TPGJ 456.6: Poisonous Snakes

Taiping Guangji Scroll 456: “Snakes 1” story No. 6 , 毒蛇

Mountain south, the five creeks and Qianzhong all have poisonous snakes, raven-black with a reversed nose, coiled in the grass. Their teeth are crooked backwards, and when within a few steps away from a human being, they will come right away, swift like a flying arrow. Their bite will bring an immediate death upon men, if the hand was bitten, cut off the hand. If the leg was bitten, cut off the leg. Otherwise the whole body will get swollen and turn bad, and not one of a hundred cases shall be redeemed, that is called a venomous snake.

There exists a snake with a yellow throat, who likes being at residence tops. It is not poisonous and does not harm humans, and his only merit is in eating poisonous snakes. After eating to it’s full, it hangs it’s head straight down, and drips foam, which once sprayed on the ground changes into sand chiggers, which cause diseases when within humans. On it’s forehead there appears a 王 sign. Being the chief for the multitude of snakes, it regularly eats venomous snakes.

Taken from “Chaoye Qianzai” (朝野僉載)

TPGJ 456.5: Baoyuan snakes

Taiping Guangji Scroll 456: “Snakes 1” story No. 5 , 報冤蛇

At the south of the ridge there are Baoyuan snakes. Once a person makes contact with them, they will right away reach along with him, anywhere around. If you kill one snake, a hundred snakes will gather together. Get a centipede to defend oneself, and thus escape.

Taken from “Chaoye Qianzai” (朝野僉載)

TPGJ 456.4: The Green Snake

Taiping Guangji Scroll 456: “Snakes 1” story No. 4 , 綠蛇

In the red rock cave at Guzhu mountain there is a green snake, probably above three feet in length. It has mach timilarity to a small finger. It likes resting on tips of tree branches, and upon looking, it resembles a strip of a belt, coiled between the stalks and the leaves. It has no poison, and once people are seen, it flies in the air.

Taken from “Guzhu Shan Ji” (顧渚山記)

TPGJ 456.3: Kunlun north-western mountain

Taiping Guangji Scroll 456: “Snakes 1” story No. 3 , 崑崙西北山

There is a mountain at the north-west of kunlun. It’s perimeter is 30,000 Li¹. A huge snake is coiled around it, the snake makes 90,000 Li in length. The snake usually lives at that mountain, while eating and drinking from the blue sea.

Taken from “Xuan Zhong Ji” (玄中記)