mengji, named historic Shan hai jing illustration
Named traditional creature plate from the illustrated Shan hai jing corpus. Artist/edition attribution copied from the original file record; historical artistic interpretation, not a photograph of a real animal.
Overview
Mengji appears on Mount Shizhe in the Shanhaijing’s first northern itinerary. It resembles a leopard, has markings on its forehead or head, and a white body. The entry says that it is good at lying hidden, and that its cry calls its own name. Those details provide both appearance and behaviour without a full encounter narrative.
The mountain lacks grass and trees but contains valuable stone, while a river runs from it into the Yellow River. This setting belongs to the geographical passage, not a demonstrated range of a living species. The ability to hide does not establish literal invisibility, magic mist, or perfect camouflage against every surface. The creature’s whiteness and marked head are source-specific characteristics that would be lost in a generic photograph of an ordinary spotted leopard.
Origins & earliest records
China; Shanhaijing, Northern Mountains
Records & interpretation
Directly read Chinese primary-text transcription, with exact named geographical locator; no historical scan claimed.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Shanhaijing: Northern Mountains
First northern sequence; Mount Shizhe 石者山
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, Northern Mountains
北山經. First northern sequence; Mount Shizhe 石者山
Directly read transcription, not a collated historical scan. Identifying passage: 其狀如豹，而文題白身，名曰孟極，是善伏。 No exact illustrated plate verified.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary-text transcriptionShanhaijing, Northern Mountains: First northern sequence; Mount Shizhe 石者山Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationmengji, named historic Shan hai jing illustration
Named traditional creature plate from the illustrated Shan hai jing corpus. Artist/edition attribution copied from the original file record; historical artistic interpretation, not a photograph of a real animal.
