The Tibetan term tsi (“calculation”) represents the broadest term for astral sciences, interconnecting diverse disciplines deeply embedded within the classical Buddhist fields of knowledge. Far from being intellectually isolated, High and Central Asia engaged in dynamic cultural exchanges spanning from India, Tibet and the Himalayas, Mongolia and Central Asia, up to China. Within this framework, distinct streams were synthesized: computational astronomy, tied to the Kālacakratantra, used to model celestial mechanics and construct calendars; astrological systems linked to the Indian Svarodayatantra (Yuddhajayārṇava); and mantic practices like geomancy, which claimed Chinese origins while deeply rooted to local contexts.

Furthermore, by viewing the human body as a microcosm structurally attuned to cosmic movements and earthly shifts, astral sciences enabled an interconnected understanding of change across time, space, and somatic experience, eventually connecting it to medical expertise. These practices flourished mainly within monastic centers but spread through trans-regional encounters, mediated primarily by Tibetan and Mongolian scholars.

The colloquium series “Sky, Earth, and Bodies: Astral Sciences across High and Central Asia” highlights recent contributions to the field and opens critical perspectives on the practical life of science in these regions. Invited speakers will trace the adaptation and transmission of astral knowledge across High and Central Asia. Specifically, the series addresses geography and cartography, astral medicine, astronomy, astrology, and mantic arts as they traveled between sources, languages, places, and people, offering a broader understanding of the history of knowledge across trans-regional Asia.