Eclipse

:This article discusses astronomical eclipses. For other meanings, see Eclipse (disambiguation).

The eclipse in mythology

Before modern astronomy there were explanations for eclipses in every culture of long standing. These would typically involve conflicts between mythic forces. At the Imperial observatory, Beijing is a carved stone brought from a distant province with the following explanation (here rewritten):

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:"This carved stone chart explained the cause of solar eclipses. The center of the golden bird (the symbol of the sun) was covered by the toad (the symbol of the moon). The people of the Han Dynasty called the phenomenon a good combination of the sun and the moon."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In this explanation we see a recognition of the celestial realities and a cheerful outlook regarding the event. In other cultures an eclipse could be both a surprising and a terrifying event.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~