Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based Analysis
Chinese urban planning has a millenary history. According to the ancient classic texts, it was based on principles related to the cosmic order as well as on traditional ideas related to the feng shui doctrines. The problem of understanding the extent to which such ideas were put into practice is sti...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Norma Camilla Baratta Giulio Magli |
| author_facet | Norma Camilla Baratta Giulio Magli |
| author_sort | Norma Camilla Baratta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chinese urban planning has a millenary history. According to the ancient classic texts, it was based on principles related to the cosmic order as well as on traditional ideas related to the feng shui doctrines. The problem of understanding the extent to which such ideas were put into practice is still open, partially due to the overwhelming number of cities founded or re-founded in the more than 2100 years of Chinese imperial history. In the present work, a new, comprehensive analysis of this issue is presented, with a focus on the Ming period. We construct a database which includes 238 towns—virtually all the cities founded or re-founded by the Ming dynasty—using tools based on satellite imagery to investigate orientations and relationships with natural features, and historical paleomagnetic models to investigate magnetic orientation. The results show the existence of three main “families” of towns, of which one strictly adheres to “cosmic” principles, while the other two are mainly connected to the environment. Magnetic orientation turns out, instead, to be related to the imperial capitals only. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2f940b150d834abebbbf81f4f6c7c934 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj-art-2f940b150d834abebbbf81f4f6c7c9342025-01-10T13:20:26ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-01-0117116110.3390/rs17010161Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based AnalysisNorma Camilla Baratta0Giulio Magli1School of Preservation of the Architectural Heritage, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyChinese urban planning has a millenary history. According to the ancient classic texts, it was based on principles related to the cosmic order as well as on traditional ideas related to the feng shui doctrines. The problem of understanding the extent to which such ideas were put into practice is still open, partially due to the overwhelming number of cities founded or re-founded in the more than 2100 years of Chinese imperial history. In the present work, a new, comprehensive analysis of this issue is presented, with a focus on the Ming period. We construct a database which includes 238 towns—virtually all the cities founded or re-founded by the Ming dynasty—using tools based on satellite imagery to investigate orientations and relationships with natural features, and historical paleomagnetic models to investigate magnetic orientation. The results show the existence of three main “families” of towns, of which one strictly adheres to “cosmic” principles, while the other two are mainly connected to the environment. Magnetic orientation turns out, instead, to be related to the imperial capitals only.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/1/161ancient Chinese citiesArcheoastronomyMing urban planningfeng shui |
| spellingShingle | Norma Camilla Baratta Giulio Magli Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based Analysis Remote Sensing ancient Chinese cities Archeoastronomy Ming urban planning feng shui |
| title | Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based Analysis |
| title_full | Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based Analysis |
| title_short | Astronomy and Feng Shui in Ming Urban Planning: A Satellite and Paleo-Magnetic Based Analysis |
| title_sort | astronomy and feng shui in ming urban planning a satellite and paleo magnetic based analysis |
| topic | ancient Chinese cities Archeoastronomy Ming urban planning feng shui |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/1/161 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT normacamillabaratta astronomyandfengshuiinmingurbanplanningasatelliteandpaleomagneticbasedanalysis AT giuliomagli astronomyandfengshuiinmingurbanplanningasatelliteandpaleomagneticbasedanalysis |