Lunar Stations

China

The Azure Dragon of the East

Ian Ridpath provides an extensive and excellently written description of the Chinese constellations that are located in what is now known as Virgo:

"In Chinese astronomy, northern Virgo was part of an area called Tàiwēi, a court or palace of the Emperor, where the Privy Council met in camera for administrative and legal discussions. This court, also known as the Supreme Palace Enclosure, included parts of Coma Berenices and Leo.

Tàiwēi was not in itself a constellation but an area of sky in which events or characters with a common theme were depicted. Being an enclosure it was bounded by walls on the east and west, each marked out by a chain of five stars. Tàiwēizuǒyuán, the left (eastern) wall started with Eta Virginis and continued northwards via Gamma (Porrima), Delta, and Epsilon Virginis (Vindemiatrix) to Alpha Comae Berenices.

Tàiwēiyòuyuán, the other wall started at Beta Virginis (Zavijava) and ran into Leo, ending at Delta Leonis.


Four Quadrants of Chinese astronomy
Source: ecumenicalbuddhism.blogspot.com


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