Xihe (羲和) | 24 Histories

Overview

Xihe was a Legendary calendar officer of Tang Yao.

Life and dates

Attested activity

羲和而後
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 29
legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 28, passage 25; History of Song 76, passage 2; Book of Zhou 4, passage 87

Key source chapters

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 28 Volume 28 Treatises 3: Astronomy 3, Sun, Moon, and the Five Planets, Fixed Stars, Yellow and Red Paths, the Twelve Stations, and Lunar Lodges, Hun Dan Zhong Xing 1 passage
Draft History of Qing, Chapter 272 Volume 272 Biographies 59: Tang Ruowang, Yang Guangxian, Nan Huai Ren 1 passage
History of Song, Chapter 76 Volume 76 Treatises 29: Measures and Calendar 9 1 passage
Book of Zhou, Chapter 4 Volume 4 Annals 4: Emperor Ming 1 passage

Career and standing

astronomer-astrologer 羲和
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 28, passage 25

Events and relationships

Arts lost after Qin bibliocaust
Scholarly · Tradition holder · Negated false
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 28, passage 25

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 28, passage 25; History of Song 76, passage 2

References in the histories

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 28Volume 28 Treatises 3: Astronomy 3, Sun, Moon, and the Five Planets, Fixed Stars, Yellow and Red Paths, the Twelve Stations, and Lunar Lodges, Hun Dan Zhong Xing · 1 passage

Open chapter

秦炬之後，羲和舊術，無復可稽，其傳者惟史記天官書，而所載簡略。 After the Qin bibliocaust the Xihe tradition was lost; only Sima Qian's Heavenly Offices survives, and briefly.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 272Volume 272 Biographies 59: Tang Ruowang, Yang Guangxian, Nan Huai Ren · 1 passage

Open chapter

羲和而後，如漢洛下閎、張衡，唐李淳風、僧一行，於曆法代有損益。 Since the calendar minister Xihe, Han had Luoxia Hong and Zhang Heng, Tang had Li Chunfeng and the monk Yixing—each age revised the calendar in turn.

History of Song, Chapter 76Volume 76 Treatises 29: Measures and Calendar 9 · 1 passage

Open chapter

堯敕羲和制橫簫以考察星度，其機衡用玉，欲其燥濕不變，運動有常，堅久而不能廢也。 Yao charged Xihe with fashioning transverse sight-tubes to measure the stars, and had the mechanisms and pivots made of jade so they would not warp with damp or dryness, would move evenly, and would endure firm and unchanging for long use.

Book of Zhou, Chapter 4Volume 4 Annals 4: Emperor Ming · 1 passage

Open chapter

是以容成創定於軒轅，羲和欽若於唐世，《鴻範》九疇，大弘五法。 Thus Rongcheng first fixed the calendar under the Yellow Emperor, and Xihe reverently kept time in the age of Tang; the nine categories of Great Plan greatly extended the five methods.