The 'Chinese' Theory: For and Against

[Jorge_Stolfi]

this is a copy of an important section of an important extra-European work and I would expect it to have been copied

Possibly, if in the original diagrams there were any figurative signs to be copied.  

If I understood correctly, the 24x15-degree divisions can be paired into 12x30-degree sections, and each of these has a traditional animal (Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, etc.).  But these sections are offset by ~15 days from the Western Zodiac signs: the Tiger section, first of that calendar, was part in Aquarius and part on Pisces.  And so on.

But it seems that the 24x15 scheme was used more often.  There are 24 Chinese names, each two Chinese characters long, that go with this scheme; but they refer to points on the Ecliptic, not to arcs thereof.  And the names are not very pictorial: 立春 = "Spring Begins" (~Feb.4), 雨水 = "Rain Water" (~Feb.19), 驚蟄 = "Insects Awaken", 春分 = "Spring Equinox", 清明 = "Bright and Clear", 穀雨 = "Corn Rain", ..., 小寒 = "Little cold", 大寒 = "Big Cold" (~Jan.20).  

So it is quite possible that the presumed 24 diagrams in the original "Chinese" source book did not have "sign pictures" to be copied.

All the best, --stolfi