山海經·海外西經 Classic of Regions Beyond the Western Seas

The regions beyond the seas, from the southwest corner to the northwest corner:

The Miemeng Bird dwells north of the Country of Tied-Chest; it is a blue-green bird with a red tail.

Mount Dayun is three hundred ren high, lying north of the Miemeng Bird.

The Wilderness of Dayue: here Sovereign Qi of Xia danced the Nine Substitutions; he rode upon two dragons with a three-tiered canopy of clouds. In his left hand he held an umbrella-canopy, in his right hand a jade ring, wearing a jade crescent pendant. This was north of Mount Dayun. Another version calls it the Wilderness of Dayi.

The Country of the Three-Bodied People lies north of Sovereign Qi of Xia; its people have one head and three bodies.

The Country of the One-Armed People lies to its north, having one arm, one eye and one nostril. There are yellow horses with tiger stripes, with one eye and one forehand.

The Country of the Odd-Arm People lies to its north; its people have one arm and three eyes, of both yin and yang nature, riding patterned horses. There is a bird here with two heads, red and yellow, dwelling beside them.

Xingtian contended with the Sovereign for divine supremacy. The Sovereign severed his head and buried it on Mount Changyang. Thereupon he made his nipples his eyes and his navel his mouth, grasping his shield and battle-axe to dance.

The Priestess and the Weeper dwell to his north, between two rivers; the Weeper holds a fish-horn cup, and the Priestess holds an altar-tray.

The Min and Xiao birds are blue-green and yellow; any state they pass through perishes. They dwell north of the Priestess. The Min bird has a human face and dwells on the mountain. Another version calls them the Wei birds, where blue and yellow birds gather.

The Country of Men lies north of the Wei birds; its people wear robes, caps and girded swords.

The Corpse of Nüchou was scorched to death when the ten suns appeared. She lies north of the Country of Men, shielding her face with her right hand. The ten suns blazed above, while Nüchou stood atop the mountain.

The Country of Shaman Xian lies north of Nüchou, holding a blue-green serpent in his right hand and a red serpent in his left hand. It is on Mount Dengbao, where the shamans ascend and descend.

The Bingfeng dwells east of Shaman Xian; it is shaped like a pig, black, with a head at both front and back.

The Country of Women lies north of Shaman Xian; two women dwell there surrounded by water. Another version says they dwell within a single gateway.

The Country of Xuanyuan lies along the border; those who are not long-lived among them still live eight hundred years. It lies north of the Country of Women; its people have human faces and serpent bodies, with their tails coiled above their heads.

Mount Qiong lies to its north; archers dare not shoot toward the west out of reverence for the Mound of Xuanyuan. It lies north of the Country of Xuanyuan; the mound is square, surrounded by four entwined serpents.

The Wilderness of Zhuyao: here luan birds sing spontaneously and phoenixes dance; people eat fenghuang eggs and drink sweet dew, having all their desires fulfilled. The hundred beasts dwell together in harmony. It lies north of the four serpents; its people hold eggs in both hands to eat them, led forward by two birds.

The Dragon-Fish dwells upon the hills north of here, shaped like a wildcat. Another version calls it the Xia. Sages and divine spirits ride upon it to travel through the nine realms. Another version says the soft-shell fish is north of the Yao wilderness, resembling a carp.

The Country of the White People lies north of the Dragon-Fish; they have white bodies and dishevelled hair. Here is Chenghuang, shaped like a fox with horns upon its back; riding it grants two thousand years of life.

The Country of Sushen lies north of the White People. There is a tree here called the Luotang; whenever successive sages arise, they take bark here to make garments.

The Country of the Long-Thighed People lies north of Luotang, with loose hair. Another version calls them the Long-Legged People.

In the west is Rushou, having a serpent through his left ear and riding upon two dragons.

Category: Russia