The Classic of Mountains And Seas (Penguin Classics S.) - Softcover

The Chinese CLASSIC OF MOUNTAINS AND SEAS dates from the 3rd century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. and is structured according to a conception of the world as a vast land mass bounded on its four sides by four seas, beyond which lie four great wildernesses. Each chapter leads the reader through successive landscapes, describing the geographical and mythological associations of each location. The CLASSIC defies neat classification, and combines travel, genealogy, medicine, botany, regional lore, fables, and above all mythology. The CLASSIC is the key sourcebook of ancient Chinese mythology, occupying an analogous position in Chinese cultural history to Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' in Greek mythology.