HaochengLyu: Small fix

2026-08-27T13:34:52Z

Small fix

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:34, 27 August 2026
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	\| '''Beiluo Shimen'''		\| '''Beiluo Shimen'''
	\| style="color: gray;" \| α PsA		\| style="color: gray;" \| α PsA
	\| α ~~Psc~~		\| α PsA
	\| α ~~Psc~~		\| α PsA
	\| α ~~Gru~~		\| α PsA
	\| α PsA		\| α PsA
	\| style="color: gray;" \| α PsA		\| style="color: gray;" \| α PsA

HaochengLyu: Small change

2026-08-27T13:15:51Z

Small change

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:15, 27 August 2026
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	=== The "Reddish Star" ===		=== The "Reddish Star" ===
	The ''Kaiyuan Zhanjing'' (開元占經) describes the asterism:<blockquote>"To the southwest of Yǔlín (羽林) there is a large '''reddish''' star (大赤星), shaped like Dàjiǎo (大角, [[Arcturus]]). It is the gate of the celestial army, named "Běi Luò", also called "Shī Mén".</blockquote>α Piscis Austrini ([[Fomalhaut]]) is not a red star but a white main-sequence star. The description of it as a "large reddish star" (''dà chì xīng'', 大赤星) has been interpreted in several ways:		The ''Kaiyuan Zhanjing'' (開元占經) describes the asterism:<blockquote>To the southwest of Yǔlín (羽林) there is a large '''reddish''' star (大赤星), shaped like Dàjiǎo (大角, [[Arcturus]]). It is the gate of the celestial army, named "Běi Luò", also called "Shī Mén".</blockquote>α Piscis Austrini ([[Fomalhaut]]) is not a red star but a white main-sequence star. The description of it as a "large reddish star" (''dà chì xīng'', 大赤星) has been interpreted in several ways:

	# Atmospheric effect: Fomalhaut's declination is very far south, causing it to appear only low in the southern sky. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, in ancient times it appeared even lower than today. Atmospheric refraction and extinction near the horizon may have caused it to appear reddish.		# Atmospheric effect: Fomalhaut's declination is very far south, causing it to appear only low in the southern sky. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, in ancient times it appeared even lower than today. Atmospheric refraction and extinction near the horizon may have caused it to appear reddish.

HaochengLyu: Added new page "Beiluo Shimen"

2026-08-27T13:14:05Z

Added new page "Beiluo Shimen"

New page

{{DISPLAYTITLE: Beiluo Shimen (北落師門)}}

{{distinguish|}}

Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
----
[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium.png|thumb|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Stellarium|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Stellarium]]
{{Infobox constellation|name=Beiluo Shimen|native=北落師門|translation=Gate of the Northern Military Camp|pronounce=Běi Luò Shī Mén|IPA=/peɪ˨˩˩.lwo˥˩.ʂɻ̍˥.mən˧˥/|culture=Chinese|RA=344.4076667
|dec=-29.62519444|areatotal=0|numbermainstars=1|numberbfstars=1|numberstarsplanets=|numberbrightstars=1|numbernearbystars=|brighteststarname=α Psc|starmagnitude=1.16|neareststarname=|stardistance=|numbermessierobjects=|meteorshowers=|bordering=PsA|notes=|cat=constellation}}
Běi Luò Shī Mén (北落師門, Gate of the Northern Military Camp) is a traditional Chinese asterism belonging to the [[Yingshi and Ligong|Shi (室)]] mansion, the sixth of the seven mansions of the Black Tortoise of the North in the Twenty-Eight Mansions system. Among the Three Schools of ancient Chinese astronomy, it is classified as a Shi School asterism (石氏星). The asterism consists of a single star located southwest of Yǔlínjūn (羽林軍, Palace Guard). In modern constellation boundaries, Beiluo Shimen lies within [[Piscis Austrinus]] (the Southern Fish), corresponding to the star α Piscis Austrini ([[Fomalhaut]]).

== Concordance, Etymology, History ==

=== Etymology ===
The name "Běi Luò Shī Mén" (北落師門) originally comprised two separate names: "Běi Luò" (北落) and "Shī Mén" (師門), with "Shī Mén" used as an alternative name for "Běi Luò". In many texts, "Běi Luò" appears as a shortened form of the full name.

The ''Book of Jin, Treatise on Astronomy'' (''Jin Shu·Tianwen Zhi'', 晉書·天文志) provides the following explanation of the name:<blockquote>
"''Běi''" (北, North) means that this asterism is located in the north; "Luò" (落) means the fence or barrier (藩落, ''fānluò'') of heaven; "Shī" (師) means a multitude; "Shī Mén" (師門) thus means the military gate. The north gate of Chang'an city was called 'Běi Luò Mén' (北落門), named after this asterism .It governs unusual omens and is used to observe military movements.</blockquote>In other words, the four characters can be interpreted individually as follows:

* Běi (北, "North") — indicates that the star is located in the northern sky, belonging to the [[Yingshi and Ligong|''Shi'' (室)]] mansion of the '''Northern''' Black Tortoise (北方玄武) in the Four Symbols system (四象, ''sì xiàng'').
* Luò (落) — means the outer fence or barrier of a city or military camp.
* Shī (師) — means a multitude, and by extension, an army.
* Mén (門, "gate") — together with ''Shī'', forms ''Shī Mén'' (師門), meaning "military gate."

Beiluo Shimen thus symbolizes the gate of the northern military encampment, guarding the northern frontier. The north gate of Han Chang'an was called the "Běi Luò Mén" (北落門, also known as Luò Chéng Mén, 洛城門), a name derived directly from this asterism.

=== The "Reddish Star" ===
The ''Kaiyuan Zhanjing'' (開元占經) describes the asterism:<blockquote>"To the southwest of Yǔlín (羽林) there is a large '''reddish''' star (大赤星), shaped like Dàjiǎo (大角, [[Arcturus]]). It is the gate of the celestial army, named "Běi Luò", also called "Shī Mén".</blockquote>α Piscis Austrini ([[Fomalhaut]]) is not a red star but a white main-sequence star. The description of it as a "large reddish star" (''dà chì xīng'', 大赤星) has been interpreted in several ways:

# Atmospheric effect: Fomalhaut's declination is very far south, causing it to appear only low in the southern sky. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, in ancient times it appeared even lower than today. Atmospheric refraction and extinction near the horizon may have caused it to appear reddish.
# School affiliation: Beiluo Shimen is a Shi School asterism. In traditional Chinese star charts, different schools were often distinguished by colour — with red used to mark Shi School stars. The description may thus indicate its affiliation with the Shi School rather than its actual colour.

=== The Celestial Military Encampment ===
In addition to Beiluo Shimen, there are two other asterisms in the Chinese system representing "military camp gates": [[Junnanmen|Jūn Nán Mén (軍南門, Southern Military Gate)]] of the Gan School (甘氏), located near [[Tiandajiangjun|Tiān Dà Jiāngjūn (天大將軍, Celestial Great General)]]; and Jūn Mén (軍門, Military Gate) of the Wu Xian School (巫咸氏), located near the ''Zhěn'' (軫, Chariot) mansion.

Beiluo Shimen was placed to the southwest of Yǔlínjūn (羽林軍, Palace Guard). Together with the surrounding asterisms — Lěi Bì Zhèn (壘壁陣, Line of Ramparts), Yǔlínjūn (羽林軍, Palace Guard), and [[Tiangang|Tiān Gāng (天綱, Celestial Military Tent)]] — Beiluo Shimen forms a complete northern celestial military encampment: the ramparts (Lěi Bì Zhèn) surround the camp, the Palace Guard (Yǔlínjūn) mans the defences, the Gate (Běiluò Shīmén) serves as the main gate of the camp and controls access, and the [[Tiangang|Emperor's Tent (Tiān Gāng)]] stands nearby, just outside the encampment.

=== Identification of stars ===
The identification of Beiluo Shimen has been consistent throughout history: it has always been α Piscis Austrini ([[Fomalhaut]]). No changes or alternate identifications are recorded in any historical star catalogues.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Names or Orders(Qing)
! style="color: gray;" |Han Dynasty
(SUN X. & J. Kistemaker<ref>Sun Xiaochun. & Kistemaker J. ''The Chinese sky during the Han''. Leiden: Brill. 1997, Pp241-6.</ref>)
!before Tang dynasty: 3rd to 6th Century
(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). 235-296.</ref>)
!Song Dynaty: Huangyou, 1052
(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. Fig 55.</ref>, based on ''Xinyixiangfayao'' Star Map)
!Yuan dynasty: 1279-1368
(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>)
!Qing dynasty: 18th Century
(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.</ref>)
! style="color: gray;" |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>
|-
| '''Beiluo Shimen'''
| style="color: gray;" | α PsA
| α Psc
| α Psc
| α Gru
| α PsA
| style="color: gray;" | α PsA
|}

=== Maps (Gallery) ===
{| class="wikitable"
!historical map
!modern identification
(Yang 2023)
!same in Stellarium
|-
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido|thumb|Beiluo Shimen (left) and Tiangang (right) in ''Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido'']]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen before Tang Dynasty Reconstructed by Boshun Yang(2023).png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang before Tang Dynasty Reconstructed by Boshun Yang(2023)|thumb|Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen before Tang Dynasty Reconstructed by Boshun Yang(2023)]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium|thumb|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium]]
|-
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in Gezi yuejin tu.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Gezi yuejin tu|thumb|Beiluo Shimen (left) and Tiangang (right) in ''Gezi yuejin tu'']]
|-
|[[File:Tiangang in Xinyixiangfayao star map.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Xinyixiangfayao star map|thumb|Beiluo Shimen (left) and Tiangang (right) in ''Xinyixiangfayao'' star map]]
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in Northern Song Dynasty ( based on 1052 obserrvation) Reconstructed by PAN Nai (2009).png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Northern Song Dynasty ( based on 1052 obserrvation) Reconstructed by Pan Nai (2009)|thumb|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Northern Song Dynasty (based on 1052 obserrvation) Reconstructed by Pan Nai (2009)]]
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimenin 1052 (Huangyou reign of Song) by Pan Nai in Stellarium.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang 1052 (Huangyou reign of Song) by Pan Nai in Stellarium|thumb|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang 1052 (Huangyou reign of Song) by Pan Nai in Stellarium]]
|-
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in Xianglin star map.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Xianglin star map|thumb|Beiluo Shimen (left) and Tiangang (right) in Xianglin, a 17th-century non-official star map]]
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in late Yuan Dynasty (1363 or so) Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023).png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in late Yuan Dynasty (1363 or so) Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023)|thumb|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in late Yuan Dynasty (1363 or so) Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023)]]
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in late Yuan Dynasty (1363 or so) in Stellrium.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in late Yuan Dynasty (1363 or so) in Stellrium|thumb|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in late Yuan Dynasty (1363 or so) in Stellrium]]
|-
|[[File:Tiangang in Yixiang kaocheng star map of 18th century.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in Yixiang kaocheng star map of 18th century|thumb|Beiluo Shimen (left) and Tiangang (right) in ''Yixiang kaocheng'' star map of 18th century]]
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in 18th century reconstructed by Yi Shitong.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in 18th century reconstructed by Yi Shitong|thumb|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in 18th century reconstructed by Yi Shitong]]
|[[File:Tiangang and Beiluo Shimen in 18th Century in Stellarium.png|alt=Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in 18th Century in Stellarium|thumb|Beiluo Shimen and Tiangang in 18th Century in Stellarium]]
|}

== IAU Working Group on Star Names ==
Since α Piscis Austrini is already officially named Fomalhaut by the IAU, the name "Beiluo Shimen" will not be adopted as an international name for this star.

==References ==
[[References (Chinese)]]
[[Category:Asterism ]][[Category:Constellation ]]
[[Category:Eurasia]][[Category:Asian]][[Category:East Asian]]
[[Category:Chinese ]]
[[Category:PsA]]
[[Category:Single star-asterism]]

Beiluo Shimen - Revision history

HaochengLyu: Small fix

HaochengLyu: Small change

HaochengLyu: Added new page "Beiluo Shimen"