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The Dunhuang map from the Tang Dynasty (North Polar region). This map is thought to date from the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (705-710). Founded in Dunhuang, Gansu. Constellations of the three schools were distinguished with different colors: white, black and yellow for stars of Wu Xian, Gan De and Shi Shen respectively. The whole set of star maps contained 1,300 stars.

Astronomy in China has a very long history. Oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty (2nd millennium BC) record eclipses and novae. Detailed records of astronomical observations were kept from about the 6th century BC until the introduction of Western astronomy and the telescope in the 16th century. The practice of astronomy in China was fundamentally changed by extended contact with Western astronomy. Today, China continues to be active in astronomy, with many observatories and its own space program. Image File history File links Zhongwen. ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: A Chinese character or Han character (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a logogram used in writing Chinese, Japanese, sometimes Korean, and formerly Vietnamese. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 597 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,128 × 2,136 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 597 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,128 × 2,136 pixels, file size: 1. ... Star Map from the Tang Dynasty (North Polar region). ... For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ... Zhongzong (656-710) was fourth and seventh Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710. ... Alternate meaning: Area code 705 Events End of the short-lived Zhou Dynasty in China Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik succeeded by al-Walid I ibn Abd al-Malik. ... // Events End of the Asuka period, the second and last part of the Yamato period and beginning of the Nara period in Japan. ... Location of Dunhuang Dunhuang (Chinese: , also written as 燉煌 till early Qing Dynasty; Pinyin: ) is a city in Jiuquan, Gansu province, China. ... Gansu (Simplified Chinese: 甘肃; Traditional Chinese: 甘肅; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kan-su, Kansu, or Kan-suh) is a province located in the northwest of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Wu Xian (Chinese: å·«å’¸) was a Chinese astronomer who supposedly lived in the Shang Dynasty (c. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Shi Shen (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. ... Replica of an oracle bone -- turtle shell Replica of an oracle bone -- ox scapula Oracle bones (甲骨片 pinyin: jiÇŽgÇ”piàn) are pieces of bone or turtle shell used in royal divination in the mid Shang to early Zhou dynasties in ancient China, and often bearing written inscriptions in what... Remnants of advanced, stratified societies dating back to the Shang period have been found in the Yellow River Valley. ... The 2nd millennium BC marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 6th century BC started on January 1, 600 BC and ended on December 31, 501 BC. // Monument 1, an Olmec colossal head at La Venta The 5th and 6th centuries BC were a time of empires, but more importantly, a time... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... The space program of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) began in 1956 with the cooperation of the USSR and continued as an indigenous nuclear deterrent program after the Sino-Soviet split in 1960. ...

Early history

Purpose of astronomical observations in the past

One of the main functions was for the purpose of timekeeping. The Chinese used a lunisolar calendar , but because the cycles of the Sun and the Moon are different, intercalation had to be done. A lunisolar calendar is a calendar whose date indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year. ... Intercalation is the insertioffn of an extra day, week or month into some calendar years to make the calendar follow the seasons. ...

The Chinese calendar was considered to be symbol of a dynasty. As dynasties would rise and fall, astronomers and astrologers of each period would often prepare a new calendar to be made, with observations for that purpose. The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ...

Astrological divination was also an important part of astronomy. Astronomers took careful note of "guest stars" which suddenly appeared among the fixed stars. The supernova that created the Crab Nebula in 1054 is an example of a guest star observed by Chinese astronomers, recorded also by the Arabs, although it was not recorded by their European contemporaries. Ancient astronomical records of phenomena like supernovae and comets are sometimes used in modern astronomical studies. For other uses, see Divination (disambiguation). ... A fixed star is a celestial object that does not seem to move (in comparison to the other stars of the night sky). ... For other uses, see Supernova (disambiguation). ... The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M 1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. ... Events Cardinal Humbertus, a representative of Pope Leo IX, and Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, decree each others excommunication. ...

Chinese constellations

History of Chinese constellations

The divisions of the sky began with the Northern Dipper and the 28 mansions. Big Dipper map A group of the brightest stars of the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear, form a well-known asterism that has been recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures from time immemorial. ...

In early 1980s, a tomb was found at Xi Shui Po (西水坡) in Pu Yang, Henan Province. There were some clamshells and bones forming the images of the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger and the Northern Dipper. It is believed that the tomb belongs to the Neolithic Age, about 6,000 years ago. Henan (Chinese: 河南; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-nan), is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The White Tiger (Chinese: ; pinyin: Bái HÇ”) is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. ... Big Dipper map A group of the brightest stars of the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear, form a well-known asterism that has been recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures from time immemorial. ... An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ...

Star names relating to the 28 lunar mansions were found on oracle bones dating back to the Wuding Period, about 3,200 years ago. Wǔ Dīng 武丁, ruled around 1200 BC, 22nd ruler of the Shang Dynasty. ...

In 1978, a lacquer box was excavated from the tomb of Zeng Hou Yin in Suixian, Hubei Province. Names of the 28 lunar missions were found on the cover of the box, proofing that the use of this classification system was made before 433 BC. Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Hubei (Chinese: 湖北; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hu-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hupeh) is a central province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

As lunar mansions have such an ancient origin, the meaning of most of their names have become obscure. Even worse, name of each lunar mansion consists of only one Chinese word, and the meaning of which could vary at different times in history. So the meaning of the names are still under discussion.

Besides 28 lunar mansions, most constellations are based on the works of Shi Shen-fu and Gan De, who were astrologists during the period of Warring States (481 BC - 221 BC) in China. Shi Shen (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally...

In the late period of the Ming Dynasty, the agricultural scientist and mathematician Xu Guangqi (1562 - 1633 AD) introduced 23 additional constellations which are near to the Celestial South Pole, which are based on star catalogues from the West (see Matteo Ricci). For other uses, see Ming. ... Xu Guangqi (Simplified Chinese: 徐光启; Traditional Chinese: 徐光啟; Pinyin: Xú Guāngqǐ) (1562–1633) was a Chinese agricultural scientist and mathematician born in Shanghai. ... Matteo Ricci. ...

Classification

Unlike the West, where the starry sky is a pantheon of Greek legendary hero and mystic creatures, the Chinese treat the heavens as a miniature of their earthly world, a reflection of their feudal society.

Star catalogues and Maps

Star catalogues

In the 4th century BC the two Chinese astronomers responsible for the earliest information going into the star catalogues are Shi Shen and Gan De of the Warring States period.^[1] The 4th century BC started the first day of 400 BC and ended the last day of 301 BC. It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period. ... Shi Shen (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

These books appeared to have lasted till the 6th century, but are lost after that.^[1] A number of books share similar names, often quoted and named after them. These texts should not be confused with the original catalogues written by them. Notable works that helped preserve the contents include: Shi Shen (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The 6th century is the period from 501 - 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ...

Wu Xian (巫咸) has been one of the astronomer in debate. He is often represented as one of the "Three Schools Astronomical tradition" along with Gan and Shi.^[4] The Chinese classic text "Star Manual of Master Wu Xian" (巫咸星經), and its authorship is still in dispute because it mentioned names of Twelve Countries, which did not exist in the Shang Dynasty, the era of which it was supposed to have been written. Moreover, it was customary in the past for the Chinese to forge works of notable scholars, as this could lead to a possible explanation for the inconsistencies found. Wu Xian is generally mentioned as the astronomer who lived many years before Gan and Shi. The Book of Jin (Chinese:晋书) is one of the official Chinese historical works. ... The Sui Dynasty (隋朝 Hanyu Pinyin: suí cháo, 581-618) followed the Southern and Northern Dynasties and preceded the Tang Dynasty in China. ... Gautama Siddha (Chinese: ; Pinyin: , fl. ... The Treatise on Astrology of the Kaiyuan Era (Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as the Great Tang Treatise on Astrology of the Kaiyuan Era in the full title, is a Chinese astrology encyclopedia compiled by the lead editor Gautama Siddha and a numerous of scholars from 714 to 724 during the... Emperor Tang Xuanzong (唐玄宗) (September 8, 685 - May 3, 762), born Li Longji (李隆基), was the sixth emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 712 to 756. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... The Daozang (Daoist Cannon) consists of almost 5000 individual texts that were collected circa C.E. 400 (quite some time after the Dao De Jing and Zhuang Zi which are the core Daoist texts). ... Wu Xian (Chinese: å·«å’¸) was a Chinese astronomer who supposedly lived in the Shang Dynasty (c. ... Remnants of advanced, stratified societies dating back to the Shang period have been found in the Yellow River Valley. ...

The Han Dynasty astronomer and inventor Zhang Heng (78 - 139 AD) not only catalogued some 2500 different stars, but also recognized over 100 different constellations. Zhang Heng also published his work Ling Xian, a summary of different astronomical theories in China at the time. In subsequent period of the Three Kingdoms (220 - 280 AD), Chen Zhuo (陳卓) combined the work of his predecessors, forming another star catalogue. This time 283 constellations and 1464 stars were listed. The astronomer Guo Shoujin of the Yuan Dynasty (1279 - 1368 AD) created a new catalogue which was believed to contain thousands of stars. Unfortunately, many of documents at that period were destroyed, including that of Shoujin. Imperial Astronomical Instruments (儀象考成) published in 1757 containing 3083 stars exactly. Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication to Cao Wei 220... For other uses, see Zhang Heng (disambiguation). ... The Three Kingdoms period (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties. ... Guo Shoujin, alias Nuo Shi (1231-1316), was a famous ancient Chinese hydraulic engineer and mathematician. ... Capital Dadu Language(s) Mongolian Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1260-1294 Kublai Khan  - 1333-1370 (Cont. ... 1757 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

The Greek Hipparchus later created the first star catalogue for the Western world during the 2nd century BC. For the Athenian tyrant, see Hipparchus (son of Pisistratus). ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 2nd century BC started on January 1, 200 BC and ended on December 31, 101 BC. // Coin of Antiochus IV. Reverse shows Apollo seated on an omphalos. ...

Star maps

A star map with Mercator projection, from Su Song's Xin Yi Xiang Fa Yao, 1092. Although many others were drawn before him, Su Song's star maps represent the oldest existent ones in printed form.

Main article: Chinese star maps

The Chinese drew many maps of stars in the past centuries. It is debatable as to which counts as the oldest star maps, since pottery and old artifacts can also be considered star maps. One of the oldest existent star map in printed form is from Su Song's (1020-1101 AD) celestial atlas of 1092 AD, which was included in the horological treatise on his clocktower. The most famous one is perhaps the Dunhuang map found in Dunhuang, Gansu. Uncovered by the British archaeologist Marc Aurel Stein in 1907, the star map was brought to the British Museum in London. The map was drawn on paper and represents the complete sky with more than 1,350 stars. Though ancient Babylonians and Greeks also observed the sky and catalogued stars, no such complete record of the stars may exist or survive. Hence this is the oldest chart of the actual skies in the present. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 576 pixelsFull resolution (984 × 708 pixel, file size: 358 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 576 pixelsFull resolution (984 × 708 pixel, file size: 358 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Star Maps were ancient semi-sentient devices created during the reign of the Rakatan Infinite Empire. ... Mercator world map Nova et Aucta Orbis Terrae Descriptio ad Usum Navigatium Emendate (1569) The Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection presented by the Flemish geographer and cartographer Gerardus Mercator, in 1569. ... Su Song 蘇頌 (1020 – 1101), style Zirong 子容, was a Chinese engineer. ... For other uses, see Print. ... China has a long history of observing stars and recording them. ... Chrysanthemum styled porcelain vase with three colors from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) at the National Museum of China Chinese ceramics is a form of fine art developed since the dynastic periods. ... Su Song 蘇頌 (1020 – 1101), style Zirong 子容, was a Chinese engineer. ... Events Hospice built in Jerusalem by Knights Hospitaller City of Saint-Germain-en-Laye founded Third Italian campaign of Henry II of Germany Canute the Great codifies the laws of England Births Harold II of England (approximate) Empress Agnes of Poitou, regent of the Holy Roman Empire (d. ... Events A second wave of crusaders arrives in the newly established Kingdom of Jerusalem, after being heavily defeated by Kilij Arslan I at Heraclia. ... The term celestial refers to the sky and/or Heaven. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps or manifolds, traditionally bound into book form, but also found in multimedia formats. ... Horology is the study of the science and art of timekeeping devices. ... A clock tower is a tower built with a large clock face on one or more (often all four) of its sides so as to be visible to a large number of inhabitants of an area. ... Star Map from the Tang Dynasty (North Polar region). ... Location of Dunhuang Dunhuang (Chinese: , also written as 燉煌 till early Qing Dynasty; Pinyin: ) is a city in Jiuquan, Gansu province, China. ... Gansu (Simplified Chinese: 甘肃; Traditional Chinese: 甘肅; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kan-su, Kansu, or Kan-suh) is a province located in the northwest of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Image:AurelStein. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The British Museum in London, England is one of the worlds greatest museums of human history and culture. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

According to recent studies, the map may date the manuscript to as early as the 7th century AD (Tang Dynasty). Scholars believe the star map dating from 705 to 710 AD, which is the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang. Some experts from the West think the chart may be a copy of an earlier existing document. There are some texts (Monthly Ordinances, 月令) describing the movement of the sun among the sky each month, which was not based on the observation at that time. The 7th century is the period from 601 - 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... Zhongzong (656-710) was fourth and seventh Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710. ...

Lunar and solar eclipses

The ancient Chinese astronomer Shi Shen (fl. 4th century BC) was aware of the relation of the moon in a solar eclipse, as he provided instructions in his writing to predict them by using the relative positions of the moon and sun.^[5] The 'radiating influence' theory, where the moon's light was nothing but a reflection of the sun's, was supported by the mathematician and music theorist Jing Fang (78–37 BC) yet opposed by the Chinese philosopher Wang Chong (27–97 AD). In his writing, Wang admits that this theory was nothing new in China. The Chinese astronomer and inventor Zhang Heng (78–139 AD) wrote of both solar eclipse and lunar eclipse in the publication of Ling Xian (靈憲), 120 AD: Middle Chinese (中古漢語, pinyin: zhōnggǔ Hànyǔ), or Ancient Chinese as used by linguist Bernhard Karlgren, refers to the Chinese language spoken during Northern and Southern Dynasties and the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties (6th century - 10th century). ... Shi Shen (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. ... Jing Fang (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ching Fang, 78-37 BC), born Li Fang (李房), courtesy name Junming (君明), was a Chinese music theorist, mathematician and astrologer born in present-day Puyang, Henan during the Han Dynasty. ... Wang Chung (27 – 97 C.E.) (Traditional Chinese: 王充; Simplified Chinese: 王充; pinyin: Wáng Chōng) was a Chinese philosopher during the Han Dynasty who developed a rational, secular, naturalistic, and mechanistic account of the world and of human beings. ... For other uses, see Zhang Heng (disambiguation). ... Photo taken during the 1999 eclipse. ... Time lapse movie of the 3 March 2007 lunar eclipse A lunar eclipse occurs whenever the Moon passes through some portion of the Earths shadow. ...

The sun is like fire and the moon like water. The fire gives out light and the water reflects it. Thus the moon's brightness is produced from the radiance of the sun, and the moon's darkness (pho) is due to (the light of) the sun being obstructed (pi). The side which faces the sun is fully lit, and the side which is away from it is dark. The planets (as well as the moon) have the nature of water and reflect light. The light pouring forth from the sun (tang jih chih chhung kuang) does not always reach the moon owing to the obstruction (pi) of the earth itself—this is called 'an-hsü', a lunar eclipse. When (a similar effect) happens with a planet (we call it) an occulation (hsing wei); when the moon passes across (kuo) (the sun's path) then there is a solar eclipse (shih).^[6]

The later Song Dynasty scientist Shen Kuo (1031–1095) used the models of lunar eclipse and solar eclipse in order to prove that the celestial bodies were round, not flat. This was actually an extension of the reasoning of Jing Fang and other theorists as early as the Han Dynasty. In his Dream Pool Essays of 1088 AD, Shen related a conversation he had with the Director of the Astronomical Observatory, who had asked Shen if the shapes of the sun and moon were round like balls or flat like fans. Shen Kuo explained his reasoning for the former: Northern Song in 1111 AD Capital Bianjing (汴京) (960–1127) Linan (臨安) (1127–1276) Language(s) Chinese Religion Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy Emperor  - 960–976 Emperor Taizu  - 1126–1127 Emperor Qinzong  - 1127–1162 Emperor Gaozong  - 1278–1279 Emperor Bing History  - Zhao Kuangyin taking over the throne of the Later Zhou... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Shen Shen Kuo or Shen Kua (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (1031–1095) was a polymathic Chinese scientist and statesman of the Song Dynasty (960–1279). ... Shen Kuo (沈括) (1031-1095 AD) The Dream Pool Essays (Pinyin: Meng Xi Bi Tan; Wade-Giles: Meng Chi Pi Tan Chinese: 梦溪笔谈) was an extensive book written by the polymath Chinese scientist and statesman Shen Kuo (1031-1095) by 1088 AD, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) of China. ... This article is about scientific observatories. ...

If they were like balls they would surely obstruct each other when they met. I replied that these celestial bodies were certainly like balls. How do we know this? By the waxing and waning of the moon. The moon itself gives forth no light, but is like a ball of silver; the light is the light of the sun (reflected). When the brightness is first seen, the sun (-light passes almost) alongside, so the side only is illuminated and looks like a crescent. When the sun gradually gets further away, the light shines slanting, and the moon is full, round like a bullet. If half of a sphere is covered with (white) powder and looked at from the side, the covered part will look like a crescent; if looked at from the front, it will appear round. Thus we know that the celestial bodies are spherical.^[7]

When he asked Shen Kuo why eclipses occurred only on an occasional basis while in conjunction and opposition once a day, Shen Kuo wrote:

I answered that the ecliptic and the moon's path are like two rings, lying one over the other, but distant by a small amount. (If this obliquity did not exist), the sun would be eclipsed whenever the two bodies were in conjunction, and the moon would be eclipsed whenever they were exactly in position. But (in fact) though they may occupy the same degree, the two paths are not (always) near (each other), and so naturally the bodies do not (intrude) upon one another.^[7]

Equipment and innovation

Armillary sphere (渾儀)

A method of making observation instruments at the times of Qing Dynasty

The earliest development of the armillary sphere in China goes back to the astronomers Shi Shen and Gan De in the 4th century BC, as they were equipped with a primitive single-ring armillary instrument.^[8] This would have allowed them to measure the north polar distance (去極度, the Chinese form of declination) and measurement that gave the position in a hsiu (入宿度, the Chinese form of right ascension).^[8] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 1904 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Chinese astronomy Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 1904 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Chinese astronomy Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Qing China at its greatest extent. ... Armillary sphere An armillary sphere (variations known as a spherical astrolabe, armilla, or armil) is a model of the celestial sphere, invented by the ancient Greek Eratosthenes in 255 BC. Its name comes from the Latin armilla (circle, bracelet), since it has a skeleton made of graduated metal circles linking... Shi Shen (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

During the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC - 9 AD) additional developments made by the astronomers Luo-xia Hong (落下閎), Xiangyu Wang-ren, and Geng Shou-chang (耿壽昌) advanced the use of the armillary in its early stage of evolution. In 52 BC, it was the astronomer Geng Shou-chang who introduced the first permanently fixed equatorial ring of the armillary sphere.^[8] In the subsequent Eastern Han Dynasty ( 23-220 AD) period, the astronomers Fu An and Jia Kui added the elliptical ring by 84 AD.^[8] With the famous statesman, astronomer, and inventor Zhang Heng (78-139 AD), the sphere was totally complete in 125 AD, with horizon and meridian rings.^[8] It is of great importance to note that the world's first hydraulic (i.e. water-powered) armillary sphere was created by Zhang Heng, who operated his by use of an inflow clepsydra clock (see Zhang's article for more detail). The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 3rd century BC - 4th century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC Years: 207 BC 206 BC 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC - 202 BC - 201 BC 200 BC 199 BC 198 BC 197 BC Events October... For other uses, see 9 (disambiguation). ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... Year 23 was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Events Han Xiandi abdicates his throne to Cao Pi, symbolizing the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period in China. ... Admonished Cao Zhang for quarrelling with his brother Cao Pi over who would succeed the throne. ... For other uses, see Zhang Heng (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see number 78. ... Events Births Deaths Zhang Heng, Chinese mathematician Categories: 139 ... Hydraulics is a branch of science and engineering concerned with the use of liquids to perform mechanical tasks. ... Clepsydra may refer to Clepsydra, a type of water thief. ...

Abridged armilla (簡儀)

Designed by famous astronomers Guo Shoujing in 1276 AD, it solved most problems found in armillary spheres at that time. Guo Shoujing (Chinese: 郭守敬; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kuo Shou-ching) (1231 – 1316) was a Chinese astronomer, engineer, and mathematician. ...

The primary structure of Abridged Armilla contains two large rings that are perpendicular to each other, of which one is parallel with the equatorial plane and is accordingly called “equatorial ring”, and the other is a double-ring which is perpendicular to the center of the equatorial ring, revolves around a metallic shaft, and is called “right ascension double-ring”.

The double-ring holds within itself a sighting tube with crosshairs. When observing, astronomers would aim at the star with the sighting tube, whereupon the stars’ position could be deciphered by observing the dials of the equatorial ring and the right ascension double-ring.

A foreign missionary melted the instrument in 1715 AD. The surviving one was built in 1437 AD, and was taken to what is now Germany. It was then stored in a French Embassy in 1900 during the Eight-Nation Alliance. Under the pressure of international public discontent, Germany returned the instrument to China. In 1933 it was placed in Purple Mountain Observatory, which prevented it from being destroyed in the Japanese invasion. In the 1980s it had become seriously eroded and rusted down, and was nearly destroyed. In order to restore the device, the Nanjing government spent 11 months to repair it. Military of the Powers during the Boxer Rebellion, with their naval flags, from left to right: Italy, United States, France, Austria-Hungary, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia. ... Purple Mountain Observatory is an astronomical observatory near Nanjing, China. ... Combatants China  United States1 Soviet Union2  Empire of Japan Collaborationist Chinese Army3 Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Cheng, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Li Zongren, Xue Yue, Bai Chongxi, Peng Dehuai, Joseph Stilwell, Claire Chennault, Aleksandr Vasilevsky Hirohito, Fumimaro Konoe, Hideki Tojo, Kotohito Kanin, Matsui Iwane, Hajime Sugiyama, Shunroku Hata... For other uses, see Nanjing (disambiguation). ...

Celestial globe (渾象) before Qing Dynasty

Celestial globe from Qing Dynasty

Besides star maps, the Chinese also made Celestial globes, which show stars position liked a star map and can present the actual sky in a specific time. Because of its Chinese name, the Chinese always make it up with Armillary sphere, which is just one word different (渾象 vs. 渾儀). Download high resolution version (480x609, 149 KB)Replica of a Celestial Globe from Qing Dynasty of China. ... Download high resolution version (480x609, 149 KB)Replica of a Celestial Globe from Qing Dynasty of China. ... Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Qing China at its greatest extent. ...

According to records, the first Celestial globe was made by Geng Shou-chang (耿壽昌) between 70BC and 50BC. In Ming Dynasty, celestial globe at that time was a huge globe, showing with the 28 mansions, celestial equator and ecliptic. But just like many other equipment, none of them survived. For other uses, see Ming. ...

Celestial globe (天體儀) in Qing Dynasty

Celestial globe was named 天體儀 in Qing Dynasty. The one in Beijing Ancient Observatory was made by Belgian missionary Ferdinand Verbiest (南懷仁) 1673 AD. Unlike other Chinese celestial globes, it employs 360 degrees rather than the 365.24 degrees (which is a standard in ancient China). It is also the Chinese-first globe which shows constellations near to the Celestial South Pole. Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Qing China at its greatest extent. ... The armillary sphere The Beijing Ancient supersweetasticyobolicawsemness Observatory (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: bÄ›i jÄ«ng gÇ” guān xiàng tái) is a pretelescopic observatory located in Beijing, China. ... Father Ferdinand Verbiest (October 9, 1623-January 28, 1688) was a Belgian Jesuit missionary in China. ... This article describes the unit of angle. ...

The Water-powered Armillary Sphere and Celestial Globe Tower (水運儀象台)

The first to invent the hydraulic-powered armillary sphere was Zhang Heng (78-139 AD) of the Han Dynasty. Zhang was well-known for his brilliant applications of mechanical gears, as this was one of his most impressive inventions (alongside his seismograph to detect the cardinal direction of earthquakes that struck hundreds of miles away). Hydraulics is a branch of science and engineering concerned with the use of liquids to perform mechanical tasks. ... For other uses, see Zhang Heng (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see number 78. ... Events Births Deaths Zhang Heng, Chinese mathematician Categories: 139 ... Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication to Cao Wei 220... Seismographs (in Greek seismos = earthquake and graphein = write) are used by seismologists to record seismic waves. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ...

Started by Su Song (蘇頌) and his colleagues in 1086 AD and finished in 1092 AD, his large astronomical clock tower featured an armillary sphere (渾儀), a celestial globe (渾象) and a mechanical chronograph. It was operated by an escapement mechanism and the earliest known chain drive. However 35 years later the invading Jurchen army dismantled the tower in 1127 AD upon taking the capital of Kaifeng. The armillary sphere part was brought to Beijing, yet the tower was never successfully reinstated, not even by Su Song's son. Su Song 蘇頌 (1020 – 1101), style Zirong 子容, was a Chinese engineer. ... Clocktower at Geelong Grammar School, Victoria, Australia A clock tower is a tower built with one or more (often four) clock faces. ... A simple escapement. ... Roller chain and sprocket Mack AC delivery truck at the Petersen Automotive Museum with chain drive visible Chain drive was a popular power transmission system from the earliest days of the automobile. ... The Jurchens (Chinese: 女真, pinyin: nǚzhēn) were a Tungusic people who inhabited parts of Manchuria and northern Korea until the seventeenth century, when they became the Manchus. ... Kaifeng (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: KāifÄ“ng; Wade-Giles: Kai-feng), formerly known as Bianliang (汴梁; Wade-Giles: Pien-liang), is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Peking redirects here. ...

Fortunately two versions of Su Song’s treatise written on his clock tower have survived the ages, so that studying his astronomical clock tower is made possible through medieval texts.

True north and planetary motion

The polymath Chinese scientist Shen Kuo (1031-1095) was not only the first in history to describe the magnetic-needle compass, but also a more accurate measurement of the distance between the polestar and true north that could be used for navigation. Shen achieved this by making nightly astronomical observations along with his colleague Wei Pu, using Shen's improved design of a wider sighting tube that could be fixed to observe the polestar indefinitely. Along with the polestar, Shen Kuo and Wei Pu also established a project of nightly astronomical observation over a period of five successive years, an intensive work that would even rival the later work of Tycho Brahe in Europe. Shen Kuo and Wei Pu charted the exact coordinates of the planets on a star map for this project, and created theories of planetary motion, including retrogradation. This is a Chinese name; the family name is Shen Shen Kuo or Shen Kua (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (1031–1095) was a polymathic Chinese scientist and statesman of the Song Dynasty (960–1279). ... Events Collapse of the Moorish Caliphate of Córdoba. ... Events The country of Portugal is established for the second time. ... In physics, magnetism is a phenomenon by which materials exert an attractive or repulsive force on other materials. ... This article is about the navigational instrument. ... This article is in need of attention. ... True Pizza is a navigational term referring to the direction of the North Pole relative to the navigators position. ... Table of geography, hydrography, and navigation, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Wei Pu (衛朴; Wade-Giles: Wei Pu) was an 11th century Chinese astronomer of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). ... Monument of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler in Prague Tycho Brahe, born Tyge Ottesen Brahe (December 14, 1546 – October 24, 1601), was a Danish nobleman from the region of Scania (in modern-day Sweden), best known today as an early astronomer, though in his lifetime he was also well known... Prograde motion is the rotational or orbital motion of a body in a direction similar to that of other bodies within a given system, and is sometimes called direct motion. ...

Jesuit activity in China

The introduction of Western science to China by Jesuit priest astronomers was a mixed blessing during the late 16th century and early 17th century. The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ...

Telescope was introduced to China in the early 17th century. The telescope was first mentioned in Chinese writing by Emanuel Diaz (Yang MaNuo), who wrote his Tian Wen Lüe in 1615.^[9] In 1626 Adam Schall von Bell (Tang Ruowang) published the Chinese treatise on the telescope known as the Yuan Jing Shuo (The Far-Seeing Optic Glass).^[10] The Chongzhen Emperor (明思宗, 1627-1644) of the Ming Dynasty acquired the telescope of Johannes Terrentius (or Johann Schreck; Deng Yu-han) in 1634, ten years before the collapse of the Ming Dynasty.^[9] However, the impact on Chinese astronomy was limited. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Johann Adam Schall von Bell (Chinese: 湯若望) (1591 - 15 August 1666) was a German Jesuit missionary to China. ... See also list of optical topics. ... Chongzhen Emperor (WG: Chung-chen) (February 6, 1611 - April 25, 1644) was last emperor of Ming dynasty in China between 1627 and 1644. ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... For other uses, see Ming. ... Johann(es) Schreck, auch Terrenz oder Terrentius Constantiensis, Deng Yuhan Hanpo, Deng Zhen Lohan, (* 1576 in Bingen, Baden-Württemberg, Diözese Konstanz[1]; † 11. ...

The Jesuit China missions of the 16th and 17th centuries brought Western astronomy, then undergoing its own revolution, to China. After the Galileo affair early in the 17th century, the Roman Catholic Jesuit order was required to adhere to geocentrism and ignore the heliocentric teachings of Copernicus and his followers, even though they were becoming standard in European astronomy.^[11] Thus, the Jesuits shared an Earth-centered and largely pre-Copernican astronomy with their Chinese hosts (i.e. the inaccurate Ptolemaic-Aristotelian views from Hellenistic times).^[11] The Chinese were often fundamentally opposed to this as well, since the Chinese had long believed (from the ancient doctrine of Xuan Ye) that the celestial bodies floated in a void of infinite space.^[11] This contradicted the Aristotelian view of solid concentric crystalline spheres, where there was not a void, but a mass of air between the heavenly bodies.^[11] The history of the missions of the Jesuits in China in the early modern era stands as one of the notable events in the early history of relations between China and the Western world, as well as a prominent example of relations between two cultures and belief systems in the... Galileo before the Holy Office, a 19th century painting by Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury The Galileo affair, in which Galileo Galilei came into conflict with the Catholic Church over his support of Copernican astronomy, is often considered a defining moment in the history of the relationship between religion and science. ... The geocentric model (in Greek: geo = earth and centron = centre) of the universe is a paradigm which places the Earth at its center. ... In astronomy, heliocentrism is the theory that the Sun is at the center of the Universe and/or the Solar System. ... Nicolaus Copernicus (in Latin; Polish Mikołaj Kopernik, German Nikolaus Kopernikus - February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) was a Polish astronomer, mathematician and economist who developed a heliocentric (Sun-centered) theory of the solar system in a form detailed enough to make it scientifically useful. ... Ptolemy, one of Alexander the Greats generals, was appointed satrap of Egypt after Alexanders death in 323 BC. In 305 BC he declared himself King Ptolemy I, later known as Soter (saviour). ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Of course, the views of Copernicus, Galileo, and Tycho Brahe would eventually triumph in European science, and these ideas slowly leaked into China despite Jesuit efforts to curb them in the beginning. In 1627, the Polish Jesuit Michael Boym (Bu Mige) introduced Johannes Kepler's Copernican Rudolphine Tables with much enthusiasm to the Ming court at Beijing.^[9] In Adam Schall von Bell's Chinese-written treatise of Western astronomy in 1640, the names of Copernicus (Ge-Bai-Ni), Galileo (Jia-li-lüe), and Tycho Brahe (Di-gu) were formally introduced to China.^[12] There were also Jesuits in China who were in favor of the Copernican theory, such as Nicholas Smogulecki and Wenceslaus Kirwitzer.^[9] However, Copernican views were not widespread or wholly accepted in China during this point. In Japan, the Dutch aided the Japanese with the first modern observatory of Japan in 1725, headed by Nakane Genkei, whose observatory of astronomers wholly accepted the Copernican view.^[13] In contrast, the Copernican view was not accepted in mainstream China until the early 19th century, with the Protestant missionaries such as Joseph Edkins, Alex Wylie, and John Fryer.^[13] Galileo can refer to: Galileo Galilei, astronomer, philosopher, and physicist (1564 - 1642) the Galileo spacecraft, a NASA space probe that visited Jupiter and its moons the Galileo positioning system Life of Galileo, a play by Bertolt Brecht Galileo (1975) - screen adaptation of the play Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht... Monument of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler in Prague Tycho Brahe, born Tyge Ottesen Brahe (December 14, 1546 – October 24, 1601), was a Danish nobleman from the region of Scania (in modern-day Sweden), best known today as an early astronomer, though in his lifetime he was also well known... MichaÅ‚ Piotr Boym[1] (Chinese: [2]; ca. ... Kepler redirects here. ... Peking redirects here. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Joseph Edkins (December 19, 1823 – April 23, 1905) was a British Protestant missionary who spent 57 years in China, 30 of them in Beijing. ... Alex Wylie is a horror movie critic from London, UK. He frequently reviews cinematic and DVD releases for Shivers magazine and has worked for various other UK-based publications. ... John_Fryer is a renowned U.K based music producer who has worked with Nine_Inch_Nails, White_Zombie, Cradle_Of_Filth, Paradise_Lost, Fear_Factory, Depeche_Mode and many other artists. ...

Famous Chinese astronomers

• Gan De
• Guo Shoujing
• Shen Kuo
• Shi Shen
• Su Song
• Xu Guangqi
• Zhang Heng

This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Guo Shoujing (Chinese: 郭守敬; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kuo Shou-ching) (1231 – 1316) was a Chinese astronomer, engineer, and mathematician. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Shen Shen Kuo or Shen Kua (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (1031–1095) was a polymathic Chinese scientist and statesman of the Song Dynasty (960–1279). ... Shi Shen (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. ... Su Song 蘇頌 (1020 – 1101), style Zirong 子容, was a Chinese engineer. ... Xu Guangqi (Simplified Chinese: 徐光启; Traditional Chinese: 徐光啟; Pinyin: Xú Guāngqǐ) (1562–1633) was a Chinese agricultural scientist and mathematician born in Shanghai. ... For other uses, see Zhang Heng (disambiguation). ...

Observatory

• Beijing Ancient Observatory
• Astro Observatory

The armillary sphere The Beijing Ancient supersweetasticyobolicawsemness Observatory (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: běi jīng gǔ guān xiàng tái) is a pretelescopic observatory located in Beijing, China. ...

See also

• Book of Silk
• Chinese astrology
• Chinese constellation
• History of astronomy
• Timeline of Chinese astronomy

A page from the Book of Silk The Book of Silk is an ancient astronomy book made by Chinese astronomers around 400 BCE and found in a tomb in China in 1973. ... Chinese astrology is the divination of the future from the Chinese calendar, which is based on astronomy, and ancient Chinese philosophy. ... Chinese constellations are different from the western constellations, due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy. ... Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, dating back to antiquity, with its origins in the religious, mythological, and astrological practices of pre-history: vestiges of these are still found in astrology, a discipline long interwoven with public and governmental astronomy, and not completely disentangled from it until a... 2137 BC - Chinese book 书经 records the earliest known solar eclipse on October 22. ...

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Beijing Ancient Observatory

• Needham, Joseph (1986). Science and Civilization in China: Volume 3. Taipei: Caves Books, Ltd.

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...

Further reading

• Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures, edited by Helaine Selin. Dordrecht: Kluwer, 1997. S.v. "Astronomy in China," by Ho Peng Yoke.
• Sun Xiaochun, "Crossing the Boundaries Between Heaven and Man: Astronomy in Ancient China," in Astronomy Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Astronomy, edited by H. Selin, pp. 423-454. Dordrecht: Kluwer, 2000.
• Chan Ki-hung: Chinese Ancient Star Map, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, 2002, ISBN 962-7054-09-7
• Gems of the ancient Chinese astronomy relics, ISBN 962-7797-03-0

External links

• The Mathematics of the Chinese Calendary by Helmar Aslaksen
• Copernicus in China by Nathan Sivin
• Boundaries Crossing: Western Astronomy in Confucian China, 1600-1800 by Pingyi Chu
• Homepage of the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Chinese Ancient Astronomy
• Ancient Chinese Astronomy Exhibition
• Chinese astronomy at the University of Maine