Shanhaijing (Classic of Mountains and Seas)
Shanhaijing is an ancient pre-Qin Chinese book. This amazing book mainly describes ancient myths, geography, products, sorcery, religion, old history, medicine, folklore, ethnicity and other aspects. So some scholars believe that Shanhaijing is not only a myth, but also an ancient geography, including mountains, rivers, birds and animals.
The entire book of Shanhaijing consists of eighteen volumes, with a total of 31,000 words. It recorded more than 100 states, 550 mountains, 300 watercourses, as well as related terroirs and natural resources. Sorcerers, fangshi and ancestral temple officials of the past generations contributed these recerds, and go through a long period of time of writing and compilation. These records still have a high reference value for us to learn about ancient times.
English translations of Shanhaijing
| Title | Publication Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| The Classic of Mountains and Seas by Anne Birrell (Paperback) | January 1, 2001 | 978-0140447194 |
| A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from the Guideways Through the Mountains and Seas by Richard Strassberg | June 17, 2002 (Hardcover); November 4, 2008 (Paperback) | 978-0520218444 (Hardcover); 978-0520298514 (Paperback) |
| Fantastic Creatures of the Mountains and Seas: A Chinese Classic by Jiankun Sun, Siyu Chen, Howard Goldblatt (Hardcover) | June 1, 2021 | 978-1950691388 |
Achievement of Shanhaijing
Geography
It includes information about ancient lakes, swamps, wetlands, deserts, mountains, and rivers.
Mythology
It leaves a reliable textual basis for the mythical world.
Zoology
It records a list of 400 supernatural beings in Chinese folklore.
Medicine
It records approximately 110–140 kinds of drugs with medicinal values.
Religion
It describes and reveals ancient Chinese religious consciousness and ideas.
