中国汉代的日月食计算及其对星占观的影响

The Calculation and Divination of Luni-solar Eclipses of the Han Dynastyand Its Impact on the Astrological Thoughts

在西汉到东汉很长的时间里,中国历法家并未掌握日食预报技术。《三统历》和《四分历》中的交食推步术都只是推月食术,直到三国时期杨伟造《景初历》才提出了完整的日食推步术。日月食计算水平的这种差异对汉代人们的星占观念产生了明显的影响。西汉司马迁指出,星占只应该涵盖那些超出常度的天象。东汉班固则认为,一些天象虽然能够预报,但仍应该纳入星占范围。这种观点使星占与历法发展完全剥离开来,为星占的独立发展造成了非常重要的影响。

Chinese astronomers in the Western and Eastern Han dynasties did not master the technique for the predictive calculation of the solar eclipse. The uneven development in the predictive skills of the lunar and solar eclipses exerted discernable influence on the understanding of the astrological significance of the lunar and solar eclipses. In the early Western Han dynasty, Si-ma Qian suggested that only those irregular phenomena could be used for astrological purpose. Up to the Eastern Han period, Ban Gu argued that even to phenomena that showed regularity, they should still be used in astrological practice. This standpoint detached astrology thoroughly from calendric astronomy and opened a way for the independent development of astrology in later times.