Discovering Heavenly Mandate

This book adopts a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating knowledge and techniques from disciplines such as astronomy and history. The purpose of astrological divination is to discern the will of the heavens, and its subjects are the ruling class or the entire social body of a nation. The selection of auspicious methods is aimed at seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, with its influence ranging from the imperial family to the common people. By comparing them with ancient Chinese textual records, it seeks to verify their authenticity. Based on this foundation, the book explores the origins of certain important astronomical events and divinatory behavioral patterns in ancient times, as well as the reasoning behind the actions of ancient Chinese people. Overall, this book provides significant inspiration and reference for scholars and researchers in the field of history of social astronomy in China and history of Sino-Western exchanges, in terms of ideas and research methodologies. Yinong Huang is a renowned Taiwanese historian known for his expertise in the history of science and technology and the history of social astronomy. He received his Ph.D. in physics from Columbia University (New York, the United States) in 1985 and subsequently conducted research in astronomy at Massachusetts State University before turning to the field of the history of astronomy in 1987.