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In "A Chang and the Classic of Mountains and Seas", Lu Xun described his experience of obtaining his "most beloved treasure book" "The Classic of Mountains and Seas".
"Brother, there is a painting of the 'Three Hums Sutra', I bought it for you!”
It was as if I had been hit by a thunderbolt, and everyone was shakenHurry up and pick it up, open the paper bag, there are four small books, slightly flipped, the beast with a human face, the nine-headed snake ,......Sure enough, it's all inside.
After hearing it from a distant uncle, Lu Xun never forgot the "Classic of Mountains and Seas", which has such charm, even if it is clumsy, it can make Brother Xun, who has always been picky, fall in love. It was my most beloved book, and it did seem to be a beast with a human faceThe serpent of nine heads;A foot of the cow;The bag-like Dijiang;There is no head and "milk as the eye, the umbilicus as the mouth", and "the dance of the relatives".
In recent years, with the rapid rise of domestic film and television dramas, the ancient "Classic of Mountains and Seas" has once again become the focus of public discussion, and is known as the top cultural IP in China. Under the wave of commercialization, the profound connotation behind this ancient book has gradually been revealed. The Classic of Mountains and Seas is an unprecedented description of geography and humanity in China and even the world, and is revered as one of the three great strange books of ancient China.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas is like a hidden treasure trove, attracting countless scholars to explore. In a variety of fields, including geography, history, and ethnology, it has demonstrated outstanding scientific value. The authorship and the date of its writing remain an unsolved mystery, which has sparked heated discussions and speculations among experts and scholars.
So, what kind of book is "The Classic of Mountains and Seas"?Who is its creator?It was born in that eraThe answer may be very simple: "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" may be the earliest in China, which has a unique but reasonable description of the geography of China and even the Pan-Asian region, and also describes various magical creatures and events in detail, which fully satisfies people's romantic imagination.
The ancient way of naming was often concise and to the point, and the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" is no exception, which consists of two parts: "The Book of Mountains" and "The Book of the Sea". The mountain scripture is further subdivided into five parts: east, west, south, north and middle, so it is also known as the "Five Tibetan Mountain Scripture";The sea meridian includes three parts: the sea meridian, the overseas meridian and the great wilderness meridian, and its structure is more complex than that of the mountain meridian.
In terms of content, the Book of Mountains pays more attention to the description of physical geography, such as altitude, mountains, rivers, water flows, etc., while the Book of the Sea focuses more on human geography, depicting the races, animals and plants, and mysterious events of different countries and regions. For example, ancient myths such as Kuafu chasing the sun and Xingtian dancing Qianqi, as well as the bronze sacred tree in the modern ghost blowing lantern, can all find their source in the Haijing.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas consists of 18 volumes, showing the perfect combination of nature and the supernatural, which is not only of high research value, but also a good book for readers of all ages. What is even more amazing is that although the book is only more than 31,000 words, it covers the natural sciences such as geography, history, mythology, astronomy, animal and plant medicine, oceanography, and the history of science and technology, as well as the social sciences such as religion, anthropology, and sociology.
Regarding the author of the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" and the age when it was written, there are different opinions in the academic circles. The earliest record of the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" appears in Sima Qian's "Historical Records", but the identity of its author has not been conclusive since ancient times. One view is that it was written by Dayu and his entourage Boyi, because Dayu, who controlled the water, had the conditions to travel all over China, and Boyi also had the opportunity to collect anecdotes from all over the world. However, this view is not supported by archaeological evidence.
After entering the twentieth century, with the rise of natural science and evidence studies in China, the discussion about the author of the Classic of Mountains and Seas became more intense. Scholars have put forward two major types of views: definite referential theory and general referential theory. It is said that it tries to clearly point out the authors of the "Classic of Mountains and Seas", such as Zou Yan of the Warring States Yin and Yang family and Mozi's **Suichaozi, etc.;On the other hand, the general theory pays more attention to delineating the possible geographical background of the author, such as the northern people (Qin people say it and the Central Plains Luoyang people say it) and the southern people say it (Chu people say it and the Bashu people say it). There is some basis for these views, but they are also controversial.
As with the certainty of the author, the date of the writing of the Classic of Mountains and Seas is an open question. Some believe that it was written during the Warring States period, while others believe that it underwent revisions and refinements over several historical periods, perhaps first dictated by Boyi of the Xia Dynasty, recorded during the Yin Shang period, and later gradually completed during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
Overall, the Classic of Mountains and Seas is by no means a one-time work, and it may not belong to any particular era. It is a precious wealth left by the Chinese ancestors to future generations, an encyclopedic book integrating physical geography, human geography, myths and legends and historical events. The study and interpretation of it not only helps us better understand Chinese culture and history, but also stimulates our awe and exploration of nature and humanity.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas