《山海經》Vol. 12

The "Classic of Mountains and Seas: Northern Regions Within the Seas" section records the strange nations and creatures of the northwest. On Snake-Witch Mountain stands a figure holding a cup and facing east—this mountain is also called Turtle Mountain. The Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu, the mythical female immortal ruler) leans against an armrest, wearing elaborate hair ornaments, with three blue birds to her south that gather food for her. North of Mount Kunlun resides a deity named Great Traveling Elder (Daxingbo) who carries a long spear. To his east lies the Dog-Fiefdom—legend says the divine hound Panhu married a beautiful woman from the Gaoxin clan after performing meritorious deeds, and their descendants formed this half-human, half-canine nation where women are beautiful while men resemble dogs. There's even a scene of a woman kneeling to feed a dog.

This section also describes marvelous horses called "Auspicious Measure" (Jiliang)—snow-white with crimson manes and golden eyes. Riding them can grant one a thousand-year lifespan. The Ghost Country's inhabitants have human faces but only one eye. Near the corpse of the deity Erfu dwell human-faced serpent-bodied monsters. The qiongqi beast resembles a winged tiger covered in porcupine-like quills, known for devouring humans starting from the head. There's also the blue man-eating tiao-dog that similarly attacks by biting heads first. These records blend mythological geography with fantastic beasts, revealing the ancient imagination of the remote northwestern frontiers.

The text primarily describes various strange creatures, geographical features, and mythological legends recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing). North of Taogou, there is a creature said to have human-like feet. There are also two elevated platforms each for Emperor Yao, Emperor Ku, Emperor Danzhu, and Emperor Shun, located northeast of Mount Kunlun (possibly ancient sites built by local tribes to commemorate the virtue of these sage-kings during their royal tours).

The text documents numerous peculiar beings: giant wasps resembling locusts, red ants shaped like moths, and the creature Jiao, which has tiger-like stripes and thick legs, dwelling east of Qiongqi. There is also Tafei, a beast with a human face, animal body, and blue skin. Jubi’s Corpse appears as a disfigured figure with a broken neck, disheveled hair, and a missing hand. Huangu has the head of a beast and the body of a man, sometimes described as resembling a yellow hedgehog or dog. Mei (also called Mo) has a human body, a black head, and vertically aligned eyes. Rong possesses a human head with three horns.

The country of Linshi produces a rare and wondrous beast, as large as a tiger, adorned in five colors, with a tail longer than its body. Known as Zouyu (a divine creature), riding it allows one to travel a thousand li in a day. South of Mount Kunlun lies the Fanlin forest, spanning three hundred li in circumference.

The Congji Abyss plunges three hundred ren deep and serves as the dwelling place of Hebo Bingyi (also known as Fengyi). Bingyi has a human face and rides a divine chariot pulled by two dragons. This abyss is also called the Zhongji Abyss, with rivers originating from Mount Yangwu and Mount Lingmen.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas records ancient Chinese imaginations about the northern seas and surrounding regions. At the source of the Yellow River's tributaries, it describes a dismembered corpse named Wang Yuye, whose limbs, chest, and head were severed and scattered (possibly hinting at a state of cultivation where form and spirit separate). Emperor Shun's wife, Dengbishi, gave birth to two daughters named Xiaoming and Zhuguang (named for their ability to emit light), who lived by the great marsh near the Yellow River. The radiance of these goddesses could illuminate an area of a hundred li.

The text then describes peculiar nations and creatures: The land of Gai was located south of Yan, while the country of Wo (ancient Japan) lay east of Daifang Commandery in the great sea, ruled by women and practicing a custom of staining their bodies with red pigment in a polygamous society. Korea was situated east of Lieyang, the fief of Jizi, a virtuous minister of the Shang dynasty.

In the seas were the legendary Lieguye Mountain (mentioned by Zhuangzi as a divine peak), the land of Guye, and various wondrous creatures: enormous crabs, the Ling fish with human faces and fish bodies, and giant bream. The settlements of Mingzu and the immortal abode of Penglai (said to be adorned with palaces of gold and jade where immortals dwelled) also floated in the ocean. The text mentions the "Market of Giants," likely a mirage-like spectacle.

Finally, a rhymed verse praises the auspicious divine horses (dragon-steeds with golden manes), along with the ghosts and deities of Shewu Mountain and giant wasps among other marvels. These accounts blend geographical knowledge, mythological lore, and ancient imaginations of the unknown world, revealing early Chinese mystical perceptions of the ocean.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas records several extraordinary beings:

The Tafei (a human-faced, beast-bodied divine monster) and Jubishi (a corpse-like creature with disheveled hair and a broken neck) belong to the Rong tribe. They have three horns on their heads and upright eyebrows.

The Zouyu (a legendary benevolent beast) is a multicolored monster with a tail longer than its body. It can travel a thousand miles in a day, moving as swiftly as lightning. Ancient poets praised it as a symbol of benevolence (De).

Bingyi (the River Earl, a water deity) is a manifestation of the Qi essence of Mount Hua. It feeds on stones, rides dragons across the skies, and vanishes into ocean waves, earning the title of "Water Immortal."

The Wangyuye Corpse (a peculiar corpse) can divide its body into seven parts. When separated, it does not appear sparse; when merged, it does not seem dense. By controlling its form with Shen (spirit), it can restore itself to wholeness.

Xiaoming and Zhuguang (the two daughters of Emperor Shun) are water immortals whose radiance illuminates the riverbanks. These extraordinary women each dwell in their own domain.

The Lieguya Mountains (abode of immortals) are the dwelling place of divine beings in the west. There, crabs as large as a thousand li and fish covered in scales reside, while the vast ocean teems with countless rare and marvelous creatures.

Mount Penglai (a celestial mountain in the sea) has forests of jade, towers of gold, and halls adorned with white clouds. Its birds and beasts are all pure white—a true spiritual realm where even the finest jade willingly serves as its subject.