Manchu (All Terms): Difference between revisions

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Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}.
Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}.
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The Manchus are a people whose traditional homeland lies in Northeast China, especially in the region of the Changbai Mountains and the Amur/Heilongjiang basin. Traditionally they lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering, and later also by agriculture. Their indigenous religion, Manchu Shamanism, is characterized by animism, nature worship, ancestor worship, and the worship of Heaven. Among natural phenomena, the sun, moon, and stars were especially sacred. Star worship was historically as important as ancestor worship; Qing-dynasty sources such as the ''Jilin Tongzhi'' (吉林通志), ''Jilin Jiuwenlu'' (鸡林旧闻录), and the ''Imperially Commissioned Manchu Rites for Sacrificing to Spirits and Heaven'' (钦定满洲祭神祭天典礼) record these customs. Living in a high-latitude cold region with long winters and clear night skies, the Manchu ancestors developed a star-based calendrical and ritual system centred on winter constellations.


=== Transliteration Table ===
=== Transliteration Table ===
The Latin transliteration of Manchu used here follows the Möllendorff system, which is currently regarded as the most authoritative Manchu transliteration. It should be noted that Manchu must be written vertically and requires a dedicated font. The same letter has different forms depending on its position in a word (similar to Arabic), and some consonants are written differently depending on the vowel that follows them (e.g., t, d, k, g, h). The Manchu script shown in the table provides only one example and does not necessarily reflect the correct Manchu letters; please refer to the images in each entry for a star name for the correct spelling.
The Latin transliteration of Manchu used here follows the '''Möllendorff''' system, which is currently regarded as the most authoritative Manchu transliteration. It should be noted that the Manchu script must be written vertically and requires a dedicated font. The same letter has different forms depending on its position within a word (similar to Arabic), and some consonants are written differently depending on the following vowel (e.g., t, d, k, g, h). The Manchu script shown in the table is only one example and does not necessarily show the correct Manchu letter forms; please refer to the images in the individual star-name entries for the correct spelling.
 
To ensure accuracy, Manchu terms in subsequent terminology lists will be transcribed using the Möllendorff transliteration, and no Manchu script will be provided.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|+
Line 74: Line 78:
|k
|k
|/kʰ, qʰ/
|/kʰ, qʰ/
|Before a, o, and ū, it is pronounced /qʰ/; before e, i, and u, it is pronounced /kʰ/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
|Before '''a''', '''o''', and '''ū''', it is pronounced /qʰ/; before '''e''', '''i''', and '''u''', it is pronounced /kʰ/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
|-
|-
|ᡤ
|ᡤ
Line 80: Line 84:
|g
|g
|/k, q/
|/k, q/
|Before a, o, and ū, it is pronounced /q/; before e, i, and u, it is pronounced /k/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
|Before '''a''', '''o''', and '''ū''', it is pronounced /q/; before '''e''', '''i''', and '''u''', it is pronounced /k/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
|-
|-
|ᡥ
|ᡥ
Line 86: Line 90:
|h
|h
|/x, χ/
|/x, χ/
|Before a, o, and ū, it is pronounced /χ/; before e, i, and u, it is pronounced /x/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
|Before '''a''', '''o''', and '''ū''', it is pronounced /χ/; before '''e''', '''i''', and '''u''', it is pronounced /x/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
|-
|-
|ᠪ
|ᠪ
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|s
|s
|/s, ɕ/
|/s, ɕ/
|Before i, it is pronounced /ɕ/.
|Before '''i''', it is pronounced /ɕ/.
|-
|-
|ᡧ
|ᡧ
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|c
|c
|/t͡ʃʰ, t͡ɕʰ/
|/t͡ʃʰ, t͡ɕʰ/
|Before i, it is pronounced /t͡ɕʰ/.
|Before '''i''', it is pronounced /t͡ɕʰ/.
|-
|-
|ᠵ
|ᠵ
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|j
|j
|/t͡ʃ, t͡ɕ/
|/t͡ʃ, t͡ɕ/
|Before i, it is pronounced /t͡ɕ/.
|Before '''i''', it is pronounced /t͡ɕ/.
|-
|-
|ᠶ
|ᠶ
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|w
|w
|/w/
|/w/
|It may occur only before the vowels a and e.
|It may occur only before the vowels '''a''' and '''e'''.
|-
|-
|ᠺ
|ᠺ
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|k῾
|k῾
|/kʰ/
|/kʰ/
| It occurs only before a, o, and ū, and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
| It occurs only before '''a''', '''o''', and '''ū''', and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
|-
|-
|ᡬ
|ᡬ
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|g῾
|g῾
|/k/
|/k/
| It occurs only before a, o, and ū, and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
| It occurs only before '''a''', '''o''', and '''ū''', and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
|-
|-
|ᡭ
|ᡭ
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|h῾
|h῾
|/x/
|/x/
| It occurs only before a, o, and ū, and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
| It occurs only before '''a''', '''o''', and '''ū''', and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
|-
|-
|ᡮ
|ᡮ
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|ts῾
|ts῾
|/t͡sʰ/
|/t͡sʰ/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|-
|-
|ᡯ
|ᡯ
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|dz
|dz
|/t͡s/
|/t͡s/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|-
|-
|ᡰ
|ᡰ
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|ž
|ž
|/ʒ/
|/ʒ/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|-
|-
| colspan="5" |'''Special''' '''Syllables'''
| colspan="5" |'''Special''' '''Syllables'''
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|ts
|ts
|/t͡sʰɹ̩/
|/t͡sʰɹ̩/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|-
|-
|ᡯᡳ᠌
|ᡯᡳ᠌
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|dzi
|dzi
|/t͡sɹ̩/
|/t͡sɹ̩/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|-
|-
|ᠰᡟ
|ᠰᡟ
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|sy
|sy
|/sɹ̩/
|/sɹ̩/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|-
|-
|ᡱᡳ
|ᡱᡳ
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|c῾y
|c῾y
|/t͡ʃʰɻ̩/
|/t͡ʃʰɻ̩/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|-
|-
|ᡷᡳ
|ᡷᡳ
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|jy
|jy
|/t͡ʃɻ̩/
|/t͡ʃɻ̩/
|It is used to transliterate Chinese words.
|Used to transliterate Chinese words.
|}
|}
In this transliteration, ''sh'' and ''th'' are not English digraphs. Read each letter separately: ''sh'' = ''s'' + ''h'', ''th'' = ''t'' + ''h''. The ''h'' is /χ/ before ''a'', ''o'', ''ū'' and /x/ before ''e'', ''i'', ''u''. Thus ''gasha'' ("bird", read as /qäs.χä/) has ''s'' + /χ/, not English ''sh'' /ʃ/; bithe ("writing, book", read as /pit.xə/) has ''t'' + /x/, not English th /θ/ or /ð/. In Möllendorff, the /ʃ/ sound is written š, not ''sh''.


=== List of terms ===
=== List of terms ===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Manchu
!Manchu
(Möllendorff transliteration)
!English
!English
!commentary
!commentary
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|usiha
|usiha
|star
|star
|It can represent a single star, as well as a constellation or a asterism.
|-
|enduri
|
|
|-
|mama
|
|
|-
|mafa
|
|
|
|}
|}
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|+
|+
!Manchu
!Manchu
(Möllendorff transliteration)
!IPA
!IPA
!English
!English
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=== List of Manchu asterism names ===
=== List of Manchu asterism names ===


==== Traditional Manchu Shamanistic Asterisms ====
==== Fu Yuguang and the Folk Manchu Constellations ====
Fu Yuguang (富育光, 1933–2020) was a leading authority on Manchu folklore and folk culture. His fieldwork also covered Manchu heaven-worship traditions. In 1988 he published A Study of Manchu Shamanic Star Rituals and Customs (满族萨满教星祭俗考)<ref name=":0" />, a detailed record of Manchu star ritual culture. It catalogues eighteen folk Manchu constellations, provides hand-drawn star charts, and gives identifications with modern constellations. It remains the most important source for understanding Manchu sky culture.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|+Traditional Manchu Shamanistic Asterisms
!No.
!No.
!Chinese translit.
!Chinese translit.
Line 308: Line 324:
!Reconstructed Manchu
!Reconstructed Manchu
(Möllendorff transliteration)
(Möllendorff transliteration)
!Qing official Manchu
!Qing official Manchu<ref>Fu, Yuguang富育光. (1988). An Examination of the Qing Imperial Shrine Sacrifices清宫堂子祭祀辨考. ''Social Science Front社会科学战线'', (4), 209.</ref>
(Möllendorff transliteration)<ref>Fu, Yuguang富育光. (1988). An Examination of the Qing Imperial Shrine Sacrifices清宫堂子祭祀辨考. ''Social Science Front社会科学战线'', (4), 209.</ref>
!English
!English
!Modern constellation<ref name=":0" />
!Modern constellation<ref name=":0" />
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|Seven Maidens
|Seven Maidens
|[[Taurus|Tau]] ([[Pleiades]])
|[[Taurus|Tau]] ([[Pleiades]])
|
|An incarnation of the star-spreading goddess Elden Hehe.
|-
|-
|2
|2
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|Hedgehog Goddess
|Hedgehog Goddess
|[[Cygnus|Cyg]]
|[[Cygnus|Cyg]]
|
|As a deity, also known as Jeguru Enduri.
|-
|-
|3
|3
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|Taci (Goddess)
|Taci (Goddess)
|[[Cassiopeia|Cas]]
|[[Cassiopeia|Cas]]
|
|Timekeeping goddess.
|-
|-
|4
|4
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|Divine Eagle
|Divine Eagle
|[[Auriga|Aur]], [[Gemini|Gem]], [[Perseus|Per]], [[Orion|Or]]<nowiki/>i, [[Taurus|Tau]], [[Eridanus|Eri]]
|[[Auriga|Aur]], [[Gemini|Gem]], [[Perseus|Per]], [[Orion|Or]]<nowiki/>i, [[Taurus|Tau]], [[Eridanus|Eri]]
|
|The eagle deity in Manchu legend.
|-
|-
|9
|9
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|Rat
|Rat
|[[Leo]]
|[[Leo]]
|
|The sun-welcoming Rat Goddess.
|-
|-
|10
|10
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|Horse
|Horse
|
|
|
|Not one particular star, but a collective term for four stars, including prominent stars such as Sirius and Arcturus.
|-
|-
|11
|11
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|Drum
|Drum
|[[Aries|Ari]], [[Triangulum|Tri]], [[Andromeda|And]]
|[[Aries|Ari]], [[Triangulum|Tri]], [[Andromeda|And]]
|
|The Drum Stars and the Drumstick Stars.
|-
|-
|13
|13
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|Fodoho Mama
|Fodoho Mama
|
|
|Willow
|Goddess of Willow
|[[Hydra|Hya]] (Head of Hydra)
|[[Hydra|Hya]] (Head of Hydra)
|
|Evidently related to the Chinese lunar mansion Willow (柳宿).
|-
|-
|17
|17
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|Net
|Net
|[[Hercules|Her]]
|[[Hercules|Her]]
|
|An incarnation of the hunting deity Banda Mafa.
|-
|-
|18
|18
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|Jodorgan usiha
|Jodorgan usiha
|Weaving Wife
|Weaving Wife
|
|Abbreviation of ''jodoro-sargan'', literally "Weaving Wife". Borrowed from the Chinese star name "Zhinü" (织女, Weaver Girl).
|α Lyr, [[Vega]]
|α Lyr, [[Vega]]
|-
|-
|Igeri/Ikiri usiha
|Igeri/Ikiri usiha
|Ox-Leading
|Ox-Leading
|
|Abbreviation of ''ihan-elgembi'', literally "ox-leading" (''ihan'' "ox" + ''elgembi'' "to lead"); another explanation derives it from ''ihan-age'' ("Ox Brother"), in which the final ''-ri'' is meaningless and serves only to fill out the syllable. Borrowed from the Chinese star name "Qianniu" (牵牛, Oxherd/Cowherd).
|α Aql, [[Altair]]
|α Aql, [[Altair]]
|-
|-

Revision as of 04:10, 11 September 2026

Authors: Lyu Haocheng.


The Manchus are a people whose traditional homeland lies in Northeast China, especially in the region of the Changbai Mountains and the Amur/Heilongjiang basin. Traditionally they lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering, and later also by agriculture. Their indigenous religion, Manchu Shamanism, is characterized by animism, nature worship, ancestor worship, and the worship of Heaven. Among natural phenomena, the sun, moon, and stars were especially sacred. Star worship was historically as important as ancestor worship; Qing-dynasty sources such as the Jilin Tongzhi (吉林通志), Jilin Jiuwenlu (鸡林旧闻录), and the Imperially Commissioned Manchu Rites for Sacrificing to Spirits and Heaven (钦定满洲祭神祭天典礼) record these customs. Living in a high-latitude cold region with long winters and clear night skies, the Manchu ancestors developed a star-based calendrical and ritual system centred on winter constellations.

Transliteration Table

The Latin transliteration of Manchu used here follows the Möllendorff system, which is currently regarded as the most authoritative Manchu transliteration. It should be noted that the Manchu script must be written vertically and requires a dedicated font. The same letter has different forms depending on its position within a word (similar to Arabic), and some consonants are written differently depending on the following vowel (e.g., t, d, k, g, h). The Manchu script shown in the table is only one example and does not necessarily show the correct Manchu letter forms; please refer to the images in the individual star-name entries for the correct spelling.

To ensure accuracy, Manchu terms in subsequent terminology lists will be transcribed using the Möllendorff transliteration, and no Manchu script will be provided.

Manchu Unicode Möllendorff transliteration IPA commentary
Vowels
ᠠ 1820 a /ä/
ᡝ 185D e /ə/
ᡳ 1873 i /i/
ᠣ 1823 o /ɔ/
ᡠ 1860 u /u/
ᡡ 1861 ū /ʊ/
᠊ᡟ 185F y /ɹ̩, ɻ̩/ The vowel y is used only in certain syllables of Chinese transcriptions; see "Special Syllables" below.
Consonants
ᠨ 1828 n /n/ In syllable-final position, it is usually silent, but it causes nasalization of the preceding vowel.
᠊ᠩ 1829 ng /ŋ/
ᡴ᠊ 1874 k /kʰ, qʰ/ Before a, o, and ū, it is pronounced /qʰ/; before e, i, and u, it is pronounced /kʰ/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
ᡤ 1864 g /k, q/ Before a, o, and ū, it is pronounced /q/; before e, i, and u, it is pronounced /k/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
ᡥ 1865 h /x, χ/ Before a, o, and ū, it is pronounced /χ/; before e, i, and u, it is pronounced /x/. The letter has different forms depending on context.
ᠪ 182A b /p/
ᡦ 1866 p /pʰ/
ᠰ 1830 s /s, ɕ/ Before i, it is pronounced /ɕ/.
ᡧ 1867 š /ʃ/
ᡨ 1868 t /tʰ/ The letter has different forms depending on context.
ᡩ 1869 d /t/ The letter has different forms depending on context.
ᠯ 182F l /l/
ᠮ 182E m /m/
ᠴ 1834 c /t͡ʃʰ, t͡ɕʰ/ Before i, it is pronounced /t͡ɕʰ/.
ᠵ 1835 j /t͡ʃ, t͡ɕ/ Before i, it is pronounced /t͡ɕ/.
ᠶ 1836 y /j/
ᡵ 1875 r /r/
ᡶ 1876 f /f/ The letter has different forms depending on context.
ᠸ 1838 w /w/ It may occur only before the vowels a and e.
ᠺ 183A k῾ /kʰ/ It occurs only before a, o, and ū, and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
ᡬ 186C g῾ /k/ It occurs only before a, o, and ū, and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
ᡭ 186D h῾ /x/ It occurs only before a, o, and ū, and it is used to transliterate foreign words.
ᡮ 186E ts῾ /t͡sʰ/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.
ᡯ 186F dz /t͡s/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.
ᡰ 1870 ž /ʒ/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.
Special Syllables
ᡮᡟ 186E 185F ts /t͡sʰɹ̩/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.
ᡯᡳ᠌ 186F 1873 dzi /t͡sɹ̩/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.
ᠰᡟ 1830 185F sy /sɹ̩/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.
ᡱᡳ 1871 1873 c῾y /t͡ʃʰɻ̩/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.
ᡷᡳ 1877 1873 jy /t͡ʃɻ̩/ Used to transliterate Chinese words.

In this transliteration, sh and th are not English digraphs. Read each letter separately: sh = s + h, th = t + h. The h is /χ/ before a, o, ū and /x/ before e, i, u. Thus gasha ("bird", read as /qäs.χä/) has s + /χ/, not English sh /ʃ/; bithe ("writing, book", read as /pit.xə/) has t + /x/, not English th /θ/ or /ð/. In Möllendorff, the /ʃ/ sound is written š, not sh.

List of terms

Manchu English commentary
usiha star It can represent a single star, as well as a constellation or a asterism.
enduri
mama
mafa

Solar System Names

Manchu IPA English commentary
Šun /ʃun/ Sun In the ancient creation mythology of the Manchu people, the solar deity is also known as Šun Morin (literally "sun horse"). According to traditional narratives, humanity owes its eternal light and warmth to Šun Morin. Moreover, it is by its ceaseless running, day and night, that the cycle of the four seasons, the alternation of heat and cold, and the rhythms of tides are brought about.[1]
Biya /pjä/ Moon
Muke usiha /mu.kʰə u.ɕi.χä/ Mercury Calque (semantic loan) from the Chinese term Shuǐ Xīng (水星), literally meaning "water star".
Aisin usiha /äi.ɕin u.ɕi.χä/ Venus Calque from the Chinese term Jīn Xīng (金星), literally meaning "metal star".
Tuwa usiha /tʰwä u.ɕi.χä/ Mars Calque from the Chinese term Huǒ Xīng (火星), literally meaning "fire star".
Moo usiha /moː u.ɕi.χä/ Jupiter Calque from the Chinese term Mù Xīng (木星), literally meaning "wood star".
Boihon usiha /pɔi.χɔn u.ɕi.χä/ Saturn Calque from the Chinese term Tǔ Xīng (土星), literally meaning "earth star".

List of Manchu asterism names

Fu Yuguang and the Folk Manchu Constellations

Fu Yuguang (富育光, 1933–2020) was a leading authority on Manchu folklore and folk culture. His fieldwork also covered Manchu heaven-worship traditions. In 1988 he published A Study of Manchu Shamanic Star Rituals and Customs (满族萨满教星祭俗考)[2], a detailed record of Manchu star ritual culture. It catalogues eighteen folk Manchu constellations, provides hand-drawn star charts, and gives identifications with modern constellations. It remains the most important source for understanding Manchu sky culture.

Traditional Manchu Shamanistic Asterisms
No. Chinese translit.

(Fu, 2007)[2]

Reconstructed Manchu

(Möllendorff transliteration)

Qing official Manchu[3] English Modern constellation[2] commentary
1 那丹那拉呼 Nadan Narhū(n) Nadan Daihūn (那丹岱珲) Seven Maidens Tau (Pleiades) An incarnation of the star-spreading goddess Elden Hehe.
2 恩都力僧固 Enduri Senggu Enduri Senggu Hedgehog Goddess Cyg As a deity, also known as Jeguru Enduri.
3 塔其妈妈 Taci Mama Taci (Goddess) Cas Timekeeping goddess.
4 托包乌西哈 Tobo usiha Hut Per
5 恩都力特克 Enduri Tehe God of the Stand Peg, And
6 依兰乌西哈 Ilan usiha Three Stars Ori (Orion's Belt)
7 那丹乌西哈 Nadan usiha Seven Stars UMa (Big Dipper)
8 嘎思哈 Gasha Divine Eagle Aur, Gem, Per, Ori, Tau, Eri The eagle deity in Manchu legend.
9 兴恶里乌西哈 Singgeri usiha Rat Leo The sun-welcoming Rat Goddess.
10 莫林乌西哈 Morin usiha Horse Not one particular star, but a collective term for four stars, including prominent stars such as Sirius and Arcturus.
11 瓦丹星 Wadan Wadan (The Celestial Altar) Crv
12 尼马沁星 Imcin Drum Ari, Tri, And The Drum Stars and the Drumstick Stars.
13 西离妈妈 Siri Mama Goddess of Carp Lyn, Cam
14 妥亲乌西妈妈 Terkin Usiha Mama Goddess of the Staircase Stars Vir, Com
15 乌西哈布鲁古 Usiha Buruhun Star of Buruhun (The Dawn Beast) Boo, CVni, Com
16 佛朵妈妈 Fodoho Mama Goddess of Willow Hya (Head of Hydra) Evidently related to the Chinese lunar mansion Willow (柳宿).
17 阿苏乌西哈 Asu usiha Net Her An incarnation of the hunting deity Banda Mafa.
18 尼玛哈乌西哈 Nimaha usiha Fishhook Sco
19 苏勒干乌西哈 Sureken usiha Star of Wisdom

Other Asterism and Star Names

Manchu

(Möllendorff transliteration)

English etymology Modern Star/Constellation Name
Jodorgan usiha Weaving Wife Abbreviation of jodoro-sargan, literally "Weaving Wife". Borrowed from the Chinese star name "Zhinü" (织女, Weaver Girl). α Lyr, Vega
Igeri/Ikiri usiha Ox-Leading Abbreviation of ihan-elgembi, literally "ox-leading" (ihan "ox" + elgembi "to lead"); another explanation derives it from ihan-age ("Ox Brother"), in which the final -ri is meaningless and serves only to fill out the syllable. Borrowed from the Chinese star name "Qianniu" (牵牛, Oxherd/Cowherd). α Aql, Altair
Borboho usiha CrB
Ilmahū/Ilmoho usiha Prop-Stick Ori (Orion's Sword)
Hadaha usiha Nail Star α UMi, Polaris
Juru Sirha Pair of Silver-Maned Steeds UMi (β UMi, γ UMi)
  1. ↑ Lu Liankun鲁连坤, narrator. Umesiben Mama乌布西奔妈妈. Annotated and translated by Fu Yuguang富育光, Jilin People's Publishing House, 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fu, Yuguang富育光. (1988). A Study of Manchu Shamanic Star Rituals and Customs满族萨满教星祭俗考. Northern Ethnicities, (1).
  3. ↑ Fu, Yuguang富育光. (1988). An Examination of the Qing Imperial Shrine Sacrifices清宫堂子祭祀辨考. Social Science Front社会科学战线, (4), 209.