tldr at the bottom.

Well, this is interesting. This is literally, the classic of mountains and seas, not the fantasy version or some fanfic. A fun little fact is that there are many different versions lost to history so its not the original in that sense. But its a must-read for anyone who is interested in Chinese mythology. It is a chore to read it - not gonna lie - as it's just about what you can find here and there. In the version I have, there are illustrations of some... more>> of the mythical beasts on the mountains. Also, if you know some poetry from earlier periods, you will find some interesting references, or at least I did. For example, one poem I read was called "Heavenly Questions" (Tian wen, apparently) it asks, "where do the nine fields of heaven extend to and where do they join each other?" And this classic - if I recall correctly actually mentions 2 of the 9. Another Han dynasty poem I was reading mentions another location, but - at least what I think - this question is not based on a physical location, and in the Han dynasty or the whenever this version was published, the question turned from abstract to somewhat real. Or at least what I think, I am just an American after all, my understanding can only go so far. Could be those poems were still abstract but I misunderstood it as something more physical.

tldr - My point is, this is a must-read for anyone who loves Chinese mythology. <<less