Chapter Seven: The Movement of Jupiter

相與營室晨出東方　　秦始皇帝元　三　　五　　七　　　　九　　　　　　〔二〕與東闢（壁） 晨出東方　　　二　　四　　六　　〔八〕　　〔十〕　　　〔三〕與婁晨 出東方　　　　三　　五　　七　　〔九〕　　〔一〕　　　〔四〕與畢晨 出東方　　　　四　　六　　八　　〔<廿廿>〕　〔二〕　　〔五〕與東井晨

The table shows the movement of the Star of Years (Sui Xing). It was originally a chart on silk, and the layout is preserved as it was. The table is read as follows: each row begins with the constellation that accompanies the Star of Years when it rises in the east in the morning. The numbers in the following columns indicate the years, starting from the first year of the reign of Qin Shi Huang, and they are listed in order. The numbers in the square brackets at the end of each row indicate the continuation of the next row. First row: the Star of Years rises in the east together with the Encampment Mansion (Shi Xu), the years being the first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth years of the reign of Qin Shi Huang; next comes the Wall Mansion (Bi Xu). Second row: the Star of Years rises in the east together with the Bond Mansion (Lou Xu), the years being the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth years; next comes the Net Mansion (Bi Xu). Third row: the Star of Years rises in the east together with the Well Mansion (Jing Xu), the years being the third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and first years; next comes the Star Mansion (Xing Xu). Fourth row: the Star of Years rises in the east together with the Well Mansion (Dong Jing), the years being the fourth, sixth, eighth, twentieth (i.e., twenty), and second years; next comes the Well Mansion (Dong Jing). In the table, "Xiang" is another name for the Star of Years. The term "Dong Bi" is noted as a variant form of "Dong Jing". The character "<Er Shí>" is a combined character formed by two "Er" characters stacked on top of each other in the silk manuscript, and is transcribed as such. Originally, the table had a grid layout with rows and columns aligned. The spaces within each row indicate the grid lines, and here they are preserved as they were, without merging. When reading, the columns should be separated by the spaces. All the years are written with only the last character (e.g., "San", "Wu", "Qi"), which is a shortened form, and should be completed to the full year, such as "the third year", "the fifth year", "the seventh year".

出東方　　　五　　　七　　九　　漢元　　孝惠〔元〕　〔六〕與柳晨 出東方　　　六　　　八　　卅　　二　　　　二　　　　　　〔七〕與張晨 出東方　　　七　　　九　　一　　〔三〕　　　〔三〕　　　〔八〕與軫晨 出東方　　　八　　　廿　　二　　〔四〕　　　四　　　　　〔元〕與亢晨

The fifth row, emerging to the east, corresponds to the years five, seven, nine, Han Year One, and Emperor Xiao's first year; next it is accompanied by the Willows mansion. The sixth row, emerging to the east, corresponds to the years six, eight, thirty, two, and two; next it is accompanied by the Extended Net mansion. The seventh row, emerging to the east, corresponds to the years seven, nine, one, three, and three; next it is accompanied by the Chariot mansion. The eighth row, emerging to the east, corresponds to the years eight, twenty, two, four, and four; next it is accompanied by the Neck mansion. The chronology in the table changes dynasties here: after the Qin dynasty's chronology comes the first year of Emperor Gaozu of Han, then the first year of Emperor Xiao of Han, indicating that this table records continuous observations spanning the transition from the Qin to the Han dynasty.

出東方　　　　九　　　一　　三　五　　　　五　　　　　　二與心晨 出東方　　　　十　　　二　　四　　六　　　　六　　　　　三與斗晨出東方　　　　一　　　三　五　　七　　　　七　　　　　　與婺女晨 出東方　　　二　　　四　　六　　八　　　　•代皇

The last four lines state: emerging to the east, the years are nine, one, three, five, five, next accompanying the Heart mansion; emerging to the east, the years are ten, two, four, six, six, next accompanying the Dipper mansion; emerging again to the east, the years are one, three, five, seven, seven, next accompanying the Girl mansion; emerging to the east, the years are two, four, six, eight, with the final column marked as 'Da Huang', preceded by a dot. In the silk manuscript, a dot is used to indicate the change of dynasties or imperial titles, such as '•Da Huang', '•Zhang Chu', '•Xiao Hui Yuan', '•Gao Hou Xu Yuan'. Here, it is transcribed as per the original text. 'Da Huang' refers to the replacement of the King of Da as emperor, i.e., Emperor Wen of Han. The records in this table end with the beginning of Emperor Wen's reign.

秦始皇帝元年正月，歲星日行廿分，十二日而行一度，終〔歲行卅〕度百五分，見三〔百六十五日而夕入西方，伏〕卅日，三百九十五日而復出東方。〔十二〕歲一周天，廿四歲一與大〔白〕合營室。

The first year of the Qin Shi Huang Emperor's reign in the first lunar month was taken as the starting point. The star of Jupiter moves two tenths each day, covering one degree in twelve days, and moves thirty degrees and one hundred and five tenths in a year. It appears in the sky for three hundred and sixty-five days, then sets in the west in the evening, remains hidden for thirty days, and reappears in the east after three hundred and ninety-five days. After twelve years, it completes one full orbit around the sky, and after twenty-four years, it meets the star of Mars in the Encampment mansion. This passage explains the algorithm of the upper table: in one year, it moves thirty degrees and more, and in twelve years, it covers three hundred and sixty-five degrees and more, which is very close to the currently measured stellar period of Jupiter, approximately eleven point eight six years. This is an important evidence of the astronomical observations and measurements during the pre-Qin and Han dynasties.

〔相〕與營室晨出東方　　元•秦始皇　　一　　　　　二與營室晨出東方　　　　二　　　　　　二　　　　　三與東壁晨出東方　　　　三　　　　　三　　　　四 與畦（奎）晨〔出〕東方　　四　　　　　　四　　　　　五與婁晨出東方　　　　　五　　　　　　五　　　　　六與胃晨出東方　　　　　六　　　　　　六　　　　　七 與茅（昴）晨出東方　　　七　　　　　　七　　　　　八與畢晨出東方　　　　　八　　　　　　八•張楚　　•元與觜角晨出東方　　　　九　　　　　　九　　　　　二

Here is the table of the movement of the planet Saturn (Fill Star), maintaining the original layout of rows and columns. The method of reading is the same as the previous table: each entry first records the constellation in which Saturn rises in the east in the morning, and the numbers below indicate the years. First row: Saturn rises in the east with the Encampment Mansion, the year being the first year of the Qin Shi Huang Di's reign and the first year; the next year, it still rises in the east with the Encampment Mansion, the year being the second year and the second year; the following year, it rises in the east with the Wall Mansion, the year being the third year, the third year, and the fourth year. Second row: Saturn rises in the east with the Legs Mansion, the years being the fourth year, the fourth year, and the fifth year; with the Bond Mansion, the years being the fifth year, the fifth year, and the sixth year; with the Stomach Mansion, the years being the sixth year, the sixth year, and the seventh year. Third row: Saturn rises in the east with the Hairy Head Mansion, the years being the seventh year, the seventh year, and the eighth year; with the Net Mansion, the years being the eighth year, the eighth year, here marked 「• Zhang Chu」, which refers to the year of the Zhang Chu regime established by Chen Sheng; with the Zi and Jiao constellations rising in the east, the years being the first year, the ninth year, the ninth year, and the second year. The annotations 「qí」 and 「máo」 are homophones for 「kuí」 and 「mǎo」 respectively, and are entered exactly as in the original text. Saturn moves through one constellation each year, so the constellations in this table follow each other sequentially, unlike the planet Jupiter's table which jumps between constellations.

與伐晨出東方　　　　　十　　　　　　卌　　　　　三與東井晨出東方　　　　一　　　　　　漢元　　　〔與東〕井晨出東方　　　二　　　　　　二　　　　　 與鬼晨出東方　　　　　三　　　　　三　　　　　與柳晨出東方　　　　　四　　　　　　四　　　　　　與七星晨出東方　　　　五　　　　　　五　　　　　　 與張晨出東方　　　　　六　　　　　　六　　　　　　與翼晨出東方　　　　　七　　　　　　七　　　　　　與軫晨出東方　　　　　八　　　　　　八

The continuation: It aligns with the star of the Axe appearing in the east in the first year, then in the tenth year, the fortieth year, and the third year; it aligns with the Well mansion appearing in the east in the first year, here marked as "Han Yuan," which refers to the first year of Emperor Gaozu of Han; then again aligning with the Well mansion appearing in the east in the second year, twice. It aligns with the Ghost mansion appearing in the east in the third year, twice; aligning with the Willow mansion appearing in the east in the fourth year, twice; aligning with the Seven Stars appearing in the east in the fifth year, twice. It aligns with the Extended Net mansion appearing in the east in the sixth year, twice; aligning with the Wings mansion appearing in the east in the seventh year, twice; aligning with the Chariot mansion appearing in the east in the eighth year, twice. "卌" is a combined character for forty, and "卅" is a combined character for thirty. The numerals in the silk manuscript often use combined characters, so they are recorded as per the original text. This table of years also spans the three regimes of the Qin, Zhangchu, and Han, and can be cross-referenced with the previous table.

與角晨出東方　　　　　九　　　　　　九　　　　　　與亢晨出東方　　　　　廿　　　　　　十　　　　　　與氐晨出東方　　　　　一　　　　　　一　　　　　　 與房晨出東方　　　　　二　　　　　　二　　　　　　〔與〕心晨出東方　　　　三　　　　　•孝惠元　　　　　　〔與〕尾晨出東方　　　　四　　　　　　二　　　　　　 與箕晨出東方　　　　　五　　　　　　三　　　　　與斗晨出東方　　　　　六　　　　　　四　　　　　　與牽牛晨出東方　　　　七　　　　　　五

The continuation: It appears with the Horn mansion rising in the east in the ninth year, ninth year; with the Neck mansion rising in the east in the twentieth year, tenth year; with the Root mansion rising in the east in the first year, first year. With the Room mansion rising in the east in the second year, second year; with the Heart mansion rising in the east in the third year, here marked as "•孝惠元" which refers to the first year of Emperor Hui of Han; with the Tail mansion rising in the east in the fourth year, second year. With the Winnowing Basket mansion rising in the east in the fifth year, third year; with the Dipper mansion rising in the east in the sixth year, fourth year; with the Ox mansion rising in the east in the seventh year, fifth year. At this point, the filling star has successively passed through the first two mansions of the Eastern Azure Dragon and the Northern Black Tortoise, exactly matching its annual progress of one mansion per year.

與婺女晨出東方　　　　八　　　　　　六　　　　　　與虛晨出東方　　　　　九　　　　　　七　　　　　 與危晨出東方　　　　　卅　　　　　　•高皇后元

The last two lines state: Together with the Girl Mansion, it rises in the east in the first year and sixth year; together with the Emptiness Mansion, it rises in the east in the ninth and seventh years. Together with the Rooftop Mansion, it rises in the east in the thirtieth year, marked here as '• High Queen's first year,' meaning the first year of Lu Hou. This table starts from the first year of Qin Shi Huang and ends at the first year of Lu Hou, spanning about thirty years, which is exactly the time it takes for the planet to circle the sky. Hence, the table stops here.

秦始皇帝元年正月，填星在營室，日行八分，卅日而行一度，終〔歲〕行〔十二度卌二分。見三百四十五〕日，伏卅二日，凡見三百七七日而復出東方。卅歲一周於天，廿歲與歲星合為大陰之紀。

The first year of the Qin Shi Huang Emperor's reign in the first lunar month was taken as the starting point: the planet Saturn was in the Encampment mansion, moving eight parts per day, covering one degree in thirty days, and moving twelve degrees and forty-two parts in a year. It appeared in the sky for three hundred forty-five days, then was hidden for thirty-two days, totaling three hundred seventy-seven days before reappearing in the east. After thirty years, it completes a full orbit around the sky, and after twenty years, it meets the planet Jupiter once, serving as the basis for the Too Yin calendar system. Modern measurements show that Saturn's sidereal period is approximately twenty-nine and a half years, and its synodic period is about three hundred seventy-eight days, which closely matches the records in the silk manuscript, indicating that this record was based on long-term observation rather than calculation.

正月與營室晨出東方二百廿四日，以八月與角晨入東方。〔秦元〕　〔九〕　〔七〕　五　　三•漢元　九　　五　　六浸行百二十日，以十二月與虛夕出西方，取廿一於下。 與虛夕出西方二百廿四日，以八月與翼夕入西方。 〔二〕　〔十〕　〔八〕　六　　四　　二　　　十　　六　　七伏十六日九十六分，與軫晨出東方。

The following is a table of the movement of the planet Tai Bai (Venus). The text alternates between words and numbers, and the original layout is preserved. The reading method is: first record the month of appearance, the accompanying mansion, and the number of days, then a series of numbers representing years, followed by the next segment of movement. First entry: In the first month, Tai Bai appears in the morning in the east together with the mansion of Encampment, lasting 224 days, until the eighth month when it sets in the east together with the mansion of Horn at dawn; the associated years are the first year, ninth year, seventh year, fifth year, third year of Qin Shihuang, and the first year, ninth year, fifth year, sixth year of Han. Afterward, it moves secretly for 120 days, until the twelfth month when it appears in the west together with the mansion of Emptiness in the evening, taking the number 21 below. Second entry: Tai Bai appears in the evening in the west together with the mansion of Emptiness, lasting 224 days, until the eighth month when it sets in the west together with the mansion of Wings in the evening. The associated years for the third entry are the second year, tenth year, eighth year, sixth year, fourth year, second year, tenth year, sixth year, seventh year; afterward, it remains hidden for 16 days and 96 parts, then appears in the morning in the east together with the mansion of Chariot. The dot before "• Han Yuan" in the table is still a mark used in the silk manuscript to indicate a change of era.

以八月與軫晨出東方二百廿四日以三月與茅晨入東方，餘七十八。浸行百廿日，以九月與〔翼夕〕出西方。三　〔一〕　九　　七　　五　　三　一　　七　　八 以八月與翼夕出西方，二百廿四日，以二月與婁夕入西方，餘五十七。伏十六日九十六分，以三月與茅晨出東方。 四　　〔二〕　廿　　八　　六　　四　　二　　〔高〕皇后•元以三月與茅晨出東方二百廿四日，以十一月與箕晨〔入東〕方。浸行百廿日，以三月與婁夕出西方，餘五十二。

The continuation: In August, the Chariot mansion appeared in the east at dawn, and after 224 days, it reached March when it set in the east at dawn with the Hairy Head mansion, leaving a remainder of 78 days; it then moved secretly for 120 days, appearing in the west at dusk in September with the Wings mansion. The associated years are three, one, nine, seven, five, three, one, seven, and eight. In August, the Wings mansion appeared in the west at dusk, and after 224 days, it reached February when it set in the west at dusk with the Bond mansion, leaving a remainder of 57 days; it then lay hidden for 16 days and 96 parts, appearing in the east at dawn in March with the Hairy Head mansion. The associated years are four, two, twenty, eight, six, four, two, and the final entry is marked as "〔High〕 Empress • Yuan", which refers to the first year of Lu Hou. In March, the Hairy Head mansion appeared in the east at dawn, and after 224 days, it reached November when it set in the east at dawn with the Winnowing Basket mansion; it then moved secretly for 120 days, appearing in the west at dusk in March with the Bond mansion, leaving a remainder of 52 days. The term "remainder" refers to the leftover fractional days beyond the counted days, which must be carried over in calculations.

〔以三月〕與婁夕出西方二百廿四日，以十月與心夕入西方。五　　〔三〕　〔一〕　九　　七　　五　　•惠元　二　　二〔伏〕十六日九十六分，以十一月與箕晨出東方，取七十三下。 以十一月與箕晨出東方二百廿四日，以六月與柳晨入東方。六　　〔四〕　〔二〕　〔卅〕　〔八〕　六　　二　　三　三浸行百廿日，以九月與心夕出西方，取才十四下。 以九月與心夕出西方二百廿四日，以五月與東井夕入西方。七　　〔五〕　〔三〕　〔一〕　〔九〕　〔七〕　三　四伏十六日九十六分，以九月與輿鬼晨出東方。

The continuation: In the third month, the star appears in the west in the evening, and after 224 days, it sets in the west with the Heart mansion at dusk in the tenth month; the associated years are five, three, one, nine, seven, and five. Next it is marked as "•Huì Yuán" which refers to the first year of Emperor Huì of the Han dynasty, followed by two years and two years. It remains hidden for sixteen days and ninety-six parts, then in the eleventh month, it rises in the east in the morning with the Winnowing Basket mansion, taking the number seventy-three below. In the eleventh month, it rises in the east in the morning with the Winnowing Basket mansion, and after 224 days, it sets in the east with the Willow mansion at dawn in the sixth month; the associated years are six, four, two, thirty years, eight, six, two, three, and three. It travels for 120 days, then in the ninth month, it appears in the west in the evening with the Heart mansion, taking the number fourteen below. In the ninth month, it rises in the west in the evening with the Heart mansion, and after 224 days, it sets in the west with the Well mansion at dusk in the fifth month; the associated years are seven, five, three, one, nine, seven, three, and four. It remains hidden for sixteen days and ninety-six parts, then in the ninth month, it rises in the east in the morning with the Ghost mansion.

以六月與輿鬼晨出東方二百廿四日，以正月與西壁晨入東方。餘五。浸行百廿日，以五月與東井夕出西方。八　　〔六〕　〔四〕　〔二〕　〔廿廿〕　〔八〕　四　　五 以五月與東井夕出西方二百廿四日，以十二月與虛夕入西方。〔伏十〕六日九十六分，以正月與東壁晨出東方。

The last two entries: In June, the celestial mansion of Yu Gui rises in the east in the morning, and after 224 days, it reaches January when it sets in the east in the morning, with a remainder of five days; it then moves secretly for 120 days, arriving in May when the celestial mansion of Dong Jing appears in the west in the evening; the associated years are eight, six, four, two, twenty, eight, four, and five. In May, the celestial mansion of Dong Jing rises in the west in the evening, and after 224 days, it reaches December when it sets in the west in the evening; it then remains hidden for sixteen days and ninety-six parts, arriving in January when the celestial mansion of Dong Bi rises in the east in the morning. At this point, it returns to rising in the east in January, completing an eight-year cycle of five repetitions, thus forming a closed loop. This corresponds exactly with the record in Chapter Two of this book, which states 'five appearances correspond to eight years.'

秦始皇帝元年正月，太白出東方，〔日〕行百廿分，百日上極〔而反，日行一度，天〕十日行有〔益〕疾，日行一度百八十七分以從日，六十四日而復遝（逮）日，晨入東方，凡二百廿四日。浸行百廿日，夕出西方。〔太白出西方始日行一度百八十七分，百日〕行益徐，日行一度，以待之六十日；行有益徐，日行<廿廿>分，六十四日而西入西方，凡二百廿四日。伏十六日九十六分。〔太白一復〕為日五〔百八十四日九十六分日。凡出入東西各五，復〕與營室晨出東方，為八歲。

The first year of the reign of Qin Shi Huang began the calculation: the planet Tai Bai appeared in the east, moving each day by one hundred twenty parts, reaching its extreme after one hundred days and then returning, changing to move one degree per day; after ten days, its speed gradually increased, moving one degree per day with one hundred eighty-seven parts to follow the Sun, and after sixty-four days it caught up with the Sun again, disappearing in the east in the morning, taking a total of two hundred twenty-four days; then it concealed itself for one hundred twenty days, appearing in the west in the evening. When Tai Bai emerged from the west, it initially moved one degree per day with one hundred eighty-seven parts, then after one hundred days its speed gradually slowed, changing to move one degree per day, waiting for sixty days; then it slowed further, moving twenty parts per day, and after sixty-four days it disappeared in the west, also taking two hundred twenty-four days; then it remained hidden for sixteen days and ninety-six parts. A complete conjunction cycle of Tai Bai is five hundred eighty-four days and ninety-six parts; it enters and exits the east and west five times, and returns to emerge from the eastern Encampment mansion in the morning, totaling eight years. Today's measurement of the conjunction cycle of Venus is five hundred eighty-three point nine two days, while the figure recorded in the silk manuscript is five hundred eighty-four days and ninety-six parts (approximately five hundred eighty-four point four days), which is extremely close. This is the most famous data in the entire text, making this chapter one of the earliest and most accurate planetary observation records that have survived.