Shan Hai Jing Manuscript (Ming Dynasty, 1465)
Dublin Core
Title
Shan Hai Jing Manuscript (Ming Dynasty, 1465)
Subject
Mythical geography, Chinese cosmology, ancient creatures
Description
This is a hand-copied version of the Shan Hai Jing made in 1465 during the Ming Dynasty by a scholar named Wu Kuan. It also includes notes written earlier by Guo Pu, a scholar from the Jin Dynasty. The book mixes mythology, geography, and cosmology, and describes strange mountains, rivers, and creatures from ancient China. The manuscript is written with a brush in traditional Chinese calligraphy and has red seal marks that were common in that time. It is now kept in the National Library of China and is a good example of both classical Chinese literature and how books were made in the past.
Creator
Wu Kan (transcriber); Guo Pu (annotator)
Source
Publisher
Not applicable ( pre-modern manusctipt)
Date
1465-01-01
Contributor
Guo Pu (annotator)
Rights
Public domain. Digitized for educational and non-commercial use only. Original image from Shuge.org
Relation
Part of the exhibit: Mapping Myth and Meaning: The World of Shan Hai Jing
Format
Ink on paper
Language
zh
Type
Text ( Hand-copied manusctipt )
Identifier
SHJ - MSS - 1465
Coverage
Ming Dynasty, China
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
18-volume handwritten version of the Shan Hai Jing, annotated by Guo Pu. The manuscript includes descriptions of mythical mountains, rivers, creatures and cosmological beliefs from ancient China.
Original Format
Hand-copied manuscript on traditional Chinese paper using black ink, bound in volumes. Includes red seal stamps typical of Ming Dynasty scholarly works.
Citation
Wu Kan (transcriber); Guo Pu (annotator), “Shan Hai Jing Manuscript (Ming Dynasty, 1465),” Omeka, accessed May 13, 2026, https://omeka.ischool.utoronto.ca/items/show/445.