Moving Sands
TheMoving Sands,also known as theFlowing Sands(Liúshā( lưu sa ), "flowing-sand", or "quicksand"), is an important feature in the mythological geography of Chinese literature, including novels and poetry over a course of over two millennia from theWarring Statesto earlyHan dynastyera poetry of theChucionward to the present. In his poem "Li Sao",authorQu Yuandescribes an aerial crossing of the Moving (or Flowing) Sands on a shamanic spiritual Journey toKunlun."Moving Sands forms one of the obstacles the fictional version of the monkXuanzangand companions must cross over on their mission to fetch the Buddhist scriptures from India and return them to Tang China. In this story, Xuanzang recruits the former sand demon and eater-of-humansSha Wujingwho is living in Moving Sands as his third disciple. Sometimes the Moving (or Flowing) Sands seem to depict drifting dunes or desert, sometimes asandorquicksand-like river, in which case, in Chinese, it would be (Liúshā-hé( lưu sa hà, "flowing-sandriver",or"quicksand-river ").
Mythological geographic context[edit]
Chinese mythology and imagination developed an extensive collection of ideas, about mythological places and terrains, Moving Sands included. David Hawkes Says "Chu poets give this name to an unlocatable area in the mythical geography of the west, but no doubt it derives ultimately from travelers' tales of the Takla Makan desert" (Hawkes 1985, 332).
Nearby features[edit]
Various mythological geography is associated with the Moving Sands, including theWeak River,theRed River,and one or more of theeight mountain pillars,especially the (mythological)Kunlun MountainandJade Mountain(Yang 2005, 160-162).
Literature and poetry[edit]
The Moving Sands feature in literature, both in poetry and novels.
Literature[edit]
In the novelJourney to the Westthe Moving Sand river forms one of the barriers on the way, one of the many difficult areas which the Xuanzang the Monk, Sun Wukong the Monkey, and their companion must cross over. By the mercy and help of the Buddhist goddessGuanyin,who by forethought and prior preparation made it happen,Xuanzangmet his third disciple at the Moving (or Flowing) Sands, who joins them after a brief misunderstanding.
Poetry[edit]
The Moving Sands are referred to allusionly in various Chinese Classical poems, including theChucianthology included. In lines 349-350 of his poem "Li Sao",Qu Yuan describes crossing over through the sky by means of a team of dragons: he soars above all obstacle rivers and hostile terrain at will during his spirit journey. The Li Sao helped set the tone for other poems of theChuci,which also allude to this type of mythological geography.
Real moving sands[edit]
Real moving sands occur in and around China, in the form of desert dunes, moved by wind and gravity. TheTaklamakan Desertis one example.Quicksandis another phenomenon encountered in and around China
See also[edit]
- Chinese mythology:a general article on Chinese mythology
- Classical Chinese poetry:a general article on Classical Chinese poetry
- Dune,about sand dunes (moving sands)
- Jade Mountain (mythology):another mythical mountain
- Kunlun (mythology):nearby location in the mythological geography of China
- List of mythological Chinese rivers
- Red River (mythology):nearby location in the mythological geography of China.
References cited[edit]
- Hawkes, David,translation, introduction, and notes (2011 [1985]). Qu Yuanet al.,The Songs of the South: An Ancient Chinese Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets.London: Penguin Books.ISBN978-0-14-044375-2
- Yang, Lihui,et al.(2005).Handbook of Chinese Mythology.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-533263-6
References consulted[edit]
- Yu, Anthony C.,editor, translator, and introduction (1980 [1977]).The Journey to the West.Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.ISBN978-0-226-97150-6