A Classic of Mountains and Riversis an important antique book in the pre-Qin Dynasty, it was recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian. Despite its absurdness, it is a vital book bearing Chinese history. Liu Liwen, the author of the picture book, had condensed the whole volume of the Classic of Mountains and Riversinto one picture book, giving us a new perspective to understand the fantasy world within. The mysterious monsters, such as honest Dijiang (帝江), enchanting nine-tail fox and greedy Taotie (饕餮), are vividly depicted in this picture book version of Monsters of Mountains and Rivers. The author was inspired by the aesthetic feeling of Chinese realism from the Calligraphy and painting in the Song Dynasty. With detailed and fine sketch skills, he vividly portrayed the creatures. The dimension of time is also incorporated in the story, outlining the great history all the way from the birth of the mythological world. This book is supervised by Tang Yaming, designed by the Japanese children’s book designer Sugisita Niwa; it receives great compliments from Tadashi Matsui, the father of Japanese picture book.
