Ancient calendars and constellationsPlunket, Emmeline M. (Emmeline Mary)
History
Ancient calendars and constellations
Plunket, Emmeline M. (Emmeline Mary)
Astronomy, Ancient; Calendar; Constellations
The four astronomical interpretations here proposed for Rudra, the
Maruts, Trita Aptya, and Atri, are all harmonious with and supplemental
to the four discussed in my Paper read at Rome, and entitled
_Astronomy in the Rig Veda_. They must to a great extent all stand or
fall together. They have been very briefly stated, but if indeed an
astronomic basis does, as suggested, underlie Vedic imagery, Sanscrit
scholars, with the science of etymology at their command, will easily
be able to follow up and pronounce upon the value of the clues here
hazarded.
VIII
THE CHINESE CALENDAR, WITH SOME REMARKS WITH REFERENCE TO THAT OF THE
CHALDEANS
[Reprinted from the _Proceedings of the Society of Biblical
Archæology, December 1901_]
The Chinese Lunar Zodiac is divided into 28 star groups named Siou.
Gustav Schlegel in his _Uranographie Chinoise_ having enumerated
these 28 siou--or as he translates that term, “domiciles”--says: “La
première chose qui nous frappe en voyant la liste des 28 domiciles,
c’est qu’elle commence par le domicile _Kio_, ou la _Vierge_, preuve
positive que c’était avec ce domicile que l’année a dû commencer
primitivement,”[95] and further on he quotes from “le _Eul-ya_ cette
antique dictionnaire,” as follows: “_L’Ancien des constellations_,
c’est _Kio_ et _Kang_ ... ils sont les chefs des domiciles, et à
cause de cela on les nomme _l’ancien des constellations_: et ‘le signe
d’Ancien des constellations’ est exactement les domiciles _Kio_ et
_Kang_.”[96] Schlegel adds: “Ce nom de _Ancien des constellations_
répond exactement à celui de _Princeps Signorum_ que les astrologues
romains donnerent au _bélier_; à l’époque où cette constellation
était signe de l’équinoxe du printemps. C’est-à-dire que le signe qui
annonçait le commencement de l’année était le premier, le Princeps
signorum, l’Ancien, le Chef, des constellations. Mais ces étoiles de
la Vierge portent encore d’autres noms qui tous out rapport au fait
astronomique que l’astérisme _Kio_ ouvrait l’année. Le ‘Sing-king’ les
nomme les _Chefs des quatre régions_, les _Légions célestes_.... _Elles
président aux métamorphoses de la création: elles sont traversées
par l’écliptique et les sept clartés (7 planets) commencent (leur
révolution) par elles._”
[95] _Uranographie Chinoise_, p. 79.
[96] _Uranographie Chinoise_, p. 87.
The concluding words from the Sing-king which I have marked in
italics--giving as they do the opinions held by ancient _Chinese_
writers respecting the first divisions of their Lunar Zodiac--may
remind us of the opinions held by _Indian_ astronomers as to their
first division of the Zodiac.
In Whitney’s comments on the _Sûrya Siddhânta_ he observes:--“The
initial point of the fixed Hindu sphere, from which longitudes are
reckoned, _and at which the planetary motions are held by all schools
of Hindu astronomy to have commenced at the creation_, is the end of
the asterism Revatî, or the beginning of Açvinî.”[97]
[97] V. p. 93.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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