Why are there so many images of snakes in the ancient Chinese mythological system?

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First of all, we know that images based on snakes are prevalent in all mythologies, and all of them have a very important place.

For example:

Orochi of Japanese mythology is the premier disaster figment of Japanese mythology

Bhasuji, the king of the Nagas of Indian mythology, then acted as a vital noose in the incident of stirring the Milk Sea, which led to the subsequent successive battles over the Sumo Wine and the endless hatred of the Diretors and the Asuras.

Northern European mythological world serpent Yumengande surrounds the universe, once ripped out the world will be destroyed. Despair black dragon reverse go bane is even more world devourer such a thing that falls out of the sky.

Greek mythology also has Typhon, Xudra, Lamia and other snake monsters. The staffs of Hermes and Hippocrates also had serpents wrapped around them

And isolated South America, the feathered serpent god Kukulkan is one of its most famous gods

The most famous of all, of course, is still the Garden of Eden where Satan took on the form of a serpent and became the originator of original sin.

The Egyptian god Ra always had to fight the giant serpent of the underworld, and the serpent would protect the demi-god Pharaoh,

The Sumerian hero Gilgamesh was given the undead grass but the serpent took it away from him ......

The serpent was valued in such a way, and there must be a reason for it. And this reason must be universal, not due to the climate, preferences, other customs, or accidental events of one place or region - for these ancient myths about snakes originated so long ago that there is little chance that they could have spread with the exchanges of peoples.

So the key to the answer lies in the characteristics of the snakes themselves:

1. Widespread - snakes can be found all over the world except Antarctica, and even on isolated continents such as Australia, where they are biologically distinct.

And snakes are so common that people are familiar with them

2, unique image - snakes have a very special image, which is impressive and easy to associate.

The above two points, decided that the snake has more chances to appear in the myths and legends.

3, with the power - viper has a deadly toxin, python body is huge and amazing strength. These characteristics can be very shocking

4, molt and hibernate - snakes molt in a very special way, leaving a very intact skin, a process that can be easily observed and can leave a tangible relic of the snake's molt. And the scene of the snake molting is full of the feeling of new life, which is shocking and enviable

At the same time, snakes have the ability to hibernate. It can fake its death in winter, when everything is dying, and come back to life in spring.

Animals that have the ability to molt, such as cicadas, are thought to have the ability to be reborn, to return to youth or evolve to a higher level of existence

Animals that have the ability to hibernate, such as bears and frogs, are thought to have the ability to be resurrected and return to earth from the dead.

Snakes were feared and envied for their ability to do both

The above two points dictate that snakes must appear in myths and legends as having great magical powers and a long lifespan

5. Cold-blooded and humid - Snakes are cold-blooded and prefer humid environments.

This is why snakes have a dark nature: they are often associated with caves, abysses, rivers (and they are long and river-like), and even rain and darkness.

Snakes, then, must appear in national myths and legends, and must be powerful characters.

How this power is perceived determines whether the snake is good or evil.

If one associates snakes with devouring, poisonous, dark and cold-blooded qualities, then the image of a greedy, malevolent enemy of the light such as the Reverse Goblin or Satan

But if one envies the snake's power and immortality, then a more neutral, feared and revered image of a pharaoh's guardian, the Naga clan, etc., emerges.

These two types of images, which are found in Chinese myths and legends, are also found in Chinese mythology. both exist in Chinese mythology. For example, evil gods and giant monsters such as the Nine Infants, the Sagittarius, and the Cultivating Serpent are of the first type. They are to be enemies of order, preferring destruction and killing, and polluting sacred land with virulent poisons even in death.

And the various augur dragons, even the Dragon King, are images of the second type. The Dragon King has great power to control rainfall and wind and waves, and must be worshipped. But this enshrinement is effectively mixed with a little bit of hatred and helplessness. This is especially true in the south, where the rainfall represented by the Dragon King is not sweet rain, but disasters that destroy homes, typhoons and tsunamis. Against such tyrannical gods, a new story of Nezha and the Monkey King has emerged as a fight against such bad weather. That's why temples to Nezha and the Three Princes are found mostly in the south and very rarely in the water-starved north - except for the city of Beijing itself, which also needs to squelch the evil dragons.

And more unusual is a third image: the kindly dragon and snake.

Snakes can be born anew, resurrected, and even carry their tails in a ring, which, for a people skilled in philosophizing, implies a cyclical beauty of birth and death.

At the same time, snake venom and bile can be used as medicine to save lives.

And then there is the water vein represented by the dragon and snake, on which mankind depends for survival.

All of the above led to the idea that images of good and great snake gods could emerge. Kukulkan, for example, is one of the more kind and benevolent gods in Mayan mythology.

And in China, this goes even further - that is, the theory that yin and yang can be transformed.

Birds eat snakes. Birds fly in the sky, which naturally represents the firmament, the light, and the exact opposite of the snake's attributes. Therefore, in other myths, birds and snakes are enemies. For example, Garuda and Naga, the Reverse Goblin and the Divine Eagle.

But the Chinese sages, through their deep observation of nature, realized that yin and yang could be transformed, just as the cold of winter is the place where the vitality of spring is stored, and the yellow springs of the abyss are the place where the sun must rest after its exhaustion.

So the Kun of the North turned into the Peng. In the dark direction of the north, the sea beast - Kun (sea beasts, fish, dragons and snakes can be confused), which is in the absolute darkness and coldness of the deep sea, is able to take off and fly towards the absolute light and heat of the south, turning into the roc, which is located in the sky and is an extremely yang existence. This kind of magnificent thinking is not unique to Zhuangzi, but is at least the wisdom that the Song people inherited from Yin Shang culture.

Under this wisdom, the mighty serpent could naturally appear in an absolutely positive light, represented by Nuwa and Fuxi. So much so that afterward, the feminine image of the dragon instead became a representative of supreme yang and supreme imperial power, and instead the phoenix became a feminine female animal, which is kind of peculiar.

After that, things got better, and there were many mythological snakes that were forgotten as humans de-sacralized the myths, or the culture itself died out. But the dragons of Chinese mythology possessed great vitality and enduring sanctity because of their union with the most powerful secular regimes. And now, the image of the dragon, also known as the symbol of Chinese nationalism, will continue to demonstrate its immense power since ancient times - constantly renewing itself, coming back from the dead, cyclical, infinitely powerful, and yin to yang!

So we have good reason to be proud when we say we are the descendants of the dragon.

Edited on 2015-07-11

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History long, both East and West, various countries and regions mythology OR religion, snake worship, or snake totem is very common. Its representation is masculine, erection. Male, masculine root. Reproduction, creation. To name a few of the more well-known examples. In ancient Chinese mythology, Fuxi and Nuwa were both snakes. Nuwa created man, the birth of life. Fuxi taught the world, the beginning of creation. In Christian mythology, the original ...

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History, both East and West, various countries and regions in mythology or religion, snake worship, or snake totem is very common.

Its representation is masculine, erection. Male, masculine root. Reproduction, creation.

To name a few in the more well-known examples.

In ancient Chinese mythology, Fuxi and Nuwa were both snakes. Nuwa created man, life was born. Fuxi taught and created.

In Christian mythology, original sin was inaugurated when the serpent tempted Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of wisdom, and mankind was able to reproduce itself.

The ancient Indian view of the universe held that the heavens were above the earth, which in turn was carried on the backs of four elephants, which stood on the back of a giant turtle, all of which in turn was encircled by a giant snake. The serpent was believed to be a symbol of the life force, enabling barren women to give birth and weak children to get rid of illnesses and strengthen their bodies.

Snakes were the most numerous of the animal gods practiced by ancient Egyptian folk. It contained meanings such as motherhood, land, reproduction, and fertility.

Most of the snake gods in the Mayan civilization also represented life, grain, land, etc.

It is believed that

the frequent appearance of the image of the serpent originated from the original human worship of reproduction and evolved into a metaphor.

Freud believed that in dreams, the snake represents the root of the penis, which has sexual symbolism.

Snakes are also used as sexual metaphors in many works of art, both ancient and modern.

This is the **** of mankind, regardless of race.