Book Seventeen of the Classic of Mountains and Seas (大荒北经)

The Classic of the Great Wilderness: North (大荒北經 Dàhuāng běijīng) is the seventeenth book of the Classic of Mountains and Seas and the last of the four «Classics of the Great Wilderness» (大荒經). It gathers some of the recueil's most powerful myths: the death of Kuafu chasing the sun, the great war of the Yellow Emperor against Chiyou with the Winged Dragon and the drought goddess Ba, the monster Xiangyao slain by Yu, and the great cosmic figure of the Torch-Dragon (Zhulong). The Chinese text is given with its pinyin transcription, followed by the English translation and notes.

大荒北經 — The Great Wilderness of the North

東dōng北běi海hǎi之zhī外wài，大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，河hé水shuǐ之zhī間jiān，附fù禺yú之zhī山shān，帝dì顓zhuān頊xū與yǔ九jiǔ嬪pín葬zàng焉yān。爰yuán有yǒu𩿨chī久jiǔ、文wén貝bèi、離lí俞yú、鸞luán鳥niǎo、凰huáng鳥niǎo、大dà物wù、小xiǎo物wù。有yǒu青qīng鳥niǎo、琅láng鳥niǎo、玄xuán鳥niǎo、黃huáng鳥niǎo、虎hǔ、豹bào、熊xióng、羆pí、黃huáng蛇shé、視shì肉ròu、璿xuán、瑰guī、瑤yáo、碧bì，皆jiē出chū衛wèi於yú山shān。丘qiū方fāng圓yuán三sān百bǎi里lǐ，丘qiū南nán帝dì俊jùn竹zhú林lín在zài焉yān，大dà可kě為wèi舟zhōu。竹zhú南nán有yǒu赤chì澤zé水shuǐ，名míng曰yuē封fēng淵yuān。有yǒu三sān桑sāng無wú枝zhī。丘qiū西xī有yǒu沉chén淵yuān，顓zhuān頊xū所suǒ浴yù。

Beyond the northeastern sea, at the heart of the Great Wilderness, between the arms of the River, rises Mount Fuyu (附禺之山): Emperor Zhuanxu (顓頊) and his nine concubines are buried there. There are found the Jiujiu (𩿨久), veined shells, the Liyu bird (離俞), the luan bird (鸞), the Huang bird (凰), and creatures great and small. There are the blue bird, the Lang bird (琅), the black bird, the yellow bird, the tiger, the leopard, the bear, the brown bear, the yellow snake, the Shirou (視肉), and the jades Xuan (璿), Gui (瑰), Yao (瑤) and Bi (碧), all issuing from the guarded mountain (衛). The hill is three hundred li around; to its south lies the bamboo grove of Emperor Jun (帝俊竹林), large enough to make boats from. South of the bamboos is the water of the Red Marsh (赤澤水), called the Feng abyss (封淵). There are three mulberries without branches. West of the hill is the deep abyss (沉淵) where Zhuanxu bathed.

有yǒu胡hú不bù與yǔ之zhī國guó，烈liè姓xìng，黍shǔ食shí。

There is the land of Hubuyu (胡不與之國), of the Lie clan (烈), who eat millet.

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē不bù咸xián。有yǒu肅sù慎shèn氏shì之zhī國guó。有yǒu悲bēi蛭zhì，四sì翼yì。有yǒu蟲chóng，獸shòu首shǒu蛇shé身shēn，名míng曰yuē琴qín蟲chóng。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness rises a mountain named Buxian (不咸). There is the land of the Sushen (肅慎氏之國). There is the Beizhi leech (悲蛭) with four wings. There is an insect with a beast's head and a serpent's body, named the Qin insect (琴蟲).

有yǒu人rén名míng曰yuē大dà人rén。有yǒu大dà人rén之zhī國guó，釐lí姓xìng，黍shǔ食shí。有yǒu大dà青qīng蛇shé，黃huáng頭tóu，食shí麈zhǔ。

There is a being named Daren (大人, the Giant). There is the land of the Giants (大人之國), of the Li clan (釐), who eat millet. There is a great blue-green snake with a yellow head, which devours deer (麈).

有yǒu榆yú山shān。有yǒu鯀gǔn攻gōng程chéng州zhōu之zhī山shān。

There is Mount Yu (榆山). There is the mountain where Gun attacked Chengzhou (鯀攻程州之山).

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē衡héng天tiān。有yǒu先xiān民mín之zhī山shān。有yǒu槃pán木mù千qiān里lǐ。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness rises a mountain named Hengtian (衡天). There is the Mountain of the First Men (先民之山). There is the Pan tree (槃木), a thousand li tall.

有yǒu叔shū歜chù國guó。顓zhuān頊xū之zhī子zi，黍shǔ食shí，使shǐ四sì鳥niǎo：虎hǔ、豹bào、熊xióng、羆pí。有yǒu黑hēi蟲chóng，如rú熊xióng狀zhuàng，名míng曰yuē猎liè猎liè。

There is the land of Shuchu (叔歜國). (Peopled by) a son of Zhuanxu, they eat millet and are served by four beasts: the tiger, the leopard, the bear and the brown bear. There is a black insect like a bear, named Lielie (猎猎).

有yǒu北běi齊qí之zhī國guó，姜jiāng姓xìng，使shǐ虎hǔ、豹bào、熊xióng、羆pí。

There is the land of Beiqi (北齊之國), of the Jiang clan (姜), served by the tiger, the leopard, the bear and the brown bear.

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē先xiān檻kǎn大dà逢féng之zhī山shān，河hé、濟jì所suǒ入rù，海hǎi北běi注zhù焉yān。其qí西xī有yǒu山shān，名míng曰yuē禹yǔ所suǒ積jī石shí。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness rises a mountain named Xianjian-Dafeng (先檻大逢之山), into which the River (河) and the Ji (濟) pour, and where the North Sea flows in. To the west is a mountain named Jishi-that-Yu-piled-up (禹所積石).

有yǒu陽yáng山shān者zhě。有yǒu順shùn山shān者zhě，順shùn水shuǐ出chū焉yān。有yǒu始shǐ州zhōu之zhī國guó，有yǒu丹dān山shān。

There is Mount Yang (陽山). There is Mount Shun (順山), from which issues the Shun River (順水). There is the land of Shizhou (始州之國), and Cinnabar Mountain (丹山).

有yǒu大dà澤zé方fāng千qiān里lǐ，群qún鳥niǎo所suǒ解jiě。

There is a Great Marsh (大澤) a thousand li on each side, where the birds in flocks come to moult.

有yǒu毛máo民mín之zhī國guó，依yī姓xìng，食shí黍shǔ，使shǐ四sì鳥niǎo。禹yǔ生shēng均jūn國guó，均jūn國guó生shēng役yì采cǎi，役yì采cǎi生shēng脩xiū鞈gé，脩xiū鞈gé殺shā綽chuò人rén。帝dì念niàn之zhī，潛qián為wèi之zhī國guó，是shì此cǐ毛máo民mín。

There is the land of the Hairy Men (毛民之國), of the Yi clan (依), who eat millet and are served by four beasts. Yu (禹) begat Junguo (均國), Junguo begat Yicai (役采), Yicai begat Xiuge (脩鞈), and Xiuge slew Chuoren (綽人). The Sovereign took pity and secretly made him a land: such are these Hairy Men.

有yǒu儋dān耳ěr之zhī國guó，任rèn姓xìng，禺yú號hào子zi，食shí穀gǔ。北běi海hǎi之zhī渚zhǔ中zhōng，有yǒu神shén，人rén面miàn鳥niǎo身shēn，珥ěr兩liǎng青qīng蛇shé，踐jiàn兩liǎng赤chì蛇shé，名míng曰yuē禺yú彊qiáng。

There is the land of the Pendulous-ears (儋耳之國), of the Ren clan (任), sons of Yuhao (禺號), who eat grain. Amid the islets of the North Sea lives a god with a human face and a bird's body, two green snakes for earrings and two red snakes underfoot, named Yuqiang (禺彊).

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē北běi極jí天tiān樻kuì，海hǎi水shuǐ北běi注zhù焉yān。有yǒu神shén，九jiǔ首shǒu人rén面miàn鳥niǎo身shēn，名míng曰yuē九jiǔ鳳fèng。又yòu有yǒu神shén衘xián蛇shé操cāo蛇shé，其qí狀zhuàng虎hǔ首shǒu人rén身shēn，四sì蹄tí長cháng肘zhǒu，名míng曰yuē彊qiáng良liáng。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness rises a mountain named the Celestial Pivot of the North Pole (北極天樻), into which the sea flows. There is a nine-headed god, with a human face and a bird's body, named the Nine-headed Phoenix (九鳳). There is also a god who bites snakes and holds snakes, with a tiger's head and a man's body, four hooves and long elbows, named Liangliang (彊良).

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē成chéng都dōu載zài天tiān。有yǒu人rén珥ěr兩liǎng黃huáng蛇shé，把bǎ兩liǎng黃huáng蛇shé，名míng曰yuē夸kuā父fù。后hòu土tǔ生shēng信xìn，信xìn生shēng夸kuā父fù。夸kuā父fù不bù量liàng力lì，欲yù追zhuī日rì景jǐng，逮dǎi之zhī於yú禺yú谷gǔ。捋lǚ飲yǐn河hé而ér不bù足zú也yě，將jiāng走zǒu大dà澤zé，未wèi至zhì，死sǐ于yú此cǐ。應yīng龍lóng已yǐ殺shā蚩chī尤yóu，又yòu殺shā夸kuā父fù，乃nǎi去qù南nán方fāng處chù之zhī，故gù南nán方fāng多duō雨yǔ。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness rises a mountain named Chengdu-Zaitian (成都載天). There is a being adorned with two yellow snakes and holding two yellow snakes, named Kuafu (夸父). Houtu (后土) begat Xin (信), Xin begat Kuafu. Kuafu, misjudging his strength, sought to chase the Sun's course and caught it at Yu valley (禺谷). Wishing to drink, he drank the River without draining it; he set out for the Great Marsh, but died here before reaching it. The Winged Dragon (應龍), having already slain Chiyou (蚩尤), slew Kuafu too, then withdrew to the south: this is why the south has abundant rains.

又yòu有yǒu無wú腸cháng之zhī國guó，是shì任rèn姓xìng，無wú繼jì子zi，食shí魚yú。

There is also the land of the Bowelless (無腸之國), of the Ren clan (任), descendants of Wuji (無繼), who eat fish.

共gòng工gōng臣chén名míng曰yuē相xiāng繇yáo，九jiǔ首shǒu蛇shé身shēn，自zì環huán，食shí于yú九jiǔ土tǔ。其qí所suǒ歍wū所suǒ尼ní，即jí為wèi源yuán澤zé，不bù辛xīn乃nǎi苦kǔ，百bǎi獸shòu莫mò能néng處chù。禹yǔ湮yān洪hóng水shuǐ，殺shā相xiāng繇yáo，其qí血xuè腥xīng臭chòu，不bù可kě生shēng穀gǔ，其qí地dì多duō水shuǐ，不bù可kě居jū也yě。禹yǔ湮yān之zhī，三sān仞rèn三sān沮jǔ，乃nǎi以yǐ為wèi池chí，群qún帝dì是shì因yīn以yǐ為wèi臺tái。在zài崑kūn崙lún之zhī北běi。

Gonggong's minister (共工) was named Xiangyao (相繇): nine heads and a serpent's body, coiled upon himself, he fed on nine regions at once. Wherever he vomited or rested, springs and marshes formed, whose water was neither sharp but bitter, and where no beast could live. Yu dammed the flood and slew Xiangyao; but his blood was so foul that grain could not grow there, and his land, soaked with water, remained uninhabitable. Yu filled it in; three times it collapsed, three times it sank; he then made it a pond, and the gods (群帝) made terraces of it. This is north of Kunlun.

有yǒu岳yuè之zhī山shān，尋xún竹zhú生shēng焉yān。

There is Mount Yue (岳之山), where the Xun bamboo grows (尋竹).

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē不bù句gōu，海hǎi水shuǐ入rù焉yān。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness rises a mountain named Buju (不句), into which the sea flows.

有yǒu係xì昆kūn之zhī山shān者zhě，有yǒu共gòng工gōng之zhī臺tái，射shè者zhě不bù敢gǎn北běi嚮xiàng。有yǒu人rén衣yī青qīng衣yī，名míng曰yuē黃huáng帝dì女nǚ魃bá。蚩chī尤yóu作zuò兵bīng伐fá黃huáng帝dì，黃huáng帝dì乃nǎi令lìng應yīng龍lóng攻gōng之zhī冀jì州zhōu之zhī野yě。應yīng龍lóng畜chù水shuǐ，蚩chī尤yóu請qǐng風fēng伯bó、雨yǔ師shī，縱zòng大dà風fēng雨yǔ。黃huáng帝dì乃nǎi下xià天tiān女nǚ曰yuē魃bá。雨yǔ止zhǐ，遂suì殺shā蚩chī尤yóu。魃bá不bù得dé復fù上shàng，所suǒ居jū不bù雨yǔ。叔shū均jūn言yán之zhī帝dì，後hòu置zhì之zhī赤chì水shuǐ之zhī北běi，叔shū均jūn乃nǎi為wèi田tián祖zǔ。魃bá時shí亡wáng之zhī。所suǒ欲yù逐zhú之zhī者zhě，令lìng曰yuē：「神shén北běi行xíng！」先xiān除chú水shuǐ道dào，決jué通tōng溝gōu瀆dú。

There is Mount Xikun (係昆之山); there is the terrace of Gonggong (共工之臺): the archer dares not shoot toward the north. There is a being clothed in green, named Ba (魃), the daughter of the Yellow Emperor. Chiyou (蚩尤) forged weapons and attacked the Yellow Emperor; the Yellow Emperor then ordered the Winged Dragon (應龍) to fight him on the plain of Jizhou (冀州之野). The Winged Dragon held back the waters; Chiyou summoned the Earl of Wind (風伯) and the Master of Rain (雨師), who unleashed a great storm. The Yellow Emperor then sent down the Daughter of Heaven, Ba (魃): the rain ceased, and Chiyou was slain. But Ba could not climb back to heaven, and where she dwells it rains no more. Shujun (叔均) warned the Sovereign, who banished her north of the Red Water; Shujun became the genius of the fields (田祖). Ba would sometimes flee (from her place). When one wished to drive her off, one ordered: «Spirit, go to the north!»; one first cleared the channels and opened ditches and canals.

有yǒu人rén方fāng食shí魚yú，名míng曰yuē深shēn目mù民mín之zhī國guó，昐fēn姓xìng，食shí魚yú。

There is a being eating fish, named the land of the Deep-eyed (深目民之國), of the Fen clan (昐), who eat fish.

有yǒu鍾zhōng山shān者zhě。有yǒu女nǚ子zi衣yī青qīng衣yī，名míng曰yuē赤chì水shuǐ女nǚ子zi獻xiàn。

There is Mount Zhong (鍾山). There is a woman clothed in green, named Xian, daughter of the Red Waters (赤水女子獻).

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē融róng父fù山shān，順shùn水shuǐ入rù焉yān。有yǒu人rén名míng曰yuē犬quǎn戎róng。黃huáng帝dì生shēng苗miáo龍lóng，苗miáo龍lóng生shēng融róng吾wú，融róng吾wú生shēng弄nòng明míng，弄nòng明míng生shēng白bái犬quǎn，白bái犬quǎn有yǒu牝pìn牡mǔ，是shì為wèi犬quǎn戎róng，肉ròu食shí。有yǒu赤chì獸shòu，馬mǎ狀zhuàng無wú首shǒu，名míng曰yuē戎róng宣xuān王wáng尸shī。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness rises a mountain named Rongfu (融父山), into which the Shun River flows (順水). There is a being named Quanrong (犬戎). The Yellow Emperor begat Miaolong (苗龍), Miaolong begat Rongwu (融吾), Rongwu begat Nongming (弄明), Nongming begat the White Dog (白犬), which was both male and female: such are the Quanrong, who feed on flesh. There is a red beast, in the form of a headless horse, named the corpse of King Rongxuan (戎宣王尸).

有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē齊qí州zhōu之zhī山shān、君jūn山shān、鬵qín山shān、鮮xiān野yě山shān、魚yú山shān。

There are mountains named Mount Qizhou (齊州之山), Mount Jun (君山), Mount Zeng (鬵山), Mount Xianye (鮮野山) and Fish Mountain (魚山).

有yǒu人rén一yī目mù，當dāng面miàn中zhōng生shēng，一yī曰yuē是shì威wēi姓xìng，少shǎo昊hào之zhī子zi，食shí黍shǔ。

There are men with a single eye, set in the middle of the face. Another version says they are of the Wei clan (威), sons of Shaohao, and that they eat millet.

有yǒu繼jì無wú民mín，繼jì無wú民mín任rèn姓xìng，無wú骨gǔ子zi，食shí氣qì、魚yú。

There are the Jiwumin (繼無民); the Jiwumin are of the Ren clan (任), descendants of Wugu (無骨), who feed on breath (氣) and on fish.

西xī北běi海hǎi外wài，流liú沙shā之zhī東dōng，有yǒu國guó曰yuē中zhōng䡢biàn，顓zhuān頊xū之zhī子zi，食shí黍shǔ。

Beyond the northwestern sea, east of the Shifting Sands, there is a land named Zhongche (中䡢), (peopled by) a son of Zhuanxu, who eats millet.

有yǒu國guó名míng曰yuē賴lài丘qiū。有yǒu犬quǎn戎róng國guó。有yǒu神shén，人rén面miàn獸shòu身shēn，名míng曰yuē犬quǎn戎róng。

There is a land named Laiqiu (賴丘). There is the land of the Quanrong (犬戎國). There is a god with a human face and a beast's body, named Quanrong (犬戎).

西xī北běi海hǎi外wài，黑hēi水shuǐ之zhī北běi，有yǒu人rén有yǒu翼yì，名míng曰yuē苗miáo民mín。顓zhuān頊xū生shēng驩huān頭tóu，驩huān頭tóu生shēng苗miáo民mín，苗miáo民mín百bǎi姓xìng，食shí肉ròu。有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē章zhāng山shān。

Beyond the northwestern sea, north of the Black Water, there are beings furnished with wings, named the Miaomin (苗民). Zhuanxu begat Huantou (驩頭), Huantou begat the Miaomin; the Miaomin are of the Bai clan (百), who feed on flesh. There is a mountain named Mount Zhang (章山).

大dà荒huāng之zhī中zhōng，有yǒu衡héng石shí山shān、九jiǔ陰yīn山shān、泂jiǒng野yě之zhī山shān，上shàng有yǒu赤chì樹shù，青qīng葉yè，赤chì華huá，名míng曰yuē若ruò木mù。

At the heart of the Great Wilderness lie Mount Hengshi (衡石山), Mount Jiuyin (九陰山) and Mount Jiongye (泂野之山); on their summit grows a red tree, with green leaves and red flowers, named Ruomu (若木).

有yǒu牛niú黎lí之zhī國guó。有yǒu人rén無wú骨gǔ，儋dān耳ěr之zhī子zi。

There is the land of Niuli (牛黎之國). There are boneless beings, descendants of the Pendulous-ears (儋耳).

西xī北běi海hǎi之zhī外wài，赤chì水shuǐ之zhī北běi，有yǒu章zhāng尾wěi山shān。有yǒu神shén，人rén面miàn蛇shé身shēn而ér赤chì，直zhí目mù正zhèng乘chéng，其qí瞑míng乃nǎi晦huì，其qí視shì乃nǎi明míng，不bù食shí，不bù寢qǐn，不bù息xī，風fēng雨yǔ是shì謁yè。是shì燭zhú九jiǔ陰yīn，是shì謂wèi燭zhú龍lóng。

Beyond the northwestern sea, north of the Red Water, rises Mount Zhangwei (章尾山). There is a god with a human face and a serpent's body, red, with vertical eyes set perfectly straight: when he closes his eyes, it is night; when he opens them, it is day. He does not eat, does not sleep, does not breathe; wind and rain are at his command. He lights up the nine glooms: this is the Torch-Dragon (燭龍, Zhulong).

Notes

The Yellow Emperor's war against Chiyou (蚩尤). The most developed account in the Shanhaijing of this founding myth: Chiyou, inventor of weapons, confronts the Yellow Emperor; the Winged Dragon (應龍) holds back the waters, Chiyou summons the Earl of Wind and the Master of Rain, and the Yellow Emperor sends down from heaven his daughter Ba (魃), the drought, to overcome the storm. An aetiology of droughts and rain rites.

Kuafu (夸父). As in Book VIII, the giant who chases the sun and dies of thirst; here he is linked to Houtu (后土) and tied to the cycle of the Winged Dragon, who slays him after Chiyou.

Xiangyao (相繇) and Gonggong. The nine-headed serpent, minister of Gonggong, poisons the earth; Yu the Great slays him and turns the cursed place into a pond and sacred terrace — a northern variant of the Xiangliu of Book VIII.

Zhulong (燭龍), the Torch-Dragon. The book closes on this major cosmic figure: a red god with a serpent's body whose opening and closing of the eyes make day and night, who commands wind and rain and «lights the nine glooms». It is one of the most powerful symbols of ancient Chinese cosmology.

Genealogies and peoples. The chapter multiplies lineages (Zhuanxu, Yellow Emperor, Yu) and the peoples of the northern margins, among them the Quanrong (犬戎), the Miaomin (苗民) and the Sushen (肅慎), mingling history and myth.

Uncertain identifications. Many names of beings, mountains and animals (彊良, 戎宣王尸, 中䡢…) have no assured equivalent; they are transcribed in pinyin with the characters, the English renderings following the traditional glosses (Guo Pu, Hao Yixing).

Chinese text after the Chinese Text Project (ctext.org). Translation and notes: Chine-culture.com.