When it comes to rare animals, people often think of giant pandas and white-sided dolphins, but there is an even rarer and more precious animal that is little known. Not only is it rare in the wild, but it is also hard to find in parks, and even its specimens and images are scarce. This is China's "water panda" - the turtle.
The mystery of the mysterious behemoth.
The most common sight of our turtles is found in ancient temples. Because of its infinite power, many temple steles are carried by stone carved turtles. Rumor has it that someone once placed a 150-kilogram granite rock on the back of an 80-kilogram turtle and then stood on 5 big men and the turtle was still able to crawl easily. As a result, ancient China regarded the turtle as a symbol of divine power.
However, this ancient creature that represents power cannot stop itself from gradually going extinct. As the largest individual among the turtles, the turtle is listed as a national first-class key protected wild animal in China. However, due to drastic changes in the natural environment and overfishing by humans, this rare animal, known as the "water panda", is facing the threat of extinction.
Historical heritage and mystery stories.
The history of the turtle can be traced back to the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC in China, and it is one of the 17 reptiles recorded in the Yin Shang oracle bone inscriptions. In ancient times, there were many legends and stories about the turtle. There is a story in the "Bamboo Book Chronicle", which describes the scene when King Mu of Zhou went out to Jiujiang to hunt and kill a large number of leper turtles and Chinese crocodiles, and used their bodies to cross the river by bridge, vividly showing the number of turtles in ancient times.
Legend has it that in the Ming Dynasty, when Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang fought in Poyang Lake, the turtle saved Zhu Yuanzhang's life in a unique way. In the crisis of defeat and flight, Zhu Yuanzhang found that there was no way out of the lake, and the enemy soldiers were chasing him. At this moment, a huge leper turtle appeared in the lake, as if it had come to rescue him. Zhu Yuanzhang stepped on the back of the turtle and successfully escaped the danger, this legend profoundly expresses people's awe of the mysterious power of the turtle.
The truth about the leper turtle.
Some books simply classify turtles as turtles, which is inaccurate. Turtles and turtles differ in size and taxonomy, although they are similar in appearance. Turtles have long, pointed snouts, while turtles have relatively short snouts, less than half the diameter of their eyes. The head is usually scattered with wart-like protrusions, forming a distinctive "leprosy body". Due to the "leper head" on its head and its large size (the maximum weight can reach more than 100 kilograms), the turtle has a formidable appearance. In ancient times, "Dream of Red Mansions" even portrayed the turtle as a vicious image, and Baoyu once swore that "Ming'er fell into the pond and called a leper turtle to eat it." ”
Proverb Inheritance and Cultural Significance.
There is a proverb circulating in Nanjing: "The pig and the dragon are in trouble, and the leper head is in the top tank", which means that the powerful will bring disaster, while the powerless will suffer disaster. The ** of this proverb is recorded in the Ming Dynasty's "Snow Waves**", which depicts the scene of the embankments in the Shangqing River area of Nanjing often collapsing. Legend has it that it was due to the alligator nesting under the embankment, which caused the collapse. When the local officials reported to the emperor, because "pig" was the same as the surname "Zhu" of the Ming Dynasty emperor, it involved taboos, so they falsely called "the big turtle is harmful". The emperor ordered the turtle to be captured, but its sheer size allowed it to penetrate deep into the sandy bottom, and several people could not pull it out. An old fisherman who is well versed in the nature of the turtle suggests that he use a bottom tank to penetrate it when catching it, and successfully lure the turtle out. This legend led the people of Nanjing to create this proverb.
Calls for extinction.
With the evolution of history, the ecological environment of the turtle habitat has been continuously threatened, coupled with factors such as human overfishing, the distribution area of the turtle has gradually decreased, and the population has decreased sharply. By the 70s of the last century, the turtle had fallen into a critically endangered state. In order to save this endangered species, China listed the turtle as a national first-class aquatic wild protected animal in 1989, and then included in Appendix II of the International Convention on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in 2003. In 2013, it was listed as IUCN endangered.
In the past 10 years, only a small number of traces of turtles have been found in Oujiang in Zhejiang, Suijiang in Guangdong and Lancang River in Yunnan, while other areas have almost been declared extinct. Whether the "water panda" can counterattack and return to the stage of nature remains to be achieved by human beings to escort the future of this mysterious creature.
This article provides an in-depth and comprehensive introduction to China's rare animal, the turtle, as well as its rich history, mysterious story and endangered status. With vivid language, detailed facts and fascinating legends, the author has succeeded in outlining the fascinating image of this "water panda".
First of all, the article shows the historical origin of the turtle as a symbol of divine power by introducing its role in the temple. This unique cultural symbol is not only reflected in myths and legends, but also passed down in real life through stone carvings and other forms. This gives the reader a deeper understanding of the special place of the turtle in ancient societies and the worship of its mystical powers.
Secondly, through traditional historical documents and legends of the Ming Dynasty, the article presents the rich footprints of the turtle in Chinese history. This not only gives readers a more comprehensive understanding of the turtle, but also expresses the respect and dependence of ancient China on this animal. The reflection of the turtle in historical documents is not only a precious cultural tradition, but also provides future generations with a scientific understanding of this species.
In the comparative analysis section of the article, a detailed comparison of turtles and turtles is made, explaining their differences in appearance and taxonomy. This kind of popular science content provides readers with a deeper understanding and corrects some possible misconceptions. Through detailed depictions, the reader will be able to distinguish more clearly between the two seemingly similar aquatic animals.
One of the most interesting parts is about the current status of the endangered species of turtles. The article clearly shows the process of the turtle gradually becoming endangered from the 70s of the last century to being included in various international endangered lists through the timeline. This has led to deep reflection on how to protect this precious creature, as well as concerns about environmental change and the impact of human activities on biodiversity.
Overall, this article successfully outlines the image of the mysterious animal through colorful stories, the penetration of traditional culture and the presentation of popular science knowledge. At the same time, the introduction of its endangered status provokes readers to think about the conservation of biodiversity. Such depth and breadth make the article not only an introductory popular science article, but also a call for social attention and action.
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