《山海经》选读

又yòu北běi二èr百bǎi里lǐ，曰yuē发fā鸠jiū之zhī山shān，其qí上shàng多duō柘zhè木mù。有yǒu鸟niǎo焉yān，其qí状zhuàng如rú乌wū，文wén首shǒu、白bái喙huì、赤chì足zú，名míng曰yuē精jīng卫wèi，其qí鸣míng自zì詨xiào。

Two hundred li north stands Fajiu Mountain, rich in zhe trees. A bird lives there, crow-shaped, with patterned head, white beak and red feet, called Jingwei, whose cry sounds its own name.

释shì读dú：发fā鸠jiū山shān上shàng住zhù着zhuó精jīng卫wèi鸟niǎo：花纹huā wén的de脑袋nǎo dai，白色bái sè的de嘴zuǐ，红色hóng sè的de脚jiǎo，叫jiào声shēng像xiàng在zài喊hǎn自己zì jǐ的de名字míng zi。

Gloss: on Fajiu Mountain lives the bird Jingwei, patterned head, white beak, red feet, its cry echoing its own name.

是shì炎yán帝dì之zhī少女shào nǚ，名míng曰yuē女nǚ娃wá。女nǚ娃wá游yóu于yú东dōng海hǎi，溺nì而ér不bù返fǎn，故gù为wéi精jīng卫wèi，常cháng衔xián西xī山shān之zhī木mù石shí，以yǐ堙yīn于yú东dōng海hǎi。

She was the youngest daughter of the Flame Emperor, named Nüwa. She swam in the Eastern Sea, drowned and never returned; so she became Jingwei, forever carrying twigs and stones from the western hills to fill the sea.

释shì读dú：精jīng卫wèi填tián海hǎi。炎yán帝dì的de小xiǎo女儿nǚ ér淹yān死sǐ在zài海hǎi里lǐ，变成biàn chéng鸟niǎo，天天tiān tiān叼diāo着zhuó石头shí tou树枝shù zhī去qù填tián大海dà hǎi。恨hèn有yǒu多duō深shēn，志zhì就jìu有yǒu多duō大dà。

Gloss: Jingwei fills the sea. The drowned princess became a bird carrying pebbles to fill the ocean, grief as deep as the resolve is great.

夸kuā父fù与yǔ日rì逐zhú走zǒu，入rù日rì。渴kě，欲yù得děi饮yǐn，饮yǐn于yú河hé、渭wèi；河hé、渭wèi不足bù zú，北běi饮yǐn大dà泽zé。未wèi至zhì，道dào渴kě而ér死sǐ。弃qì其qí杖zhàng，化huà为wéi邓dèng林lín。

Kuafu raced the sun until he entered its blaze. Thirsty, he sought drink and drained the Yellow and Wei rivers; still unsatisfied he headed north for the great marsh, but died of thirst on the way. His cast-off staff became a forest.

释shì读dú：夸kuā父fù逐zhú日rì。巨人jù rén追zhuī着zhuó太阳tài yang跑pǎo，喝hē干gàn了liǎo两liǎng条tiáo大dà河hé还是hái shi渴kě死sǐ在zài路上lù shang，手shǒu杖zhàng化huà作zuò一yī片piàn桃táo林lín。追zhuī不bù上shàng，也yě要yào追zhuī。

Gloss: Kuafu chasing the sun. The giant raced the sun, drank two rivers dry, and died still chasing; his staff became a peach forest. Unreachable, still pursued.

刑xíng天tiān与yǔ帝dì至此zhì cǐ争zhēng神shén，帝dì断duàn其qí首shǒu，葬zàng之zhī常cháng羊yáng之zhī山shān。乃nǎi以yǐ乳rǔ为wéi目mù，以yǐ脐qí为wéi口kǒu，操cāo干gàn戚qī以yǐ舞wǔ。

Xingtian fought the Emperor for godhood here; the Emperor cut off his head and buried it at Changyang Mountain. Xingtian made eyes of his nipples and a mouth of his navel, and went on dancing with shield and axe.

释shì读dú：刑xíng天tiān舞wǔ干gàn戚qī。头tóu被bèi砍kǎn了liǎo还huán不bù认rèn输shū，用yòng乳rǔ头tóu当dàng眼睛yǎn jing、肚dù脐qí当dàng嘴zuǐ，挥huī着zhuó盾dùn牌pái斧fǔ头tóu继续jì xù战斗zhàn dòu。

Gloss: Xingtian dances his axe. Beheaded yet unbowed, eyes on his chest, mouth at his navel, still fighting on.

西北xī běi海hǎi之外zhī 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视shì乃nǎi明míng。

Beyond the northwest seas, north of the Red River, stands Zhangwei Mountain. There is a god with human face and red serpent body, eyes set straight: when he closes them it is night, when he opens them it is day.

不bù食shí不bù寝qǐn不bù息xī，风雨fēng yǔ是shì谒yè。是shì烛zhú九jǐu阴yīn，是shì谓wèi烛zhú龙lóng。

He neither eats nor sleeps nor breathes; wind and rain are his servants. He lights the nine darknesses, he is called Torch Dragon.

释shì读dú：烛zhú龙lóng。人rén面miàn蛇shé身shēn的de大dà神shén，眼睛yǎn jing一yī闭bì天tiān就jìu黑hēi，一yī睁zhēng天tiān就jìu亮liàng，管guǎn着zhuó风雨fēng yǔ，不bù吃chī不bù睡shuì。

Gloss: the Torch Dragon, a serpent-bodied god whose eyelids are day and night, master of wind and rain, needing nothing.

海hǎi内nèi昆kūn仑lún之zhī虚xū，在zài西北xī běi，帝dì之下zhī xià都dōu。昆kūn仑lún之zhī虚xū，方fāng八bā百bǎi里lǐ，高gāo万wàn仞rèn。

Within the seas, in the northwest, lies the Kunlun Void, the earthly capital of the Emperor. The Kunlun Void spans eight hundred li and rises ten thousand ren.

上shàng有yǒu木mù禾hé，长zhǎng五wǔ寻xún，大dà五wǔ围wéi。面miàn有yǒu九jǐu井jǐng，以yǐ玉yù为wéi槛kǎn。面miàn有yǒu九jǐu门mén，门mén有yǒu开明kāi míng兽shòu守shǒu之zhī，百bǎi神shén之zhī所在suǒ zài。

Upon it grows the Tree-Grain five xun tall and five spans thick. On each face are nine wells with jade rails and nine gates guarded by the Opening-Brightness beast, the dwelling of a hundred gods.

释shì读dú：昆kūn仑lún山shān。八bā百bǎi里lǐ见jiàn方fāng、万wàn仞rèn高gāo的de神shén山shān，玉yù石shí栏杆lán gān围wéi着zhuó的de九jǐu口kǒu井jǐng，神shén兽shòu守shǒu着zhuó的de九jǐu座zuò门mén，是shì众zhòng神shén在zài人间rén jiān的de都dōu城chéng。

Gloss: Mount Kunlun, eight hundred li of divine mountain, nine jade-railed wells, nine beast-guarded gates, the gods' capital on earth.

西xī王wáng母mǔ梯tī几jǐ而ér戴dài胜shèng杖zhàng，其qí南nán有yǒu三sān青qīng鸟niǎo，为wéi西xī王wáng母mǔ取qǔ食shí。在zài昆kūn仑lún虚xū北běi。

The Queen Mother of the West leans on her low table wearing her sheng crown-staff; south of her are three blue birds that fetch her food. This lies north of the Kunlun Void.

释shì读dú：西xī王wáng母mǔ。昆kūn仑lún山shān上shàng的de女nǚ神shén，戴dài着zhuó玉yù胜shèng，三sān只zhī青qīng鸟niǎo给gěi她tā送sòng饭fàn,,后来hòu lái成chéng了liǎo长zhǎng生shēng不bù老lǎo的de主人zhǔ rén。

Gloss: the Queen Mother of the West, goddess of Kunlun with her jade crown, served by three blue birds, later mistress of immortality.

东dōng海hǎi之外zhī wài，大dà荒huāng之中zhī zhōng，有yǒu山shān名míng曰yuē大dà言yán，日rì月yuè所suǒ出chū。

Beyond the Eastern Sea, in the Great Wilderness, stands a mountain named Great Words, where the sun and moon rise.

释shì读dú：古人gǔ rén眼里yǎn lǐ的de世界shì jiè边缘biān yuán：东dōng海hǎi以外yǐ wài，大dà荒huāng之中zhī zhōng，有yǒu一yī座zuò山shān，是shì太阳tài yang月亮yuè liang升shēng起qǐ的de地方dì fāng。

Gloss: the edge of the ancient world, beyond the Eastern Sea in the Great Wilderness, a mountain where sun and moon come up.

有yǒu波bō谷gǔ山shān者zhě，有yǒu大人dà ren之zhī国guó。有yǒu大人dà ren之zhī市shì，名míng曰yuē大人dà ren之zhī堂táng。

There is a Valley-Wave Mountain with a Land of Giants; the giants have a market called the Hall of Giants.

释shì读dú：大人dà ren国guó。山shān海hǎi经jīng里lǐ的de巨人jù rén国guó，连lián集jí市shì都dōu比bǐ人rén大dà好hào几jǐ号hào。

Gloss: the Land of Giants, even their market outsizes a man several times.

巴bā蛇shé食shí象xiàng，三sān岁suì而ér出chū其qí骨gǔ，君子jūn zǐ服fú之zhī，无wú心xīn腹fù之zhī疾jí。

The Ba serpent swallows an elephant and three years later brings forth the bones; gentlemen who eat it have no belly illness.

释shì读dú：巴bā蛇shé吞tūn象xiàng。一yī条tiáo蛇shé能néng吞tūn下xià一头yī tóu大象dà xiàng，三sān年nián才cái吐tù出chū骨头gǔ tou。贪心tān xīn不足bù zú蛇shé吞tūn象xiàng，就是jìu shì从cóng这儿zhè r来lái的de。

Gloss: the Ba serpent eats the elephant, source of 'greedy as the snake that swallows the elephant'.

帝dì俊jùn妻qī常cháng羲xī，生shēng月yuè十shí有yǒu二èr，此cǐ始shǐ浴yù之zhī。

Emperor Jun's wife Changxi bore twelve moons and first began to bathe them.

释shì读dú：羲xī和hé浴yù日rì，常cháng羲xī浴yù月yuè。太阳tài yang是shì母亲mǔ qīn洗xǐ的de，月亮yuè liang也yě是shì母亲mǔ qīn洗xǐ的de,,十shí二èr个gè月亮yuè liang，一yī年nián正好zhèng hǎo轮lún一yī遍biàn。

Gloss: Xihe bathes the suns, Changxi the moons, mother bathes each; twelve moons for twelve months.

应yìng龙lóng处chù南极nán jí，杀shā蚩chī尤yóu与yǔ夸kuā父fù，不得bù dé复fù上shàng，故gù下xià数shǔ旱hàn。旱hàn而ér为wéi应yìng龙lóng之zhī状zhuàng，乃nǎi得děi大dà雨yǔ。

The winged dragon Yinglong stayed at the south pole, having slain Chiyou and Kuafu, and could not rise again; so droughts came below. When people make the dragon's shape in drought, great rain comes.

释shì读dú：应yìng龙lóng。帮bāng黄huáng帝dì打dǎ赢yíng蚩chī尤yóu的de神shén龙lóng，功劳gōng láo太tài大dà下xià不bù来lái天tiān，留líu在zài南方nán fāng管guǎn雨yǔ。天tiān旱hàn的de时候shí hou，人们rén men扎zhā一yī个gè应yìng龙lóng的de样子yàng zi求qíu雨yǔ。

Gloss: Yinglong, the winged dragon who slew Chiyou for the Yellow Emperor, stuck in the south as rain-bringer. In drought, people shape his image and rain follows.

共gòng工gōng之zhī臣chén曰yuē相xiāng柳liǔ氏shì，九jǐu首shǒu，以yǐ食shí于yú九jǐu山shān。相xiāng柳liǔ之zhī所suǒ抵dǐ，厥jué为wéi泽zé谿xī。

The minister of Gonggong was called Xiangliu, nine-headed, eating from nine mountains; where Xiangliu touched, marshes formed.

禹yǔ杀shā相xiāng柳liǔ，其qí血xuè腥xīng，不bù可以kě yǐ树shù五wǔ谷gǔ种zhòng。禹yǔ厥jué之zhī，三sān仞rèn三sān沮jǔ，乃nǎi以为yǐ wéi众zhòng帝dì之zhī台tái。

Yu slew Xiangliu; its blood was so foul no grain would grow there. Yu dug the place out three times, thrice it filled back, and he made it into the Terrace of the Emperors.

释shì读dú：大dà禹yǔ杀shā相xiāng柳liǔ。九jǐu头tóu蛇shé怪guài的de血xuè把bǎ土地tǔ dì毒dú得děi种zhòng不bù出chū庄稼zhuāng jia，大dà禹yǔ挖wā了liǎo三sān次cì都dōu填tián回去huí qu，干脆gān cuì在zài上面shàng miàn筑zhù了liǎo台tái。

Gloss: Yu slays Xiangliu, the nine-headed serpent's blood poisoned the soil so nothing grew; after three failed digs Yu built a terrace over it.

有yǒu鸾luán鸟niǎo自zì歌gē，凤fèng鸟niǎo自zì舞wǔ。凤fèng鸟niǎo首shǒu文wén曰yuē德dé，翼yì文wén曰yuē顺shùn，膺yīng文wén曰yuē仁rén，背bèi文wén曰yuē义yì，见jiàn则zé天下tiān xià和hé。

There are luan birds that sing of themselves and phoenixes that dance of themselves. The phoenix's head bears the mark of virtue, its wings of order, its breast of benevolence, its back of righteousness, when it appears, all under heaven is at peace.

释shì读dú：凤凰fèng huáng。头tóu上shàng写xiě德dé，翅膀chì bǎng写xiě顺shùn，胸口xiōng kǒu写xiě仁rén，背bèi上shàng写xiě义yì,,一yī出现chū xiàn，天下tiān xià太平tài píng。中国zhōng guó人rén的de神shén鸟niǎo，是shì把bǎ最好zuì hǎo的de字zì写xiě在zài身上shēn shang。

Gloss: the phoenix, virtue on its head, order on its wings, benevolence on its breast, righteousness on its back; its coming brings peace. China's sacred bird wears the finest words.

《山shān海hǎi经jīng》里lǐ的de世界shì jiè，山shān上shàng有yǒu神shén，水shuǐ里lǐ有yǒu怪guài，东边dōng bian有yǒu巨人jù rén，西边xī biān有yǒu王wáng母mǔ。那nà不bù是shì真的zhēn de地理dì lǐ，是shì先xiān民mín想象xiǎng xiàng力lì的de地图dì tú。

The world of the Shanhaijing: gods on the mountains, monsters in the waters, giants in the east, the Queen Mother in the west. Not real geography, a map of the ancestors' imagination.

又yòu东dōng三sān百bǎi里lǐ，曰yuē青qīng丘qiū之zhī山shān，其qí阳yáng多duō玉yù，其qí阴yīn多duō青qīng雘wò。有yǒu兽shòu焉yān，其qí状zhuàng如rú狐hú而ér九jǐu尾wěi，其qí音yīn如rú婴儿yīng ér，能néng食shí人rén，食shí者zhě不bù蛊gǔ。

Three hundred li east lies Green Hill Mountain, jade on its south face, blue pigment on its north. A beast lives there like a fox with nine tails, crying like a baby, that eats men, yet those who eat it are never bewitched.

释shì读dú：九jǐu尾wěi狐hú第dì一yī次cì出场chū chǎng就jìu在zài《山shān海hǎi经jīng》：青qīng丘qiū山shān上shàng，样子yàng zi像xiàng狐hú狸lí，九jǐu条tiáo尾巴wěi ba，叫jiào声shēng像xiàng婴儿yīng ér，吃chī人rén。后来hòu lái的de神话shén huà里lǐ，它tā成chéng了liǎo最zuì有名yǒu míng的de妖yāo精jīng。

Gloss: the nine-tailed fox debuts in the Shanhaijing, fox-shaped, nine tails, baby-voiced, man-eating. In later myth it became the most famous spirit of all.

有yǒu鱼yú焉yān，其qí状zhuàng如rú牛níu，陵líng居jū，蛇shé尾wěi有yǒu翼yì，其qí羽yǔ在zài魼qū下xià，其qí音yīn如rú留líu牛níu，其qí名míng曰yuē鯥lù，冬dōng死sǐ而ér夏xià生shēng。

There is a fish shaped like an ox that lives on land, with a serpent's tail and wings beneath its ribs, mooing like a cow, called the lu, it dies in winter and revives in summer.

释shì读dú：鯥lù。像xiàng牛níu一样yī yàng的de鱼yú，住zhù在zài陆地lù dì上shàng，长zhǎng着zhuó蛇shé尾巴wěi ba和hé翅膀chì bǎng，冬天dōng tiān死sǐ、夏天xià tiān活huó。《山shān海hǎi经jīng》不bù跟gēn你nǐ讲jiǎng道理dào li，只zhī给gěi你nǐ看kān一yī个gè更gèng大dà的de世界shì jiè。

Gloss: the lu, an ox-shaped land fish with a serpent tail and wings that dies each winter and revives each summer. The book argues nothing; it simply shows a bigger world.

《山shān海hǎi经jīng》不bù是shì故事gù shi书shū，是shì两liǎng千qiān多年duō nián前qián中国zhōng guó人rén的de世界shì jiè地图dì tú：神话shén huà、地理dì lǐ、怪guài兽shòu、神仙shén xiān，全quán在zài里面lǐ miàn。

The Shanhaijing is no storybook: it is the Chinese world-map of two thousand years ago, myth, geography, monsters and gods all in one.