According to a study by Huang Yi-nung, among the responsibilities of the imperial astronomers in Chinese history were not only drawing up the calendar and observing and measuring heavenly bodies, but also geomancy and determination of auspicious times.
根據黃一農的研究，中國歷代官方天文機構的職掌，除了推算曆法和觀測天象，還需要負責地理、選擇（吉時）等事務。