The earliest book in China to record marine myths is "The Classic of Mountains and Seas". "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" is an important ancient book in China's pre-Qin period. It is also the oldest strange book rich in myths and legends. The author of the book is unknown, and modern scholars believe that it was obviously not written at one time, nor was it written by a single author.
The handed down version of "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" totals 18 volumes, including 5 volumes of "The Classic of Mountains" and 13 volumes of "The Classic of Seas". The age of each volume cannot be determined, and 14 of them are works from the Warring States Period. The four volumes are works from the early Western Han Dynasty.
The content of the Classic of Mountains and Seas is mainly geographical knowledge in folklore, including mountains and rivers, geography, ethnic groups, products, medicines, sacrifices, witch doctors, etc. It has preserved many popular ancient myths, legends and fables, including Kuafu's pursuit of the sun, Jingwei's reclamation of the sea, and Dayu's flood control.
"The Classic of Mountains and Seas" has extraordinary documentary value and can be used as a reference for the study of ancient Chinese history, geography, culture, Chinese and foreign transportation, folk customs, mythology, etc. The mineral records among them are the earliest relevant documents in the world.
The version of "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" is complex, and the earliest version it can be seen is the "Biography of the Classic of Mountains and Seas" by Guo Pu of Jin Dynasty. However, the title of "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" is mentioned in "Historical Records", and the earliest book included in it is "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi". As for its real author, the predecessors believed that it was Yu and Boyi, and that it was edited and edited by Liu Xiang and Liu Xin of the Western Han Dynasty before it became a handed down book. Now many believe that the specific year and author of the book cannot be confirmed.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas has a great influence and is highly valued by the international Sinology community. Ancient and modern scholars have different understandings of the nature of its content. For example, Sima Qian bluntly said that "I dare not speak out" about its content, and Lu Xun It is considered to be "the book of witches and alchemists". Most scholars now believe that "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" is an early and valuable geographical work.