《南齐书·天文志》
early 6th century · Xiao Zixian
Overview
It records the celestial phenomena and portents of the Southern Qi, with calendrical change noted in passing.
Key data
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Completed | early 6th century (Liang) |
| Author | Xiao Zixian |
| Chapters | Treatises 1–3 |
| Core content | Southern Qi celestial records |
The work
The Nan Qi shu was written by Xiao Zixian of the Liang and treats of the Southern Qi. Its astronomical treatise runs to three parts and is chiefly a record of phenomena.
The records
Year by year it lists eclipses of sun and moon, comets, guest stars and planetary motions — a continuous record of the southern sky.
The value of such records lies in their continuity: a single entry is hard to use, but centuries of them can be compared with modern recomputation.
The calendar in passing
The calendrical changes of the Southern Qi lie scattered among this treatise and those of the Song shu and Sui shu. In the histories astronomy and the calendar are separate chapters whose contents often overlap.
Compiled and arranged by Chujia Kuang.
II · Calendrical Chapters of the Standard Histories
← Song shu — calendrical treatise
Wei shu — treatises on celestial phenomena and on the calendar →
Back to Classic Books