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11♈44 to 19♈26
The 14th Chinese lunar mansion is named 壁宿 Bì Su, “Wall Mansion.” It is the 7th of the 7 mansions of the Black Tortoise of the North.
The 5th asterism of the Wall Mansion is called 鈇鑕 Fūzhì, “Sickle.” It represents the instrument of execution by waist-cutting, or a tool for cutting grass, and is composed of 5 stars of the constellation Cetus. [1]
| 2000 | 2050 | IAU | Chinese | Orb |
| 11♈44 | 12♈26 | 48 Cet | Fuzhi Yi (1) | 1°00′ |
| 14♈08 | 14♈50 | HD 10148 | Fuzhi Er (2) | 1°00′ |
| 16♈29 | 17♈11 | HD 10998 | Fuzhi San (3) | 1°00′ |
| 19♈26 | 20♈08 | υ Cet | Fuzhi Si (4) | 1°30′ |
| 17♈55 | 18♈39 | 56 Cet | Fuzhi Wu (5) | 1°00′ |
Fuzhi the Sickle
11♈44 to 19♈26
鈇锧 (fū zhì) is an ancient instrument of torture, punishment and execution by waist-cutting (being cut in half at the waist). 鈇 (fū) refers to a guillotine or an axe. 锧 (zhì) is the chopping board underneath.
Fu Zhi is also the name of a star official (asterism) recorded in the Treatise on Astronomy in the Book of Sui (636 AD) and the Treatise on Astronomy in the History of Song (1346). It is located southwest of the Heavenly Granary (Tiancang) and belongs to the category of cutting tools. It is in charge of cutting hay and feeding cattle and horses.
Historical documents such as the Book of Jin (648 AD) and the Daily Records of Events continued the original meaning of instruments of torture.
The Book of Sui, Treatise on Astronomy, states: “The three stars in the northwest of the Eight Trigrams are called Fuzhi and Fuyue. If any star enters their constellation, the person will be executed by a high-ranking official.” [2]
Ma Duanlin (1317)
The five stars of Fuzhi (Axe and Block), located at the western gate of Tiancang (Celestial Granary), represent reaping tools used for cutting fodder; they govern the feeding of oxen and horses. Brightness indicates well-fed livestock, while dimness suggests hunger and potential mass mortality among the animals. [3]
Song History (1346)
The five stars of Fu-ju (Reaping Tools) are located southwest of Tian-cang (Celestial Granary); they represent implements for harvesting fodder to feed oxen and horses. When they shine brightly, the livestock thrive; when they appear dim, the livestock go hungry.
According to the Bu Tian Ge (Song of Stepping Through the Heavens), the Wall Mansion contains the Fu-Ju asterism—consisting of five stars—beneath it; however, the astronomical treatises of the Jin and Sui histories do not record it.
The Sui Zhi lists three stars northwest of the Ba Kui constellation as Fuqi, also called Fuyue, which is similar to the axe and halberd within the Shi constellation in the Bu Tian Ge, likely a duplicate of this error. [4]