《山海經》一書大量記載了各種神異外形的自然神祇、異域氏族、巫覡、精怪、異獸以及遠古帝王英雄事蹟，這些神異存在或有重複出現於全書，卻是在形象內容有所變動，或是需要置放在更大的文義脈絡，比對其它文獻，方能詮釋他們所象徵的、所賦予的意義。本文目標即在指出《山海經》個別神異存所表現的神話性質，及其具體連結於〈山經〉、〈海經〉以及〈荒經〉神話表象體系之間的關係；於論文的第一部份探討《山海經》的整體意義，指出三經彼此之間既「連貫」又「變遷」的結構與內容；其次則借用神話學的觀點，分析三經神異世界不同顥「聖」導向；最後則逐一檢視所有神異存在，各自交織於三經的「知識法則」與「秩序系統」，顯現三經不同神異世界及其結構的衍變。 There are Gods, spirits, ancestors, heroic characters, shamans, monstrous foreigners and fabulous beasts, all kinds of personal or impersonal supernatural creatures portrayed in Shan Hai Jing. Some of these supernatural beings are described repeatedly in Shan Jing〈山經〉, Hai Jing〈海經〉and Huang Jing〈荒經〉, but have different meanings both between these different Jings and also within every Jing in different contexts. This thesis compares the representation of the supernatural beings in the three mythological realms depicted in the three Jings. The first part of the thesis analyzes the text of Shan Hai Jing, discovering an inherent logic of the development of the ideas between the three Jings. The second part deals with the mythological ideas, helping us to see how supernatural beings have a certain meaning which is expressed both by their symbol to denote the sacred representation and by their connection to the three Jings. I then describe each supernatural being in Shan Hai Jing, taking into account that Shan Hai Jing is a world that combines Shan Jing—a spiritual mountain world, Hai jing—a mythical geography and Huang Jing—a mythical genealogy. Using this analysis, we also clearly see how ancient Chinese people perceived the whole universe.
