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Volume 31 Treatises 25: Astronomy 1

Chapter 31 of 新唐書 · New Book of Tang
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1
In ancient times, Emperor Yao appointed Xi and He to observe the passage of the sun and moon, determine the stars at their meridian transits, and thereby set the four seasons aright. By the time of Shun, the charge had been reduced to the single injunction: "Take your place at the armillary sphere and jade level, and align the seven luminaries." Though the two canonical books are terse, they preserve the essential method; in early times, when heaven and humanity met in calendrical practice, prognostication and celestial observation remained comparatively simple arts. In later ages, however, the methods grew steadily more exacting. Only by gathering the wisdom of many minds could one approach their full subtlety. From the Three Dynasties onward, the record grows richly detailed. The Book of Poetry shows that wedding ceremonies and earthworks alike had to wait upon the stars. The Spring and Autumn Annals note solar eclipses and irregularities among the stars, while the Commentary records how the various states computed stellar lodges, occultations, and the planets' retrograde and direct courses. The Rites of Zhou describe measuring the gnomon shadow to find the terrestrial center, mapping the stars to distinguish the realms, and scrutinizing prodigies and portents — all of which can be reconstructed in detail — yet nowhere mention the armillary sphere and jade level. Were these instruments not employed in the Three Dynasties after all? Or had their design been lost beyond recovery? Otherwise, no one today knows what those two instruments actually were. From the Han dynasty onward, observers used marked tables and shadow measurements to fix the terrestrial center, parcel out territorial boundaries, and align them with the celestial mansions — all in rough accord with antiquity. They also built observational instruments for heaven and earth; doctrines such as the Armillary Heaven, Zhou Bi, and Clarified Night theories, together with star catalogs and calendrical systems, all arose from the mathematical sciences. When the Tang rose to power, Grand Astrologer Li Chunfeng and the monk Yixing were celebrated above all for their mastery; later generations have never surpassed them. Their principal teachings are therefore excerpted and recorded in this treatise. Celestial anomalies by which Heaven warns rulers are likewise matters that responsible officials should scrupulously document.
2
宿 宿 宿
Early in the Zhenguan reign, Chunfeng memorialized the throne: "Shun's charge to take his place at the armillary sphere and jade level and align the seven luminaries refers to the armillary celestial instrument. The Rites of Zhou prescribe using the earth gnomon to correct the solar shadow and find the terrestrial center — proof that the ancients could observe the sun's motion along the ecliptic. By the close of the Zhou dynasty, the instrument had been lost. Under the Han, Luoxia Hong built an armillary instrument, and later Jia Kui, Zhang Heng, and others each devised their own; yet in computing the seven luminaries they all worked along the equator alone. At winter solstice the sun stands farthest south and at summer solstice farthest north, while the equator remains fixed at the center — which is why treating all regions alike along the equator cannot distinguish north from south. The armillary instrument had long gone without an ecliptic ring. Emperor Taizong was struck by this argument and ordered the instrument built. In the seventh year the instrument was finished. It had three nested layers; below stood a leveling base in the form of a cross, with tortoise feet at the corners to support the four sighting tables. The first was the Six Harmonies Instrument, comprising celestial meridian double rings, golden armillary latitude rings, and golden constant rings, all linked within the four cardinal pivots. It bore the twenty-eight lunar mansions, the ten-day stems, the twelve double-hours, and all three hundred sixty-five degrees of celestial longitude and latitude. The second was the Three Luminaries Instrument, eight feet in diameter, fitted with armillary rings and lunar excursion rings that marked the intervals between lodges and the paths of the seven luminaries as they revolved within the Six Harmonies. The third was the Four Excursions Instrument, with the dark pivot as its axis, joining the jade transverse sighting tube and threading the graduated rings. At the dark pole the northern asterism was mounted to the north and the terrestrial axis squared to the south, revolving within the assembly. The jade transverse moved between the dark pivots, traveling north and south: raised, it sighted the celestial mansions; lowered, it read the instrument's graduated shadow scale. The whole was cast in bronze. The emperor approved and installed it in the Ninghui Pavilion for astronomical observation. The pavilion stood within the palace precincts; in time the instrument was lost.
3
退 使
In Kaiyuan 9, Yixing received orders to reform the calendar. To track the ecliptic's advance and retreat, the Grand Astrologer's office lacked an ecliptic instrument; Staff Officer Liang Lingzan of the General-in-Chief's headquarters built a traveling instrument of wood. Yixing endorsed it and memorialized: "The ecliptic traveling instrument — the ancients knew the method but never possessed the device; thoughtful men of old strove in vain to achieve it. Lingzan's design aligns the solar path and lunar nodes naturally and is indispensable for calendrical calculation. I ask that it be recast in bronze and iron. In the eleventh year the instrument was finished. Yixing added: "The Spirit Terrace iron instrument made by Hulu of Northern Wei was crude in design, its degree marks uneven, and its equator fixed immovable — like pegs glued to a zither. Used to track the moon, its errors in lunar speed were severe — sometimes as much as seventeen degrees, never less than ten — far too crude to verify celestial phenomena or set the seasons for mankind. Li Chunfeng's ecliptic instrument used a revolving jade-transverse ring with a separate solar track and two hundred forty-nine lunar nodes marked along the side to guide the moon's motion — the method was cumbersome, and the technique fell into disuse. I have devised a new traveling instrument with a movable ecliptic to track shifts among the lunar mansions. Set at the equinoxes, the ecliptic crosses between Kui and Zhen, rising and falling twenty-four degrees at each solstice. Inside the ecliptic I have placed a white-path lunar ring to track the moon's waxing and waning, its motion conforming to the heavens. The design is simple and practical — an instrument that can embody the heavens and endure for all time. Emperor Xuanzong approved and personally composed an inscription for the instrument.
4
宿 西 殿
The emperor also ordered Yixing, Lingzan, and their colleagues to cast a new armillary bronze instrument depicting the round heaven, complete with the lodges, the equator, and the full circuit of celestial degrees. Water drove the wheels so that the sphere turned by itself, completing one celestial revolution each day and night. Two outer rings carried the sun and moon so that they could move along their courses. Each day the sky turned westward one full circuit while the sun moved east one degree and the moon thirteen and seven-nineteenth degrees; after twenty-nine-odd revolutions sun and moon converged, and after three hundred sixty-five revolutions the sun completed its annual circuit. A wooden cabinet formed the horizon, with half the instrument below ground level, so that new moon, full moon, and the moon's varying speed could all be shown accurately. Two wooden figures stood on the horizon: one before a drum to mark the quarters of the hour, which it struck automatically when each quarter arrived; the other before a bell to mark the double-hours, which it likewise struck of itself when each double-hour arrived. Inside the cabinet, wheels, axles, hooks, and locks meshed together to drive the mechanism. It was set up before the Wucheng Hall for all the officials to see. Before long the bronze and iron parts seized up and it could no longer turn on its own; it was then stored away in the Academy of Assembled Worthies.
5
使西 西使 宿 穿 退 使西使 穿 使穿
The ecliptic traveling instrument used four fen of the ancient foot per degree. The revolving-pivot double ring measured one zhang, four chi, six cun, and one fen on its outer face, eight fen wide and three fen thick, with a diameter of four chi, five cun, and nine fen — the instrument the ancients called the revolving sight. The north and south poles were graduated, with thirty-four degrees marked above and below along each ring. The full circuit of degrees was painted on both inner and outer faces, with silver pins set on one side. It could revolve east and west like the turning armillary sphere. A central revolving-pivot axle ran to the inner ends of the two poles, with a bore two and a half degrees wide and a length equal to the ring's diameter. The jade-transverse sighting tube was four chi, five cun, and eight fen long, one cun and two fen wide, one cun thick, with a bore six fen in diameter. The transverse revolved on the axle, turning smoothly to sight the seven luminaries and measure the angular separation of the fixed stars. Square outside and round inside, with a bore one and a half degrees wide — this was the solar-day wheel. The solar meridian double ring had an outer circumference of one zhang, seven chi, and three cun and an inner one of one zhang, four chi, six cun, and four fen; it was four cun wide and four fen thick, with a diameter of five chi, four cun, and four fen, mounted on the meridian. Eight pillars on either side locked the rings firmly in place. The full circuit of degrees was likewise painted on both faces, with silver pins on one side. Half stood above the horizon and half below. The gap between the rings enclosed the pivot axle and the jade-transverse sighting tube at the center. The lunar latitude single ring matched the solar meridian ring in width, thickness, and circumference, interlocking with it half and half so that inner and outer edges aligned perfectly. Its face was level — above was heaven, below was earth. Crossing horizontally around the solar ring, it was called the lunar armillary. The level upper face bore two boundaries marking the hundred quarters of the full celestial circuit inside and out. The celestial summit single ring measured one zhang, seven chi, and three cun around its outer face, eight chi long and wide, three fen thick, with a diameter of five chi, four cun, and four fen. It stood directly above the observer's head, aligned east-west between mao and you, tilted slightly south so that sunrise and sunset could be observed. It was locked to the solar meridian and lunar latitude rings like a shell enclosing its yolk. It stood thirty-six degrees south of the equator, twelve degrees from the ecliptic, fifty-five degrees from the north pole, and ninety-one-odd degrees from each horizontal plane. The equator single ring measured one zhang, four chi, five cun, and nine fen around its outer face, eight fen wide and three fen thick, with a diameter of four chi, five cun, and eight fen. The equator marks the center of heaven — the station of the twenty-eight lunar mansions. The double rings could move, with a hole pierced at each degree. In antiquity the autumn equinox sun stood at five degrees of Jiao; now it stands at thirteen degrees of Zhen; at the winter solstice it stood at the beginning of Qianniu, but now at ten degrees of Dou. By shifting the hole at each crossing, the instrument no longer drifts out of alignment. It lay south of mao and you, thirty-six degrees below the celestial summit, mounted horizontally. The ecliptic single ring measured one zhang, five chi, four cun, and one fen around its outer face, eight fen wide and four fen thick, with a diameter of four chi, eight cun, and four fen. It marks the sun's path and is therefore called the transverse track. The sun's north-south shift accumulates error over the years. The moon and the five planets likewise enter and leave along the sun's degrees. Antiquity had no such instrument; without a standard design, calendrical estimates were especially crude. This ring is now set inside the equator ring, hinged so it can rotate through forty-eight degrees. The poles are marked on both sides — degrees of the full circuit east and west, the hundred time-quarters north and south — so that one can observe the sun and tell the hour. Three hundred sixty counting rods are marked above, aligned with the hexagrams used in calculation. A hole is pierced at each degree where the ring crosses the equator. The white-path lunar ring measured one zhang, five chi, one cun, and five fen around its outer face, eight fen wide and three fen thick, with a diameter of four chi, seven cun, and six fen. The moon's winding course and varying speed are matched against the sun's daily motion. Antiquity had no such instrument either; it is now set inside the ecliptic ring, joining the ecliptic at conjunction and moving through six degrees to measure the moon's nightly separation. The full circuit of degrees is painted above, with a hole at each degree to track the shifting nodes. All were cast in steel and iron. The traveling instrument stood on four dragon pillars four chi and seven cun high. The water trough and its mountain ornament rose one chi, seven cun, and a half; the trough was six chi and nine cun long, four cun high and wide, with a pool one cun deep and one cun and a half wide. Dragons were chosen to adorn the pillars because they summon clouds and rain. The pillars stood at the four diagonal corners. Mountains and clouds were set below the dragons on the leveling trough. These parts were all cast in bronze.
6
宿觿輿 觿輿
The measured lodge degrees that differ from the old records are as follows. In the old canon, the Horn pivot star stood ninety-one degrees from the pole; Neck, eighty-nine; Root, ninety-four; Room, one hundred eight; Heart, one hundred eight; Tail, one hundred twenty; Winnowing Basket, one hundred eighteen; Southern Dipper, one hundred sixteen; Ox Leader, one hundred six; Maid, one hundred; Emptiness, one hundred four; Rooftop, ninety-seven; Encampment, eighty-five; Eastern Wall, eighty-six; Strider, seventy-six; Bond, eighty; Stomach and Hairy Head, seventy-four; Net, seventy-eight; Turtle Beak, eighty-four; Three Stars, ninety-four; Well, seventy; Chariot Ghost, sixty-eight; Willow, seventy-seven; Seven Stars, ninety-one; Extended Net, ninety-seven; Wings, ninety-seven; and Axletree, ninety-eight. The new measurements give Horn at ninety-three and a half degrees; Neck, ninety-one and a half; Root, ninety-eight; Room, one hundred ten and a half; Heart, one hundred ten; Tail, one hundred twenty-four; Winnowing Basket, one hundred twenty; Southern Dipper, one hundred nineteen; Ox Leader, one hundred four; Maid, one hundred one; Emptiness, one hundred one; Rooftop, ninety-seven; Encampment, eighty-three; Eastern Wall, eighty-four; Strider, seventy-three; Bond, seventy-seven; Stomach and Hairy Head, seventy-two; Net, seventy-six; Turtle Beak, eighty-two; Three Stars, ninety-three; Well, sixty-eight; Chariot Ghost, sixty-eight; Willow, eighty and a half; Seven Stars, ninety-three and a half; Extended Net, one hundred; Wings, one hundred three; and Axletree, one hundred.
7
西 西 觿 宿觿 觿
In the old canon, moreover, the Horn pivot star lay directly on the equator, with the ecliptic to its south; the new measurement places Horn two and a half degrees south of the equator, so that the ecliptic once again runs through the middle of the lodge — in agreement with the sky. The northern star of Emptiness was placed within Emptiness on the old chart; it is now measured at nine degrees of Maid. The northern star of Rooftop was placed within Rooftop on the old chart; it is now measured at six and a half degrees of Emptiness. Strider had also been wrongly measured from the western great star, reducing Eastern Wall by two degrees and inflating Strider by two; measuring again from the southwest great star restores the proper degree allotments for Strider and Eastern Wall. Net was given sixteen degrees on the equator and sixteen on the ecliptic. Turtle Beak was given two degrees on the equator and three on the ecliptic. Both lodges lie where the ecliptic cuts obliquely across the sky. Net still matched its equatorial span, but Turtle Beak totaled only two degrees while the ecliptic figure had been inflated by one — clearly an error. The new measurements give Net seventeen and a half degrees and Turtle Beak half a degree. Willow had also been wrongly measured from the fourth star; the third star is now restored as pivot. The four central stars of Extended Net form the Vermillion Bird's crop, with the two outer stars as its wings. Because the northern pivot was taken from the wings rather than the breast, Extended Net was inflated by two and a half degrees and Seven Stars reduced by two and a half; measuring again from the breast restores the proper degrees for Seven Stars and Extended Net.
8
輿 觿 輿
Other stars: in the old canon, two stars of Wenchang lay in Chariot Ghost and four in Well. The Northern Dipper's Pivot stood at one degree of Seven Stars; Xuan, at two degrees of Extended Net; Ji, at two degrees of Wings; Quan, at eight degrees of Wings; Heng, at eight degrees of Axletree; Kaiyang, at seven degrees of Horn; and the Ladle, at four degrees of Neck. Heaven's Gate lay four degrees south of the ecliptic; Heaven's Honor and Heaven's Coffin, north of it. Heaven's River, Heaven's Height, Dog Country, Outer Screen, Cloud and Rain, and Empty Bridge stood outside the ecliptic; Heaven's Granary and Earth Duke's Clerk, outside the equator. Upper Terrace was in Well; Middle Terrace, in Seven Stars; Establishment Stars, half a degree north of the ecliptic; Heaven's Park, in Hairy Head and Net; Wangliang, in Wall; Outer Screen, in Turtle Beak; Thunder and Lightning, five degrees outside the equator; Thunderclap, four degrees outside the equator; Eight Chiefs, in Encampment; and Long Rampart and Net Weir, on the ecliptic. The new measurements place four stars of Wenchang in Willow, one in Chariot Ghost, and one in Well. The Northern Dipper's Pivot now stands at thirteen degrees of Extended Net; Xuan, at twelve and a half degrees of Extended Net; Ji, at thirteen degrees of Wings; Quan, at slightly more than seventeen degrees of Wings; Heng, at ten and a half degrees of Axletree; Kaiyang, at slightly less than four degrees of Horn; and the Ladle, at slightly less than twelve degrees of Horn. Heaven's Gate, Heaven's Honor, Heaven's Coffin, Heaven's River, Heaven's Height, Dog Country, and Outer Screen all lie on the ecliptic. Cloud and Rain lies seven degrees inside the ecliptic; Empty Bridge, four degrees inside; Heaven's Granary, on the equator; Earth Duke's Clerk, six degrees inside the equator. Upper Terrace is in Willow; Middle Terrace, in Extended Net; Establishment Stars, four and a half degrees north of the ecliptic; Heaven's Park, in Stomach and Hairy Head. Four stars of Wangliang lie in Strider and one in Wall; Outer Screen, in Net; Thunder and Lightning, two degrees inside the equator. Four stars of Thunderclap lie inside the equator and one outside. Five stars of Eight Chiefs lie in Wall and four in Encampment. Long Rampart stands five degrees north of the ecliptic, and Net Weir, north of the ecliptic.
9
宿
On the ecliptic, the spring equinox crosses the equator at slightly more than five degrees of Strider; the autumn equinox, at slightly less than fourteen degrees of Axletree; the winter solstice at ten degrees of Dipper, twenty-four degrees south of the equator; and the summer solstice at slightly less than thirteen degrees of Well, twenty-four degrees north of the equator. The equator girdles the center of heaven and serves to divide the degrees among the lodges. The ecliptic runs obliquely to mark the paths of the sun and moon. The eight seasonal nodes and nine limits were then established, the discrepancies between the two paths calculated, and the results entered in the calendrical canon.
10
In the hemispherical-dome theory, Li Chunfeng held that heaven and earth rise high at the center and slope away on all sides, and that the sun and moon alternately conceal and reveal each other to produce day and night. The region that constantly circles the north pole and stays visible is called the upper gnomon; that which circles the south pole and stays hidden, the lower gnomon; and the equator's horizontal belt, the middle gnomon. When Yixing studied the moon's entry into and departure from the ecliptic, he drew thirty-six diagrams tracing the variations of the nine lunar paths, and the shape of the hemispherical dome took form.
11
Bamboo splints were cut to serve as degree measures — one fen in diameter, half that in thickness, and as long as the diagram. A hole was bored at the center, a needle set as pivot, and the splint made to revolve freely. Outward from the central pivot, one hundred forty-seven degrees were evenly marked. At the end of the full degree span, the splint was bent to form the outer gnomon. Slightly more than half a degree beyond that, it was bent again to form a second gnomon. The degrees and fractional parts of the full circuit were evenly distributed across it. At ninety-one and a fraction degrees from the polar pivot, it was bent again to form the equator girdling heaven's circumference. At thirty-five degrees from the pole, it was bent to form the inner gnomon.
12
宿 宿 使 宿
The sun's position at the winter solstice was then stepped off to fix the center of the chronogram sequence and establish the lodge pivots. Using the armillary sphere's measurements, all bright stars from the Gan, Shi, and Wu star catalogs were placed with splints — checked horizontally against lodge pivots and vertically for polar distance — and then plotted on the diagram. The spacing of stars outside the equator differs slightly from what one sees looking up because on the armillary sphere, as one approaches the south pole, the degrees grow progressively narrower; whereas on the hemispherical diagram, farther from the center the degrees grow progressively wider — hence the discrepancy. But if one checks their polar distances and lodge positions and transfers them to the armillary sphere, the two agree. Inside and outside the equator, moreover, the widths are uneven. If one measures from the solstices' twenty-four degrees of departure from the equator, the equinox crossings cannot be placed correctly; if one measures from the equinox crossings of the ecliptic and equator, the solstice polar distances cannot be placed correctly; one must find the midpoints between equinox and solstice on the equator, divide them evenly into seventy-two limits, and mark each ecliptic discrepancy with a splint measure. Only then, by bending the ecliptic, will the full circuit be correct throughout. Similarly, the midpoints between the ecliptic's two equinoxes and two solstices should be divided evenly into seventy-two hou, the positions of the two lunar nodes fixed, and for each hou of discrepancy in the moon's distance from the ecliptic, a splint measure applied. Only then, by bending the lunar path, will the full circuit be correct throughout.
13
The method of the noon gnomon shadow. When Li Chunfeng first compiled his calendar, he fixed the noon gnomon shadows for the twenty-four qi — figures that differed considerably from Zu Chongzhi's — but which was correct remained unknown. When Yixing compiled the Dayan Calendar, an edict ordered the Grand Clerk to measure gnomon shadows across the empire, determine the terrestrial center, and establish fixed constants from the results. The memorial argued as follows:
14
· 使 使
The Rites of Zhou, Grand Minister of Education: "By the method of the earth square, measure the depth of the earth. Where the solstice shadow measures one chi and five cun, that is called the terrestrial center." Zheng's commentary explains: "The sun's shadow on earth differs by one cun for each thousand li. One chi and five cun marks the point fifteen thousand li south under the sun's bearing; earth and stars oscillate within thirty thousand li in their four excursions — halving this gives the terrestrial center, which is present-day Yangcheng in Yingchuan." During the Yuanjia era of Song, on the southern campaign against Linyi, a gnomon was erected in the fifth month: the sun stood north of the gnomon. At Jiaozhou the shadow fell three cun south of the gnomon; at Linyi, nine cun and one fen. Jiaozhou lies nine thousand li from Luoyang by water and land routes — the winding terrain surely accounts for the distance — but measured by the gnomon, the straight chord should be about five thousand li. In the twelfth year of Kaiyuan, Jiaozhou was measured again: at the summer solstice the shadow fell three cun and three fen south of the gnomon — roughly the same as the Yuanjia figure. The envoy Da Xiangyuan Tai reported: "Viewed from Jiaozhou, the pole stands barely twenty-odd degrees above the horizon. In the eighth month, looking out to sea, the stars below Canopus blazed brilliantly — many large and bright, unknown to antiquity — the very stars that armillary-heaven scholars say lie permanently below the earth. In general, stars more than twenty degrees from the south pole become visible." The Tiele and Uighur peoples lay north of Xueyantuo, six thousand nine hundred li from the capital. Farther north still lived the Guligan, north of the Han Sea with the ocean beyond. Days were long and nights short; even at night the sky glowed like dusk without full darkness, and lamb shanks roasted at evening were barely done before dawn — surely near the place where the sun rises and sets. Grand Clerk Supervisor Nangong Shuo selected level ground in Henan, set leveling cords and ink lines, erected gnomons, and measured in successive stages. Starting from Baima at Huatai, the summer solstice shadow measured one chi, five cun, and seven fen. One hundred ninety-eight li and one hundred seventy-nine paces farther south, at the Yue Terrace in Junyi, the shadow was one chi, five cun, and three fen. One hundred sixty-seven li and two hundred eighty-one paces farther south, at Fugou, the shadow was one chi, four cun, and four fen. One hundred sixty li and one hundred ten paces farther south, at Wujin in Shangcai, the shadow was one chi, three cun, six fen, and a half. On average, the shadow differed by slightly more than two cun for every five hundred twenty-six li and two hundred seventy paces. The old claim that within the royal domain the shadow differed one cun per thousand li was plainly wrong.
15
Triangulating the noon shadows at Yangcheng gives a summer solstice shadow of one chi, four cun, seven fen, and eight li; a winter solstice shadow of one zhang, two chi, seven cun, one fen, and a half; and fixed equinox shadows of five chi, four cun, and three fen. By inverted square and oblique sighting, the pole rises thirty-four and four-tenths degrees above the horizon. From the Huatai gnomon, the pole stands thirty-five and three-tenths degrees high; the winter solstice shadow, one zhang and three chi; the fixed equinox shadow, five chi, five cun, and six fen. From the Junyi gnomon, the pole stands thirty-four and eight-tenths degrees high; the winter solstice shadow, one zhang, two chi, eight cun, and five fen; the fixed equinox shadow, five chi and five cun. From the Fugou gnomon, the pole stands thirty-four and three-tenths degrees high; the winter solstice shadow, one zhang, two chi, five cun, and five fen; the fixed equinox shadow, five chi, three cun, and seven fen. From the Wujin gnomon in Shangcai, the pole stands thirty-three and eight-tenths degrees high; the winter solstice shadow, one zhang, two chi, three cun, and eight fen; the fixed equinox shadow, five chi, two cun, and eight fen. The pole's altitude, though fine seconds and parts vary slightly beyond what the eye can verify, differs by one degree for roughly every three hundred fifty-one li and eighty paces. As the pole's altitude changes, the ecliptic track and gnomon shadows naturally change with it. Extrapolating from this ratio to Wuling's shadows that year: summer solstice, seven cun and seven fen; winter solstice, one zhang, five cun, and three fen; equinox, four chi, three cun, seven fen, and a half. Measured on the diagram, the fixed-qi shadow is four chi, four cun, and seven fen; by oblique sighting, the pole stands twenty-nine and a half degrees — five and three-tenths degrees lower than at Yangcheng. At Hengye Army in Weizhou: summer solstice shadow, two chi, two cun, and nine fen; winter solstice, one zhang, five chi, eight cun, and nine fen; equinox, six chi, four cun, four fen, and a half. Measured on the diagram, the fixed-qi shadow is six chi, six cun, two fen, and a half. By oblique sighting on the diagram, the pole stands forty degrees — five and three-tenths degrees higher than at Yangcheng. The total north-south difference is ten and a half degrees, spanning a diameter of three thousand six hundred eighty li and ninety paces. From Yangcheng to Wuling is one thousand eight hundred twenty-six li and seventy-six paces; from Yangcheng to Hengye, one thousand eight hundred sixty-one li and two hundred fourteen paces. The total summer solstice shadow difference is one chi, five cun, and three fen; from Yangcheng to Wuling, seven cun and three fen; from Yangcheng to Hengye, eight cun. The total winter solstice shadow difference is five chi, three cun, and six fen; from Yangcheng to Wuling, two chi, one cun, and eight fen; from Yangcheng to Hengye, three chi, one cun, and eight fen. On average, the summer solstice shadow varies less toward the south, while the winter solstice shadow varies more toward the north.
16
西
The diagram was also used to verify Annam: the sun stands two and four-tenths degrees north of the zenith, and the pole twenty and four-tenths degrees above the horizon. The winter solstice shadow is seven chi, nine cun, and four fen; the fixed equinox shadow, two chi, nine cun, and three fen; the summer solstice shadow falls three cun and three fen south of the gnomon. The pole stands fourteen and three-tenths degrees lower than at Yangcheng, across a diameter of five thousand twenty-three li. At Linyi, the sun stands slightly more than six and six-tenths degrees north of the zenith; the pole, seventeen and four-tenths degrees high. Stars within thirty-five degrees of the pole are constantly visible and never set. The winter solstice shadow is six chi and nine cun; the fixed equinox shadow, two chi, eight cun, and five fen; the summer solstice shadow falls five cun and seven fen south of the gnomon. The diameter spans six thousand one hundred twelve li. If one travels north from Yangcheng to the land of the Tiele, a difference of seventeen and four-tenths degrees — equal to Linyi — then in the fifth month the sun stands twenty-seven and four-tenths degrees south of the zenith; the pole, fifty-two degrees high. Stars within one hundred four degrees of the pole would be constantly visible and never set. The northern shadow would measure four chi, one cun, and three fen; the southern shadow, two zhang, nine chi, two cun, and six fen; the fixed equinox shadow, five chi, eight cun, and seven fen. Stars would set barely fifteen-odd degrees below the horizon; at evening they would set west of hai, at morning rise east of chou. By the reckoned distance, this point lies north of the Uighur and nine thousand eight hundred fifteen li south of Luoyang — where in the longest days, twilight never fully fades. Guligan, then, would lie even farther north.
17
Wang Fan, Attendant-in-Ordinary of Wu, reviewed the earlier scholars' transmission: using fifteen thousand li under the sun's bearing as a right triangle and projecting obliquely toward Yangcheng, he calculated the ratio of circumference to diameter and derived a degree-span of one thousand four hundred six li and twenty-four-odd paces. The new gnomon measurements show that five thousand li from Yangcheng already lies south of the sun's bearing — reducing the span of each degree by two-thirds. The distance between the north and south poles is eighty thousand li, and the diameter fifty thousand li. Can the cosmos really be so small? Fan's method, then, is like measuring the sea with a gourd dipper.
18
The ancients trusted the gougu method because they believed it could be verified by nearby observations. They did not recognize that sight cannot penetrate great distances; over distance, minute discrepancies accumulate without cease until the reckoning itself goes astray. Consider boating on Lake Tai, whose expanse does not exceed a hundred li in any direction: morning and evening one sees the sun and moon rise and set from within the lake itself; Yet when one sails the great ocean, whose span runs to countless thousands of myriads of li, one still sees the sun and moon rise and set within its waters morning and evening. If at dawn and dusk one applied the double-difference method to both alike, the same technique for the small and the vast would yield no distinction between them. If this holds in the horizontal dimension, it ought to hold vertically as well.
19
使
Suppose two gnomons stand ten li apart on a north-south line, each tens of li high: place a great torch at the top of the southern gnomon and an eight-chi stake beneath it — the shadow ought to vanish entirely. Look up from the foot of the southern gnomon toward the crown of the northern one, and minute fractional errors will gradually merge until the northern gnomon aligns with the southern. Once the tops coincide, a torch placed there should likewise cast no shadow. Place a great torch at the top of the northern gnomon and an eight-chi stake beneath it — again, the shadow ought to vanish. Look up from the foot of the northern gnomon toward the crown of the southern one, and minute fractional errors will again gradually merge until the southern gnomon aligns with the northern. Once the tops coincide, a torch placed there should likewise cast no shadow. Plant another eight-chi stake midway between the two gnomons and gaze upward — the gnomon tops will appear to bow and meet in a curve. Place torches atop both gnomons, and each should cast no shadow. At heights of tens of li and spans of ten li, oblique shadows and lines of sight still appear indistinguishable. If gnomon-shadow differences cannot even reliably gauge nearby height and distance, how can one presume to reckon the circuit of heaven in li within the immeasurable depths of space? In the thirteenth year, after the solstice rites at Mount Tai were complete, voices cried "Ten thousand years!" from the summit — audible all the way below. At the mountain's foot the night water-clock had not yet emptied, yet gazing east from Sun-Viewing Peak, the sun had already climbed high. By calendrical reckoning, first light precedes sunrise by two and a half ke; on the summit the total difference came to slightly more than three ke. The night watches at the winter solstice correspond to those after Beginning of Spring; those at the spring equinox correspond to those after Beginning of Summer. From the mountain's base to the altar at the summit is barely twenty li — yet the day-night difference spans a full seasonal node. Even building the gougu method on twenty li of elevation, one could not grasp the underlying cause — to say nothing of an eight-chi gnomon!
20
Consider why the ancients measured the earth-square shadows: to harmonize the seasons and match each thing to its proper time — not to calculate the circumference and diameter of the celestial lodges. Their purpose in honoring calendrical reckoning was to reverently grant the seasons to the people and conform to the celestial pattern — not to settle the dispute between armillary and canopy heaven. To expound unverifiable methods beyond the reach of sight and sound — here a gentleman should preserve his doubts and refrain from debate. Yet some cling to inherited instruments to fathom the heavens, claiming the armillary origin can be measured by number and the great pattern glimpsed through calculation. The six schools' doctrines end in perpetual contradiction. If one truly holds to canopy heaven? Then the degrees in the south ought to grow progressively narrower; If one truly holds to armillary heaven? Then the northern pole ought to climb progressively higher. On these two points even the armillary and canopy schools, exhausting all wisdom and debate, could find no way to reconcile their doctrines. As for Wang Chong, Ge Hong, and their ilk, what profit to the moral transformation of humanity in their petty disputations over doctrine? Gnomon-shadow differences vary between winter and summer and between north and south; earlier scholars forced them into a single li-count ratio and thereby lost the truth. A new Inverted Square Diagram has now been drawn, from Dannue in the south to Youdu in the north: for each degree the pole shifts, the difference is accumulated, enabling one to reckon the magnitude of eclipses and fix the length of day and night — so that gnomon shadows throughout the realm accord with a single standard.
21
In the Zhaozong era, Vice-Director of the Crown Prince's Household Bian Gang revised the calendrical methods, admired their refinement, and declared them an immutable standard.
22
Early in the Zhenguan reign, Li Chunfeng compiled the Astronomical Phenomena Treatise, following the twelve lunar-lodge degree counts in the Book of Han and for the first time matching them to Tang prefectures and counties. Yixing, however, held that the pattern of mountains and rivers throughout the realm resided in the Two Prohibitions. The Northern Prohibition begins at Sanwei and Jishi, bearing the yin side of the Zhongnan terrestrial vein, extends east to Mount Taihua, crosses the Yellow River, joins Leishou, Dizhu, Wangwu, and Taihang, reaches the right flank of Mount Chang, then runs east along the border ramparts to Huimo and Korea — this is called the Northern Thread, which bounds the Rong and Di; The Southern Prohibition begins at Mount Min and Mount Bo, bearing the yang side of the terrestrial vein, extends east to Mount Taihua, connects Mount Yi, Mount Xiong'er, Mount Waifang, and Mount Tongbai, from Shangluo south crosses the Yangtze and Han, embraces Wudang and Mount Jing, reaches Hengyang, then runs east along the ridge borders to Dong'ou and Minzhong — this is called the Southern Thread, which bounds the Man and Yi. The Star Tradition therefore calls the Northern Prohibition the "Barbarian Gate" and the Southern Prohibition the "Yue Gate."
23
西 西
The Yellow River rises at the head of the Northern Thread, follows Yongzhou's northern border to Huayin, meets the terrestrial vein, runs east in parallel to the bend of Taihang, then divides and flows eastward, paired inside and out with the Jing, Wei, and Ji waterways — this is called the "Northern River." The Yangtze rises at the head of the Southern Thread, follows Liangzhou's southern border to Huayang, meets the terrestrial vein, runs east in parallel to the sunny side of Mount Jing, then divides and flows eastward, paired inside and out with the Han River and Huai waterway — this is called the "Southern River." In the celestial pattern, therefore, Hongnong at the Fen-Shan divide marks the confluence of the two rivers, where the lords of the five domains were seated. West of Shaan lay Qin and Liang; the bends of the Northern Thread's mountains and rivers formed Jin and Dai; those of the Southern Thread formed Ba and Shu — all lands that relied on natural defenses and martial force. East of Shaan, the Three Rivers and Central Peak formed Chengzhou; bounded on the west by Waifang and Great Pei, north to the Ji River, south to the Huai, east to Juye — the lands of Song, Zheng, Chen, and Cai; Henei and the north bank of the Ji River formed Bei and Wei; East of the Han River, along the south bank of the Huai, lay Shen and Sui. All were lands of four-front warfare that relied on culture rather than terrain. East of the Northern Thread, north of the Northern River, lay Xing and Zhao. East of the Southern Thread, south of the Southern River, lay Jing and Chu. From the lower Northern River, south to Mount Dai, lay the Three Qi; flanking Jieshi to the right lay Northern Yan. From the lower Southern River, north to Mount Dai lay Zou and Lu; south across the Yangtze and Huai lay Wu and Yue. All were sea-facing lands where trade and prosperity flourished. From the river source, following the border ramparts north to the sea, lay the Rong and Di. From the river source, following the ridge borders south to the sea, lay the Man and Yue. Observe the pattern of the two rivers together with the Cloud River's beginning and end, and the territorial divisions become knowable.
24
宿 宿觿 西 退 西 西
In the Book of Changes, when in the fifth month the first yin is born, the Cloud River secretly germinates beneath Tianji, advancing to between Well and Axe, receiving the qi of the kun axis; as yin first reaches the earth, the Cloud River ascends and first crosses the fixed stars — and the qi of the seven regulators flows through. Eastern Well occupies the upper reaches of the hundred streams; hence Qu Shou marks the domain of Qin and Shu, receiving the headwaters of the Two Prohibitions' mountains and rivers. The Cloud River reaches right of the kun axis and gradually ascends, first rising above the fixed stars; Turtle Beak, Three Stars, and Orion all stand directly outside Heaven's Gate on the yin side of the river — hence Shi Shen's lower reach obtains Great Bridge, somewhat farther from the river and deeper in yin. Its territorial division therefore runs from the Zhang River's shore back to Mount Heng, southeast of the Northern Thread's mountains, outward connecting the land of Maotou — all yin lands beyond the northern river. In the tenth month yin qi advances past the qian axis and first reaches heaven; the Cloud River arrives between Encampment and Eastern Wall, ascending qi is fully spent, and it connects with the inner rule. From southern culmination to western culmination, receiving Cloud River ascending qi — the upper reaches of mountains and rivers; From northern culmination to eastern culmination, receiving Cloud River descending qi — the lower reaches of mountains and rivers. Zouzi stands in the middle of the Cloud River's ascent and descent, occupying the orthodox position of the Water phase; hence its division lies between the Yellow and Ji rivers in the central provinces. Moreover Wangliang and Celestial Ford run from the Purple Enclosure across the Han to Encampment — the Supreme Lord's detached palace — inward connecting Chengzhou and Henei, all within Shiwei's division. In the eleventh month the first yang is born; the Cloud River gradually descends, retreating to the gen axis and first connecting with the earth; reaching between Dipper and Establishment, it again connects with the qi of the fixed lodges — in the Book of Changes, heaven and earth first meet: the hexagram Tai. Crossing the Timber-Felling Ford, yin qi descends further, advancing to Great Chen; ascending yang qi is spent and the Cloud River sinks hidden within eastern culmination — hence in the Book of Changes, "thunder emerging from earth is called Yu; dragon emerging from spring is called Xie" — all images of Heart and Heart-and-Body. Xingji receives the Cloud River's lower stream, where the hundred streams converge; Ximu is the Cloud River's final branch, where mountains and rivers reach their limit. Its territorial division therefore runs from the lower Southern River to the end of the Southern Thread's bend, southeast facing the sea — Xingji; From the Northern River's final branch to the end of the Northern Thread's bend, northeast facing the sea — Ximu. Sea-facing lands lie in the yin side of the Cloud River. Only Zouzi connects inward to the Purple Palace, between the Yellow and Ji rivers within the royal domain. Jianglou and Xuanxiao stand far from the head and tail of the mountains and rivers, neighboring Zhuanxu's domain — hence the central provinces' sea-facing lands. Their lands lie north of the Southern River and south of the Northern River, bounded by Mount Dai as far as the Eastern Sea. East of Qu Shou, crossing the river, the eastern prohibition is called Qu Huo, occupying the orthodox position of double Li — the altar of Xuanyuan stands there. Its division runs from the junction of the Yellow River and Mount Hua, east connecting Zhurong's domain, north to the river, south to the Han — a region where cold and heat are evenly balanced. South from Ximu, where it marks the Celestial Han, lies Great Fire, receiving Bright Hall ascending qi — the capital of Celestial Market stands there. Its division runs from Juye and Mount Dai west to Chenliu, north to the Yellow and Ji rivers, south to the Huai — all regions where harmonizing qi is spread. Yang qi gradually ascends from Bright Hall, reaching Horn — called Longevity Star. Horn is called Heaven's Gate; in the Book of Changes, qi uses yang to decide yin — the hexagram Guai. Ascending yang advances beyond Heaven's Gate. Receiving the position of pure Qian, Chunwei directly corresponds to the month jian-si, inward arrayed with Supreme Subtlety — the celestial court. Its division runs from the Southern River to the sea — also purely yang territory. Longevity Star lies within Heaven's Gate; hence its division runs southwest of Yi and Bo, on the yin side of the Huai, north connecting east of Mount Taisi, marked from Yangcheng — also xun axis territory.
25
The Cloud River from kun to gen forms the terrestrial thread; the Big Dipper from qian carrying xun forms the celestial net; their territorial divisions align with the Emperor's Carriage — all domains of the Five Emperors. Completing Xianchi's governance within the qian axis is Jianglou — hence Shaohao's domain. Echoing Northern Palace's governance outside the qian axis is Zouzi — hence Zhuanxu's domain. Completing Sheti's governance within the xun axis is Longevity Star — hence Taihao's domain. Spreading Supreme Subtlety's governance outside the xun axis is Chunwei — hence the domain of the Lieshan Clan. Receiving within the four seas the governance that upholds the Great Steps is Xuanyuan — hence the domain of the Youxiong Clan. Wood and Metal receive heaven and earth's subtle qi; their spirits govern the terminal months; Water and Fire receive heaven and earth's manifest qi; their spirits govern the first months. The manifest way resides at the apex; the subtle way at the end — both at the junctures of yin-yang transformation. If the subtle sinks hidden without attaining, or the manifest rises bright and overreaches — neither is the Supreme Lord's abode.
26
西
The Dipper's Handle is called the Outer Court, where yang essence is spread. The Dipper's Ladle is called the Assembly Hall, where yang essence returns. The Handle governs the outer realm; hence Chunwei is the southern sea-facing land. The Ladle governs the inner realm; hence Zouzi is the central land of four-front warfare. Of the remaining lodges, eight stand on the northern side of the Cloud River and correspond to sea-facing lands. Four stand on the southern side of the Cloud River and correspond to lands of warfare on every front. Jianglou and Xuanxiao face the Eastern Sea; the spirit of spring holds sway at Mount Tai, and Jupiter takes its station there. Xingji and Chunwei face the Southern Sea; their spirit holds sway at Southern Mount Heng, and Mars takes its station there. Chunshou and Shenshen face the Western Sea; their spirit holds sway at Mount Hua, and Venus takes its station there. Daliang and Ximu face the Northern Sea; their spirit holds sway at Northern Mount Heng, and Mercury takes its station there. Chunhuo, Great Fire, Longevity Star, and Shiwei constitute the central domain; their spirit holds sway at Mount Song, and Saturn takes its station there.
27
西西綿 宿 西 輿
In recent times, scholars who discuss star-territory correspondences have sometimes mapped them to prefectures and sometimes to feudal states. Under the Yu, Xia, Qin, and Han dynasties, commanderies and feudal states were abolished and re-established in different arrangements. When Zhou rose to power, its royal domain spanned a thousand li; by the time it declined, it held no more than seven counties in Henan. Now that the realm is unified under one rule, to assign Chunhuo directly as Zhou's territorial allotment would grossly misalign the boundaries. At the outset of the Warring States period, the realm's terrain favored Han in the south and Wei in the north: Wei reached Gaoling in the west and held Hedong and Henei; in the north it secured Zhang and Ye; in the east it divided Liang and Song down to Runan; Han held all of Zheng, south to Yingchuan and Nanyang, west to Guolue, facing Hangu Pass and holding Yiyang, northward connecting Shangdi — territories spanning several prefectures and interwoven like embroidery. When one examines the celestial image of the Cloud River against mountains and rivers, some regions correspond to more than ten lodges. Later, when Wei moved its capital to Daliang, the Western River came under the Well; When Qin seized Yiyang, Shangdang passed into the Chariot Ghost. While the Warring States still stood, the pronouncements of star specialists repeatedly proved strikingly accurate. Now they all lie within the same capital district. Yet some still derive their allotments from the Han Geography Treatise — clinging to the legacy methods of Gan and Shi without grasping the principle of adaptation.
28
宿
Moreover, the ancient lodge-sequence positions were tied to the solar terms, each reckoned according to the calendar of its day — unlike the shifting caused by precession. We now take the central positions of the four celestial quadrants from among the seven lodges, record them in degrees from the head of the upper origin, and set forth their territorial divisions; though prefectures and counties may change administrative affiliation, the allotments are determined solely by mountains and rivers.
29
Maid, Emptiness, and Rooftop constitute Xuanxiao. At the beginning: five degrees into Maid, with a remainder of 2374 and four-odd seconds. At the middle: nine degrees into Emptiness. At the end: twelve degrees into Rooftop. Its territorial division runs from Jibei eastward across the Ji River, through Pingyin to Shanzhaung, along the northern slopes of Mount Tai and its surrounding peaks, southeast to Gaomi, then east to the lands of the Lai barbarians — comprising Han Beihai, Qiancheng, Zichuan, Jinan, Jijun, and the country south of the old courses of Pingyuan, Bohai, and the Nine Rivers, reaching the shore at Jieshi. The ancient states of Qi, Ji, Zhu, Chunyu, Lai, Tan, Han, Zhenxun, Youguo, Youge, and the Pugu clan occupied the lower reaches of Zouzi, from east of Ji to beyond the river; hence their celestial image appears as the Celestial Ford, standing on the southern side of the Cloud River. The stars governing the director of men and the register of ministers all preside over Emptiness and Rooftop; hence Mount Tai is the hall where the twelve feudal lords receive their mandates. Further downstream lies Maid, at the final branch of the Nine Rivers — comparable to Xingji and sharing the same omen with Wu and Yue.
30
Encampment and Eastern Wall constitute Zouzi. At the beginning: thirteen degrees into Rooftop, with a remainder of 2926 and one-odd second. At the middle: twelve degrees into Encampment. At the end: one degree into Kui. From Wangwu and the Taihang eastward through Han Henei to the eastern corner of the Northern Thread, north facing Zhang and Ye, east to Guantao and Liaocheng. Further, from the confluence of the Yellow and Ji Rivers, crossing Yingbo and following the Ji River eastward, one reaches the lands of Dongjun — the ancient states of Bei, Yong, Wei, Fan, Zuo, Han, Yong, Gong, Wei, Guan, Nanyan, Kunwu, and Shiwei. From the Celestial Passage and Wangliang to Eastern Wall, within Shiwei, marks the upper reach. Where Henei and the region south of Zhang and Ye meet at the confluence of mountains and rivers lies the detached palace. Further, following the Yellow and Ji Rivers eastward to join Xuanxiao constitutes the allotment of Encampment.
31
宿
Kui and Lou constitute Jianglou. At the beginning: two degrees into Kui, with a remainder of 1217 and seventeen-odd seconds. At the middle: one degree into Lou. At the end: three degrees into Stomach. From Sheqiu and Feicheng south to Juye and east to Liangfu, along the southern slopes of Mount Tai and its surrounding peaks, facing the Eastern Sea. Further, following the Si River through Fangyu, Pei, Liu, and Pengcheng east to Lüliang, then southeast to the Huai and along the Huai eastward through the lands of the Xu barbarians — comprising Han Dongping, Lu, Langye, Donghai, Sishui, and Chengyang, and the ancient states of Lu, Xue, Zhu, Ju, Xiao Zhu, Xu, Tan, Zeng, Yu, Pi, Shi, Ren, Su, Xuju, Zhuanyu, Mou, Sui, Zhuyi, Jie, Genmou, and the Datin clan. Kui is the Great Marsh, in the lower reaches of Zouzi, at the eastern yang of Juye, reaching the Huai and Si. The domain of Lou and Stomach, backed by mountains to the northeast, is the fertile heartland of the central domain, where the hundred grains flourish. Stomach receives the qi of horse pasture and shares the same omen with the northern lands of Ji.
32
鹿 西
Stomach, Hairy Head, and Net constitute Daliang. At the beginning: four degrees into Stomach, with a remainder of 2549 and eight-odd seconds. At the middle: six degrees into Hairy Head. At the end: nine degrees into Net. From north of the Zhuo River in Wei Commandery through Han Zhao, Guangping, Julu, and Changshan, east to Qinghe and Xindu, north holding Zhongshan and Zhending — the full allotment of Zhao. Further north, crossing the mountain ranges, one reaches the lands of Dai, Yanmen, Yunzhong, and Dingxiang and the barbarian states of the northern frontier. The eastern yang of the Northern Thread, with mountains and rivers forming inner and outer barriers, screens the central domain — this is the allotment of Net. Following the outer side of the Northern River west to the frontier ramparts — all the former lands of Maotou — constitutes the allotment of Hairy Head. The northern lands of Ji, where horse pasture flourishes, preserve the image of the Celestial Park.
33
觿 西西 西 觿
Beak, Three Stars, and Attack constitute Shenshen. At the beginning: ten degrees into Net, with a remainder of 841 and four seconds minus one quarter. At the middle: seven degrees into Three Stars. At the end: eleven degrees into Well. From Han Hedong through Shangdang and Taiyuan to the lands of the Western River — the ancient states of Jin, Wei, Yu, Tang, Geng, Yang, Huo, Ji, Li, and Xun, together with the Rong and Di of the Western River. The banks of the Western River, where natural barriers were set to divide Qin and Jin, correspond on high to the Celestial Gate. The yin of its southern bend lies in Jin territory, on the sunny side of the massed peaks; The yang of its southern bend lies in Qin territory, on the shaded side of the massed peaks. Yin and yang qi converge there, hence it connects with the Well. Yongle, Ruicheng, and Hebei County in Hedong, together with Feng, Sheng, and Xiazhou in the River Bend, all fall within the allotment of the Well. Three Stars and Attack form the Rong cord and govern martial affairs; facing Hedong, they encompass the domain of Great Xia. Shangdang next lies in the lower reach, bordering Zhao and Wei — the allotment of Beak.
34
輿 西西西 西 輿 西 西西
Well and Chariot Ghost constitute Chunshou. At the beginning: twelve degrees into Well, with a remainder of 2172 and fifteen-odd seconds. At the middle: twenty-seven degrees into Well. At the end: six degrees into Willow. From Han's Three Adjuncts through Beidi, Shangjun, and Anding, west from Longqi to the right bank of the Yellow River, southwest through Ba, Shu, and Hanzhong, and the southwestern Yi of Jianwei, Yuexi, and Yizhou Commandery, to the far south beyond the Southern River and east to Zangke — the ancient states of Qin, Liang, Bin, Rui, Feng, Bi, Taigang, Youhu, Mixu, Yong, Shu, Qiang, and Mao. The Well lies on the northern side of the Two Rivers, at the upper reaches of mountains and rivers, corresponding to the northwest of the terrestrial thread. The Chariot Ghost lies on the southern side of the Two Rivers, from Hanzhong east to Huayang, connecting with Chunhuo and corresponding to the southeast of the terrestrial thread. Beyond Chunshou, the Cloud River flows hidden and has not yet reached its terminus; hence the Wolf Star lies west of the upper sources of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, while Bow and Arrow, Dog, and Cock all serve as frontier defenses beyond the border. The Western Qiang, Tubo, Tuyuhun, and the southwestern barbarians beyond the frontier all take their omen from the Wolf Star.
35
西 輿
Willow, Seven Stars, and Extended Net constitute Chunhuo. At the beginning: seven degrees into Willow, with a remainder of 464 and seven-odd seconds. At the middle: seven degrees into Seven Stars. At the end: fourteen degrees into Extended Net. North from Xingze and Xingyang, along Jing and Suo to the south of the mountains, through Xinzheng and Mi County to the eastern corner of Waifang, slanting to Fangcheng and Tongbai, north from Wan and Ye and south to the east of Han — encompassing all of Han Nanyang. Further, from Luoyi facing the south of the Northern River, west to Hangu Pass, crossing the Southern Thread to the yin side of Wudang and the Han River, encompassing Hongnong Commandery and bounded by Huaiyuan, Tongbai, and Dongyang — while Shenzhou belongs to Longevity Star — lie the ancient Chengzhou, Guo, Zheng, Guan, Kuai, Eastern Guo, Mi, Hua, Jiao, Tang, Sui, Shen, Deng, and the capital of the Zhurong clan. Xinzheng is the domain of Xuanyuan and Zhurong; its eastern border falls within Longevity Star. Willow. East of the Chariot Ghost, connecting with the Han source, facing the sunny side of Yi and Luo and joining the upper reach of the Southern River. Seven Stars is tied to Xuanyuan and holds the orthodox position of the Earth phase; it is the image of the Central Peak — the allotment of Henan. Extended Net faces Nanyang and the east of Han, sharing the same omen with Chunwei.
36
西西 西
Wings and Chariot Crossboard constitute Chunwei. At the beginning: fifteen degrees into Extended Net, with a remainder of 1795 and twenty-two-odd seconds. At the middle: twelve degrees into Wings. At the end: nine degrees into Chariot Crossboard. From Fangling and Baidi eastward through Han Nanjun and Jiangxia to the southern part of Lujiang, along the west of Poyang, comprising Changsha and Wuling, further crossing the Southern Thread to the lands of Yulin and Hepu, from the upper reaches of Yuan and Xiang west to the left of Qian'an — the full allotment of Chu. From Fu, Zhao, Xiang, Gong, Xiu, Rong, Bai, and Lian prefectures westward also lies the domain of Chunwei. The ancient Jing-Chu, Yun, Ruo, Luo, Quan, Ba, and Kui, together with the southern barbarian and Mo states. Wings shares the same omen with Beak and Extended Net, facing the north of the Southern River; Chariot Crossboard lies beyond the Celestial Pass, facing the south of the Southern River; one star among them governs Changsha, and south beyond the mountain frontier lies the allotment of Dong'ou and Qingqiu. The prefectures of Annan lie in the eastern yang of the upper source of the Cloud River and ought to belong to Chunhuo. Yet Willow, Seven Stars, and Extended Net all face the central domain and cannot connect to sea-facing lands; hence they are attached to Chunwei.
37
西西
Horn and Gullet constitute Longevity Star. At the beginning: ten degrees into Chariot Crossboard, with a remainder of 87 and fourteen-odd seconds. At the middle: eight degrees into Horn. At the end: one degree into Root. From Yuanwu and Guancheng along the south bank of the Yellow River and Ji, east to Fengqiu and Chenliu, through Chen, Cai, and Runan, past the Huai's source to Yiyang, west into Nanyang as far as Tongbai, then northeast to the eastern flank of Mount Song — China's terrestrial network runs between the Northern and Southern Rivers, from Western Slope to Companion Tail. Sui, Shen, and Guang all belong to Yuzhou and should be assigned to Vermillion Fire: the ancient lands of Chen, Cai, Xu, Xi, Jiang, Huang, Dao, Bai, Shen, Lai, Liao, Xudun, Hu, Fang, Xian, and Li. Root overlaps Longevity Star, east of the Luoyang mountains and adjoining Bo territory; farther south, along the Ying River, lies Taihao's domain — the allotment of Gullet. Still farther south it crosses the Huai's influence, linking with Vermillion Tail at the eastern flank of Chengzhou — the allotment of Horn.
38
西
Root, Chamber, and Heart constitute Great Fire. At the beginning: two degrees into Root, with a remainder of 1419 and five-odd seconds. At the middle: two degrees into Chamber. At the end: six degrees into Tail. From Yongqiu, Xiangyi, and Xiaohuang east along Jiyin, between Qi and Lu, with the Si to the right as far as Liang, then southeast to Taihao's domain through Han Jiyin, Shanyang, the Chu kingdom, Feng, and Pei — ancient Song, Cao, Cheng, Teng, Mao, Gao, Xiao, Ge, Xiangcheng, Biyang, and Shenfu. Shang and Bo lie along the Northern River where yang qi rises — Heart's allotment; Feng and Pei along the Southern River where yang qi spreads — Chamber's allotment. Its lower course shares omens with Tail; to the west it borders Chen and Zheng — Root's allotment.
39
涿西
Tail and Winnowing Basket form the Ford of Split Wood. At the beginning: seven degrees into Tail, remainder 2750 and twenty-one-odd seconds; at the middle: five degrees into Winnowing Basket; at the end: eight degrees into Southern Dipper. North of Bohai and the Nine Rivers lie Han Hejian, Zhuo, Guangyang, Shanggu, Yuyang, Youbeiping, Liaoxi, Liaodong, Lelang, and Xuantu — the lands of ancient Northern Yan, Guzhu, Wuzhong, and the Nine Yi. Tail marks the Cloud River's last branch, rich in turtles and fish, at the lower Nine Rivers along Bohai and Jieshi — the farthest reach of the Northern Thread. Winnowing Basket lies near Southern Dipper, on the north bank of the Liao, through Korea and the Three Han, east of Wu and Yue.
40
西西
Southern Dipper and Lead Ox form Star Chronicle. At the beginning: nine degrees into Southern Dipper, remainder 1042 and twelve-odd seconds. At the middle: twenty-four degrees into Southern Dipper. At the end: four degrees into Maid. From Lujiang and Jiujiang along the Huai, south through Linhuai and Guangling to the Eastern Sea, then across the Southern River through Danyang, Kuaiji, and Yuzhang, west along Poyang, south through Yuemen to Cangwu and Nanhai, beyond the mountain ranges — from Shao and Guang west to Zhuya east — all belong to Star Chronicle. Ancient Wu, Yue, the Shu states, Lu, Tong, Liu, Liao, and the Hundred Yue of the southeast. Southern Dipper stands in the Cloud River's lower reach between the Huai and the sea — Wu's allotment. Lead Ox lies far from the Southern River; from Yuzhang to Kuaiji, south beyond the frontier passes — Yue's allotment. Island peoples and the Man and Mo tribes beyond the reach of civilization are all assigned to the Dog Kingdom — or so the tradition runs.
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