The 12 Zodiacal Constellations，Four Symbols and Twenty-eight mansions

　　　The constellations changing seasonally have been used for fortune-telling in both the East and the West, especially in China, where people believed that the Lord of Heaven reigned over the universe and sent various astronomical phenomena as messages to the Emperor who reigned on the earth under the order of the Lord.
　　　Therefore, the Emperor was to read the messages from the Lord correctly and govern the country well based on them.
　　　Thus, the reading of messages was regarded as an important work in successive dynasties. Astronomical officers always monitored the sky, recorded every phenomenon to read fortunes, and reported them to the Emperor.
　　　Since the results of fortune-telling were immediately reflected in politics, the duty of astronomical officers was very important.

○○

東方青龍　Azure Dragon

　東方七宿　 The Azure Dragon　
　　　　　　　　　The seven eastern mansions

おとめ座	１	角	２	亢
Virgo		Horn		Neck
てんびん座	３	氐
Libra		Root
さそり座	４	房	５	心	６	尾
Scorpius		Chamber		Heart		Tail
いて座	７	箕
Sagittarius		Winnowing Basket

1
角 The horn Virgo	The two stars of the Horn are the number one constellation in the East and govern creation. When they are very bright, there will be a bonanza year.
2
亢 The neck Virgo	When the four stars of the Neck are bright, the world will be at peace.Lieges will serve the Emperor loyally and people will be healthy. When the stars move, there will be many sick people. When it is invisible, droughts will occur.
3
氐 The Root Libra	If the four stars of the Root are bright, the ministers and the Empress will keep to their principles. If they are invisible and move, the nation will become disorderly and droughts will occur.
4
房 The Chamber Scorpius	When the four stars of the Chamber are bright, a ruler of virtue will appear and politics will be corrected. When the fleet stars are bright and big, people will be modest. The fleet stars are to the right and to the left of the Chamber.
5
心 The Heart Scorpius	The middle star in the Heart represents the son of heaven. When it is bright, the country will become prosperous. The star in front represents the dauphin. When this star is dark, the dauphin will not be able to succeed to the throne. The star at the back represents an illegitimate prince. When this star is bright, it is the sign that the prince will succeed.
6
尾 The Tail Scorpius	When the nine stars of the Tail are all bright, the country will become wealthy. When they move, worrisome matters and a disastrous flood will occur in the country.
7
箕　　The Winnowing 　　　　　　　Basket Sagittarius	When the four stars of the Winnowing Basket are bright, crops will grow well and the country will be peacefully ruled. If they are dark the price of rice will rise.

北方玄武 Black Tortoise

　北方七宿　 The Black Tortoise
　　　　　　　　　The seven northern mansions

いて座	８	斗
Sagittarius		Dipper
やぎ座	９	牛
Capricornus		Ox
みずがめ座	10	女	11	虚	12	危
Aquarius		Woman		Emptiness		Rooftop
うお座
Pisces
ペガサス座	13	室	14	壁
Pegasus		Room		Wall

8
斗 The Dipper Sagittarius	The Dipper is similar in form to the Defeat-the-enemy Stars, “Hagunsei”. If the six stars of the Dipper are bright, peace will reign in the land. When they look dark and small, the prime minister will have misfortune.
9
牛 The Ox Capricornus	When the six stars of the Ox look big, the politics of the Emperor will become successful. If they look bright, a rich year will come. When they turn dark, crops will not grow. These stars are deified at the Festival of the Weaver.
10
女 The Woman Aquarius	When the four stars of the Woman are bright, the world will be rich and the work of women will thrive. When they move, women will have many misfortunes and will deliver children with difficulty.
11
虚 The Emptiness Aquarius	If the two stars of the Emptiness look bright, the world will be stable. When they are dark and move, the number of people dying of epidemics will increase.
12
危 The Rooftop　 Aquarius	If the three stars of the Rooftop turn to the direction of fire, the Emperor will make war. If they turn to the direction of gold, famine will occur. If they turn to the direction of water, subordinates will deceive their superiors.
13
室 The Room Pegasus	If the eight stars of the Room look bright, the country will become prosperous. When they look small and dark, departed souls will not receive memorial services and epidemics will occur.
14
壁 The Wall Pegasus	When two stars of the Wall are bright, men of virtue will come out instead of those of small caliber. Culture will thrive and the country will be stable. When they are dark, culture will decline and men of small caliber come out.

西方白虎　White Tiger

　西方七宿　 The White Tiger
　　　　　　　　　The seven western mansions

アンドロメダ座	15	奎
Andromeda		Stride
おひつじ座	16	婁	17	胃
Aries		Bond		Stomack
おうし座	18	昴	19	畢
Taurus		United		Net
オリオン座	20	觜	21	参
Orion		Turtle beak		Three

15
奎 The Stride Andromeda	When the sixteen stars of the Stride are bright, the world will be at peace and the arts of both pen and sword will greatly flourish. When they appear in a square, it is a sign that the politics will not be conducted correctly.
16
婁 The Bond Aries	When the three stars of the Bond are bright, the country will be stable. When the constellation is aligned into a straight line, many disasters will occur.
17
胃 Stomach near Aries	When the three stars of the Stomach are bright, the country will be peaceful at all times and people will live in ease. When they are dark, crops will not grow.
18
昂 The United Taurus	When the seven stars of the United are bright, people will make a good living and the country will be ruled peacefully. When they look dark, slanderers will increase and many misfortunes will occur.
19
畢 The Net Taurus	When the eight stars of the Net are bright and big, barbarians outside the country will come to pay tribute. The country will be ruled in peace. If they move, it will rain for a long time and there will be a possibility of floods.
20
觜 The Turtle 　　　　　　　Beak Orion	When the three stars of the Turtle Beak are bright and big, the country will be ruled peacefully and crops will be well ripened. When they move and are bright, drought will occur and the country will become unstable.
21
参 The Three Orion	When the ten stars of the Three are bright and big, subjects will be loyal and children will be dutiful to their parents. If they move, slanderers will increase and sages will be dismissed.

南方朱雀 Vermillion Bird

　南方七宿　 The Vermillion Bird
　　　　　　　　　The seven southern mansions

ふたご座	22	井
Gemini		Well
かに座	23	鬼
Cancer		Ghost
しし座
:Leo
うみへび座	24	柳	25	星	26	張
Hydra		Willow		Stars		Stretched Net
コップ座	27	翼
Crater		Wings
からす座	28	軫
Corvus		Chariot Cross-Boad

22
井 The Well Gemini	The eight stars of the Well are the first constellation located to the south of the sky. When they are bright and big, a regional lord will build a country. When their color fades, there will be many disasters.
23
鬼 The Ghost Cancer	When the five stars of the Ghost are bright and big, crops will grow well. When they are dark, people will not get along. It they move, pandemics will occur and many people will die.
24
柳 The Willow Hydra	When the eight stars of the Willow are bright, the wining and dining of people will become copious. When their color fades, the price of crops will skyrocket within three years owing to a bad harvest.
25
星　The Stars 　 Hydra	When the seven stars of the Stars look bright and big, the Emperor will be powerful. When they are dark, incidents that disappoint judicious bureaucrats will occur. When their color fades, the Empress will suffer adversity.
26
張 The Stretched 　　　　　　　Net 　 Hydra	When the four stars of the Stretched Net are bright and big, the country will become prosperous and powerful. When their color fades, the country will be unstable. If they move, slanderers will increase.
27
翼 The Wings Crater	When the twenty two stars of the Wing look bright and big, people will observe proprieties and barbarians will come to the Imperial Palace from all quarters. When they move, barbarians will rise in revolt. When their color fades, people will suffer adversity.
28
軫 The Chariot Cross-Board Corvus	When the four stars of the Chariot Cross-Board are bright, the country will become prosperous and the whole nation will be at peace. Outside countries will obey the Emperor and peace will reign in the land.