山海經·東山經 Classic of the Eastern Mountains

The first peak of the Eastern Mountains is called Mount Suzhu, looking north toward Ganmei. The Shi River rises here and flows northeast into the sea; in it are many yongyong fish, shaped like oxen with voices like pigs.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Lei. On top is jade, below is gold. The Hu River rises here and flows east into the Shi River; in it are many tadpoles.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Xunzhuang. On top is much metal and jade, below much dark green jasper. There is a beast here shaped like a dog with six feet, called the congcong; it cries its own name. There is a bird here shaped like a chicken with rodent fur, called the cishu; when it appears, severe drought strikes the town. The Gua River rises here and flows north into Lake Hushui; in it are many needle-fish, shaped like minnows with beaks like needles; eating them prevents epidemics.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Boqi, with no plants or trees and no water.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Fantiao, with no plants or trees and much sand. The Jian River rises here and flows north into the sea; in it are many yellowcheek carp.

Four hundred li further south is Mount Gu'er. On top are many lacquer trees, below many mulberries and wild mulberries. The Gu'er River rises here and flows north into the sea; in it are many yellowcheek carp.

Four hundred li further south is Mount Gaoshi. On top is much jade, below many acupuncture needle stones. The Zhusheng River rises here and flows east into the marsh; in it is much metal and jade.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Yue. On top are many mulberries, below many ailanthus. The Luo River rises here and flows east into the marsh; in it is much metal and jade.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Chai. On top are no plants or trees, below is much water, in which are many kanyu fish. There is a beast here shaped like Kuafu with boar's bristles and a voice like shouting; when it appears, great floods strike the world.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Du. On top is much metal and jade, below many fine stones. The Motu River rises here and flows east into the Mian; in it are many mengyong, shaped like yellow snakes with fish wings, shining as they move in and out; when they appear, severe drought strikes the town.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Tai. On top is much jade, below much gold. There is a beast here shaped like a piglet with pearls, called the tongtong; it cries its own name. The Huan River rises here and flows east into the Yangtze; in it is much rock crystal.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Zhu (Bamboo Mountain), bordering the Yangtze, with no plants or trees and much fine jade and jasper. The Ji River rises here and flows east into the Qutan River; in it are many purple snails.

In all, the first range of the Eastern Mountains, from Mount Suzhu to Mount Zhu, has twelve mountains and runs 3,600 li. Their gods all have human bodies and dragon heads. In their sacrifice, one dog is offered in prayer, and fish are presented as blood offerings.

The first peak of the second range of the Eastern Mountains is called Mount Kongsang. To the north it overlooks the Shi River, to the east Juwu, to the south Shaling, and to the west the Min Marsh. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with tiger stripes, whose voice sounds like qin, called the lingling; it cries its own name, and when it appears, great floods strike the world.

Six hundred li further south is Mount Caoxi. Below it are many paper mulberries and no water, with many birds and beasts.

Four hundred li to the southwest is Mount Yigao. On top is much metal and jade, below much white clay. The Yigao River rises here and flows east into the Jinv River; in it are many giant clams and pearl shells.

Travelling five hundred li south by water and three hundred li across shifting sands, one reaches the tail of Mount Ge, with no plants or trees and many whetstones.

Three hundred and eighty li further south is the head of Mount Ge, with no plants or trees. The Li River rises here and flows east into Lake Yu; in it are many zhubie fish, shaped like lungs with eyes, six feet and pearls; their taste is sweet and sour, and eating them prevents pestilence.

Three hundred and eighty li further south is Mount Yu'e. On top are many catalpas and nan trees, below many thorns and brambles. The Zayu River rises here and flows east into the Huang River. There is a beast here shaped like a hare with a bird's beak, owl's eyes and a snake's tail, playing dead when seeing people, called the qiuyu; it cries its own name, and when it appears, locusts bring ruin.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Dufu, with no plants or trees and much water.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Geng, with no plants or trees, much jasper and many great serpents. There is a beast here shaped like a fox with fish wings, called the zhuru; it cries its own name, and when it appears, panic strikes the state.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Luqi, with no plants or trees and much sand and stone. The Sha River rises here and flows south into the Cen River; in it are many lihu, shaped like mandarin ducks with human feet, crying their own name; when they appear, the state will have many earthworks.

Three hundred and eighty li further south is Mount Guye, with no plants or trees and much water.

Travelling three hundred li south by water and one hundred li across shifting sands is Mount Beiguye (Northern Guye), with no plants or trees and many stones.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Nanguye (Southern Guye), with no plants or trees and much water.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Bi, with no plants or trees, many great serpents and much jasper and rock crystal.

Five hundred li further south is Mount Goushi, with no plants or trees and much metal and jade. The Yuan River rises here and flows east into the Sand Marsh.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Gufeng, with no plants or trees and much metal and jade. There is a beast here shaped like a fox with wings, whose voice sounds like wild geese, called the bibi; when it appears, severe drought strikes the world.

Five hundred li further south is Mount Fuli. On top is much metal and jade, below many acupuncture stones. There is a beast here shaped like a fox with nine tails, nine heads and tiger claws, called the longzhi; its voice is like an infant's, and it eats people.

Five hundred li further south is Mount Yin, looking south toward the Yin River and east toward Lake Hu. There is a beast here shaped like a horse with sheep eyes, four horns and an ox tail, sounding like a howling dog, called the youyou; when it appears, deceitful intriguers multiply in the state. There is a bird here shaped like a duck with a rat's tail, skilled at climbing trees, called the xiegou; when it appears, epidemics strike the state.

In all, the second range of the Eastern Mountains, from Mount Kongsang to Mount Yin, has seventeen mountains and runs 6,640 li. Their gods all have beast bodies, human faces and carry antlers. In their sacrifice, one chicken is offered in prayer, and one bi jade disc is girdled and buried.

The first peak of the third range of the Eastern Mountains is called Mount Shihu, looking north toward Mount Qiao. On top is much metal and jade, below many thorns. There is a beast here shaped like an elk with fish eyes, called the yuanhu; it cries its own name.

Travelling eight hundred li south by water is Mount Qi; its trees are mostly peaches and plums, its beasts mostly tigers.

Travelling seven hundred li south by water is Mount Zhugou, with no plants or trees and much sand and stone. This mountain is one hundred li across and has many mei fish.

Travelling seven hundred li south by water is Mount Zhongfu, with no plants or trees and much sand.

Travelling one thousand li east by water is Mount Hushe, with no plants or trees and much sand and stone.

Travelling seven hundred li south by water is Mount Mengzi; its trees are mostly catalpas and tung trees, with many peaches and plums, its herbs mostly mushrooms and rushes, its beasts mostly elaphures and deer. This mountain is one hundred li across. A river rises on top called the Biyang; in it are many sturgeon.

Travelling five hundred li south by water to the Shifting Sands, and travelling another five hundred li, there is a mountain called Mount Qizhong, two hundred li across, with no plants or trees, possessing great serpents and much jade on top. A body of water forty li across surges here, called the Deep Marsh, containing many loggerhead turtles. There is a fish here shaped like a carp with six feet and a bird's tail, called the gega fish; it cries its own name.

Travelling nine hundred li south by water is Mount Muyu. On top are many plants and trees, much metal and jade, and much red ochre. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with a horse's tail, called the jingjing; it cries its own name.

Travelling five hundred li south by water and three hundred li across shifting sands, one reaches Mount Wugao, looking south toward the You Sea and east toward the Fusang tree, with no plants or trees and much wind. This mountain is one hundred li across.

In all, the third range of the Eastern Mountains, from Mount Shihu to Mount Wugao, has nine mountains and runs 6,900 li. Their gods all have human bodies and ram horns. In their sacrifice, one ram is used, and the grain is broomcorn millet. When these gods appear, wind, rain and flood bring ruin.

The first peak of the fourth range of the Eastern Mountains is called Mount Beihao, overlooking the Northern Sea. There is a tree here shaped like a poplar with red flowers, bearing fruit like dates without stones, sweet and sour; eating it cures malaria. The Shi River rises here and flows northeast into the sea. There is a beast here shaped like a wolf with a red head and rat eyes, sounding like a piglet, called the xieju; it eats people. There is a bird here shaped like a chicken with a white head, rat feet and tiger claws, called the qijue; it also eats people.

Three hundred li further south is Mount Mao, with no plants or trees. The Cangti River rises here and flows west into the Zhan River; in it are many qiu fish, shaped like carp with large heads; eating them prevents warts.

Three hundred and twenty li further south is Mount Dongshi. On top is much pale-green jade. There is a tree here shaped like a poplar with red grain; its sap is like blood and it bears no fruit; it is called the qi, and it can tame horses. The Ci River rises here and flows northeast into the sea; in it are many fine cowries and many purple fish, shaped like crucian carp with one head and ten bodies, smelling like miwu; eating them prevents indigestion.

Three hundred li to the southeast is Mount Nvzheng, with no plants or trees on top. The Shigao River rises here and flows west into the Ge River; in it are many bo fish, shaped like sturgeon with one eye, sounding like retching; when they appear, severe drought strikes the world.

Two hundred li to the southeast is Mount Qin, with much metal and jade and no stone. The Shi River rises here and flows north into Lake Gaoze; in it are many qiu fish and patterned cowries. There is a beast here shaped like a piglet with tusks, called the dangkang; it calls its own name, and when it appears, the world enjoys an abundant harvest.

Two hundred li to the southeast is Mount Zitong. The Zitong River rises here and flows west into the Yuru Marsh; in it are many hua fish, shaped like fish with bird wings, shining as they move in and out, sounding like mandarin ducks; when they appear, severe drought strikes the world.

Two hundred li to the northeast is Mount Yan, rich in metal and jade. There is a beast here shaped like a boar with a human face, a yellow body and a red tail, called the heyu; its voice is like an infant's. This beast eats humans as well as insects and snakes, and when it appears, great floods strike the world.

Two hundred li to the northeast is Mount Tai. On top is much metal, jade and evergreen privet. There is a beast here shaped like an ox with a white head, a single eye and a snake's tail, called the fei; when it walks through water, the water dries up; when it walks through grass, the grass withers; when it appears, a great plague strikes the world. The Gou River rises here and flows north into the Lao River; in it are many qiu fish.

In all, the fourth range of the Eastern Mountains, from Mount Beihao to Mount Tai, has eight mountains and runs 1,720 li.

The above is the record of the mountains of the Eastern Classic: forty-six mountains, running 18,860 li.