Is there any news about the mythical beasts in ancient legends?
The four major mythical beasts of ancient China:
Qinglong
There are many legends about dragons, and there are many opinions about the origin of dragons. Some say they originated from India. Incoming, some say it was the Chinese constellation. India itself is said to be about the dragon god, but the status of the dragon in India is not high, and there is also a real thing - a python.
In the era when the Five Elements theory was popular, stories about the Green Dragon slowly began to spread; Five Elements masters assigned five colors to the southeast, northwest, and middle according to the yin and yang and the five elements, and each color was matched with the five elements. The previous mythical beast and a god; the east is cyan, with the dragon, the west is white, with the tiger, the south is vermilion, with the bird, the north is black, with the martial arts, and yellow is the central color.
Among the gods from all directions, according to the Book of Mountains and Seas, ‘Zhurong from the south has a beast body and a human face, riding two dragons. ’; ‘To the west, there is a snake in the left ear, riding on two dragons. '; 'There is Jumang in the east, with the body of a bird and the face of a human, riding on two dragons. ’; ‘In the Yu border in the north, a man with black body and limbs rides on two dragons. ', a more interesting point is that the dragons in the Classic of Mountains and Seas are all ridden, while the snakes of the same kind are held, manipulated or wrapped around the neck, showing the difference between the two; but in the Five The five gods of Fang are quite different from the four gods of Sifang, so I won’t go into details here. Suzaku, Xuanwu (black tortoise and snake, Wu means turtle and snake), Qinglong and White Tiger respectively represent the twenty-eight constellations of the four directions. The dragon represents the seven constellations of the east - Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei and Ji. And the shape of these seven constellations is very similar to the shape of a dragon. It can be seen from the meaning of their words that the horn is the horn of the dragon, the horn is the neck, the di is the root of the neck, the room is the shoulder and the side, and the heart is the base of the neck. The heart, the tail is the tail, and the Ji is the end of the tail.
Also in the part of the dragon’s heart, some people call it the ‘big fire’, which is related to sunshine and rain. And because Qinglong belongs to wood, it is also the year of Jupiter in that year. After the rise of Taoism, these four spirits were also given human names to make it easier for humans to call them. The green dragon was called "Mengzhang", the white tiger was called "Jianbing", the red bird was called "Lingguang", and the Xuanwu was called "Zhi Ming". Among the many dynasties, some monarchs took Qinglong as their reign name, such as Emperor Wei Ming of the Three Kingdoms. In the historical records, it is also said that the Xia Dynasty was a dynasty of Mu De, so it had the auspicious title of "Qinglong was born in the suburbs". Records of trillions.
In ancient China, those with horns on their heads were called male dragons; those with two horns were called dragons, those with one horn were called dragons; Called mother and son Chi; the dragon's status is much higher than that in India. Because in China the dragon is a divine creature, the supreme being, and the symbol of the emperor. It is also a representative of the East. Among the five elements, it belongs to wood. Because cyan belongs to wood, there is a saying that it is a green dragon on the left and a white tiger on the right.
Among the twenty-eight constellations, the seven constellations in the east are used - Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei and Ji. The ancients imagined them to be the image of dragons. Because they are located in the east, they correspond to the five elements of Yin and Yang. According to the theory of color matching for the five directions, the east is green, hence the name 'Green Dragon'.
There is also a folk saying that the dragon's nature is lustful. When it has sex with an ox, it will give birth to a unicorn, and when it has sex with a pig, it will give birth to an elephant.
The so-called dragon gave birth to nine sons, none of whom are like dragons. This is the saying -
The eldest son is called Prison Niu: it loves music, so it often stands on the head of the piano. . Such as the Huqin of the Han people and the Sanxianqin of the Bai people. The Mongolian Morin Khuur may also be a variant of the Prison Niu.
The second son is Jai Pi: it loves to kill, so it is often placed on weapons to deter the enemy. At the same time, it is also used in ceremonies to appear more majestic.
The third son is Chaofeng: a beast-shaped dragon that looks a bit like a dog. It is good at looking out, so it is often placed in the corner of the palace. It is said that it can deter demons and eliminate disasters.
The fourth one is Pulao: it likes to roar, so people put it on the bell, mostly in the image of Pulao. It is said that it lives on the beach, but is very afraid of whales. Once a whale attacks, it will scream in fear. Therefore, people shaped the wooden pestle into the shape of a whale to make the copper bell extra loud.
The fifth child is Suanni: shaped like a lion. It is a foreign product that was introduced to China with Buddhism, so its personality is a bit like that of Buddha. It is so quiet and loves fireworks. Therefore, it is often placed on the Buddha's throne or on the incense burner to protect Buddhism.
The sixth son is Baxia: also known as Bixi, he looks like a turtle. According to legend, in ancient times, it often carried three mountains and five mountains on its back to create trouble. Later, he was subdued by Xia Yu and made many great contributions to Xia Yu. After the flood control was successful, Xia Yu let it carry out its achievements. Therefore, most of China's stone monuments are carried on its back.
The seventh child is Bian: also known as Charter, it looks like a tiger.
According to legend, it upholds justice and can distinguish right from wrong, so it is placed above and below the prison door, on both sides of the door lobby, and on top of the cards that officials quietly avoid when they go on patrol to maintain the solemn atmosphere of the court.
The eighth child is negative: because it loves literature, it is placed on two sides of the stone tablet.
Mozi is Chiki: also known as Ouwei, a fish-shaped dragon. It is said that around the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the "Moji Fish" from India was introduced with Buddhism. It is the object under the seat of the rain god in Buddhist scriptures and can extinguish fire. Therefore, the chi kiss was transformed from this, so it is often placed at both ends of the roof ridge to eliminate disasters and extinguish fires.
White Tiger
Among the Four Sacred Beasts of China, another one that is often compared to the dragon is the 'white tiger'; the tiger is the leader of all beasts, and its majesty and legendary surrender The ability of the ghost makes it become a divine beast belonging to Yang, and it often goes out with the dragon. "Yun follows the dragon and wind follows the tiger" becoming the best partners to conquer the ghost.
The white tiger is also the god of war and killing. The white tiger has many magical powers such as avoiding evil, warding off disasters, praying for prosperity and punishing evil, promoting good deeds, making wealth, and getting married. And it is one of the four spirits, and of course it is also made of stars. Among the twenty-eight constellations, there are seven in the west: Kui, Lou, Wei, Ang, Bi, Xi, and Shen. Therefore, it is the representative of the West, and its white color is because it is the West. The West belongs to gold among the five elements, and its color is white. So it is called White Tiger not because it is white, but because of the five elements.
In addition to the four spirits in Taoism, including the green dragon and white tiger, when Feng Shui masters explore cemeteries, the protruding terrain on the left and right in front of the terrain, which can be used as tombs, all have unique titles. They are called green dragons on the left and white tigers on the right, taking the meaning of their protection. The same decoration is also found in the court hall, with green dragons and hundreds of tigers painted on the left and right pillars to suppress evil spirits. After the rise of Taoism, dragon and tiger were borrowed as the terminology of Taoist alchemy, which refers to the synonyms of "lead and mercury, Kanli, water and fire, yin and yang", etc. Taoist alchemy is divided into internal and external (internal elixir for refining qi and external elixir for refining elixirs. The author is not very knowledgeable and I am not sure). In terms of yin and yang and the five elements, inner elixir is based on yin and yang and the five elements. Dragon and yang are born from Li, and Li belongs to fire, so it is said that "dragon follows fire" "Li Chu", tiger yin, is born in the ridge, and kan is water, so it is said that "the tiger is born by the water". After the two are combined, one yin and one yang harmonize with each other, which is called the Tao. They are both the soul and the essence. representative. Another way of saying it is that nature belongs to wood, and wood represents the east. It is in the hexagram Zhen, so it is compared to a green dragon; love belongs to gold, and gold represents the west. In the hexagram, it is dui, and gold is white, so it is called a white tiger.
In the minds of ancient people, tigers are both terrifying and respectable things. The scary thing is that it can eat humans and animals. What is admirable is that it is extremely powerful and can ward off evil spirits. And in some ancient books, such as "Customs and Customs. Sacrificial Code" written by Ying Shao of the Eastern Han Dynasty: "If a tiger is painted on the door, ghosts will not dare to enter", "Tiger is a masculine object and the leader of all beasts." Able to hold on, crush sharp objects, and eat ghosts and ghosts. Today, when a soldier encounters a bad situation, he burns the skin of a tiger and drinks it. Hitting its claws can also ward off evil. This is the test. ’ The ancients also believed that the white tiger was an auspicious sign: ‘The most virtuous bird and beast. ’
The original Western Star Gods were bears and owls, but later the totems of the ancient Qiang people changed from bears to dragons. And when the Yellow Emperor developed eastward, the dragon totem was brought to the east and merged with the "Eastern Blue Dragon Constellation", and the red bird became the new home of the phoenix totem in the kingdom of heaven when the south was unified. It was due to the fusion of the two tribes. Finally it became 'dragon and phoenix present auspiciousness'. As an ancient totem, it is an east phoenix and a west dragon; as an astrology, it is an east blue dragon and a west red bird. After the Zhou Dynasty, the feudal system was formally established, and the Five Elements thought matured. The celestial images were re-divided, and the red bird was placed in the south and worshiped together with the Zhurong Fire God. In the West, white tigers are worshiped. In the tribal struggle and migration, the dragon in the northwest moves eastward, the phoenix in the east moves south, and the tiger in the south moves north. The whole country shows a great turnover concept movement. By the Han Dynasty, the concept of the Five Elements had become a unified thought, and Xuanwu was added to complete the "God of the Four Directions" package.
In the ancient "Historical Records. Tiangong Shu", "Canglong in the East Palace, Zhuniao in the South, Xianchi in the West Palace, and Xuanwu in the North Palace." ’ What’s here is not the White Tiger, but the Xianchi. Xianchi is the star of grains and autumn. Since grains are harvested in autumn, it is placed in autumn. However, it is not an animal. How can it be paired with dragons, birds, and turtles to form the four spirits? In "Justice": "The three stars of Xianchi are among the five chariots, the sky is in the south, and the fish and birds are there." ’ Therefore, in the Song Dynasty, a question was raised: ‘Canglong, Zhuniao, and Xuanwu are all divided into seven constellations. As for Xianchi, there is another star, which is outside the twenty-eight constellations. There is another explanation for Xianchi, which is a place where the sun bathes. In "Huainanzi. Astronomical Chapter": "The sun rises in Yanggu, bathes in the salty pond, and brushes against the hibiscus. This is called morning brightness."
It can be seen that Xianchi was originally regarded as the place where the sun rises by the Qiang people. Xianchi is also an alkaline lake, which should be a lake in the Minshan area or Qinghai. This proves that there is no concept of green dragon and white tiger in the star palaces and celestial phenomena worshiped by primitive people. In "Book of Rites. Liyun" it is said: "Lin, phoenix, turtle, dragon, are called the four spirits." ’ Replace Xianchi, which is not an animal, with Qilin. In later generations, it was customary to have a lin among the four spirits and a tiger among the four elephants.
And because the white tiger is the god of war, many powerful generals are said to be white tiger stars throughout the world, such as: Tang Dynasty generals Luo Cheng, Xue Rengui and his son. In addition, the white tiger was attracted by Taoism and deified, becoming the door god of various temples.
Suzaku
Suzaku can also be said to be a phoenix or black bird. Suzaku is one of the four spirits. Like the other three spirits, it comes from the stars and is the general name of the seven stars in the south: Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen. When I think of it, it's Suzaku. Zhu is red, like fire, and the south belongs to fire, so it is called Phoenix. It also has the property of being reincarnated from the fire, just like the phoenix in the West, so it is also called the Fire Phoenix.
According to records in ancient books, the phoenix is a beautiful bird, and with its singing voice and demeanor, it is the king of birds. , has the special spirituality of not eating anything that is not bamboo, and not drinking from springs that are not sweet wine. Since it is the length of the feather insect, the dragon and the scale insect have gradually become a pair in the legend, and one is ever-changing. A person with good virtues becomes a pair that complements each other in folk customs. Moreover, because the dragon symbolizes the Yang, and the phoenix, which originally had yin and yang (the phoenix is the male and the female is the phoenix), gradually becomes pure after facing the dragon. Yin represents.
There are many original forms of the Phoenix. Such as golden pheasants, peacocks, eagles, swans, black birds (swallows), etc... It is also said that they were transformed into the Buddhist roc Garuda. The phoenix mentioned in the Phoenix myth has the head of a chicken, the chin of a swallow, the neck of a snake, the tail of a fish, and has five-color patterns. There are five kinds of phoenixes, divided by color: red is the phoenix, green is the phoenix, white is the swan, and there are yellow and purple.
The explanation of the black bird comes from the "Book of Songs. Ode to Shang. Xuannio": "The black bird of destiny descended and gave birth to Shang, and its Yin earth shines brightly." The ancient emperor ordered Wutang and Zhengyu to be in all directions. ’, the descendants of the Yin and Shang Dynasties said that their ancestor Qi was born from Xuanniao and established a powerful Shang Dynasty. Therefore, Xuanniao became the founder of merchants. "Historical Records. Yin Benji" also records this period of history: "Yin Qi's mother was called Jian Di, and she had a daughter named Rong Di, who was the emperor's second concubine... The three of them were bathing when they saw a black bird carrying its eggs. Jian Di Di took it and swallowed it, and a contract was born due to pregnancy. ’ In addition to the Yin and Shang Dynasties, the Qin Dynasty during the Warring States Period, the Shizi of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the Shizi of Xinluo in Korea were also related to fairies swallowing black bird eggs. Regardless of whether it is a black bird or a phoenix, following the development of Taoism, it was transformed from a bird, peacock, pheasant, etc... first into a half-human, half-bird fairy who taught the art of war to a complete Human fairies all follow the development of Taoism.
In Beijing, there used to be three temples dedicated to Xuannv, called Jiutian Niangniang Temple and Xuannv Temple. There are also Xuannv temples in the north and south.
Xuanwu
Xuanwu is a spiritual creature composed of a turtle and a snake. The original meaning of Xuanwu is Xuanming, and the ancient sounds of Wu and Ming are connected. Wu means black; Ming means yin. Xuanming originally described turtle divination: the back of the turtle is black, and turtle divination is to ask the turtle to go to the underworld to ask the ancestors, bring the answer back, and show it to the world in the form of divination. Therefore, the earliest Xuanwu was the turtle. Later, the meaning of Xuan Ming continued to expand. Turtles live in rivers, lakes and seas (including sea turtles), so Xuan Ming became the water god; turtles live long, and Xuan Ming became a symbol of immortality; the original underworld was in the north, and the oracle bone divination of the Yin and Shang Dynasties said that "the divination must be northward", So Xuan Ming became the Northern God again.
Like the other three spirits, Xuanwu is also transformed from the twenty-eight constellations in the world: Dou, Ox, Female, Xu, Danger, Room, and Wall. People after ancient times have the following interpretations of Xuanwu. ‘Xuanwu’ means turtle. "Book of Rites. Qu Li Shang" says: "OK, the first is Zhuniao and then the Xuanwu..." "Xuanwu" is the turtle and snake. "Chu Ci. Yuan Yu" Hong Xingzu's supplementary note: "Xuanwu means turtle and snake." It is located in the north, so it is called Xuan. The body has scales and armor, so it is called Wu. ‘Xuanwu’ is the fusion of snakes, the intersection of turtles and snakes.
Zhang Heng's "Si Xuan Fu" in Volume 15 of "Selected Works" says: "Xuanwu lives in the shell, and the snake winds and corrects itself." ’ Li Shan noted: ‘The cross between a turtle and a snake is called Xuanwu. "Book of the Later Han Dynasty. Biography of Wang Liang": "Chifu Fu" says: "Wang Liang Zhuheng made Xuanwu." ’’ Li Xian noted: ‘Suwu, the god of the north, is a combination of a tortoise and a snake.
’ ‘Xuanwu’ is the god of water and the god of the north. "Book of the Later Han Dynasty. Biography of Wang Liang": "Xuanwu, the name of the water god." ’ Volume 6 of "The Collection of Reconstruction of Weishu" "Hetu Emperor Lanxi": "Born from Xuanwu in the north,... controls the north and governs wind and rain." ’
But Xuanwu was upgraded by later Taoist priests to become the great emperor of the north, "Emperor Zhenwu". It is different from the other three spirits. The other Qinglong and Baihu only became the door gods of the mountain temple, while Zhuniao became Youtian Xuannv.
Xuanwu's status increased in the Song Dynasty and was personified. This is inseparable from the fact that the emperors of the Song Dynasty added fuel to the flames. At the time of Taizu in the early Song Dynasty, there were legends that Zhenwu, Tianpeng and others were the generals of heaven. In the first year of Tianxi reign of Emperor Wei Zhenzong, something happened in the military camp. In Volume 7 of "Shijiyuan": "If a soldier in the camp sees a snake, the sergeant will build a true martial arts hall because of it." In the leap month of the second year, a spring gushed down the side of the hall, and it was inexhaustible. People who were sick were healed by drinking more. ’ Zhenzong heard about this and issued an edict to build a temple on the spot and named it ‘Xiangyuan’. This is probably the earliest Zhenwu Temple in China.
The life experience of Emperor Zhenwu is mostly said by later generations to be during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty. The Jade Emperor reincarnated one of his three souls into the Queen of Zhuole Kingdom. He hated the world and gave up his throne to practice on Mount Wudang. , successfully ascended and guarded the north, named Xuanwu.
In addition:
Qilin, also known as "Qilin", is an animal in ancient Chinese legends. Together with phoenix, turtle and dragon, it is called "the four". Spirit", ranking first among the four spirits.
Qilin is an animal created based on the Chinese way of thinking. Judging from its external shape, it has the body of an elk, an ox's tail, a horse's hooves (said to be "wolf's hooves" in historical records), fish scale skin, and one horn, with meat at the end of the horn, which is yellow. This shape is a new combination of many real animals that have been dismembered. It concentrates all the advantages of those cherished animals on the construction of the unicorn, a mythical beast in fantasy, and fully embodies the Chinese people's "Jimei" thought
Qilin, also known as "Qilin", Xu Shen of the Han Dynasty "Shuowen" 10: "Qilin, a benevolent beast, with the body of an elk and one horn of an ox's tail; Qilin (麐), also means a female qilin. "Duan Yucai's note says: "It looks like a qilin, with one horn, wearing flesh, and is equipped with weapons without causing harm, so it is benevolent...According to "Zhengxiang Ji": "Qilin, the male is called Qilin, and the female is called Lin." '...Xu Yun's benevolent beast is called a ram, because it can't bear insects and can't break grass. "In ancient times, Qilin, or simply called Lin, was regarded as an auspicious thing. "Book of Rites": "Unearthed utensils, chariots, horses emerging from rivers, phoenixes and unicorns are all in the suburbs." Also: "Lin, phoenix, turtle, dragon, are called the four spirits."
"Qilin" means "Deer" is a radical. When the ancients coined this word, they clearly told people that the unicorn evolved from a deer, but it was by no means a deer. It had some more parts and equipment than a deer. It is said that its body is like a deer, which can also be written as a deer, which refers to a deer in ancient books. It has the tail of a cow, a round head, but only one horn. Some say Qi is male and Lin is female, and their shapes are depicted slightly differently. But it is said that the beginning of Qi roughly resembles a deer. It was regarded by the ancients as a mythical and benevolent beast with a long life and could live for two thousand years. He can spit fire and his voice is like thunder. "There are three hundred and sixty hairy worms, but the unicorn is the longest."
Qilin is an auspicious animal that brings peace and longevity. The deer itself is a docile beast, strong and good at running, which is of great benefit to people. The legendary white deer is especially divine. There is a folk saying that Qilin gives birth to a child. Kirin is mainly deer, integrating the characteristics of cattle, sheep and horses. Its comprehensive coverage is not as extensive as that of dragon and phoenix, but its reputation is not small. The research on Qilin is not as popular as the research on dragon and phoenix culture. Who is its originator and its origin is not very clear. Some scholars speculate that it may be the ancestor of the Zhou people, because the Zhou people originally lived in the northwest. At that time, the northwest , abundant water and grass, suitable for the growth of deer.
In slave society and feudal society, dragons and phoenixes were seized by the supreme ruler, so they lost their original totem comprehensive meaning and became symbols of the emperor and concubines of the supreme ruler. The good-natured Qilin was squeezed out of the folk culture in the competition for power. People expected it to bring good harvests, good fortune, longevity and happiness.
Kui
It is said that there is a "Liubo Mountain" on the East China Sea, and Kui lived on this mountain. Kui's body and head were like those of an ox, but he had no horns and only one leg. His body was blue and black. It is said that Kui emits light like the sun and moon and a cry like thunder. As long as it goes in and out of the water, it will definitely cause a storm. During the war between Huangdi and Chiyou, Huangdi captured Kui, used its skin to make a military drum, and used its bones as drumsticks. As a result, the sound of hitting the drum could be heard throughout a radius of 500 miles, which greatly boosted the morale of Huangdi's army. , Chi You's army was greatly frightened.
Kui lives with heaven and earth. There are only three in the world. The above is the first one. The second one was killed by Qin Shihuang. But Qin Shihuang did not have the achievements of the Yellow Emperor, so the drum made of Kui's skin is not so magical.
Candle Dragon
A mythical beast in ancient Chinese mythology. Also known as Zhuyin, also written as Qianlong. It has a human face and a dragon body, holding a candle in its mouth, illuminating the gloom in the sunless place in the northwest. Legend has it that he is so powerful that when he opens his eyes, the sky is bright and it is day; when he closes his eyes, the sky is dark and it is dark, which is night. Today's cultural historians believe that the Zhulong is a myth of the northern dragon totem tribe, and its original appearance should be male root, which is transformed from the male genitals. It came into being later than the era of vulva worship. "Chu Ci. Tianwen": "If the northwest is opened, how can the air flow? When the sun is not shining, how can the candle dragon shine?" And "Dazhao": "There is Hanshan in the north, and the dragon is pardoned." "The Classic of Mountains and Seas." "The Great Wilderness Sutra": "Beyond the Northwest Sea, to the north of Chishui, there is Zhangwei Mountain. There is a god with a human face and a snake body and a red body. His eyes are straight and he is riding straight. His eyes are dark but his vision is bright. He does not eat, sleep or rest. The wind and rain are Ye. It is Zhu Jiuyin, which is called Zhulong. "The God of Zhongshan is called Zhuyin. It is regarded as day, sleeping is night, blowing is winter, and calling is summer. If you don't drink, you won't drink." It eats, rests, and breathes like the wind; its body is thousands of miles long, and it is in the east of Wuhu. It is an object with a human face and a snake body, and it is red, and it lives at the foot of Zhongshan Mountain." See Gong Weiying's "Outline of Primitive Worship."
The Candle Dragon is a monster with a human face and a snake body. It has red skin and lives in the extremely cold places in the north. Its ability is great, as long as its eyes open, the long dark night becomes day; as soon as its eyes close, the day turns back into night. When it breathes out, dark clouds gather and snow falls, becoming winter; when it breathes out, the sun shines brightly, flowing gold and stones, becoming summer. It always crouched there, not eating, not drinking water, not sleeping, not breathing - because as soon as it breathed, it became the wind thousands of miles away. Its magical power can also illuminate the nine springs. Legend has it that it often contains a candle and shines in the gloomy Tianmen in the north, so people also call it "Candle Yin".
Taotie
Chinese Pinyin: tāo tiè
Taotie (Pinyin: Tāotiè), a ferocious and gluttonous beast in legend, is often used on ancient bronzes The shape of the head is decorated, which is called the Taotie pattern. Legend has it that he is one of the nine sons of the dragon.
"Taotie" is a mythical beast in ancient Chinese legends. Its biggest feature is that it can be eaten. Taotie is an imaginary and mysterious monster. This monster has no body, only a big head and a big mouth. It is very greedy and eats whatever it sees. It eats too much and eventually dies of starvation. It is a symbol of greed.
It is recorded in "Cihai": Taotie is "a legendary gluttonous evil beast. The shape of its head is often engraved on ancient bells, tripods and Yi vessels as decoration."
"Cihai" is in Explanation of the word Tao: Tao means "greed." "Hanshu·Liyuezhi": "Greeting is dangerous." An ancient note by Yan Shi: "Greedy is called gluttony." Specifically refers to gluttony."
《 Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals: "Xian Shi": "Zhou Ding's Taotie has a head but no body." '
There are three issues that need to be noted in the above paragraphs:
First, Taotie is an "evil beast", not a fish, snake, python, crocodile, or fish. Reptiles. "Cihai" also includes the Taotie pattern on the Shang and Zhou dings. You can identify who that ferocious beast looks like just by looking at it. It looks very much like a wolf from the front. It also has round eyes and is extremely ferocious.
Secondly, gluttony is very gluttonous. This feature clearly points out the characteristics of the wolf. "Extreme gluttony" is one of the most prominent characteristics of prairie wolves. We have raised wolves and know this nature of wolves very well. We can cite countless examples of wolves being gluttonous. There is no more gluttonous animal in the world than the wolf. If you don’t believe it, you can ask the old herders who is the most “voracious beast” in the world? The answer is definitely wolf. As we all know, "greed" is synonymous with wolf nature. Dong Zhongshu said that Qin "takes greed as a wolf as a custom" and also juxtaposed greed with wolves. Chinese people always describe gluttony as "wolfing down", and they also rank wolves before tigers, as wolves are more gluttonous than tigers. To describe greed, one would say "wolf ambition" but not "tiger ambition".
Because Taotie has the characteristics of two wolves: "evil beast" and "very gluttonous", and the pattern of Taotie resembles that of a wolf. Therefore, the legendary Taotie is probably a wolf, or a mythical beast that evolved from a wolf.
Thirdly, Taotie became the main decoration on Shang and Zhou tripods, which involves a series of problems. The tripod was an important tool for the Chinese nation to establish its country in the Bronze Age.
In the Zhou Dynasty, the "ding", which means "one word, nine tripods", was an artifact and ritual vessel that symbolized the supreme royal power. It was also a sacrificial vessel for worshiping heaven and ancestors. The tripod held the status of a national "totem pole" in the minds of the Chinese ancestors. Therefore, only totems belonging to the nation are qualified to ascend to such a lofty status and be engraved and cast on the precious tripod. This phenomenon reflects two problems: First, by the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the Chinese people may still worship the wolf totem, at least the beast totem. The totem worship legacy of the Yandi and Huangdi ancestors may still exist, and the Zhou Dynasty period The Huaxia people are more deeply influenced by the wolf totem, because the Zhou Dynasty originated from Xirong, and most of the Xirong people were nomads who worshiped the wolf totem. Secondly, the "dragon" at that time may not have been generally accepted and has not truly become the national totem of the Chinese people. Otherwise, the tripod symbolizing royal power would definitely have the dragon as the main decoration. Moreover, the Emperor of Zhou had not yet sat on the dragon throne at that time. At that time, he still continued the nomadic tradition of the Yan and Huang Dynasties and sat on the ground.
The decorations on the Zhou tripod are mainly composed of Taotie patterns and cloud patterns, with the Taotie as the center and cloud patterns surrounding it. Obviously, the Taotie mythical beast is in the sky, sticking its head out of the clouds and looking down at the world. Its body is hidden in the clouds. I don't know if it has a snake body or a dragon body, but if a dragon body is added behind Taotie's head, it will not be far different from the later standard dragon. Therefore, I think there may be a transitional stage between the wolf totem and the dragon totem, the gluttonous totem. Taotie has both the character of a wolf and the ferocious appearance of a dragon later on.
The true name and prototype of the mythical beast referred to by the animal mask pattern has long been buried in the ages that can never be reproduced. Later generations used it because of its ferocious, mysterious and terrifying appearance, and some of them had human heads in their mouths. Give him the name Taotie. Taotie was originally used in "Zuo Zhuan" to describe those who are greedy for money and gluttony and are unkind and unjust. Modern scholars have pointed out that naming the animal mask pattern as a cannibalistic glutton is far-fetched and goes against the social and cultural conditions of the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
Because of its ferocious and terrifying appearance and its reputation as a glutton, it is almost impossible to find traces of this beast in the evolution of Chinese culture and art. In the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty, animal patterns that had been popular for hundreds of years suddenly withdrew from the field of bronze decoration as the main pattern. However, several animal patterns that appeared on bronzes at the same time as the Taotie pattern, such as dragons, tigers, phoenixes, turtles, etc., appeared in large numbers in both official and private circles in the subsequent cultural evolution, becoming the most famous auspicious symbols in Chinese culture. There is an endless stream of themes in objects and art expressions. Especially dragons, in the Bronze Age, most of them had the same ferocious faces as the Taotie pattern. In terms of mystery, power and status, dragons were far inferior to gluttons in the Bronze Age. However, the dragon later ascended to the highest throne of Chinese cultural and political symbols, and "Taotie", the supreme figure of the Bronze Age, was hard to find.
If you want to know more and in detail, then read "The Classic of Mountains and Seas"!
The ancient legends of the motherland are very profound!