Probsthain's Oriental Series, 14 - Forke Alfred / Форке Альфред - The World-Conception of the Chinese: Their Astronomical, Cosmological and Physico-Philosophical Speculations / Миропонимание китайцев [1925, PDF, ENG]

Introduction 4
Contents 8
BOOK I. The Universe 14
A. ANCIENT TIMES 16
I. Beginnings of Chinese Astronomy 16
(a) Earliest reference 16
(h) Astronomers 17
(c) Astronomical observations 20
(d) AstronomicaTworks 21
(e) Astronomical instruments 22
II. The Six Astronomical Systems 25
(1) Kai-t‘ien System 25
(2) Hun-t‘ien System 31
(3) Hsuasn-yeh System 36
(4) Hsin-t'ien System 37
(5) Chiung-t'ien System 40
(6) An-t'ien System 40
III. Similar Theories of Other Nations 42
IV. Creation 47
V. Destruction of the World 57
VI. Infinity of Time and Space 59
VII. Heaven and Earth 60
A. THE PHYSICAL VIEWPOINT 61
(a) Substance. 61
(b) Colour. 63
(c) Form. 64
(d) Yin and Yang the two substances of heaven and earth. 68
(e) Dimensions. 70
(1) Distance between heaven and earth 70
(2) World diameter and circumference of heaven 71
(3) Size of the earth 72
(4) Sizes of the sun, the moon, and the stars 73
(f) Functions of heaven and earth 74
(1) Passive Functions 74
(2) Active Functions 75
B. THE MYTHOLOGICAL-RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINT 81
(I) Heaven and Earth as Husband and Wife 81
(II) Elementary Qualities of Heaven and Earth 84
(III) Moral,Qualities of Heaven and Earth 85
(IV) The Relation of Man to Heaven and Earth 87
(V) Analogies of Heaven and Earth with Man, Animals and Numbers 89
(VI) Worship of Heaven and Earth 92
(VII) Heavenly Bodies: Sun, Moon, Stars 92
1. The Sun 96
2. The Moon 102
3. Eclipses of the Sun and the Moon 110
4. Stars 113
B. MODERN TIMES 114
I. System of the Universe 115
II. Creation 119
III. Destruction of the World and World Periods 124
IV. Infinity 125
V. Heaven and Earth 126
A. Natural Science 126
B. Philosophy 131
(a) Heaven a Spirit, Earth a Body 131
(b) The Spirit of Heaven and Earth 132
VI. Analogies between Heaven, Earth and Man 135
VII. The Heavenly Bodies, the Sun, the Moon and the Stars 135
(a) The Motion of Heaven and the Stars 135
(h) Phases of the Moon 137
(c) Eclipses of the Moon 139
(d) Precession of the Equinoxes 139
BOOK II. Heaven 144
A. PHYSICAL VIEWPOINT 146
I. Subdivisions of Physical Heaven 146
(а) According to Seasons 146
(b) Regions of Heaven 147
(c) The Nine-storied Heaven 149
(d) Buddhist and Taoist Heavens 150
(e) Heaven In other Countries 155
(f) Heaven as Paradise 157
(g) The Gates of Heaven 158
II. Qualities of Physical Heaven 158
B. RELIGIOUS-PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWPOINT 160
I. Nature of Heaven 160
(a) Heaven the origin of all things 160
(b) Heaven governs the world 161
(c) Heaven as Providence 162
(d) Heaven acts like man 164
(e) Heaven according to Lao-tse and Wang Ch'ung 167
(f) Heaven according to Chang-tse, Ch'eng-tse, and Ohu Hsi 168
II. The invocation of heaven 171
III. The Personification of Heaven 172
BOOK III. Yin and Yang 174
A. Ancient times 176
I. The Oldest Sources 176
II. The Original Meaning of Yin and Yang 184
III. Yin and Yang as Fluids and Primary Elements 185
IV. Yin and Yang the Substances of Heaven and Earth, the Sun and the Moon 189
V. The Alternation of the Yin and Yang during the Seasons and according'to the Points of the Compass 190
VI. Yin and Yang cause the Weather 197
1. Wind 197
2. Thunder and Lightning 197
3. Clouds, Fog, Rain, and Dew 198
4. Rain, Dew, Frost (Ice), and Snow 198
5. Hail and Sleet 199
VII. Yin and Yang the Primary Substances of Five Elements 199
VIII. Yin and Yang as Correlates 200
IX. Yin and Yang in Animals and Man 203
X. Yin and Yang in Cult 205
XI. Yin and Yang in Divination 208
XII. Yin and Yang in Medicine (Su-wen) 211
XIII. Yin and Yang in Warfare 212
B. MODERN TIMES 213
I. Evolution of Yin and Yang from the Primordial Principle 214
II. Qualities of the Two Primary Fluids 215
(1) The Old Notion of Substantiality 215
(2) Expansion and Contraction 216
(3) Motion and Rest 217
(4) Manifestation and Body 218
(5) Spirit and Body 218
III. Relations between and Combinations of and Yang and Yin 220
IV. Localisation of Yin and Yang according to Quarters and Seasons 222
V. Yin and Vang the Constituent Parts Weather of Weather 224
(1) Wind 225
(2) Thunder and Lightning 225
(3) Clouds 225
(4) Rain and Dew, Frost and Snow 225
(5) Vitiated Air 226
VI. Further Differentiation of Yin and Yang 226
VII. Yin and Yang as Correlates 227
VIII. Plants, Animals and Men produced by Yin and Yang 228
IX. Yin and Yang in Zoology and Botany 229
X. Analogies to Yin and Yang in other Countries 233
BOOK IV. The Five Elements 238
The Oldest Testimonies 240
Table of the Five Elements, the Four Seasons, and other Correspondences according to the Liki 253
The alleged Turkish origin of the Five Elements 255
Similar Classifications in other countries 257
The Five Elements in the later Chou epoch 263
I. Various Terms for the Elements 274
II. What are the Five Elements ? 275
III. Fluids, Substances, and Seasons 282
IV. Transformations of the Elements 285
(а) In Heaven: The Celestial Bodies and the Five Planets 285
(b) On Earth: The Inorganic and the Organic Kingdom; Man 288
V. Local and Numerical Relations of the Elements ... 293
VI.The Different Modes of Enumerating the Five Elements 298
VII. The Regular Changes of the Elements during the Seasons 304
VIII. The. Element Earth and its Season 307
IX. The Five Elements under their; Religious and Metaphysical Aspect 308
X. Wrong Analogies 313