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Dipper (Dou)   

( 6 stars; Sagittarius )

This asterism is also called Southern Dipper. It was said that, in the Period of Three Kingdoms (220-280), there was a famous Taoist priest named Guan Lu. Once day he met a young man named Yan Chao. As an expert in physiognomy, he found the young man would die soon and told the man his ill fortune. At the time, Yan Chao was only nineteen and was really upset by the bad news. He begged the priest to help him. Guan Lu instructed, "You should go home fast and prepare a bottle of good wine and a plate of deer meat. Then go to the south of the wheat fields. Under a giant mulberry tree, you will find two old men playing chess. Serve them well and don't say a word. They may help you." Following the instruction, Yan Chao finally found the old men as described. He stood beside still and served them with wine and meat silently. Being too concentrated on the game, they enjoyed the feast subconsciously. After some time, the old men to the North suddenly noticed the present of Yan Chao and annoyingly said, "What are you doing here?" Without saying a word, Yan Chao fell on his knees and kowtowed. Didn't know how to deal with the young man, the old man finally said, "we've enjoyed his offerings. Let's do something to reward him." The old man to the South said, "Give me your record of death." When he found that Yan Chao was destined to live only nineteen years, he crossed the record out and changed it into ninety. Delighted with unexpected good result, Yan Chao thanked the old men and went home. Afterwards, Guan Lu explained, "the old man sitting to the North is Northern Dipper, the one to the South is Southern Dipper. Southern Dipper is responsible for the birth and Northern Dipper is responsible for the death."



Northern Dipper

( 7 stars; Ursa Major )

This Chinese asterism is more commonly known as Big Dipper. The names of the seven stars are: Celestial Pivot, Celestial Rotating Jade, Celestial Shining Pearl, Celestial Balance, Jade Sighting Tube, Opener of Heat and Twinkling Brilliance. There is a small asterism called Assistant (Fu) which belongs to Northern Dipper. The seven stars were later worshipped by Taoists as gods. The Chinese always has a saying that "The Southern Dipper marks life and the Northern Dipper marks death." See "Dipper".