MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

Event

Mar 24, 2022
Imagining the Stars in Premodern Eurasia: Intercultural Comparisons Between East and West Asia

  • 18:00 to 19:30
  • Lecture
  • Dept. III
  • Jeffrey Kotyk (University of British Columbia)
Abstract:

Depictions of the planets and astral figures in anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms in China were a result of the introduction of foreign astrology and associated practices of astral magic from the eighth to ninth centuries. There are various sets, some of which evidently directly derive from Indian sources, whereas others require more careful consideration regarding their origins. We will examine how the medieval Chinese icons of the planets, zodiac signs and lunar mansions compare to those in Arabic and Persian codices in an attempt to highlight the diverse origins of Chinese astrological iconography.

Organizer(s)
Related Project(s)
Address
Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Room
Zoom/Online Meeting Platform
Contact and Registration

The meetings will take place on Zoom. The event is closed to the public, but MPIWG members are welcome and may register by emailing: brentjes@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de

About This Series

The goal of the lecture series is to complement the image database that we have created over the last years by topic and region-specific lectures related to the history and culture of astral knowledge. 

Visualizations of the Heavens Lecture Series 2022:
Apr 21, 2022: The Grand Zodiacal Tablets and the Papyri Graecae Magicae: Which Connection between Magic and Astrology? May 19, 2022: Science in Practice: Astronomical Instruments in the Islamic World Jun 9, 2022: Orientation and Organization of the Zodiacal Image in the Roman Empire Jun 30, 2022: From Athens to Samarkand: Constellations and Celestial Globes from the Islamic World
2022-03-24T18:00:00SAVE IN I-CAL 2022-03-24 18:00:00 2022-03-24 19:30:00 Imagining the Stars in Premodern Eurasia: Intercultural Comparisons Between East and West Asia Abstract: Depictions of the planets and astral figures in anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms in China were a result of the introduction of foreign astrology and associated practices of astral magic from the eighth to ninth centuries. There are various sets, some of which evidently directly derive from Indian sources, whereas others require more careful consideration regarding their origins. We will examine how the medieval Chinese icons of the planets, zodiac signs and lunar mansions compare to those in Arabic and Persian codices in an attempt to highlight the diverse origins of Chinese astrological iconography. Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany Zoom/Online Meeting Platform Rana Brentjes Rana Brentjes Europe/Berlin public