SHAN HAI JING


This book design reimagines The Classic of Mountains and Seas through hand-drawing, digital, and mixed media techniques.
With expressive brushwork and creative composition, it brings mythical beasts and strange tribes to life.
The work offers a vivid new vision of the legendary text's fantastical landscapes and creatures.

Dongdong (䍶䍶) : a one-eyed, one-horned sheep that constantly cries out in a bizarre voice.

Xingxing (狌狌): a monkey-like creature with a human face, white ears, and the ability to walk upright and speak like a person.
Boyi (猼訑): a beast with nine tails, four ears, and eyes on its back—its skin is said to make one fearless when worn.

Juru (狙如): a mouse-like creature with white ears and teeth, believed to summon armies when it appears.

Yong (颙): a bird-shaped creature with a human face, four eyes, and ears — its cry is said to foretell great floods.

A solemn ritual where humans bow and offer sacrifices to a god-like beast with a human face and a sheep's body.

Erba Shen (二八神): mysterious forest spirits who always appear in pairs at night, their presence felt more than seen.

Zhuyu (祝余): a fragrant, leek-like herb with blue blossoms, known for quelling hunger and often found on the mythical Que Mountain.

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Exhibition view — held at Nanjing University of the Arts

Sincere thanks to Professor Zhang Wenhua for her invaluable guidance on the project.