MDP 39015071688480 15 1687081760

TRJI NSLLI TION OF THE TEXT
TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT 5
The central and exterior official stars symbolize, first, in the
imperial court, such officials as the three counselors, the feudal
princes, the nine ministers, the cavalry, the imperial bodyguard,
and so forth; second, in the country, they symbolize animals, such
as the cock, the dog, the wolf, the fish, the tortoise, the turtle, and
so forth; third, among mankind, they symbolize human works,
such as detached palaces, covered passages, processional canopies,
the five imperial carriages, and so forth. Regarding the other
stars, they are designated by names that are self-significant, so
that they can be understood by considering the particular name.30
The fixed stars all remain in their respective places and rotate
with Heaven; just as in the case of the numerous classes of
officials and myriads of common people, each one minds his own
affairs and obeys the orders of the Seven Directors. Likewise,
regarding the motion of the Seven Directors at the positions they
occupy, if the advances and recessions depart from the established
order and show prodigious irregularities, then, in accord with
these phenomena, are produced calamity and felicity; just as a
shadow (follows the body) or an echo (responds to its sound), so
prognostications may be deduced from these appearances and
events may be foretold.
THE PLANETS
The Planets are the essences of the five elements. The wood
planet is called Sui-Hsing [Jupiter]; the fire planet, Ying-Huo
[Mars]; the earth planet, T'ien-Hsing [Saturn]; the metal
planet, T'ai-Pai [Venus]; and the water planet, Ch'en-Hsing
[Mercury]. These, with the sun and the moon, are called the
Seven Directors, and all are subordinate to Heaven. Heaven
moves swiftly and the seven planets move slowly, but the slow
are carried along by the swift, so that each one, like Heaven, rises
in the east and sets in the west.
The five planets assist the sun and the moon in regulating the
five emanations 31 or breaths, and just as the six ministries have
their own duties and issue orders, so, throughout the whole em-
pire, prosperity or adversity, peace or peril, comes thereby.
During the periods of good government all human affairs are
well regulated, and at those times the Seven Directors move with
regular constancy. But, if it happens that the emperor interferes
with the office of the ministers or the latter usurps the imperial
power, the political administration falls into confusion and error,
morals and precepts become perverted, also the malign influences
30 This paragraph forms the basis for the application of the term "idealiza-
tion," to be illustrated later. The term may be faint praise, as it means a de-
parture from the observational pattern in the sky to fit the name of the asterism.
31 Rain, sunshine, wind, heat, and cold-.
[planetary] change strangely and behave irregularly. For ex-
ample, recorded in the chronicles are the following occurrences:
Ying-Huo [Mars] disappeared in P'ao-Kua [Gourd] and was
invisible all night, although P'ao-Kua is more than 30 degrees
north of the Yellow Road; once, however, it went zigzag in the
direction of Ssi, its rays of light dazzling and scintillating, as wide
as a five-bushel measure. Once T'ai-Pai [Venus] suddenly ran
into Lang-Hsing [Wolf Star, Sirius], though it is more than 40
degrees south of the Yellow Road. Once, moreover, Venus was
visible in full daylight and, while moving across the sky, rivaled
the sun in brightness. In very serious cases the planets changed
into phantom stars [stars of evil omen]. Thus the essence of the
planet of the year [Jupiter 32] changed into a comet of the type
Ch'an Ch'iang ["confusion"]; the essence of Ying-Huo [Mars]
changed into a comet of the class Ch'ih Yu Ch'i ["the banner of
Ch'ih Yu"]; 33 the essence of T'ien-Hsing [Saturn] changed into
a comet of the class T'ien-Tsei ["celestial thief"]; the essence
of T'ai-Pai [Venus] changed into a meteor of the class T'ien-Kou
["celestial dog"]; and the essence of Ch'en-Hsing [Mercury]
changed into a meteor of the class Wang-Shih ["crooked arrow "].
Likewise, the essence of the sun changed into Po [comet origi-
nating from the sun] and the moon into Hui [comet originating
from the moon]. Thus when the official orders are unable to
maintain quiet, these strange appearances predominate, and the
governing officials should pay great heed to these phenomena.

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﻿TRJI NSLLI TION OF THE TEXT

TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT 5

The central and exterior official stars symbolize, first, in the

imperial court, such officials as the three counselors, the feudal

princes, the nine ministers, the cavalry, the imperial bodyguard,

and so forth; second, in the country, they symbolize animals, such

so forth; third, among mankind, they symbolize human works,

such as detached palaces, covered passages, processional canopies,

the five imperial carriages, and so forth. Regarding the other

stars, they are designated by names that are self-significant, so

that they can be understood by considering the particular name.30

with Heaven; just as in the case of the numerous classes of

affairs and obeys the orders of the Seven Directors. Likewise,

regarding the motion of the Seven Directors at the positions they

occupy, if the advances and recessions depart from the established

order and show prodigious irregularities, then, in accord with

these phenomena, are produced calamity and felicity; just as a

shadow (follows the body) or an echo (responds to its sound), so

prognostications may be deduced from these appearances and

events may be foretold.

planet is called Sui-Hsing [Jupiter]; the fire planet, Ying-Huo

[Mars]; the earth planet, T'ien-Hsing [Saturn]; the metal

planet, T'ai-Pai [Venus]; and the water planet, Ch'en-Hsing

Seven Directors, and all are subordinate to Heaven. Heaven

in the east and sets in the west.

five emanations 31 or breaths, and just as the six ministries have

pire, prosperity or adversity, peace or peril, comes thereby.

During the periods of good government all human affairs are

regular constancy. But, if it happens that the emperor interferes

power, the political administration falls into confusion and error,

morals and precepts become perverted, also the malign influences

31 Rain, sunshine, wind, heat, and cold-.

[planetary] change strangely and behave irregularly. For ex-

ample, recorded in the chronicles are the following occurrences:

Ying-Huo [Mars] disappeared in P'ao-Kua [Gourd] and was

invisible all night, although P'ao-Kua is more than 30 degrees

north of the Yellow Road; once, however, it went zigzag in the

direction of Ssi, its rays of light dazzling and scintillating, as wide

as a five-bushel measure. Once T'ai-Pai [Venus] suddenly ran

into Lang-Hsing [Wolf Star, Sirius], though it is more than 40

degrees south of the Yellow Road. Once, moreover, Venus was

the sun in brightness. In very serious cases the planets changed

Ch'an Ch'iang ["confusion"]; the essence of Ying-Huo [Mars]

changed into a comet of the class Ch'ih Yu Ch'i ["the banner of

Ch'ih Yu"]; 33 the essence of T'ien-Hsing [Saturn] changed into

a comet of the class T'ien-Tsei ["celestial thief"]; the essence

of T'ai-Pai [Venus] changed into a meteor of the class T'ien-Kou

["celestial dog"]; and the essence of Ch'en-Hsing [Mercury]

changed into a meteor of the class Wang-Shih ["crooked arrow "].

Likewise, the essence of the sun changed into Po [comet origi-

maintain quiet, these strange appearances predominate, and the

governing officials should pay great heed to these phenomena.

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