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The Shenyijing 神異經 "Classic of the deities and the extraordinary" is a collection of phantastic stories traditionally attributed to the Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE) Daoist master Dongfang Shuo 東方朔. The book is only quite short, and the stories of strange events are arranged geographically, in a pattern very similar to that used in the Shanhaijing 山海經 "Classic of mountains and seas". But contrary to the latter, the Shenyijing does provide very few geographical information but concentrates on the phantastic stories of immortals, deities, and supernatural beings, like the Lord of the East (Dongwanggong 東王公), the winged tiger Qiong Qi 窮奇, Mt. Kunlun 崑崙 as the pillar of Heaven (tianzhu 天柱), or the "Jade Hen" from Mt. Fusang 扶桑山.
According to the imperial bibliography Jingjizhi 經籍志 in the official dynastic history Suishu 隋書, the Shenyijing was written by Dongfang Shuo and commented by the Jin period 晉 (265-420)
scholar Zhang Hua 張華. Both statements are probably incorrect. The book might have been compiled during the Southern Dynasties period 南朝 (420~589).
The Shenyijing is included in the collectanea Han-Wei congshu 漢魏叢書, Gezhi congshu 格致叢書, Longwei mishu 龍威秘書, Shuofu 說郛, and the Siku quanshu 四庫全書.
Source: Li Shaoyong 李少雍 (1986). "Shenyijiing 神異經", in: Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Zhongguo wenxue 中國文學, vol. 2, p. 713. Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe.
| Contents |
1. 東荒經 Donghuang The eastern wilderness
2. 東南荒經 Dongnanhuang The southeastern wilderness
3. 南荒經 Nanhuang The southern wilderness
4. 西南荒經 Xinanhuang The southwestern wilderness
5. 西荒經 Xihuang The western wilderness
6. 西北荒經 Xibeihuang The northwestern wilderness
7. 北荒經 Beihuang The northern wilderness
8. 東北荒經 Dongbeihuang The northeastern wilderness
9. 中荒經 Zhonghuang The central wilderness |
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