Han Dynasty (206 BC -220 AD)
Possibly used for prayer for rain in Spring ritual
Length = 61 mm, Width = 52 mm, Thickness = 7 mm
Weight in air = 27.90 g
weight in water = 18.54 g
Specific Gravity (SG) = 2.98 = true jade(nephrite)
Hardness test(Moh's scale of mineral hardness) = 6
A fine openwork celadon jade girdle-pendent model of a Azure Dragon of the East or Green/blue dragon of the East (Dong Fang Qing Long) on top of a Red/vermilion Bird (phoenix) of the south (Nán Fāng Zhū Què). This girdle-pendant represents Chinese astronomy in the Spring Season. Chinese astronomy is different from the Western’s.
The Green Dragon is with stag-like antler represents Spica. These two mystical creatures are with "love play" manner or "kiao hi" in Chinese with life's motion in true to nature with teeth and claws playing with each other. This feature is beyond cavil production of the Han period. This girdle-pendent is with incised lines of cloud scrolls make the whole work represents heavenly mystical creatures flying in the sky. This girdle-pendent is possible for wearing in the ritual for prayer of rain at the beginning of the Spring, which spring wheat in the North China is starting to cultivate.
In the capital of the Western Han Dynasty, Chang'an (today Xi'an in Shaanxi Province) in the North China depends upon East Asian monsoon, that is the reason why Chinese think that dragon brings rain, green dragon is a constellation of stars located in the eastern sky, when the monsoon comes, season changes, winter to Spring, the Spring Equinox, Green/blue dragon constellation will be on top of the Southern Constellation (red/vermilion bird of the south or Phoenix) while Chinese looked at the night sky.
Spring season probably played important roles in a farming-based culture in North China. The seasonal rainfall (March 1 – June 20), influenced by East Asian Monsoon make soil moisture levels are very favorable for heading spring wheat and vegetative corn, soybeans, and rice. March to May is a Spring season in Shaanxi Province which located capital City of The Western Han Dynasty. The province was part of the cradle of Chinese civilization in north China, during the Spring and Autumn, and Warring States periods (8th to 3rd centuries BC). It was the center of the state of Qin, whose ruler united the country in 221 BC and whose name was the origin of the name China. His capital was at Chang'an (modern Xi'an), and the Han and Tang dynasties also had capitals there. The Great Wall of China was built through the north of Shaanxi, defining the limit of Chinese settlement for long periods. A traditional trading route to the west, part of the medieval Silk Road ran through the center of the province. From 1936 to 1947 Yan'an, in northern Shaanxi, was the headquarters of the Communist Party in China.
Capital Cities of the Han Dynasty
The Western Han Dynasty
Chang'an, Shaanxi Province (206 BCE – 9 CE, 190–195 CE)
The Eastern Han Dynasty
Luoyang, Henan Province (25–190 CE, 196 CE)
Xuchang, Henan Province (196–220 CE)
Constellation systems around the world.
Graeco-Roman
In the Western world, the sky of the northern hemisphere is traditionally divided into constellations based on those described by the Ancient Greeks. The first ancient Greek works which dealt with the constellations were books of star myths. The oldest of these was a poem composed by Hesiod in or around the eighth century BC, of which only fragments survive. The most complete existing works dealing with the mythical origins of the constellations are by the Hellenistic writer termed pseudo-Eratosthenes and an early Roman writer styled pseudo-Hyginus.
In the 2nd century AD, the Greek astronomer Ptolemy described the constellations in great detail in his influential work the Almagest.
Chinese
Chinese constellations are different from the Western constellations due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy One difference is that the Chinese counterpart of the 12 western zodiac constellations is the 28 "Xiu" (宿) or "mansions" (a literal translation).
Four Symbols (Chinese constellation)
Azure Dragon of the East (青龍)
Vermillion Bird of the South (朱雀)
White Tiger of the West (白虎)
Black Tortoise of the North (玄武)
