Wind from the Western Land: The Mystery of the Light-Bearing Seeds of the American Civilization

Author: Hu Yuanpeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: For the Chinese, we can only bow down in reverence to the Jing of the Shan Hai Jing (East Mountain Jing), which introduces the mountain ranges stretching from north to south for about 1,200 miles. The article lists the names of 12 peaks, each with a river flowing eastward, including northeast, east, or southeast directions. The second Jing climbs through a mountainous area of 2,200 miles north and south. The third Jing progresses along waterways, traveling about 2,000 miles north and south. The fourth Jing is brief, starting from the "North Sea" and moving south and east. The East Mountain Jing's Jing first mentions the mountains, which appear to be the Nevada and Cascade Mountains in North America, as they are by the coast and align with the over 1,200 miles north and south mentioned in the book. However, all rivers in the coastal mountain ranges flow west into the Pacific. This contradicts the direction of the rivers, so the theory of the Nevada and Cascade Mountains is abandoned. After pondering, the Andes! They might be the mountains seen in the book, as that massive mountain range extends north and south, and all major rivers flow east into the ocean. The eastern slope of the Andes is a vast rainforest. The Shan Hai Jing mentions: The recorder traveled across the shifting sands for a period, but the eastern slope of the Andes has shifting sands. Thus, the theory of the Andes is also abandoned. The only remaining vast mountain range is the Rockies, where the rivers indeed flow eastward, pouring into what the Chinese call the Poplar Mountains. To me, the Poplar Mountains only mean one place—the Colorado State Park. Taking a chance, I tried to see if the third peak was somewhere in Colorado. I searched intently, exploring back and forth at that point. Returning to the peak "Qi Zhong Shan," I saw the Sweetwater River (R.Sweetwater, translated as "Sweetwater River") in Wyoming, with palatable water flowing northeast. Following the map downward, I found the shifting sands—the sand that buried the Andes—as clearly pointed out by the Chinese. Today, to commemorate this, we have established the Great Sand Dunes Museum there. Continuing downward, each peak matched. At first, it seemed unbelievable, but that was the case—once one match was found, the others followed suit. In a few places, winding through the Teton Pass, Berthoud Pass, Rabbit Ears Pass, or Fall River Pass, the total distance was off by about 20 miles. But over the long 1,200-mile distance, slight errors from over 4,000 years ago could be forgiven, especially since it is well-known that the area is rugged and intimidating. To know that climbing a single peak would encounter countless hardships, and now to personally traverse 2,200 miles along the continental divide, crossing 17 mountains from Manitoba, Canada, to Mazatlan, Mexico, makes this feat seem nearly impossible, and that is understandable. For the Chinese who, over 4,000 years ago, courageously and fearlessly mapped the snow-capped, steep peaks, we can only bow our heads in reverence. That the Shan Hai Jing recorded by these Chinese could survive to this day is also a remarkable turn of fate. The detailed content recorded in the book is even more astonishing than the fictional stories.
The correspondence between the Shan Hai Jing and the American continent:
1. The first peak of the East Mountain Jing is Qi Li Shan, facing north to Qian Mei. The water (or "drinking water") flows northeast into the sea. It is rich in fish like Jing Jing (sound: jiǒng), which resemble horned cattle with tiger-like patterns and sound like pigs (sound: zhì). Twenty miles west of Casper, Wyoming, there is a mountain peak 5,930 feet high, which seems to be Qi Li Shan. It borders the Big Horn Range to the north. The water is the Sweetwater River, which joins the North Platte River and flows northeast, eventually emptying into the Mississippi River and the sea. As for the animal resembling a tiger-patterned bull, it might be a sea otter. (For brevity, the original text of the Shan Hai Jing is not included here. Readers can compare and read the relevant chapters of the East Mountain Jing on their own.)
2. One hundred miles south, there is Medicine Bow Peak (12,005 feet). Here, there are some gold sands and inferior jade. "The lake water" is a small tributary flowing east from the eastern slope of Medicine Bow Peak and enters the Laramie River, which flows into the North Platte River.
3. One hundred miles further south, on the Poplar Mountain (perhaps Long’s Peak in Colorado), there are golden-leaved poplar trees stretching for mile after mile through Colorado, creating a spectacular and unforgettable sight that the Chinese would never forget. From Steamboat to Cropple Creek, this area is rich in gold mines and is renowned far and wide. The famous mottled green jade of Mexico comes from here. "The water" is a tributary of the Laramie River, flowing north. Two rivers—one from Medicine Bow Peak and the other from Long’s Peak—join together, exactly as the Chinese indicated. To identify the fish as rainbow trout, brown trout, or other species, only the Colorado fisherman can determine it. The bird with a mouse-like feather might be a bat.
4. Among the four or five peaks about 100 miles south, Gray’s Peak seems to be the one pointed to by the Chinese.
5. One hundred miles further south, near the northern side of Monarch Pass, Princeton Mountain (M.L.Princeton) may be the high peak mentioned in the Shan Hai Jing. From here begins the Sangre de Cristo Range, which the Chinese call the "foreign mountains." The Chinese say many sands were found there. Along the western side of the mountain tops of the Sangre de Cristo Range, stretching for mile after mile, are sands that reach the summit of the National Great Sand Dunes Museum, where there is plenty of sand. The Jia River is a tributary of the Arkansas River.
6. The "Gu Er Shan" mentioned by the Chinese is called "Blanca" in Spanish (White Maiden Mountain). One hundred thirty miles south, the Huerfano River, a tributary of the Arkansas River, flows north from Blanca Peak and joins the Arkansas River.
7. North Tracy Peak in New Mexico seems to be the peak mentioned in the Shan Hai Jing. There are two rivers flowing east around swamps from the peak, both of which are interrupted. The area has many inferior jade, as well as some turquoise, crystal, and jadeite.