355 
assigned to the zodiacal constellations. Among 
the Flindoos, for instance, we find, beside the 
nacshatras, or lunar mansions, twelve laquenons 
the names of which are the same as those of the 
signs of the Greek and Egyptian zodiac. The 
Chinese divide the ecliptic in three manners, 
namely, into twenty-eight nacshatras, which they 
call che or eal-che-po-sieou^ ; into twelve tse^ 
which answer to our signs, but which bear 
names, partly mystical, and partly borrowed 
from the productions of the country, as great 
splendor^ profound mid^ head and tail of the 
quail^ ; and into twenty-four tsieki. The de- 
nominations of these tsieki, or half-tse, relate to 
the climate, and the variations of temperature;}:. 
The Chinese have besides two other cycles of 
twelve signs ; that of the tchi ; and that of the 
animals, the names of which are identic with 
those of the cycles of Thibet and Tartary ; seven 
che answer to three tse, as six tsieki answer to 
three tchi, and three celestial animals. The 
cycle of these twelve Chinese animals, among 
which we have found the ape, the tiger, the rat 
(symbol of water), the dog, the bird, the serpent, 
and the hare, of the Mexican calendar, gives the 
* Souciet and Gaubil, vol. 3, p. 80. 
t L. c, vol. 3, p. 98. 
X Lj c. vol, 3, p. 94. Bailly, Astr. ind. p. 96. 
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