"The Calendar Is Going to Change":A Study of Textual Compilation of the"Book of Chinese Constellations"and Sima Qian's Celestial-Human Thoughts
Historically,the debate in academic history regarding the"Book of Chinese Constellations"has mostly focused on whether Sima Qian was the author of the text.Based on excavated documents,early astronomical classics were mostly circulated through single-type chapters.However,during the Han dynasty,these various types of astronomical literature began to merge into new composite documents,such as the"Book of Chinese Constellations"compiled by Sima Qian.The source of materials of the"Book of Chinese Constellations"are diverse,incorporating single-type chapters from scholars such as Gan,Shi,Tang Du,Wei Xian and Wang Shuo,and deriving a new composite astronomical literature.Comparing the early excavated and handed down astronomical literature,it is evident that early astronomical theories had their own academic systems.The heaven and human system constructed by the"Book of Chinese Constellations"carries Sima Qian's personal academic intentions,which had a far-reaching influence on the academic system,eventually overshadowing other schools of thought and becoming the mainstream of ancient astronomical theories.At the same time,the compilation of the"Book of Chinese Constellations"is closely related to the major historical event that the Emperor Wu revised calendar in the first year of the Taichu period of the Western Han Dynasty.The"Book of Chinese Constellations"takes the first year of Taichu as the boundary point of astronomical records,which not only preserves the existing astronomical data,but also lays the groundwork for future astrology.Sima Qian's celestial-human system attempts to encompass the past and present,and its core purpose is to establish invariable ultimate rules for wise monarchs of later generations.
"Book of Chinese Constellations"textual compilationearly astronomyTaichu calendar reform
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