천상열차분야지도(天象列次分野之圖) 별자리의 서방7수(西方七宿)를 중심으로 한 부분적 복원

A Partial Identification of Stars in the Korean Star Chart Carved on Stone in the 14th Century

In old times, the constellations had high significance for Korean people. For example they believed that kings were born from the spirit of Polestar. So the understanding of constellations is needed to comprehend their mentality. Korean old constellations are derived from that of China but they are not same with it. The information of Korean constellations can be get from the star chart named Cheon-sang-yeol-cha-bun-ya-ji-do which was carved on stone in 1395. There are 1,467 stars in it. Though the right ascensions and declinations of the stars were not recorded, the name of the stars in constellations can be found to check the shapes, sizes, locations and directions of the constellations. As a result I could find 484 stars from the north pole and the westside of the sky.