Interesting Talk about the Prototype of the Strange Snake in "Classic of Mountains and Seas"

Today we are going to talk about the strange snake in "Classic of Mountains and Seas".

Speaking of snakes, everyone shudders, because from ancient times to the present, snakes have been a symbol of danger. They are of many species and highly adaptable, and can be found in forests, plains, deserts, and even the Arctic. In the ancient times of the floods and swamps, snakes were important characters in the waters of various mountains and hills.

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Myth and reality: "Long snake" and reticulated python

"Two hundred and eighty miles to the north is the Daxian Mountain, which has no vegetation, but is rich in jade. This mountain is four-sided and cannot be climbed. There is a snake called the Long Snake, whose hair is like the hair of a pig and whose sound is like a drum." (Excerpt from "Classic of Mountains and Seas")

There is a kind of long snake in Daxian Mountain, with steel needles like porcupine quills on its body. The sound it makes is just like the sound of the wooden stick of the tofu seller who walked the streets when I was a child. Fortunately, I was not in ancient times, otherwise when I heard this sound, I thought the tofu seller came...

Let's get back to the topic. The long snake can be said to be one of the largest snakes in "Classic of Mountains and Seas". According to the records in the book, it lives in the plains in the mountains. Since it is called a long snake, "long" must be its characteristic. As for how long it is, the book does not mention it, but since it can occupy a mountain and become a hegemon, it must not be a cute little thing that only eats flowers and plants.

If we talk about the longest snake in the world today, the reticulated python is definitely at the top of the list. The reticulated python is distributed in the rainforests, sparse plains and grasslands of Southeast Asia. It is gray or olive in color, with black, yellow and light gray mesh markings. Its eyes are orange-red with vertical pupils. Two clear decorative patterns on its head run through its eye sockets, making it look very intimidating. Although it has a relatively slender body, it is indeed a ferocious predator. This huge python can reach a size of about 10 meters and is one of the largest snakes in the world today.

Reticulated Python

The reticulated python is the longest snake. It has well-developed muscles, strong coiling ability, a ferocious temperament, and lays eggs. It is as famous as the heaviest green anaconda. The picture shows a reticulated python swallowing its prey.

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Myth and reality: "Basnake" and green anaconda

"The Basnake eats elephants, and at the age of three, its bones come out. A gentleman who eats it will not have any heart or stomach problems. It is green, red, or black. One says it is a black snake with a green head, and it lives west of the rhinoceros." (Excerpt from "Classic of Mountains and Seas")

Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a large snake called the Bashe that fed on white jade elephants. It would take three years for it to spit out the undigested elephant bones after each meal. It is said that a greedy snake will swallow an elephant. This is a true reality in the cosmology of the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

It is said that the Bashe initially only ate animals like the white jade elephant, but later it even swallowed passers-by into its stomach. So Huangdi sent Dayi (note that it is Dayi here, not Houyi, as it was Dayi who shot down the nine suns) to shoot it to death, and its severed body became the present Baling.

After listening to the myth, let’s talk about the heaviest snake in the world today - the green anaconda.

The green anaconda lives in the tropical rainforests and swamps of northern South America. Its total length is between 6 and 10 meters. It sounds like it is not as big as the reticulated python. In fact, although the green anaconda is slightly shorter than the reticulated python, its weight does push it to the top of the food chain.

An adult green anaconda weighs about 220 kilograms. This giant with a waistline like a wild boar is terrifying to see. In addition, its body is covered with dark green circular spots, which echo the color of the forest, making it seem invisible in the rainforest with poor light. When it raises its head, the orange stripes on its eye sockets look like horns. No wonder some local tribes in South America worship it as a god.

A still from the 1997 film "Anaconda" directed by Luis Rocha. The picture above shows a giant python based on the green anaconda.

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The "White Snake" exists in both myth and reality

"Two hundred miles to the west is the Taimao Mountain. On the sunny side there is much gold, and on the shady side there is much iron. The Yu River flows out of it and flows eastward into the Yellow River. There are many algae and jade, and many white snakes."

"Three hundred miles further north is the Shenkun Mountain, on which there are carved stones, and below which there are white snakes and flying insects."

"Ninety miles further south is the Chaisang Mountain, where there is much silver on the top and much jade below, as well as much cold stone and ochre. There are many willows, mulberry trees, and elks, as well as many white snakes and flying snakes." (Excerpt from "Classic of Mountains and Seas")

The Classic of Mountains and Seas records that there are many white snakes on Mount Taimao, Mount Shenkun, and Mount Chaisang. Although it is only mentioned briefly, it can be seen that this kind of white snake is very common. People have been very enthusiastic about the theme of white snakes throughout the ages. For example, the folk love story "The Legend of the White Snake" is the best proof. In reality, there is indeed a little white snake commonly known as the White Lady.

Albino Texas Rat Snake

The albino Texas rat snake, commonly known as the White Lady, is a non-venomous snake of the genus Elaphe of the family Colubridae. It lays eggs and lives mainly in the forests of North America. It is a variant of the Texas rat snake. Generally, its body can reach more than two meters. Although its size is a bit scary, it has a "quiet little lady" mentality. As long as they are not deliberately provoked, they generally will not attack humans. Moreover, they are snow-white all over, with big and round eyes, a true "Snow White". It is not easy to make people exclaim that snakes can be so beautiful.

Albino Texas rat snake eggs. Snake eggs are different from bird eggs. Their surface is slightly rough and the texture is soft, like leather. Generally, the eggs are oval or cylindrical.

There are also Xiangliu, Feiyi, Tengshe, Mingshe and so on in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Some are ferocious and can stir up huge waves; some have two bodies and can cause droughts; some swallow clouds and spit out mist, thinking about shedding their skin and ascending to heaven every day. These different strange snakes have fascinated people in the Classic of Mountains and Seas for thousands of years, becoming one of the most distinctive highlights of the book, and also providing important clues for later generations to study the animal environment in ancient times.

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Source: Damei Science