A great deal of astronomical and divinatory content can be found in ancient Chinese agricultural treatises, of which the Outline of the Four Seasons ( Sishi Zuanyao) is an example. Through an analysis of the Outline of the Four Seasons and other related materials, this article argues that this content mainly stemmed from the Yueling, ancient astronomical books like the Tianguanshu section of the Shiji, and some divination books. As a result of interactions between those interested in agronomy, the principles of Yin-yang Wu-xing and popular divination practices, such content entered traditional agronomy in the period from the Warring States to Qin-Han, and was then spread and expanded through the methods of commentary and sub-commentary in traditional agronomy texts. There were several reasons for the incorporation of this astronomical and divinatory content. The basic background was the tradition of astronomical observation and official calendar-making. The fundamental function of the astronomical and divinatory content in the arrangement of traditional farm work also enabled it to become a part of ancient agricultural treatises, while the prevalence of divination in the Tang dynasty provided a social foundation for the more systematic inclusion of this content in the Outline of the Four Seasons.%传统农书中有大量天文术数内容,在这方面<四时纂要>是一个典型.通过分析,认为该书中的天文术数内容主要来自于月令书、<史记·天官书>等古天文书以及术数书;这些内容在战国至秦汉时期因农家与阴阳五行学说及民间方术之间的互动而进入农学领域,并因后世农书所采用的经学注疏方法而得以不断传承和拓展,<四时纂要>对前代农书中的天文术数内容作了系统的整理归纳.至于农书中引入天文术数内容的原因,现象授时的传统为天文术数内容进入农书打开了方便之门,而天文术数内容在农事安排中所起的背景作用使其有必要成为农书的一个组成部分,术数在唐朝社会上的流行则为<四时纂要>归纳整理农学中的天文术数内容提供了现实基础.
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