Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c6.23

v1.c6.23

As far as the knowledge of planets is concerned, translated *sutras* primarily relate to planet names and orders, its dimensions and sizes and its movements and calendars, especially, the two lunar nodes, ie Rahu and Ketu are also regarded as planets. In translations, planets are named either according to ancient Chinese names or provided transliterated names. Their orders sometimes are sequenced according to an ancient Chinese order of five elements and sometimes are based according to the intensity of luminance of each plane. The *Xiuyaojing* (*Book on the Naksatras and the Luminaries*) describes it according to their speed “from fast to slow.” Planet movements and calendars are prominently shown in *Qi yao rang zai jue* (*Expelling Fated Calamities under the Seven Lumnaries*) (see the entry on *Qi yao rang zai jue* for details).