《山海經 040(神獸篇)》白礪：吞石異獸與荒山靈性的古老傳說 | Shan Hai Jing 040 (Mythical Beasts) Bai Li: The Stone-Devouring Beast and the Spirit of Desolate Mountains

在《山海經》的異獸傳說中，白礪是一種與山石共存的神秘生物，牠以吞食礦石與岩礫為生，象徵荒野深處潛藏的古老力量與自然靈性。
Within the legends of the Shan Hai Jing, Bai Li is a mysterious creature bound to stone and mountain terrain, surviving by consuming minerals and rock. It symbolizes the ancient power hidden within remote wilderness and the spirit of untamed nature.

中文

西北荒山之地，終年少雨，山勢嶙峋，岩石在烈日之下泛著蒼白光澤。那裡幾乎沒有樹木，只有風聲穿過裂谷，如遠古低語。旅人很少願意靠近那片地帶，因為山中流傳著關於白礪的傳說。有人說牠是山石孕生的異獸，也有人認為牠是大地靈氣化成的存在。白礪形體龐大，通體灰白，皮膚如磨損岩壁般粗糙，雙角彎曲如古老礦脈。牠平日棲息於洞窟深處，唯有夜晚才會緩緩現身。最令人畏懼的是，牠從不吞食血肉，而是以山石與礦物為食。當牠咬碎巨岩之時，聲音如山崩般震耳，甚至能引起地面微微震動。某年，一群尋礦之人進入荒山，希望找到傳說中的珍稀礦脈。他們翻越險峻山壁，深入無人裂谷，卻逐漸發現周圍景象異常。原本堅硬的岩層竟出現巨大缺口，彷彿被什麼生物啃噬過一般。地面散落著細碎白石，空氣中瀰漫著奇異粉塵。夜幕降臨時，遠方忽然傳來低沉聲響，如巨石互相摩擦。聲音愈來愈近，整座山谷都在回應。眾人點起火把，只見黑暗之中，一道龐大身影緩緩現身。那便是白礪。牠的雙眼如黯淡礦火，沉靜而古老，口中仍咬著半塊巨岩。隨著牠一步步前行，地面微微顫動。礦工們驚恐後退，卻發現自己無法移動視線。白礪並未攻擊，只是靜靜注視眾人，隨後低頭啃咬岩壁。巨大的石塊在牠口中如脆木般碎裂，碎石飛散，火光映照下如銀灰色雨點。那畫面既震撼又令人不安。隊伍中的老人忽然低聲說道，白礪並非單純異獸，而是守護山脈的存在。牠吞食岩石，其實是在維持地脈平衡，若有人過度開採，山川便會崩毀。眾人聞言不再妄動，只能靜靜站立。片刻之後，白礪抬起頭，再次望向人群，那目光之中沒有敵意，卻帶著某種不可侵犯的威嚴。隨後牠轉身走入黑暗裂谷，身影漸漸與山石融為一體，只剩低沉的碎石聲仍在山中迴盪。那群礦工最終放棄開採，離開荒山。自此之後，關於白礪的傳說逐漸流傳四方，人們開始相信，群山並非死物，而是擁有自身意志。白礪則成為荒野與地脈的象徵，提醒世人自然並不屬於任何人。當夜風吹過山谷，若隱若現的碎石聲仍偶爾響起，彷彿那頭灰白異獸依舊潛伏於裂谷深處，守望著沉默千年的山脈。

English Version
Far beyond fertile lands, where barren mountains stretch beneath a relentless sky, there exists a region shaped entirely by stone. The cliffs are pale and jagged, stripped of forests and softened only by the endless wind that moves through narrow ravines like an ancient whisper. Few travelers willingly cross this place, for stories speak of a creature known as Bai Li—a beast believed to be born from the mountains themselves. Unlike predators of fang and claw, Bai Li survives not on flesh, but on rock and mineral. Its body resembles weathered stone, rough and pale, blending almost perfectly with the surrounding cliffs. Curved horns rise from its head like exposed veins of ore, and its movements carry the weight of shifting earth. During the day it remains hidden within deep caverns, but at night, when silence settles across the mountains, it emerges. Those who have heard it describe a terrifying sound—the cracking and grinding of stone as the creature devours entire sections of rock. A group of miners once entered these mountains searching for rare minerals said to lie beneath the ancient ridges. As they ventured deeper, they began noticing strange formations. Massive sections of cliffside appeared bitten away, leaving jagged hollows too large to be explained by erosion. Fine pale fragments covered the ground, and an unfamiliar dust drifted through the air. When darkness fell, the mountains answered with a low, resonant rumble. At first it sounded distant, like shifting boulders during an avalanche, but gradually it drew closer. Torches flickered as the miners turned toward the sound. From the shadows emerged an immense figure. Bai Li stepped into view slowly, carrying half-crushed stone within its jaws. Its dim glowing eyes resembled buried embers hidden deep within rock. Every movement caused the ground beneath it to tremble faintly. Fear spread through the group, yet none could look away. The creature ignored them entirely and lowered its head toward a cliffside. With a single bite, enormous fragments of stone shattered in its mouth as though they were brittle wood. Shards scattered through the torchlight like silver rain. One elder among the miners whispered that Bai Li was no ordinary beast. According to forgotten tales, it existed to preserve the balance of the mountains themselves. By consuming unstable stone and reshaping the terrain, it protected the deep veins of the earth from collapse. Those who extracted too much from the land risked awakening its anger—and perhaps the destruction of the mountains themselves. Hearing this, the miners abandoned their greed. They stood silently as the creature continued feeding, its presence ancient and immovable, like part of the landscape itself. Eventually Bai Li lifted its gaze toward them one final time. There was no hatred in its eyes, only an overwhelming sense of authority, as though the mountains were watching through it. Then it turned and disappeared back into the ravines, its pale body dissolving into darkness and stone. The miners left soon after, carrying with them a new understanding of the land. In time, Bai Li became more than legend. It came to symbolize the hidden spirit of the mountains and the reminder that nature is never truly lifeless. Even now, wanderers claim that on silent nights, deep within remote canyons, the sound of grinding stone can still be heard echoing through the darkness—evidence that the guardian of the mountains continues its endless watch.