山海經·大荒北經 Classic of the Great Wilds: North

Beyond the Northeastern Sea in the midst of the Great Wilds, between the branches of the Yellow River, is Mount Fuyu, where Thearch Zhuanxu and his nine consorts are buried. Here are bojiu owls, patterned cowries, Liyu birds, luan birds, feng birds, great creatures, and small creatures. There are azure birds, lang birds, dark birds, yellow birds, tigers, leopards, brown bears, grizzly bears, yellow serpents, shirou (flesh-lingots), and xuan, gui, yao, and bi jades, all issuing from this mountain. The mound spans three hundred li in circumference. South of the mound is the bamboo grove of Thearch Jun, so large that stems can be hollowed into boats. South of the bamboo is the Red Marsh Water, named the Feng Abyss. There are three branchless mulberries. West of the mound is the Shen Abyss, where Zhuanxu bathed.

There is the Country of Hubuyu, bearing the surname Lie, eating millet.

In the midst of the Great Wilds is a mountain named Buxian, and the Country of the Sushen Clan. There are flying leeches with four wings. There is a creature with a beast's head and a serpent's body, named the Qin Insect.

There is a person named Giant (Daren). There is the Country of Giants, bearing the surname Li, eating millet. There is a great azure serpent with a yellow head, which devours large deer.

There is Mount Yu. There is the mountain where Gun attacked Chengzhou.

In the midst of the Great Wilds is a mountain named Hengtian. There is Mount Xianmin. There is the coiled tree spanning a thousand li.

There is the Country of Shuchu, descendants of Zhuanxu, who eat millet and control four birds, tigers, leopards, brown bears, and grizzly bears. There is a black creature resembling a bear, named the Lielie.

There is the Country of Beiqi, bearing the surname Jiang, who control tigers, leopards, brown bears, and grizzly bears.

In the midst of the Great Wilds is Mount Xianjian Dafeng, where the Yellow and Ji rivers enter and the sea pours in to the north. To its west is a mountain, named Mount Jishi piled up by Yu.

There is Mount Yang. There is Mount Shun, from which the Shun River emerges. There is the Country of Shizhou, and Mount Dan.

There is a Great Marsh spanning a thousand li square, where flocks of birds shed their plumage.

There is the Country of Hairy People (Maomin), bearing the surname Yi, eating millet, and controlling four birds. Yu begot Junguo, Junguo begot Yicai, and Yicai begot Xiuge. Xiuge slew a Chaoren man. The Thearch had pity on him, secretly establishing a kingdom for him, which became these Hairy People.

There is the Country of Dan'er (Carrying Ears), bearing the surname Ren, descendants of Yuhao, eating grain. On an islet of the Northern Sea is a deity with a human face and a bird's body, wearing two green serpents as earrings and treading upon two red serpents, named Yuqiang.

In the midst of the Great Wilds is a mountain named Beiji Tiangui (North Pole Heaven-Cupboard), into which the ocean waters pour north beyond the seas. There is a deity with nine heads bearing human faces and a bird's body, named Jiufeng (Nine Phoenixes). There is also a deity holding serpents in his jaws and grasping serpents in his hands, shaped with a tiger's head, human body, four hooves, and long elbows, named Qiangliang.

In the midst of the Great Wilds is a mountain named Chengdu Zaitian. There is a man wearing two yellow serpents as earrings and holding two yellow serpents, named Kuafu. Houtu begot Xin, and Xin begot Kuafu. Kuafu did not measure his strength, wishing to pursue the shadow of the sun, overtaking it at the Valley of Yugu. About to drink from the Yellow River, it proved insufficient; he set off for the Great Marsh, but before reaching it, died here. After Yinglong had slain Chiyou, he also slew Kuafu, and thereupon departed to dwell in the south; for this reason the southern lands have abundant rain.

There is also the Country of Bowelless People (Wuchang), bearing the surname Ren, descendants of Wuji, eating fish.

A minister of Gonggong was named Xiangyao [Xiangliu]; he had nine heads and a serpent body, coiled in rings, feeding across the nine lands. Wherever he vomited or rested, springs and marshes formed, acrid and bitter, so that no beasts could abide there. When Yu quelled the floodwaters, he slew Xiangyao; his blood was foul and stench-ridden, preventing grain from growing, and the ground was soaked in water, rendering it uninhabitable. Yu filled it with earth, but three times it rose three ren and three times it sank down; thereupon he turned it into a pool, upon which the various thearchs built their terraces. It lies north of Kunlun.

There is Mount Yue, where Xun bamboo grows.

In the midst of the Great Wilds is a mountain named Buju, into which seawater pours northward.

There is Mount Xikun, upon which stands the Terrace of Gonggong; archers dare not shoot facing north. There is a being clad in green garments, named Ba, daughter of the Yellow Emperor. When Chiyou raised arms to attack the Yellow Emperor, the Yellow Emperor commanded Yinglong to attack him in the Wilderness of Jizhou. Yinglong stored up water. Chiyou petitioned the Wind Lord and Rain Master to release tempestuous winds and rain. The Yellow Emperor thereupon sent down the heavenly daughter Ba, whereupon the rain ceased, and Chiyou was subsequently slain. Ba could not return aloft, and wherever she dwelt no rain fell. Shujun reported this to the Thearch, who subsequently settled her north of the Red River. Shujun thereupon became the Ancestor of Fields. From time to time Ba escapes; those who wish to expel her utter the command: 'Goddess, journey north!' First clearing the water channels and dredging the ditches and gutters.

There are people feeding on fish, named the Country of Deep-Eyed People (Shenmu), bearing the surname Fen, eating fish.

There is Mount Zhong, where a woman clad in green garments dwells, named Maiden Xian of the Red River.

In the midst of the Great Wilds is Mount Rongfu, into which the Shun River pours. There are people named the Quanrong. The Yellow Emperor begot Miaolong, Miaolong begot Rongwu, Rongwu begot Nongming, and Nongming begot the White Dogs, both male and female; these became the Quanrong, who eat meat. There is a red beast shaped like a headless horse, named the Corpse of King Rongxuan.

There are mountains named Mount Qizhou, Mount Jun, Mount Bi, Mount Xianye, and Mount Yu.

There are people with a single eye, set in the center of their face. Another account says they bear the surname Wei, descendants of Shaohao, eating millet.

There are the Wuji People; the Wuji People bear the surname Ren, have no bones, and feed on air and fish.

Beyond the Northwestern Sea, east of the Shifting Sands, is a country named Zhonglun, descendants of Zhuanxu, eating millet.

There is a country named Laiqiu. There is the Country of Quanrong. There is a deity with a human face and a beast's body, named Quanrong.

Beyond the Northwestern Sea, north of the Black River, there are winged people named the Miaomin. Zhuanxu begot Huantou, and Huantou begot the Miaomin; the Miaomin bear the surname Li and eat meat. There is a mountain named Mount Zhang.

In the midst of the Great Wilds are Mount Hengshi, Mount Jiuyin, Mount Huiye, and Mount Jiongye, upon which grows a red tree with green leaves and red blossoms, named the Ruo Tree.

There is the Country of Niuli. There are boneless people, descendants of Dan'er.

Beyond the Northwestern Sea, north of the Red River, is Mount Zhangwei. There is a deity with a human face and a serpent's body, scarlet in color, with vertical and upright eyes. When he closes his eyes, darkness falls; when he opens his eyes, light shines forth. He does not eat, does not sleep, and does not breathe; he summons wind and rain. He illuminates the ninefold abyss; he is called Zhulong (the Torch Dragon).