CHAPTER 18 · 39 passages
Within the Seas
海內經
Select a chapter to begin. Hover over or tap a Chinese character to see its pinyin pronunciation. Select an underlined name to explore its Taiji card. Keyboard: focus a passage, then use Left and Right Arrow to inspect characters. Escape closes pronunciation.
English
Within the eastern sea, at the corner of the northern sea, is a country named Cháoxiǎn [朝鮮]. In Tiāndú [天毒], the people dwell by water, cherish others, and love them.
Translator’s note
The punctuation and relationship between 朝鮮 and 天毒 are disputed; the translation treats them as separate names.
English
Within the western sea, amid Liúshā [流沙], is a country named Hèshì [壑市].
English
Within the western sea, west of Liúshā [流沙], is a country named Fànyè [氾葉].
English
West of Liúshā [流沙] stands Mount Niǎo [鳥], where three rivers rise. Here are gold, Xuánguī [璿瑰], cinnabar, silver, and iron, all carried in these waters. There is also Mount Huái [淮], where the Hǎo [好] River rises.
Translator’s note
璿瑰 denotes precious stones or fine jade.
English
East of Liúshā [流沙] and west of the Hēi [黑] River are the countries of Zhāoyún [朝雲] and Sīzhì [司彘]. Léizǔ [嫘祖], wife of Huáng Dì [黃帝], bore Chāngyì [昌意]. Chāngyì [昌意] descended to dwell by the Ruò [若] River and begot Hánliú [韓流]. Hánliú [韓流] had an elongated head, small ears, a human face, a Shǐ's snout, a Lín [麟]'s body, joined thighs, and a pig's feet. He married a daughter of the Nào [淖] clan called Ānǚ [阿女], who bore Emperor Zhuānxū [顓頊].
Translator’s note
麟 is the traditional auspicious, often deer-like creature associated with the name 麒麟. The descriptions 謹耳 and 渠股 are read here as small ears and joined thighs, but their precise sense is uncertain.
English
East of Liúshā [流沙], among the waters of the Hēi [黑], stands a mountain named Bùsǐ [不死].
English
East of Mount Huà [華] and the Qīng [青] River stands a mountain named Zhào [肇]. There is a person named Bǎi Gāo [柏子高], who ascends and descends here, reaching heaven.
English
In the southwest, among the waters of the Hēi [黑], lies the wild of Dūguǎng [都廣], where Hòujì [后稷] is buried. Its walled enclosure is 300 li square; it is said to be the centre of heaven and earth, from which Sùnǚ [素女] came forth. Here are luxuriant beans, rice, millet, and foxtail millet; all the grains grow of themselves, and in winter and summer sowing continues. The Luán Niǎo [鸞] sings of itself, and the Fèng Niǎo [鳳] dances of itself. Líng Shòu [靈壽] bears fruit and flowers; grasses and trees gather here. Here all the beasts dwell in herds. These grasses do not die in winter or summer.
Translator’s note
Guō Pú explains 播琴 as a regional expression for sowing or planting; that interpretation is followed here. 靈壽 is an old shrub or tree-name, often associated with a plant used for walking sticks; a precise species is not assumed.
English
Within the southern sea, between the Hēi [黑] and Qīng [青] Rivers, is a body of water named Ruòmù [若木], from which the Ruò [若] River rises.
Translator’s note
The source writes 水, “water,” although 木 in the name and the surrounding traditions have led to readings involving a tree. The received wording is retained.
English
There are the countries of Yúzhōng [禺中] and Lièxiāng [列襄]. There is a Mount Líng [靈], with a red Shé upon a tree, named the Ruǎn Shé [蝡]; it feeds on wood.
English
English
There are nine hills linked by water, named Táotáng [陶唐] Hill, Shūdé [叔得] Hill, Mèngyíng [孟盈] Hill, Kūnwú [昆吾] Hill, Hēibái [黑白] Hill, Chìwàng [赤望] Hill, Shēnwèi [參衛] Hill, Wǔfū [武夫] Hill, and Shénmín [神民] Hill. There is a tree with blue-green leaves, a purple trunk, black flowers, and yellow fruits, named the Jiàn [建] tree. For 100 ren it has no branches; above are nine winding boughs, and below nine twisting roots. Its fruits resemble hemp seeds, and its leaves resemble Máng [芒] grass. Dàhào [大皥] passed this way; it was made by Huáng Dì [黃帝].
Translator’s note
芒 usually denotes a tall grass of the Miscanthus type. The rare terms 欘 and 枸 are understood here as winding branches and roots.
English
There is a with a dragon's head, which eats people. There is a blue-green beast with a human face named Xīngxīng [猩猩].
English
In the southwest is the country of Bā [巴]. Dàhào [大皥] begot Xiánniǎo [咸鳥], Xiánniǎo [咸鳥] begot Chénglí [乘釐], and Chénglí [乘釐] begot Hòuzhào [後照]. Hòuzhào [後照] was the first ancestor of the people of Bā [巴].
English
There is a country named Liúhuángxīnshì [流黃辛氏], whose territory is 300 li square; what comes forth from it is dust. There is a Mount Bāsuì [巴遂], where the Miǎn [澠] River rises.
Translator’s note
The clause 其出是塵 is obscure; “dust” retains the ordinary meaning of 塵 without inventing a particular product or event.
English
In the south are Gàn Jù Rén, with human faces, long lips, black hairy bodies, and reversed heels. When they see people they laugh, and their lips cover their eyes; one can then escape.
English
There is also a black person with a tiger's head and bird's feet, holding Shé in both hands and eating them.
English
There are the people of Léi [羸], with birds' feet. There are great boars.
English
There are people called People of Miáo [苗民]. There is a deity with a human head and a snake's body, as long as a carriage shaft, with a head on either side. He wears purple garments and a felt cap. His name is Yán Wéi [延維]. A ruler who obtains him and offers him food shall become hegemon over all beneath heaven.
Translator’s note
旃冠 is read as a felt cap. The passage describes an offering to the deity, not a claim that the ruler eats him.
English
The Luán Niǎo [鸞] sings of itself, and the Fèng Niǎo [鳳] dances of itself. The markings on the Fèng Niǎo [鳳]'s head read “virtue”; those on its wings “accord”; those on its breast “benevolence”; those on its back “righteousness.” When it appears, all beneath heaven is at peace.
English
There is also a blue-green beast like a hare, named the Gǎng Gǒu [𡹤]. There are Cuì Niǎo and Kǒng Niǎo.
English
Within the southern sea are Mount Héng [衡], Mount Jūn [菌], and Mount Guì [桂]. There is a mountain named Sāntiānzǐzhīdōu [三天子之都].
English
In the south are Mt. Cāng Wú [蒼梧] and Cāngwú [蒼梧] Pool. Among them stands Mt. Jiǔ Yí [九嶷], where Shùn [舜] is buried, within the boundaries of Chángshā [長沙] and Línglíng [零陵].
English
Within the northern sea stands Mount Shé [蛇]. The Shé [蛇] River rises there and flows east into the sea. There is a bird of five colours whose flight shades an entire district, named the Yì [翳] bird. There is also Mount Bùjù [不鉅]; the skilled Chuí [倕] is buried to its west.
English
Within the northern sea is one bound behind his back in a thief's fetters, bearing a Dagger-Axe, the assistant of Chángbèi [常倍], named Corpse of Xiāng Gù.
Translator’s note
The syntax of 反縛盗械，帶戈常倍之佐 is difficult. The relationship to 常倍 is provisional; the translation preserves the person and implements named.
English
Bóyífù [伯夷父] begot Xīyuè [西岳], and Xīyuè [西岳] begot Xiānlóng [先龍]. Xiānlóng [先龍] first begot the Dīqiāng [氐羌]; the Dīqiāng [氐羌] bear the surname Qǐ [乞].
English
Within the northern sea stands a mountain named Yōudōu [幽都], where the Hēi [黑] River rises. Upon it are Xuán Niǎo, Xuán Shé, Xuán Bào, Xuán Hǔ, and Xuán Hú with bushy tails. There is a Mount Dàxuán [大玄]. There are the people of Xuánqiū [玄丘], the great country of Yōu [幽], and the people of Chìjìng [赤脛].
Translator’s note
The source writes 孤 in the fox clause; it is read here as 狐, “fox,” following the animal context.
English
There is a country of Dīng Líng [釘靈]. Its people have hair from the knees downward, horses' hooves, and great swiftness in running.
English
Bólíng [伯陵], grandson of Yándì [炎帝], lay with Ānǚyuánfù [阿女緣婦], wife of Wúquán [吳權]. Yuánfù [緣婦] was pregnant for three years and bore Gǔ [鼓], Yán [延], and Shū [殳]. Shū [殳] first made archery targets; Gǔ [鼓] and Yán [延] first made bells and musical airs.
Translator’s note
侯 is read here in its old sense of an archery target; it can also mean a lord or marquis.
English
English
Dìjùn [帝俊] begot Yúhào [禺號], Yúhào [禺號] begot Yínliáng [淫梁], and Yínliáng [淫梁] begot Pānyú [番禺], who first made boats. Pānyú [番禺] begot Xīzhòng [奚仲], and Xīzhòng [奚仲] begot Jíguāng [吉光], who first made wooden carts.
English
English
English
Dìjùn [帝俊] had eight sons, who first created song and dance.
English
Dìjùn [帝俊] begot Sānshēn [三身], and Sānshēn [三身] begot Yìjūn [義均]. Yìjūn [義均] first became the skilled Chuí [倕] and first devised the many crafts for the people below. Hòujì [后稷] sowed all the grains. Jì [稷]'s grandson, named Shū Jūn [叔均], first ploughed with oxen. Dàbǐ [大比] and Chìyīn [赤陰] first established countries. Yǔ [禹] and Gǔn [鯀] first spread out the earth and apportioned and settled the Nine Provinces.
Translator’s note
義均是始為巧倕 and 大比赤隂 are difficult. The translation retains the received identification with 倕 and provisionally treats 大比 and 赤陰 as two names.
English
Tīngyāo [聽訞], wife of Yándì [炎帝] and daughter of Chìshuǐ [赤水], bore Yánjū [炎居]. Yánjū [炎居] begot Jiébìng [節竝], Jiébìng [節竝] begot Xìqì [戲器], and Xìqì [戲器] begot Zhù Róng [祝融]. Zhù Róng [祝融] descended to dwell by the Jiāng [江] River and begot Gòng Gōng [共工]. Gòng Gōng [共工] begot Shùqì [術器], whose head had a square crown. He restored the soil and dwelt by the Jiāng [江] River. Gòng Gōng [共工] begot Hòu Tǔ [后土], Hòu Tǔ [后土] begot Yēmíng [噎鳴], and Yēmíng [噎鳴] begot the twelve years.
Translator’s note
The final phrase presents the twelve years genealogically; it is retained without turning it into a fuller calendrical story.
English
The flood rose to heaven. Gǔn [鯀] stole the emperor's Xīrǎng [息壤] to dam the flood, without awaiting the emperor's command. The emperor ordered Zhù Róng [祝融] to kill Gǔn [鯀] at the outskirts of Yǔ [羽]. Gǔn [鯀] in turn brought forth Yǔ [禹]. The emperor then commanded Yǔ [禹] to complete the spreading of the earth and settle the Nine Provinces.