Mouthless Huan of Mount Xun, anonymous1667 Shanhaijing illustration
Printed䍺 caption says sheep form without mouth and洵山; woolly horned quadruped treatment inspected. Distinct character and body from one-eyed三tail讙. Physical Smithsonian edition1667; ancient text composition is earlier. Anonymous illustrator; GuoPu commentator and WuZhongheng editor, neither asserted as artist.
Overview
The Southern Mountains Classic places 䍺 at Mount Xun, a mountain associated with gold, jade and the Xun River. The being resembles a sheep but has no mouth, and the text says it cannot be killed. Its character and geographical notice distinguish it from the differently written 讙 of Mount Yiwang.
The inspected 1667 plate labels the sheep-like creature 䍺 and repeats its lack of a mouth and origin at Mount Xun. It draws a woolly quadruped with curved horns. The later printed image supplies that visible horned treatment; the base notice supplies the mouthless condition and resistance to killing.
Origins & earliest records
Chinese mountains-and-seas textual geography
Records & interpretation
Actual named primary paragraph and labelled 1667 plate directly inspected.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Shanhaijing, 南山經
Southern second sequence, Mount Xun (洵山); base text distinguished from commentary and later illustration.
- 02
Shan hai jing: er shi san juan, illustrated physical volume 2
Actual IIIF canvas index 14, zero based; printed label inspected.
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
Shan hai jing: er shi san juan (Smithsonian digitized edition)
Physical volume 2; Shan hai jing tu illustration sequence. IIIF canvas index 14 (zero based); labelled creature plate, no printed page number asserted
Actual downloaded page bytes inspected in image-worker contact sheet. The inspected 1667 plate labels the sheep-like creature 䍺 and repeats its lack of a mouth and origin at Mount Xun. It draws a woolly quadruped with curved horns. The later printed image supplies that visible horned treatment; the base notice supplies the mouthless condition and resistance to killing.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary Chinese text transcriptionShanhaijing primary mountain noticeResearch access: 2026-10-05
- Primary illustrated editionSmithsonian digitized illustrated volume 2Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationMouthless Huan of Mount Xun, anonymous1667 Shanhaijing illustration
Printed䍺 caption says sheep form without mouth and洵山; woolly horned quadruped treatment inspected. Distinct character and body from one-eyed三tail讙. Physical Smithsonian edition1667; ancient text composition is earlier. Anonymous illustrator; GuoPu commentator and WuZhongheng editor, neither asserted as artist.
