Old Man of the South Pole
Encyclopedia
The Old Man of the South Pole (in or ) is the Taoist deification of Canopus
, the brightest star of the constellation Carina
. It is the symbol of happiness and longevity
in Far Eastern
culture.
, the brightest star of the constellation Carina
. He is often depicted in the Chinese pictures as an old man with a long white beard, with a deer by his side. This style of picture is related to the story of an emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty who had invited such an old man from the street and later considered the old man as the sign of his longevity.
Canopus is usually called in Chinese the Star of the Old Man (in ) or the Star of the Old Man of the South Pole (in ). Since Carina is a Southern constellation, Canopus is rarely seen in Northern China
and, if seen in good weather, looks reddish lying near the southern horizon. Because the color red is the symbol of happiness and longevity in China, Canopus is also known in China and its neighboring countries of Korea, Japan and Vietnam as the Star of Old Age (in ) or the Star of the Man of the Old Age (in ). In Japan, it became Jurōjin (in ), one of the Seven Gods of Fortune (in ).
Canopus
Canopus |Alpha]] Carinae) is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina and Argo Navis, and the second brightest star in the night-time sky, after Sirius. Canopus's visual magnitude is −0.72, and it has an absolute magnitude of −5.53.Canopus is a supergiant of spectral...
, the brightest star of the constellation Carina
Carina (constellation)
Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:...
. It is the symbol of happiness and longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
in Far Eastern
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
culture.
General
The Old Man of the South Pole is the Taoist deification of CanopusCanopus
Canopus |Alpha]] Carinae) is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina and Argo Navis, and the second brightest star in the night-time sky, after Sirius. Canopus's visual magnitude is −0.72, and it has an absolute magnitude of −5.53.Canopus is a supergiant of spectral...
, the brightest star of the constellation Carina
Carina (constellation)
Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:...
. He is often depicted in the Chinese pictures as an old man with a long white beard, with a deer by his side. This style of picture is related to the story of an emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty who had invited such an old man from the street and later considered the old man as the sign of his longevity.
Canopus is usually called in Chinese the Star of the Old Man (in ) or the Star of the Old Man of the South Pole (in ). Since Carina is a Southern constellation, Canopus is rarely seen in Northern China
North China
thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain....
and, if seen in good weather, looks reddish lying near the southern horizon. Because the color red is the symbol of happiness and longevity in China, Canopus is also known in China and its neighboring countries of Korea, Japan and Vietnam as the Star of Old Age (in ) or the Star of the Man of the Old Age (in ). In Japan, it became Jurōjin (in ), one of the Seven Gods of Fortune (in ).
See also
CanopusCanopus
Canopus |Alpha]] Carinae) is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina and Argo Navis, and the second brightest star in the night-time sky, after Sirius. Canopus's visual magnitude is −0.72, and it has an absolute magnitude of −5.53.Canopus is a supergiant of spectral...
- Chinese mythologyChinese mythologyChinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
- Jurōjin
- The Color Red