PyeongChang Olympics 2018: Korea’s Rich Astronomical Past (Transcript)
Did you watch the opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea?
One of the most dazzling and enchanting parts of the ceremony was its tribute to Korea’s astronomical and celestial beginnings. At the beginning of the opening ceremony, we are introduced to a group of children who discover a celestial globe in the snow and are led on an adventure through time that teaches them about Korea’s past and present. During their journey, they discover an ice cave with painted murals, one of which is an ancient dragon who stands out more than the rest. As if sensing their entrance into the cave and its discovery, a golden tiger appears from the tablet welcoming and guiding the children through unknown lands to meet others similar to him and telling the story of Korea’s celestial guardians. Unknown to many viewers, the golden tiger is not only a guide, but also one of ancient Korea’s celestial guardians Baekho (White Tiger), and he is introducing the children to the remaining celestial guardians, Chunryonga (Azure Dragon), Jujak (Vermilion Bird), Hyunmu (Black Turtle/Black Warrior), and Hwang-Ryong (Golden Dragon/Golden Emperor), as well as to Korea’s deep astronomical roots.
During Korea’s ancient times, these celestial guardians were used as a way for Koreans to keep a yearly calendar and navigate the stars around them. When Korea’s first star charts were created, ancient astronomers divided the sky’s ecliptic into four regions and assigned each celestial guardian a specific cardinal direction, season, and principle. In these star charts, Baekho was assigned to the West and the autumn season. Chunryonga was assigned the East with the spring season. Hyunmu’s was placed over the cardinal direction North with winter as its season. Jujak was assigned to the cardinal direction South with its season being summer, and the celestial guardian Hwang-Ryong was assigned to represent the Earth located in the center of the star chart. In order for ancient astronomers to accurately record observations and keep time, each of these quadrants were broken down into 28 mansions (ancient star patterns), which made it possible for Korean astronomers to use the lunar path to track changes in the Moon, the motions of stars and planets, along with other changes in the observable universe around them. Within each of the mansions, stars and stars sets, such Spica, Ain, Markab, Alpha Librae, Alpha Crateris, Delta Hydrae, and many other stars still observable today, provided important information used by ancient Koreans to predict astronomical activity and assisted in making important decisions in regards to governmental and agricultural matters.















