《山海經》Vol. 13

According to the "Classic of Mountains and Seas," Volume 13, "Classic of Regions Within the Seas: East," it is recorded:

In the region within the seas south of the northeastern corner, the powerful state of Yan is located in the northeast. There is a country called Zhunduan situated within the shifting sands, southeast of the Kunlun Ruins. Another account claims this is a prefecture within the seas, though not under the jurisdiction of any county, also located in the shifting sands.

Beyond the shifting sands lies the great state of Daxia (its city spans two to three hundred li, divided into dozens of smaller states, with fertile land suitable for cultivation). The locals cultivate the five grains and live on hardened sandy terrain. There is also a country called Juyao (also known as the Yuezhi Kingdom, famous for its fine horses, delicious fruits, and large-tailed sheep—these sheep have particularly large tails, resembling qian sheep. The Lesser Yuezhi and the Tianzhu Kingdom are both its tributary states).

The White Jade Mountain of the Western Hu lies east of Daxia, while Cangwu is located southwest of the White Jade Mountain. These places are all west of the shifting sands and southeast of the Kunlun Ruins. The Kunlun Mountains are situated west of the Western Hu, with their overall position in the northwest (according to the "Geographical Records," Kunlun Mountain lies west of Linqiang County, where there is also a temple dedicated to the Queen Mother of the West).

In the Thunder Marsh resides the Thunder God, who has the body of a dragon and the head of a human. When he strikes his belly, thunder is produced. This marsh is located west of Wu (today, in Chengyang, there are the mausoleum of Emperor Yao and the Lingtai platform, with the Thunder Marsh to its north. The "River Chart" records that the goddess Huaxu stepped on a giant footprint in the Thunder Marsh and became pregnant, later giving birth to Fuxi).

Duzhou is in the sea, also called Yuzhou (located within the Donghai Qun County. Legend says this mountain migrated from Cangwu in the south, and it still retains the unique products of the southern region). The Langya Terrace lies between the Bohai Sea, east of Langya (today, there is a steep mountain by the sea resembling a high terrace—this is the Langya Terrace, where King Goujian of Yue established his capital when he dominated the Central Plains). To its north is another mountain, though some say it is also in the sea.

Hanyan is located south of Duzhou in the sea. The Shijiu Kingdom is south of Yuanli in the sea (possibly a country’s name, though some say it refers to a bird). Mount Kuaiji is south of the great state of Chu and is the source of the Min, Yangtze, and other three rivers. The Great River (Yangtze) flows from Mount Min (today, the river originates from Mount Kun southeast of Shengqian County in Minshan Commandery, passing through Shu Commandery and Qianwei before turning northeast at Jiangyang).

This passage primarily documents the sources and courses of several major rivers in ancient China, along with related geographical features and legends.

The Yangtze River (Jiang) originates from Mount Man. The South River (Nanjiang) rises from Mount Gao, located west of Chengdu, and eventually flows into the sea. The Zhe River (also known as the Qiantang River) begins at the Three Heavenly Capitals (modern-day She County, Anhui), flowing eastward into the sea and passing through northwestern Fujian. The Lu River also originates from the Three Heavenly Capitals, entering the western side of Pengze Lake (modern-day Poyang Lake) along the Yangtze. Pengze Lake is situated in the Xunyang region.

The Huai River springs from Mount Yu, located east of Chaoyang County and west of Yixiang, eventually emptying into the sea north of Huaipu. The Xiang River originates southeast of Emperor Shun’s mausoleum, winding westward before flowing into Dongting Lake. Dongting Lake is a vast underground cave system in the Changsha-Baling region, with intricate subterranean channels referred to as "earth veins."

The Han River begins at Mount Fuyu (also called Mount Bozhong), flowing eastward through multiple regions before merging with the Yangtze at Anlu County in Jiangxia. Legend holds that Emperor Zhuanxu was buried on the southern side of the mountain, with his nine consorts interred on the northern side, guarded by four serpents.

The Meng River rises west of Hanyang, entering the Yangtze west of Nieyang. The Wen River originates from Mount Kongtong, south of Linfen, and eventually flows into the Yellow River north of Huayang.

These records reflect ancient China’s geographical understanding of major waterways, interwoven with mythological elements such as Emperor Shun’s mausoleum and Emperor Zhuanxu’s burial site. Many place names mentioned remain in use today, though some locations differ from modern geographical knowledge.

This passage primarily records the sources and courses of several important rivers in ancient times, which can be understood through modern geographical knowledge as follows:

The Ying River originates from Shaoshi Mountain (part of present-day Songshan in Dengfeng, Henan), flowing south into the Huai River through regions including modern Yangcheng and Ruyin in Henan. Shaoshi Mountain lies south of the ancient Yongshi City, with its confluence with the Huai River located north of Yanling County. An alternative theory suggests its source is in Gou County (around present-day Yanshi, Henan).

The Ru River springs from Tianxi Mountain (modern Dameng Mountain in Lushan County, Henan), flowing southwest into the northwesternmost tributary of the Huai River. Its course runs from Nanyang through Liang County, Xiangcheng, Runan, eventually merging with the Huai River at Baoxin County (modern Xi County, Henan). Some records indicate its confluence is north of Qisi County (modern Huaibin, Henan).

The Jing River originates from the northern mountains of the Great Wall (around present-day Guyuan, Ningxia), flowing north into the Wei River. Its source is at Xikaitou Mountain in Chaona County (modern Pengyang, Ningxia), traversing multiple areas in Shaanxi before joining the Wei River at Gaoling County.

The Wei River emerges from the Bird-Rat Shared Burrow Mountain (modern Weiyuan County, Gansu), flowing east through several counties in Shaanxi before emptying into the Yellow River north of Huayin County.

The Bai River (modern Bailong River) originates in Sichuan, flowing southeast into the Yangtze. Its source is at Xiqing Mountain in Lintao, passing through Tazhong and Yinping before merging with the Jialing River at Hanshou County (near modern Guangyuan, Sichuan).

The Yuan River springs from west of Tan County in Xiangjun (Xiangjun being in modern Vietnam, while Tan County belongs to present-day Qianyang, Hunan), flowing east into the Yangtze and joining Dongting Lake west of Xiajun County (modern Yueyang area, Hunan). According to the "Classic of Waterways," the Yuan River's source is in Lan County, Zangke Commandery (modern Guizhou), flowing through multiple counties in Hunan.

The Gan River originates from the Niedu Eastern Mountains (northwest of present-day Yexian County in southern Nankang District, Ganzhou), flowing northeast into the Yangtze River before finally emptying into the western side of Pengze Lake.

The Si River emerges from the northeastern region of Wu, initially flowing south before turning southwest. After passing west of Huling, it bends southeastward to enter the East Sea, merging with the Huai River north of Huaiyin (modern Si River originates southwest of Bian County in Lu State, Shandong, flowing southeast through Gaoping's Huluxian County, passing Pei State, Pengcheng, Xiapi, before joining the Huai River at Xiaxiang County in Linhuai).

The Yu River springs from Xiangjun (present-day Guangxi region), flowing southwest into the South Sea, with its estuary located southeast of Xuling. The Yi River (pronounced like the "Yi" in "practice") originates southwest of Linjin, coursing southeast into the sea, its mouth lying west of Panyu (Panyu County belongs to Nanhai Commandery and was a key city of Nanyue).

The Huang River (pronounced like "Huang") rises from the northwestern mountains of Guiyang, flowing southeast into the Yi River before converging west of Dunpu. The Luo River emerges from Luoxi Mountain, running northeast into the Yellow River, its confluence located west of Chenggao (according to the Classic of Waterways, the modern Luo River originates from Zhongling Mountain in Shangluo, flowing northeast through Hongnong before joining the Yellow River at Gong County in Henan; Chenggao County also belongs to Henan).

The Fen River begins north of Shangyu (pronounced like "Yu"), flowing southwest into the Yellow River, its mouth situated south of Pishi County (modern Fen River originates southeast of the ancient Fenyang County in Jinyang, Taiyuan, flowing southwest through Jinyang, then passing Xihe and Pingyang before entering the Yellow River at Fenying in Hedong; Pishi County belongs to Pingyang Commandery).

The Qin River springs east of Jingxing Mountain, flowing southeast into the Yellow River, its confluence located southeast of Huaixian County (Huaixian belongs to Henei Commandery, with Jingxing Mountain lying north of the county).

The Ji River originates from the eastern hill south of Gong Mountain ("Gong" pronounced as "Gong"), cutting across Julu Marsh ("cutting across" meaning traversing; Julu Marsh is in present-day Gaoping region) before emptying into the Bohai Sea, its estuary northeast of Langhuai in Qi territory (modern Ji River flows east from Juan County in Xingyang, passing through Chenliu to north of Qianyin, then northeast to northeast Gaoping, continuing through Jinan before entering the sea at Bochang County in Le'an, near present-day Jieshi—where numerous rivers originate, their waterways interconnected).

This passage primarily discusses the distribution of water systems and geographical conditions in ancient China, detailing the origins, courses, and confluences of numerous rivers.

It first describes how the Liao River originates from Mount Weigao (in present-day Northeast China), flowing southeast into the Bohai Sea and reaching Liaoyang County (modern Liaoning region). It also mentions the Hutuo River, which emerges south of Jinyang City, runs westward to the north of Yangqu, then turns eastward to empty into the Bohai Sea.

The text enumerates many river names: the Zhang River flows eastward from Shanyang into the Bohai Sea; it also references the Yangtze River (Great River) and its tributaries like the Zhe River, Lu River, Huai River, Xiang River, and Han River; northern waterways like the Jing and Wei Rivers; and southern rivers such as the Yuan and Gan. These crisscrossing waterways all ultimately flow eastward to merge with the sea.

Later sections incorporate mythological elements: Yuzhou (legendary immortal mountain in the East Sea) as an abode of deities; Leize (Lake of Thunder where the Thunder God resides) where spirits roam leisurely; and the towering Langya Terrace (a scenic coastal site in Shandong) resembling celestial pavilions reaching the clouds.

Finally, it mentions frontier regions like the nomadic Juyou Kingdom in the desert, which sometimes allied with Qin and other times submitted to Han. The entire passage reflects the ancient Chinese geographical worldview of "all rivers flowing east to the sea," blending factual hydrological records with mythological imagination.