There are many mysterious animals in Chinese folk legends. The most famous one is definitely the "Wong Tai Sin" Weasel .
Whether it is to wish the chicken a New Year or the legend of the "Five Great Immortals" in the Northeast, is the weasel really that magical?
The ordinary life of the weasel
Weasel, scientific name is Weasel (yòu). "Aesy" is the name that the ancients called the rat killer. With its brown and yellow fur color, it has the common name of weasel.
In addition, in the northern region of , where it has been living, there are also names such as "yellow wolf" and " yellow skin ". Weasel belongs to the carnivorous family - - mutton genus , with many relatives.
The close-knit genus has 19 members, and there are more relatives of the family Weather family. otter , ferret , skunk, " flat-headed brother " honey badger (huān), etc. are all relatives of weasels.
Weasel is still a very cute
It can also be seen from these relatives that weasel is also a hunter with strong abilities. Because its size is only 28-40 cm, its prey is mainly small rodents such as mice, voles , squirrel , and hares. If there is not enough food, frogs, birds, insects, and even some fruits can become their food rations.
The Weasel members, including weasels, all look quite similar, their legs are short, their whole body is long, their claws and teeth are very sharp, and they are very flexible in running.
From top to bottom: weasels, ferrets, black-footed weasels
Such slender bodies are very suitable for drilling holes, so weasels have very strong ability to catch mice. Not only do you chase the mice around on the ground, but you can also chase them into the mouse hole and take them all in one pot.
In addition, weasels can also swim and climb trees, and hunt very quickly. Although its vision is not good, it has a strong sense of smell and a high success rate of hunting. Sometimes, even if it can't eat it, it will bite all the prey it finds to death.
The weasel in the zoo has strong climbing ability
Just like its relatives, although the weasel is very small, it has strong combat power. Even if the prey is much larger than yours, you are not afraid at all. With your slender and flexible body, you repeatedly bite the other party's cervical spine until you kill the prey.
Weasels are in many areas of Siberia and my country. They seem to be not picky about where they live. Weasels have been found on many terrains such as mountains, plains, river valleys, forests, etc.
Because there are always mice coming to steal food where humans are located, weasels who like to eat mice are attracted to human villages and towns by their prey. They are small and flexible, and have great courage. Unlike other animals, they hide from humans, but they are very adaptable to living in human society.
The weasel was found when catching frogs on the streets of the city
But being brave does not mean that the weasel is reckless. On the contrary, it has a very high alertness. If you have any questions, you have to stand upright and look around for any danger. This is also a common skill for many members of the Weasel family.
If you really encounter danger and cannot escape, the weasel will use its "special skill" - fart. Almost all of the big children of the Foresteaceae have two soybean-sized odor glands next to their anus. A very irritating and foul-stenching liquid will be secreted from it. As long as the liquid is sprayed onto the enemy, even a tiger cannot stand the smell, and the weasel will take the opportunity to escape.
The mysterious legend of "Wong Tai Immortal"
Weasel greets chickens for new year
Weasel is very famous in many northern parts of my country. In the northeast, it was once called the "Five Great Immortals" together with foxes, Hedgehog , snakes, and rats, and is also called the "Five Great Gods of Wealth". People worship them at home to get blessings.
Most of this belief disappeared after New China was founded by , but as a folk culture, there are still many things worth exploring.
In the past, these five animals often appeared near villages due to their living habits.Mouses love to eat food and crops, hedgehogs like to eat insects that are turned out when plowing fields, foxes, snakes and weasels all like to catch mice, and they will follow the food to the vicinity of the village.
After living with humans for a long time, these five wild animals have been covered with a layer of mysterious color.
"Five Great Immortals" painting
Among these animals, there are many legends surrounding weasels. For example, "Wang Taixian worships the moon" and "seeking the title of immortal" all sound incredible.
Although the legend is very strange, as long as you understand the living habits of weasels, you can know where these legends come from.
The weasel's fur color will change slightly with the season
The wild weasels like to build nests in various dark and hidden places. They are small and slender in size and require little living space. Under the stack of firewood, behind the piles of rocks, tree caves, and even in cemeteries where no one disturbs them, they may be where they settle down.
Because mice always come out to steal food after nightfall, weasels that feed on them often move at night, and modern observation methods such as infrared camera have also confirmed this.
Weasels are very alert. When someone comes back late, they will notice the movements made by humans. They stand upright from the grass with their hind legs and observe around them. Their front paws are placed in front of them, looking very much like a tribute. As many people met, it was rumored to be "Wang Tai Sin worshipped the moon".
The weasel's relative ferrets will also habitually stand straight and look around
. The legend of weasels "challenging seal" is also related to their habits.
According to local legend, "debate the seal" means that when the weasel has reached a certain level of cultivation, it will stand up like a human and ask the passerby, "Do you think I look like a human?" If you answer it like a human, it is "debate the seal successfully." If it doesn't look like it, then the weasel will lose its power and will hold a grudge against the person who answered this answer.
seems to be a weasel "to be sealed", but in fact, it is a vigilant observation of human
In the past, there were places where weasels lived, and it is also said that this animal would confuse people's hearts, and those who offend them will be "upside". The origin of this legend is mostly related to the stinky glands of weasels.
After modern scientific research, the main component of the foul-smelled liquid emitted by weasels when frightened is butyl thiol. The smell of this chemical is very strong and foul, which is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory system. When it is too strong, it will cause difficulty in breathing and fainting.
also has an unconfirmed assumption that the liquid secreted by weasels also has a certain hallucinogenic component, and accidentally inhaling too much may cause people to make some unusual actions.
The weasels standing up are indeed very similar to ceremonies
These legends sound mysterious and weird, but they also come from the ancients' observation of animal habits, and have a certain realistic basis. As long as you understand why, you will not blindly believe it.
Yellow skinned boys cannot be beaten
Weasels are not picky about their residence and food, and they are often seen in big cities today.
This kind of animal is bold, has strong adaptability, and has not weak reproductive ability. It has always had a large population and is also at risk in the "World Red List of Endangered Species".
However, whether in ancient times or now, people still have word of mouth the rule that "weasels cannot be beaten when entering the door". Why is this?
encounters a weasel hunting mice that are bigger than itself
One reason is that the weasel's mouse-catching ability is too excellent. According to scientific observations, each adult weasel can eat 1,500-3,200 mice in one year, making it a very powerful "rat killer".
In ancient times, there would be no trouble with rats in places where weasels lived. It can not only protect food, but also eliminate various diseases caused by mice, so people will certainly protect them spontaneously.
plus the awe brought by various mysterious legends, ancient people would not hurt the weasel.
Northern often called "mink coat", the raw material is the fur of the weasel family.The fur on the weasel's whole body cannot be compared with relatives such as sable and marten. Their hair is not valuable in summer, and only thick skin after winter is valuable, but the tuft of hair on the tip of the tail is exceptional.
The brushes in the four treasures of the study include different types such as sheep hair, rabbit hair, wolf hair, etc. depending on the hair used in the production. Among them, the hair used in "wolf hair" is the long hair on the tip of the weasel's tail.
Coincidentally, Russia, which also lives with many weasels, people also like to use its tail hair as paintbrushes. For its fur, weasels can be hunted legally in Russia.
The weasel's big tail and wolf hair brush
Because of the value of fur, in 2000, my country listed weasels on the "Three-Have Animal List". Therefore, when you encounter a weasel now, you cannot beat it, after all, it is protected by law.
In the long history of our country, there are many animals like weasels carrying mysterious legends. Apart from the superstitious thoughts, it can still be seen that it contains people's observations of animal habits.
These folk cultures are not useless. On the contrary, they have long been awe of nature and actively keep a safe distance from wild animals.
