Supreme Palace enclosure

Tai Wei Yuan, the Supreme Palace Enclosure (太微垣), is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during spring in the Northern Hemisphere (autumn in the Southern).

Asterisms

The asterisms are :

English name Chinese name Amount of starsWestern Constellation Additional notesRepresenting
Left Wall 太微左垣5 Virgo / Coma BerenicesConsists of :
  • The Left Law Administrator (左執法) → 1st star
  • The First Eastern Minister (東上相) → 2nd star
  • The Second Eastern Minister (東次相) → 3rd star
  • The Second Eastern General (東次將) → 4th star
  • The First Eastern General (東上將) → 5th star
Five guardian star in the left
Right Wall 太微右垣5 Leo / VirgoConsists of :
  • The Right Law Administrator (右執法) → 1st star
  • The First Western General (西上將) → 2nd star
  • The Second Western General (西次將) → 3rd star
  • The Second Western Minister (西次相) → 4th star
  • The First Western Minister (西上相) → 5th star
Five guardian star in the right
Usher to the Court 謁者1 VirgoThe officer in charge to interview the guests, also was ordered to ambassador
Three Excellencies 三公3 Virgo
Nine Senior Officers 九卿3 VirgoOfficials of nine luxury units
Five Lords 五諸侯5 Coma BerenicesFive lords of the Emperor
Inner Screen 內屏4 VirgoSmall wall within the door
Seats of the Five Emperors 五帝座5 LeoFive Emperors chair
Officer of Honour 幸臣1 Coma BerenicesFavorite of the courtiers
Crown Prince 太子1 LeoThe crown prince
Retinue 從官1 LeoThe emperor's attendants
Captain of the Bodyguards 郎將1 Coma BerenicesHigh military officer
Emperor's Bodyguard 虎賁1 LeoPalace garrison commanders
Imperial Guards 常陳7 Canes Venatici / Ursa MajorThe army
Officers of the Imperial Guard 郎位15 Coma BerenicesClerical officer in military
The Hall of Glory 明堂3 LeoPlaces of Emperor Xuan Mingzheng early education
Astronomical Observatory 靈台3 LeoThe sky observatory
Junior Officers 少微4 Leo / Leo MinorState official
Long Wall 長垣4 LeoBorder wall
Three Steps 三台6 Ursa MajorConsists of :
  • The First Upper Step (上台一) → 1st star
  • The Second Upper Step (上台二) → 2nd star
  • The First Middle Step (中台一) → 3rd star
  • The Second Middle Step (中台二) → 4th star
  • The First Lower Step (下台一) → 5th star
  • The Second Lower Step (下台二) → 6th star
Three rank official, or triple deck room in the heaven

Map

Tài Wēi Yuán map

See also