山海經·海內經 Classic of Regions Within the Seas

Within the Eastern Sea, at the corner of the Northern Sea, is a country named Chaoxian [Korea]; and Tiandu [India], whose people live beside waters, gentle and loving towards fellow humans.

Within the Western Sea, in the midst of the Shifting Sands, is a country named Heshi.

Within the Western Sea, west of the Shifting Sands, is a country named Fanye.

West of the Shifting Sands is Mount Niaoshan, from which three rivers emerge. Here yellow gold, fine jades, cinnabar valuables, silver, and iron all flow within its midst. There is also Mount Huaishan, from which the Hao River emerges.

East of the Shifting Sands and west of the Black River are the Country of Zhaoyun and the Country of Sizhi. The Yellow Emperor's wife Leizu begot Changyi. Changyi descended to dwell at the Ruo River and begot Hanliu. Hanliu had an elongated neck, small ears, a human face, a swine's snout, a scaly body, broad thighs, and pig's trotters; he married a daughter of Nao named E'nü, who gave birth to Thearch Zhuanxu.

East of the Shifting Sands, between the branches of the Black River, is a mountain named the Mountain of Immortality (Busi).

East of Mount Hua and the Green River is a mountain named Mount Zhaoshan. There is a person named Bo Zigao, who ascended and descended here, reaching all the way to heaven.

In the southwest between the branches of the Black River lies the Wilderness of Duguang, where Lord Millet (Houji) was buried. Its city spans three hundred li square; it is the center of heaven and earth, from which the Maiden Su emerged. Here are rich beans, rich rice, rich millet, and rich panicled millet; the hundred grains grow of themselves, sown and tilled in winter and summer alike. The luan birds sing spontaneously, and the feng birds dance spontaneously; the lingshou trees blossom and bear fruit, and plants and trees cluster in abundance. Here all manner of beasts live together in harmonious flocks. These plants never wither in winter or summer.

Within the Southern Sea, between the Black River and the Green River, is a body of water named Ruomu, from which the Ruo River emerges.

There is the Country of Yuzhong. There is the Country of Liexiang. There is Mount Lingshan, where a red serpent lives upon the trees, named the Ruan Serpent, feeding on wood.

There is the Country of Yanzhang. There are beings with birds' heads, named the Bird People (Niaomin).

There are Nine Mounds encircled by waterways, named the Mound of Taotang, the Mound of Shude, the Mound of Mengying, the Mound of Kunwu, the Mound of Black-and-White, the Mound of Chiwang, the Mound of Canwei, the Mound of Wufu, and the Mound of Shenmin. There is a tree with green leaves, purple stems, dark blossoms, and yellow fruit, named the Jianmu Tree; it rises a hundred ren without branches, twisting above into nine coils and below into nine tangled roots; its fruit resembles hemp, and its leaves resemble awns. Taihao traversed it; it was made by the Yellow Emperor.

There is the Yayu, which has a dragon's head and devours humans. There is an azure beast with a human face, named the xingxing.

In the southwest is the Country of Ba. Taihao begot Xianniao, Xianniao begot Chengli, and Chengli begot Houzhao; Houzhao was the first ancestor of the Ba people.

There is a country named Liuhuang Xinshi, spanning three hundred li square in its territory, from which dust arises. There is Mount Basui, from which the Mian River emerges.

There is also the Country of Zhujuan. There is a black serpent with an azure head, which devours elephants.

In the south are the Gan Giants; they have human faces with long lips, black bodies covered in hair, and backwards-pointing heels. When they see people they laugh, their upper lips covering their eyes, which allows one to escape.

There are also black people with tiger heads and bird feet, holding serpents in both hands and devouring them.

There are the Leimin People, with bird feet; and giant wild boars (fengshi).

There are people called the Miaomin. There is a deity with a human head and a serpent's body, as long as a carriage shaft, having heads on both left and right, wearing purple robes and a felt hat, named Yanwei; when a sovereign of men captures and feasts upon it, he becomes hegemon over all under heaven.

The luan birds sing spontaneously, and the feng birds [fenghuang] dance spontaneously. The markings on the feng bird's head say 'Virtue' (De), on its wings say 'Compliance' (Shun), on its breast say 'Benevolence' (Ren), and on its back say 'Righteousness' (Yi); when it appears, all under heaven is at peace.

There is also an azure beast shaped like a hare, named the Linggou. There are kingfishers. There are peacocks.

Within the Southern Sea are Mount Hengshan, Mount Junshan, and Mount Guishan. There is a mountain named the Capital of the Three Heavenly Thearchs.

In the south is the Mound of Cangwu and the Abyss of Cangwu, wherein lies Mount Jiuyi, where Shun is buried, on the border between Changsha and Lingling.

Within the Northern Sea is Mount Sheshan (Serpent Mountain), from which the She River emerges, flowing east into the sea. There is a bird of five colors whose wings darken an entire district, named the Yi Bird. There is also Mount Buju, to whose west the craftsman Chui is buried.

Within the Northern Sea is a figure bound behind his back, laden with pillory and fetters, armed with a dagger-axe and serving as a rebellious attendant, named the Corpse of Xianggu.

Boyi Fu begot Xiyue, Xiyue begot Xianlong, and Xianlong first begot the Di and Qiang peoples; the Di and Qiang bear the surname Qi.

Within the Northern Sea is a mountain named Mount Youdu, from which the Black River emerges. Upon it are dark birds, dark serpents, dark leopards, dark tigers, and dark foxes with bushy tails. There is Mount Daxuan. There are the people of Xuanqiu. There is the Country of Dayou. There are the people of Red Shanks.

There is the Country of Dingling; its people grow hair below their knees, have horse hooves, and are swift runners.

The Flame Thearch's grandson Boling had an affair with the wife of Wu Quan, E'nü Yuanfu; Yuanfu was pregnant for three years, giving birth to Gu, Yan, and Shu. Shu first made target-archery markers; Gu and Yan first cast bronze bells and composed melodies.

The Yellow Emperor begot Luoming, Luoming begot Baima (White Horse), and Baima was Gun.

Thearch Jun begot Yuhao, Yuhao begot Yinliang, and Yinliang begot Panyu, who first constructed boats. Panyu begot Xi Zhong, and Xi Zhong begot Jiguang, who first fashioned carriages out of wood.

Shaohao begot Ban, who first fashioned the bow and arrow.

Thearch Jun bestowed upon Yi the vermilion bow and white-feathered arrows to succor the realms below; thereupon Yi set forth to relieve the hundred tribulations of the earthly world.

Thearch Jun begot Yanlong, who fashioned the zither and lute.

Thearch Jun had eight sons, who first created song and dance.

Thearch Jun begot Sanshen, and Sanshen begot Yijun; Yijun was the craftsman Chui, who first invented the hundred crafts for the earthly mortals. Lord Millet sowed the hundred grains. Millet's grandson was named Shujun, who first inaugurated ox-plowing. Dabi and Chiyin first founded kingdoms. Yu and Gun first spread earth, leveling and ordering the Nine Provinces.

The Flame Thearch's wife, Tingyao daughter of the Red River, gave birth to Yanju. Yanju begot Jiebing, Jiebing begot Xiqi, and Xiqi begot Zhurong. Zhurong descended to dwell along the Jiang River and begot Gonggong. Gonggong begot Shuqi, who had a square crown on his head and restored fertile soil along the Jiang River. Gonggong begot Houtu, Houtu begot Yeming, and Yeming begot the twelve months of the year.

The floodwaters rose to engulf heaven. Gun stole the Sovereign's Breathing Soil (Xirang) to dam the inundating flood, without awaiting the Sovereign's command. The Sovereign ordered Zhurong to slay Gun at the outskirts of Mount Yu. From Gun's slain corpse Yu was born. The Sovereign thereupon commanded Yu to finish spreading the earth, ordering the Nine Provinces.

Category: India.

Category: Korea.