User:Bob the Wikipedian/南山經

This translation is in progress. I am sharing my work so that others may enjoy reading this piece that has been hidden for so long from the western world.

Editor's notes
The particular version I am translating is one annotated by Guo Pu, illustrated by Jiang Yinghao and Wu Linfu, and engraved by Li Wenxiao. 

The 🟢 symbol (after a literal translation of Guo Pu's name) indicates where he made an annotation. My own annotations are marked by the 🟡 symbol.

The word "classic", though many consider it to mean "guide", seems to mean "sacred text". The views and beliefs expressed in this classic do not in any way reflect my own personal views and beliefs; I share only to preserve the stories as someone who values ancient lore.

I have in my research stumbled across various translations into English (including print versions for sale), but upon examining the contents have found these translations lack the basic translation wisdom I feel they should have, often settling on strange translations or even going with the bare minimum. For example e.g. a passage translated character-for-character as "horse with a white head" is more accurately translated as "horse with white hair" (in the same way that an elderly person has white hair; "white head" could be compared to the English phrase redhead, a person with red hair). That particular beast is said to have magical properties that promise one children and grandchildren, so it would make sense for the beast to have white hair. I have made efforts to check for compound words in as many places as possible to catch common mistakes like this.

As another example, the "scarlet-scarlet". Many translations I have read indicate the creature crouches when it walks and runs like a human, and that if you eat it you will run faster. These concepts seem fairly arbitrary to me, so I have done extra research to find out alternate meanings of characters, with Wiktionary being indispensable to this end. In my translation, I have found that "crouches when it walks and runs like a human" is better translated as "waits for people to walk by" and "if you eat it you will run faster" is better translated as "if you eat it you can have a nice walk"-- when read together, this must mean the creature sits and waits for people to walk by, and (if not eaten) will ruin their walk. Eating it makes walking more pleasant, of course!

I do not have experience with the Chinese language, but have a good amount of experience translating German-English, and have also done translations of obscure languages including Old Norse and Old Icelandic. This project is a slow and tedious one, but the longer I work on it, the more sense I make of it. - Bob the Wikipedian (talk)

Inside cover
Complied by Imperial Order, Complete Books of the Four Storehouses

Masters and Philosophers 12

Novels and Stories 2

Classic of Mountains and Seas

Strange Stories

Summary
Official

Magpie Mountain
The classic of the southern mountains begins with Magpie Mountain. Its peak is the Caller of Waves, saying to the sea, "Come in from the west!"
 * Caramel trees
 * Gold and jade

Wish-for-Leftovers
There is a type of grass here which looks like a leek with a green flower. Its name is Wish-for-Leftovers.
 * Eat: no famine

Wander Grain
There is a type of tree here like paper mulberry with a black grain-texture. Its four blossoms shine. Its name is Wander Grain.
 * Fetish : no wandering

Scarlet-Scarlet
There is a type of beast here like a yu-monkey with white ears. It waits for a person to walk by. Its name is Scarlet-Scarlet.


 * Eat: have a nice walk

River of Beautiful Deer
The River of Beautiful Deer springs here and flows west. It empties into the sea. From it branches flourish.
 * Fetish: no gall disease

Courtroom Lawn Mountain
And east 300 miles is one called Courtroom Lawn Mountain.
 * Yan trees
 * White apes
 * River jade
 * Yellow gold

Mountain of the Winged Ape
And east 380 miles is one called the Mountain of the Winged Ape. Therein are strange beasts;the rivers, strange fishes.
 * White jade
 * Viper-creatures
 * Strange serpents
 * Strange plants
 * Forbidden to go

(See plate 1.)

Sun's □ Mountain
And east 370 miles is one called the Sun's □ Mountain. On its sunny side is red gold; on its dark side, white gold.

Shu Deer
There is a kind of animal here like a horse with white hair. Its markings are like a tiger's, and it has a red tail. Its voice is like a song. Its name is Shu Deer.
 * Fetish: Have children and grandchildren

Strange River
The Strange River rises from here and flows eastward into the Flying Law River.

Spinning Turtle
In it are mysterious turtles; these are like turtles with bird's heads and hui-viper's tails, and are called Spinning Turtles. Its voice is like splitting wood.
 * Fetish: Not deaf, can be used for that.

Root Mountain
And east 300 miles is Root Mountain.
 * Rivers
 * No vegetation

Lu
There is a type of fish here that looks like a cow and is a hill-dweller. It has a serpent's tail. There are wings, and the fins of a flatfish on the underside. Its voice is like a zebu's. It is called Lu. In the winter, it disappears; in the summer it returns.

Eat: have no swelling sickness

Mountain of Barrenness
And east 400 miles is the Mountain of Barrenness.
 * Rivers
 * No vegetation
 * Forbidden to go

Zhong
There is a beast here that looks like a raccoon dog, and it has a mane. Its name is Zhong. Since it is both female and male, eat it and you will not envy. (See plate 2.)

Basic Mountain
And east 300 miles is Basic Mountain. On its sunny side is jade; on its dark side are strange plants.

【□甫寸】□
There is a beast here that looks like a sheep with nine tails and four ears. Its eyes are in the back. Its name is【□甫寸】□.

Fetish: fear nothing