was known as Ptolemaion (Greek: Πτολεμαῖον) and its acronychal rising marked the date of the Ptolemaia festival, which was held every four years, from 262 to 145 BC. India In Indian Vedic literature, Canopus is associated with the sage Agastya, one of the ancient siddhars and rishis (the others are associated with the stars of the Big Dipper). To Agastya, the star is said to be the 'cleanser of waters', and its rising coincides with the calming of the waters of the Indian Ocean. It is thus considered the son of Pulastya, son of Brahma. Canopus is described by Pliny the Elder and Gaius Julius Solinus as the largest, brightest and only source of starlight for navigators near Tamraparni island (ancient Sri Lanka) during many nights. China Canopus was described as Shou Xing, the Star of Longevity, in the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) completed in 94 BC by Chinese historian Sima Qian. Drawing on sources from the Warring States period, he noted it to be the southern counterpart of Sirius, and wrote of a sanctuary dedicated to it established by Emperor Qin Shi Huang between 221 and 210 BC. During the Han dynasty, the star was auspicious, its appearance in the southern sky heralding peace and absence war. From the imperial capital Chang'an, the star made a low transit across the southern sky, indicating true south to observers, and was often obscured by clouds. During this time it was also equated with Old Man of the South Pole (in ) Under this name, Canopus appears (albeit misplaced northwards) on the medieval Chinese manuscript the Dunhuang Star Chart, although it cannot be seen from the Chinese capital of Chang'an. The Chinese astronomer Yi Xing had journeyed south to chart Canopus and other far southern stars in 724 AD. Its personification as the Old Man Star was popularised in the Tang Dynasty, where it appeared often in poetry and memorials. Later still, during the Ming Dynasty, the star was established as one of the Three Stars (Fu Lo Shou), appearing frequently in art and literature of the time. This symbolism spread into neighbouring cultures in Asia. In Japan, Canopus is known as Mera-boshi and Roujin-sei (the old man star), and in Mongolia, it was personified as the White Old Man. Although the link was known in Tibet, with names such as Genpo karpo (Rgan po dkar po) or Genkar (Rgan