View source for Gang

{{DISPLAYTITLE: Gang (槓)}}

Gàng (Canopy Shaft, 槓) comprises nine stars and forms an integral part of the asterism Huagai(Canopy of the Emperor). The configuration of this sub-asterism varied across historical sources: in its earliest form, it was located in the region of the modern constellation ''Cepheus'', but later shifted toward ''Cassiopeia'' and ''Camelopardalis''. It originated within the Gan school during the Han dynasty, around the first century BCE. 

== Concordance, Etymology, History ==
=== Identification of stars ===
Earlier research by Yang (2023) reconstructed the early ''Huá Gài'' and ''Gàng'' asterisms in a form that closely reflects their physical appearance. More recently, however, he further noticed a passage in the ''Commentary to the Gan’s Star Canon'' (''Gān shi zan,'' 甘氏赞), which reads:<blockquote>“The Canopy shines with light, overshadowing the Emperor's body; its dark  ribs (liǎo, 橑) encircle the ''Shaft'', and it sits on two pillars.” 華蓋曜光，掩翳帝軀，玄橑周杠，兩植距趺。</blockquote>This description provides valuable information about both the function and structure of ''Huá Gài'':  the Huá Gài canopy was imagined as having multiple ribs radiating outward from its shaft (gàng, 杠), and the upper end of the ''Gàng'' was imagined as having two supporting points.

In Yang’s earlier reconstruction (2023), only one support point—HIP 111660—was included. In light of the textual evidence from the ''Commentary'', it now seems appropriate to add a second support star, 78 Draconis. This adjustment not only accords more closely with the ''Commentary''’s description but also matches the depiction on the ''Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido''. However, correspondingly, it is necessary to remove another star original included in Gang, and removing HIP 112833 is more appropriate.
{| class="wikitable"
!Constellation
!Star Names or Orders(Qing)
!Yi Shitong<ref>Yi Shitong伊世同. ''Zhongxi Duizhao Hengxing Tubiao''中西对照恒星图表1950. Beijing: Science Press.1981: 56.</ref>
Based on catalogue in 18th century
!Pan Nai<ref name=":02">Pan Nai潘鼐. ''Zhongguo Hengxing Guance shi''中国恒星观测史[M]. Shanghai: Xuelin Pree. 1989. p226.</ref>
based on Xinyixiangfayao Star Map
!SUN X. & J. Kistemaker<ref>Sun Xiaochun. & Kistemaker J. ''The Chinese sky during the Han''. Leiden: Brill. 1997, Pp241-6.</ref>
Han Dynasty
!Boshun Yang<ref name=":12">B.-S. Yang杨伯顺, ''Zhongguo Chuantong Hengxing Guance Jingdu ji Xingguan Yanbian Yanjiu'' 中国传统恒星观测精度及星官演变研究 (A Research on the Accuracy of Chinese Traditional Star Observation and the Evolution of Constellations), PhD thesis, (Hefei: University of Science and Technology of China, 2023). 261.</ref>
before Tang dynasty
!Boshun Yang<ref name=":12" />
Song Jingyou(1034)
!Boshun Yang<ref name=":12" />
Song Huangyou(1052)
|-
| rowspan="7" |Huagai
|1st(Determinative)
|
|iota Cas
|omega Cas
|16 Cep
|omega Cas
|iota Cas
|-
|2nd
|40 Cas
|40 Cas
|49 Cas
|gamma Cep
|31 Cas
|RZ Cas
|-
|3rd
|HIP 5926
|42 Cas
|40 Cas
|pi Cep
|psi Cas
|SU Cas
|-
|4th
|31 Cas
|omega Cas
|42 Cas
|31 Cep
|43 Cas
|HIP 12821
|-
|5th
|psi Cas
|HIP 12821
|HIP 12821
|24 Cep
|iota Cas
|omega Cas
|-
|6th
|43 Cas
|SU Cas
|SU Cas
|11 Cep
|HIP 12821
|42 Cas
|-
|7th
|omega Cas
|A Cas
|A Cas
|betta Cep
|SU Cas
|A Cas
|-
| rowspan="9" |Gang
|1st(Determinative)
|gamma Cam
|49H Cep 48(HIP 19461)
|50 Cas
|HIP 5928
|HIP 25110
|HIP 19461
|-
|2nd
|HIP 14862
|HIP 14844
|HIP 12273
|HIP 115746
|HIP 23265
|HIP 14844
|-
|3rd
|49 Cas
|46H Cep 30 (HIP 13055)
|HIP 14862
|HIP 109693
|HIP 20776
|HIP 13055
|-
|4th
|51 Cas
|HIP 9568
|HIP 15547
|HIP 112833
|HIP 19461
|HIP 9568
|-
|5th
|50 Cas
|47 Cas
|HIP 14417
|HIP 113116
|HIP 14417
|47 Cas
|-
|6th
|54 Cas
|49 Cas
|HIP 19461
|HIP 112519
|50 Cas
|49 Cas
|-
|7th
|A Cas
|HIP 10350
|HIP 20776
|rho Cep
|A Cas
|HIP 10350
|-
|8th
|42 Cas
|50 Cas
|HIP 23265
|HIP 111242
|42 Cas
|HIP 12273
|-
|9th
|38 cas
|
|HIP 25100
|HIP 111660
|38 Cas
|50 Cas
|}
=== Maps (Gallery) ===
{| class="wikitable"
!historical map
!modern identification
(Yang 2023)
!same in Stellarium 25.3
|-
|[[File:Huagai and Gang on Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido.jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang on ''Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido'']]
|[[File:Huagai and Gang before Tang Dynasty Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023).jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang before Tang Dynasty Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023)]]
|[[File:Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms before Tang Dynasty.jpg|thumb|Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms before Tang Dynasty in Stellarium]]
|-
|[[File:Huagai and Gang on Dunhuang Star Map.jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang on Dunhuang Star Map]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Huagai and Gang in Early Song Dynasty (1034CE) Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023).jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang in Early Song Dynasty (1034CE) Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023)]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms in 1034 in Stellarium.jpg|thumb|Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms in 1034 in Stellarium]]
|-
|[[File:Huagai and Gang on Geziyuejintu.jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang on ''Geziyuejintu'']]
|-
|[[File:Huagai and Gang on Suzhou Star Map.jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang on Suzhou Star Map]]
|[[File:Huagai and Gang in Huangyou Era in Song Dynasty (1052CE) Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023).jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang in Huangyou Era in Song Dynasty (1052CE) Reconstructed by Boshun Yang (2023)]]
|[[File:Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms in 1052 in Stellarium.jpg|thumb|Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms in 1052 in Stellarium]]
|-
|[[File:Huagai and Gang in 18th Century Star Map.jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang in 18th Century Star Map]]
|[[File:Huagai and Gang in 18th Century Reconstructed by YI Shitong (1981).jpg|thumb|Huagai and Gang in 18th Century Reconstructed by YI Shitong (1981)]]
|[[File:Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms in 18th Century in Stellarium.jpg|thumb|Huagai, Gang and a few neighbouring asterisms in 18th Century in Stellarium]]
|}
== Star Name Discussion (IAU) ==
In 202x, the name of the historical constellation "xxx" was suggested to be used for one of the stars in this constellation. ...

Decision: ... 

==References ==
[[References (Chinese)]]


[[Category:Asterism ]]
[[Category:Constellation ]]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:East Asian]]
[[Category:Chinese ]]