The ancient Chinese astronomers associated the five main planets with the five elements, from which they derive their current name: Jupiter is Wood, Mars is Fire, Saturn is Earth, Venus is Metal, Mercury is Water.
The symbolic colors of Chinese astrology of these planets are:
– White, the color of Metal, in consonance with Venus and the White Tiger in the West;
– Blue and Black, attributed to Water, in consonance with Mercury and the Black Tortoise in the North;
– Green, attributed to Wood, in consonance with Jupiter and the Green Dragon in the East;
– Red, attributed to Fire, in consonance with Mars and the Red Bird in the South;
– Yellow, attributed to Earth, in consonance with Saturn corresponds to the Snake in the center; it represents balance. Yellow is also the color of the Emperor.
They believed that the position of the planets in the sky, as well as that of the sun and moon, called the Supreme Yang and Yin (tàiyáng; tàiyín), and the possible passage of comets at the time of birth influenced destiny.
Jupiter is particularly important because its revolution, not the Sun’s, was used until the middle of the Han Dynasty to count years. According to traditional religion, the Chinese year that begins belongs to this planet’s god, Taisui (tàisuì). All those who are of the sign of the year must make an offering to him at the temple to get his good graces.
The area around the ecliptic and celestial equator is divided into 28 sectors of unequal amplitude (xiù), each containing a marker star that is used to locate the position of stars in the sky. Although traversed by the moon during the lunar month, the concept of the lunar house was created by Indian astronomers, and was not used by the Chinese. The entire “Chinese zodiac” is divided into 4 xiàng (sìxiàng) quarters, each represented by a totem animal. Their position is determined at nightfall on the evening of the spring equinox. The names of the lunar houses, which are difficult to explain, are very old: they have been found on funerary objects dating from the Warring Kingdoms, and could date back to the Zhou. It is therefore difficult to know their original meaning, because the character that designates them may have changed meaning. Nevertheless, some seem to designate a part of the totem animal, such as jiǎo (horn).