27-09-2026, 05:08 PM
Dear Jorge,
To be precise, when I said "no classical text," I meant that there is no classical text that fits the specific parameters of your "Dictation Scenario." There are certainly Chinese astronomical and astrological texts, but recommending one creates a paradox for your theory.
To answer your question directly: If the Author asked a Chinese scholar for a short, comprehensive treatise on Chinese astronomy and astrology that is fundamentally different from Arabic and Indian science, the answer would likely be "The Song of the Steps of the Sky" (步天歌, Butian Ge).
This is a classical Chinese poem written in the 7th century. It is precisely "short but broad," as it catalogs all 283 Chinese constellations (the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions) in verse. It is fundamentally different from Arabic and Indian astronomy because it relies on an equatorial coordinate system centered on the North Pole, not the ecliptic (zodiac) system used in the West.
However, this leads to a fatal contradiction in your theory: If the Author copied "The Song of the Steps of the Sky" to bring Chinese astronomical knowledge back to Europe, why does the VMS Zodiac section exclusively feature European zodiac signs (Aries, Taurus, etc.)?
There are no Chinese constellations (like the Azure Dragon of the East) in the VMS. Instead, we see Western nymphs and European astrological symbols. If the Author was transcribing a Chinese astronomy book as you suggest, we would expect to see Chinese Mansions (宿) instead of European Signs.
Therefore, while I can provide a title, it does not support the idea that the VMS astronomy section is a translation of a Chinese text. The text and imagery in the VMS remain firmly rooted in European visual tradition, even if the author was exposed to Chinese medicine.
Best regards,
Chenxiang
To be precise, when I said "no classical text," I meant that there is no classical text that fits the specific parameters of your "Dictation Scenario." There are certainly Chinese astronomical and astrological texts, but recommending one creates a paradox for your theory.
To answer your question directly: If the Author asked a Chinese scholar for a short, comprehensive treatise on Chinese astronomy and astrology that is fundamentally different from Arabic and Indian science, the answer would likely be "The Song of the Steps of the Sky" (步天歌, Butian Ge).
This is a classical Chinese poem written in the 7th century. It is precisely "short but broad," as it catalogs all 283 Chinese constellations (the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions) in verse. It is fundamentally different from Arabic and Indian astronomy because it relies on an equatorial coordinate system centered on the North Pole, not the ecliptic (zodiac) system used in the West.
However, this leads to a fatal contradiction in your theory: If the Author copied "The Song of the Steps of the Sky" to bring Chinese astronomical knowledge back to Europe, why does the VMS Zodiac section exclusively feature European zodiac signs (Aries, Taurus, etc.)?
There are no Chinese constellations (like the Azure Dragon of the East) in the VMS. Instead, we see Western nymphs and European astrological symbols. If the Author was transcribing a Chinese astronomy book as you suggest, we would expect to see Chinese Mansions (宿) instead of European Signs.
Therefore, while I can provide a title, it does not support the idea that the VMS astronomy section is a translation of a Chinese text. The text and imagery in the VMS remain firmly rooted in European visual tradition, even if the author was exposed to Chinese medicine.
Best regards,
Chenxiang