The Culture of the Seven Stars
The Culture of the Seven Stars
THE BIG DIPPER
The Big Dipper is an asterism formed by seven bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major. It is one of the most recognizable star patterns in the night sky. The asterism is well-known in many cultures and goes by many other names. In modern astronomy, the Big Dipper is divided into seven stars, from alpha (α) to the other (η), corresponding to the tail of Ursa Major.
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| Figure 1. NASA's Jupiter-bound Juno spacecraft tested its JunoCam instrument on one of the icons of the night sky – the Big Dipper |
Constellations are patterns of stars visible to the unaided eye. Asterisms, such as the Big Dipper, are also naked-eye star patterns, but they do not form constellations on their own.
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| Figure 2. Bukdu Chilseong in the Naver Korean Dictionary |
BIG DIPPER IN THE PHILIPPINE CONTEXT
Even before the global influences and colonizations, early Filipinos governed their lives in unique and interesting ways such as in astronomy. Probably because there were not many city lights before, Philippine ethnoastronomy reveals that our ancestors were just as enamored by the heavenly bodies as the rest of the world. Since we have different ethnolinguistic groups, our stories and observations also vary. However, these beliefs are now viewed as outdated and unscientific but would remain an important part of Filipino culture as these beliefs encompass the use of astronomy in navigation, farming, and time-telling.
For the Sama, Big Dipper was referred to as “Bubu,” for it resembled the bubu, a cage-like fish trap that they used. Bubu, or the Big Dipper, is a constellation prominent in Philippine skies. The Sama-Bajau are the dominant ethnic group of the islands of Tawi-Tawi in the Philippines. They would consult the constellation to determine how bountiful their catch will be. Many stars within the Bubu means good weather, appropriate for fishing, and a bountiful catch. The handle of the Big Dipper represents Bubu's rope, and if it is facing to the East, means a strong sea current.
When it came to navigating the seas, the Sama also looked to the stars, particularly Polaris (the North Star) or Mamahi Uttara in their language.
BIG DIPPER BEFORE PHILOSOPHY
Koreans have had a family of distinctive native folk beliefs called 무교 (Mugyo) or 무속 (Musok). It is a cosmological insight that is associated with the native and most ancient world-view in Korea and also its religious ritualist practice. It is a form of animism that worships nature and believes in spirits such that there is a medium called 무당 (Mudang) connecting humans to such spirits who inhabit in nature.
칠성 (Chilseong) or the spirit of the seven stars, the Big Dipper, is one of the most well-known spirits which are believed to have the power to influence or to change the fortunes of living people and animals as well as their environment. They emphasized a more universal idea of Heaven, which Koreans sometimes identified as their ancestor-god; this was later transformed into a tool for consolidating political power and its ideology.
BIG DIPPER IN KOREAN FOLKTALES
According to folktales, we are born with the divine fortune of the Big Dipper, not only the birth process but also of death, the coffin in a conventional burial mound 칠성판 (Chilseongpan). When you go from this world to the next, you will pass through the Big Dipper. Therefore, the lives of Koreans are said to be closely related to the Big Dipper. Seven fairies participating in the Foundation Day event also symbolize the Big Dipper.
BIG DIPPER AS THE RECOGNIZED “SEVEN STARS SPIRIT”
칠성신 (Chilseong-shin), the Seven Stars Spirit, is a deification of the Big Dipper (Bukdu Chilseong, 북두칠성), the seven bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major. Chilseong-shin can be thought of as a single deity but the usual depiction is seven separate figures, either seven standing male figures in traditional court robes, sometimes holding court scepters or seven women in courtly attire.
There is some form of Seven Star worship that can be found throughout East Asia such as in Korea, we have the so-called “문창제군보고 (Munchang jegun bogo)”, a religious scripture worshiping the Big Dipper. This has even been adopted into Korean Buddhism.
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| Figure 5. Munchang jegun bogo: Religious Scripture Worshiping Big Dipper Constellation. This material was made of ceramics and white porcelain, measuring 18.8 x 17.3 cm and from the Joseon Dynasty. |
Shrines for Chilseong can be found in many Buddhist temples around Korea, thus, the depictions of Chilseong can be found in two types: numerous folk style shamanist paintings of Chilseong called 무신도 (Mushindo), and Chilseong depicted in the more sophisticated Buddhist iconographic style called 탱화 (Taenghwa).
Adding Kim’s anecdotes, he noted that in the East, the parts that make up the container of each ladle are Cheonchu, Cheonseon, Cheongi, and Cheonkwon, and the handle part is Jade, Gaeyang, and Yogwang. It is called 搖光 (Yáo Guāng). In Taoism, the Big Dipper is called Tamrang, Geomun, Nokjon, Wengu, Yanjing, Wugok, and Pagun. For our reference, we will be using the names of these stars according to a blog published on Naver (kindly see our last reference for this).
탐랑성 (Tamyang Star)
The first star symbolizes the sky. It is primarily associated with virtues of Yang and represents the status of the heavenly emperor. This star determines the principles that become the foundation of the heavens. It is said to be the axis of the sky, as it is the source of life-giving water.
거문성 (Geomun Star)
It symbolizes the earth. It is mainly responsible for negative events and punishments and represents the status of the empress.
녹존성 (Nokjon Star)
It’s responsible for disasters and harm. It symbolizes humans and, in terms of the Five Elements, represents fire. This star is believed to bring both blessings and misfortunes in proportion to human achievements.
문곡성 (Mungok Star)
It executes acts that go against heavenly laws. It symbolizes timing and is associated with water. This star holds all the rights of the heavens in its hands.
염정성 (Yeomjeong Star)
It takes charge of the center and assists in all directions, including the execution of those guilty. It becomes yin and governs earth. It is the star that stabilizes the center of the Big Dipper.
무곡성 (Mugok Star)
It is a warehouse that stores the five grains of the heavens. It governs wood and is the most powerful star among the seven stars. It is believed to prolong human life and is also known as the star that opens the path of longevity.
파군성 (Pagun Star)
It is responsible for matters related to the military. It governs metal and oversees the coming and going of celestial energies.
From an essay by Park Seok-jae in The Science Times Korea, he mentioned that on the back of the 10,000 Korean Won bill, we could also find the Chilseong. Park Seok-jae is the current Chairman of Daehan History and Culture Association, the organization which initiated the Hallyu Archetypal Culture Delegation (HACD). At that time, he was a research fellow at the Korea Astronomical Research Institute.
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He stated that the Honcheonui, National Treasure No. 230, is introduced on the left side of the bill, and an optical telescope at the Bohyeonsan Observatory of the said institution is introduced on the right.
THE BIG DIPPER IN THE ARTS AND MEDIA
Fans of Abstract Expressionism will be drawn to Jackson Pollock's “Reflection of the Big Dipper” painting. Abstract expressionism is the term applied to new forms of abstract art developed by American painters such as Jackson Pollock in the 1940s and 1950s. It is often characterized by gestural brush-strokes or mark-making, and the impression of spontaneity.
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| Figure 8. Reflection of the Big Dipper (John Pollock, 1947) |
The Big Dipper painting was done in 1947, the year when Mahatma Gandhi began his march for peace. Each stroke of the brush is designed to lead the eye in a specific direction. As we gaze at the stars, we may become captivated by the raw power evident in them.
The spots of dark color in Pollock's painting recall the depth of the night sky. In summer or winter, the Big Dipper stands out. As an abstract painting, the Big Dipper comes from the subconscious, meaning it is raw and somewhat uninhibited. Many have contemplated the vastness of the night sky on their journey home, using the Big Dipper to help them find their direction, such as what was mentioned in the interview of Roy Kim for his track.
Reflection of the Big Dipper was exhibited at the Betty Parsons Gallery in 1948, along with his sixteen other paintings. Clement Greenberg wrote an extensive review of the artist for Partisan Review, lauding him as the "Greatest American Painter of the Twentieth Century.”
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니가 있는 곳이 어디든
난 따라가 그 길을 비춰줄게
그 길을 비춰줄게”
Wherever you are,
I will follow you and light up your path
I will light up your path”
Roy Kim, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and radio presenter. On December 04, 2015, he released an album named “The Great Dipper” (북두칠성). "The Great Dipper" is the album's lead single. The lyrics above could be inspired such that the seven stars could be seen the entire year.
In an interview for The Korea Herald, Kim mentioned, “...I know that the Great Dipper helped sailors at sea find their way. I hope this song will bring solace to those people who don’t know where they’re headed.”
Another one is by Bang Hyuk which has the same title.
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| Figure 11. Screenshot from the Music Video of “The Great Dipper” by Bang Hyuk |
Maybe for some of us, the Big Dipper is just those stars that shine in the sky. Maybe some of us still regard the Big Dipper as a guide in our lives. Whatever we think of the Big Dipper, it is a reminder that wonders do happen. As we continue to acknowledge the Big Dipper’s presence, may we also acknowledge that us humans are also our own stars of Earth, its own stewards.
References:
5 unique things Filipinos believed about the sun, moon, and stars. (n.d.). Cnn. http://www.cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2019/01/22/Filipinos-astronomy-beliefs.html.
Big Dipper: Stars, Facts, Myth, Location – Constellation Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://www.constellation-guide.com/big-dipper/
Chilseong. (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2023, from http://resources.sgarrigues.net/chilseong.html
Constellations and Asterisms | StarDate Online. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2023 from https://stardate.org/astro-guide/constellations-and-asterisms
Guided by Stars (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2023 from https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=b059794069c64d3b234c20e65&id=8d1648f876
Island Hopping in Tawi-Tawi. (2022). Retrieved July 20, 2023 from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/149738/island-hopping-in-tawi-tawi
Korean Philosophy (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/korean-philosophy/
NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Images Big Dipper | NASA. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2023, from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/news/juno20120510.html
Reflection of the Big Dipper Jackson Pollock Painting. (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://www.thehistoryofart.org/jackson-pollock/reflection-of-the-big-dipper/
Reflection of the Big Dipper, 1947 by Jackson Pollock. (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://www.jackson-pollock.org/reflection-of-the-big-dipper.jsp
SAMA-BAJAU - Bureau on Cultural Heritage - BARMM. (2019). Bureau on Cultural Heritage - BARMM. https://bch.bangsamoro.gov.ph/sama-bajau/.
Tate. (n.d.). Abstract expressionism | Tate. Tate. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/abstract-expressionism.
The Betty Parsons Gallery | TheArtStory. (n.d.). The Art Story. https://www.theartstory.org/gallery-betty-parsons.htm.
[좌충우돌 별 이야기] 북두칠성과 북쪽 하늘 별자리 < 소소한 이야기 < 기사본문 - 뉴스풀. (2019). Ub274uc2a4ud480. Retrieved July 20, 2023 from http://www.newspoole.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=5513
우리 민족의 별자리 북두칠성 – Sciencetimes. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2023 from https://www.sciencetimes.co.kr/news/우리-민족의-별자리-북두칠성/
Kh디지털2. (2015). Roy Kim lays down guitar for 3rd album. The Korea Herald. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20151204000685.
'북두칠성': Naver Korean-English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2023 from https://korean.dict.naver.com/koendict/#/entry/koen/3dab48cba1b944149a7d08b4a9770316
bhjang3 (2012, April 24). Naver. Retrieved July 26, 2023 from https://blog.naver.com/bhjang3/140157781650
Mentor Jeong-hae Oh for helping me find resources and Korean words’ translations!
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