Zaofu
Authors: Lyu Haocheng, Youla Azkarrula
| Asterism Info | |
| Native | 造父 |
|---|---|
| Romanisation | Zào Fù |
| IPA | /t͡sɑʊ˥˩.fʋ̩˥˩/ |
| Translation | Zaofu (personal name) |
| Position (2000) | |
| Right ascension | 332.72125 to 337.2998333 |
| Declination | 57.04075b to 60.75613889 |
| Area | 0 sq. deg. |
| Stars | |
| Bright stars | 5 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars | 4 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 0 |
| Brightest star | ζ Cep (3.35m) |
| Taxonomy | |
| category of asterism | constellation |
| IAU- constellations | Cep |
Zào Fù (造父) is a Chinese asterism belongs to the Rooftop (Wei) Lunar Mansion from the Gan school, and located within the Cepheus. The asterism consists of five stars located south of Chuánshè (傳舍, Guest House) and within the Milky Way, related to another Chinese constellation Wang Liang.
Concordance, Etymology, History
The asterism is named after Zaofu, a legendary charioteer of King Mu of Zhou (周穆王, r. c. 10th century BCE) and the legendary progenitor of the Zhao (趙) clan. The Book of Wei (Wei Shu, 魏書) states:
"Zaofu — the charioteer of King Mu of Zhou. After death, his spirit ascended to become a star."
This reflects the ancient belief that outstanding individuals were immortalized as celestial bodies. According to the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji, 史記), Zaofu was a descendant of Boyi (伯益). The Records of the Grand Historian: House of Zhao (Shiji: Zhao Shijia, 史記·趙世家) records:
"Zaofu was favoured by King Mu of Zhou. He obtained fine horses from Taolin — Daoli (盜驪), Hualiu (驊騮), and Lü'er (綠耳) — and presented them to King Mu. The king had Zaofu drive his chariot. ... He then granted Zaofu the city of Zhao (趙城, in present-day Hongtong, Shanxi), and from this the Zhao clan arose."
The Records of the Grand Historian: Basic Annals of Qin (Shiji: Qin Benji, 史記·秦本紀) provides a more detailed account:
"Zaofu, because of his skill in driving, was favoured by King Mu of Zhou. He obtained the four steeds — Ji (驥), Wenli (溫驪), Hualiu (驊騮), and Lü'er (騄耳) — and drove the king on his western inspection tour, enjoying himself so much that he forgot to return. When King Yan of Xu (徐偃王) rebelled, Zaofu drove King Mu's chariot, racing back to Zhou, covering a thousand li in a single day to quell the rebellion. King Mu then granted Zaofu the city of Zhao."
The Mu Tianzi Zhuan (穆天子傳 / Tale of King Mu, Son of Heaven), a Warring States period text, records in greater detail:
"On the guiyou day, the Son of Heaven ordered the chariot of the Eight Steeds to be prepared: on the right the Hualiu and on the left the Lü'er, on the right trace-horse the Chiji and on the left the Baiyi. The Son of Heaven's own chariot had Zaofu as charioteer."
The text also lists the legendary Eight Steeds (八駿) of King Mu: Chiji (赤驥), Daoli (盜驪), Baiyi (白義), Yulun (踰輪), Shanzi (山子), Quhuang (渠黃), Hualiu (華騮), and Lü'er (綠耳).
The Kaiyuan Zhanjing (開元占經) records the asterism's position:
"Zaofu, five stars, south of Chuanshe, within the Milky Way." (造父五星，在傳舍南河中)
It further notes alternative names: "Xiqiao" (西橋, Western Bridge), "Sima" (司馬, Minister of Horses), or "Bole" (伯樂). The Ganshi Zan (甘氏讚) describes:
"Zaofu washes the horses, reins and bridle in hand." (造父洗馬，轡勒御鑣)
Mythological Accounts
In later tradition, Zaofu's story acquired mythological embellishments. The Mu Tianzi Zhuan (穆天子傳 / Tale of King Mu, Son of Heaven), a text dating to the Warring States period (discovered in 281 CE from a Wei tomb), presents a fantasy narrative of King Mu's travels. In this account, King Mu, determined to visit the Queen Mother of the West (西王母) on Mount Kunlun (崑崙山), was carried westward by Zaofu, who drove the legendary Eight Steeds. The text records that after reaching the Queen Mother's realm, the king feasted at Jasper Pool (瑤池). When a rebellion broke back home, Zaofu drove the royal chariot a thousand li in a single day, enabling the king to return and crush the revolt.
It should be noted that the Mu Tianzi Zhuan is a work of mythological fiction rather than historical record; the journey to the Queen Mother of the West is a literary invention. The historical core — Zaofu's service to King Mu, his role in suppressing the rebellion of King Yan of Xu, and his enfeoffment at Zhao — is preserved in the Shiji, which is considered more reliable. The mythological elements nevertheless reflect how Zaofu was celebrated in Chinese cultural memory as the quintessential master charioteer, worthy of being immortalized among the stars.
The Celestial Charioteers
Zaofu is one of several asterisms in the region between Cygnus and Cassiopeia related to travel and charioteering. These include:
- Wangliang (王良) — another famous charioteer from the Spring and Autumn period, who served as charioteer for Zhao Jianzi (趙簡子)
- Ce (策) (Whip) — the whip of Wangliang
- Tianjiu (天厩, Celestial Stable)
- Chefu (車府, Big Yard for Chariots)
- Xizhong (奚仲) — the legendary inventor of the chariot
Together with Zaofu, these asterisms form a celestial complex representing the imperial equestrian establishment — horses, chariots, stables, and the legendary masters who drove them.
Identification of stars
Before the Tang dynasty, the configuration of the five stars of Zaofu was distinct and well established. Its shape resembled that of Wangliang (王良) — both depicted as a charioteer driving four horses abreast, with the easternmost star (δ Cephei) symbolizing Zaofu himself.
From the Song dynasty onward, the depiction of Zaofu in star charts underwent changes, leading to ambiguities in identification. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that δ Cephei, as the determinative star for the majority of historical periods, remains the most important star of this asterism.
| Star Names or Orders(Qing) | SUN X. & J. Kistemaker[1]
Han Dynasty |
Boshun Yang[2]
before Tang dynasty |
Boshun Yang[2]
Song Jingyou(1034) |
Pan Nai[3]
based on Xinyixiangfayao Star Map |
Yi Shitong[4]
Based on catalogue in 18th century |
Ho PENG YOKE[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st/determinative | δ Cep | δ Cep | AR Cas | δ Cep | δ Cep | δ Cep |
| 2nd | ε Cep | ε Cep | 1 Cas | V509 Lac | ζ Cep | ζ Cep |
| 3rd | ζ Cep | ζ Cep | V509 Lac | V416 Lac | λ Cep | λ Cep |
| 4th | μ Cep | λ Cep | δ Cep | ζ Cep | μ Cep | μ Cep |
| 5th | ν Cep | HIP 109592 | V416 Lac | λ Cep | ν Cep | ν Cep |
Maps (Gallery)
| historical map | modern identification
(Yang 2023) |
same in Stellarium 24.4 |
|---|---|---|
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_Reconstructed_by_Pan_Nai_(2009).png) |
_Reconstructed_by_Pan_Nai_(2009)_in_Stellarium.png) |
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IAU Working Group on Star Names
In 202x, the name of the historical constellation "xxx" was suggested to be used for one of the stars in this constellation. ...
Decision: ...
References
- ↑ Sun Xiaochun. & Kistemaker J. The Chinese sky during the Han. Leiden: Brill. 1997, Pp241-6.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 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.
- ↑ Pan Nai潘鼐. Zhongguo Hengxing Guance shi中国恒星观测史[M]. Shanghai: Xuelin Pree. 1989. p226.
- ↑ Yi Shitong伊世同. Zhongxi Duizhao Hengxing Tubiao中西对照恒星图表1950. Beijing: Science Press.1981: 56.
- ↑ P.-Y. Ho, “Ancient And Mediaeval Observations of Comets and Novae in Chinese Sources,” Vistas in Astronomy, 5(1962), 127-225.
