A Comparative Study of the Astronomical Navigation Between Ancient China and Pacific Austronesian

Abstract Astronomical navigation was a kind of sea route orientating and steering practice the ancient seamen used to judge direction, relative position, track ships in blue water deep by observing stars, other celestial bodies, their regular occurrence sky, as one maritime piloting methods employed Chinese navigators. The comparative study ethno-archaeology revealed that representative astronomical practices recorded literatures are highly consistent with “star observation method” measuring both local south China Austronesian navigators Pacific, showing close cultural connection between them.