Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - The 24 Solar Terms - When were the twelve constellations divided?

When were the twelve constellations divided?

The dates of the twelve constellations are accurately divided according to the neutral time of the traditional 24 solar terms in China. However, this division method is only for the twelve constellations of the sun. ?

Constellation is an astrology invented by westerners. Its principle is to take the earth (human) as a reference object, and according to the relative positions and relative motion laws of the stars in the solar system (the sun, the moon, Saturn, Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and other planets), study and analyze the influence of these motion laws on human life, and explain people's character and destiny through the time and place of birth. ?

The constellation originated from the primitive Babylonians on the Mesopotamian plain. They divide the ecliptic plane into 12 regions, which are called "zodiac signs", and the zodiac signs correspond to twelve constellations respectively. The boundaries of the twelve constellations are divided according to the time points of qi (vernal equinox, Grain Rain, Xiaoman, summer solstice, summer heat, autumnal equinox, first frost, light snow, winter solstice, severe cold and rain) in the twenty-four solar terms of the lunar calendar (note: the twenty-four solar terms are divided into 12 qi and1). The order of the twelve constellations is: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Although the western horoscope and China's birth numerology are two completely different life fate prediction systems, there are striking similarities between the westerners' division of the twelve horoscope and the division of twelve months (months) in the eight-character fortune-telling invented by China. These two forecasting systems are based on the unique creation of 24 solar terms in China calendar. The twelve months of the lunar calendar in China are based on 12 solar terms (beginning of spring, Jing Zhe, Qingming, Long Summer, Mangzi, Xiaoshu, beginning of autumn, Bailu, Cold Dew, beginning of winter, Heavy Snow and Slight Cold) and beginning of spring Point (beginning of spring is the first of the twenty-four solar terms in the lunar calendar, which means that the sun reaches the 365438 meridian). Twelve months are represented by twelve earthly branches, and the order is: Yin (65438+ 10 month), Mao (February), Chen (March), Si (April), Wu (May), Wei (June), Shen (July), You (August) and Xu (August). ?

We all know that the sun is the largest star in the solar system, accounting for 99.8% of all the stars in the solar system, and it is the source of all the light and heat in the solar system. As the saying goes, "Everything grows longer than the sun" means that life on earth depends on the energy of the sun, which shows the importance of the sun in the solar system. So the constellation we usually say refers to the sun constellation. Sun constellation is a constellation (region) in which the sun passes through the zodiac when a person is born. ?

The constellation of the sun is very important and has the greatest influence on people's personality, but in fact, the constellations of other planets are also very important to us and cannot be ignored. The moment a person is born and the position of the ten planets determine his character and destiny, not just by the sun constellation. In addition to the sun sign, there are moon sign, rising sign, mercury, Venus, Uranus, Mars, Saturn, Pluto, Neptune, Jupiter and so on. Planets will appear in different constellations at different times. Astrologers have proved from thousands of years of practice and experience that the constellation position of each planet will have different effects on people's personality and destiny. For example, the rising constellation is the constellation in which the eastern horizon is located when an individual is born, and its change depends on the time and place of birth. The rising constellation will affect how a person holds an idea and how to express it in order to be accepted by others. The sun represents personality characteristics and inner self; The moon represents emotions; Rising constellation represents lifestyle and others' impressions of themselves; Mercury represents thought; Venus represents love and money; Pluto represents potential; Saturn stands for responsibility; Neptune stands for desire; Jupiter represents luck; Uranus represents change; Mars represents desire. ?

Strictly speaking, if you want to know which constellation you belong to, you must first know your date of birth (year, month and day), time (preferably accurate to a few minutes) and latitude and longitude of your birthplace (note: knowing which province, city and county you were born in can be converted into latitude and longitude of your birthplace). Because westerners usually say that the date of birth is based on the solar calendar (Gregorian calendar), it is generally believed that constellations are calculated according to the solar calendar. For us in China, there are still two calendars in use, one is the international solar calendar, and the other is the lunar calendar handed down by our ancestors. There are some differences in time between the two calendars. In fact, these two calendars are essentially interlinked and can be converted to each other. Therefore, whether you know the solar calendar or the lunar calendar, as long as the date and time are accurate, you can calculate it correctly. ?

In terms of solar constellations, how are the twelve constellations specifically divided? I believe that you can know the answer after reading the query table of the date and solar terms division of the twelve constellations and the following examples. ?

The solar calendar date and solar terms division query table of the Sun Constellation is as follows:

Gregorian calendar date (rough) solar terms (accurate)?

Aries: March 21-April 19 (vernal equinox-Grain Rain).

Taurus: April 20th-May 20th (Grain Rain-Xiaoman).

Gemini: May 21-June 20 (Xiaoman-Summer Solstice)

Cancer: June 21-July 22 (summer solstice-hot summer)

Leo: July 23-August 22 (summer-summer)

Virgo: August 23-September 22 (summer solstice and autumn equinox)

Libra: September 23rd-65438+1October 22nd (autumnal equinox-first frost)?

Scorpio: 65438+1October 23rd-165438+1October 22nd (first frost-light snow).

Sagittarius:165438+1October 23rd-65438+February 2nd1(light snow-winter solstice)

Capricorn: 65438+February 22nd-065438+1October 19 (winter solstice-severe cold).

Aquarius: 065438+1October 20-February 18 (cold-rain)

Pisces: February19-March 20 (rain-vernal equinox)

The range of solar days corresponding to the above-mentioned solar constellations is only a rough division. It should be noted that this method of roughly dividing the solar day will lead to an error probability of about 10%. In fact, the accurate division of solar constellations is based on the intersection time of qi in 24 solar terms, and the latitude and longitude of the birth area should also be considered, that is, the birth time (Beijing) should be converted into the real solar (astronomical) time to calculate. We usually see that the date division of constellations is inconsistent in some magazines or websites. Some are one day earlier, some are one day later, and some are even two days earlier (or later). Why only make a rough division? Because fear of trouble is human instinct, complexity is easy to get lost, and simple things are beneficial to people's understanding and operation, so some people simplify complex problems and divide the twelve constellations by solar calendar dates. In fact, this division can be accurate to the minute or even to the second. To be more precise, the twelve intersecting moments of qi in China's twenty-four solar terms are the moments when the sun enters the zodiac, and they are also the time dividing points of the twelve western constellations (solar constellations). It should be noted that the time when the sun enters the twelfth house (constellation) is different every year, so people who were born on a certain day of a certain month in the solar calendar may belong to different solar constellations because of the different year or time of birth. For example, two people born at 10: 45 on August 23rd of Gregorian calendar, if they were born at 1997, their sun sign would be Virgo, and if they were born at 19 10, their sun sign would be Leo, which belongs to the case of the same date and time but different years of birth. Another example: Gregorian calendar1two people born on August 23rd, 928. If they were born at 16: 42 on this day, their sun sign is Leo. If they were born in 18: 4 1 on this day, their sun sign is Virgo, which belongs to the same birth year and date, but the birth time is different. ?

For the cancer in the zodiac, the time when the sun enters the Cancer Palace corresponds to the "summer solstice" in the 24 solar terms (at this time, the sun is located at 90 degrees of the ecliptic and meets at some time between June 20 and June 22 of the solar calendar every year). In other words, the date when the sun enters Cancer every year is one of the three dates in the solar calendar: June 20th, June 2nd1day and June 22nd. This day is called the boundary day of cancer, and it is also called the day when the sun changes constellations in astrology, which means that the sun will pass through two constellations on this day, so the sun will be in the previous constellation for a period of time on this day. Therefore, people born at the junction of constellations depend on the specific time of their birth (hours, minutes and seconds). If they were born before the time of transition, they belong to the previous constellation; if they were born after the time of transition, they belong to the next constellation. Here are a few examples to illustrate:

Example (1):

1980, the solar calendar on June 2 1 day 13: 47: 00 (summer solstice), the sun began to enter cancer. That is to say, it belongs to Gemini from May 2 1 5: 42: 2 (Xiaoman) to "Summer Solstice"; From "summer solstice" to1July 23, 980, the solar calendar 1: 4 1: 59 belongs to cancer. ?

Example (2):

1970, at 3: 42: 38 on June 22nd in the Gregorian calendar (till daylight saving time), the sun began to enter Cancer. That is to say, the period from Gregorian calendar 65438+May 2 1, 19: 37, 19 seconds (small full) to the summer solstice is Gemini; The period from "summer solstice" to solar calendar1July 23rd, 970 14: 36: 52 (high temperature in summer) belongs to cancer. ?

If your birth date happens to be near the demarcation day of the constellation, what method should you use to know exactly which sun constellation you belong to? According to personal experience, here are two methods for your reference. ?

The first method is to know the exact time when the sun enters the twelve constellations every year by consulting the comparison table of the twenty-four solar terms in the perpetual calendar or the query table of the constellations. First of all, you can find out that the two closest solar terms (Zhongqi) are your birth time points, and then refer to the solar constellation solar terms division table above to determine which solar constellation you belong to. Since the festival of the twenty-four solar terms is the date of the solar calendar, if you only know the date when you were born in the lunar calendar, you need to convert the date of the lunar calendar into the date of the solar calendar for inquiry. This method is troublesome, inefficient and easy to make mistakes due to human negligence. In addition, the latitude and longitude of the place of birth and the astronomical time of the birth clock (between the sun and the sun) should be considered when converting the time. ? For example, your birth time is194012/221:30, and your birth date is "Xiaoxue" in the 24 solar terms (19401kloc-0/2/22 65438+). ? For another example, your birth time is 7: 24 on May 2 1 day of the Gregorian calendar, and your birth time is "Grain Rain" in the 24 solar terms (Gregorian calendar1April 20, 957 16: 4 1: 12 seconds). ?

The second method is: you can download and install a professional astrology software on your computer or smart phone, or you can directly use the online astrology sorting tool on the website to query. Enter your date, time, place of birth and other information, and you can know your sun sign quickly and accurately. Some software can also automatically generate constellation diagrams, and can also calculate information such as moon constellation, descending constellation, nadir constellation, ascending constellation, zenith constellation, Mars constellation, Mercury constellation, Venus constellation, Jupiter constellation, Saturn constellation, Neptune constellation, Pluto constellation and Uranus constellation. If you only know your own lunar (lunar) birthday and use astrology software that only supports solar birthdays, you need to use perpetual calendar (or date conversion tool between lunar and solar calendars) to find out your own solar birthday first, and then query the constellation. If you use a software that supports the function of querying constellations based on lunar birthday, it will automatically convert lunar date into solar date, and even automatically convert the birth clock time and regional information you entered into accurate astronomical time, so as to calculate the constellation related information. Also note: if your birth time belongs to daylight saving time, it should be converted into standard time, that is, the daylight saving time of your birth should be reduced by one hour. If you were born at 3 pm in summer time, you should actually check it at 2 pm, otherwise the information such as ascending constellation, descending constellation, zenith constellation and moon constellation may be wrong. For example, a person was born in Jize County, Handan City, Hebei Province, at 9: 43 on June 2 1984 in Gregorian calendar. Using the online food arranging tools, he found out that his constellations are: Sun Gemini, Moon Aquarius, Rising Lion, Descending Aquarius, Zenith Taurus and Zenith Scorpio. As shown in the figure below: