Sanshinzan

A legendary sacred mountain in China. It refers to the three mountains of Mount Horai, Mount Hojo, and Mount Yingzhou, said to be located in the Bay of the Bohai Sea. There are various theories about its origin, such as a mirage theory or mountain worship, but it was explained by Taoists (people who practiced the art of Taoism) in the Yan and Qi states during the Warring States period (5th to 3rd century BCE), who believed that immortals lived there and that there was a divine elixir of immortality. At the end of the Warring States period, the kings of Yan and Qi, the First Emperor of Qin, and Emperor Wu of Han sent envoys to search for the sacred mountain at sea in an attempt to obtain the elixir of immortality. According to legend, the Three Divine Mountains are not far from the coast, but when people approach, they create wind and waves to keep ships away, all of the buildings are made of gold and silver, and all the birds and animals that live there are white. These stories are recorded in detail in the Fengshanshu section of the Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian, which is said to be the oldest record of the theory of immortals. However, in later generations, they have been passed down in tales and have become symbolic of a land of immortals. One theory is that they support the prosperity of maritime trade during the Warring States period.

[Toshiaki Yamada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の伝説上の神山。渤海(ぼっかい)湾中にあるといわれる蓬莱(ほうらい)山、方丈(ほうじょう)山、瀛洲(えいしゅう)山の三山をいう。その発生には、蜃気楼(しんきろう)説、山岳信仰説など諸説がありはっきりしないが、戦国時代（前5～前3世紀）の燕(えん)、斉(せい)の国の方士(ほうし)（神仙の術を行う人）によって説かれ、そこには仙人が住み、不老不死の神薬があると信じられた。戦国末期の燕、斉の諸王や秦(しん)の始皇帝(しこうてい)、あるいは漢の武帝(ぶてい)などが使者を出して海上にその神山を探させ、不死の薬を得ようとした。伝説によると、三神山は海岸から遠く離れてはいないが、人が近づくと風や波をおこして船を寄せつけず、建物はことごとく黄金や銀でできており、すむ鳥獣はすべて白色であるという。こうした記事は司馬遷(しばせん)の『史記』封禅書(ほうぜんしょ)に詳しく記されており、それは神仙説についての最古の記録とされる。しかし後世では説話のなかに伝承されて、むしろ神仙境の象徴的存在となっている。一説に、戦国時代における海上交易の盛行を裏づけるものともいわれる。

［山田利明］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例