山海經·北山經 Classic of the Northern Mountains

The first peak of the Northern Mountains is called Mount Shanhu. It has many ji trees, and on top are many flowering herbs. The Feng River rises here and flows west into the You River; in it are many purple stones and patterned stones.

Two hundred and fifty li further north is Mount Qiuru. On top is much copper, below much jade; it has no plants or trees. The Hua River rises here and flows west into the Zhupi River. In it are many slippery fish, shaped like eels with red backs and voices like wu; eating them cures warts. In it are also many water-horses, shaped like horses with patterned forelegs, ox tails and voices like shouting.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Dai. On top is much jade, below much dark green jasper. There is a beast here shaped like a horse with a single patterned horn, called the huanshu; it repels fire. There is a bird here shaped like a crow, of five colours with red markings, called the qiyu; it is both male and female, and eating it prevents ulcers. The Peng River rises here and flows west into Lake Bihu; in it are many tiao fish, shaped like chickens with red feathers, three tails, six feet and four heads, sounding like magpies; eating them cures melancholy.

Four hundred li further north is Mount Qiaoming. The Qiao River rises here and flows west into the Yellow River. In it are many heluo fish, with one head and ten bodies, whose voice is like a barking dog; eating them cures boils. There is a beast here shaped like a porcupine with red bristles, whose voice is like liuliu, called the menghuai; it wards off misfortune. This mountain has no plants or trees and much dark realgar.

Three hundred and fifty li further north is Mount Zhuoguang. The Xiao River rises here and flows west into the Yellow River. In it are many xixi fish, shaped like magpies with ten wings, their scales at the tips of their feathers, with voices like magpies; they ward off fire, and eating them prevents jaundice. On top are many pines and cypresses, below many palms and nan trees; its beasts are mostly antelopes, its birds mostly fan.

Three hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Guo. On top are many lacquer trees, below many tung and ju trees. On its south side is much jade, on its north side much iron. The Yi River rises here and flows west into the Yellow River. Its beasts are mostly camels, its birds mostly yu, shaped like bats with mouse bodies and bird wings, sounding like sheep; they ward off weapon attacks.

Four hundred li further north one reaches the tail of Mount Guo. On top is much jade and no stone. The Yu River rises here and flows west into the Yellow River; in it are many patterned cowries.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Danxun. On top are many ailanthus and cypresses, its herbs mostly garlic chives and scallions, with much cinnabar pigment. The Xun River rises here and flows west into the Tang River. There is a beast here shaped like a rat with a hare's head and elk's body, whose voice is like a barking dog, flying with its tail, called the ershu; eating it prevents bloating and wards off all poisons.

Two hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Shizhe, with no plants or trees and much fine jade and jasper. The Ci River rises here and flows west into the Yellow River. There is a beast here shaped like a leopard with a patterned forehead and white body, called the mengji; it is good at stalking and cries its own name.

One hundred and ten li further north is Mount Bianchun, rich in scallions, mallow, garlic chives, peaches and plums. The Gang River rises here and flows west into the You Marsh. There is a beast here shaped like a yu monkey with patterned skin, prone to laughter, lying down when seeing people, called the you'an; it cries its own name.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Manlian, with no plants or trees. There is a beast here shaped like a yu monkey with a mane, an ox's tail, patterned arms and horse's hooves, shouting when seeing people, called the zuzi; it cries its own name. There is a bird here living in flocks and flying together, with feathers like a female pheasant, called the jiao; it cries its own name, and eating it cures wind disorders.

One hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Danzhang, with no plants or trees. There is a beast here shaped like a leopard with a long tail, a human head, ox ears and a single eye, called the zhujian; it is good at bellowing, holds its tail in its mouth when walking, and coils its tail when resting. There is a bird here shaped like a pheasant with a patterned head, white wings and yellow feet, called the baiye; eating it cures sore throats and eases palsy. The Li River rises here and flows south into the Gang River.

Three hundred and twenty li further north is Mount Guanti. On top are many ailanthus and wild mulberries, below much shifting sand and many whetstones. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with a white tail, crying with a bellowing sound, called the nafu. There is a bird here shaped like a female pheasant with a human face, leaping when seeing people, called the songsi; it cries its own name. The Jianghan River rises here and flows west into the You Marsh; in it are many lodestones.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Panhou. On top are many pines and cypresses, below many hazelnuts and thorn trees, on its south side much jade, on its north side much iron. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with long hair on its four joints, called the yak. The Bian River rises here and flows south into the Li Marsh.

Two hundred and thirty li further north is Mount Xiaoxian, with no plants or trees, and snow in both winter and summer.

Two hundred and eighty li to the north is Mount Daxian, with no plants or trees, and much jade below. This mountain is square and cannot be climbed. There is a snake here called the Great Snake, with bristles like a boar and a sound like wooden night-watch clappers.

Three hundred and twenty li further north is Mount Dunhong. On top are many palms and nan trees, below many purple herbs. The Dunhong River rises here and flows west into the You Marsh; rising from the northeast corner of Kunlun, it is truly the source of the Yellow River. In it are many red salmon, its beasts mostly wild buffalo and yaks, its birds mostly cuckoos.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Shaoxian, with no plants or trees and much dark green jasper. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with a red body, a human face and horse hooves, called the yayu; its voice is like an infant's, and it eats people. The Dun River rises here and flows east into the Yanmen River; in it are many peipei fish; eating them kills people.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Yuefa. The Huaize River rises here and flows northeast into Lake Taize. In it are many chao fish, shaped like carp with chicken feet; eating them cures warts. There is a beast here shaped like a dog with a human face, good at throwing, laughing when seeing people, called the shanhui; it moves like the wind, and when it appears, great gales strike the world.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Beiyue, with many brambles and hard woods. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with four horns, human eyes and pig ears, called the zhuhuai; its voice is like a crying wild goose, and it eats people. The Zhuhuai River rises here and flows west into the Xiao River; in it are many yi fish, with fish bodies and dog heads, sounding like babies; eating them cures madness.

One hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Hunxi, with no plants or trees and much copper and jade. The Xiao River rises here and flows northwest into the sea. There is a snake here with one head and two bodies, called the feiyi; when it appears, the state suffers severe drought.

Fifty li further north is Mount Beidan, with no plants or trees, and many scallions and garlic chives.

One hundred li further north is Mount Picha, with no plants or trees and many horses.

One hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Beixian, rich in horses. The Xian River rises here and flows northwest into the Tuwu River.

One hundred and seventy li further north is Mount Di, with many horses. There is a beast here shaped like a leopard with a patterned head, called the yao. The Di River rises here and flows east into Lake Taize; in it are many dragon turtles.

In all, the first range of the Northern Mountains, from Mount Shanhu to Mount Di, has twenty-five mountains and runs 5,490 li. Their gods all have human faces and snake bodies. In their sacrifice, one rooster and one pig are buried, and one auspicious gui jade sceptre is buried without grain offerings. The people north of these mountains all eat raw food without using fire.

The first peak of the second range of the Northern Mountains lies east of the Yellow River, its head resting on the Fen; it is called Mount Guancen. On top are no trees and many grasses, below much jade. The Fen River rises here and flows west into the Yellow River.

Two hundred and fifty li further west is Mount Shaoyang. On top is much jade, below much red silver. The Suan River rises here and flows east into the Fen River; in it is much fine ochre.

Fifty li further north is Mount Xuanyong. On top is much jade, below much copper; its beasts are mostly donkeys and elaphures, its birds mostly white long-tailed pheasants and white ducks. The Jin River rises here and flows southeast into the Fen River; in it are many ji fish, shaped like minnows with red scales and voices like shouting; eating them prevents body odour.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Huqi, with no plants or trees and much dark green jasper. The Sheng River rises here and flows northeast into the Fen River; in it is much pale-green jade.

Three hundred and fifty li further north is Mount Baisha (White Sand Mountain), three hundred li across, entirely of sand, with neither plants, trees, birds nor beasts. The Wei River rises on top and runs subterranean below; here is much white jade.

Four hundred li further north is Mount Ershi, with no plants or trees and no water.

Three hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Kuang, with no plants or trees; this mountain has snow in both winter and summer. The Kuang River rises here and flows west into the Fu River; in it is much fine jade.

Three hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Zhuyu. On top is much copper and jade, below many pines and cypresses. The Zhuyu River rises here and flows east into the Mao River.

Three hundred and fifty li further north is Mount Duntou. On top is much metal and jade, with no plants or trees. The Mao River rises here and flows east into Lake Yin; in it are many zuma horses, with white bodies, ox tails, a single horn and voices like shouting.

Three hundred and fifty li further north is Mount Gouwu. On top is much jade, below much copper. There is a beast here shaped with a sheep's body and a human face, its eyes beneath its armpits, with tiger's teeth and human claws, whose voice is like an infant's, called the paoxiao; it eats people.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Beixiao, with no stones; on its south side is much jasper, on its north side much jade. There is a beast here shaped like a tiger with a white body, dog's head, horse's tail and boar's mane, called the duhu. There is a bird here shaped like a crow with a human face, called the yongqu; it flies by night and hides by day; eating it cures sunstroke. The Cen River rises here and flows east into Lake Qiong.

Three hundred and fifty li further north is Mount Liangqu, with no plants or trees and much metal and jade. The Xiu River rises here and flows east into Yanmen; its beasts are mostly juji, shaped like hedgehogs with red bristles and voices like piglets. There is a bird here shaped like an eagle with four wings, one eye and a dog's tail, called the xiao, sounding like a magpie; eating it cures abdominal pain and checks diarrhea.

Four hundred li further north is Mount Guguan, with no plants or trees; this mountain has snow in both winter and summer.

Three hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Huguan. On its south side is much jade, on its north side much jasper and many horses. The Huguan River rises here and flows east into the sea; in it are many eels. There is a tree here with leaves like willow and red veins.

Travelling five hundred li north by water and three hundred li across shifting sands, one reaches Mount Huan. On top is much metal and jade. Three mulberry trees grow here, all without branches and one hundred ren high. A hundred kinds of fruit trees grow here, and below are many strange serpents.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Dunti, with no plants or trees and much metal and jade; it borders the Northern Sea.

In all, the second range of the Northern Mountains, from Mount Guancen to Mount Dunti, has seventeen mountains and runs 5,690 li. Their gods all have snake bodies and human faces. In their sacrifice, one rooster and one pig are buried, and one bi disc and one gui sceptre are cast in without grain offerings.

The first peak of the third range of the Northern Mountains is the Taihang range. Its first peak is Mount Gui, on which is metal and jade, and below is jasper. There is a beast here shaped like an antelope with four horns, a horse's tail and spurs, called the hui; it is good at turning back and cries its own name. There is a bird here shaped like a magpie with a white body, red tail and six feet, called the fen; it startles easily and cries its own name.

Two hundred li to the northeast is Mount Longhou, with no plants or trees and much metal and jade. The Juejue River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River; in it are many mermaid-fish, shaped like salamanders with four feet and voices like infants; eating them prevents idiocy.

Two hundred li further northeast is Mount Macheng. On top are many patterned stones, on its north side much metal and jade. There is a beast here shaped like a white dog with a black head, flying upon seeing people, called the tianma; it cries its own name. There is a bird here shaped like a crow with a white head, blue-green body and yellow feet, called the quju; it cries its own name, eating it keeps you from hunger and cures forgetfulness.

Seventy li further northeast is Mount Xian. On top is jade, below much copper; here are many pines and cypresses, and herbs are mostly purple grass. The Tiaojian River rises here and flows southwest into Lake Changze; in it is much qisuan, forming once every three years; eating it cures pestilence.

Two hundred li further northeast is Mount Tianchi, with no plants or trees and many patterned stones. There is a beast here shaped like a rabbit with a rat's head, flying with its back, called the flying rat. The Mian River rises here and runs subterranean below; in it is much yellow clay.

Three hundred li further east is Mount Yang. On top is much jade, below much metal and copper. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with a red tail, with a throat dewlap shaped like a hook, called the linghu; it cries its own name, and eating it cures madness. There is a bird here shaped like a female pheasant with five-coloured patterns, both male and female, called the xiangshe; it cries its own name. The Liu River rises here and flows south into the Yellow River; in it are xianfu fish, shaped like crucian carp with fish heads and pig bodies; eating them stops vomiting.

Three hundred and fifty li further east is Mount Benwen. On top is much pale-green jade, below much yellow clay and alum.

One hundred li further north is Mount Wangwu, rich in stone. The Lian River rises here and flows northwest into Lake Taize.

Three hundred li further northeast is Mount Jiao. On top is much jade and no stone. The Jiao River rises here and flows west into the Yellow River; this river dries up in winter and flows in summer, truly a seasonal river. In it are two hills: one hill is three hundred paces across, called Mount Fawan, having metal and jade on top.

Three hundred li to the south is Mount Jing, looking south to the Salt-Sellers' Marsh and north to Lake Shaoze. On top are many herbs and yams, its plants mostly Sichuan pepper, on its north side much red ochre, on its south side much jade. There is a bird here shaped like a snake with four wings, six eyes and three feet, called the suanyu; it cries its own name, and when it appears, panic strikes the town.

Three hundred and twenty li to the southeast is Mount Mengmen. On top is much pale-green jade and metal, below much yellow clay and alum.

Three hundred and twenty li further southeast is Mount Ping. The Ping River rises on top and runs subterranean below; here is much fine jade.

Two hundred li further east is Mount Jing, rich in fine jade, lacquer trees and bamboo; on its south side is red copper, on its north side black whetstone. The Gao River rises here and flows south into the Yellow River.

Two hundred li further east is Mount Chongwei. On top is much metal and jade, below much bamboo and dark green jasper. The Dan River rises here and flows south into the Yellow River; the Bo River rises here and flows southeast into Lake Huangze.

Three hundred li further east is Mount Pengpi, with no plants or trees, much metal and jade, and much water below. The Zaolin River rises here and flows southeast into the Yellow River; the Fei River rises here and flows south into the Chuang River; in it are many feiyi snakes.

One hundred and eighty li further east is Mount Xiaohou. The Mingzhang River rises here and flows south into Lake Huangze. There is a bird here shaped like a crow with white markings, called the gudu; eating it keeps your eyes clear.

Three hundred and seventy li further east is Mount Taitou. The Gong River rises here and flows south into the Hutuo River. On top is much metal and jade, below many arrow bamboos.

Two hundred li further northeast is Mount Xuanyuan. On top is much copper, below much bamboo. There is a bird here shaped like an owl with a white head, called the yellow bird; it cries its own name, and eating it cures jealousy.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Yeli. On top are many pines and cypresses, with metal and jade. The Qin River rises here and flows south into the Yellow River. To its east is a forest called Danlin (Cinnabar Forest); the Danlin River rises here and flows south into the Yellow River; the Yinghou River rises here and flows north into the Si River.

Three hundred li to the east is Mount Juru, with no plants or trees, and metal and jade. The Qi River rises here and flows south into the Yellow River.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Shenqun. On top are patterned stones, below are white snakes and flying insects. The Huang River rises here and flows east into the Huan; the Fu River rises here and flows east into the Ou River.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Fajiu, on which are many wild mulberries. There is a bird here shaped like a crow with a patterned head, white beak and red feet, called the jingwei; it cries its own name. She was the youngest daughter of the Flame Emperor, named Nüwa; Nüwa went playing in the Eastern Sea, drowned and never returned, so she became the jingwei bird, constantly carrying wood and stones from the Western Mountains in her beak to fill up the Eastern Sea. The Zhang River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River.

One hundred and twenty li further northeast is Mount Shao. On top is metal and jade, below is copper. The Clear Zhang River rises here and flows east into the Muddy Zhang River.

Two hundred li further northeast is Mount Xi. On top is much jade, below are whetstones. The Niushou River rises here and flows east into the Fu River.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Jing, with fine jade. The Jing River rises here and flows southeast into Lake Haize.

One hundred li further north is Mount Tishou, with jade and many stones, but no water.

One hundred li further north is Mount Xiu. On top is jade and dark green jasper; its trees are mostly xun, its plants mostly peonies and ligusticum. The Wei River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River; in it are catfish and frogs.

One hundred and twenty li further north is Mount Song. The Yang River rises here and flows northeast into the Yellow River.

One hundred and twenty li further north is Mount Dunyu, with no plants or trees, and metal and jade. The Suo River rises on its south side and flows east into the Tailu River; the Di River rises on its north side and flows east into the Peng River; the Huai River rises here and flows east into Lake Dize.

One hundred and seventy li further north is Mount Zhe. On its south side is metal and jade, on its north side is iron. The Liju River rises here and flows north into the Wei River.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Weilong. On top is jasper, on its south side gold, on its north side iron. The Fei River rises here and flows east into Lake Gaoze, where are many round boulders; the Changtie River rises here and flows north into the Great Marsh.

One hundred and eighty li further north is Mount Baima (White Horse Mountain). On its south side is much jade stone, on its north side much iron and red copper. The Muma River rises here and flows northeast into the Hutuo River.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Kongsang, with no plants or trees, and snow in both winter and summer. The Kongsang River rises here and flows east into the Hutuo River.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Taixi, with no plants or trees and much metal and jade. There is a beast here shaped like a sheep with one horn and one eye behind its ear, called the dongdong; it cries its own name. The Hutuo River rises here and flows east into the Lou River; the Yenv River rises on its south side and flows south into the Qin River.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Shi (Stone Mountain), with rich deposits of metal and jade. The Huohuo River rises here and flows east into the Hutuo River; the Xianyu River rises here and flows south into the Hutuo River.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Tongrong. The Gaotu River rises here and flows east into the Louye River.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Gaoshi. The Zi River rises here and flows south into the Hutuo River. Its trees are mostly palms, its herbs mostly tiao. The Kou River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River.

Three hundred li further north is Mount Lu, rich in fine jade. The Xi River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River.

Two hundred li further north is Mount Yi. The Pan River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River.

One hundred and twenty li to the north is Mount Yan, with many ying stones. The Yan River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River.

Travelling five hundred li north across mountains and five hundred li by water, one reaches Mount Rao. It has no plants or trees and much fine jade and jasper; its beasts are mostly camels, its birds mostly owls. The Liguo River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River; in it are shi fish; eating them kills people.

Four hundred li further north is Mount Gan, with no plants or trees; on its south side is metal and jade, on its north side iron and no water. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with three feet, called the huan; it cries its own name.

Five hundred li further north is Mount Lun. The Lun River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River. There is a beast here shaped like an elk with its oriface above its tail, called the pi.

Five hundred li further north is Mount Jieshi. The Sheng River rises here and flows east into the Yellow River; in it are many puyi fish. On top is jade, below much dark green jasper.

Travelling five hundred li north by water, one reaches Mount Yanmen, with no plants or trees.

Travelling four hundred li north by water, one reaches Lake Taize. In it is a mountain called Mount Didu (Sovereign's Capital), one hundred li across, with no plants or trees, and metal and jade.

Five hundred li further north is Mount Chunyuwufeng, looking north toward Mount Jihao where the wind howls like a tempest, and looking west toward Mount Youdu where the Yu River rises. Here is a great serpent with a red head and white body, sounding like an ox; when it appears, severe drought strikes the town.

In all, the third range of the Northern Mountains, from Mount Taihang to Mount Wufeng, has forty-six mountains and runs 12,350 li. Twenty of their gods have horse bodies and human faces; in their sacrifice, one patterned gui sceptre is buried. Fourteen gods have pig bodies crowned with jade; their sacrifice uses jade, not buried. Ten gods have pig bodies with eight feet and snake tails; in their sacrifice, one bi disc is buried. In all, forty-four gods are sacrificed to using glutinous rice grain offerings. None of these offerings use cooked food.

The above is the record of the mountains of the Northern Classic: eighty-seven mountains, running 23,230 li.