At a glance
- Reading focus
- List physical bodies, geometric points and symbols separately.
Definition and details
The seven are the Sun, Moon and Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. This is a traditional observational grouping, not the modern category planet. Residual names commonly include Rahu, Ketu, Yuebei and Ziqi, representing nodal, traditional computational or symbolic factors; they must not all be described as independent visible celestial bodies.
Structure and history
Volume thirty links Rahu and Ketu with crossings and classifies factors through symbolic attributes. The compendium’s account criticizes some arguments and notes changing celestial positions through precession. Check each witness’s definitions and computations for residuals rather than presenting one modern software implementation as an unchanged universal ancient algorithm.
A concrete example
Divide a chart list into Sun and Moon, five visible planets, and four additional factors. Check physical-body longitudes against an ephemeris, then consult the text for each added factor’s definition. This distinguishes bodies, geometric points and traditional symbols, without suggesting that a telescope can reveal a Jupiter-like planet named Ziqi.
Context and limits
Personal interpretation adds premises about positions and relations beyond astronomical computation. Correctly locating Mars does not establish conclusions about health, wealth or character. Historical comparison needs coordinates, zodiac origin and date; differences from modern ephemerides should be examined without claiming either perfect ancient accuracy or an absence of astronomical content.
References & further reading
Historical sources document ideas and rules of their time, not empirical proof of predictive accuracy. Source notes identify the nature and scope of each reference.
- 星學大成（四庫全書本）· 卷30Primary / tradition source
Classical witness of classifications concerning the luminaries and symbolic residuals.
- 星學大成（四庫全書本）· 全覽Primary / tradition source
Public-domain astral compendium with critical bibliographic account; separates celestial positions from fortune judgments.
- IMD · The Indian Astronomical EphemerisInstitutional / reference source
Astronomical ephemeris provides data for observers and almanac makers.