| | 卷第二: |
元鼎元年，起招仙閣於甘泉宮西。編翠羽麟毫為簾，青琉璃為扇，懸黎火齊為床，其上懸浮金輕玉之磬。浮金者，色如金，自浮於水上；輕玉者，其質貞明而輕。有霞光綉，有藻龍綉，有連煙綉，有走龍錦，有雲鳳錦，翻鴻錦。閣上燒荃靡香屑，燒粟許，其氣三月不絕。進𡸰嵻細棗，出𡸰嵻山，山臨碧海上，萬年一實，如今之軟棗。咋之有膏，膏可燃燈，西王母握以獻帝。燃芳苡燈，光色紫，有白鳳、黑龍、馵足來，戲於閣邊。有青鳥，赤頭，道路而下，以迎神女。神女留玉釵以贈帝，帝以賜趙婕妤。至昭帝元鳳中，宮人猶見此釵。黃諃欲之，明日示之，既發匣，有白燕飛昇天。後宮人學作此釵，因名玉燕釵，言吉祥也。 |
| | In Yuanding 1st year, a Zhaoxian Pavilion was built to the west of Ganhuan Palace. Cuiyu linhao feathers were woven into curtains, blue lishi was made into fans, hualu and huoji stones were used as bed materials, and above them were suspended floating golden light and light jade chimes. Floating gold refers to an object whose color resembles gold, naturally floating on the water's surface; Light jade refers to a material that is pure and clear in quality yet light. There were xianguang embroidery, zaolong embroidery, lianyan embroidery, zoulong brocade, yunfeng brocade, and fanhong brocade. Incense shavings of quanmi were burned on the pavilion, as well as suxu; its fragrance lasted for three months without fading. They presented Qiankeng xi zao, which came from the Qiankeng Mountain. The mountain was located by the green sea; it bore fruit once every ten thousand years, similar to today's soft dates. Its pulp contained fat, which could be used to light lamps; the Queen Mother of Heaven held it and presented it to the emperor. They lit ranfang yi lamps, whose light was purple in color; white phoenixes, black dragons, and zhu feet creatures came to play by the pavilion's side. There were green birds with red heads flying down along the roads to welcome the goddess. The goddess left a jade hairpin as a gift for the emperor, who in turn bestowed it upon Zhao Jieyu. By the middle of Yuangfeng reign period of Emperor Zhao, palace attendants still saw this hairpin. Huang Xin desired it; the next day he showed it to others. When the casket was opened, a white swallow flew up into the sky. Later palace attendants imitated its making and thus named it Yuyan hairpin, saying that it signified good fortune.
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| | 卷第二: |
元鼎五年，郅支國貢馬肝石百斤。常以水銀養之，內玉櫃中，金泥封其上。國人長四尺，惟餌此石而已。半青半白，如今之馬肝。舂碎以和九轉之丹，服之，彌年不饑渴也。以之拂髮，白者皆黑。帝坐群臣於甘泉殿，有髮白者，以石拂之，應手皆黑。是時公卿語曰：「不用作方伯，惟須馬肝石。」此石酷烈，不和丹砂，不可近髮。帝寢靈莊殿，召東方朔於青綺，窗不隔綈紈，重幕，問朔曰：「漢承庚運，火德，以何精瑞為祥應？」朔跪而對曰：「臣常至吳明之墟，是長安東過扶桑七萬里，有及雲山。山頂有井，雲起井中，若土德王黃雲出，火德王赤雲出，水德王黑雲出，金德王白雲出，木德王青雲出。此皆應瑞德也。」帝曰：「善」。 |
| | In Yuanding 5th year, the Zhizhi Kingdom presented one hundred catties of maligan stone as tribute. It was usually nourished with mercury and placed inside a jade cabinet, sealed on top with gold paste. The people of the country were four chi tall, and they only consumed this stone. Half green and half white, like today's maligan. When ground into powder to mix with the nine transformations of cinnabar pills, consuming it would make one not feel hungry or thirsty for many years. Using it to brush hair, white hairs all turned black. The emperor seated his ministers in Ganhuan Hall; those among them with white hair brushed it with the stone, and their hair turned black immediately. At that time, the high officials remarked: "One need not become a fangbo; one only needs maligan stone." This stone is extremely strong; if it is not mixed with cinnabar, it cannot be used near the hair. The emperor slept in Lingzhuang Hall and summoned Dongfang 朔 to Qingqi. The window was not separated by silk or gauze, nor by multiple curtains. He asked Dongfang 朔: "Han dynasty inherits the Geng cycle, fire virtue; what kind of refined auspicious signs should be considered as omens?" Shuo knelt and replied, "I have often visited the ruins of Wuming, which is seven ten-thousands of li east of Chang'an beyond Fusang. There is a Jiyun Mountain there. Atop the mountain there is a well; clouds arise from within it. If yellow clouds emerge, it signifies the Earth virtue reigns; if red clouds emerge, Fire virtue reigns; black clouds indicate Water virtue reigns; white clouds mean Metal virtue reigns; and green clouds signify Wood virtue reigns. These are all auspicious signs corresponding to the virtues." The emperor said, "Well done."
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| | 卷第二: |
元封中，起方山像，招諸靈異，召東方朔言其秘奧。乃燒天下異香，有沉光香、精祗香、明庭香、金磾香、塗魂香，外國所貢青楂之燈。青楂木有膏，如淳漆，削置器中，以蠟和之塗布，燃照數里。 |
| | In the middle of Yuanfeng period, a statue of Fangshan was built to summon various spirits and anomalies; Dongfang 朔 was summoned to explain its mysteries. They burned rare fragrances from all over the world, including chenguang incense, jingzhi incense, mingting incense, jindi incense, and tuhun incense. Foreign countries presented green zha lamps as tribute. The Qingzha tree contains fat, similar to pure lacquer; when shaved and placed in a vessel, mixed with wax and applied on cloth, it could burn and illuminate for several li.
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| | 卷第二: |
起神明臺，上有九天道金床、象席，虎珀鎮雜玉為簟。帝坐良久，設甜水之冰，以備洪濯酌。瑤琨碧酒，炮青豹之脯。果則有塗陰紫梨、琳國碧李，仙眾與食之。 |
| | They built the Shenming Terrace, which had a nine-heaven golden bed and elephant skin mat; tiger hu po stones mixed with various jades were used as floor mats. The emperor sat there for a long time, ice made from sweet water was prepared to provide for large-scale washing and pouring. Yao kun green wine was served, along with roasted pheasant meat of the qingbao. As for fruits, there were Tuyin purple pears and Linguo green plums; immortals and the crowd shared them.
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| | 卷第二: |
吠勒國貢文犀四頭，狀如水兕。角表有光，因名明犀。置闇中，有光影，亦曰影犀。織以為簟，如錦綺之文。此國去長安九千里，在日南。人長七尺，被髮至踵，乘犀象之車。乘象入海底取寶，宿於蛟人之舍，得淚珠。則蛟所泣之珠也，亦曰泣珠。 |
| | The Fulei Kingdom presented four head of wenshi, which resembled shuisi in appearance. Their horns had a lustrous glow; thus they were named Mingxi. Placed in the dark, their horns still cast light and shadows; hence they were also called Yingxi. They wove them into floor mats with patterns resembling brocade and silk. This country was nine thousand li south of Chang'an, located in the southern part of the sun's path. The people were seven chi tall, with hair hanging down to their heels, and they rode in vehicles drawn by rhinoceroses and elephants. They rode on elephants into the sea bottom to retrieve treasures, stayed at the dwellings of jiaoren, and obtained teardrop pearls. These were tears shed by the jiao; they were also called qizhu.
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| | 卷第二: |
甜水去虞淵八十里，有甜溪，水味如蜜。東方朔遊此水，得數斛以獻帝。投水於井，井水常甜而寒，洗沭則肌理柔滑。 |
| | Tianshui is eighty li away from Yuyuan, where there is a Tianxi stream whose water tastes like honey. Dongfang 朔 traveled to this stream and obtained several hu of the water to present to the emperor. When poured into a well, the well's water remained sweet and cold; washing with it made one's skin soft and smooth.
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| | 卷第二: |
瑤琨，去玉門九萬里，有碧草如麥，割之以釀酒，則味如醇酎，飲一合，三旬不醒。但飲甜水，隨飲而醒。 |
| | Yaokun is ninety thousand li away from Yumen. There, green grass grows like wheat; when harvested and used to brew wine, its flavor resembles pure strong liquor. Drinking one ge of it would leave a person unconscious for thirty days without waking up. However, drinking Tianshui water would cause immediate awakening after consumption.
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| | 卷第二: |
塗山之背，梨大如升，或雲斗。紫色，千年一花，亦曰紫輕梨。 |
| | On the back of Tushan Mountain, pears were as large as a sheng, or even a dou in size. They were purple in color and bloomed once every thousand years; they were also called Ziqing pear.
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| | 卷第二: |
琳國去長安九千里，生玉葉李，色如碧玉，數十年一熟，味酸。昔韓終常餌此李，因名韓終李。 |
| | Linguo is nine thousand li away from Chang'an, where Yuyeli grows; its color resembles green jade. It ripens once every several decades and has an acidic taste. In the past, Hanzhong often consumed this plum; thus it was named Hanzhong Li.
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| | 卷第二: |
元封三年，大秦國貢花蹄牛。其色駁，高六尺，尾環繞其身，角端有肉，蹄如蓮花，善走，多力。帝使輦銅石，以起望仙宮，迹在石上，皆如花形，故陽關之外花牛津，時得異石。長十丈，高三丈，立於望仙宮，因名龍鐘石。武帝末，此石自陷入地，唯尾出土上，今人謂龍尾墩也。 |
| | In the third year of Yuanfeng, the Daqin Kingdom presented huati cattle as tribute. Their color was mottled; they were six chi tall, with tails that coiled around their bodies. Their horns had fleshy ends, and their hooves resembled lotus flowers. They were fast runners and very strong. The emperor ordered the transportation of copper and stone to build Wangxian Palace. The tracks left on the stones were all in the shape of flowers, hence why Huaniuqin beyond Yangguan occasionally yielded unusual stones. They were ten zhang long and three zhang high, erected in Wangxian Palace; thus they were named Longzhong Stone. At the end of Emperor Wu's reign, this stone sank into the ground by itself; only its tail remained above the soil. People today call it Longweidun.
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| | 卷第二: |
帝好微行，於長安城西，夜見一螭遊於路。董竭曰：「昔傑媚末喜於膝上，以金簪貫玉褵腹為戲。今螭腹餘金簪穿痕，安非此耶？」曰：「白龍魚麟，網者食之。」帝曰：「試我也。」 |
| | The emperor enjoyed incognito travels; one night west of Chang'an City, he saw a chi creature swimming along the road. Dong Jie said: "In ancient times, Jiemei and Muxi played a game on their knees, piercing the abdomen of jade li with a golden hairpin for amusement. Now there are traces of gold hairpins passing through this chi's belly; how can it not be the same?" He said, "White dragon fish with scales like those of a kirin, whoever catches them may eat them." The emperor said, "You are testing me."
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| | 卷第二: |
元封四年，脩彌國獻駁騾，高十尺，毛色赤斑，皆有日月之象。帝以金埏為鎖絆，以寶器盛芻以飼之。 |
| | In the fourth year of Yuanfeng, Xiumi Kingdom presented a mottled donkey. It was ten chi tall with red-spotted fur, and its body bore patterns resembling the sun and moon. The emperor used gold to make a shackle for it and placed precious vessels filled with fodder to feed it.
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| | 卷第二: |
元封五年，勒畢國貢細鳥，以方尺之玉籠盛數百頭，形如大蠅，狀似鸚鵡，聲聞數里之間，如黃鵠之音也。國人常以此鳥候時，亦名曰候日蟲。帝置之於宮內，旬日而飛盡，帝惜，求之不復得。明年，見細鳥集帷幕，或入衣袖，因名蟬。宮內嬪妃皆悅之，有鳥集其衣者，輒蒙愛幸。至武帝末，稍稍自死，人猶愛其皮。服其皮者，多為丈夫所媚。 |
| | In the fifth year of Yuanfeng, Lebi Kingdom presented tiny birds. Hundreds were kept in a jade cage one chi square; they resembled large flies in shape and parrots in appearance, their voices could be heard for several li, like the sound of a yellow crane. The people of this country often used these birds to mark time; they were also named Houri chong. The emperor placed them inside the palace, but after ten days, all of them had flown away. The emperor regretted it and searched for them, yet could not find them again. The next year, tiny birds were seen gathering on the curtains or flying into sleeves; thus they were named chuan. Palace concubines and ladies all delighted in them; if a bird perched on one's clothing, that person would often receive the emperor's favor. By the end of Emperor Wu's reign, they gradually died off by themselves, yet people still cherished their skins. Those who wore their skins were often favored by men.
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| | 卷第二: |
勒畢國，人長三寸，有翼，善言語戲笑，因名善語國。常群飛往日下自曝，身熱乃歸。飲丹露為漿。丹露者，日初出有露汁如珠也。 |
| | The Lebi Kingdom had people three cun tall, with wings and skilled in speaking and joking; thus the country was named Shanyu Guo. They often flew together toward the sun to bask in its heat, returning only when their bodies were warm. They drank danlu as a drink. Danlu refers to dew that appears at the beginning of sunrise, resembling pearls in form.
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| | 卷第二: |
太初二年，東方朔從西那汗國歸，得聲風木十枝獻帝。長九尺，大如指。此木臨因桓之水，則《禹貢》所謂因桓是也。其源出甜波。樹上有紫燕黃鵠集其間，實如油麻風，吹枝如玉聲，因以為名。帝以枝遍賜尊臣，臣有凶者，枝則汗，臣有死者，枝則折。昔老聃在於周世，年七百歲，枝竟未汗。偓佺生於堯時，年三千歲，枝竟未一折。帝乃以枝問朔，朔曰：「臣已見此枝三過枯死而復生，豈汗折而已哉！里語曰：年未半，枝不汗。此木五千年一濕，萬歲不枯。」 |
| | In the second year of Taichu, Dongfang 朔 returned from Xina Khan Kingdom and presented ten branches of Shengfeng wood to the emperor. They were nine chi long and as thick as a finger. This wood grows by the Yinhuan River, which is what the "Yu Gong" text refers to as Yinhuan. Its source originates from Tianbo. Purple swallows and yellow cranes gathered among the trees; its fruits resembled oil sesame, and when the wind blew through the branches, they made a sound like jade. Hence it was given this name. The emperor distributed the branches to his most esteemed ministers; if a minister encountered misfortune, the branch would sweat. If a minister died, the branch would break. In ancient times, Lao Dan lived during the Zhou dynasty and was seven hundred years old; yet the branches never sweated. Woquan was born in Yao's time, living for three thousand years; yet not once did a branch break. The emperor then asked Shuo about the branches, and Shuo said: "I have already seen these branches wither and die three times yet revive again. How could it be merely sweating or breaking!" A local saying goes: "Before half a life, the branch does not sweat." "This tree becomes moist once every five thousand years and remains unwithered for ten thousand years."
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| | 卷第二: |
太初三年，起甘泉望風臺。臺上得白珠如花一枝，帝以錦蓋覆之，如照月矣。因名照月珠，以賜董偃，盛以琉璃之筐。 |
| | In the third year of Taichu, they built the Ganhuan Wangfeng Terrace. A branch with white pearls like flowers was found on the terrace; the emperor covered it with brocade, as if illuminating the moon. It was thus named Zhaoyue zhu and bestowed upon Dong Yan, placed in a lishi basket for storage.
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| | 卷第二: |
太初四年，東方朔從支提國來。國人長三丈二尺，三手三足，各三指，多力，善走，國內小山能移之，有澗泉，飲能盡。結海苔為衣，其戲笑，取犀象相投擲為樂。 |
| | In the fourth year of Taichu, dongfang 朔 came from Zhiti Kingdom. The people of this country were three zhang and two chi tall, with three hands and three feet, each having three fingers. They were very strong and fast runners; they could move small mountains within their country. There were gullies and springs there, which one could drink until empty. They wove seaweed into clothing; for amusement, they played by throwing rhinoceroses and elephants at each other as a form of entertainment.
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| | 卷第二: |
東方朔遊吉雲之地，得神馬一匹，高九尺。帝問朔：「是何獸也？」朔曰：「昔西王母乘靈光輦以適東王公之舍，稅此馬遊於芝田，乃食芝田之草。東王公怒，棄馬于清津天岸。臣至王公之壇，因騎馬返，繞日三匝，然入漢關，關猶未掩。臣於馬上睡，不覺而玉至。」帝曰：「其名云何？」對曰：「因疾，為名步景。」朔當乘之時，如駑蹇之驢耳。東方朔曰：「臣有吉雲草十頃，種於九景山東。二千歲一花，明年應生，臣走請刈之。得以秣馬，馬終不飢也。」朔曰：「臣至東極，過吉雲之澤，多生此草，移於九景之山，全不如吉雲之地。」帝曰：「何謂吉雲？」朔曰：「其國俗以雲氣占吉凶，若樂事，則滿室雲起，五色照人，著於草樹，皆成五色露珠，甚甘。」帝曰：「吉雲露可得乎？」朔乃東走，至夕而返，得玄露、青露，盛青琉璃，各受五合，跪以獻帝。遍賜群臣，群臣得嘗者，老者皆少，疾者皆愈。凡五官嘗露：董謁、李充、孟岐、郭瓊、黃安也。 |
| | Dongfang 朔 traveled through Jiyun territory and obtained one divine horse, nine chi tall. The emperor asked Shuo: "What kind of beast is this?" Shuo said: "In the past, the Queen Mother of Heaven rode a Lingguang palanquin to visit the residence of the Eastern King Gong. She left this horse to roam in the zhi field, where it fed on the grass there. The Eastern King Gong became angry and abandoned the horse at Qingjin Tian'an. I reached the altar of King Gong, rode this horse back, circled the sun three times, yet when I entered Han's pass, it was still not closed. "I fell asleep on the horse and woke up to find jade had arrived." The emperor asked, "What is its name?" He replied: "Because of its speed, it is named Bu Jing." When Shuo rode it at that time, it was like a slow and clumsy donkey. Dongfang Shuo said: "I have ten qing of Jiyun grass, planted to the east of Jiuying Mountain. It produces one flower every two thousand years; it should sprout next year. I will go and harvest it." "With this, we can feed the horse; the horse will never be hungry again." Shuo said: "When I reached the easternmost point, I passed through Jiyun Marsh where this grass grows abundantly. I transplanted it to Jiuying Mountain, but nothing compares to its growth in Jiyun land." The emperor asked: "What is meant by 'Jiyun'?" Shuo said: "In that country, the people use cloud formations to predict auspicious or ominous events. When something joyful occurs, clouds fill the room and five-colored lights illuminate people; they appear on grasses and trees as colorful dewdrops, which are very sweet." The emperor asked: "Can Jiyun dew be obtained?" Shuo then went eastward, and returned by evening with black dew and green dew. He carried them in a blue glass vessel, each holding five ge, and knelt to present it to the emperor. The emperor distributed them widely among his ministers; those who tasted it, the old became young again and the sick were all cured. All five officials who tasted the dew were: Dong Ye, Li Chong, Meng Qi, Guo Qiong, and Huang An.
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| | 卷第二: |
李充，馮翊人也。自言三百歲，荷草畚，負《五岳真圖》而至。帝禮待之，亦號負圖先生也。 |
| | Li Chong was a native of Fengyi. He claimed to be 300 years old, carrying a bamboo basket and the "Wuyue Zhen Tu" on his back when he arrived. The emperor treated him with courtesy and also gave him the title Fu Tu Xiansheng (Mr. Map-Bearer).
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| | 卷第二: |
孟岐，河清之逸人也。年可七百歲。語及周初事，了然如目前。岐侍周公昇壇上，岐以手摩成王足。周公以玉笏與之，岐嘗寶執，每以衣袂拂拭，笏厚七分，今銳斷，恒切桂葉食之。聞帝好仙，披草蓋而來謁帝焉。 |
| | Meng Qi was a recluse from Heqing. He was about 700 years old. When he spoke of events from the early Zhou dynasty, he described them clearly as if they were happening right before one's eyes. Qi served when Duke of Zhou ascended the altar; Qi touched King Cheng's foot with his hand. Duke of Zhou gave him a jade tablet, which Qi cherished and often wiped with his sleeve. The tablet was seven fen thick; now it is sharp and broken, and he constantly cuts leaves from cinnamon trees to eat them. Having heard that the emperor favored immortals, he came to pay homage wearing a grass cloak.
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| | 卷第二: |
郭瓊，東郡人也。形貌醜劣，而意度過人。曾宿人家，輒乞薪自照讀書。晝眠，眼不閉，行地无迹。帝聞其異，徵焉。 |
| | Guo Qiong was a native of Dong Jun. He had an ugly appearance, but his mind and demeanor surpassed ordinary people. Once staying at a commoner's house, he would often ask for firewood to light himself while reading books. He slept during the day with his eyes open and walked on the ground without leaving footprints. The emperor, hearing of his unusual traits, summoned him.
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| | 卷第二: |
黃安，代郡人也。為代郡卒。自云卑猥不獲處人間，執鞭懷荊而讀書。畫地以記數者，夕地成池矣。時人謂黃安年可八十餘，視如童子。常服朱砂，舉体皆赤，冬不著裘。坐一神龜，廣二尺，人問：「子坐此龜幾年矣？」對曰：「昔伏羲始造網罟，獲此龜以授吾。吾坐龜背已平矣。此蟲畏日月之光，二千歲即一出頭，吾坐此龜，已見五出頭矣。」行即負龜以趋，世人謂黃安萬歲矣。 |
| | Huang An was a native of Dai Jun. He served as a soldier in Dai Jun. He claimed that he was lowly and unworthy of living among people, so he held a whip and carried hawthorn while reading books. When he drew on the ground to record numbers, by evening the drawn lines had turned into pools. At that time, people said Huang An was about eighty years old, but he looked like a child. He often wore cinnabar and his whole body appeared red; even in winter, he did not wear fur clothing. He sat on a divine turtle two chi wide. Someone asked him: "How many years have you been sitting on this turtle?" He replied: "In the past, when Fu Xi first made nets and traps, he caught this turtle and gave it to me." "The shell of the turtle has already been flattened from my sitting on it." "This creature fears the light of the sun and moon; once every two thousand years, it emerges from its shell. I have been sitting on this turtle long enough to witness five such emergences." When he walked, he carried the turtle with him; people in the world said Huang An must be ten thousand years old.
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