Chapter 6 of the Classic of Mountains and Seas (Classic of the Great Wilderness: South)

The Classic of Regions Beyond the Seas: South (海外南經 Hǎiwài nánjīng) is the sixth book of the Classic of Mountains and Seas and the first of the four "Classics of Regions Beyond the Seas" (海外經). It departs from the geography of mountains to explore a wondrous geography of peoples: following the southern perimeter from the southwest to the southeast, the text lists fabulous lands inhabited by bird-men, fire-breathers, immortals, and mythical heroes. The Chinese text is presented with its pinyin transcription, followed by a French translation and notes.

海外南經 — Regions Beyond the Seas: South

地dì之zhī所suǒ載zài, 六liù合hé之zhī間jiān, 四sì海hǎi之zhī內nèi, 照zhào之zhī以yǐ日rì月yuè, 經jīng之zhī以yǐ星xīng辰chén, 紀jì之zhī以ynj四sì時shí, 要yào之zhī以yǐ太tài歲suì, 神shén靈líng所suǒ生shēng, 其qí物wù異yì形xíng, 或huò夭yāo或huò壽shòu, 唯wéi聖shèng人rén能néng通tōng其qí道dào.

All that the earth bears, within the space of the six directions (六合), inside the Four Seas, is illuminated by the sun and moon, governed by the stars and constellations, regulated by the four seasons, and aligned with Taisui (the planet Jupiter). Here, spirits and divine powers are born; their forms are strange and varied, some fleeting, others long-lived. Only the sage can fathom their principles.

海hǎi外wài自zì西xī南nán陬zōu, 至zhì東dōng南nán陬zōu者zhě。

The lands beyond the seas stretch from the southwest corner to the southeast corner.

結jié匈xiōng國guó在zài其qí西xī南nán, 其qí為wèi人rén結jié匈xiōng。

The Country of Knotted Chests (結匈國) lies to the southwest; its people have prominent, knotted chests.

南nán山shān在zài其qí東dōng南nán. 自zì此cǐ山shān來lái, 蟲chóng為wèi蛇shé, 蛇shé號hào為wèi魚yú. 一yī曰yuē南nán山shān在zài結jié匈xiōng東dōng南nán。

The South Mountain (南山) is to the southeast of this country. From this mountain onward, insects (蟲) are called "snakes" and snakes are called "fish." According to another account, the South Mountain is southeast of the Country of Knotted Chests.

比bǐ翼yì鳥niǎo在zài其qí東dōng, 其qí為wèi鳥niǎo青qīng, 赤chì, 兩liǎng鳥niǎo比bǐ翼yì. 一yī曰yuē在zài南nán山shān東dōng。

The Biyi Bird (比翼鳥, "wing-to-wing bird") is to the east; this bird is blue-green and red, and two of them fly with their wings joined. Another account places it east of the South Mountain.

羽yǔ民mín國guó在zài其qí東dōng南nán, 其qí為wèi人rén長cháng頭tóu, 身shēn生shēng羽yǔ. 一yī曰yuē在zài比bǐ翼yì鳥niǎo東dōng南nán, 其qí為wèi人rén長cháng頰jiá。

The Country of Feathered Folk (羽民國) is to the southeast; its people have elongated heads and bodies covered in feathers. Another account places it southeast of the Biyi Bird, where its people have long cheeks.

有yǒu神shén人rén二èr八bā, 連lián臂bì, 為wèi帝dì司sī夜yè于yú此cǐ野yě. 在zài羽yǔ民mín東dōng. 其qí為wèi人rén小xiǎo頰jiá赤chì肩jiān. 盡jǐn十shí六liù人rén。

There are sixteen divine beings (神人二八) here, who link arms and serve the Emperor (帝) by keeping watch over this wilderness at night. They are east of the Country of Feathered Folk, have small cheeks, and red shoulders. There are sixteen of them in total.

畢bì方fāng鳥niǎo在zài其qí東dōng, 青qīng水shuǐ西xī, 其qí為wèi鳥niǎo人rén面miàn一yī腳jiǎo. 一yī曰yuē在zài二èr八bā神shén東dōng。

The Bifang Bird (畢方鳥) is to the east, west of the Blue River (青水); this bird has a human face and a single foot. Another account places it east of the Sixteen Spirits.

讙huān頭tóu國guó在zài其qí南nán, 其qí為wèi人rén人rén面miàn有yǒu翼yì, 鳥niǎo喙huì, 方fāng捕bǔ魚yú. 一yī曰yuē在zài畢bì方fāng東dōng. 或huò曰yuē讙huān朱zhū國guó。

The Country of Huan Heads (讙頭國) is to the south; its people have human faces with wings and bird beaks, and they catch fish. Another account places it east of the Bifang Bird. Some call it the Country of Huanzhu (讙朱國).

厭yàn火huǒ國guó在zài其qí國guó南nán, 獸shòu身shēn黑hēi色sè, 生shēng火huǒ出chū其qí口kǒu中zhōng. 一yī曰yuē在zài讙huān朱zhū東dōng。

The Country of Fire-Eaters (厭火國) is to the south of this country; its people have beastly bodies, are black in color, and spew fire from their mouths. Another account places it east of Huanzhu.

株zhū樹shù在zài厭yàn火huǒ北běi, 生shēng赤chì水shuǐ上shàng, 其qí為wèi樹shù如rú柏bǎi, 葉yè皆jiē為wèi珠zhū. 一yī曰yuē其qí為wèi樹shù若ruò彗huì。

The Zhu Tree (株樹) is north of the Country of Fire-Eaters, growing along the Red River (赤水); this tree resembles a cypress, and all its leaves are pearls. Another account says the tree resembles a comet.

苗miáo國guó在zài赤chì水shuǐ東dōng, 其qí為wèi人rén相xiāng隨suí. 一yī曰yuē三sān毛máo國guó。

The Country of Miao (苗國) is east of the Red River; its people follow one another in line. It is also called the Country of Three Hairs (三毛國).

臷zhì國guó在zài其qí東dōng, 其qí為wèi人rén黃huáng, 能néng操cāo弓gōng射shè蛇shé. 一yī曰yuē臷zhì國guó在zài三sān毛máo東dōng。

The Country of Zhi (臷國) is to the east; its people are yellow-skinned and skilled with bows, shooting snakes. Another account places the Country of Zhi east of the Country of Three Hairs.

貫guàn匈xiōng國guó在zài其qí東dōng, 其qí為wèi人rén匈xiōng有yǒu竅qiào. 一yī曰yuē在zài臷zhì國guó東dōng。

The Country of Pierced Chests (貫匈國) is to the east; its people have holes piercing their chests. Another account places it east of the Country of Zhi.

交jiāo脛jìng國guó在zài其qí東dōng, 其qí為wèi人rén交jiāo脛jìng. 一yī曰yuē在zài穿chuān匈xiōng東dōng。

The Country of Crossed Legs (交脛國) is to the east; its people have crossed legs. Another account places it east of the Country of Pierced Chests (穿匈).

不bù死sǐ民mín在zài其qí東dōng, 其qí為wèirén黑hēi色sè, 壽shòu, 不bù死sǐ. 一yī曰yuē在zài穿chuān匈xiōng國guó東dōng。

The Country of the Undying (不死民) is to the east; its people are black-skinned, long-lived, and do not die. Another account places it east of the Country of Pierced Chests.

岐qí舌shé國guó在zài其qí東dōng. 一yī曰yuē在zài不bù死sǐ民mín東dōng。

The Country of Forked Tongues (岐舌國) is to the east. Another account places it east of the Country of the Undying.

崑kūn崙lún墟xū在zài其qí東dōng, 墟xū四sì方fāng. 一yī曰yuē在zài岐qí舌shé東dōng, 為wèi墟xū四sì方fāng。

The Kunlun Mound (崑崙墟) is to the east; it is a square-shaped hill. Another account places it east of the Country of Forked Tongues, specifying that the mound is square.

羿yì與yǔ鑿záo齒chǐ戰zhàn于yú壽shòu華huá之zhī野yě, 羿yì射shè殺shā之zhī. 在zài崑kūn崙lún墟xū東dōng. 羿yì持chí弓gōng矢shǐ, 鑿záo齒chǐ持chí盾dùn. 一yī曰yuē戈gē。

The archer Yi (羿) fought Zuochi (鑿齒, "Drill-Tooth") in the Shouhua wilderness, where Yi slew him with an arrow. This took place east of the Kunlun Mound. Yi wielded a bow and arrows, while Zuochi held a shield. Another account says: a halberd (戈).

首shǒu國guó在zài其qí東dōng, 其qí為wèi人rén一yī身shēn三sān首shǒu. 一yī曰yuē在zài鑿záo齒chǐ東dōng。

The Country of Three Heads (首國) is to the east; its people have one body and three heads. Another account places it east of Zuochi.

周zhōu饒ráo國guó在zài其qí東dōng, 其qí為wèi人rén短duǎn小xiǎo, 冠guān帶dài. 一yī曰yuē焦jiāo僥yáo國guó在zài三sān首shǒu東dōng。

The Country of Zhourao (周饒國) is to the east; its people are short and wear caps and belts. Another account calls it the Country of Jiaoyao (焦僥國) and places it east of the Country of Three Heads.

長cháng臂bì國guó在zài其qí東dōng, 捕bǔ魚yú水shuǐ中zhōng, 兩liǎng手shǒu各gè操cāo一yī魚yú. 一yī曰yuē在zài焦jiāo僥yáo東dōng, 捕bǔ魚yú海hǎi中zhōng。

The Country of Long Arms (長臂國) is to the east; its people fish in the water, each holding a fish in each hand. Another account places it east of Jiaoyao, fishing in the open sea.

狄dí山shān, 帝dì堯yáo葬zàng于yú陽yáng, 帝dì嚳kù葬zàng于yú陰yīn. 爰yuán有yǒu熊xióng, 羆pí, 文wén虎hǔ, 蜼wèi, 豹bào, 離lí朱zhū, 視shì肉ròu, 吁xū咽yān, 文wén王wáng皆jiē葬zàng其qí所suǒ. 一yī曰yuē湯tāng山shān. 一yī曰yuē爰yuán有yǒu熊xióng, 羆pí, 文wén虎hǔ, 蜼wèi, 豹bào, 離lí朱zhū, 𩿨chī久jiǔ, 視shì肉ròu, 虖hū交jiāo. 其qí范fàn林lín方fāng三sān百bǎi里lǐ。

Mount Di (狄山): Emperor Yao (堯) was buried on its sunny slope, Emperor Ku (嚳) on its shady slope. It is home to bears, brown bears, patterned tigers, langurs, leopards, the Lizhu bird (離朱), and the Shirou (視肉, "meat to gaze upon"). Yu Yan (吁咽) and King Wen (文王) were also buried there. Another account calls it Mount Tang (湯山). A further account says it is home to bears, brown bears, patterned tigers, langurs, leopards, the Lizhu bird, the Jiujiu (𩿨久), the Shirou, and the Hujiao (虖交). Its Fanlin Forest (范林) spans three hundred li in all directions.

南nán方fāng祝zhù融róng, 獸shòu身shēn人rén面miàn, 乘chéng兩liǎng龍lóng。

In the south rules Zhurong (祝融): he has a beast's body and a human face, and rides two dragons.

Notes

A geography of wondrous peoples. Starting from Book VI, the Shanhaijing changes its nature: no longer describing mountain ranges, it instead lists, in order of the cardinal directions, the "countries" (國) and marvels arranged in a circle around the known world. The Classic of the South is read from the southwest corner (西南陬) to the southeast corner (東南陬), each land being located relative to the previous one ("to the east of...").

The phrase "one account says" (一曰). The text constantly juxtaposes variants: "一曰" introduces a different reading on the location or name of a country, tracing glosses and ancient recensions that the compilers preserved side by side.

Peoples and marvels. Many names describe a physical peculiarity: 結匈 (knotted/salient chest), 羽民 (feathered folk), 貫匈/穿匈 (pierced chest), 交脛 (crossed legs), 岐舌 (forked tongue), 長臂 (long arms), 周饒/焦僥 (dwarves). Others belong to heroic myth: the archer Yi's battle against Zuochi, the tombs of emperors Yao and Ku at Mount Di.

Zhurong (祝融). The chapter closes with the god of the south and fire, a beast-bodied, human-faced figure riding two dragons—a figure that seals the southern orientation of the book.

Uncertain identifications. Many country names, animals (離朱, 視肉, 𩿨久...), and figures lack secure equivalents; they are transcribed in pinyin with the characters, and French renderings follow traditional glosses (Guo Pu, Hao Yixing).

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