Chapter 2 of the Classic of Mountains and Seas

The Classic of the Mountains of the West (西山经 Xīshānjīng) is the second book of the Classic of Mountains and Seas. It traverses, from east to west, four mountain ranges—including Mount Hua and Mount Kunlun, the dwelling of the Queen Mother of the West—rich in minerals, plants, and wondrous beasts and birds, each range concluding with the ritual due to its deities. The Chinese text is presented with its pinyin transcription, followed by the French translation and notes.

First Classic of the West — 西山经 (Hua Range)

《西xī山shān經jīng》華huá山shān之zhī首shǒu，曰yuē錢qián來lái之zhī山shān，其qí上shàng多duō松sōng，其qí下xià多duō洗xǐ石shí。有yǒu獸shòu焉yān，其qí狀zhuàng如rú羊yáng而ér馬mǎ尾wěi，名míng曰yuē羬qián羊yáng，其qí脂zhī可kě以yǐ已yǐ腊là。

The Classic of the Mountains of the West. The first mountain of the Hua range is named Mount Qianlai (錢來). Its summit abounds in pines, its foot in scouring stones (xishi 洗石). A beast is found there whose appearance resembles a sheep but has a horse’s tail; it is named the qianyang (羬羊); its fat cures chapped skin.

西xī四sì十shí五wǔ里lǐ，曰yuē松sōng果guǒ之zhī山shān，濩huò水shuǐ出chū焉yān，北běi流liú注zhù于yú渭wèi，其qí中zhōng多duō銅tóng。有yǒu鳥niǎo焉yān，其qí名míng曰yuē䳋chì渠qú，其qí狀zhuàng如rú山shān雞jī，黑hēi身shēn赤chì足zú，可kě以yǐ已yǐ𦢊yōng。

Forty-five li to the west is Mount Songguo (松果). The Huo River (濩水) issues from it and flows north to empty into the Wei (渭); it abounds in copper. A bird named chiqu (䳋渠) is found there, whose appearance resembles a pheasant, black-bodied with red feet; it cures abscesses.

又yòu西xī六liù十shí里lǐ，曰yuē太tài華huá之zhī山shān，削xuē成chéng而ér四sì方fāng，其qí高gāo五wǔ千qiān仞rèn，其qí廣guǎng十shí里lǐ，鳥niǎo獸shòu莫mò居jū。有yǒu蛇shé焉yān，名míng曰yuē肥féi𧔥wèi，六liù足zú四sì翼yì，見jiàn則zé天tiān下xià大dà旱hàn。

Sixty li further west is Mount Taihua (太華), sheer-sided and square; it is five thousand ren high and ten li wide; no birds or beasts dwell there. A serpent named feiyi (肥𧔥) is found there, with six legs and four wings; when it appears, the empire suffers great drought.

又yòu西xī八bā十shí里lǐ，曰yuē小xiǎo華huá之zhī山shān，其qí木mù多duō荊jīng杞qǐ，其qí獸shòu多duō㸲zuò牛niú，其qí陰yīn多duō磬qìng石shí，其qí陽yáng多duō㻬tū琈fú之zhī玉yù，鳥niǎo多duō赤chì鷩bì，可kě以yǐ禦yù火huǒ，其qí草cǎo有yǒu萆bì荔lì，狀zhuàng如rú烏wū韭jiǔ，而ér生shēng於yú石shí上shàng，亦yì緣yuán木mù而ér生shēng，食shí之zhī已yǐ心xīn痛tòng。

Eighty li further west is Mount Xiaohua (小華). Its trees are mostly jing (荊) and gouqi (杞), its beasts mostly zuoniu (㸲牛, wild oxen). Its north-facing slope abounds in sounding stones (qingshi 磬石), its south-facing slope in tufu jade (㻬琈). Its birds are mostly red pheasants (chibie 赤鷩), which protect against fire. Among its herbs, the bili (萆荔), like black fern (wujiu 烏韭), grows on rocks and also climbs trees; whoever eats it cures heart pain.

又yòu西xī八bā十shí里lǐ，曰yuē符fú禺yú之zhī山shān，其qí陽yáng多duō銅tóng，其qí陰yīn多duō鐵tiě。其qí上shàng有yǒu木mù焉yān，名míng曰yuē文wén莖jīng，其qí實shí如rú棗zǎo，可kě以yǐ已yǐ聾lóng。其qí草cǎo多duō條tiáo，其qí狀zhuàng如rú葵kuí，而ér赤chì花huā黃huáng實shí，如rú嬰yīng兒ér舌shé，食shí之zhī使shǐ人rén不bù惑huò。符fú禺yú之zhī水shuǐ出chū焉yān，而ér北běi流liú注zhù于yú渭wèi。其qí獸shòu多duō葱cōng聾lóng，其qí狀zhuàng如rú羊yáng而ér赤chì鬣liè。其qí鳥niǎo多duō鴖mín，其qí狀zhuàng如rú翠cuì而ér赤chì喙huì，可kě以yǐ禦yù火huǒ。

Eighty li further west is Mount Fuyu (符禺). Its south-facing slope abounds in copper, its north-facing slope in iron. A tree grows on its summit named wenjing (文莖), whose fruit resembles a date and cures deafness. Among its herbs abounds the tiao (條), like mallow, with red flowers and yellow fruit like a baby’s tongue; whoever eats it is no longer confused. The Fuyu River (符禺水) issues from it and flows north to empty into the Wei. Its beasts are mostly conglong (葱聾), like sheep with red manes. Its birds are mostly min (鴖), like kingfishers but with red beaks, which protect against fire.

又yòu西xī六liù十shí里lǐ，曰yuē石shí脆cuì之zhī山shān，其qí木mù多duō椶zōng柟nán，其qí草cǎo多duō條tiáo，其qí狀zhuàng如rú韭jiǔ，而ér白bái華huá黑hēi實shí，食shí之zhī已yǐ疥jiè。其qí陽yáng多duō㻬tū琈fú之zhī玉yù，其qí陰yīn多duō銅tóng。灌guàn水shuǐ出chū焉yān，而ér北běi流liú注zhù于yú禺yú水shuǐ。其qí中zhōng有yǒu流liú赭zhě，以yǐ塗tú牛niú馬mǎ無wú病bìng。

Sixty li further west is Mount Shicui (石脆). Its trees are mostly zong (椶) and nanmu (柟); among its herbs abounds the tiao (條), like leek, with white flowers and black fruit; whoever eats it cures scabies. Its south-facing slope abounds in tufu jade, its north-facing slope in copper. The Guan River (灌水) issues from it and flows north to empty into the Yu (禺水). It contains liquid ochre (liuzhe 流赭): one anoints cattle and horses with it to keep them free of disease.

又yòu西xī七qī十shí里lǐ，曰yuē英yīng山shān，其qí上shàng多duō杻niǔ橿jiāng，其qí陰yīn多duō鐵tiě，其qí陽yáng多duō