Whether there is a folk and private astronomy tradition among the civilizations in the ancient world may be a matter of great importance-this tradition is probably intrinsically related to the rise of modern astronomy. In ancient Greece, as well as Europe, the successor of ancient Greek spiritual wealth, there was indeed a tradition of private astronomy (although this tradition was sometimes looming and not obvious). Just look at the astronomers in ancient Greece, such as tallis of Ionia, Hipparchus of Samos, Eudoxus of Nidus, and the later famous Bruno Chas and Ptolemy, etc., and they are not official astronomers. According to legend, Eudoxus has its own private observatory.

but in ancient eastern civilizations, it is not easy to find such a tradition. In the feudal autocratic regime, Tianxue affairs were always directly owned and operated by the royal family. The case of ancient China is the most typical example of this. The tradition of government-run heavenly learning has lasted for at least 3, years in China. If we believe-there seems to be no reason not to believe now-that Emperor Yao ordered astronomical officials to go to the four directions as stated in Yaodian of Shangshu, then obviously this tradition can be traced back to earlier. As for private celestial activities like those in ancient Greece, as we have seen in the previous chapter, they were illegal in China until the middle of the Ming Dynasty (there was only one possible exception in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, which we will talk about in the next chapter).

2

Since Tianxue is a royal preserve, it is not hard to imagine that in ancient China, people who were engaged in Tianxue affairs were not idle people. In general, this is also the case. However, it also has a long evolution process-in ancient times, scholars engaged in astronomy were very sacred (for example, we have seen that Emperor Shun personally went to "Qi Qi Zheng in Xuanji Yuheng"), and thousands of years later, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, those astronomy officials in Qin Tianjian were just mediocre and trivial little people. This corresponds to the fact that Tianxue was first a necessary condition for the establishment of kingship in ancient China, then evolved into a symbol of kingship, and then evolved into a decoration of kingship at the end of the period. Important things are done by elites, and unimportant things are only done by mediocre people, which is the case in most countries, ancient and modern.

What kind of people were the first to engage in Tianxue? Of course, they are not "scientists" in today's sense. On the contrary, they are people who are opposite to scientists in the common concept of modern people-witches (witches say witches, wizards say wizards)!

The wizard's duty is to communicate with heaven, earth, man and god. Today, this is naturally regarded as superstition and deceptive nonsense. However, in ancient society, they were regarded as very sacred figures-even in a demigod state between man and god. There is a close relationship between wizard and kingship. The research of Zhang Guangzhi and others has long shown that in ancient times, the emperor himself was often a wizard, and he was the head of the group of witches. Zhang Guangzhi said:

(the founders of Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties) all the behaviors are witchcraft and supernatural. For example, Xia Yu has the power to stop floods, and the so-called "Yu step" has become the unique gait of future wizards. Another example is that Shang Tang can pray for rain; ..... According to Oracle, the only person who has the right to predict is Shang Wang. In addition, there is also the content of Shang Wang's dance to beg for rain and dream. All these activities are not only the activities of Shang kings, but also the activities of wizards. It shows that the Shang king is a wizard. [1]

We have already talked about the political concept of "the king who reaches the sky" in ancient China, and it is natural to expect that witches can reach the sky and then become kings. Emperor Yao's appointment of astronomical officials, and Emperor Shun's "Qi Qi Zheng in Xuanji Yuheng" are exactly the same as those of Shang Wang, who is the head of the group of witches, and so on. Later emperors still have to take the lead in offering sacrifices to heaven and other ceremonies to communicate with heaven, earth, man and god, from which it is not difficult to see the lingering charm of the ancient times as the leader of the witches.

However, after all, emperors still have a lot of human affairs to deal with, and it is impossible for wizards to fully engage in their duties for a long time. Therefore, it is natural to need a wizard who is full-time in the affairs of heaven to serve it. With the wizard of heaven who serves himself, that is, with his own ability of heaven, the kingship was established. We can see how sacred and mysterious the status of the wizard of heaven was in ancient times.

For these mysterious wizards, the most important early historical clues we can get today must be attributed to Sima Qian. In Shi Ji Tian Guan Shu, Sima Qian gave a list of "people who passed the days of the past": < P > before Gao Xin: heavy and Lebanon.

Tang, Yu, Xi and He.

you Xia: Kun Wu.

yin Shang: Wu xian.

Zhou Shi, Changhong.

song: Ziwei.

Zheng: focus on the disease.

qi: gan gong.

Chu: Tang mei.

Zhao: yin Gao.

Wei: Shi Shen.

I have made a detailed study on this list in Tianxue Zhenyuan. [2] The details of textual research are not repeated here, but the results and significance are summarized as follows:

The above list provided by Sima Qian can be divided into two parts, with Wu Xian as the boundary. In the first half, Zhong, Li, Xi, He and Kun Wu were all witches who specialized in the transportation of heaven and earth in ancient times, and their affairs were mostly between legends. The second half, from Shi Yi onwards, are all famous astrologers in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and their actions are recorded in historical records, which can be accurately tested. As for Wu Xian, he was a famous wizard in Tai Wu of the Yin Dynasty, and later he was regarded as the embodiment of ancient wizard, so Wu Xian became the name of wizard.

the most important significance of Sima Qian's list of "people who passed down the days in the past" is that it shows the historical origin between the astronomy-astrology theory in ancient China and the witchcraft in ancient times. This origin, or the evolution of the identity of the people engaged in celestial studies in ancient China, can be expressed as follows:

Witch wizard → astrologer → celestial scientist

It must be noted that the three are actually the same in essence, and the difference is only the superficial color presented with the passage of time.

Sima Qian's list of "people who tell the days" has been followed by future generations. For example, The Book of Jin Tian Wen Zhi Shang has the following list:

Levin: Chong and Li.

Tang, Yu, Xi and He.

you Xia: Kun Wu.

yin Shang: Wu xian.

Zhou Shi: Shi Wei.

Lu: Zishen.

Jin: bu Yan.

Zheng: focus on the disease.

song: Ziwei.

qi: gander.

Chu: Tang mei.

Zhao: yin Gao.

Wei: Shi Shenfu.

It is similar to what Tai Shigong said. Lu Zhi Zi Shen and Jin Zhi Bu Yan, who were added, are all real figures recorded in ancient books such as Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu.

3

Of course, the "astrologer" evolved from the wizard. Later, the officials in the Taishi Bureau, Taishi Academy and Qin Tianjian were all full-time, but sometimes the chief astronomer of the royal family held other positions. This phenomenon has a long history. In the list of "those who passed the days in the past" provided by Sima Qian, Shi Yi and Changhong are such cases. Shi Yi is a "Zhou Wen, Wu Shi Taishi Yin Yi also", [3] The ancient Taishi was respected, almost like an imperial teacher, and Tianxue affairs was of course one of his important duties, but he also had many side duties, which were not comparable to those made by later Taishi. [4] Changhong is a "Zhou Dafu", [5] but he is a "master of Zhou Shi". [6] After the Han Dynasty, this phenomenon was more obvious. For example, Ho Choi of the Northern Wei Dynasty was recognized as the first person to learn astronomy in the DPRK. In case of a major astronomical phenomenon, only Ho Choi was widely expected and could speak. [7] But at that time, Taishiling had another person. Another example is Xu Guangqi at the end of the Ming Dynasty. He was undoubtedly the most important and active figure in the affairs of heavenly learning in the imperial court at that time, but he was not the head of the Imperial Academy. Some similar examples can be cited. Although this phenomenon is not universal, it should be regarded as the legacy of ancient times ── as one of the most important skills that the "teacher of kings" must master, Tongtian learning has not only its stylized appearance (such as the Royal Tianxue Institute and its responsible person), but also its substantive content, and the candidates for the task of Tongtian can be eclectic. In this respect, we can learn more from another list of ancient astronomers provided by Li Chunfeng.

4

In one of the two most important works of astrology handed down from ancient times in China, in the preface of Li Chunfeng's "Yi Si Zhan" in the Tang Dynasty, Li Chunfeng divided the famous "people who passed on the days" into eleven categories, which were as follows:

Starting from the foundation to explain their careers, helping folk customs, expressing the law because of Heluo, and choosing sages to award officials:

Xuanyuan and Tang.

people in the domain have learned from their careers, and they have been handed down from generation to generation, and they have kept their promises. The wonderful charms can be called:

Wu Xian, Shi Shi, Gan Gong, Tang Mei, Zi Shen and Bi Zao.

being knowledgeable and reasonable, it is connected with Yi training, and the root of nuclear is comprehensive, and it is clear that it is generally ji zi and Zichan.

draw secret thoughts, describe the track model, explore the nether world, and change the tune:

Zhang Heng, Wang Xingyuan.

Meditation leads to a secluded place, which leads to a poor situation, and the marginal branches turn against the dry ones, seeking the source and reaching the flow:

Qiao Zhou, Guan Lu, Wu Fan and Ho Choi.

If you ask God to teach you, you will be rewarded for your death, and you will be given advice:

Gu Yong, Liu Xiang, Jing Fang and Lang (page 7).

writing short stories, being paranoid, and gossiping more, won their halves:

Wang Shuo, Dong Fangshuo, Jiao Gong, Tang Dou, Chen Zhuo, Liu Biao and Xi Meng.

it's natural to be in the lane, with small benefits in the world, meaning only wealth, and aiming at rice and salt:

Han Yang and Qian Le.

if you share the same differences, you will learn from different paths, and you will learn from others' experiences.

Cai Yong, Zu Xuan, Sun Sanghua, Yu Jicai.

Stealing people's talents, covering up wins them, flattering their intentions, and harming loyalty:

Yuan Chong.

subtle and subtle, it's against suspicion and taboo, and it's good advice that leads to disability:

Guo Pu.

In the first category, Huangdi, Yao, Shun and Chong, Li, Xi and He are juxtaposed, which seems nondescript, but it can actually be understood as the remains of Wang as the head of witches in ancient times. From Wuxian to Bizao, they are all characters in the list of Records of the Historian Tianguanshu, so there is no need to discuss them here. However, one of the most striking points in the latter categories is that there are many people who are not famous for their heavenly learning at all in people's usual ideas, which will obviously surprise many modern readers.

5

The study of celestial satellites is an ancient university question, and military affairs must be guided by it-the ancients really sincerely believed this. Although there have been many decrees prohibiting private learning among the people in the past dynasties, as a high-ranking official who shares weal and woe with the country, he has a heavy responsibility and cannot but master Tianxue. And those bans on private study will naturally not be "equally treated" to them. [8] Therefore, some historical figures who are politicians, writers, etc. in modern people's minds were indeed great scholars at that time, and even held official positions such as Taishiling. We might as well look at some cases with the list of Li Chunfeng.

In the list given by Li Chunfeng's "Yisizhan", there are several people who have never been famous for Tianxue or held official positions, such as Zi Chan. Zi chan's inclusion in this list seems reluctant. Zi chan, as a great statesman and diplomat in the Spring and Autumn Period and the ruling minister of Zheng State for many years, speculated that he might have learned from satellites and astrology. Although it was not too far off the mark, the fact that Zi chan had a relationship with astronomy recorded in historical records was his rejection of the prediction of astrology. According to the appearance of a comet, it was predicted that the four countries of Song, Wei, Chen and Zheng would all suffer from fires, and it was suggested to sacrifice jade to avoid disaster, but the quilt production refused. When the fire really broke out, Bizao predicted that there would be another fire, and once again proposed to offer jade to the gods, Zi Chan insisted on refusing. This time, even Zi Shu, the most active and powerful supporter of Zi Chan's ruling, criticized Zi Chan, but Zi Chan remained unmoved and said a famous saying:

Heaven is far away, humanity is near, and it is beyond reach. How does the stove know heaven? It's too much to say, don't you believe it?

To denounce Bizao as "ignorant of heaven" is only to make predictions several times and occasionally get it right. In ancient times, this was the most severe attack on a astrologer (because of this, it is likely to hate the child for life). The famous saying "Heaven is far away, humanity is near" is also very rare in the social tradition of ancient China, which believed in the study of satellites. However, Li Chunfeng praised both of them: Bizao was "wonderful without losing its defense", and Zi Chan was not superstitious about astrology, but also got a textual research on "knowing its general idea".

ji zi. Because he once said to Zhou Wuwang, "Heaven is the order of Xi Yu Hong Fan, etc.". ..... four yue five disciplines: ... one month old, two yue yue, three yue day, four yue stars, five yue calendar "and so on ("Historical Records of Song Weizi Family "), was also included in the" clear its general "example by Li Chunfeng.

Cai Yong. He was a famous scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the first year of Guanghe (AD 178), he was summoned by the emperor together with some senior officials, including Taishiling. "Just ask about disasters, differences and changes, so it is appropriate to implement them" ── It seems that his reputation of being proficient in the study of Tian Wenxing has already spread to the ruling and opposition parties. He also wrote the Han Ji, which is divided into "Ten Meanings", the first and fifth of which are "Law, Calendar and Meaning" respectively. [9] "Sui Shu's Law Calendar" said that the Eastern Han Dynasty court had "ordered Liu Hong and Cai Yong to revise the law calendar, and Sima Biao used it to continue the class history." Later, Cai Yong was convicted of defending the frontier, so he wrote a letter from Shuofang, recalling the previous events, intending to recommend himself. His book is contained in the note of the Book of the Later Han Dynasty. The Book of the Old Tang Dynasty Annals says that Liu Hong, Cai Yong, He Chengtian, Zu Chongzhi and others "are all the essence of numerology. As for the announcement of the almanac, they are still ranked by the horizontal discussion." "Sui Shu Tian Wen Zhi" also said that "Huan Tan, Zheng Xuan, Cai Yong, Lu Ji, each Chen's" Zhou Xie ",tested the sky, and many of them were against the truth." Judging from these stones, he was a very active astronomer in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

Liu Biao. This reclusive separatist in Jingzhou area at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty has a book on astrology named Jingzhou Zhan, which has been circulated for hundreds of years in later generations. At least until the Tang Dynasty, Jingzhou Zhan was one of the important reference books when Li Chunfeng wrote Yi Si Zhan and Qu Tan Sida wrote Kai Yuan Zhan Jing. In Yi Si Zhan, Li Chunfeng listed 25 kinds of reference books on astrology that he described as "learned by his childhood", the eighteenth of which was Liu Biao's Jingzhou Zhan. Most of this book was compiled by Liu Biao, a astrologer, but it was only led by him, almost like many "editors" today. Liu Biao's position at that time was between the monarch and the minister. He must be very interested in astrology.

In this kind of situation, we can give another interesting example. When the division scheme is introduced in the chapter "Counties and Counties" in the Book of Jin, Tian Wenzhi, which was also written by Li Chunfeng, it is first explained that it is a scheme used by eight * * *, but eight are actually:

Chen Zhuo and Fan Li.

if we go to see the modern