海外文化:英美民俗 占星術
【英文原文】
摘要：占星術是一種十分古老的僞科學，它試圖通過觀察日、月、星辰的位置和運動以達到預測未來的目的。占星術認爲，人出生時的天象反映人的性格，因而也就決定了人的命運。
Astology is the study of how events on earth or people’s lives are influenced by the positions and movements of heavenly bodies, particularly the sun, the moon, planets, and stars. Astrologers believe that the position of heavenly bodies at the exact moment of a person’s birth and the later movements of the bodies reflect that person’s character and, therefore, destiny. For many years, scientists have rejected the principles of astrology. However, millions of people throughout the world continue to believe in or practice it. Some people ask the advice of an astrologer before making important decisions. Other people don’t take astrology seriously but have interest in it and occasionally read general advice published in newspaper “horoscope” columns.
Astrologers learn about the influence of the heavenly bodies on what happens on the earth by casting(drawing) a circular chart called a horoscope, which shows the position of heavenly bodies at certain times, such as when a person in born.
When casting a horoscope, astrologers have to take four elements into consideration: the earth, the zodiac, the planets, and the houses.
Astrologers place the earth at the center of the solar system and so all heavenly bodies revolve around the earth rather than the sun. astrologers use this arrangement to determine the positions of the heavenly bodies in relation to the earth. They believe the study of the positions of the heavenly bodies can reveal a person’s character and future.
The zodiac is a band of stars that appears to encircle the earth. It consists of 12 equal parts called signs, which include Aries(the Ram), Taurus(the Bull), Gemini(the Twins), Cancer(the Crab), Leo(the Lion), Virgo(the Virgin), Libra(the Balance), Scorpio(the Scorpion), Sagittarius(the Archer), Capricorn(the Goat), Aquarius(the Water-Bearer), and Pisces(the Fishes). Each sign of the zodiac represents a set of human characteristics, which are determined by a particular planet and other factors. Astrologers beleve that a person comes under the special influence of a particular sign, depending on the date of the person’s birth. For example, a person born from July 23 to August 23 has Leo as a zodiac sign and is often called “a Leo”. Since each zodiac sign has certain characteristics, a Leo is supposed to be a person full of cheer and pride.
Like the zodiac, the earth's surface is divided into 12 parts. Each of these parts, called houses, represents certain areas of a person’s life and is supposed to influence it. The first house, for example, is associated with an individual’s appearance and personality. Other houses affect a person’s marriage, health, career, and death or some other interest. Astrologers believe the houses determine how the planets and the signs influence a person’s daily life.
In astrology, the moon and the sun are considered planets, along with Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, and Venus. Each planet is supposed to represent a basic human drive that affects people in a certain way. Astrologers believe the planets have an important influence on signs. A particular planet rules each sign and has certain characteristics that affect the sign it rules. For example, Mercury, which is associated with talkativeness and wittiness, rules Gemini. Therefore, people born under the sign of Gemini are supposed to be talkative and witty.
Astrologers also believe that the planets influence the activities or interests associated with individual houses. For example, if Venus(associated with beauty) were located in the first house(associated with appearance) when a person was born, an astrologer would conclude that the person had an attractive appearance. The various planets in a person’s chart lie at particular angles to one another. These angles, called aspects, also have meaning. Astrologers believe certain angles represent signs of good fortune. Other angles supposedly reveal approaching evil.
Most of the horoscopes published in newspapers make predictions based only on the characteristics of the zodiac signs. So they can give only a general idea of an individual’s character or future. For example, such a horoscope might tell people born under the sign of Taurus simply that they face an important test in their career.
Astrologers may also cast a complete horoscope and study the complicated relationships formed by the houses, planets, and zodiac signs. For example, suppose that Saturn was located in the first house in the horoscope and in the sign of Virgo. An astrologer would probably conclude that the person was extremely neat both in manner of dress and habits. This is because Saturn, a disciplined planet, is in the house of physical appearance planet, is in the house of physical appearance and personality, under the sign of Virgo, which is associated with tidiness.
Astrology is an ancient practice that different civilizations seemed to develop independently. Ancient people may have observed that certain heavenly bodies, particularly the sun, affected the change of seasons and the success of crops. Based on such observations, they may have formed the idea that the movements of other bodies such as the planets also affected or represented other aspects of life. Astrology was widely practiced in Europe through the Middle Ages, though church leadeers were strongly against it. Since such astronomers as Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei made their important discoveries and proved some of the principles of astrology false, few scientists have accepted astrology as a science. But the interest in the subject has revived since the early 19th century. Newspapers in England began publishing horoscope columns during the 1930s. such columns soon appeared in other parts of the world, and people became increasingly interested in astrology.
【中文譯文】
占星術是一種十分古老的僞科學，它試圖通過觀察日、月、星辰的位置和運動以達到預測未來的目的。占星術認爲，人出生時的天象反映人的性格，因而也就決定了人的命運。科學家一直對占星術持否定態度，但仍有很多人相信它。篤信者在做出重大決定之前要徵求占星術士的意見。有些人並不真的相信，但對它很感興趣，不時讀一讀報紙上的天宮圖專欄。
爲預測天象對人事的影響，占星術士須繪製出一幅圖來，標明特定時刻，如一個人的誕生時刻的天象。這幅圖稱爲天宮圖。
繪製天宮圖要將幾個因素考慮在內，包括地球、黃道、地表十二宮和行星。
在占星術的理論裏，地球是太陽系的中心，日、月、星辰都環繞地球轉。地球與天體的相對位置可以提示人的性格與未來。
黃道是一圈看似環繞地球的星座帶。黃道分爲十二宮，包括白羊座、金牛座、雙子座、巨蟹座、獅子座、室女座、天秤座、天蠍座、人馬座、摩羯座、寶瓶座、雙魚座。每一宮代表一組性格，受特定行星和其他因素的影響。一個人的性格如何，部分受制於出生時的主宰星座。如一個人若出生在7月23日與8月23日之間，主宰星座就是獅子座，據說爲人樂觀，充滿自豪感。
與黃道一樣，地表也分爲十二宮。每一宮代表生活中的一個方面，並影響這個方面。比如第一宮代表相貌與人格，其他各宮代表婚姻、健康、事業、死亡等。
在占星術的理論裏，太陽與月亮也算行得，與木星、火星、水星、海王星、冥王星、土星、天王星和金星並列。每顆行星代表一種慾望，影響人們的行爲方式。行星對星座有重大影響，每顆行星主宰一個星座。例如，水星主宰雙子座，而水星代表機智與雄辯，因而出生於雙子座之下的人便被認爲具有機智雄辯的特徵。
行星對地表十二宮也有重要影響。如某人出生時金星（代表美麗）位於第一宮（代表相貌），占星術士會說此人是俊男或靚女。在一個人的天宮圖上，各個行星的位置形成特殊的角度，稱爲“相”。有些“相”爲吉，有些“相”爲兇。
報紙上刊登的天宮圖一般只根據星座預測未來，所以只能對個人的性格與未來提出籠統的看法。比如說，這樣的天宮圖只能告訴出生於金牛座之下的人，他們的人生中會遇到重大考驗。
占星術士也能繪製出更詳盡的天宮圖，對地表十二宮、行星和星座的複雜關係進行細緻的研究，據說這樣可以預測細節。例如，某人出生時在天宮圖上土星位於地表第一宮、室女座，占星術士可能說此人在穿戴和生活習慣上有潔癖。原因是土星是循規蹈矩的行星，第一宮代表相貌與人格，而室女座則代表整潔。
各主要古代文明都有占星術。古代人觀察到某些天體，特別是太陽的位置與運動與季節的變化和農作物的收成有關，因而推論其他天體都與人事有關聯。占星術在13至16世紀之間很流行，雖然教會對它大加譴責。哥白尼與伽利略在天文學方面的發現推翻了占星術的許多理論。此後，大多數科學家視占星術爲僞科學。但19世紀以來，占星術再度流行，很多人或出於迷信，或僅僅是逢場作戲，都對報紙上的天宮圖專欄感興趣。
