only after a long while faded. Tenth month, renshen: at dawn an eastern red star like a bowl moved more than a zhang, its light illuminating the ground as it traveled southeast, with several tens of small stars following. Fourteenth year, intercalary seventh month, xinsi: in Shandong a star large as a carriage wheel, red light lighting heaven, passed from southeast to northwest and fell at Shouguang. The celestial drum sounded. Sixteenth year, first month, jiyou: a star streamed by day over Nanjing.
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正德元年十二月庚午,有星如碗,陨宁夏中卫,空中有红光大二亩。 二年八月己亥,宁夏有大星,自正南流西南而坠,后有赤光一道,阔三尺,长五丈。 五年四月丁亥,雷州有大星如月,自东南流西北,分为二,尾如彗,随没,声如雷。 六年八月癸卯,有流星如箕,尾长四五丈,红光烛天。 自西北转东南,三首一尾,坠四川崇庆卫。 色化为白,复起绿焰,高二丈余,声如雷震。 十五年正月丁未,酉刻,有星陨于山西龙舟谷巡检司厅事,四月丙戌,陕西巩昌府有星如日,色赤,自东方流西南而陨。 天鼓鸣。
Zhengde 1, twelfth month, gengwu: a star like a bowl fell at Zhongwei in Ningxia; in the sky red light spread over two mu. Second year, eighth month, jihai: in Ningxia a large star streamed from due south southwestward and fell; afterward a red streak three chi wide and five zhang long. Fifth year, fourth month, dinghai: in Leizhou a large star like the moon streamed from southeast to northwest, split in two with a comet-like tail, then vanished with a thunderous sound. Sixth year, eighth month, guimao: a meteor like a winnowing-basket with a tail four or five zhang long, red light lighting heaven. It turned from northwest to southeast—three heads and one tail—and fell at Chongqing Guard in Sichuan. Its color turned white, then green flame rose more than two zhang high with a sound like thunder. Fifteenth year, first month, dingwei, you watch (5–7 p.m.): a star fell on the hall of the Longzhou Valley inspection office in Shanxi; fourth month, bingxu: in Gongchang Prefecture, Shaanxi, a sun-like star, red in color, streamed from the east southwestward and fell. The celestial drum sounded.
76
嘉靖十二年九月丙子,流星如盏,光照地,自中台东北行近浊,尾迹化为白气。 四更至五更,四方大小流星,纵横交行,不计其数,至明乃息。 十四年九月戊子,开封白昼天鼓鸣。 有星如碗,东南流,众小星从之如珠。 十九年五月辛丑,星陨枣强,为石四。
Jiajing 12, ninth month, bingzi: a meteor like a lamp-cup, its light illuminating the ground, moved from Central Terrace northeast toward the Turbid, its trail turning to white vapor. From the fourth to the fifth watch meteors large and small crisscrossed on every side beyond count, ceasing only at dawn. Fourteenth year, ninth month, wuzi: at Kaifeng the celestial drum sounded in broad daylight. A star like a bowl moved southeast, many small stars following like pearls. Nineteenth year, fifth month, xinchou: a star fell at Zaoqiang and became four stones.
77
万历三年五月癸亥,昼,景州天鼓鸣。 陨星二,化为黑石。 四年十一月甲午,有四星陨费县,火光照地。 质明,落赤点于城西北,色如硃砂,长二里,阔一二尺。 是月,临漳有星长尺许,白昼北飞。 十三年七月辛巳,有星如碗,陨于沈丘莲花集。 天鼓鸣。 十五年六月丙寅,平阳昼陨星。 丁卯,辰刻,有星如斗,陨于平阴,震响如雷。 十七年正月庚申,有星陨西宁卫,大如月。 天鼓鸣。 二十年二月丙辰,有三星陨闽县东南。 二十二年正月戊戌,保定青山口有大飞星,余光若彗,长二十余丈。 二十七年三月庚子,盖州卫天鼓鸣,连陨大星三。 三十年九月己未朔,有大星见东南,赤如血,大如碗,忽化为五,中星更明,久之会为一,大如簏。 辛巳,有大小星数百交错行。 十月壬辰,五更,流星起中天,光散七道,有声如雷。 三十三年九月戊子,有星如碗,坠于南京龙江后营,光如火,至地游走如萤,移时灭。 明日,复有星如月,从西北流至阅兵台,分为三,坠地有声。 十一月,有星陨南京教场,入地无迹。 三十五年十一月癸巳,有星陨于泾阳、淳化诸县,大如车轮,赤色,尾长丈余,声如轰雷。 三十八年二月癸酉,有星大如斗,坠阳曲西北,碎星不绝。 天鼓齐鸣。 四十一年正月庚子,真定天鼓鸣。 流星昼陨有光。 四十三年三月戊申,昼,星坠清丰东流邨,声如雷。 四十六年十月,辛酉,有星如斗,陨于南京安德门外,声如霹雳,化为石,重二十一斤。
Wanli 3, fifth month, guihai: in daytime at Jing Prefecture the celestial drum sounded. Two stars fell and became black stone. Fourth year, eleventh month, jiawu: four stars fell at Fei County, fire-light illuminating the ground. At daybreak a red mark fell northwest of the city, cinnabar in color, two li long and one or two chi wide. That month at Linzhang a star more than a chi long flew north in daytime. Thirteenth year, seventh month, xinsi: a star like a bowl fell at Lianhua Market in Shenqiu. The celestial drum sounded. Fifteenth year, sixth month, bingyin: a star fell by day at Pingyang. On dingmao, at the chen watch (7–9 a.m.), a star like a dipper fell at Pingyin with a thunderous crash. Seventeenth year, first month, gengshen: a star fell at Xining Guard, large as the moon. The celestial drum sounded. Twentieth year, second month, bingchen: three stars fell southeast of Min County. Twenty-second year, first month, wuxu: at Qingshankou in Baoding a large flying star left light like a comet more than twenty zhang long. Twenty-seventh year, third month, gengzi: at Gaizhou Guard the celestial drum sounded and three large stars fell in succession. Thirtieth year, ninth month, new moon on jiwei: a large star appeared in the southeast, red as blood and large as a bowl, suddenly split into five with the central star brighter still; after a long while they merged into one large as a basket. On xinsi, several hundred large and small stars crisscrossed. Tenth month, renchen, fifth watch: a meteor rose at mid-heaven, its light scattering in seven tracks with a thunderous sound. Thirty-third year, ninth month, wuzi: a star like a bowl fell at the Longjiang rear camp in Nanjing, light like fire; on the ground it wandered like fireflies and after a time went out. The next day another star like the moon streamed from the northwest to the military review platform, split in three, and struck the ground with a sound. Eleventh month: a star fell on the Nanjing drill ground and entered the earth without a trace. Thirty-fifth year, eleventh month, yisi: a star fell in Jingyang, Chunhua, and other counties, large as a carriage wheel, red, with a tail more than a zhang long and a sound like rolling thunder. Thirty-eighth year, second month, guiyou: a star large as a dipper fell northwest of Yangqu, fragment stars raining without cease. The celestial drums all sounded together. Forty-first year, first month, gengzi: at Zhending the celestial drum sounded. A meteor fell by day with a flash of light. Forty-third year, third month, wushen: in daytime a star fell at Dongliu Village in Qingfeng with a thunderous sound. Forty-sixth year, tenth month, xinyou: a star like a dipper fell outside Ande Gate in Nanjing with a thunderclap, becoming stone weighing twenty-one jin.
78
天启三年九月甲寅,固原州星陨如雨。
Tianqi 3, ninth month, jiayin: at Guyuan Circuit stars fell like rain.
79
崇祯十五年夏,星流如织。 后二年三月己丑朔,有星陨于御河。
Chongzhen 15, summer: stars streamed thick as weaving. Two years later, third month, new moon on jichou: a star fell in the Imperial Canal.
80
▲云气
▲ Cloud vapor.
81
洪武四年四月辛丑,五色云见。 戊申、乙酉,十一月壬戌,五年正月庚午、丙子,六月辛巳,七月己酉、壬子,八月己亥,六年六月丁丑,七月癸卯,七年四月丙午,五月丙戌、癸巳、甲午,六月乙未、乙卯,七月己卯,八月辛酉,八年正月壬申,四月丁未,五月庚午、癸未,六月壬辰、己亥,十月庚戌,九年八月癸巳,十四年九月甲申,十五年正月甲申,五月庚申,九月乙卯、丙寅,十一月辛酉,十八年四月癸巳、乙未,五月辛未、甲申,六月癸丑,十九年九月壬午,二十年十一月丁亥,五月乙酉,二十七年六月乙卯,并如之。
Hongwu 4, fourth month, xinchou: five-colored clouds appeared. On wushen, yiyou, eleventh month renxu, fifth year first month gengwu and bingzi, sixth month xinsi, seventh month jiyou and renzi, eighth month jihai, sixth year sixth month dingchou and seventh month guimao, seventh year fourth month bingwu, fifth month bingxu, guisi, and jiawu, sixth month yiwei and yimao, seventh month jimao, eighth month xinyou, eighth year first month renshen, fourth month dingwei, fifth month gengwu and guimao, sixth month renchen and jihai, tenth month gengxu, ninth year eighth month guisi, fourteenth year ninth month jiashen, fifteenth year first month jiashen, fifth month gengshen, ninth month yimao and bingyin, eleventh month xinyou, eighteenth year fourth month guisi and yiwei, fifth month xinwei, jiashen, and sixth month guichou, nineteenth year ninth month renwu, twentieth year eleventh month dinghai and fifth month yiyou, and twenty-seventh year sixth month yimao: all the same.
82
永乐元年六月甲寅,日下五色云见。 八月壬申,日珥随五色云见。 八年二月庚戌,车驾次永安甸,日下五色云见。 十一年六月戊申朔,武当山顶五色云见。 十七年九月丙辰、十二月癸未,庆云见。 二十二年十一月丙戌,月下五色云见。
Yongle 1, sixth month, jiayin: five-colored clouds appeared beneath the sun. Eighth month, renshen: solar parhelia appeared together with five-colored clouds. Eighth year, second month, gengxu: as the imperial procession halted at Yong'an Marsh, five-colored clouds appeared beneath the sun. Eleventh year, sixth month, new moon on wushen: five-colored clouds appeared atop Wudang Mountain. Seventeenth year, ninth month, bingchen, and twelfth month, guimao: auspicious clouds appeared. Twenty-second year, eleventh month, bingxu: five-colored clouds appeared beneath the moon.
83
洪熙元年二月癸酉、庚辰,三月乙未,俱五色云见。
Hongxi 1, second month, guiyou and gengchen, and third month, yiwei: on each day five-colored clouds appeared.
84
宣德元年八月庚辰,白云起东南,状如群羊惊走。 十一月丙辰,北方有苍白云,东西竟天。 二年十一月乙未,日下五色云见。 四年六月戊子,夜五色云见。 六年二月壬子,昏,西方有苍白云,南北竟天。 十年三月丁亥,月生五色云。
Xuande 1, eighth month, gengchen: white clouds rose in the southeast shaped like a flock of sheep fleeing in alarm. Eleventh month, bingchen: in the north pale white cloud stretched east and west across the sky. Second year, eleventh month, yiwei: five-colored clouds appeared beneath the sun. Fourth year, sixth month, wuzi: five-colored clouds appeared at night. Sixth year, second month, renzi: at dusk pale white cloud in the west stretched north and south across the sky. Tenth year, third month, dinghai: the moon produced five-colored clouds.
85
正统二年七月庚子,月生五色云。 十月己丑,日生五色云。 十二月癸亥,如之。 三年七月己亥,夜,中天有苍白云,南北竟天,贯南北斗。 八年十一月戊辰,夜,东南方有苍白云,东西亘天。 九年十一月甲午,月生五色云。 十年九月丁酉,日生五色云。 十一月甲午,月生五色云。 十四年十月庚申,昼生苍白云,复化为三,东西南北竟天。
Zhengtong 2, seventh month, gengzi: five-colored clouds ringed the moon. Tenth month, jichou: five-colored clouds ringed the sun. Twelfth month, guihai: the same. Year 3, seventh month, jihai, at night: pale white clouds at mid-heaven stretched north and south across the sky, piercing the Southern and Northern Dippers. Year 8, eleventh month, wuchen, at night: pale white clouds in the southeast spanned east and west across the sky. Year 9, eleventh month, jiawu: five-colored clouds ringed the moon. Year 10, ninth month, dingyou: five-colored clouds ringed the sun. Eleventh month, jiawu: five-colored clouds ringed the moon. Year 14, tenth month, gengshen: by day pale white clouds arose, then split into three stretching east, west, south, and north across the sky.
86
景泰元年六月乙酉,赤云四道,两头锐如耕垅状,徐徐东北行而散。 八月甲戌,黑云如山,化作龙虎麋鹿状。 九月丙寅,有苍白云气,南北亘天。 二年六月戊寅,日上五色云。 九月辛酉,夜苍白云三,东西竟天。 三年正月癸亥,东南有黑云,如人戴笠而揖。 四年十一月丁卯,月生五色云。 天顺二年十月壬申,四年十月戊午,亦如之。
Jingtai 1, sixth month, yiyou: four streaks of red cloud, both ends sharp like plow furrows, drifted slowly northeast and dispersed. Eighth month, jiaxu: black clouds like mountains took the shapes of dragons, tigers, elk, and deer. Ninth month, bingyin: pale white cloud vapor stretched north and south across the sky. Year 2, sixth month, wuyin: five-colored clouds ringed the sun. Ninth month, xinyou, at night: three pale white clouds stretched east and west across the sky. Year 3, first month, guihai: in the southeast black cloud appeared like a person in a bamboo hat making a bow. Year 4, eleventh month, dingmao: five-colored clouds ringed the moon. Tianshun 2, tenth month, renshen, and year 4, tenth month, wuwu: likewise.
87
成化二年三月辛未,白云起南方,东西竟天。 十一年正月丙寅,月生五色云。 十八年十月庚午,五色云见于泰陵。 二十一年闰四月壬辰,开、濮二州,清丰,金乡,未、申时黑云起西北,化为五色,须臾晦如夜。
Chenghua 2, third month, xinwei: white clouds rose in the south and stretched east and west across the sky. Year 11, first month, bingyin: five-colored clouds ringed the moon. Year 18, tenth month, gengwu: five-colored clouds appeared at Taoling. Year 21, intercalary fourth month, renchen: in Kai and Pu prefectures and in Qingfeng and Jinxiang, at the wei and shen hours (1–5 p.m.) black clouds rose in the northwest, turned five-colored, and presently the sky was dark as night.
88
弘治二年正月辛巳,日生五色云。 十四年三月己酉朔,嘉靖十七年九月戊子,并如之。 十八年二月庚子朔,当午,日下有五色云见,长径二寸余,形如龙凤。
Hongzhi 2, first month, xinsi: five-colored clouds ringed the sun. Hongzhi 14/III/jiyou new moon and Jiajing 17/IX/wuzi: the same. Jiajing 18, second month, new moon on gengzi, at noon: five-colored clouds appeared beneath the sun, more than two cun long and wide, shaped like dragon and phoenix.
89
万历五年六月庚辰,祥云绕月。
Wanli 5, sixth month, gengchen: auspicious clouds encircled the moon.
90
天启四年六月癸巳,午刻,南方五色云见。
Tianqi 4, sixth month, guisi, at the noon watch: five-colored clouds appeared in the south.