• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 2003

Chon-Mun-Ryu-Cho (天文類抄), written (edited) by Lee Sun-Ji (李純之) during the period of King Se-Jong, is a representative astronomy book of Cho-Sun (朝鮮: A.D. 1392-1910) Dynasty. We find and study in the first page of the book; the description of 28 oriental constellations as a Sasin (four mythical oriental animals)-animal sky map which is not widely known yet. The map consists of four groups of constellations, each of which represents the Sasin: Chang-Ryong (蒼龍: dragon), Baek-Ho (白虎: tige.s with Ki-Rin [離隣: Oriental giraffe]), Ju-Jak (朱崔: Chinese phoenix), Hyun-Mu (玄武: a tortoise interwined with a snake). Each group (animals) spans 2 ～ 7 of 28 oriental constellations (宿). As we know from the illustration (論說) of the Chon-Sang-Yol-Cha-Bun-Ya-Ji-Do (天象列次分野之圖), a representative sky map of Cho-Sun Dynasty, astronomy in Cho-Sun Dynasty is closely related to that in Go- Gu-Rye. (高句麗: B.C. 37 -A.D. 668) Dynasty. Since these Sasin-animals appear in most mural paintings of Go-Gu-Rye. (高句麗) tombs, visualization of sky with these animal constellations could have been established as early as in Go-Gu-Ryer Dynasty. We also reconstruct this ”A Sasin-animal Korean sky map” based on the shapes of the Sasin and Ki-Rin from Go-Gu-Ryer paintings and 28 oriental constellations in Chon- S an g- Yol- C h a- B un- Ya- J i- Do.