The Terror, Beauty, and Community of Eclipses

3,000 years of fascination with the disappearing sun

In 180 BCE, a 23-year-old ascended to the throne of China. The young emperor, who took the name Wen as he came to power, was — like a lot of rulers in history — both immensely powerful and in a precarious position.

After the harsh rule of the Qin Dynasty and a terrible civil war, Wen’s father, Gaozu, founded the Han Dynasty in 202 BCE. His rule stabiliz…