== Licensing ==
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Tianbian

2026-05-24T19:23:18Z

Boshunyang: /* Identification of stars */

Tianbian

2026-05-24T19:08:40Z

Boshunyang: /* Identification of stars */

Boshunyang: /* Identification of stars */

{{DISPLAYTITLE: Guqi (鼓旗)}}
Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
----

Gǔ Qí (Drum Flag, 鼓旗) is a Chinese asterism consisting of nine stars located in the modern constellation ''[[Aquila]]''. It originated no later than about 100 BCE and lies to the right of ''Hé Gǔ'' (Drum at the River, 河鼓).
== Concordance, Etymology, History ==
Drums and Flags were instruments used by ancient armies to transmit signals and direct combat. The ''Sunzi bingfa'' (''Art of War'', 孫子兵法) states:<blockquote>“The ''Military Regulations'' says: ‘If speech cannot be heard, use (metal) gongs and drums; if sight cannot reach, use banners and flags.’ Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are the means by which people’s eyes and ears are unified. When the troops are unified, the brave cannot advance alone and the timid cannot retreat alone—this is the method of employing the masses. Therefore, night battles rely on gongs and drums, and day battles on banners and flags, thereby transforming the soldiers’ senses.”[[File:Shang-dynasty bronze drum with divine-figure motif, in the collection of the Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum, Japan.jpg|thumb|'''Fig 1. Shang-dynasty bronze drum with divine-figure motif, in the collection of the Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum, Japan''']][[File:Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century).jpg|thumb|'''Fig 2. Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century)''']][[File:Line drawing of the Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century), exhibited in the Liaoyang Museum.jpg|thumb|'''Fig 3. Line drawing of the Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century), exhibited in the Liaoyang Museum.''' The flags are above Tower Pavilion.]]</blockquote>In the name He-Gu, ''Gu'' refers to the great war drum, while ''He'' denotes the Heavenly River (the Milky Way), indicating its position besides the Milky Way. The drum was not merely a musical instrument but a military command device and a means of encouraging morale: drums signaled attack, whereas metal gongs signaled withdrawal or defensive formation. Archaeological proof indicates that drums had already existed at least by the Shang Dynasty (Fig. 1).

In Sima Qian(145 or 135 BCE - ?)’s ''Tianguan shu'' (''Book of Heaven Officials'', 天官書), only ''Hegu'' is mentioned and not the Flag, suggesting that the latter was added later. The name ''Gu-Qi'' implies a close association with ''Hegu'', and the Shi school treated the two as a related group of asterisms. However, ''Guqi'' was renamed ''Youqi'' (Right Flag, 右旗) in later times to maintain symmetry since the Gan school introduced the asterism ''Zuoqi'' (Left Flag, 左旗).

Ancient banners differed significantly from modern ones and were divided into multiple categories. In the pre-Qin (before 220 BCE) period, nine types were distinguished. The ''Zhōu lǐ'' (''Rites of Zhou'', 周禮) describes a system of nine banners (''jiǔ qí''):

(1) ''Cháng''常 (bearing the sun and moon),

(2) ''Qí''旂 (with intertwined dragons),

(3) ''Zhān''旜 (plain silk banner),

(4) ''Wù''物 (variegated silk),

(5) ''Qí''旗 (with bears and tigers),

(6) ''Yú''旟 (with birds),

(7) ''Zhào''旐 (with tortoise and serpent),

(8) ''Suì'' 旞 (with full feathers),

(9) ''Jīng'' (with split feathers)

The Han dynasty(202 BCE - 220 CE) system may have differed somewhat. Structurally, the “''Qí''旗” consisted of a pole (''gān''竿), the main cloth panel (''shān''縿), a long streamer (''yóu''斿) attached at the top , and a serrated fringe along the side edge. <ref>Sun Ji孙机. Handai wuzhi wenhua ziliao tushuo（xiuding ben）汉代物质文化资料图说（修订本）. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju. 2020. Pp. 187-191.</ref> A mural in the Beiyuan Han tomb at Liaoyang, Liaoning, depicts such flags mounted atop a tower pavilion (Fig 2 and Fig 3).

=== Identification of stars ===
In contrast to the bright and stable asterism Hegu, whose identification never changed, ''Guqi (Drum Flag)or Youqi'' (Right Flag) underwent several revisions. Nevertheless, it consistently included δ Aquilae as its most bright star and sometimes the determinative star.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Names or Orders(Qing)
!Ho PENG YOKE<ref>P.-Y. Ho, “Ancient And Mediaeval Observations of Comets and Novae in Chinese Sources,” ''Vistas in Astronomy'', 5(1962), 127-225.</ref>
!Yi Shitong<ref>Yi Shitong伊世同. ''Zhongxi Duizhao Hengxing Tubiao''中西对照恒星图表1950. Beijing: Science Press.1981: 56-57.</ref>
Based on catalogue in 18th century
!Pan Nai<ref name=":0">Pan Nai潘鼐. ''Zhongguo Hengxing Guance shi''中国恒星观测史[M]. Shanghai: Xuelin Pree. 1989. p220-226.</ref>
based on Xinyixiangfayao Star Map
!Pan Nai<ref>Pan Nai潘鼐. ''Zhongguo Hengxing Guance shi''中国恒星观测史[M]. Shanghai: Xuelin Pree. 2009. p435-443.</ref>
based on catalogues in Yuan dynasty
!SUN X. & J. Kistemaker<ref>Sun Xiaochun. & Kistemaker J. ''The Chinese sky during the Han''. Leiden: Brill. 1997, Pp241-6.</ref>
Han Dynasty
!Boshun Yang<ref name=":1">B.-S. Yang杨伯顺, ''Zhongguo Chuantong Hengxing Guance Jingdu ji Xingguan Yanbian Yanjiu'' 中国传统恒星观测精度及星官演变研究 (A Research on the Accuracy of Chinese Traditional Star Observation and the Evolution of Constellations), PhD thesis, (Hefei: University of Science and Technology of China, 2023). 261.</ref>
before Tang Dynasty
!Boshun Yang
Tang Dynasty(8th century)
!'''Boshun Yang'''
Song Huangyou(1052)
|-
| 1st
| sigma Aql
| mu Aql
| del Aql
| sigma Aql
| mu Aql (determinative)
| mu Aql(determinative)
| mu Aql
|del Aql
|-
| 2nd
| mu Aql
| sigma Aql
| sigma Aql
| del Aql
| sigma Aql
| sigma Aql
| sigma Aql
|mu Aql
|-
| 3rd
| del Aql
| del Aql
| upsilon Aql
| mu Aql
| 22 Aql
| del Aql
| del Aql
|sigma Aql
|-
|4th
| nu Aql
| nu Aql
| mu Aql
| 22 Aql
| del Aql
| nu Aql
| 23 Aql
|23 Aql
|-
|5th
|HIP 95886
|iota Aql
|22 Aql
|21 Aql
|21 Aql
|iota Aql
|nu Aql
|nu Aql
|-
|6th
|iota Aql
|HIP 96392
|iota Aql
|nu Aql
|23 Aql
|eta Aql
|iota Aql
|45 Aql
|-
|7th
|42 Aql
|42 Aql
|36 Aql
|iota Aql
|nu Aql
|theta Aql
|36 Aql
|iota Aql
|-
|8th
|kappa Aql
|kappa Aql
|26 Aql
|36 Aql
|iota Aql
|69 Aql
|42 Aql
|36 Aql
|-
|9th
|57 Aql
|56 Aql
|kappa Aql
|42 Aql
|36 Aql
|Hip 101345
|kappa Aql
|42 Aql
|}

=== Maps (Gallery) ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!historical map
!modern identification
!same in Stellarium
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido.jpg|thumb|'''Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido''''']]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang（2023）.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang（2023）]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Gezi yuejin tu.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Gezi yuejin tu'']]
|
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Tang Dynasty(8th Century) in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Tang Dynasty(8th Century) in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Xin yixiang fayao.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Xin yixiang fayao'' Star Map]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Pan Nai（2009）.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Pan Nai（2009）]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Pan Nai.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Pan Nai]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Suzhou Star Map.jpg|thumb|'''Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Suzhou Star Map''']]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Yixiang kaocheng Star Map (18th century).jpeg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Yixiang kaocheng'' Star Map (18th century)]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century reconstructed by YI Shitong（1981）.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century reconstructed by YI Shitong（1981）]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century in Stellarium.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century in Stellarium]]
|}

== IAU Working Group on Star Names ==
In 2026, the name of the historical constellation Gǔ Qí (Drum Flag, 鼓旗), which is also called ''Youqi'' (Right Flag, 右旗), was suggested to be used for one of the stars in this constellation. Guqi ''(Drum Flag)or Youqi'' (Right Flag) underwent several revisions, nevertheless, it consistently included δ Aquilae as its most bright star and sometimes the determinative star. So it is the best star for this constellation.

Decision: ...

==References ==
[[References (Chinese)]]

[[Category:Asterism ]]
[[Category:Constellation ]]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:East Asian]]
[[Category:Chinese ]]

Guqi

2026-03-05T13:32:02Z

Boshunyang: /* IAU Working Group on Star Names */

{{DISPLAYTITLE: Guqi (鼓旗)}}
Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
----

Gǔ Qí (Drum Flag, 鼓旗) is a Chinese asterism consisting of nine stars located in the modern constellation ''[[Aquila]]''. It originated no later than about 100 BCE and lies to the right of ''Hé Gǔ'' (Drum at the River, 河鼓).
== Concordance, Etymology, History ==
Drums and Flags were instruments used by ancient armies to transmit signals and direct combat. The ''Sunzi bingfa'' (''Art of War'', 孫子兵法) states:<blockquote>“The ''Military Regulations'' says: ‘If speech cannot be heard, use (metal) gongs and drums; if sight cannot reach, use banners and flags.’ Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are the means by which people’s eyes and ears are unified. When the troops are unified, the brave cannot advance alone and the timid cannot retreat alone—this is the method of employing the masses. Therefore, night battles rely on gongs and drums, and day battles on banners and flags, thereby transforming the soldiers’ senses.”[[File:Shang-dynasty bronze drum with divine-figure motif, in the collection of the Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum, Japan.jpg|thumb|'''Fig 1. Shang-dynasty bronze drum with divine-figure motif, in the collection of the Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum, Japan''']][[File:Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century).jpg|thumb|'''Fig 2. Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century)''']][[File:Line drawing of the Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century), exhibited in the Liaoyang Museum.jpg|thumb|'''Fig 3. Line drawing of the Mural from Tomb No. 1 at Beiyuan, Liaoyang, Liaoning Province (3rd century), exhibited in the Liaoyang Museum.''' The flags are above Tower Pavilion.]]</blockquote>In the name He-Gu, ''Gu'' refers to the great war drum, while ''He'' denotes the Heavenly River (the Milky Way), indicating its position besides the Milky Way. The drum was not merely a musical instrument but a military command device and a means of encouraging morale: drums signaled attack, whereas metal gongs signaled withdrawal or defensive formation. Archaeological proof indicates that drums had already existed at least by the Shang Dynasty (Fig. 1).

In Sima Qian(145 or 135 BCE - ?)’s ''Tianguan shu'' (''Book of Heaven Officials'', 天官書), only ''Hegu'' is mentioned and not the Flag, suggesting that the latter was added later. The name ''Gu-Qi'' implies a close association with ''Hegu'', and the Shi school treated the two as a related group of asterisms. However, ''Guqi'' was renamed ''Youqi'' (Right Flag, 右旗) in later times to maintain symmetry since the Gan school introduced the asterism ''Zuoqi'' (Left Flag, 左旗).

Ancient banners differed significantly from modern ones and were divided into multiple categories. In the pre-Qin (before 220 BCE) period, nine types were distinguished. The ''Zhōu lǐ'' (''Rites of Zhou'', 周禮) describes a system of nine banners (''jiǔ qí''):

(1) ''Cháng''常 (bearing the sun and moon),

(2) ''Qí''旂 (with intertwined dragons),

(3) ''Zhān''旜 (plain silk banner),

(4) ''Wù''物 (variegated silk),

(5) ''Qí''旗 (with bears and tigers),

(6) ''Yú''旟 (with birds),

(7) ''Zhào''旐 (with tortoise and serpent),

(8) ''Suì'' 旞 (with full feathers),

(9) ''Jīng'' (with split feathers)

The Han dynasty(202 BCE - 220 CE) system may have differed somewhat. Structurally, the “''Qí''旗” consisted of a pole (''gān''竿), the main cloth panel (''shān''縿), a long streamer (''yóu''斿) attached at the top , and a serrated fringe along the side edge. <ref>Sun Ji孙机. Handai wuzhi wenhua ziliao tushuo（xiuding ben）汉代物质文化资料图说（修订本）. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju. 2020. Pp. 187-191.</ref> A mural in the Beiyuan Han tomb at Liaoyang, Liaoning, depicts such flags mounted atop a tower pavilion (Fig 2 and Fig 3).

=== Identification of stars ===
In contrast to the bright and stable asterism Hegu, whose identification never changed, ''Guqi (Drum Flag)or Youqi'' (Right Flag) underwent several revisions. Nevertheless, it consistently included δ Aquilae as its most bright star and sometimes the determinative star.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Names or Orders(Qing)
!Ho PENG YOKE<ref>P.-Y. Ho, “Ancient And Mediaeval Observations of Comets and Novae in Chinese Sources,” ''Vistas in Astronomy'', 5(1962), 127-225.</ref>
!Yi Shitong<ref>Yi Shitong伊世同. ''Zhongxi Duizhao Hengxing Tubiao''中西对照恒星图表1950. Beijing: Science Press.1981: 56-57.</ref>
Based on catalogue in 18th century
!Pan Nai<ref name=":0">Pan Nai潘鼐. ''Zhongguo Hengxing Guance shi''中国恒星观测史[M]. Shanghai: Xuelin Pree. 1989. p220-226.</ref>
based on Xinyixiangfayao Star Map
!Pan Nai<ref>Pan Nai潘鼐. ''Zhongguo Hengxing Guance shi''中国恒星观测史[M]. Shanghai: Xuelin Pree. 2009. p435-443.</ref>
based on catalogues in Yuan dynasty
!SUN X. & J. Kistemaker<ref>Sun Xiaochun. & Kistemaker J. ''The Chinese sky during the Han''. Leiden: Brill. 1997, Pp241-6.</ref>
Han Dynasty
!Boshun Yang<ref name=":1">B.-S. Yang杨伯顺, ''Zhongguo Chuantong Hengxing Guance Jingdu ji Xingguan Yanbian Yanjiu'' 中国传统恒星观测精度及星官演变研究 (A Research on the Accuracy of Chinese Traditional Star Observation and the Evolution of Constellations), PhD thesis, (Hefei: University of Science and Technology of China, 2023). 261.</ref>
before Tang Dynasty
!Boshun Yang
Tang Dynasty(8th century)
!'''Boshun Yang'''
Song Huangyou(1052)
|-
| 1st
| sigma Aql
| mu Aql
| del Aql
| sigma Aql
| mu Aql
| mu Aql
| mu Aql
|del Aql
|-
| 2nd
| mu Aql
| sigma Aql
| sigma Aql
| del Aql
| sigma Aql
| sigma Aql
| sigma Aql
|mu Aql
|-
| 3rd
| del Aql
| del Aql
| upsilon Aql
| mu Aql
| 22 Aql
| del Aql
| del Aql
|sigma Aql
|-
|4th
| nu Aql
| nu Aql
| mu Aql
| 22 Aql
| del Aql
| nu Aql
| 23 Aql
|23 Aql
|-
|5th
|HIP 95886
|iota Aql
|22 Aql
|21 Aql
|21 Aql
|iota Aql
|nu Aql
|nu Aql
|-
|6th
|iota Aql
|HIP 96392
|iota Aql
|nu Aql
|23 Aql
|eta Aql
|iota Aql
|45 Aql
|-
|7th
|42 Aql
|42 Aql
|36 Aql
|iota Aql
|nu Aql
|theta Aql
|36 Aql
|iota Aql
|-
|8th
|kappa Aql
|kappa Aql
|26 Aql
|36 Aql
|iota Aql
|69 Aql
|42 Aql
|36 Aql
|-
|9th
|57 Aql
|56 Aql
|kappa Aql
|42 Aql
|36 Aql
|Hip 101345
|kappa Aql
|42 Aql
|}

=== Maps (Gallery) ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!historical map
!modern identification
!same in Stellarium
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido.jpg|thumb|'''Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido''''']]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang（2023）.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang（2023）]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Gezi yuejin tu.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Gezi yuejin tu'']]
|
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Tang Dynasty(8th Century) in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Tang Dynasty(8th Century) in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Xin yixiang fayao.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Xin yixiang fayao'' Star Map]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Pan Nai（2009）.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Pan Nai（2009）]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Pan Nai.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Pan Nai]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Suzhou Star Map.jpg|thumb|'''Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Suzhou Star Map''']]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty reconstructed by Boshun Yang]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Song Dynasty in Stellarium reconstructed by Boshun Yang]]
|-
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in Yixiang kaocheng Star Map (18th century).jpeg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in ''Yixiang kaocheng'' Star Map (18th century)]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century reconstructed by YI Shitong（1981）.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century reconstructed by YI Shitong（1981）]]
|[[File:Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century in Stellarium.jpg|thumb|Hegu, Guqi(Youqi) and Zuoqi in 18th century in Stellarium]]
|}

== IAU Working Group on Star Names ==
In 2026, the name of the historical constellation Gǔ Qí (Drum Flag, 鼓旗), which is also called ''Youqi'' (Right Flag, 右旗), was suggested to be used for one of the stars in this constellation. Guqi ''(Drum Flag)or Youqi'' (Right Flag) underwent several revisions, nevertheless, it consistently included δ Aquilae as its most bright star and sometimes the determinative star. So it is the best star for this constellation.

Decision: ...

==References ==
[[References (Chinese)]]

[[Category:Asterism ]]
[[Category:Constellation ]]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:East Asian]]
[[Category:Chinese ]]