guanguan, named historical Shan hai jing woodcut
Exact named figure in the Southern Mountains section of a seventeenth-century illustrated Shan hai jing edition. Historical interpretation, not a biological photograph. Source file cites the Library of Congress digitized edition.
Overview
Guanguan is the bird listed at Mount Qingqiu in the Shanhaijing's first southern itinerary. It resembles a dove or pigeon. Its voice is likened to human scolding or calling out in the displayed commentary, and the received text attributes protection against confusion to wearing it.
The same mountain passage lists jade on the southern side, blue-green mineral material on the northern side, and the nine-tailed fox. The Ying River then flows south to the Jiyi marsh, with the human-faced Chiru in its waters. Guanguan's setting thus links a particular sound and attributed protective effect to a mountain inventory shared with other named creatures.
Origins & earliest records
China; Shanhaijing, Southern Mountains
Records & interpretation
Directly read Chinese primary-text transcription; exact section and geographical passage retained. No matched scan or illustration verified.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Shanhaijing: Southern Mountains
First southern sequence; Mount Qingqiu 青丘山; hosted text displays commentary separately in brackets.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Shanhaijing, Southern Mountains
南山經. First southern sequence; Mount Qingqiu 青丘山
Directly read transcription, not a collated historical scan. Identifying passage: 有鳥焉，其狀如鳩，其音若呵，名曰灌灌，佩之不惑。 Base text and bracketed commentary distinguished; no exact plate assigned.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary-text transcriptionShanhaijing, Southern Mountains: First southern sequence; Mount Qingqiu 青丘山Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationguanguan, named historical Shan hai jing woodcut
Exact named figure in the Southern Mountains section of a seventeenth-century illustrated Shan hai jing edition. Historical interpretation, not a biological photograph. Source file cites the Library of Congress digitized edition.
