《淮南鴻烈解》Vol. 7

Huainan Honglie Jie, Volume Seven: Terrain Training, Part One (Plain-Language Interpretation)

Prefatory note: submitted and recorded by Xu Shen, Libationer of the Grand Commandant.

Everything borne by the terrain lies between Heaven and Earth, within the six directions and inside the extreme limits of the four quarters. (“Six directions” was already discussed in the fourth chapter of Yuan Dao; “limits” means the ends of the four quarters, beyond which nothing further exists, hence “within.”) The sun and moon shine; the stars and constellations form warp and woof; the four seasons mark the years; and Tai Sui (the position of the Great Year, used to rectify heavenly time) is taken as the guiding cord.

Between Heaven and Earth are the Nine Provinces and the Eight Extremes. (“Eight Extremes” means the limits of the eight directions.) The earth has nine mountains; the mountains have nine passes; the marshlands have nine marshes; the winds have eight classes; the waters have six kinds.

What are the Nine Provinces? Southeast Shenzhou is called Nongtu, Agricultural Land: at the southeast, the Chen position is the agricultural auspiciousness, presided over by Hou Ji, hence Agricultural Land. Due south, Cizhou is called Wotu, Fertile Land: Wo means flourishing; in the fifth month, established at Wu, sowing and reaping flourish, hence Fertile Land. Southwest, Rongzhou is called Taotu, Great Land: Tao means great; in the seventh month, established at Shen, the five grains mature, hence Great Land. Due west, Yanzhou is called Bingtu, Completed Land: Bing means complete; in the eighth month, established at You, the hundred grains mature, hence Completed Land. At the center, Jizhou is called Zhongtu, Central Land: Ji means great and is the ruler of the four quarters, hence Central Land. Northwest, Taizhou is called Feitu, Rich Land. Due north, Jizhou is called Chengtu, Formed Land. (Commentators have not explained its meaning in detail.) Northeast, Bozhou is called Yintu, Hidden Land: Bo means level; Yin Qi is hidden there, hence Hidden Land. Due east, Yangzhou is called Shentu, Returning Land: Shen means return; Yin Qi ends in the north, and Yang Qi rises again in the northeast, hence Returning Land.

What are the Nine Mountains? They are Kuaiji, Taishan, Wangwu, Shoushan, Taihua, Qishan, Taihang, Yangchang, and Mengmen. (Kuaiji Mountain is in Kuaiji Commandery; Taishan is in present-day Taishan Commandery and is the Eastern Marchmount; the names of Wangwu and the others follow the records of the commentators.)

Explanation: This chapter, titled “Terrain,” records the ancient geographical system within the six directions and four quarters—governed by the sun, moon, and stars, the four seasons, and Tai Sui—as well as the names of the Nine Provinces and Nine Mountains. The designations of the provinces, such as Agricultural Land and Fertile Land, generally match the monthly positions, solar terms, and waxing and waning of Yin-Yang; this is a Han-dynasty mode of explaining place names through astronomy and calendrics.

Geographical Commentary on the Huainan Honglie Jie (Vernacular)

Text and Commentary

(A certain mountain) is northeast of present-day Heng County in Hedong and is where the mountain range emerges. Shou Mountain lies south of Puban County, within the bend of the Yellow River; tradition says it was the place where Boyi lived in seclusion. Taihua is present-day Yinshan in Hongnong.

(Qishan) is also the Western Sacred Peak. Qishan is north of present-day Hanyang County in Fufeng and was the site of the old capital of the Zhou people. The Taihang Mountains are in present-day Shangdang; passing through Taihang Pass, they lead directly to Yewang County in Henei.

(Yangchang) is the name of a mountain. The Shuoyuan records: to the left of Jie’s dwelling were the Yellow River and the Ji River, to the right was Taihua, Yique was to the south, and Yangchang to the north. It is now ninety li northwest of Jinyang in Taiyuan, connecting to Shangjun west of the Yellow River; the pass is called Yangchang Ban and is a strategic pass between Mengmen and Taihang.

What are the Nine Passes? Answer: Dafen, Mian’e, Jingruan, Fangcheng, Xiaoban, Jingxing, Lingci, Gouzhu, and Juyong.

(Dafen is in Jin territory. Mian’e is in present-day Mianchi, Hongnong. Jingruan and Fangcheng are both within Chu territory. Xiaoban is in the Xiao area of Mianchi in Hongnong Commandery—that is, Xiaoban. Jingxing is in Changshan and is a pass leading to Taiyuan. Lingci is in Liaoxi. Gouzhu is in Yinguan, Yanmen. Juyong is east of Zuyang in Shanggu and connects to Yundu Pass.)

What are the Nine Marshes? Answer: Juqu of Yue (Juqu lies between Wu and Yue), Yunmeng of Chu (Yunmeng is in Huarong, Nan Commandery), Yangyu of Qin (Yangyu is probably in Chiyang, Fengyi, and is also called Jupu), Dalu of Jin (Dalu was a place where Wei Xianzi once hunted and set fires, and it was there that the dead were), Putian of Zheng (Putian is in present-day Zhongmou, Henan; the Tradition says that Zheng has Yuanpu, just as Qin has Jupu: “Sir, take its elk and deer to give our humble state rest”), Mengzhu of Song (Mengzhu is a marsh northeast of Suiyang in present-day Liangyuan), Haiyu of Qi (Haiyu is the shore near the sea), Julu of Zhao (a marsh in the area of present-day Julu and Guang’e), and Zhaoyu of Yan (Zhaoyu is in present-day Taiyuan Commandery and in ancient times belonged to Yan).

What are the Eight Winds? Answer: The northeast is called Yanfeng (born of Gen qi; also called Rongfeng). East…

(If further entries such as “The southeast is called Jingfeng” follow below, their format is the same as “The northeast is called Yanfeng”; they are mostly explanations of ancient wind names that pair the eight directions with qi and winds.)

Note: The original uses small characters in parentheses in the prevailing “modern explanation of place names” format, matching such items as the pre-Qin Nine Passes, Nine Marshes, and Eight Winds one by one to Han-dynasty commanderies and counties, passes, and marshes. The vernacular version merely smooths out the sentence structure; proper place names are retained as far as possible, with brief parenthetical hints of present-day locations or textual sources on first occurrence.

Vernacular Interpretation

On the Winds of the Eight Directions

The winds have various names corresponding to the cardinal and ordinal directions: the Tiao Wind is generated from the Qi of the Zhen trigram (Zhen is the trigram of the east; the Tiao Wind is also called the Mingshu Wind). The wind of the southeast is called the Jing Wind, generated from the Qi of the Xun trigram (some say it is the Qingming Wind). The wind of the south is called the Ju Wind, generated from mixed Qi (also called the Kai Wind). The wind of the southwest is called the Liang Wind, generated from the Qi of the Kun trigram. The wind of the west is called the Liu Wind, generated from the Qi of the Dui trigram. The wind of the northwest is called the Li Wind, generated from the Qi of the Qian trigram (also called the Lühe Wind). The wind of the north is called the Han Wind, generated from the Qi of the Kan trigram (also called the Guangmo Wind).

What Are the "Six Waters"?

The Six Waters refer to: the He River, the Chi River, the Liao River, the Hei River, the Jiang River, and the Huai River. The He River originates at Kunlun and flows northeast; the Chi River originates at the southeastern corner of Kunlun; the Liao River originates at Mount Jieshi, flowing east from north of the frontier and entering the sea southwest of Liaodong; the Hei River is in Yongzhou; the Jiang River originates at Mount Min, on the western border of Shu; the Huai River originates at Mount Tongbai, flowing south through the Pingyang region.

The Measure of the World

Within the Four Seas, the east-west length is twenty-eight thousand li, and the north-south length is twenty-six thousand li (taking the zi-south and wu-north as the warp and the mao-east and you-west as the weft, meaning the warp line is shorter and the weft line longer). The total length of waterways is eight thousand li, with six hundred named great rivers; the overland paths (xiejing, referring to winding trails) total three thousand li.

Great Yu commanded Taizhang to measure from the eastern extremity to the western extremity, obtaining two hundred million, thirty-three thousand, five hundred li and seventy-five paces; he also commanded Shuhai to measure from the northern extremity to the southern extremity, likewise two hundred million, thirty-three thousand, five hundred li and seventy-five paces (Taizhang and Shuhai were both men skilled at walking, and both were ministers of Yu. Within the seas the east-west is short and the north-south is long, yet the distances to the extremities are equal).

All great waters, deep abysses, and large lakes measuring three hundred ren or more in depth number two hundred million, thirty-three thousand, five hundred and fifty in total. Yu used "xitu" (a wondrous soil that cannot be exhausted and that multiplies the more it is dug) to fill in and level the floodwaters, piling it up into famous mountains (xitu is not depleted but grows the more it is excavated, and so was used to block the floodwaters; famous mountains means great mountains). He also excavated the hollow places of Mount Kunlun and transported the earth to fill in the low ground ("jue" here carries the sense of cutting down and leveling and of digging and transporting; "low ground" is rendered as "dichi" in some editions).

Kunlun and Zengcheng

Within Mount Kunlun there is a Zengcheng, nine stories in all, reaching a height of eleven thousand, one hundred and fourteen paces, two chi, and six cun (it stands at the very center of Mount Kunlun; Zengcheng means a city built up in successive tiers, and tradition speaks of five cities, twelve towers, and similar accounts).

Note: This section belongs to Han-dynasty cosmological and mythological geography, combining the winds with the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) directions, Yu's taming of the waters, and the Zengcheng of Kunlun into a single account. This is a common manner in which the ancients conceived the layout of the world, and it need not be treated as surveyed geography.

Selected Vernacular Interpretation of the Huainan Honglie Jie

(Note: The phrase in brackets at the beginning, “Loujian’s Kuodi is like this; surely this is absurd and not really heard of,” is a claim that earlier people attached to legend by conjecture. Its authenticity is difficult to verify, so here we begin with the main text.)

Kunlun and the Muhe Tree

At the summit of Mount Kunlun (the central sacred mountain in ancient myth) grows a divine tree called “Muhe,” five xun tall. (One xun is about eight chi, so five xun is about forty chi; another commentary says one xun is three zhang, and five xun comes to fifteen chi—each school calculates it differently.) According to the commentators, the Muhe grows above the “void” of Mount Kunlun (the divine realm at the summit).

The Divine Trees of the Four Directions

To the west of the Muhe are the Pearl Tree, Jade Tree, Xuan Tree, and Tree of Immortality. (Most of these are names of jades or numinous trees, symbols of the immortal realm.) To the east are the Shatang and Langgan. (Note: Some say the Shatang is a tree with fine fruit, and Langgan is the name of a fine jade.) To the south is the Jiang Tree (a red tree), and to the north are the Bi Tree and Yao Tree (bi refers to the color of green jade; yao to fine jade). These trees all surround the Muhe.

The Measures of Gates, Li, and Chun

Beside the mountain there are said to be four hundred and forty gates—one account says ten gates on each of the four sides. The gates are four li apart; each li is further divided into nine “chun” (an ancient unit of length), and each chun is one zhang and five chi long.

The Nine Wells and the Elixir of Immortality

Beside it are nine wells; at the northwest corner is the “Yuheng” (or “Yuheng” written with the variant character for “horizontal”), which a commentary says resembles a vessel holding the elixir of immortality, or else resembles the radiance of jade. When the north gate is about to open, it lets in the “Buzhou wind” (the wind of northern myth); hence there are the “Qinggong” (Leaning Palace) and “Xuanshi” (Revolving Chamber): one explanation says the palace chambers are full yet unsteady; another says they are chambers adorned with revolving jade and able to turn, that is, the “Revolving Chamber” connected with the Xuanji.

Several Place Names in Kunlun

Xuanpu, Liangfeng, and Fantong (some read “Fan” as fan, as in cooked rice) are all within Kunlun’s “Changhe” (the heavenly gate, the gate of Mount Kunlun); they are all names of mountains or immortal realms belonging to the Kunlun system. One place is called Shupu; beside Shupu is a pool, and the water of the pool seeps out as “Yellow Water.” The Yellow Water flows around three times and returns to its source; this water is also called “Dan Water” (Cinnabar Water), and drinking it brings immortality.

The Sources of Several Sacred Waters

The Yellow River rises at the northeast corner of Kunlun, passes underground, and after being dredged by Yu the Great, flows out in the region of Jishi Mountain. (“Bohai” here mostly refers to the great sea; when the book says the River comes out at Jishi, it means it emerges from underground and reappears on the surface.)

The Red Water rises at the southeast corner of Kunlun and flows southwest into the east of Danze (Cinnabar Marsh) by the South Sea.

East of the Red Water, the Ruoshui (Weak Water) comes from Qiongshi (a mountain name, in the region of the northern frontier at Zhangye), flows to Heli, and its remaining waves enter the Flowing Sands; it crosses the Flowing Sands and goes south to the South Sea. (“Jue” here means to cross or pass through.)

Note: This passage writes Kunlun, the Muhe, the gate-and-li system in the style of the four gates and eight wastelands, and the Ruoshui and Flowing Sands all together; it is the style of Han-dynasty immortal geography and river myth. The characters in parentheses are ancient annotations, and in the vernacular they have been merged into the sentences as far as possible for easier continuous reading.

This passage from the Huainan Honglie Jie describes the geographical layout and wondrous landscapes of ancient myth. Flowing Water (referring to the rivers that run through the region) flows out from the northwest and empties into the southern region inhabited by the Feathered People of the South Sea (a tribe with wings in ancient legend). Pure Water (a legendary divine spring) rises in Didao of Longxi, flows east through Wudu, and is called Hanyang (or “Yang”). These four rivers are all divine springs of the Heavenly Thearch, able to harmonize all medicinal herbs and moisten the myriad things.

Mount Kunlun (a divine mountain in myth) rises into the clouds. If its height were doubled (assuming it is ten thousand li high, a second doubling would make it twenty thousand li), it would become Liangfeng Mountain, the Mountain of Cool Wind—ascending it, one can attain immortality. If doubled again, it would become Xuanpu, the Hanging Garden—ascending it, one can summon wind and rain. If doubled yet again, it would become Wei Shangtian, the Support of Heaven—ascending it, one can become a spirit, and this is the dwelling place of the Heavenly Thearch (the place where the Heavenly Thearch resides).

The Fumu (a mythological mulberry tree) grows in Yangzhou (an eastern region), where the sun shines (Tanggu is a warm place, and Yangzhou lies in the east). The Jianmu (a divine tree reaching up to Heaven) grows in Duguang (a mountain in the south); its form is like a living creature, its bark like yellow snake scales, and its branches and leaves like a net. The many thearchs (the Heavenly Thearch and his attendants) ascend and descend between Heaven and the world from here. At noon, when the sun shines directly overhead, a person standing beneath the tree casts no shadow, because this is the exact center of Heaven and Earth (at noon the sun is overhead, so there is no gnomon shadow).

The Ruomu (a divine tree in myth) grows west of Jianmu. At its treetop are ten suns, shaped like lotus flowers, whose radiance illuminates the earth (ten suns at the treetop, shaped like lotus flowers, shining down on everything below).

The Nine Provinces (the inner lands) are a thousand li square (“chun” is a unit of measurement). Beyond the Nine Provinces are eight distant lands (the term yin is pronounced as yin and means “distant”), also a thousand li square. In the northeast there is a great marsh called Wutong (the Boundless Marsh); in the east there is a great islet called Shaohai (a place in the water where people can dwell is called a zhu; because the east has much water, it is called Shaohai); in the southeast there is Juqu called Yuanze (“yuan” is pronounced “xue,” referring to Boxue); in the south there is Dameng called Haozhe (a vast watery marsh); in the west there is a great marsh called Liusha (the Flowing Sands); in the northwest there is a great marsh called Wutong (sharing the name of the northeastern one); and in the north there is a great marsh called Daze (a general term for the marshes of the north).

Vernacular Explanation of the Huainan Honglie Jie

This section discusses ancient geography and cosmological structure: beyond the Jiuzhou (Nine Provinces) are divisions such as the Bayin (Eight Outlying Regions), Baze (Eight Marshes), Bahong (Eight Cords), and Baji (Eight Poles), with explanations of character meanings and place names.

Hao means “great.” The southwest region is called Zhuzi, also called Danze—so named because it is near the Dan River.

The west is called Jiuqu, also Quanze. The northwest is called Daxia, also Haize. The north is called Daming (Ming), also Hanze—since the north has much cold water, it is called Hanze.

The cloud Qi produced by the above Bayin and Baze transforms into rain and moistens the Jiuzhou.

Beyond the Bayin there are also the Bahong. Hong means wei: like a binding cord it wraps and binds heaven and earth and marks the boundaries of the four directions, hence Bahong. Each region is also about a thousand li across.

Starting from the northeast: Heqiu, also called Huangtu—the place where phoenixes sing of themselves and luan birds dance of themselves, hence Heqiu and Huangtu. East: Jilin and Sangye. Southeast: Daqiong and Zhongnü. South: Duguang and Fanhu—Duguang is a country name; the mountain within the country is also called Duguang Mountain. Its people dwell facing south, and all doors face north, hence “Fanhu” (Reversed Doors). Southwest: Jiaoyao and Yantu—Jiaoyao is a country of short people, less than three chi in height. West: Jinqiu and Woye—the west belongs to the Metal position, hence Jinqiu; wo means white and pure, and the west’s color is white, hence Woye. Northwest: Yimu and Shasuo—the people have only one eye in the center of the face; Shasuo may be where the flowing sands originate, or, according to one account, it is a marsh name. North: Jibing and Weiyu—the north is where cold ice gathers, hence Jibing; Weiyu is a mountain name, on the shadowed side of the North Pole, where sunlight does not reach.

The Qi of the Bahong issues forth as cold and heat; combining with the Bazheng (the correct positions of the eight winds), it necessarily moves with wind and rain—wind and rain mainly fall within the Bahong.

Beyond the Bahong there are also the Baji:

From the northeast: Fangtu Mountain and Cangmen—in the northeast Wood Qi is about to take charge; as the beginning of sound, it is called Cangmen. East: Dongji Mountain and Kaiming Gate—ming belongs to Yang and is the place of sunrise, hence Kaiming Gate. Southeast: Bo....

Note: The material in parentheses is old commentary, already integrated into the above; after the final sentence, “In the southeast it is called Bo,” the scripture is incomplete, and one should consult the complete edition to continue reading.

Vernacular Interpretation of the Huainan Honglie Jie

There is a mountain named Yangmen (the southeast corresponds to the si position among the Earthly Branches, where pure Yang governs, hence it is called Yangmen; in ancient cities, the gate at the southeast corner was also often called Yangmen, for the same reason).

In the south is Mount Nanji, called the Heat Gate (in the south Yang Qi is abundant and warmth accumulates, hence it is called the Heat Gate).

In the southwest is Mount Bianju, called the White Gate (the southwest corresponds to the shen position, where metal Qi first arises; the color of metal is white, hence it is called the White Gate).

In the west is Mount Xiji, called the Gate of Changhe (in the west, the eighth month establishes the you position; all things are complete and are about to be harvested and gathered. “Changhe” means great opening and great closing, gathering, converging, and storing; the myriad things gather and close, hence it is called the Gate of Changhe).

In the northwest is Mount Buzhou, called the Gate of Youdu (You means hidden storage, Du means gathering; the Yin Qi of Xuanming is about to arise and take charge, and things gather in accord with Yin, hence it is called the Gate of Youdu).

In the north is Mount Beiji, called the Cold Gate (a place where cold Qi accumulates, hence it is called the Cold Gate).

The clouds of the eight poles send rain down upon the world, and the winds of the eight gates regulate cold and heat; the clouds of the remote regions in the eight directions (the eight cords, eight limits, and eight marshes) rain upon the Nine Provinces, harmonizing the Central Land (the Central Land is Jizhou).

The precious products of the East include the xun, yu, and qi jades of Mount Yiwulü (Yiwulü is a mountain name in the Liaodong dependent state; xun, yu, and qi are all names of fine jade).

The precious products of the Southeast include the bamboo for arrows from Mount Kuaiji (Mount Kuaiji is south of present-day Shanyin County in Kuaiji; Great Yu was buried here; the fine bamboo produced in Kuaiji Commandery, which can be made into arrows, refers to this).

The precious products of the South include the rhinoceros horn and ivory of Mount Liang (Mount Liang lies in the region of Kuaiji, Changsha, and southern Xiang; rhinoceros horn and ivory are both rare and precious items).

The precious products of the Southwest include the gold and stone of Mount Hua (gold means yellow gold; stone means jade-bearing stone; Mount Hua is the mountain south of present-day Huayin County in Hongnong).

The precious products of the West include the pearls and jade of Mount Huo (pearls that shine at night and jade of beautiful color; Mount Huo is in the area of present-day Yong’an County in Hedong).

The precious products of the Northwest include the qiu, lin, and langgan jades of Kunlun (all are names of fine jade; Kunlun is a famous mountain of the northwest).

Classic: Huainan Honglie Jie

In the West the precious products include fine jades such as qiu, lin, and langgan. In the North the precious products include the sinews and horns of the Youdu region—ancient Youdu lay north of Yanmen; the area was suited to raising cattle, sheep, and horses, and its sinews and horns were excellent for making bows and crossbows. In the Northeast the precious products include the patterned hides of Chishan (pronounced with the chi of “Chiqiu”), that is, leopard and tiger skins; tradition says that Wuzhongzi once sent Meng Le to present leopard and tiger skins through Wei Zhuangzi in order to seek peace with the various Rong, and this refers to products of this kind.

In the center the precious products include the five grains, mulberry and hemp growing on Daiyue (Mount Tai, revered in imperial abdications and sacrifices, hence called Daiyue), as well as the fish and salt it produces—all things that nourish people arise from this.

Generally, in topography east-west is the weft and north-south the warp. Mountains belong to the De (Virtue/Power) of benevolence; the myriad things are born on them, hence they are called “accumulated De.” Water belongs to wisdom; wisdom can judge and cut through, hence it is called “accumulated punishment.” The Analects says, “The benevolent take delight in mountains; the wise take delight in water,” which draws on this meaning. High places belong to Yang and govern birth; low places belong to Yin and govern death. Hills and high open ground belong to Yang and are male; ravines and valleys, being low, belong to Yin and are female.

Where water meets round bends (Yang), it often produces pearls—pearls are Yang within Yin; where it meets square bends (Yin), it often produces jade—jade is Yin within Yang; each follows its own kind. Where clear water is limpid, gold appears; Dragon Pool is the abyss in which dragons roam, and within it is jade blossom, whose Jing (essence)-light transforms.

Land, according to its kind, gives birth to people and to illnesses. Thus where mountain Qi (vital energy) is abundant, there are many males; where marsh Qi is abundant, many females; where miasmic Qi is abundant, many are mute; where wind Qi is abundant, many are deaf; where forest Qi is abundant, many suffer from urinary retention and similar complaints; where Wood Qi is abundant, many are hunchbacked—from “mountain Qi produces many males” onward, all these statements mean that children born locally often suffer many illnesses of these kinds. Where the Qi below the banks is abundant, edema is common; where stone Qi is abundant, people have great strength (resembling the hardness of stone). In dangerous and obstructed places, Qi rushes to the throat and easily forms goiter (swelling of the neck). Where heat Qi is abundant, premature death is common; where cold Qi is abundant, longevity is common; where valley Qi is abundant, Bi disease (numbness and obstruction) is common; where mound Qi is abundant, hunchback is common.

This passage discusses how the Qi of water and soil differs from place to place, and how people, things, customs, and even anomalous phenomena all correspond to the local Qi conditions and Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) attributes.

Terrain and Temperament

In low-lying, damp places, the Qi inclines toward “yan” (what is low and foul is called yan), and people are mostly benevolent and generous. In hilly areas, the Qi is abundant, and people are mostly covetous. Where the soil is light and loose, people are mostly quick and agile; where the soil is heavy and thick, people are mostly slow (one explanation takes “li” as “rapid,” contrasting it with “chi,” slow). Clear water has a fine sound; turbid water has a loud sound. The water of rapid currents nurtures people of light and nimble temperament; sluggish, stagnant water nurtures people of heavy and solid temperament.

Images of the Five Directions

The central land is balanced and upright, and sages often emerge from it, all because “they image their Qi and respond by kind”—people and things alike imitate the local Qi and each form their own category.

The south is warm and has grass of immortality; the north is cold and has ice that does not melt (ice frozen for a long time and not thawing).

The east belongs to the De of Wood and governs benevolence. Legend tells of a “land of gentlemen”: its people wear caps and sashes, carry swords, eat animal meat, and drive two great tigers.

The west belongs to Metal; Metal governs cutting and severing, attack and war, hence there are anomalies such as the mutilated corpse. It also discusses “direct dreams in sleep and daily life”—the Metal Qi of the west is fierce, so people’s sleep, daily activities, and dreams often come directly true. Those who die before completing their allotted lifespan become ghosts and can cause strange phenomena and harm people. One account says the mutilated corpse has its two breasts as eyes and its navel as a mouth, and it wields a shield and axe and dances; another account says that Wu Meng—whose hands were cut off by a heavenly spirit and whose head was cut off by the Heavenly Emperor—is why, in sleep and daily life, dreams are often direct.

Magnetite can attract flying iron, and mica draws moisture; making an earth dragon can bring rain (when Tang suffered drought, he made an earth dragon in the image of a dragon; because clouds follow the dragon, rain came).

The swallow is the dark bird; it comes at the spring equinox and leaves at the autumn equinox. Geese fly north at the spring equinox and south at the autumn equinox, alternating south and north; hence it is called “alternating flight” (dai means to alternate).

The ling (dragonfly) and the crab, and pearls and tortoises, flourish and decline together with the moon (“yu” means to follow; when the moon is full, the Qi of pearls and tortoises is abundant, and so on).

Soil and Bodily Form

People of hard soil are resolute and firm; people of soft soil are fat; people of lu soil (pronounced like “lu”) have large bodies; people of sandy soil have small bodies; people of xi soil (fertile soil) are beautiful; people of hao soil are ugly.

Diet and Human Nature

Those who eat water are good swimmers and endure cold (such as fish, turtles, and birds like the yuan and egret); those who eat earth have no mind but are wise by nature (such as earthworms); those who eat wood are often strong; those who eat grass are often good runners; those who eat leaves are often skillful; those who eat meat are often brave; those who eat earth have no mind—such categories use “what they eat” as a metaphor for “the Qi they receive.”

(Note: The final sentence of the original, “those who eat earth have no mind but are wise,” may overlap with the earlier “those who eat earth” entry in the received text; in interpretation it is usually merged with the earthworm category.)

Overall, this is the “geography—temperament—categories of things” correspondence theory commonly used in the Huainan tradition: it does not judge fate by the individual alone, but infers people, customs, and local anomalies from regional soil, water and soil, and Five Phases attributes. The parenthetical material originally consisted of commentators’ contextual explanations from the Han and Jin periods; in the vernacular it has been integrated into the sentences for easier continuous reading.

Vernacular Interpretation of the Huainan Honglie Jie

The strong-and-bi kind (animals such as bears; bi means thick flesh and yellow intestines; pronounced “nei bi,” dry and hard like the Chinese bi, close to the nostrils); grass-eaters are good at running but stupid (like mi deer). Leaf-eaters can spit silk and transform into moths (the silkworm is one). Meat-eaters are brave and fierce (tigers, leopards, eagles, and hawks). Qi-eaters are spiritually luminous and long-lived (immortals such as Chisongzi and Wang Qiao). Those who eat the five grains are wise but short-lived; those who do not eat or drink do not die and are wondrously extraordinary.

All people, birds and beasts, the myriad things, and tiny insects (zhenchong, referring to the various subtle and essential kinds) each have their own mode of life. Some are odd, some even; some fly, some run; none knows their true condition. Only one who knows and penetrates the Dao can investigate their root and origin.

Heaven is one, Earth is two, humans are three (one is Yang, two is Yin; humans are born from Heaven and Earth, hence are called three). Three times three is nine; nine times nine is eighty-one. One governs the sun (the number ten, from jia to gui); the sun governs humans; humans are therefore born in ten months. Eight times nine is seventy-two; two governs the even; the even supports the odd; the odd governs chen; chen governs the moon; the moon governs horses; horses are therefore born in twelve months. Seven times nine is sixty-three; three governs the Dipper; the Dipper governs dogs; dogs are therefore born in three months. Six times nine is fifty-four; four governs the seasons; the seasons govern the zhi (pig); pigs are therefore born in four months. Five times nine is forty-five; five governs the tones; the tones govern apes; apes are therefore born in five months. Four times nine is thirty-six; six governs the pitch standards; the pitch standards govern mi deer; mi deer are therefore born in six months. Three times nine is twenty-seven; seven governs the stars; the stars govern tigers; tigers are therefore born in seven months. Two times nine is eighteen; eight governs wind; wind governs insects; insects therefore transform in eight months.

Birds and fish are all born from Yin; Yin belongs to Yang, so birds and fish are all oviparous. Fish swim in water and birds fly in clouds; therefore at the beginning of winter swallows and sparrows enter the sea and transform into clams. All things are born and yet differ in kind: silkworms eat but do not drink; cicadas drink but do not eat; mayflies neither drink nor eat. Those with shells and scales (shells: turtles and soft-shelled turtles; scales: fish and dragons) eat in summer and hibernate in winter. Those that gnaw and swallow (birds and fish) have eight orifices and are oviparous; those that chew and swallow have nine orifices and are viviparous; four-footed creatures have no feathers.

Huainan Honglie Jie, Volume Seven: Vernacular Interpretation

Horned animals lack upper incisors. Those without horns are fatty in the front half of the body (such as pigs, bears, and apes), with fat mostly beginning in the front half. Horned animals have well-developed hooves and toes but little fat in the rear half (such as cattle, sheep, elk, and deer), with fat mostly beginning in the rear half.

Young beasts born by day mostly resemble the father; those born by night mostly resemble the mother. When Yin Qi is abundant, females are born; when Yang Qi is abundant, males are born. Bears and brown bears must hibernate, and birds migrate with the seasons—all are caused by the movement of the Qi of Heaven and Earth.

Thus white waters are suited to producing jade; black waters to producing whetstones and grinding stones (a whetstone being a hard stone for sharpening blades); blue-green waters to producing green jade; red waters to producing cinnabar; yellow waters to producing gold; and clear waters to raising turtles. The Fen River is turbid and suitable for hemp; the Ji River is smooth and harmonious and suitable for wheat; the He River is rather turbid and suitable for beans (shu); the Luo River is light and quick and suitable for grain; the Wei River is strong and suitable for broomcorn millet; the Han River is heavy and stable and suitable for bamboo; the Jiang River is rich and benevolent and suitable for rice. People who dwell on the plains are mostly clever, and the land is suitable for cultivating the five grains.