Discover Penglai Mountain, a mystical land with golden and jade-like stones, and the unique Hong'e bird, a fantastical creature of this celestial paradise.
Penglai Mountain, also known as Fangqiu Mountain and Yunlai Mountain, stands at a height of twenty thousand li (around 10,000 kilometers) and spans a width of seventy thousand li (around 35,000 kilometers). The sea surrounding Penglai Mountain is clear and shallow, with small stones that resemble gold and jade in the water. These stones, in their natural state, emit a radiant luster, and immortals often consume them. To the east of Penglai Mountain lies the country of Yuyi, where golden-hued mists frequently appear. Many immortals say that the clouds and mists above Yuyi Country often float and swirl, rising and falling like the construction of high-rise buildings on a mountain. The doors and windows of their dwellings always face the sun, but when the mists disappear, their doors turn northward. To the west of Penglai Mountain is the country of Hanming. People there weave clothing from bird feathers and collect dewwater for consumption. They spend their days ascending to high places to gather dewwater. The steps are adorned with gold, silver, blue jade rings, crystals, as well as patterns of flames and seaweed. There are also icy and boiling waters, and those who drink this water can live up to a thousand years. There is a large snail called “Luobu” that crawls with its shell exposed but retreats into its shell when it gets cold. The eggs of the Luobu become hard when touched but are soft when attached to stones. When a wise monarch appears, the Luobu floats along the seashore. There is a type of red reed that can be woven into mats, which are warm and soft, similar to felt made from fine hairs.
There is a bird called the Hongeese, which has feathers similar in color to a wild goose but with the shape of a vulture. It lacks intestines in its belly, and its feathers grow attached to its bones, without any skin or flesh. These birds can lay eggs just by making eye contact, with both males and females. To the south of Penglai Mountain, there is a bird called the Mandarin Duck. It resembles a large goose and often spirals up and down between the clouds, nesting in the mountain caves. These birds do not walk on the ground and are born in stone caves. They mate once every ten thousand years, lay eggs, and hatch their chicks. It takes a thousand years for the young birds to practice flying with their feathers. Mandarin Ducks gather in groups of tens of millions, selecting the one with the longest feathers as the leader to fly high into the sky for thousands of miles. During the reign of wise and virtuous emperors, Mandarin Ducks fly to the outskirts of the capital. There is also a type of colorful bamboo resembling jade. The bamboo leaves are green, the bamboo stems are purple, and the bamboo seeds are as large as pearls. A bird named Qingluan gathers on the bamboo branches. Beneath the bamboo, the ground is covered with sand and small stones as fine as powder. When a gentle breeze blows, the bamboo branches and leaves roll and sway together, and the fine sand kicked up by the wind resembles clouds and mist. Immortals come here to watch and play, and the sound of the wind rustling the bamboo leaves is like the chiming of bells and chimes.
蓬萊山亦名防丘，亦名雲來，高二萬里，廣七萬里。水淺，有細石如金玉，得之不加陶冶，自然光淨，仙者服之。東有郁夷國，時有金霧。諸仙說此上常浮轉低昂，有如山上架樓，室常向明以開戶牖，及霧滅歇，戶皆向北。其西有含明之國，綴鳥毛以為衣，承露而飲，終天登高取水，亦以金、銀、倉環、水精、火藻為階。有冰水、沸水，飲者千歲。有大螺名裸步，負其殼露行，冷則復入其殼。生卵著石則軟，取之則堅。明王出世，則浮於海際焉。有葭，紅色，可編為席，溫柔如罽毳焉。有鳥名鴻鵝，色似鴻，形如禿鶖，腹內無腸，羽翮附骨而生，無皮肉也。雄雌相眄則生產。南有鳥，名鴛鴦，形似雁，徘徊雲間，棲息高岫，足不踐地，生於石穴中，萬歲一交則生雛，千歲銜毛學飛，以千萬為群，推其毛長者高翥萬里。聖君之世，來入國郊。有浮筠之簳，葉青莖紫，子大如珠，有青鸞集其上。下有沙礪，細如粉，柔風至，葉條翻起，拂細沙如雲霧。仙者來觀而戲焉，風吹竹葉，聲如鐘磬之音。