What kinds of plants were there in ancient China? What do they stand for?

The wolf is the totem of the Turkic nationality, and another branch of the Altai nationality, Donghu, is also afraid of the wolf. In the history of Han Dynasty, the ancient Turkic nationality Gaoche thought that they were descendants of the beautiful Xiongnu princess and wolf. Wu Sun's ancestors are said to be descendants of abandoned babies and Ashina, a female wolf. Wusun and Gaoche, one adopted by the Huns, the other adopted by the Huns later, and the Turks handed down as other parts of the Huns, all have the myth of wolf ancestors.

Based on this, the Huns should also have the myth of wolf ancestors, but it just disappeared in the long river of history. Ashina is the royal surname of the first khanate in Turkey, which comes from the legendary female wolf Ashina in Turkey. The word Ashina means pale wolf eyes in ancient Turkic. Traditionally, the wolf totem represents the sky-'Tengger singer'. After the prairie people die, they will transport the bodies to specific places for wolves to eat.

They think that only in this way can they enjoy happiness in Tengger singer and return to Tengger singer's arms after their death. Before the Cultural Revolution, herders on the Mongolian prairie were buried in this way, which was their worship of Tengger's heaven. This tradition is rare in Inner Mongolia and the ancient capital of Mongolia.

2. Bird totem

In primitive times, bird-shaped images were very common, not only among prehistoric humans in the Yellow River basin, but also in the original remains in the Yangtze River basin. In Hemudu Cultural Site, there are two birds carved with morning ivory, bird image teeth and round carved wooden birds, and even the bones for dining are engraved with two connected bird patterns.

It can be seen that bird totem worship is a common phenomenon in primitive totem worship. Some clan bird names can also be found in ancient books. For example, tribes in Shao Hao include phoenix, black bird, blue bird and Dan bird. Among the ancient nationalities in southern China, the totem symbol of Yue people is mainly birds. According to ancient books, all kinds of foreigners living in Shandong and Jiangsu originally worshipped birds.

According to ethnographic materials, most modern minorities in China still have some cultural traces of bird totem worship. Nu, Miao, Manchu and North Korea all have bird totems, and birds are the myth of ancestors. In addition, Li, Lhoba and Hezhe also have bird totems. In the totem worship of Yi people, an eagle is hung on the door, which is considered to have the function of avoiding evil spirits.

3. snake totem

In ancient times, at least seven indigenous tribes lived in Fujian, which was called "Seven Min" in ancient literature. At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Chu destroyed Yue, and some Yue people fled to Fujian. Historically, Fujian aborigines in this period were called "Fujian and Guangdong". They like living by the water, are used to fighting with water, and are good at using boats. The most important custom is to take snakes as totems, tattoo constantly, and primitive witchcraft prevails.

Explaining the word "min" in Shuo Wen Jie Zi said: "min, southeast Vietnam, snake species." The so-called "snake species" means that the people of Fujian and Vietnam regard snakes as their ancestors, which reflects their totem worship of snakes. For a long time, this worship has existed among the descendants of Fujian and Vietnam. For example, the people in Minhou were still "calling themselves snake species" until the end of the Qing Dynasty.

They drew a snake in the palace temple and offered sacrifices regularly. Put a snake on the boat, named "Long Mu", and pray that the snake will keep the boat safe. If the snake leaves the boat, it will be an ominous sign. In the Qing Dynasty, women in Fuzhou always wore snake-shaped silver hairpin in their hair bun, which also meant not forgetting their ancestors.

4, gourd totem

Legends derived from the gourd myth are also varied, the most famous of which is Pangu's creation of the world. It is said that when Pangu was born, his body stretched out, the sky rose and the ground collapsed. At the junction of heaven and earth, Pangu holds a chisel in his left hand and an axe in his right hand, which is a kind of divine power. For a long time, the heavens and the earth are divided, and the two gases rise and fall. The clear one is the sky, the turbid one is the ground, and the turbid one begins to open.

The relationship between Pangu and gourd totem: Liu Yaohan, an expert in Yi language, pointed out in On Chinese gourd culture that Pangu is a gourd and Pangu's plate is a gourd; Ancient-meaning the beginning, the so-called Pangu, that is, "starting from the gourd."

5. Dragon Totem

The dragon totem was first put forward by Wen Yiduo. In an article devoted to dragons and phoenixes, Mr. Wen said: "In the earliest sense, dragons and phoenixes represent the two most basic units of our ancient nation-Xia and Yin, because in the two myths of' death turns into Huanglong for use' and' the life of a mysterious bird (that is, a phoenix) descends to give birth to business',

People vaguely see that the dragon is the totem of primitive Xia people and the phoenix is the totem of primitive Yin people (I say primitive Xia people and primitive Yin people because in the history of Xia and Shang dynasties, they have been far away from the totem culture period, and the so-called totem people are a system and belief of Xia, Shang and Yin people before Xia and Shang dynasties), so it is no longer appropriate to regard the dragon and phoenix as the symbol of the birthplace of our nation and the beginning of culture. "

Dragon worship is a special phenomenon that has lasted for thousands of years in the history of China. In the eyes of China people, dragons have extraordinary abilities. It has scales and horns, teeth and claws. It can dive into the water and hibernate. He has natural forces, can make clouds and rain, and can thunder and lightning. Dragon is a generalized totem, which has the physical embodiment of totem.

The dragon is a synthesis of many different totems, which also shows that the Chinese nation is absolutely superior to other nations-unyielding, tenacious and United. Dragons are the result of many weak units being merged and assimilated by snake totems. In other words, dragons evolved from snakes. Legend has it that snakes are the main body, accepting animals' four feet, horses' hair, dragons' tails, deer's horns, dogs' claws, fish's scales and whiskers.

Emperors in China used dragons as symbols of their empire in their robes. It means that dragons really exist. The dragon is a combination of strength, strength and wisdom. The broad interpretation of the dragon can best reflect the wisdom of China people. Therefore, China people always love, hope and believe in dragons. Wherever China people go, they are proud to be descendants of the dragon!

Baidu Encyclopedia-Totem (Cultural Symbol)