Heavenly Market enclosure explained

The Heavenly Market Enclosure (天市垣, Tian Shi Yuan), is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during late summer and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere (late winter and early spring in the Southern). The Summer Triangle lies directly to the northeast.

Asterisms

The asterisms are :

English name Chinese name Number of starsWestern Constellation Additional notesRepresenting
Left Wall 天市左垣11 Hercules / Serpens / Ophiuchus / AquilaConsists of :
  • Wei region (魏) → 1st star
  • Zhao region (趙) → 2nd star
  • Jiuhe region (九河) → 3rd star
  • Zhongshan region (中山) → 4th star
  • Qi region (齊) → 5th star
  • Wu region and Yue region (吳越) → 6th star
  • Xu region (徐) → 7th star
  • Donghai region (東海) → 8th star
  • Yan region (燕) → 9th star
  • Nanhai region (南海) → 10th star
  • Song region (宋) → 11th star
Eleven cities (star) in the left
Right Wall天市右垣11 Serpens / Ophiuchus / HerculesConsists of :
  • Hezhong region (河中) → 1st star
  • Hejian region (河間) → 2nd star
  • Jin region (晉) → 3rd star
  • Zheng region (鄭) → 4th star
  • Zhou region (周) → 5th star
  • Qin region (秦) → 6th star
  • Shu region (蜀) → 7th star
  • Ba region (巴) → 8th star
  • Liang region (梁) → 9th star
  • Chu region (楚) → 10th star
  • Han region (韓) → 11th star
Eleven cities (star) in the right
Municipal Office 市樓6 Serpens / OphiuchusGovernment organization
Commodity Market 車肆2 OphiuchusDepartment Store Market
Official for the Royal Clan宗正2 OphiuchusOfficials in charge of royal affairs
Official of Religious Ceremonies 宗人4 OphiuchusRoyal bulk, or ritualists of the Zhou Dynasty
Patriarchal Clan2 HerculesImperial consultant
Textile Ruler 帛度2 HerculesScale, or the cloth market
Butcher's Shops 屠肆2 HerculesSlaughter market
Astrologer1 OphiuchusOfficial who responsible for observing astronomical phenomena
帝座1 HerculesRefers to the Great Emperor
Eunuch Official宦者2 Hercules / OphiuchusSuperintendent of the eunuch
Jewel Market 列肆2 Ophiuchus / SerpensGem and treasure market
Dipper for Liquids 5 HerculesThe apparatus to take the liquid
Dipper for Solids4 The apparatus to take the solid
Coiled Thong貫索9 Corona BorealisThe civilian population in prison, or rope market
Seven Excellencies 七公7 Seven high rank Government Officials
Celestial Discipline 天紀9 Officials who maintain discipline the world, or to record of livestock
Woman's Bed女床3 HerculesThe emperor's concubines, or bird market, or the name of a mountain

See also