This might not be a good question because I am finding different dates as the answer. Should I ask another one?

If it seems clear there is no definitive complete answer, then we will respect your judgement. If Jedi's answer is close enough, I would encourage your acceptance of it, but let us know what you understood was the answer for it is an interesting question.

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Lighten up! This is a stellar board! Author: duh.

"The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do..." Author: Galileo supposedly.

Well you have the country right. But my date and your date are a little different and the names are spelled wrong.

You have the country right, one of the dates are right and you have the correct spellings of the names

I would go further and say that there is no correct answer, as this is not genuine history; it's pseudo-history.

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I think you might find different transcriptions of the names as well unless you stick to the particular ancient Chinese script of the original source.
I'd be fine with that.

The 22nd Oct 2137 BC relates to the eclipse, not the execution.
As I said this is a German transcription, there are probably even various English transcription schemes for Chinese, and even the Chinese script used today is different from the scripts used 4000 years ago, so no rescue by unicode.

They look much like those given by me, and I think they refer to the same originals. What is transcribed as "h" in your source and as "ch" in mine is probably the same sound. If my guess of it is correct it refers to a sound in modern Chinese which doesn't exist in English, has only sort of a relative (or two) in German and similar in Russian, and a somewhat closer relative in Finnish.
Yeah, I was shocked too. But you know what is said, which minds think alike?

the answer was china, hi ho and 2136

How sure of you of that answer, though? This sounds like a Chinese version of Mr. Wilson on Tool Time - hidey ho neighbor. I vote you give it to Jedi as his names at least sound like real Chinese names. Also, I would bet an ice cream sundae that it was actually in 2137 BC and not 2136, contrary to what you read in other web sites. Jedi was first with the correct date and this is the only objective element of your question. [I have checked my new Starry Night software and it shows a solar eclipse on that very day in 2137, and, on 2136 the Moon was not even close to the Sun. I have discovered that other solar eclipses are shown as being one year off confirming my view that other web sites are in error when they show the date as one year earlier because of the fact there was no year 0 AD/BC.]

[BTW, I am having trouble knowning when to capitalize Sun and Moon, and when not to. Any advice? ]

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Lighten up! This is a stellar board! Author: duh.

"The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do..." Author: Galileo supposedly.

bring on Jedi

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"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


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Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

ok jedi your turn. Ask a better question than I did.

How high is a Chinaman.
How low is his brother.

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- Learn a lot teaching others.

Have you no respect for the departed, or poisoned perhaps, astronomers?

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Lighten up! This is a stellar board! Author: duh.

"The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do..." Author: Galileo supposedly.

Long time, no see
The women in astronomee

In love with the long end she went to the angels,
And with a sharpened eye she saw the whirl in the sky.

I'm not sure what Chinese names from more than 4000 years ago are supposed to sound like. The "ch" in the German transcript is -unlike American transcripts- a fricative sound, related to "h". But when it comes to person's names from an ancient Chinese scribble which are transcribed into latin letters (usually on a phonetic basis, which in this case was probably taken from (which?) one of the modern Chinese dialects to pronounce corresponding glyphs) there is not much of "correct spelling" left. We talk about "Hi & Ho" versus "Chi & Cho", even "Ki & Ko" could be correct (The "i" is probably as in "hit" and doesn't really rhyme with "spy"). If one suggestion would be "Chop & Suey" - yes, this would indicate a difference.
Which day? Oct 22?
Wouldn't this be one year later? Yes, this is a common error (Remember the beginning of the new millennium?), but be aware that there is also an astronomical counting scheme incorporating a year zero and a negative sign with 1BC=0 and 2137BC=-2136.
I think it is to be capitalized when used as a proper name. Sol is our sun - and we call it the Sun, but Gliese 581b orbits a different sun. Mars has not only one moon but two moons, the Earth has only one moon: the Moon. While Luna is a moon of Earth, Phobos is a moon of mars.

I think in simple terms... "Chi" would be Chinese and Hi would have to be more Hinese (thus, less Chinese).

Yes. It was nearly a total eclipse for the random coordinates I selected for a Chinese location.

Hmmm... what is the proper way to say it? 2137BC is an earlier sounding date than 2136BC, so isn't it "earlier" rather than "later"?

Ok, that is consistent with what Ken told me, too. I would bet that I have seen them used contrary to this rule.

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Lighten up! This is a stellar board! Author: duh.

"The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do..." Author: Galileo supposedly.

Yes, 2137BC is earlier and 2136BC is later.
I see language used contrary to all rules every day … And I didn't capitalize "mars" in my last sentence. Hope the god of war forgives me and we don't get an Angry Red Planet!

Is that your question?

Oops, I missed it above, sorry.

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Lighten up! This is a stellar board! Author: duh.

"The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do..." Author: Galileo supposedly.