Episode 482 features an interview with astrologer Berna Lee about the history, philosophy and practice of Chinese astrology.
Berna holds an MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology from the Sophia Center, is doing a dissertation exploring the theory and practice of astrology in contemporary Hong Kong, and is a 45th generation Chinese astrologer.
During the episode, we discuss the historical development of Chinese astrology and the various periods in which specific technical practices emerged.
We also cover a number of other topics such as fate and free will, the Chinese zodiac and the role of comets as omens in world astrology.
You can follow Berna on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/astroemergency
This episode is available in audio and video versions below.
Time signs
- 00:00:00 – Login
- 00:01:22 – Berna’s origins and 45 generations of genealogy
- 00:07:28 – Mythological and archaeological origins of Chinese astrology
- 00:11:09 – Textual Tradition: Oracle Bones and First Signs
- 00:15:22 – Mundane and Natal Astrology
- 00:27:08 – How astrology was institutionalized in the royal court
- 00:28:58 – Mandate of Heaven: The Emperor’s right to rule
- 00:32:56 – Reading Omens: Eclipses, Comets and Novas
- 00:40:27 – Detailed records of comets by Chinese astrologers
- 00:47:41 – Fate and free will in Chinese astrology
- 00:55:51 – A personal story about predicting death
- 01:11:07 – 12 animal signs of the zodiac
- 01:13:09 – When birth astrology (BaZi) developed in the Tang Dynasty
- 01:16:20 – How the zodiac animals are used in the chart
- 01:22:38 – How Chinese astrology was sidelined and marginalized
- 01:33:09 – Impact of the Cultural Revolution
- 01:39:23 – Is astrology making a comeback in China?
- 01:43:35 – How modern practitioners approach tradition
- 01:51:33 – Berna’s future work
- 01:54:41 – Summary
Watch the video version of this episode
Watch a video version of this Chinese astrology episode on YouTube:
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Transcription
Here is the full transcript of this episode: Episode 482 Transcript
Listen to the audio version of this episode
Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it in MP3 format:
Podcast: Play in a new window | Download (Duration: 1:58:01 — 108.5MB)
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