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The Vermilion BirdIn Ancient Astrology |
Mystery of the Vermilion Bird
Actually not much has been written about the Vermilion Bird, though the other ancient constellations all have several myths and stories. The Vermilion Bird Constellation was originally identified by ancient Chinese Astronomers in about 3800 BC. Over time other cultures and and more modern Asian Astrologers called this constellation the "Red Phoenix" or the "Red Dragon."
The seven positions or stations of the Vermilion Bird are known as "mansions" and they represent groupings or asterisms of stars. These are called Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings and Chariot.
There are some mysterious aspects to the original Vermilion Bird and clues include the planet Mars, and Cinnebar, which is mined in China and used to make the orange-red (vermilion) laquer so prized by Chinese artisans. Read on...
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To the naked eye, Mars appears as a bright point of light, like a star. The motions of this planet were charted by ancient Chinese Astrologers but it is very difficult to see without the lenses of binocculars or a telescope. They were somehow able to identify it as "Vermilion" the color of Cinabar, mined in China during those times.
The Vermilion Bird of Summer
Sometimes called the Red Bird of the South, the Vermilion Bird was chosen by the earliest Chinese astronomers to represent the planet Mars, and seven positions of the moon against certain stars in the northern sky. These seven collections of stars all together look like a bird on the wing.
The Vermilion Bird also represented the element "fire" to Ancient Chinese Astrologers. Ancient Astrologers from Arabia and India developed their own interpretations. There are many similarities and some interesting differences.
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Vermilion Bird Star Chart by Steven Renshaw and Saori Ihara
22=Well, 23=Ghost, 24=Willow, 25=Star, 26=Extended Net, 27=Wings, 28=Chariot
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Vermilion Bird Encompases Seven Positions of the Moon
The seven positions or stations of the Vermilion Bird are known as "mansions" or "palaces" because they represent groupings or asterisms of stars. The moon moves through these asterisms during summer time. Chinese Astrology is based on five cardinal points; north, south, east, west and center. The Vermilion Bird represents the south, summer and fire.
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