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18♌45 to 28♌14
The 36th asterism of the Ziwei (Purple Forbidden) Enclosure is named 天理 Tiānlǐ, “Judge for Nobility.” It represents the prisons or law enforcement officers that imprisoned nobles, and contains 4 stars in the constellation Ursa Major. [1]
| 2000 | 2050 | IAU | Chinese | Orb |
| 18♌45 | 19♌28 | HD97889 | Tianli Yi (1) | 1°00′ |
| 23♌52 | 24♌34 | HD99283 | Tianli Er (2) | 1°00′ |
| 28♌14 | 28♌56 | 66 UMa | Tianli San (3) | 1°00′ |
| 23♌16 | 23♌58 | HD103736 | Tianli Si (4) | 1°00′ |
Tianli, the Judge for Nobility
18♌45 to 28♌14
Ma Duanlin (1317)
The four black stars in the center of the Big Dipper (北斗魁) represent the prison of nobles, called Tian Li. Brightness, movement, and the presence of stars indicate the imprisonment of nobles. [2]
Song History (1346)
The four stars of Tianli (天理) are in the center of the Big Dipper, representing the prison of nobles. These stars should not appear bright; if any star becomes visible among them, a noble will be imprisoned. If a guest star transgresses Tianli, there will be numerous cases of imprisonment. If a comet or 孛 (Bo, goblin) transgresses Tianli, the nation is in danger. If red cloud vapor transgresses Tianli, large-scale warfare will erupt, and generals and ministers will lead military campaigns. [3]