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Star Lore Scorpius Part 2 - Asia and Pacific

Azure Dragon of the East

Scorpius is one of the most prominent and most recognizable constellations in our summer sky. Located on the celestial equator, the constellation is visible throughout the world. In Chinese and Indian astronomy, the constellation stretches across several lunar mansions.

Asia

China In Chinese, Scorpius is written 天 蝎 座. The constellation covers the fourth, fifth and sixth Lunar Mansion in Chinese astronomy. All mansions are located in the quadrant of the Azure Dragon of the East. Ian Ridpath tells us: "The four stars that we regard as forming the head of the scorpion, namely Beta, Delta, Pi, and Rho Scorpii, were known in ancient China as Fang (literally room), after which the fourth lunar mansion is named. Fang marks the abdomen of the Blue Dragon. These stars had several other personifications, including four assistants to the Emperor and a team of four horses. The adjacent naked-eye double star Omega-1/ Omega-2 Scorpii was Gouqian, a lock, while the single star Nu Scorpii just to the north was Jianbi, a bolt, presumably for securing the room."

Scorpius in Chinese Astronomy Map designed based on a map provided by seasky.org

Ruddy Antares was called Huǒxīng 火星, the "fire star". With its two flankers, Sigma and Tau Scorpii, it formed Xin, the heart of the Blue Dragon, from which the fifth lunar mansion took its name. Antares/Huo was also said to represent a throne of the Emperor (he had several of them in different parts of the sky) with Sigma being the Crown Prince sitting on one side and Tau representing the son of a concubine on the other. [End of Ian Ridpath Quote]

Sources: Ian Ridpath and Wikipedia Another name for Antares was Xīnxiù'èr 心宿二, meaning "second star of mansion Heart." In the second millennium BC, Antares was the national star of the Shang dynasty. Source: Wikipedia

King Tang of the Shang Dynasty Source: Ancient History Encycl.

[Continuing Ian Ridpath Quote] "The hook of nine stars from Epsilon to Lambda and Upsilon Scorpii formed the constellation Wei, meaning 'tail'. The sixth lunar mansion was named after it. ... Wei was also seen as a palace of the Emperor, with various apartments for the Empress and concubines. Next to the third star of the tail, Zeta Scorpii, was Shengong, a dressing room; this is identified not as a star but the naked-eye open cluster NGC 6231. Near the tip of the dragon’s tail was a single star called Fuyue, the present-day G Scorpii. This star represented a legendary slave or hermit who became chancellor to the Emperor Wu Ding around 1200 BC. This star also represents the Empress praying for sons and grandsons. Just north of it is Yu, representing a fish in the Milky Way, identified with the naked-eye open cluster M7."

"To the right of the tail, six stars including H and N Scorpii formed part of Jizu, a battalion of soldiers ready to repel invading forces. Jizu consisted of 12 stars in all, divided into four groups of three; two of these groups were in Scorpius, another was in Lupus and the fourth in Norma. In northernmost Scorpius were two constellations associated with the celestial market in and around Ophiuchus."

A battalion of soldiers (The Terracotta Army) Source: Smithsonian Magazine

"A line of three stars, identities uncertain, formed Fa (‘punishment’), symbolizing fines or financial compensation against dishonest traders. Four stars, including Xi Scorpii and extending into Libra, formed Xixian, the eastern door to a stewards’ room for investigating trading infringements; the western door, Dongxian, Ophiuchus." [End of Quote] Source: Ian Ridpath

Ian Ridpath mentions G Scorpii being named after Fu Yue. Here is what Wikipedia tells us about this character: "Fu Yue was originally a laborer, skilled at making walls for defense. Being unable to subscribe towards the repair of certain roads, he then worked upon them himself. After emperor Wu Ding heard of Fu Yue, he wanted to bring him to his royal court, but was worried that his court officials would despise Fu Yue for his background. Wu Ding concocted a dream that Heaven sent him an able minister; and on seeking for the man according to the features seen in the dream, Fu Yue was discovered in a work shed and received the appointment." Source: Wikipedia

Fu Yue Source: Wikipedia

Scorpius and Orion A Chinese legend shows a stunning similarity to the Greek myth of Orion and Scorpius, which were placed on opposite sides of the sky: Legendary emperor Gaoxinshi, who - as legend tells us - ruled China from c. 2436 BC to c. 2366 BC had two sons, Shichen and Ebo, who were always fighting. Eventually, the emperor had only one solution to the feud: He placed his sons in the sky. Shichen became the ruler of the lunar mansion of Shen in present-day Orion, while Ebo was sent to rule the lunar mansion mansion Xin, in present-day Scorpius. Like the two fighting brothers, the two lunar mansions could never be seen at the same time. Sources: Hong Kong Space Museum and Ian Ridpath's Star Tales

Shichen and Ebo Source: Hong Kong Space Museum

India

The constellation covers the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth Lunar Mansion (called Nakashtras) in Indian astronomy. The 17th Nakshatra is called Anuradha, meaning "following rādhā," which is one of the names of the 16th Nakshatra. This Lunar mansion is associated with the divinity Mitra. It entails the stars we usually consider the scorpion's head. The 18th Nakshatra is called Jyeshtha, meaning "the eldest, most excellent." It is the Lunar mansion of Antares and its celestial neighbors and is associated with Indra, the chief of the Hindu Gods. The 19th Nakshatra is called Mula, meaning "root." Is is usually symbolized as a bunch of roots and is associated with Nirṛti, the Hindu God of dissolution and destruction. It contains the stars we usually see as the scorpions tail. Source: Wikipedia

Scorpius in Indian Astronomy Map designed based on a map provided by seasky.org

Pacific

Hawaii In Hawaii, the constellation Scorpius is known as Nui o Maui (The Big Fishhook of Maui). Shaula (λ Sco), the star at the point of the scorpion's tail, is called Ka Maka (The point of the fishhook). Hawaii's great hero Māui is said to have created Hawaii's islands when he caught his hook on the ocean floor and raised the islands to the surface. Source: Wikipedia Antares (α Sco) is called Lehua-kona (Southern Lehua blossom). Source: University of Hawaii

The Big Fishhook of Maui Source: tourmaui.com

Paikauhale, meaning "vagabond" or "house-to-house wanderer" is the Hawaiian name for τ Scorpii. In 2018, the IAU's Working Group on Star Names approved Paikauhale as the official name for that star. While there are indigenous names for all bright stars in Hawaiian culture, Paikauhale was the first star bearing a Hawaiian name in the IAU's List of proper Names of Stars. Source: Wikipedia

Tahiti In Tahiti, a traditional story is told of the Pipirima Twins, a brother and a sister, named Pipiri and Rehua, who flee their parents into the sky and become stars. While chasing them into the sky, their parents call them Pipirima, meaning Pipiri and company. In one account, the children become the stars Shaula (λ Scorpii) and Lesath (υ Scorpii) in the tip of the tail of Scorpio. In another version, they become μ1 Scorpii and μ2 Scorpii. In 2017, the IAU assigned names to the binary system of μ1 and μ2 Scorpii, sharing the Tahitian story with a story from southwest Africa. μ2 Scorpii was named Pipirima, while μ1 Scorpii received the Khoikhoi name Xamidimura. Source: Wikipedia

The Legend of Pipirima (song) Source: youtube

Cook Islands In a similar version of the story told in the Cook Islands, the Pipirima Twins become ω1 Scorpii and ω2 Scorpii. Source: Wikipedia

Māori In Māori, the central part of Scorpius is called Te Waka o Mairerangi, while the "tail" is called Tama-rereti. They are part of a larger constellation called Te Waka o Tamarēreti, Tamarēreti's Canoe. Orion's Belt, called Tautoru, forms the stern, Te Waka o Mairerangi is the keel and Te Waka o Mairerangi is the bow. Māhutonga (the Southern Cross) is the anchor and the Pointers in Centaurus are the anchor line, called Te Taura o te Waka o Tamarēreti. Sources: Wikipedia, Maori Dictionary, Maori Star Names Tūhoe legends surrounding the creation of star constellations, Part 1 and Part 2

Te Waka o Tamarēreti Source: Youtube

Antares is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius. The Ngāi Tūhoe people of New Zealand's North Island call that star Rēhua, and regard it as the chief of all the stars. Rēhua is the father of Puanga/Puaka, which is Rigel, an important star in the calculation of the Māori calendar. Source: Wikipedia To the Ngāi Tūhoe, Rēhua is a son of Rangi and Papa. Because he lives in the highest of the skies, Rehua is untouched by death, and has power to cure blindness, revive the dead, and heal any disease. In other Pacific cultures, Rēhua is associates with different stars, such as Betelgeuse or Sirius Source: Wikipedia

Rehua Source: Rehua Arts

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