The modern constellationCentaurus lies across two of the quadrants symbolized by theAzure Dragon of the East (東方青龍,Dōng Fāng Qīng Lóng), theVermillion Bird of the South (南方朱雀,Nán Fāng Zhū Què),[1] and theSouthern Asterisms (近南極星區,Jìnnánjíxīngōu).
According to the quadrant,Centaurus is possibly not fully visible in the Chinese sky.Hadar (Beta Centauri) is a bright star in this constellation that is possibly never seen in Chinese sky.
The name of the western constellation in modern Chinese is 半人馬座 (bàn rén mǎ zuò), meaning "the centaur constellation".
The map of Chinese constellation in constellationCentaurus area consists of:
| Four Symbols | Mansion (Chinese name) | Romanization | Translation | Asterisms (Chinese name) | Romanization | Translation | Western star name | Chinese star name | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Dragon of the East (東方青龍) | 角 | Jiǎo | Horn | 庫樓 | Kùlóu | Arsenal | ||||
| ζ Cen[2] | 庫樓一 | Kùlóuyī | 1st star | |||||||
| η Cen[2] | 庫樓二 | Kùlóuèr | 2nd star | |||||||
| θ Cen[2] | 庫樓三 | Kùlóusān | 3rd star | |||||||
| 2 Cen | 庫樓四 | Kùlóusì | 4th star | |||||||
| d Cen[3] | 庫樓五 | Kùlóuwǔ | 5th star | |||||||
| ξ1 Cen[2] | 庫樓六 | Kùlóuliù | 6th star | |||||||
| γ Cen[2] | 庫樓七 | Kùlóuqī | 7th star | |||||||
| τ Cen[2] | 庫樓五 | Kùlóubā | 8th star | |||||||
| D Cen | 庫樓九 | Kùlóujiǔ | 9th star | |||||||
| σ Cen[2] | 庫樓十 | Kùlóushí | 10th star | |||||||
| ω Cen | 庫樓增一 | Kùlóuzēngyī | 1st additional star | |||||||
| 柱 | Zhǔ | Pillars | ||||||||
| υ2 Cen[2] | 柱一 | Zhǔyī | 1st star | |||||||
| υ1 Cen[2] | 柱二 | Zhǔèr | 2nd star | |||||||
| a Cen[3] | 柱五 | Zhǔwǔ | 5th star | |||||||
| ψ Cen[2] | 柱六 | Zhǔliù | 6th star | |||||||
| 4 Cen | 柱七 | Zhǔqī | 7th star | |||||||
| 3 Cen | 柱八 | Zhǔbā | 8th star | |||||||
| 1 Cen | 柱九 | Zhǔjiǔ | 9th star | |||||||
| ι Cen[2] | ||||||||||
| 柱十一 | Zhǔshíyī | 11th star | ||||||||
| 库楼西北星 | Kùlóuxīběixīng | Star in the northwest ofArsenal constellation | ||||||||
| 库楼距星 | Kùlóujùxīng | Separated star ofArsenal constellation | ||||||||
| 衡 | Héng | Railing | ||||||||
| ν Cen[2] | 衡一 | Héngyī | 1st star | |||||||
| μ Cen[2] | 衡二 | Héngèr | 2nd star | |||||||
| φ Cen[2] | 衡三 | Héngsān | 3rd star | |||||||
| χ Cen[2] | 衡四 | Héngsì | 4th star | |||||||
| 南門 | Nánmén | Southern Gate | ||||||||
| ε Cen[2] | 南門一 | Nánményī | 1st star | |||||||
| α Cen[2] | 南門二 | Nánménèr | 2nd star | |||||||
| R Cen | 南門增一 | Nánménzēngyī | 1st additional star | |||||||
| 亢 | Kàng | Neck | 陽門 | Yángmén | Gate ofYang | |||||
| b Cen[3] | 陽門一 | Yángményī | 1st star | |||||||
| c1 Cen | 陽門二 | Yángménèr | 2nd star | |||||||
| 氐 | Dī | Root | 騎官 | Qíguān | Imperial Guards | κ Cen[2] | 騎官三 | Qíguānsān | 3rd star | |
| - | 近南極星區 (non-mansions) | Jìnnánjíxīngōu (non-mansions) | The Southern Asterisms (non-mansions) | |||||||
| 海山 | Hǎishān | Sea and Mountain | λ Cen[4] | 海山五 | Hǎishānwu | 5th star | ||||
| 馬尾 | Mǎwěi | Horse's Tail | ||||||||
| G Cen | 馬尾一 | Mǎwěiyī | 1st star | |||||||
| ρ Cen[5] | 馬尾二 | Mǎwěièr | 2nd star | |||||||
| δ Cen[5] | ||||||||||
| 馬尾三 | Mǎwěisān | 3rd star | ||||||||
| 水府西星 | Shuǐfǔxīxīng | Star in the west ofIrrigation Official constellation | ||||||||
| 馬腹 | Mǎfù | Horse's Abdomen | ||||||||
| β Cen[5] | 馬腹一 | Mǎfùyī | 1st star | |||||||
| HD 116243 | 馬腹二 | Mǎfùèr | 2nd star |