Overview
Key data
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nature | One of the nineteen chapters of the Erya, the earliest Chinese glossary |
| Composition | Pre-Qin to Han, not the work of one hand or one time |
| Core content | Names of years, months, stars, wind and rain, and sacrifices |
| Form | Old words explained by current ones, like grouped with like |
The year-names and month-names it explains
The chapter opens with the year-names: “under Xia it was called sui, under Shang si, under Zhou nian, under Tang and Yu zai.”
It then gives the month-names, listing the alternative name of each month in order.
Its month-names can be compared with the Chu month-names of the Changsha silk manuscript,
making it a key source for the origin of month-names.
It also explains pairings such as “a month under jia is called bi, under yi ju,” matching months with the ten stems.
Star-names, wind and rain
The chapter explains star-names (as “the bright star is called the opener of light”), the names of wind and rain, and the terms for disasters,
gathering the common vocabulary of astronomy and weather into one place.
Such glosses are of great use in reading the names of things in old books.
Sacrifice-names and the review of arms
The end of the chapter explains the names of the four seasonal sacrifices, and the rites of reviewing arms.
Matching sacrifice to season, it agrees with the “Monthly Ordinances.”
Value
The Erya is the first tool for reading old books, and “Explaining the Heavens” is the first door to reading old works on astronomy and the calendar.
Its definitions are plain and often settle a name in one phrase; their brevity is no reason to slight them.
Compiled and arranged by Chujia Kuang.