Tianjin - Revision history

HaochengLyu: Small changes

2026-05-10T15:26:46Z

Small changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:26, 10 May 2026
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	By dusk I had reached the westernmost horizon.</blockquote>This magnificent line describes the poet's spiritual journey through the heavens, unbounded by earthly limits. Though Qu Yuan was not necessarily referring to the specific constellation later codified as Tianjin, his verse reveals that the image of a "Ferry of the Milky Way" had already entered the Chinese literary imagination in very ancient times.		By dusk I had reached the westernmost horizon.</blockquote>This magnificent line describes the poet's spiritual journey through the heavens, unbounded by earthly limits. Though Qu Yuan was not necessarily referring to the specific constellation later codified as Tianjin, his verse reveals that the image of a "Ferry of the Milky Way" had already entered the Chinese literary imagination in very ancient times.

	The earliest recorded description of what would later become the Tianjin constellation appears in Sima Qian's (c. 145–86 BCE) ''Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji)''. In the "Treatise on Celestial Offices," Sima Qian wrote:<blockquote>Beside ''[[Wangliang]]'', there are eight stars cutting across the Milky Way, called ''Tianhuang'' ("Celestial Pier"). Beside ''Tianhuang'' is the River Star (''Jiangxing''). When the River Star stirs, men wade across the waters.</blockquote>According to scholars of later eras, Tianhuang (another name for Tianjin) and the River Star together comprised the nine stars of the future Tianjin constellation. The River Star is [[Deneb]], the brightest of the nine, while the other eight constitute the "pier." The omen that "men wade across the waters" would later inspire another constellation, ''Ren'' (Humans), consisting of five stars placed adjacent to Tianjin. (There is also another Chinese constellation named Tianhuang, consisting of five stars in the constellation [[Auriga]], which should not be confused with the Tianhuang associated with Tianjin.)<ref>Zhu Wenxin朱文鑫. ''A Study of the Star Charts in Sima Qian's "Treatise on Celestial Offices"'' 史记天官书恒星图考. p. 52. Shanghai: The Commercial Press. First edition 1927, second edition 1934.</ref>		The earliest recorded description of what would later become the Tianjin constellation appears in Sima Qian's (c. 145–86 BCE) ''Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji)''. In the "Treatise on Celestial Offices," Sima Qian wrote:<blockquote>Beside ''[[Wangliang]]'', there are eight stars cutting across the Milky Way, called ''Tianhuang'' ("Celestial Pier"). Beside ''Tianhuang'' is the River Star (''Jiangxing''). When the River Star stirs, men wade across the waters.</blockquote>According to scholars of later eras, Tianhuang (another name for Tianjin) and the River Star together comprised the nine stars of the future Tianjin constellation. The River Star is [[Deneb]], the brightest of the nine, while the other eight constitute the "pier." The omen that "men wade across the waters" would later inspire another constellation, ''Ren'' (Humans), consisting of five stars placed adjacent to Tianjin. (There is also another Chinese constellation named Tianhuang, consisting of five stars in the constellation [[Auriga]], which should not be confused with the Tianhuang associated with Tianjin.)<ref>Zhu Wenxin朱文鑫. ''A Study of the Star Charts in Sima Qian's "Treatise on Celestial Offices"'' 史记天官书恒星图考. p. 52. Shanghai: The Commercial Press. First edition 1927, second edition 1934.</ref>

	After Chen Zhuo (active 3rd century CE) unified the Chinese constellation system, the name of Tianjin was fixed. The ''Book of Jin (Jinshu)'' states in its "Treatise on Astronomy":<blockquote>Tianjin consists of nine stars lying across the Milky Way. It is also called ''Tianhan'' (a name of the Milky Way) or ''Tianjiang'' (Celestial River). It presides over the ferries and bridges of the Four Great Rivers (the Yangtze, Yellow, Huai, and Ji, refers to all rivers in general), thereby enabling the gods to traverse the four directions. If one star is missing, the fords and passes are blocked.</blockquote>		After Chen Zhuo (active 3rd century CE) unified the Chinese constellation system, the name of Tianjin was fixed. The ''Book of Jin (Jinshu'', 晋书'')'' states in its "Treatise on Astronomy":<blockquote>Tianjin consists of nine stars lying across the Milky Way. It is also called ''Tianhan'' (a name of the Milky Way) or ''Tianjiang'' (Celestial River). It presides over the ferries and bridges of the Four Great Rivers (the Yangtze, Yellow, Huai, and Ji, refers to all rivers in general), thereby enabling the gods to traverse the four directions. If one star is missing, the fords and passes are blocked.</blockquote>

	==== Tianjin and the Legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl ====		==== Tianjin and the Legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl ====
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	'''Tianjin Municipality'''		'''Tianjin Municipality'''

	The modern city of Tianjin also owes its name to this constellation. According to the History of Jin (Jinshi), a Tianjin River already existed by 1206 CE. It was named after the constellation, ~~with~~ the ~~inscription~~ "a bridge across the Milky Way, a thoroughfare serving all waterways" (~~天汉津梁、通漕众济~~), explicitly ~~drawing~~ on the celestial concept.		The modern city of Tianjin also owes its name to this constellation. According to the History of Jin (''Jinshi'', 金史), a Tianjin River (天津河) already existed by 1206 CE. It was named after the constellation, taking its meaning from the phrase "a bridge across the Milky Way, a thoroughfare serving all waterways" ('''''Tian'''han '''Jin'''liang,'' '''''Tong'''cao Zhong'''ji''''', '''天'''汉'''津'''梁、'''通'''漕众'''济'''), which explicitly draws on the celestial concept. The Tianjin River was designated as a section of the Grand Canal, serving as a key channel for grain transportation. Around the same time, another waterway, the ''Tongji'' River (通济渠), was also named based on the same phrase. The two rivers were placed under the unified management of a single patrol officer, known as the Tianjin River Patrol Officer.

	A later, widely known tradition dates to the Ming dynasty. In 1400, Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, boarded ships at the Tianjin River (near what is now the Jinhua Bridge on the South Canal) during the Jingnan Campaign against his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor. From this point, he switched from overland to waterborne advance and sailed south along the Grand Canal. After seizing the throne and ascending as the Yongle Emperor, he reportedly renamed the settlement Tianjin, meaning the "Ford of the Son of Heaven (Emperor)" (~~天子津渡~~), in commemoration of his departure point. In 1404, he formally established the Tianjin Guard, which is traditionally regarded as the founding date of the city.		A later, widely known tradition dates to the Ming dynasty. In 1400, Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, boarded ships at the Tianjin River near what is now the Jinhua Bridge on the South Canal during the Jingnan Campaign against his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor. From this point, he switched from overland to waterborne advance and sailed south along the Grand Canal. After seizing the throne and ascending as the Yongle Emperor, he reportedly renamed the settlement Tianjin, meaning the "Ford of the Son of Heaven (Emperor)" ('''''Tian'''zi '''Jin'''du'', '''天'''子'''津'''渡), in commemoration of his departure point. In 1404, he formally established the Tianjin Guard, which is traditionally regarded as the founding date of the city.

	'''Beyond Earth'''		'''Beyond Earth'''
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	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	\|+		\|+
	!Star Names or Orders(~~Traditional/~~Qing)		!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>		!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.</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.</ref>

HaochengLyu: Supplementary entry "Tianjin"

2026-05-10T14:31:43Z

Supplementary entry "Tianjin"

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 ----
 [[File:Tianjin in Stellarium.png|alt=Tianjin in Stellarium|thumb|Tianjin in Stellarium, across the Milky Way]]
-''Tiān Jīn'' (天津, Celestial Fork), a Chinese constellation consists of 9 stars, located in [[Cygnus]]. This constellation is regarded as the "fork or bridge of the Milky Way in the sky" because it spans across the Milky Way.
+''Tiān Jīn'' (天津, Celestial Ford or Celestial Ferry), a Chinese constellation consists of 9 stars, located in [[Cygnus]]. This constellation is regarded as the "ferry or bridge of the Milky Way in the sky" because it spans across the Milky Way.
 == Concordance, Etymology, History ==
 === Identification of stars ===

HaochengLyu: Created new page "Tianjin"

2026-05-06T15:08:57Z

Created new page "Tianjin"

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:08, 6 May 2026
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	== Concordance, Etymology, History ==		== Concordance, Etymology, History ==

	=== Identification of stars ===		=== Identification of stars ===
			Tianjin Star is quite prominent in the sky, corresponding to the 9 stars in the constellation [[Cygnus]], without controversy.
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	\|+		\|+
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	=== Maps (Gallery) ===		=== Maps (Gallery) ===
	~~{\| class~~="~~wikitable~~"		<gallery widths="300" heights="300" caption="Tianjin">
	\|+		File:Tianjin on Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido.png\|Tianjin on ''Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido''
	~~!historical map~~		File:Tianjin on Suzhou Star Map.png\|Tianjin on Suzhou Star Map
	~~!modern identification~~		File:Tianjin on 18th century star map.png\|Tianjin on ''Yixiang Kaocheng'' star map (18th century)
	~~(Yang 2023)~~		</gallery>
	~~!same in Stellarium 24.4~~
	\|-
	~~\|[[~~File:~~Kulou~~ on ~~the~~ Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido ~~Star Chart~~.~~jpg\|alt=historical image of Kulou (Korea)\|thumb~~\|~~Kulou~~ on ~~the~~ Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido Star ~~Chart]]~~
	\|
	\|
	\|}

HaochengLyu: Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE: Tianjin (天津)}} Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}} ---- Tianjin in Stellarium, across the Milky Way ''Tiān Jīn'' (天津, Celestial Fork), a Chinese constellation consists of 9 stars, located in Cygnus. This constellation is regarded as the "fork or bridge of the Milky Way in the sky" because it spans across the Milky Way. == Concordance, Etymology, History == === Identification of star..."

2026-05-06T14:54:02Z

Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE: Tianjin (天津)}} Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}} ---- alt=Tianjin in Stellarium|thumb|Tianjin in Stellarium, across the Milky Way ''Tiān Jīn'' (天津, Celestial Fork), a Chinese constellation consists of 9 stars, located in Cygnus. This constellation is regarded as the "fork or bridge of the Milky Way in the sky" because it spans across the Milky Way. == Concordance, Etymology, History == === Identification of star..."

New page

{{DISPLAYTITLE: Tianjin (天津)}}
Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
----
[[File:Tianjin in Stellarium.png|alt=Tianjin in Stellarium|thumb|Tianjin in Stellarium, across the Milky Way]]
''Tiān Jīn'' (天津, Celestial Fork), a Chinese constellation consists of 9 stars, located in [[Cygnus]]. This constellation is regarded as the "fork or bridge of the Milky Way in the sky" because it spans across the Milky Way.

== Concordance, Etymology, History ==

=== Identification of stars ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Names or Orders(Traditional/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.</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. p226.</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. p443.</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<ref name=":1" />
Song Jingyou(1034)
|-
| 1st
| γ Cyg
| γ Cyg
| γ Cyg
| γ Cyg
| γ Cyg
| γ Cyg
| γ Cyg
|-
| 2nd (Determinative)
| δ Cyg
| δ Cyg
| δ Cyg
| δ Cyg
| δ Cyg
| δ Cyg
| δ Cyg
|-
| 3rd
| ο1 Cyg
| 30 Cyg
| ο1 Cyg
| ο1 Cyg
| ο1 Cyg
| ο1 Cyg
| ο1 Cyg
|-
|4th
| α Cyg
| α Cyg
| α Cyg
| α Cyg
| α Cyg
| α Cyg
| α Cyg
|-
|5th
|ν Cyg
|ν Cyg
|ν Cyg
|ν Cyg
|ν Cyg
|ν Cyg
|ν Cyg
|-
|6th
|τ Cyg
|τ Cyg
|τ Cyg
|τ Cyg
|τ Cyg
|τ Cyg
|τ Cyg
|-
|7th
|υ Cyg
|υ Cyg
|υ Cyg
|υ Cyg
|υ Cyg
|υ Cyg
|υ Cyg
|-
|8th
|ζ Cyg
|ζ Cyg
|ζ Cyg
|ζ Cyg
|ζ Cyg
|ζ Cyg
|ζ Cyg
|-
|9th
|ε Cyg
|ε Cyg
|ε Cyg
|ε Cyg
|ε Cyg
|ε Cyg
|ε Cyg
|}

=== Maps (Gallery) ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!historical map
!modern identification
(Yang 2023)
!same in Stellarium 24.4
|-
|[[File:Kulou on the Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido Star Chart.jpg|alt=historical image of Kulou (Korea)|thumb|Kulou on the Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido Star Chart]]
|
|
|}

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

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