The descendants of the Lunbo giants, who had become very small, sailed from their tiny country to the shores of the Celestial Empire to catch fish, crabs and small turtles. They conveyed information to the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire about three mountains floating on turtles, about immortals flying from mountain to mountain to visit, that there even dates the size of melons and all the fruits growing on jade trees give immortality. These stories reached the ears of earthly rulers, whose wealth and power were immeasurable. All they lacked was immortality. They began to equip ships and send them to search for the sacred mountains. But all the expeditions returned with nothing. Sailors said that they saw mountains like clouds, but when they approached them, they went into the water, and a terrible headwind rose, which drove the travelers away. From the ship's masts, the seafarers said, one could even see golden palaces with jade railings, gardens and flying immortals.
The richer and more fierce the kings were, the more they wanted immortality. Six rulers of the kingdoms sent ships to the mysterious mountains, but they could not reach them. Finally, the richest and most cruel gathered a flotilla, supplied it with food and water for many years and said that if they returned with nothing, they would all be executed. They also failed to approach the dazzlingly sparkling mountains. The flotilla turned back. One day, a storm washed the ships to the blessed green islands, no less beautiful than their homeland, where all the sailors were to die a painful death. They reasoned: it was better to live in exile than to die in their homeland. And they founded a new state on the islands, which later became known as Japan.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru