Mythical Mountains

Contents

1 Feather Mountain 1
1.1 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 Jade Mountain (mythology) 2

2.1 Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.2 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.3 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.4 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

3 Kunlun Mountain (mythology) 3

3.1 Historical development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.2 Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.3 Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.4 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.4.1 Association with divinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.4.2 Creatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.4.3 Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.4.4 Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.5 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.5.1 Marriage of Nwa and Fuxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.5.2 Mu, Son of Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.6 Cultural references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.6.1 Novels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.6.2 Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.6.3 Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.6.4 Modern popular culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.7 Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.8 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.9 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.10 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

4 Mount Buzhou 9

i
ii CONTENTS

4.1 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

5 Mount Penglai 10
5.1 Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.2 In Chinese mythology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.3 In Japanese mythology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.4 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.5 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5.6 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.6.1 Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.6.2 Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.6.3 Content license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Chapter 1

Feather Mountain

Feather Mountain (Chinese: ; pinyin: Yshn) [3] Christie, Anthony (1975). Chinese mythology (3rd im-
is one of many important mythological mountains in pression. ed.). London: Hamlyn. p. 87. ISBN
Chinese mythology, particularly associated with the 0600006379.
Great Flood. According to the mythological studies
of Lihui Yang, Gun was executed on the outskirts
of Feather Mountain by Zhu Rong, either for stealing
the xirang or for failing to control the ood waters.* [1]
According to K. C. Wu, Emperor Shun exiled Gun to
Feather Mountain for lse-majest, but that Gun was not
executed; and, rather, that such accounts result from mis-
understanding the meanings associated with the ancient
Chinese character j , which appears in certain source
works.* [2]
Anthony Christie relays the following three mythic story
versions: that on Feather Mountain, Gun was either killed
by Zhu Rong, torn into pieces by tortoises and owls, or
else that his lifeless-seeming body lay there for three years
before being slashed open at the belly with the Wu sword,
after which his son Yu emerged as a winged dragon and
Gun himself metamorphosed into a yellow bear.* [3]

1.1 See also

Heavenly Questions
Kunlun Mountain: a mythical mountain, dwelling of
various divinities, and fabulous plants and animals
Yushan (mountain): in some accounts the dwelling
of Xi Wangmu
Mount Buzhou: mythical mountain
Mount Penglai: paradise; a fabled fairy isle on the
China Sea

1.2 References
[1] Yang, Lihui; Turner, Deming An, with Jessica Anderson
(2008). Handbook of Chinese mythology. Oxford: Oxford
University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-533263-6.

[2] Wu, K. C. (1981). The Chinese heritage (1. ed.). New

York: Crown. pp. 86; 105, note 109. ISBN 0-517-
54475X.

1
Chapter 2

Jade Mountain (mythology)

Jade Mountain (Chinese: ; pinyin: Yshn) is a 2.4 References

mythological mountain in Chinese mythology and resi-
dence of The Queen Mother of the West.* [1] [1] Yang, Lihui; et al. (2005). Handbook of Chinese Mythol-
ogy. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-
19-533263-6. pp. 162, 219

2.1 Place [2] Ye , Shuxian (2014). "

Jade Mountain should not be confused with any geo-
graphic places named Yushan. Also note, Jade Mountain
and Feather Mountain (Chinese: ; pinyin: Yshn)
are both important places in Chinese mythology, but the
Chinese word yu in both cases has a dierent character.
" [The Classic of the Mountains and Seas and the origin
of white jade worship: the transmission of the legends of
the Yellow Emperor eating jade and the Queen Mother of
the West gifting a white bracelet]. Minzu Yishu
(in Chinese) (6): 1926. doi:10.16564/j.cnki.1003-
2568.2014.06.008.

It has been suggested that the mountain corresponds to a
location in the Kunlun Mountains and that 'jade moun-
tain' is a common Chinese name to describe a snow-
capped peak.* [2]
[3]Xi Shan Jing ". Shan Hai Jing . Online:
Ctext.org. p. 49.
[4] Dubs, Homer H. (1942). An Ancient Chinese Mystery
Cult. The Harvard Theological Review. 35 (4): 221
240. JSTOR http://www.jstor.org/stable/1508356.

2.2 Background
Jade Mountain is mentioned in Chapter 2 of the Han Dy-
nasty text Classic of Mountains and Seas as being the res-
idence of the Queen Mother of the West.* [3] It is thought
that Jade Mountain, along with the Queen Mother of
the West, date back to much earlier; the 4th century
BCE Zhuangzi also describes her residence as being on a
mountain.* [4]

2.3 See also

Feather Mountain: scene of execution (or attempted

execution) of Gun

Kunlun Mountain: a mythical mountain, dwelling of

various divinities, and fabulous plants and animals

Mount Buzhou: mythical mountain

Mount Penglai: paradise; a fabled fairy isle on the

China Sea

2
Chapter 3

Kunlun Mountain (mythology)

This article is about the mythological mountain
of Chinese traditional belief. For the real moun-
tain range in China, see Kunlun Mountains.
in which it appears. These accounts typically describe
Kunlun as the dwelling place of various gods and god-
desses, where fabled plants and mythical creatures may
also be found. Many important events in Chinese mythol-
ogy took place on Kunlun Mountain.* [1]

3.1 Historical development

1st2nd century lamp in the shape of Kunlun Mountain as the
pillar of the sky, realm of the Queen Mother of the West (1st
2nd century CE).
As the mythology related to the Kunlun Mountain devel-
oped, it became inuenced by the later introduction of
ideas about an axis mundi from the cosmology of India.
Kunlun Mountain became identied with (or took on the
attributes of) Mount Sumeru.* [2]
Another historical development in the mythology of Kun-
lun, (again with Indian inuence) was that rather than just
being the source of the Yellow River, Kunlun began to be
considered to be the source of four major rivers owing
to the four quarters of the compass.* [2]
The Kunlun mythos was also inuenced by develop-
ments within the Taoist tradition, and Kunlun came to
be perceived more as a paradise than a dangerous wilder-
ness.* [3]
Some recent research proposed that over time, the merg-
ing of various traditions has result in a duality of paradises
an East Paradise (identied with Mount Penglai) and a
West Paradise, with Kunlun Mountain identied as the
West Paradise. A pole replaced a former mythic system
which opposed Penglai with Guixu (Returning Moun-
tain), and the Guixu mythological material was trans-
ferred to the Kunlun mythos.* [4]

Kunlun Mountain (traditional Chinese: ; 3.2 Name

simplied Chinese: ; pinyin: Knln shn;
WadeGiles: K'un-lun Shan), or known just as Kunlun, The Chinese name Kunlun (or ) is written with
is an important symbol in Chinese mythology represent- characters combining the "mountain radical" with
ing the axis mundi and divinity. phonetics of kun and lun . Alternate names for Kun-
The mythological Kunlun Mountain should not be con- lun shan include Kunling (withhill) and Kunqiu
fused with the real, geographic Kunlun Mountains. Dif- (with mound).
ferent locations of Kunlun Mountain have been given in The term Kunlunmay be semantically related to two
the various legends, myths, and semi-historical accounts other terms: Hundun (Chinese: ; pinyin: hndn;

3
4 CHAPTER 3. KUNLUN MOUNTAIN (MYTHOLOGY)

WadeGiles: hun-t'un; literally:primal chaosormud- further to the west, along with advances in geographical
dled confusion), which is sometimes personied as a knowledge.* [2] E. T. C. Werner identies Kunlun with
living creature; and kongdong (Chinese: ; pinyin: the Hindu Kush mountain range.* [10]
kngdng; WadeGiles: k'ung-t'ung; literally: grotto At times, the mythical Kunlun Mountain has been con-
of vacuity), according to Kristofer Schipper. Grotto- fused with the modern Kunlun Mountains and with Ku-
heavens were traditionally associated with mountains, as rung (or Kurung Bnam, possibly meaning Kings of the
hollows or caves located in/on certain mountains. The Mountainin Old Khmer (formerly known as Old Cam-
termKunlun Mountaincan be translated asCavernous bodian), and equivalent to the Sanskrit ailarja, also
Mountain": and, the mythological Kunlun mountain has
meaningKings of the Mountain, referring to a mythi-
been viewed as a hollow mountain (located directly under cal holy cosmic mountain. Kurung (Kunlun) is known to
the Pole Star).* [5]
have ourished during the time of the Tang dynasty, and
The term Kunlun however had also been used in old texts seems to have developed ambassadorial relations with
to refer to people and places unrelated to the mythi- the Tang court, by the time of Li He (790816), who
cal mountain. It was, for example, used to transcribe records a visit in one of his extent poems: although ge-
the southern people called Gurong, who were slaves in ographical specics of the state of Kunlun's location(s)
China. Edward H. Schafer quotes the Old Book of Tang remain uncertain, it is associated with trans-Gangetic In-
description. They are also called Kurung. They are dia, possibly the Malay peninsula or areas controlled by
the barbarous men of the islands, great and small, of the the Sailendra thalassocracy.* [11]
Southern Seas. They are very black, and expose their
naked Figures. They can tame and cow ferocious beasts,
rhinoceroses, elephants, and the like.* [6] Schafer notes 3.4 Description
that besides Kunlun, these southerners were occasionally
written Gulong or Gulun .
Kunlun Mountain has been described in various texts, as
Julie Wilensky notes that the term kunlun is amysterious well as being depicted in art. Sometimes Kunlun appears
and poorly understood word rst applied to dark-skinned as a pillar of the sky (or earth), sometimes appearing
Chinese and then expanded over time to encompass mul- as being composed of multiple tiers,* [12] with the com-
tiple meanings, all connoting dark skin.* [7] But then she monality ofmystery, grandeur, or magnicencebeing
goes on to say, These uses of kunlun are unrelated to emphasized in the mythological descriptions. The base
the name of the Kunlun Mountains.And in a footnote to of the Kunlun Mountain is said to penetrate as far into
this, " Chang Hsing-Iang writes that the Kunlun mountain the earth, as its above-ground part proceeds towards the
'region has been familiar to the Chinese from the earliest sky.* [2]
times, and no Chinese work has ever described its inhab-
Generally, accounts emphasize the diculty of access to
itants as being black-skinned.'"* [8] She then goes on to
the mountain and even more to its more hallowed places,
say howKunlunwas used to refer to places in Southeast
due to surrounding waters and steep clis of immense
Asia and Africa.* [9]
heights. Kunlun typically also has a strong association
The Chinese language does not necessarily distinguish with various means to obtain immortality, or longevity.
between singular and plural, thus from a purely grammat- Poetic descriptions tend to lavish Kunlun with paradis-
ical viewpoint Kunlun Mountainis an equally valid aical detail: gem-like rocks and towering clis of jasper
translation as Kunlun Mountains, also (shn) can and jade, exotic jeweled plants, bizarrely formed and col-
mean mountain, hill, or mound"; however, ored magical fungi, and numerous birds and other ani-
most descriptions and many depictions focus on a more mals, together with humans who have become immortal
singular and spectacular manifestation, thus the transla- beings. Sometimes it is the Eight Immortals who are seen,
tion Kunlun Mountainseems appropriate. Anthony coming to pay their respects to the goddess Xiwangmu,
Christie uses Mount, but Mountainis probably perhaps invited to join her in a feast of immortal repast.
less ambiguous. This is the well-worn image or motif that is frequently
painted, carved, or otherwise depicted in the material
arts.
3.3 Location
3.4.1 Association with divinity
Various ideas of the location of the mythical Kun-
lun Mountain have been given: chapter eleven of the Supreme Deity
Shanhaijing describes it as being in the northwest, chap-
ter sixteen says it is south of the western sea, and other Further information: Chinese theology and Heaven
sources place it in the center of the earth.* [1]
Some believed Kunlun to be located to the farwest, Kunlun is believed to be the representation of the
in this case the alleged location was relocated further and Supreme Deity (Taidi). According to some sources, his
 3.5. EVENTS 5

throne is at the top tier of the mountain and known as the
Palace of Heaven. As Kunlun was sometimes viewed
as the pillar holding up the sky and keeping it separated
from the earth, some accounts place the top of Kunlun in
Heaven rather than locating it as part of the earth: in this
case the Supreme Deity's abode on Kunlun is actually in
Heaven, and Kunlun functions as a sort of ladder which
could be used to travel between earth and Heaven. Ac-
cordingly, any person who succeeded in climbing up to
the top of Kunlun would magically become an immortal
spirit.* [13]
Xiwangmu
Further information: Xiwangmu and Sun Wukong
Although not originally located on Kunlun, but rather on
a Jade Mountain neighboring to the north (and west of
the Moving Sands), Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of
Meng Hao in the West, in later accounts was relocated to
a palace protected by golden ramparts, within which im-
mortals (xian) feasted on bear paws, monkey lips, and the
livers of dragons, served at the edge of the Lake of Gems.
Every 6000 years the peaches which conferred immortal-
ity upon those who ate them would be served (except the
time when they were purloined by Monkey King). Orig-
inally a plague deity with tiger teeth and leopard tail, she 3.4.3 Plants
became a beautiful and well-mannered goddess responsi-
ble for guarding the herb of immortality.* [14]
Yu Shi
Further information: Yu Shi
Yu Shi, a Chinese spirit or god of rain, also known as
the Lord of Rainor Leader of Rainis thought to lang-kan)
have his dwelling place upon the Kunlun slopes. During
the reign of Shennong, a certain Chisongzi (Master Red sic books of the Zhou and early Han dynasties.* [18]
Pine) performed a rain-making ceremony which success-
fully ended a terrible drought, leading to his promotion to
"Yu Shi", Master of Rain.* [3] 3.4.4 Places
In later tradition Kunlun was pictured as a Daoist par-
adise, inhabited by xian, or Daoist immortals (humans
who had metamorphosed into superhuman form), which
was presided over by Xiwangmu. The xian were often
seen as temporary residents, who visited by means of y-
ing on the back of a magical crane or dragon.
3.4.2 Creatures
Kunlun has a lively bestiary, with various more-or-less
fantastic beasts and birds described as present in its envi-
rons. Often the tiger or beings with tiger-like features are
associated with Kunlun, since the tiger is symbolic of the
west, as Kunlun is often associated with the Western Par-
adise.* [16] Creatures symbolic of immortality are often
seen or described in depictions of Kunlun, such as deer
or cranes. Xiwangmu is often identied as having a pet
spotted deer. Besides the cranes (traditionally thought of
as the mounts or the transformations of immortals), other
birds come and go from the mountain, ying errands for
Xiwangmu: these blue (or green) birds are her qingniao.
Sometimes the poets claim to have received a happy in-
spiration during a visit by one of these birds, carrying a
message from Xiwangmu.
The ora of Kunlun and its environs is in keeping with
the rest of its natural (and supernatural qualities), and in-
cludes the Pearl and Jade Trees, the Tree of Immortal-
ity, and Tree Grain, the last of which (Muhe) was forty
feet and height and ve spans in thickness.* [12] Peaches
are (and have been) often associated with Xiwangmu
*
[17] The langgan (traditional Chinese: or ;
simplied Chinese: ; pinyin: lnggn; WadeGiles:
was a tree of fairy gems in colours of blue or
green, which was reported to grow on Kunlun in the clas-

Kunlun is described as having various structures, areas,

Shamans or signicant features either on or around the area of
the mountain. The palace of Xiwangmu, sometimes de-
Further information: Wu (shaman) scribed as having golden ramparts, was located on Kun-
lun: those blessed to gather there might partake of the
According to the Shanhaijing, the top of Kunlun is the fruit of longevity.* [19] Often her palace is described as
habitation of shamans, depicting Wu Peng holding the having a park or garden, bordering a Jasper Pool. Of gar-
herb of immortality there, in the company of ve other dens, a (the) Hanging Garden was referenced early on.
shamans.* [15]

Xian 3.5 Events

Further information: Xian (Taoism) Kunlun Mountain is a major scene of action in various
myths, as well as literary works derived from the myths,
 6 CHAPTER 3. KUNLUN MOUNTAIN (MYTHOLOGY)

legends, or religious descriptions or depictions. 3.6.4 Modern popular culture

Kunlun is used in the manga 33 Eyes. The term, writ-

3.5.1 Marriage of Nwa and Fuxi ten as K'un-Lun, is also used in the story of the Iron Fist
in Marvel Comics as one of the seven Capital Cities of
Main articles: Nwa and Fuxi Heaven in the Marvel Universe that only appears on Earth
periodically.* [21]

Fuxi and Nuwa's marriage took place on the mountain of

Kunlun. Generally held to be brother and sister, and the
last surviving human beings after a catastrophic ood, the 3.7 Gallery
incest taboo was waived by an explicit sign after prayer-
ful questioning of a divine being who approved their mar-
riage and thus the repopulation of the world.

3.5.2 Mu, Son of Heaven

Mu son of Heaven is one visitor, carried along on his trip

by eight extraordinary mounts, depicted in art as weird
and unworldly.* [20]

3.6 Cultural references
Many important literary references and allusions to Kun-
lun Mountain are found in traditional works, including
famous novels, poems, and theatrical pieces. It also ap-
pears in modern popular ctions.
Peach
Festival of the Queen Mother of the West, a Chi-
nese Ming Dynasty painting from the early 17th
century, by an anonymous artist. A mythological
event traditionally occurring on the mythological
Kunlun Mountain. From the Freer and Sackler
Galleries of Washington D.C.

3.6.1 Novels

Among other literature, Kunlun Mountain appears in

Fengshen Yanyi, Legend of the White Snake, the Tale of
King Mu, Son of Heaven, Kunlun Nu, and Journey to the
West (also known as Monkey). A
Japanese painting depicting Emperor Wudi of the
Han dynasty meeting Xiwangmu, according to a
3.6.2 Theater ctional account of his magical transportation to
Kunlun Mountain.
The Kunlun Slave (slave from Kunlun) was a stock char-
acter in Chinese theater, and known in Japanese theater
Konron. He was portrayed as exotic in appearance, and
possessed of superhuman powers. Mei Dingzuo (1549-
1615) wrote a play How the Kunlun Slave Became an
Immortal.

3.6.3 Poetry

Kunlun Mountain is a subject of poetic allusion from the

ancient poems "Li Sao" and "Heavenly Questions" by Qu
Yuan, through frequent mentions in the medieval Tang A
dynasty poetry, and, in the twentieth century in Mao Ze- throne and screen from the imperial workshops in
dong's 1935 poem Kunlun. the beginning of the era of the Kangxi Emperor
3.9. NOTES 7

(1662-1722). The screen depicts the Western Par-
adise, mythologically located on Kunlun Mountain,
with scenes of mountains, valleys, seas, terraces,
lakes, and palaces. Shown is the arrival of its ruler,
the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), shown
riding a phoenix, and the Eight Immortals awaiting
her arrival.
Neijing Tu, Daoist internal alchemy diagram relat-
ing human anatomy and cosmic theory
Peaches of Immortality, magical fruit providing
longevity
Sungmo, Korean primordial goddess associated to a
western mountain

Xiwangmu, Chinese primordial goddess identied

with Kunlun

3.9 Notes

[1] Yang 2005, pp. 160-164.

[2] Christie 1968, p. 74.

[3] Christie 1968, p. 75.

[4] Yang 2005, p. 163.

[5] Schipper 1978, pp. 365-366.

"Chiang [6] Schafer 1985, p. 290.

Tz-ya at Kun-lun
[7] Wilensky 2002, p. 2.

[8] Wilensky 2002, p. 4.

3.8 See also
[9] Wilensky 2002, pp. 6-7, 27-29.

Axis mundi [10] Werner 1994, p. 16.

Chi (mythology), has some discussion related to
Kunlun beastiary [11] Schafer 1985, pp. 47-48.

Chinese mythology, a general article on Chinese [12] Yang 2005, p. 160.

mythology
[13] Yang 2005, pp. 160-162.
Feather Mountain, mythological location of Gun's
demise [14] Christie 1968, pp. 78-79.
Four Mountains, advisors to emperors Yao and
[15] Hawks 2011, p. 45.
Shun, sometimes associated with four cardinal
mountains
[16] Christie 1968, p. 34.
Gigaku, article mentioning the character from Kun-
lun [17] Eberhard 2003, p. 320.

Hundun, mentions kunlun in etymological terms, [18] Schafer 1963, p. 246.

with cognate meaning
[19] Christie 1968, p. 72.
Jade Mountain (mythology), another mythical
mountain
[20] Schafer 1963, p. 59.
Mount Buzhou, another mythical mountain
[21] Casteele, John (March 18, 2017).Iron Fist: Kun-Lun
Mount Penglai, another mythical mountain s Monastery & Dannys Powers Explained. Screen Rant.
8 CHAPTER 3. KUNLUN MOUNTAIN (MYTHOLOGY)

3.10 References
Christie, Anthony (1968), Chinese Mythology,
Feltham: Hamlyn Publishing, ISBN 0600006379
Eberhard, Wolfram (2003) [1986], A Dictionary of
Chinese Symbols: Hidden Symbols in Chinese Life
and Thought, London, New York: Routledge, ISBN
0-415-00228-1

David, Hawkes; Yuan, Qu (2011) [1985], The Songs

of the South: An Ancient Chinese Anthology of Po-
ems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets, translated by David
Hawkes, London: Penguin Books, ISBN 978-0-14-
044375-2
Schafer, Edward H. (1985), The Golden Peaches
of Samarkand, Berkeley: University of California
Press, ISBN 978-0-520-05462-2

Schipper, Kristofer (1978), The Taoist Body,

History of Religions, Current Perspectives in the
Study of Chinese Religions, Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 17 (3/4), JSTOR 1062436, (Sub-
scription required (help))
Werner, E. T. C. (1994) [1922], Myths and Legends
of China, New York: Dover Publications, ISBN 0-
486-28092-6

Wilensky, Julie (2002), The Magical Kunlun

and 'Devil Slaves:' Chinese Perceptions of Dark-
skinned People and Africa before 1500 (PDF),
Sino-Platonic Papers, New Haven: Yale, 122

Yang, Lihui (2005), Handbook of Chinese Mythol-

ogy, New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN
978-0-19-533263-6
Chapter 4

Mount Buzhou

Mount Buzhou (Chinese: ; pinyin: Bzhu

Shn) was an ancient Chinese mythological mountain
which according to old texts lay to the northwest of the
Kunlun Mountains, in a location today referred to as the
Pamir Mountains. It is the mountain said to have sup-
ported the heavens, against which the Chinese water god
Gong Gong smashed his head in a t of anger, requiring
the goddess Nwa to repair the sky.
The mountain is mentioned in the Shan Hai Jing (
) and is the location where Qu Yuan wrote the classic
poem Li Sao, one of the Songs of Chu. Former Chinese
leader Mao Zedong also refers to Mount Buzhou in his
poem Against the FirstEncirclementCampaign (1931).

4.1 See also

Feather Mountain, a mythological mountain

Jade Mountain, a mythological mountain

Kunlun Mountain: a mythical mountain, dwelling of

various divinities, and fabulous plants and animals

Mount Penglai: paradise; a fabled fairy isle on the

China Sea

9
 Chapter 5

Mount Penglai

Horairedirects here. For the town in Aichi, see Hrai, 5.3 In Japanese mythology
Aichi. For the ancient Greek goddesses, see Horae.
The presentation of Mt. Hrai in Lafcadio Hearn's
Penglai is a legendary land of Chinese mythology. It is Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, is some-
known in Japanese mythology as Hrai.* [1] what dierent from the earlier idyllic Chinese myth. This
version, which does not truly represent the Japanese views
of Horai in the Meiji and preceding Tokugawa periods,
rejects much of the fantastic and magical properties of
5.1 Location Hrai. In this version of the myth, Hrai is not free
from sorrow or death, and the winters are bitterly cold.
Hearn's conception of Hrai holds that there are no mag-
According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the ical fruits that cure disease, grant eternal youth or raise
mountain is said to be on an island in the eastern end of the dead, and no rice bowls or wine glasses that never be-
Bohai Sea, along with four other islands where the im- come empty.
mortals lived, called Fngzhng ( ), Yngzhu (
), Diy (), and Yunjio (). Hearn's incarnation of the myth of Hrai focuses more
on the atmosphere of the place, which is said to be made
Various theories have been oered over the years as to the up not of air but ofquintillions of quintillionsof souls.
reallocation of these places, including Japan, Jejudo Breathing in these souls is said to grant one all of the
south of the Korean Peninsula, and Taiwan. Penglai, perceptions and knowledge of these ancient souls. The
Shandong exists, but its claimed connection is as the site Japanese version also holds that the people of Hrai are
of departures for those leaving for the island rather than small fairies, and they have no knowledge of great evil,
the island itself. and so their hearts never grow old.
In the Kwaidan, there is some indication that the Japanese
hold such a place to be merely a fantasy. It is pointed out
thatHrai is also called Shinkiro, which signies Mirage
5.2 In Chinese mythology the Vision of the Intangible.
Yet uses of Mount Hrai in Japanese literature and art of
In Chinese mythology, the mountain is often said to be the Tokugawa period (16151868) reveal a very dierent
the base for the Eight Immortals, or at least where they view than Hearn's Victorian-inuenced interpretation.
travel to have a banquet, as well as the magician Anqi
Sheng. Supposedly, everything on the mountain seems
white, while its palaces are made from gold and platinum,
and jewelry grows on trees. 5.4 See also
There is no pain and no winter; there are rice bowls and
wine glasses that never become empty no matter how
Avalon
much people eat or drink from them; and there are mag-
ical fruits growing in Penglai that can heal any disease,
grant eternal youth, and even raise the dead. Luggnagg, the island of the immortal struldbrugs in
Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels
Historically, Qin Shi Huang, in search of the elixir of life,
made several attempts to nd the island where the moun-
tain is located, to no avail. Legends tell that Xu Fu, one Shangri-La
servant sent to nd the island, found Japan instead, and
named Mount Fuji as Penglai. Dilmun, paradise-island in the Epic of Gilgamesh

10
5.5. REFERENCES 11

5.5 References
[1] McCullough, Helen. Classical Japanese Prose, p. 570.
Stanford Univ. Press, 1990. ISBN 0-8047-1960-8.

Horai. Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange

Things (digital version @ sacred-texts.com). Re-
trieved February 22, 2006.
12 CHAPTER 5. MOUNT PENGLAI

5.6 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

5.6.1 Text
Feather Mountain Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feather_Mountain?oldid=674954879 Contributors: Ogress, Evangeline, Dcat-
tell, Niceguyedc, Yobot and BattyBot
Jade Mountain (mythology) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Mountain_(mythology)?oldid=785685929 Contributors: CWH,
Arthur Rubin, Egsan Bacon, Amys eye, Dcattell, Yobot, Uncle Roy and Anonymous: 2
Kunlun Mountain (mythology) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunlun_Mountain_(mythology)?oldid=781167710 Contributors:
Yann, Hijiri88, BD2412, Arthur Rubin, Keahapana, Hzh, Dcattell, Sun Creator, Dawynn, Douglas the Comeback Kid, Blaylockjam10,
Yobot, Timmyshin, Hessamnia, John of Reading, ClueBot NG, Yetisyny, Cold Season, Aethelwolf Emsworth, Okkisare, Samatict, Jerod-
lycett, VvbnN129, Tompop888 and Anonymous: 7
Mount Buzhou Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Buzhou?oldid=542814874 Contributors: Bearcat, SmackBot, Philg88,
Goustien, Dcattell, MystBot, Addbot, Yottamol, Anna Frodesiak, Stoigniew and TuHan-Bot
Mount Penglai Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Penglai?oldid=787327709 Contributors: Kidburla, Error, Robbot, DocWat-
son42, Mjk2357, EurekaLott, Bendono, Ogress, Rjwilmsi, Nihiltres, YurikBot, Yamara, Sardanaphalus, SmackBot, Neo-Jay, Ikiroid, Un-
derbar dk, Rigadoun, Wolfdog, Iokseng, Cydebot, John254, WinBot, Sigurd Dragon Slayer, Ebizur, Balthazarduju, Jevansen, VolkovBot,
Bigemore, Hmwith, Goustien, Hello71, Stout256, Staygyro, Wakablogger~enwiki, Lx 121, DragonFury, Inuyashafan4life, MystBot, Ad-
dbot, Luckas-bot, Yobot, LlywelynII, Citation bot, Xqbot, KazakhstanNice94, White whirlwind, Shanghainese.ua, Serols, Orenburg1,
ZhBot, EmausBot, ClueBot NG, Pittfan22, Maradox466, Magic links bot and Anonymous: 15

5.6.2 Images
File:Chiang_Tzu-ya_at_K-un-lun-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_15250.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/c/c7/Chiang_Tzu-ya_at_K-un-lun-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_15250.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Werner, E. T.
C. (1922) Myths & Legends of China, New York: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. Retrieved on 28 August 2012. (Project Gutenberg eText
15250) Original artist: Unknown<a href='https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:
Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png'
width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.
svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x'
data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Chinese_lu_symbol_-_ .svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Chinese_lu_symbol_-_%E7%A6%
84.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: Aethelwolf Emsworth.
File:Guanyu-1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Guanyu-1.jpg License: Public domain Contributors:
Unknown Original artist: User Tiangong83 on zh.wikipedia
File:HanWudi-Xiwangmu.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/HanWudi-Xiwangmu.JPG License:
Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Lamp_Representing_the_Realm_of_the_Queen_Mother_of_the_West_(1st2nd_century_CE).jpg Source: https://upload.
wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Lamp_Representing_the_Realm_of_the_Queen_Mother_of_the_West_%281st%E2%80%
932nd_century_CE%29.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work; photographed by Smuconlaw on 28 April 2012, 15:46:17.
Original artist: Unknown<a href='https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718'
src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20'
height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050'
data-le-height='590' /></a>.
File:Museum_fr_Ostasiatische_Kunst_Dahlem_Berlin_Mai_2006_024.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/d/d1/Museum_f%C3%BCr_Ostasiatische_Kunst_Dahlem_Berlin_Mai_2006_024.jpg License: Public domain Contributors:
Own work Original artist: Gryndor
File:Peach_Festival_of_the_Queen_Mother_of_the_West,_Freer_Gallery_of_Art.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/2/23/Peach_Festival_of_the_Queen_Mother_of_the_West%2C_Freer_Gallery_of_Art.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-
3.0 Contributors: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. Original artist: PericlesofAthens at English Wikipedia
File:Penglai_(Chinese_characters).svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Penglai_%28Chinese_
characters%29.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Self Original artist: White whirlwind
File:Yin_and_Yang.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Yin_and_Yang.svg License: Public domain
Contributors: This vector image was created with Inkscape by Klem, and then manually edited by Mnmazur. Original artist: Klem
File:YuanJiang-Penglai_Island.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/YuanJiang-Penglai_Island.jpg Li-
cense: Public domain Contributors: Zhongguo gu dai shu hua jian ding zu (). 1997-2001. Zhongguo hui hua quan ji
(). Zhongguo mei shu fen lei quan ji. Beijing: Wen wu chu ban she. Volume 26. Original artist: Yuan Jiang (). Active:
1680-1730.
File:Zhenkong-Wusheng_Laomu_red.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Zhenkong-Wusheng_
Laomu_red.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: Aethelwolf Emsworth.

5.6.3 Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0