![]() ![]() “Although I do not agree with simply defining Shan Hai Jing as a book of monsters, it does catalogue a large number of strange birds and monsters, and has had a profound impact on the culture surrounding mystery worldwide,” Liu said.Īn exhibition titled Imaginary Encounter - Divine Comedy Dialogue with Shan Hai Jing was staged in Shanghai at the Pearl Art Museum from November to February. They include the nine-tailed fox, known for its silver-white fur and nine tails, and which according to folklore can transform into any human form. Liu said that many types of mythical monsters in Japan derive from Shan Hai Jing. The book’s monsters were also popular because of mysticism among Japanese folklore at the time. In Japan, the work was popular as a geographical chronicle of China’s mountains and rivers, and was once regarded as a guidebook for traveling in China. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)Īccording to studies, copies of Shan Hai Jing were taken to Japan during the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, or much earlier. The exhibition Imaginary Encounter-Divine Comedy Dialogue with Shan Hai Jing was staged in Shanghai from November to February. ![]() This is an interesting academic topic,” Liu said. “I wonder whether in ancient Greece during the Middle Ages, knowledge of Shan Hai Jing was spread through trade exchanges with the Western world. ![]() He added that in some European maps from the Middle Ages, areas close to India were often painted with monsters, the equivalents of which can be found in Shan Hai Jing. “In particular, some of the eastern monsters described by Herodotus are quite similar to those in Shan Hai Jing,” Liu said. The Histories documented geography, people, natural resources, different customs, birds and animals. Liu Zongdi, professor at the College of Humanities and director of the Institute of Cultural History at Beijing Language and Culture University, has studied Shan Hai Jing, comparing it with The Histories by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. In recent years, it has also become a source of inspiration for pop culture, cross-cultural exchanges and comparative studies. The work - and others featuring ancient myths and monsters - have inspired artists and authors throughout history. An encyclopedic account of people’s views of the world at that time, the 30,000-word book documents some 40 states, 550 mountains, 300 waterways, more than 100 historical figures and 400 mythical monsters. ![]() Shan Hai Jing, a compilation of mythic geography and beasts, took shape before the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), which built China’s first empire. The goddess, the epitome of beauty, lived on the moon with her pet rabbit.Īnother debutant in the book was Zouwu, a five-colored mythical creature that features in the movie series Fantastic Beasts, directed by David Yates. The Guideways may have been illustrated from the start, but the earliest surviving illustrations are woodblock engravings from a rare 1597 edition.Ancient text featuring myths influences creators of popular web content, TV series, video gamesĬhang’e, China’s lunar probe, is named after a legendary goddess in ancient fairy tales, but few people know that she first appeared in the book Shan Hai Jing, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas, which is thought to have been written during the late Warring States Period (475-221 BC). Today, it is regarded as the richest repository of ancient Chinese mythology and shamanistic wisdom. The work was originally used as a sacred geography, as a guidebook for travelers, and as a book of omens. Richard Strassberg brings the Guideways to life for modern readers by weaving together translations from the work itself with information from other texts and recent archaeological finds to create a lavishly illustrated guide to the imaginative world of early China." "Unlike the bestiaries of the late medieval period in Europe, the Guideways was not interpreted allegorically the strange creatures described in it were regarded as actual entities found throughout the landscape. The text also represents a wide range of beliefs held by the ancient Chinese. The Guideways through Mountains and Seas, compiled between the fourth and first centuries, B.C.E., contains descriptions of hundreds of fantastic denizens of mountains, rivers, islands, and seas, along with minerals, flora, and medicine. Abstract: "A Chinese Bestiary presents a fascinating pageant of mythical creatures from a unique and enduring cosmography written in ancient China. ![]()
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