《十洲記》

Excerpt from Records of the Ten Continents (by Dongfang Shuo)

Emperor Wu of Han heard from the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) about the ten sacred mountains and immortal isles scattered across the eight seas, including Zuzhou, Yingzhou, and Xuanzhou—all remote paradises untouched by ordinary mortals. Realizing Dongfang Shuo was no ordinary man, the emperor summoned him in private to inquire about the details and treasures of these continents. Dongfang Shuo replied: "I am but a mortal seeking immortality, not a true immortal who has attained the Dao (the Way). Today, the state thrives by promoting Confucian and Mohist teachings while suppressing the path of cultivation. My reason for serving at court despite my reclusive practice is twofold: out of respect for Your Majesty’s interest in the Dao, and to temper my own immortal demeanor."

Dongfang Shuo recounted his cultivation journey: "I once traveled to sacred realms with my master, visiting places like Zhuling and Fusang, witnessing the Mound of Pure Yang (Chunyang zhi ling), the Celestial Realm of Primordial Azure (Shiqing tianjing), and the Moon Palace. I’ve traversed the Five Sacred Peaks of the Divine Land (Shenzhou) and roamed the six directions of heaven and earth, yet I fall far short of true immortals who soar beyond the nine heavens. They ascend to the palaces of the North Star and descend to dwell on the divine mountains of Daxia, crossing secret realms untouched by the sun and moon. Such realms remain beyond my reach, to my shame."

Regarding Zuzhou, he noted: "Zuzhou lies in the Eastern Sea, spanning five hundred li, seventy thousand li from the western shore. The island grows the Herb of Immortality (bucao), shaped like wild rice stems and three to four feet tall. Placing this herb over a corpse’s face revives those dead for three days; consuming it grants eternal life. Emperor Qin Shi Huang once heard of a divine bird carrying this herb to resurrect the dead and sent envoys with samples to consult the recluse Master Guiguzi, who confirmed it was the Nourishing Spirit Fungus (yangshen zhi, i.e., the Herb of Immortality) cultivated in Zuzhou’s Jade Fields."

(Note: Proper names like "Zhuling," "Fusang," and "Guiguzi" are retained, with "Nourishing Spirit Fungus" explained upon first mention. The tension in Dongfang Shuo’s dual identity—"cultivating life while serving at court"—is contextualized to illuminate the plight of Han-era fangshi practitioners.)

Interpretation of the "Records of the Ten Continents" in Vernacular Chinese

[Ancestral Continent (Zuzhou)]

This place grows plants resembling wild rice shoots, where just one plant can revive a person. Upon hearing this, Emperor Qin Shi Huang exclaimed, "Can it truly be obtained?" He then dispatched the fangshi (Daoist magician) Xu Fu, along with five hundred virgin boys and girls, aboard a multi-storied ship to search for the Ancestral Continent. They never returned. Xu Fu, a Daoist practitioner with the courtesy name Junfang, later achieved immortality.

[Luminous Continent (Yingzhou)]

Located in the Eastern Sea, it spans four thousand li in circumference, roughly aligned with the Kuaiji Commandery, and lies seven hundred thousand li from the western shore. The island is abundant in miraculous lingzhi mushrooms and immortal herbs, as well as jade mountains towering thousands of zhang high. Springs gush from the mountains with water as sweet as fine wine, called "Jade Nectar Springs." Drinking a few sheng of it can intoxicate and grant eternal life. Many immortals reside here, with customs resembling those of the Wu and Yue regions, while its landscapes mirror the Central Plains.

[Mysterious Continent (Xuanzhou)]

Situated in the northwest of the Northern Sea (the direction of Xu and Hai), it spans seventy-two hundred li in circumference and lies three hundred sixty thousand li from the southern shore. This is the domain governed by the Immortal Elder Zhen Gong of the Supreme Mystery. The land is dotted with hills and mountains. Among them is Wind Mountain, which produces thunderous roars, directly facing the Northwestern Heavenly Gate. Palaces of numerous Supreme Mystery Immortal Officials stand in unique splendor, and the land abounds with golden lingzhi and jade herbs. It is also a sacred site governed by the Three Heavenly Lords, exuding an atmosphere of solemn reverence.

[Blazing Continent (Yanzhou)]

Located in the Southern Sea, it spans two thousand li in circumference and lies ninety thousand li from the northern shore. Here resides a wind-born creature resembling a leopard, blue in color and the size of a wildcat. When captured in nets, even after being burned under piles of firewood until the fuel is exhausted, the creature remains unharmed, standing in the ashes with its fur unscorched. Blades cannot pierce it, and when struck, it feels like a leather bag—only after dozens of heavy hammer blows to its head will it die. However, if its mouth faces the wind, it revives. Only by stuffing its nostrils with stone calamus can it be truly slain. Consuming its brain mixed with chrysanthemums, after ingesting ten jin, can extend one's lifespan by five hundred years.

There is also Fire Forest Mountain, where luminous creatures the size of mice dwell, with fur three to four cun long, alternating between red and white. At night, the entire mountain glows with their light, as if ablaze. Cloth woven from their fur is called "Fire-Washed Cloth." When the locals' garments become soiled and ordinary washing fails, they simply burn the fabric. After a brief shake, the stains fall away, leaving it white as snow. Many immortals also inhabit this land.

Interpretation of the "Records of the Ten Continents"

The Long Continent (also known as Qingqiu) lies to the southeast of the Southern Sea, spanning five thousand li in circumference and situated two hundred and fifty thousand li from the mainland. Its mountains and rivers are breathtakingly beautiful, adorned with towering ancient trees, some so massive that their trunks measure two thousand arm spans in circumference (an ancient unit of measurement, roughly the length of two arms encircling the tree). The entire continent is blanketed in dense forests, hence its alternate name, Qingqiu. It is also abundant in various mystical herbs, divine medicines, sweet dew, and exquisite jade—everything one could imagine. There is also a mountain called Fengshan (Wind Mountain), which perpetually emits rumbling sounds. At its summit stands the Purple Mansion Palace, a gathering place for celestial immortals and divine maidens.

The Yuan Continent is located in the Northern Sea, spanning three thousand li in circumference and situated one hundred thousand li from its southern shore. Here, one can find the Five Divine Mushrooms and the Mystic Ravine, where the water flows as sweet as honeyed nectar. Drinking it grants longevity equal to that of heaven and earth. Consuming the Five Divine Mushrooms also bestows immortality, and thus, many immortals reside here.

The Liu Continent lies in the Western Sea, spanning three thousand li in circumference and situated one hundred and ninety thousand li from its eastern shore. The land is rugged with mountains and rocks, producing a mineral called "Kunwu." When forged into swords, they gleam with a chilling radiance like crystal and can slice through jade as effortlessly as cutting mud. Numerous immortals also dwell here.

The Sheng Continent is situated northeast of the Eastern Sea, seventeen thousand li from Penglai, with a circumference of two thousand five hundred li and two hundred thirty thousand li from its western shore. Tens of thousands of immortals reside here, enjoying a perpetually pleasant climate where divine mushrooms and immortal herbs flourish year-round. The mountains and rivers abound with mystical plants, and even the water is as sweet as honey, making it the most ideal place for cultivation.

The Fenglin (Phoenix and Qilin) Continent lies at the very center of the Western Sea, spanning fifteen hundred li in circumference. It is surrounded by the Weak Waters (legendary waters so light that even feathers cannot float), making it impossible to cross. Tens of thousands of phoenixes and qilin inhabit the land, alongside majestic mountains, lakes, and hundreds of divine medicines. Many immortals also reside here. A glue made from phoenix beaks and qilin horns, known as "Bowstring-Mending Glue" or "Gold-Binding Paste," can repair broken bowstrings and shattered blades, making the mended parts even stronger than before. In the third year of Emperor Wu of Han's Tianhan era (98 BCE), the king of the Western Regions presented four taels of this glue and a robe made from Jiguang fur. However, Emperor Wu, unaware of their miraculous properties, merely stored them in the imperial treasury as ordinary tribute.

This passage from Records of the Ten Continents documents miraculous tributes from the reign of Emperor Wu of Han and exotic wonders from distant western lands:

During Emperor Wu's reign, an envoy presented a remarkable adhesive. When the emperor's bowstring snapped while hunting tigers in Hualin Garden, the envoy immediately moistened and rejoined it with this glue. Emperor Wu ordered several warriors to test its strength by pulling it taut—after a full day of strain, the bond held as if never broken. The jade-green adhesive, along with the pelt of a divine steed named "Jiguang" (which neither sank in water nor burned in fire), astounded the emperor. He richly rewarded the envoy and reciprocated with Chinese treasures like cinnamon bark and dried ginger—items unknown in the western regions. This deepened the emperor's admiration for Dongfang Shuo's foresight.

The text also recounts tributes from earlier dynasties: King Mu of Zhou received from the Western Hu people a "Kunwu jade-cutting dagger" (a one-foot blade that sliced jade like mud) and a "night-luminous perpetual cup" (a white jade vessel that glowed in darkness and automatically filled with sweet dew when placed under the open sky at dawn). Qin Shi Huang later received a similar jade-cutting blade.

These marvels all originated from immortal isles in the Western Sea:

• Phoenix-Unicorn Isle produced the divine adhesive
• Driftwood Isle yielded sacred swords
• Gathering Caverns Isle (central in the Western Sea), a grander paradise 260,000 li from Mount Kunlun, featured celestial palaces and mythical beasts like lions, bixie guardians, and tusked zaochi. Dominating the isle stood Mount Man-Bird, where grew colossal Soul-Returning Trees—striking their trunks produced ox-like bellows that shook observers to their core. Boiling the pith of these trees yielded "Spirit-Startling Incense" (also called Soul-Quaking Pills or Resurrection Spice), renowned for its miraculous properties.

Through these dynastic tributes, the text paints a panorama of numinous western isles, revealing the ancient imagination of oceanic paradises.

The Records of the Ten Continents preserves this remarkable legend:

There exists a numinous substance called "Death-Reviving Incense," known by six different names. Its fragrance can travel hundreds of miles, and the dead who smell it will return to life, never to perish again. If used to fumigate a corpse, its effects are even more miraculous. In the third year of the Yanhe era (during Emperor Wu of Han's reign), while the emperor was touring Anding (modern-day Gansu), an envoy from the Yuezhi Kingdom (an ancient Central Asian state) presented him with four liang of this incense—each piece the size of a sparrow’s egg and as dark as mulberries. Suspecting it was not of Central Plains origin, Emperor Wu ordered it stored in the outer treasury.

The envoy also offered a "ferocious beast," which resembled a puppy fifty or sixty days old, about the size of a fox, with yellowish fur. When the envoy carried it into the imperial presence, the emperor, seeing its frail and emaciated state, found it strange and asked, "How can this tiny creature be called ferocious?" The envoy replied, "True might does not lie in size. Just as the divine qilin (a mythical auspicious beast) commands elephants, or the luan phoenix (a celestial bird) leads the great peng bird, even a centipede is subdued by the tengshe (a legendary flying serpent)."

The envoy continued, "Our kingdom lies 300,000 li from the Central Plains. Through divination, our king observed auspicious clouds lingering over the East for months, signifying the rise of a Dao-honoring sage ruler in your land. Thus, he spurned gold and jewels, valuing instead numinous treasures. We journeyed thirteen years across mountains and rivers to deliver these gifts. This divine incense revives the dead, and this beast wards off all evils. Had Your Majesty recognized their worth, they could have aided your governance and brought peace to the people. But since you fail to discern true treasures, our divination must have been mistaken. Your wandering gaze (hinting at lust), frivolous speech, restless bearing, and extravagant desires—how can such a ruler govern the world?"

Emperor Wu, displeased, pressed further: "What does this beast eat? How strong is it? Where does it come from?" The envoy answered, "It may hail from Mount Kunlun, the Mystic Garden (a celestial realm), or the Isle of Gathering Caves (a fabled immortal mountain). It consumes neither mortal food nor drink, sustaining itself on wind and dew. In motion, it is like thunder; in stillness, like a mountain. This is but a juvenile—when fully grown, its divine powers will manifest."

This passage describes a miraculous beast and the extraordinary efficacy of divine incense:

The formidable creature dwells in the Celestial Path caverns, possessing immortality by absorbing the Qi (vital energy) of heaven and earth while subsisting on morning dew. It comprehends human speech and embodies the virtues of benevolence, wisdom, loyalty, and magnanimity. In its merciful state, it protects even insects without harming tigers or leopards; when unleashing its might, a single roar can force a thousand men to kneel and send a hundred beasts fleeing in terror, instantly sapping warriors of their strength. Manifesting supernatural powers, it commands wind and rain, dispels evil influences, and makes flood dragons leap in awe. Housed in the stables of the Supreme Elderly Lord (Taishang Laojun), it's revered as the "King of Beasts" for its shapeshifting abilities.

The mentioned divine incense, though scarce, serves as miraculous medicine capable of resurrecting the dead. Merely inhaling its fragrance revives victims of plague, with its exceptionally rich aroma lingering remarkably. Emperor Wu of Han tested the beast's roar—its thunderous cry resembled a clear-sky lightning strike, with radiant eyes beaming into the heavens, toppling the emperor who covered his ears while attendants dropped weapons and livestock broke loose in panic.

The emperor, wary of this divine creature, attempted to feed it to tigers in the Shanglin Park, only to witness the predators cower and play dead. Later both the beast and envoys mysteriously vanished. During the Houyuan era, when plague struck Chang'an, the emperor used incense tribute from the Yuezhi kingdom (an ancient Central Asian state) to miraculously revive those dead less than three days, with the fragrance persisting for months. When the remaining incense subsequently disappeared, the emperor regretted his earlier disrespect toward the envoys, growing more attentive to prophecies left by Dongfang Shuo (a famous Han dynasty occultist) and lamenting his failure to properly seek out immortals like Li Shaojun and Wei Shuqing.

(Note: "Supreme Elderly Lord" refers to the deified Laozi; "Yuezhi" denotes an ancient Central Asian kingdom; Dongfang Shuo, Li Shaojun and Wei Shuqing were renowned fangshi [Daoist adepts] during Emperor Wu's reign)

Interpretation of the "Records of the Ten Continents"

Accounts of Divine Mountains and Sacred Isles:

The Five-Phoenix Palace Incident records that in the year Emperor Wu of Han passed away, the miraculous "Human-Bird Incense" tribute from the Yuezhi kingdom lost its potency. At that time, mountains trembled, sandalwood trees withered, and the incense's spiritual properties vanished. Had the Western Regions envoys been treated more generously, perhaps this divine incense could have been used during the emperor's final moments.

The Canghai Isle lies at the center of the Northern Sea, spanning three thousand li in circumference and situated 210,000 li from the mainland. The entire island is encircled by azure waters, with each directional sea extending five thousand li. The isle abounds with towering mountains and massive boulders, producing eight types of immortal stones (including stone elephants, stone brains, cassia blossoms, flowing cinnabar, yellow seeds, stone gall, and over a hundred others) - consuming which grants immortality. At its heart stands a purple stone palace serving as the administrative center of the Nine Elders' Immortal Capital, housing tens of thousands of celestial officials.

Fangzhang Isle occupies the center of the Eastern Sea, forming a perfect square with each side measuring five thousand li. This gathering place for dragons hosts palaces of gold, jade, and lapis lazuli, governed by the Director of Destinies from the Three Heavens. Hundreds of thousands of immortals who declined celestial ascension reside here, receiving their Register of Supreme Mystery (Xianji, the immortal registry) while cultivating divine mushrooms like mortals tend rice fields. The Palace of the Nine Source Elder oversees all aquatic deities here, including dragon-serpents and giant whales throughout the watery realms.

Fusang lies east of the Eastern Sea, requiring ten thousand li of overland travel to reach. Beyond stretches the Jasper Sea, its expanse matching the Eastern Sea's breadth, with sweet-tasting emerald waters. The Fusang region spans ten thousand li, containing the Great Thearch's Palace governed by the Most True Eastern King Father (Dongwang Gong). Its luxuriant forests feature mulberry-like leaves, including paired mulberry trees sharing roots that soar thousands of zhang high. Immortals consuming their crimson berries radiate golden light, gaining flight. These trees bear fruit only once every nine millennia, producing exquisite flavors. The land abounds in purple gold and precious jade, with true immortals' dwellings shape-shifting endlessly—some perfected beings even manifesting multiple forms.

(Note: The text preserves specialized Daoist terms like "Register of Supreme Mystery" and "Eastern King Father," delineating the celestial geography and wondrous treasures of the Ten Continents and Three Isles, showcasing the spatial conception and cultivation resources within Daoist paradisiacal cosmology.)

The Records of the Ten Continents describes the wondrous landscapes of two sacred Daoist mountains—Penglai and Kunlun:

First is Penglai Mountain (also called Pengqiu), located northeast of the Eastern Sea, spanning five thousand li in circumference. The mountain is surrounded by the dark "Minghai" (Nether Sea), where waves surge hundreds of feet high even without wind, making it inaccessible to mortals. At its summit stand the palaces of the Nine Elders and the Nine Heavenly True Kings, dwelling places of the Supreme Perfected (the highest Daoist immortals), reachable only by those who have attained the ability to ascend in flight.

Kunlun Mountain (also known as Kunling) lies in the direction of the Western Sea (Xu position) and the Northern Sea (Hai position), about 130,000 li from the mortal world. It is encircled by the "Weak Water," so light that even feathers cannot float upon it. To its southeast lies the Stone Garden, to the northwest the Northern Gate Chamber, to the northeast the Great Living Well, and to the southwest the Abyssal Valley—all four being auxiliary peaks of Kunlun.

The Queen Mother of the West once told King Mu of Zhou that Xianyang was 460,000 li from this mountain. Kunlun towers 36,000 li above the earth, with three horn-like peaks at its summit, each spanning 10,000 li in circumference and shaped like an overturned basin. Among them:

• The northern peak is called the Langfeng Summit,
• The western peak is the Mystic Garden Terrace,
• The eastern peak is the Kunlun Palace.

At the northeastern corner stands the Celestial Rampart City, built of gold, with five golden platforms and twelve jade towers. The Northern Gate Mountain and the Abyssal Valley also feature golden platforms and jade towers, their architecture exquisitely crafted—radiant palaces, jade halls, chambers of jasper blossoms, and purple-gold alchemical chambers. This is the domain ruled by the Queen Mother of the West, a sacred site where countless immortals gather in reverence.

Kunlun Mountain connects to the celestial pivot (Xuanji), where primordial Qi (vital energy) circulates, harmonizing Yin-Yang and nurturing all things. Countless celestial beings and Perfected Immortals dwell here, too numerous to record. It is regarded as the foundation of heaven and earth, the very framework of creation. The Supreme Dao Lord ranks Kunlun as the foremost of the Five Sacred Peaks, anchoring the earth like a pillar upholding the sky. In its deepest waters reside water spirits, hidden in unfathomable depths—unlike ordinary mountains, it is not easily reached, existing as a divine realm naturally formed by heaven and earth.

The Records of the Ten Continents describes the distribution of celestial realms and sacred geography in Daoist mythology. The general meaning is as follows:

The dwelling places of immortals are scattered throughout heaven and earth. In the west lies Mount Kunlun, the abode of the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu, the highest-ranking female immortal in Daoism), while in the east stretches the azure sea where the sacred Fusang tree grows. The essence of fire condenses to form luminous beasts in the fiery wilds, and where yin energy gathers, there emerge the immortal islands of the sea. The famed Mount Pengshan is located in the northeast (corresponding to the gen position in the Bagua), the waters of Changzhou are governed by the Mysterious Maiden (a female immortal), the dwelling of dragons is swept by fierce winds, and the land of Xiaqiu is filled with efficacious talismans.

The numinous peaks where Perfected Persons (Zhenren, those who have attained the Dao) reside are actually numerous throughout heaven and earth—far more than those mentioned here. The author, Dongfang Shuo (a Han Dynasty mystic), modestly admits his limited knowledge, merely recounting the ten immortal continents as told by those who have attained the Dao. These great mountains and sacred peaks are all divine lands where true immortals dwell and celestial officials govern.

Particularly described is the immortal realm of Mount Zhong beyond the North Sea: this divine mountain towers into the clouds, growing over forty varieties of jade mushrooms and immortal herbs. At its summit stand golden terraces and jade towers (abodes of the immortals), serving as the central seat where the Celestial Emperor (the highest deity in Daoism) governs the heavenly realm. Surrounding Mount Zhong are four subsidiary peaks—Pingxie Mountain, Jiaolong Mountain, and others—each standing thirty thousand li lower than the main peak, marking the boundaries of the Celestial Emperor’s domain. Immortals must follow a specific route to enter: passing through the cave southeast of Pingxie Mountain to reach the northern gate of Mount Zhong.

The text also mentions that after Yu the Great tamed the floods, he once rode a qiao chariot (a vehicle of the immortals) across the Weak Waters to offer sacrifices to the Celestial Emperor here. He also inscribed tadpole script (an ancient form of seal script) on the Five Sacred Mountains, recording their dimensions. These measurements remain preserved to this day—all original records from the time of Yu the Great.

The passage recounts how Dongfang Shuo explained the origins and significance of the Classic of the Ten Continents to Emperor Wu of Han. The general meaning is as follows:

The records of the Five Sacred Mountains (Mount Tai, Mount Hua, and other renowned peaks) were all inscribed at their highest summits. This book I present is compiled from the teachings of the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), documenting miraculous lands that even the Great Yu had never visited—focusing solely on the sacred mountains of the Central Plains.

My master, Gu Xizi, was a true immortal (zhenxian) under the Supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun). He once transmitted to me the True Form Charts (zhenxing tu)—Daoist depictions of celestial realms—of Mount Kunlun, Mount Zhong, and Mount Penglai. These charts later entered the Han dynasty, and I deliberately preserved them for those destined to receive them. This text surpasses even the True Form Charts of the Five Sacred Mountains in importance, and its transmission is bound by strict temporal regulations.

Your Majesty, devoted to cultivating the Dao (xiudao) and sincere in heart, has thus been granted these precious secret teachings by the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun). How could I, Dongfang Shuo, dare withhold them? However, the practice demands secrecy, and the Dao’s methods must be guarded. Excessive disclosure invites suspicion, while revealing a master’s identity too openly risks dissipating the profound mysteries. I hope you will understand my intent.

Emperor Wu, delighted by this, received various True Form Charts the following year. He carried them constantly, venerating these sacred texts during seasonal festivals, hoping to attain liberation through their wisdom. Dongfang Shuo, perceptive of the emperor’s temperament, deliberately maintained an air of casualness in the imperial presence—neither treating the emperor as a master nor a friend, nor allowing him to develop personal attachments. It was for this reason that Emperor Wu never obtained the complete transmission from him.