Illustration of Shaoshi Mountain

Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Geography

The Sancai Tuhui is a famous pictorial encyclopedia compiled by Wang Qi and his son Wang Siyi, published in 1609 during the Ming Dynasty. The title "Three Realms" refers to Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

[Illustration: A woodblock print of Shaoshi Mountain original: 韶石山 (Shaoshi Shan); located in present-day Shaoguan, Guangdong Province. depicting three distinct, towering peaks. The foreground features jagged cliff faces and resilient pine trees, characteristic of the traditional Chinese Landscape Illustration original: 山水圖 (Shanshui Tu); literally "mountain and water picture," a style that emphasizes the spiritual essence of nature over mathematical accuracy style.]

This entry is categorized under the Geography original: 地理 (Dili); in this historical context, the term encompasses both topography and the cultural history associated with specific locations division of the encyclopedia.

Shaoshi Mountain is renowned for its striking red rock formations and its deep connection to ancient legends. Tradition holds that the prehistoric sage-king, Emperor Shun, traveled to this site and performed the Shao music—a sacred melody—causing the very stones of the mountain to resonate. This event gave the mountain its name, as "Shao" refers to the music and "Shi" refers to the stones.