*** SEE INSTA CURRENT ECLIPSE INSIGHTS _ Aug 27 also the Hungry Ghost festival ***Sol and and Luna’s allure have captivated nations and cultures since the dawn of time. And the mystical obscuring of either celestial body’s illumination continues to beguile us today. In times past, the phenomenon of eclipses must have been scary when playing out in our skies. We’ve unpacked the cosmology and folklore behind the ominous occurrences. This year Fire Horse opened under a solar ring of Fire Eclipse on 17 Feb 2026 and the Spring Festival ended under a Total Lunar Eclipse on 3 Mar 2026. The second set of eclipses fall in August 2026.
Chinese mythology and lore associated with eclipses stretches back thousands of years. Like many cultures, Asian countries looked to astronomy and astrology to predict the future. The cosmic skies above were viewed as a scene from Heaven and thus reflected how a nation should be arranged on Earth - as above, and so below. Rulers in China’s Imperial Courts, only ruled with the support of the Heavenly cosmos. Thus Emperors were regarded as conduits between Heaven and Earth, so via Chinese cosmology eclipses were perceived as bad omens for Imperial rulers, no longer supported by the ‘Mandate of Heaven’.
The ancient observation of predicting the configuration of an eclipse in the skies was therefore highly prized and a reflection of an Emperor’s prowess and wisdom which could quell any unrest among the people. The Imperial court was only privy to such celestial knowledge and keeping an accurate calendar system was under the remit of the Sovereign. An unpredictable eclipse would cast doubt on an Emperor’s rulership leading to agricultural implications for the common people- if date calculations for planting and harvests were off - then suffering could lead to starvation. Predictive forecasting skills were only utilised for war and state affairs. We now know that the astronomical tracking of the sun, moon and earth cycles and their alignment, results in the Saros cycles, which repeat approx. every 18years and 11.3 days. Thus forming a predictive tool for impending eclipses.
China’s luni solar calendar/ almanac system has always been highly significant. In fact China is believed to be the keeper of an unbroken set of astronomical observations, longer than any other civilization. Systematic, dated eclipse records began in China in 719 B.C. But before the Chinese invented Paper, they used Oracle bones to preserve their rich folklore in a written form. The Chinese character for an ‘eclipse’ is 食 shí -which depicts a dragon devouring the sun or moon. Shí means eat in Chinese.
Astronomers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) used Chinese observations of solar eclipses that occurred between 1161 B.C. -1226 B.C. to study the rate of the Earth’s axial rotation over the past 3,200 years! This eclipse information took the form of characters on oxen shoulder blades in the Chinese city of Anyang, which allowed for the deduction that eclipses were 0.047 second shorter than the present day calculation methods.
CHINESE DRAGONS
Chinese culture used the celestial Dragon in much of their art and folklore - sky, water, land and heavenly dragons all featured heavily in pictorial form, in feng shui, scrolls, poetry and folk stories. Most western folklore sees Dragons similar or even symbolic of evil. But to the East the celestial hybrid was symbolic of the Emperor represented by a Five clawed dragon; four clawed dragons were for lower ranking officials or princes. The magnificent Dragon throne, was the seat of Emperors and a wonderful depiction of celestial monster symbology.
SOLAR + LUNAR ECLIPSES + FLAMING PEARLS
Asian art often depicts a Dragon chasing a flaming pearl (moon) or the sun. The Hungry Dragon or Tiangou was the ‘Heavenly Dog’ eating the Sun — or the moon; in the case of a Lunar eclipse. To stop the consumption of the entire sun/moon, folk believed noise would frighten the dragon away. Sound was used extensively in Chinese rituals, and the iconic temple gongs of China were sounded to announce a Solar Eclipse. The Brass gong was struck with a wooden mallet to scare away the monster eating the sun. Common folk relied on pots and pans as implements to frighten the dragon away from eating the sun.
Empress's Twelve-Symbol Robe with flaming pearl, 18th-19th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95), Public domain
When Tiangou (Heavenly dog/dragon) is depicted as Black dog (see first picture above) it eats the Moon as in a Lunar eclipse. Hou Yi (Lord or Divine Archer) is associated with the Sun and is the husband of Goddess of the Moon (Chang’E) who stole the potion of immortality from her husband the Divine Archer. The black dog was assigned as Guardian of the Gates of the Heavens - ie. Tiangou. A lunar eclipse back in 14 Oct. 2023, occurred in Water Dog Month (Black Dog) and Goddess of the Moon (Chang’E) has strong links to the Rabbit/Hare in the moon - pinged the Israel / G*z* issues.
The Tiangou when depicted as a Good spirit was depicted as a White headed Fox, perhaps more aligned to Rahu (see below). Although a Fox in Chinese metaphysics isn’t viewed as favourably as it is in the West. Solar eclipse stories follow the lore that when the ‘yang’ sun - symbolic of the Emperor, was dominated and obscured by the ‘Yin’ moon, symbolic of the Empress - then the Emperor's light (i.e his reign) was extinguished.
FENG SHUI + ECLIPSES
The lineage of Chinese Emperors are said to all be descendants of the ‘Yellow Emperor’ which has origins in the story of Feng Shui. Most Emperors were Shaman Kings and astute masters of land-forms and weather lore, especially cloud formations. In modern times, Feng Shui Grand Master Raymond Lo, notes in the world of feng shui and astrology, the eclipses represent more energetic fluctuations but it's more about the stock market and people's moods. In the Chinese lunar calendar it has a tendency to trigger water disasters. Dragon are linked to water and all lunations influence tides and an eclipse amplifies — China braces for major typhoons during the Aug 27 eclipse.
Tejaprabhā procession, ca. 10th century, ink and colors on paper. 30.5 cm × 76.4 cm, Mogao cave 17, Dunhuang, China, now Bibliothèque nationale de France. Pelliot chinois 3995, gallica.bnf.fr. top right roundel is Rahu left is Ketu,
‘Rāhu in Vedic astrology is known as the ascending Lunar node or Dragons head (North Node) and the Chinese have borrowed the term and refer to as ‘Luohou 羅睺.’ In Chinese discipline of Feng Shui practitioners were ill advised to open their cosmic tool of Heaven and Earth on certain days - namely their Chinese compass, known as a Lo Pan. These days were called Luohou Days (Lo-Hou) or as they were classically called 'Master Killing Days' 杀师日. The pair of lunar nodes aren’t planets but a point on the ecliptic plane and Vedic Astrology treats them as virtual planets and in Chinese metaphysics a planet is akin to a ‘star’.
‘Ketu’, the Vedic term for descending Lunar Node, or South Node is also familiar to Chinese metaphysics and goes by the name of ‘Ch. Jidu 計都’. The Louhou days are also significant on the Lopan, identified as the position of the Grand Duke (Jupiter) the previous year. So in 2026, the Grand Duke is Horse S2; therefore SE3 (Snake) is the Louhou position from the previous year’s Grand Duke position.
2026 ECLIPSES
The early February Solar Eclipse in my opinion was rather dramatic; with a militant edge. Since it was a North Node eclipse, the aforementioned ‘Rahu’ is symbolic of the Dragon’s head; spotlighting Master Killing Days - Rahu opposes Ketu SE - aka South eastern prefixes are spotlight and sensitive. There’s a strong emphasis on S.East/S.West axis; a signature denoted in my 2026 astro forecast. In Chinese cosmology Lunar eclipse focus more on officials and high ranking personal; than leaders of countries, symbolic of emperors of old. It’s also said locations where the eclipse is visible is said to have a more intense effect. Aug 27th eclipse the partial eclipse is visible the Americas, Africa, Europe and Western Asia.
Mirror With the Design of a Nine-Tailed Fox via met musuem Public domain
Rahu and the Silver Fox links nod to shape shifting and transforming powers over men (moon verses sun) over time Fox turns into a powerful celestial God with nine tails. Solar eclipses occurs at New Moons and Lunar eclipses occur under a FULL moon, so the female principle is dominant.
The Moon Goddess Chang’e stole the potion of immortality and according to legend, Tiangou (the hungry Dragon) actually has two forms: one is a white-headed fox who brings protection. The fox spirit is oft appeased with offerings and specific Taoist rituals to renewal of the cosmic mandate.
Astro wise Chinese lore notes eclipses that fall on a Yang or Yin Wood heavenly stems days impact beyond the Four Seas (aka colloquial name for China). Aug 28th is Jia day and the partial lunar eclipse will have just passed.
FULL MOON - it’s also the Hungry ghost festival read all about here.
FULL MOON 4 Pisces
Sydney :: 28 Aug @2:18pm
Dublin :: 28 Aug @12:18am
New York :: 28 Aug @5:18am
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