Chinese star maps

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China and other countries in east asia has a long history of observing stars and recording them. There are many star maps created during thousands of years. This page is intended to list or show the best available version of each star map (星圖).

[edit] star maps

Name Time Created Contents links
Mural in a Neolithic Grave in Honan Puyong(河南濮陽西水坡新石器時代古墓M45伏羲星图) c. 4000 B.C. clam shells arranged in the shape of Big Dipper in the North (北斗) and below the foot, Tiger in the West and Azure Dragon in the East. Also showing Five Stars -
Wu Xian Star Map 商巫咸星圖 c. 1000 BC contained 44 Central and Outer constellations totally 141 stars -
Jiansu Lianyungong Jiangjunya Ancient Rock Art 江苏连云港海州区桃花涧将军崖岩画 c. 1000 BC Discovered in 1979 on mountain rocks. Some pictures may represent Milkyway. Some researcher said it depicted summer solstice and winter solstice. Some picture also linked to the eldest son Gomon 勾芒, also known as 重, of Fuxi 伏羲 and Nuwa 女娲. A picture showed nine stars in Big Dipper. [1]
Zhan Guo grave lacquer box (戰國初年湖北隨縣擂鼓墩曾侯乙墓漆箱) c. 5th Century BC Indicated location of Big Dipper and 28 Constellations by characters [2]
Star Catalog《天文星占》 by Gan De (甘德) 475-221 B.C. Contained 75 Central Constellation and 42 Outer Constellations, some said 510 stars in 18 Constellations -
Star catalog 《天文》, also known as 《石氏星经》, by Shi Shen (石申) c. 350 B.C. 138 Constellations and the name of 810 stars, location of 121 stars, some said it contains The 28 Lunar Ecliptic Constellations, 62 Central Constellations and 30 Outer Constellations -
Han Comet Diagrams 湖南長沙馬王堆漢墓帛書《彗星圖》 193 BC Different 29 different types of comets, also record and prediction of postions of Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus during 246-177 B.C. [3]
Five Star Prediction Device 安徽阜陽五星候占儀 168 BC Also an Equtorial Device -
Equatorial Armillary Sphere 赤道式渾儀 by Lo Sha Hong 落下閎 104 BC 西漢武帝時 lost -
Celestrial Globe (渾象) or 圓儀 by Gan Shochung 耿壽昌 52 BC 甘露二年 lost -
First remark of a constellation in observation in Korean history 49 BC 혁거세 거서간 9년 The star 'Pae'(a kind of comet) appeared in the constellation Wang Rang Samguk Sagi
First Ecliptic Armillary Sphere 黄道仪 by Jia Kuei 贾逵 30-101 AD 东汉永元十五年 - -
Han Grave Mural Star Chart 洛阳西汉墓壁画《星象图》 c. 1st Century Sun, Moon and ten other star charts [4]
Han Dynasty Nanyong Stone Engraving 河南南阳汉石刻画 《行雨图》 c. 1st Century Depicted five stars forming a cross [5]
Tong Han Celestrial Globe and star maps 浑天仪,《渾天儀圖注,浑天仪图注》,《靈憲,灵宪》 by Zhang Hen 张衡 117 AD - -
Sky Map 浑天图 and wrote Hun Tian Yi Shuo 浑天仪说 by Lu Ji 陆绩 187-219 AD 三国 - -
Reproduced Hun Tian Yi 浑天仪 and wrote Hun Tian Xiang Shuo 浑天象说 by Wang Fang 王蕃 227-266 AD 三国 - -
Whole Sky Star Maps 全天星圖 by Chen Zhuo 陳卓 c. 270 AD 西晉初 A Unified Constellation System. Star maps containing 1464 stars in 284 Constellations, written astrology text -
Equatorial Armillary Sphere 渾儀 by Kong Tin 孔挺 323 AD 東晉 前趙光初六年 level being used in this kind of device -
Bei Wei Iron Armillary Sphere 鐵渾儀 by Hu Lan 斛蘭 436-440 AD 北魏 level being used in this kind of device -
Nan Dynasty Whole Sky Planetarium 渾天象 by Qian Lezhi 錢樂之 443 AD 南朝劉宋元嘉年間 used red, black and white to differentiate stars from different star maps from Shi Shen, Gan De and Wu Xian 甘,石,巫三家星 -
Korean Ancient Tomb c. 5th Century Big Dipper [6]
Bei-Wei Grave Dome Star Map 河南洛陽北魏墓頂星圖 526 AD 北魏孝昌二年 about 300 stars, including the Big Dipper, some stars are linked by straight lines to form constellation. The Milky Way is also shown. [7]
Water-powered Plantarium 水力渾天儀 by Gen Xuin 耿詢 c. 7th Century 隋初 - -
Lingtai Miyuan 《靈台秘苑》by Yu Zicai 庾季才 and Zho Fin 周墳 604 AD 隋 incorporated star maps from different sources -
Tong Dynasty Whole Sky Ecliptic Armillary Sphere 渾天黃道儀 by Li Chunfong 李淳風 667 AD 貞觀七年 including Eliptic and Moon orbit, in addition to old equatorial design -
Korean Stone Star Map Fragment c. 5-7 Century - [8]
The Dunhuang (敦煌) star map 705-710 AD 1,585 stars grouped into 257 clusters or "asterisms" [9]
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Tulufang Tomb Star Mural 新疆吐鲁番阿斯塔那天文壁画 250-799 AD 唐 28 Constellations, Mikyway and Five Stars [21]
[22]
Picture of Fuxi and Nuwa 新疆阿斯達那唐墓伏羲女媧 Tang Dynasty Picture of Fuxi and Nuwa togther with some constellations [23]
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Tang Dynasty Armillary Sphere 唐代渾儀 and 黃道遊儀 by Yixing Priest 一行和尚 (张遂) and Liang Lingzan 梁令瓚 683-727 AD based on Han Dynasty Celestrial Globe, recalibrated locations of 150 stars, determined that stars are moving [26]
Tang Dynasty Indian Horoscope Chart《梵天火羅九曜》by Yixing Priest 一行和尚 (张遂) 683-727 AD simple diagrams of the 28 Constellation [27]
Takamatsu Zuka Kofun 高松塚古墳 in Japan c. late 7th Century - early 8th Century 28 Constellations and Zenith [28]
[29]
Kitora Kofun 法隆寺 キトラ古墳 in Japan c. late 7th Century - early 8th Century Detailed whole sky map [30]
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Tang Dynasty Astrology Book 《開元占経,开元占经》 713 AD - Collection of the three old star charts from Shi Shen, Gan De and Wu Xian 甘,石,巫三家星 -
Tang Dynasty Bronze Mirror 唐代二十八宿銅鏡 c. 9th Century depicted the 28 constellations [34]
Big Dipper 山東嘉祥武梁寺石刻北斗星 - showing stars in Big Dipper [35]
Prajvalonisa Vjrabhairava Padvinasa-sri-dharani Scroll found in Japan 熾盛光佛頂大威德銷災吉祥陀羅尼經卷首扉畫 972 AD 北宋開寶五年 Chinese 28 Constellations and Western Zodiac -
Tangut Khara-Khoto (The Black City) Star Map 西夏黑水城星圖 940 AD A typical Qian Lezhi Style Star Map -
Star Chart 五代吳越文穆王前元瓘墓石刻星象圖 941-960 AD - [36]
Ancient Star Map 先天图 by 陈抟 c. 11th Century 宋 Perhaps based on studying of Puyong Ancient Star Map Lost
Song Dynasty Bronze Armillary Sphere 北宋至道銅渾儀 by Han Xianfu韓顯符 1006 AD 宋道元年十二月 Similar to the Simplified Armillary by Kong Tin 孔挺,晁崇Chao Cong ,斛蘭 Hu Lan -
Song Dynasty Bronze Armillary Sphere 北宋天文院黄道渾儀 by Shu Yizian 舒易簡, Yu Yuan 于渊,Zho Cong 周琮 宋皇祐年中 Similar to the Armillary by Tang Dynasty Liang Lingzan梁令瓚 and Zhang Xue 一行 -
Song Dynasty Armillary Sphere 北宋簡化渾儀 by Shen Kua沈括 and Huangfu Yu 皇甫愈 1089 AD 熙寧七年 Simplied version of Tang Dynasty Device, removed the rarely used moon orbit. -
Five Star Charts 《新儀象法要》 by Su Song 蘇頌 1094 AD 1464 stars grouped into 283 asterisms [37]
Song Dynasty Water-powered Plantarium 宋代 水运仪象台 by Su Song 蘇頌 and Han Konglian 韩公廉 c. 11th Century - [38]
[39]
Liao Dynasty Tomb Dome Star Map 遼宣化张世卿墓頂星圖 1116 AD 遼天庆六年 shown both the Chinese 28 Constellation encircled by Babylonian Zodiac [40]
[41]
Star Map in a woman's grave (江西德安 南宋周氏墓星相图) 1127-1279 AD Milky Way and 57 other stars. [42]
Hun Tian Yi Tong Xing Xiang Quan Tu, Suzhou Star Chart 《蘇州石刻天文圖》,淳祐天文図 by Huang Shang (黃裳) developed in 1193, etched to stone in 1247 1434 Stars grouped into 280 Asterisms in Northern Sky map [43]
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Yuan Dynasty Simplified Armillary Sphere 元代簡儀 by Kuo Shojin 郭守敬 1276-1279 Further simplied version of Song Dynasty Device [48]
Japanese Star Chart 格子月進図 1324 Similar to Su Song Star Chart, original burned in air raids during World War II, only pictures left. Reprinted in 1984 by 佐佐木英治
天象列次分野之図(Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido) 1395 Korean versions of Star Map in Stone. It was made in Chosun Dynasty and the constellation names were written in Chinese letter. The constellations as this was found in Japanese later. Contained 1,464 stars. [49]
[50]
Japanese Star Chart 瀧谷寺 天之図 c. 14-15 Century 室町中期以前 -
Korean King Sejong's Armillary sphere 1433 - [51]
[52]
Star Chart by Mao Kun 茅坤 c. 1422 Polaris compared with Southern Cross and Alpha Centauri [53]
Korean Tomb c. Late 14th Century Big Dipper [54]
Chanshu Star Chart 《明常熟石刻天文圖》 1506 Based on Suzhou Star Chart, Northern Sky observed at 36.8 degrees North Lattitude, 1466 stars grouped into 284 asterism -
Ming Ancient Star Chart 明代北京隆福寺《古星圖》 c. 1500 - [55]
Ming Dynasty Star Map 《渾蓋通憲圖說》by Matteo Ricci 利玛窦[56], recorded by Li Zhizao 李之藻 c. 1550 - [57]
Korean Astronomy Book "Selected and Systematized Astronomy Notes" 天文類抄 1623~1649 Contained some star maps [58]
[59]
Ming Dynasty General Star Map 《赤道南北兩總星圖》 by Xu Kuangci 徐光啟 and Adam Schall von Bell 湯若望 1634 - [60]
Ming Dynasty diagrams of Armillary spheres and Celestrial Globes by Xu Kuangci 徐光啟 c. 1699 -
Ming Dynasty Planetarium Machine (渾象) c. 17th Century Ecliptic, Equator, and dividers of 28 constellation [61]
Copper Plate Star Map stored in Korea 1652 順治九年 - [62]
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天象列次之図 based on 天象列次分野之図 from Korean by Harumi Shibukawa 渋川春海(保井春海) 1670 寛文十年 - [63]
The Celestrial Globe 清康熙 天體儀 by Ferdnand Verbiest 南懷仁 1673 1876 stars grouped into 282 asterisms [64]
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天文分野之図 by Harumi Shibukawa 渋川春海 (保井春海) 1677 延宝五年 - [65]
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Korean star map in stone 1687 - [67]
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天文図解 by 井口常範 1689 元禄2年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 古暦便覧備考 by 苗村丈伯 1692 元禄5年 - -
Japanese star chart by Harumi Yasui written in Chinese 1699 AD A Japanese star chart of 1699 showing lunar stations [68]
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Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天文成象 by 渋川昔尹 (保井昔尹) 1699 元禄十二年 including Stars from Wu Shien (44 Constellation, 144 stars) in yellow; Gan De (118 Constellations, 511 stars) in black; Shi Shen (138 Constellations, 810 stars) in red and Harumi Shibukawa (61 Constellations, 308 stars) in blue; [71]
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Japanese Star Chart 改正天文図説 unknown Included stars from Harumi Shibukawa [74]
Korean Star Map Stone c. 17th Century - [75]
Korean Star Map c. 17th Century - [76]
Ceramic Ink Sink Cover c. 17th Century Showing Big Dipper [77]
Korean Star Map Cube 方星圖 by Italian Missionary Philippus Maria Grimardi 閔明我 (1639~1712) c. early 18 Century - [78]
Star Chart preserved in Japan based on a book from China 天経或問 by Yu Zilio 游子六 1730 AD 江戸時代 享保15年 A Northern Sky Chart in Chinese [79]
Star Chart 清蒙文石刻《欽天監繪製天文圖》 in Mongolia 1727-1732 AD 1550 stars grouped into 270 starisms. [80]
Korean Star Maps, North and South to the Eclliptic 黃道南北恒星圖 1742 - [81]
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天経或問註解図巻 下 by 入江脩敬 1750 寛延3年 - -
Reproduction of an ancient device 璇璣玉衡 by Dai Zhen 戴震 1723-1777 AD based on ancient record and his own interpretation Could be similar to [82]
Rock Star Chart 清代天文石 c. 18th Century A Star Chart and general Astronomy Text [83]
Korean Complete Star Map (渾天全圖) c. 18th Century - [84]
[85]
Qing Dynasty Star Catalog 《儀象考成,仪象考成》恒星表 and Star Map 黄道南北両星総図 by 允禄 and Ignatius Kogler 戴进贤戴進賢, a German Device made in 1744, book completed in 1757 清乾隆年间 - -
Jingban Tianwen Quantu by Ma Junliang 马俊良 1780-90 AD mapping nations to the sky [86]
Japanese Edo period Illustration of a Star Measuring Device 平天儀図解 by 岩橋善兵衛 1802 享和二年 - The device could be similar to [87]?
[88]
North Sky Map 清嘉庆年间《黄道中西合图》by Xu Choujun 徐朝俊 1807 AD More than 1000 stars and the 28 consellation [89]
[90]
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天象総星之図 by 朝野北水 1814 文化十一年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 新制天球星象記 by 田中政均 1815 文化十二年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天球図 by 坂部廣胖 1816 文化十三年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 新制天球星象記 by 田中政均 1815 文化十二年 - -
Chinese Star map by John Reeves esq 1819 AD Printed map showing Chinese names of stars and constellations [91]
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 昊天図説詳解 by 佐藤祐之 1824 文政七年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 星図歩天歌 by 小島好謙 and 鈴木世孝 1824 文政七年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart by 鈴木世孝 1824 文政七年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天象管鈔 天体図 (天文星象図解) by 長久保赤水 1824 文政七年 - [92]
Japanese Edo period Star Measuring Device 中星儀 by 足立信順 1824 文政七年 - -
Japanese Star Map 天象一覧図 in Kanji by 桜田虎門 1824 AD 文政7年 Printed map showing Chinese names of stars and constellations [93]
Korean Star Map 天象列次分野之図 in Kanji c. 19th Century Printed map showing Chinese names of stars and constellations [94]


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Korean Star Map c. 19th Century, late Choson Period - [97]
Korean Star maps: Star Map South to the Ecliptic 黃道南恒星圖 and Star Map South to the Ecliptic 黃道北恒星圖 c. 19th Century Perhaps influenced by Adam Schall von Bell湯若望 (1591-1666) and P. Ignatius Koegler 戴進賢 (1680-1748) [98]
[99]
Korean Complete map of the celestial sphere (渾天全圖) c. 19th Century - [100]
Korean Book of Stars 經星 c. 19th Century Several star maps [101]
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 方円星図,方圓星図 and 増補分度星図方図 by 石坂常堅 1826b文政9年 - -  
Japanese Star Chart by 伊能忠誨 c. 19th Century - -  
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 天球図説 by 古筆源了材 1835 天保6年 - -
Qing Dynasty Star Catalog 《儀象考成續編》星表 1844 3240 stars -
Stars map 《恒星赤道経緯度図》stored in Japan 1844 道光24年 or 1848 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 経緯簡儀用法 by 藤岡有貞 1845 弘化2年 - -
Japanese Edo period Star Chart 分野星図 by 高塚福昌,阿部比輔,上条景弘 1849 嘉永2年 - -
Japanese Late Edo period Star Chart 天文図屏風 by 遠藤盛俊 late Edo Period 江戸時代後期 - -
Japanese Star Chart 天体図 by 三浦梅園 - - -
Japanese Star Chart 梅園星図 by 高橋景保 - - [102]
Korean Book of New Song of the Sky Pacer 新法步天歌 by 李俊養 1862 Star maps and a revised version of the Song of Sky Pacer [103]
Stars South of Equator, Stars North of Equator 《赤道南恆星圖,赤道北恆星圖》 1875~1908 清末光緒年間 Similar to Ming Dynasty General Star Map [104]
Fuxi 64 gua 28 xu wood carving 天水市卦台山伏羲六十四卦二十八宿全图 modern - -
Korean Map of Heaven and Earth 天地圖 c. 19th Century 28 Constellations and geographic map [105]
Korean version of 28 Constellation 列宿圖 c. 19th Century 28 Constellations, some named differently from their Chinese counterparts [106]
Korean Star Chart 渾天図 by 朴? - - -
Star Chart in a Dao Temple 玉皇山道觀星圖 1940 AD - -
Sky Map by Yu Xi Dao Ren 玉溪道人 1987 Star Map with captions [107]
The Chinese Sky during the Han Constellating Stars and Society by Sun Xiaochun and Jacob Kistemaker 1997 AD An attempt to recreate night sky seen by Chinese 2000 years ago [108]
Star map Recent An attempt by a Japanese to reconstruct the night sky for a historical event around 235 AD 秋風五丈原 [109]
Star maps Recent Chinese 28 Constellation with Chinese and Japanese captions [110]
AEEA Star maps Modern Good reconstruction and explanation of Chinese constellations [111]
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Wikipedia Star maps Modern - [114]
28 Constellations, big dipper and 4 symbols Star map Modern - [115]

[edit] Other Links

List of Japanese Star Charts from 17th - 19th Century and their storage locations. Also listed are some copies of Chinese Star Maps.

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