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Wikipedia |
R.H. Allen: Star Names |
Ian Ridpath: Star Tales |
Universe Guide |
Sea and Sky: Constellations |
IAU Map |
NASA: Constellations |
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Star LoreUrsa MajorPart 3 - Middle East and Asia |
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 The Saptarishis |
Ursa Major is the most prominent constellation in the in the northern
celestial hemisphere.
 The constellation, especially the Big Dipper plays an important role in the mythology of India, China and many other Asian nations. |
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Ursa Major references in the Bible
"The Bear" as a constellation is mentioned twice in the Bible.
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Islamic Astronomy Most of today's names of the stars of Ursa Major - including all eight stars of the Big Dipper - are of Arabic origin:
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Both names for Eta Ursae Majoris, Alkaid and Benetnasch are derived from the same arabic phrase al-qā'id bināt naʿsh
(leader of the daughters of the bier).
A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin, or casket containing a corpse is placed to lie in state or to be carried to the grave. Bināt naʿsh al-kubra The daughters of the bier, i.e. the mourning maidens, are the three stars of the handle of the Big Dipper, Alkaid, Mizar, and Alioth; while the four stars of the bowl, Megrez, Phecda, Merak, and Dubhe, are the bier. Source: Wikipedia |
Arabic Names of the stars of the Big Dipper
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| In addition to the Big Dipper, Arab astronomers identified two asterisms within Ursa Major: |
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θ,
τ,
23,
υ,
φ,
18 and
15 UMa formed Sarīr Banāt al-Na'sh, the Throne of the Mourners, also
known as Al-Haud, the Pond.
In the south of Ursa Major are three pairs of stars, collectively known as Ḳafzah al Ṭhibā,the Springs of the Gazelle, each pair making one spring; the Gazelle being imagined from the unformed stars since gathered up as Leo Minor, and the springing of the animal being due to its fear of the greater Lion's tail. Eventually the gazelle jumped into Al-Haud, the Pond. ν and ξ were called Al Ḳafzah al Ūla - the first spring; λ and μ were called Al Fiḳrah al Thānia - the second spring; ι and κ were called All Ḳafzah al‑thālithaḥ - the third spring. |
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Ancient India
Subhash Kak writes in
Birth and Development of
Indian Astronomie, that in the Vedic periode,
the stars later known in the West as the Big Dipper and as Ursa Minor were called "the Riksas" - the bears.
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In Hinduism, the Big Dipper is known as Saptarshi
(सप्तर्षि - meaning "seven sages"). Each of the stars of the the Big Dipper represents
one of the Saptarshi or Seven Sages.
The Saptarshi are the seven rishis in ancient India, who are extolled at many places in the Vedas and other Hindu literature. In the Vedas, they are regarded as the patriarchs of the Vedic religion. In addition, Mizar's companion Alcor is named Arundhati, after the wife of Vashista. |
The Seven SaptarishiSource: indiafacts.org |
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The Stars of the Big Dipper in Hindu Mythology
Source: Wikipedia
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Brahma and the Seven SaptarishiSource: Pinterest
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Big Dipper in Hindu Astronomy |
Big Dipper in Chinese Astronomy |
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The Stars of the Big Dipper in Chinse Astronomy
Sources: Ian Ridpath and Wikipedia To the right is a painting by an unknown Ming Dynasty royal artist, depicting a grand ritual in heaven. The seven young men in casual clothing are seven stars in the Big Dipper while nine middle-aged guys with beards in formal official attire are dippers’ assistants. |
The Celestial Ruling GroupJintai Era (1450-1456) Source: View of China
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Ancient China In Chinese, Ursa Major is written 大 熊 座.
Chinese astronomers knew the shape of the Big Dipper as Beidou, the Northern Dipper (they had a Southern Dipper as well, in
Sagittarius).
In a Chinese proverb, the southern dipper marks life while the northern dipper (Beidou, our Big Dipper in Ursa Major) marks death. The Hong Kong Space Museum tells the story of the two dippers: |
Chariot of the Emperor; © Arjayempee
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor |
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It was said that, in the Period of Three Kingdoms (220-280), there was a famous Taoist priest named Guan Lu. Once day he met a young man named Yan Chao. As an expert in physiognomy, he found the young man would die soon and told the man his ill fortune. At the time, Yan Chao was only nineteen and was really upset by the bad news. He begged the priest to help him. Guan Lu instructed, "You should go home fast and prepare a bottle of good wine and a plate of deer meat. Then go to the south of the wheat fields. Under a giant mulberry tree, you will find two old men playing Go. Serve them well and don't say a word. They may help you." Following the instruction, Yan Chao finally found the old men as described. He stood beside still and served them with wine and meat silently. Being too concentrated on the game, they enjoyed the feast subconsciously. After some time, the old men to the North suddenly noticed the present of Yan Chao and annoyingly said, "What are you doing here?" Without saying a word, Yan Chao fell on his knees and kowtowed. |
Two old menSource: Hong Kong Space Museum |
| Not knowing how to deal with the young man, the old man finally said, "we've enjoyed his offerings. Let's do something to reward him." The old man to the South said, "Give me your record of death." When he found that Yan Chao was destined to live only nineteen years, he crossed the record out and changed it into ninety. Delighted with unexpected good result, Yan Chao thanked the old men and went home. Afterwards, Guan Lu explained, "the old man sitting to the North is Northern Dipper, the one to the South is Southern Dipper. Southern Dipper is responsible for the birth and Northern Dipper is responsible for the death." |
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Ian Ridpath describes the other asterisms in the constellation as follows:
A ring of six faint stars near Merak including 36 and 44 UMa was known as Tiānláo, a prison for noblemen (the prison for commoners was in Corona Borealis), although some maps place this group south of ψ UMa. Tiānlǐ, the judge responsible for imprisoning the noblemen, was represented by four faint stars including 66 UMa within the bowl of the Dipper. Six stars in the forelegs and head of the bear formed an arc called Wénchāng, the administrative centre, representing six officers or departments of the celestial government. Sources differ as to exactly which six stars were involved, but υ, φ, θ 15 UMa were among them. |
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There are various other faint Chinese constellations in this area which are difficult to identify with any certainty. To the north of
Wénchāng was Sānshī a trio of stars representing three tutors. [Wikipedia
identifies this group as ρ,
σ1 and
σ2 Uma.]
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Nèijiē, "inner steps", was a group of six stars representing steps between Wenchang and the polar region of the sky. The Chinese referred
to the area around the celestial pole as the Purple Palace or Central Palace. The star 24 UMa
formed part of one of the walls enclosing this circumpolar region; the complete wall extended from
Draco to Camelopardalis
South of the bowl of the Dipper were two named single stars. One was called Tàiyángshǒu, "guard of the Sun", usually identified as χ UMa, while ψ UMa was Tàizūn, representing royal relatives or ancestors. In southern Ursa Major, the three pairs of stars that the Arabs visualized as the tracks of a leaping gazelle were known in China as Sāntái, "three steps’, either leading to the administrative centre Wenchang, or steps that allowed the Emperor to travel between Earth and sky – literally, three steps to Heaven. In Chinese astronomy, all the asterisms, except for Sāntái were part of the Purple Forbidden enclosure; Sāntái was located in the Supreme Palace enclosure. Sources: Ian Ridpath, Wikipedia |
Stair to the Purple Heaven Palace;
© Lu Jialiang |
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Shinto
In Shinto, the seven largest stars of Ursa Major belong to Amenominakanushi, the "Heavenly Ancestral God of the Originating Heart of the Universe."
Taoism
Buddhism
Sources: Wikipedia
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DoumuSource: Wikipedia
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Korea
In Korea, the constellation is referred to as "the seven stars of the north." In the related myth, a widow with seven sons found comfort with a
widower, but to get to his house required crossing a stream. The seven sons, sympathetic to their mother, placed stepping stones in the river.
Their mother, not knowing who put the stones in place, blessed them and, when they died, they became the constellation.
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Stepping stones;
Wikipedia
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Mongolia
Wikipedia informs us about a Mongolian version of the prehistoric myth of the
Seven Men:
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Myanmar
In Burmese, the stars of the Big Dipper are known as Pucwan Tārā (pronounced "bazun taja").
Pucwan is a general term for a crustacean, such as prawn, shrimp, crab, lobster,
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Malaysia and Indonesia
In Malay, the Big Dipper is known as Buruj Biduk, the Boat Constellation;
in Indonesian, as Bintang Biduk, the Canoe Stars.
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Biduk Canoe in IndonesiaSource: 1001 Malam
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