Research on the Astronomical Treatise of the Huainanzi: From the Perspective of the History of Mathematical Methods

Author: Tao Lei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: This book is a slightly revised version based on my doctoral dissertation. When Mr. Li Xueqin gave me this topic, I was quite unfamiliar with the Tianwen section of the Huainanzi. When the preliminary draft of the dissertation came out after a year and a half, I didn’t expect to accomplish so much. There is absolutely no arrogance in this statement; I just feel fortunate. When reviewing the annotations and research on the Huainanzi by predecessors, the Tianwen section was always brief. Without the timely publication and release of a large number of unearthed texts, especially the Shifǎ from the Mawangdui silk manuscripts and the Zhoujia Tai Qin Tomb Bamboo Slips, this dissertation would not have reached this level. The completion of this dissertation also owes much to the research achievements of the following scholars: Qian Tang’s supplementary annotations on Tianwen, Wang Zhenduo’s research on the Tianwen earth plate, Xi Zexong’s study of the Wuxing Zhan from the Mawangdui silk manuscripts, Chen Jiujin’s research on the Jupiter chronology, Li Ling’s study of the Thirty Hours from the Yinque Mountain Han bamboo slips, [French] Marc’s research on the Xingde from the Mawangdui silk manuscripts, and Jiang Xiaoyuan’s comprehensive research on ancient calendars. I hereby express my respect for their work. The title of the dissertation was thought of only when it was nearing completion. Initially, I only wanted to clarify what kind of document the Tianwen section was—a summary of ancient knowledge or a personal viewpoint? If it was a personal viewpoint, what were the specific circumstances? However, as the research deepened, the mathematical nature of this document gradually became prominent, and this title emerged in time. The dissertation only accomplishes two-thirds of what I envisioned, with the remaining one-third, which addresses the "why" question, yet to be completed. It is one of the focal points of my current work. I hope that after the publication of this book, this issue can be resolved satisfactorily.
Additionally, there are still many aspects of the dissertation that require further research and refinement, such as the correspondence between the twelve divisions and the twenty-eight lunar mansions. The Han Shi records it as the only one, or the result of a specific calendar school? This also needs verification from more new materials. The Wenwu (Cultural Relics) magazine’s 2003 Issue 1 published a brief report on the excavation of Tomb No. 1 at Huxishan in Yuanling County. The tomb contained divination plates (shìpán) and Rishu (Daily Books). These divination plates are different from those discussed in this book, but they were also used for divination, similar to the Xingde divination plates discussed in Chapter 7 of this book. Below are my preliminary opinions on them, which are included with this book for the enjoyment of fellow scholars.
The brief report describes the divination plates and Rishu as follows: The divination plates are two wooden items, coated with black lacquer externally. They have a round-cornered square base with a circular rotating disc placed on top. The center of the disc has an axle hole, and around the periphery of the disc, along the top edge of the base, there are eight rectangular needle-engraved frames evenly arranged. The lines of the frames are further outlined with vermilion, and the frames contain the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches written in vermilion. The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are arranged in a clockwise direction, with only one frame clearly visible, while the others are blurred. It is estimated that each frame contains 7–8, totaling 60 in a full circle. The base has a vermilion " #" symbol at the lower right corner, and it is that there are similar symbols in the other three corners. The base also has symbols indicating the cardinal directions. The side length of the base is 19.7 cm, with a thickness of 0.9 cm, and the diameter of the rotating disc is 12.3 cm, with a thickness of 0.45 cm. The axle hole has a diameter of 0.5 cm.
The Rishu. Most of the unearthed bamboo slips are Rishu. They were found in the northern compartment, alongside the Meishi Fang slips, and were scattered near the inner coffin upright board when excavated, pressed under the collapsed coffin lid. During the clearing process, they were collected into eight groups based on their scattered range, totaling 1,095 pieces (fragments). The complete Rishu slips are approximately 500. Each slip is 27 cm long and 0.8 cm wide, with two sets of lacing. The ends of the slips are even, and the writing is either neat or cursive. The slips are inscribed with the title Yan Shi Wu Sheng (also written as Yan Shi Wu Sheng), attributed to Yan Zhao, and include a preface titled Hongtu Zhi Lun, both of which are not recorded in historical documents. What distinguishes them from previously unearthed Rishu slips is that they introduce some historical events from the late Qin and early Han periods to prove the correctness of their divination methods. They provide relatively direct materials for studying the history and astronomy-calendrics of that time.