Zhujian of Mount Danzhang, anonymous1667 Shanhaijing illustration
Printed諸犍 caption confirms long tail, human head, ox ears and single eye, plus holding/coiling tail behavior. The drawing does not show every behavioral phase at once. Physical Smithsonian edition1667; ancient text composition is earlier. Anonymous illustrator; GuoPu commentator and WuZhongheng editor, neither asserted as artist.
Overview
Zhujian appears on Mount Danzhang in the Shanhaijing’s first northern itinerary. It combines a leopardlike body and long tail with a human head, ox ears, and a single eye. The text says that it is loud-voiced. When walking it holds its tail in its mouth; when resting it coils the tail around itself.
The handling of the tail is an unusually specific behavioural detail, useful for distinguishing an accurate illustration from a generic one-eyed monster. The same mountain passage names the bird Baiye, whose claimed dietary effects must remain separate. Zhujian is not directly called a human eater here, and the account does not equip it with a club or a bow. Its composite anatomy and contrasting moving and resting postures are the core evidence supplied by this witness.
Origins & earliest records
China; Shanhaijing, Northern Mountains
Records & interpretation
Directly read Chinese primary-text transcription, with exact named geographical locator; no historical scan claimed.
Additional images
View larger zhujian, 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.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Shanhaijing: Northern Mountains
First northern sequence; Mount Danzhang 單張山
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 Danzhang 單張山
Directly read transcription, not a collated historical scan. Identifying passage: 其狀如豹而長尾，人首而牛耳，一目，名曰諸犍。 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 Danzhang 單張山Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationZhujian of Mount Danzhang, anonymous1667 Shanhaijing illustration
Printed諸犍 caption confirms long tail, human head, ox ears and single eye, plus holding/coiling tail behavior. The drawing does not show every behavioral phase at once. Physical Smithsonian edition1667; ancient text composition is earlier. Anonymous illustrator; GuoPu commentator and WuZhongheng editor, neither asserted as artist.
Further credits appear with each additional image.
