SINCE time immemorial, many ancient myths and legends on individual stars and constellations in the celestial heavens have held special significance from the early civilization of Man till the present day.

In fact, according to Chinese mythology, many references had been made to heavenly stars, often depicting them deified as "gods and goddesses."

Of the early 4th century BC, ancient Chinese astronomer Shih Shen listed 122 constellations with 809 stars and towards the end of 5th century another astronomer Chen Cho's had concluded his total figure at 1,464 stars.

And among those stars within the Orion constellation, the Gigantic Hunter, Ganymedes, Aquarius, Hesperus or known as the "evening star," the Pleiades (cluster of stars) are among the oldest recorded.

Author Anne Birrell (Hopkins University) in her publication. "Chinese Mythology", wrote on the significance of the Pleiades to the Chinese race in ancient civilization.

"The Pleiades are among the first stars mentioned in literature, appearing in the Chinese annals of about 2350 BC.

"In Chinese mythology, it is the hairy head of the 'White Tiger' of the West, alternatively referred to as the Blossom Stars and Flower Stars."

The "White Tiger" being one of the four symbols of the Chinese constellations called in Chinese, "Xi Fang Bai Hu," represents symbolically the "Guardian of the West and the Autumn Season.

Reference point

To the Greeks, the cluster of stars or the Pleiades symbolises a flock of doves and in ancient Hinduism, it was referred to as "Kartikeya" (Skanda) or Hindu god of masculinity and warfare (leader of the armies of the gods), born out of the magical spark created by Shiva of which the name means "Him of the Pleiades."

Many ancient civilisations have given different names to the Pleiades, a cluster of stars also known as the "Seven Sisters" or "Divine Mother and Lady of Heaven" to the early Egyptians. To the Incas, the Pleiades to them means "Seed Scatterer or Sower."

Why are the Pleiades, a cluster of stars at the shoulder of the "bull" (in the constellation Taurus) most obvious to the naked eye in a cloudless night sky, hold so much significance and importance to earthlings on Planet Earth?

What is the "secret" or hidden significance of the Pleiades, referred to as "messier Object 45" among today's astronomers in their reference to a cluster of approximately 250 hot blue stars that are still very young and incapable of sustaining life in either coarse material (physical human life) or in spiritual form (evolved ethereal beings)?

In early civilizations, the position of the cluster of stars of the Pleiades in the celestial heaven was a reference point to indicate the beginning or ending of the agricultural seasons or even helped the early Chinese in formulating calendar systems.

Ancient Greek and Egyptian temples were structurally built in alignment or utilised to the position of the Pleiades in the celestial sky.

Dr George P.C. author of publication, "Disaster Archaeology" wrote, "It is wisely recognised that one of the major task in studying myths is to realise the realms of various human mental areas and distinguish between allegory-metaphor, between imagination and reason or dream and the Truth."

Surface false but...

By logic and reason, Dr George was correct in his observation.

Many should acknowledge an incredible storehouse of wisdom about human nature collected over the centuries of observation.

"The myths are stories in which the surface structure is false because things did not happen exactly that way, but the deep structure is true," he said.

Malaysians of Chinese descent generally view China, a land full of mystery and paradox, having evolved from an ancient 5,000 year civilization to what it is today.

Over aeons, Chinese primitive folk religion and legends which depicted reincarnation of evolved "spirits" back to earthy civilisation (from the heavenly or spiritual dimensions) for purposes to teach or serve a specific mission as mentor and guide during very difficult times facing the people.

Even the Bible contains three direct references to the Pleiades in Job 9:9 and 38:31 and Amos 5:8 and a single indirect reference in the New Testament.

A recently authenticated archaeological discovery in northern Germany further enhanced the appreciation of the significance of the Pleiades to the earthling ancestors.

The "Nebra Disk" (oldest representation of the Pleiades) offers a unique glimpse into the human world 3,600 years ago which has transformed our understanding of the astronomical knowledge of Northern Europeans in the early bronze age.

Importance to Malaysian Chinese

The importance of the Pleiades to the Chinese Malaysians is evident even till today.

The traditional Chinese festival celebrated annually on the 7th night of the 7th Moon (Chinese lunar month), the mythology of the weaver girl (represented as goddess of the Vega star) and the cow herdsman (represented by the Altair star or Aquila constellation).

It is said the separation of these two "mythological lovers" would be united in reunion once a year in the Milky Way when birds forming a bridge allowing them to meet.

But mythology aside, in 1995, a Swedish farmer Billy Meier revealed astonishing information through his claim of having contacted a spiritually advanced group of "human-like" beings from the Pleiades who told him the origin of the Chinese race on planet Earth.

"The Kinten (Chinese) and the Niper (Japanese) races arrived from the Lyra Star system 2.5 million years ago.

In the "Pleiadian Mission" which included a voluminous amount of contact notes between Billy Meier (which narrating more than 50 years of information, prophecies and predictions) and the Pleiadians or Plejarens (extraterrestrial human-like beings) at his mountainside homestead in Switzerland, also explained the reincarnation of spiritual beings into earthy human beings.

If Billy's claim is true, does this explain the reason or cause of the many "deities (heroes and heroine) and lesser gods" that the present day Chinese Taoists and Buddhists continue to pay their respects or worshipping practices?

Or were these "aliens" from extraterrestrial stars or planets or spiritual dimensions in outer space: Cheng-Huang (god of walls and ditches); Chu Jung (god of fire execution); Hou-chi (god of harvest and agriculture); I-ti (god of wine); Lu Pan (god of carpenters and masons) and Pan Chin Lien (goddess of prostitutes).

What about the Eight Immortals, the Goddess of Mercy, Ma Zhu (Goddess of Journey) and Lo Shen (Goddess of Rivers)?

The answer may partly be uncovered in my next article on the "Pleiadian Mission: Is it the Greatest Hoax or the Revolution of Truth?" (ends)