Dunhuang Star Chart

The Dunhuang map or Dunhuang Star map is among the earliest known graphical depictions of the night sky in ancient Chinese astronomy, dating to the Tang dynasty (618–907). Prior to the discovery of this map, much of the star-related information recorded in early Chinese texts had been subject to speculations. The map provides visual corroboration of those textual records and forms part of a scroll that includes a series of illustrations found among the Dunhuang manuscripts. It is currently regarded as the world's oldest known complete star atlas.

The manuscript containing the star map was discovered in the early 20th century in the Mogao Caves and was taken along with hundreds of other manuscripts during a British expedition to Dunhuang. The scroll containing the Dunhuang map is currently held in the British Library.

The star map received its first major mention in Western academic literature in Joseph Needham’s Science and Civilisation in China (1959). Since then, scholarly studies of the chart have been limited.

Colors

The symbols used to depict stars on the Dunhuang Star Map are categorized into three distinct groups, each corresponding to one of the traditional Chinese astronomical schools. These schools—known collectively as the "Three Schools of Astronomical Tradition"—are visually distinguished on the map through the use of three separate ink colors, allowing the viewer to differentiate the varying lineages and systems of celestial knowledge that coexisted during the period.