As people celebrate the beginning of the new Chinese lunar year, the Year of the Snake, what do snakes symbolize in mythology?

Explore the real-life inspirations behind legendary creatures like ... and Roc. These mythical beings may have roots in actual animals like manatees, giant squids, Haast's eagle, Indian rhinoceros ...

Green Anaconda – One of the largest snakes in the world, this giant constrictor can swallow large prey, including deer and caimans, and could theoretically consume a human. Nile Crocodile – These ...

In the Han Dynasty, snakes also appeared often on patterns of xuanwu, a Chinese mythical creature that’s depicted as a snake and a tortoise. In the following dynasties, snake appeared less in ...

Dozens of giant lanterns in the shape of mythical creatures, flowers and legendary characters light up the night sky in southern China -- ...

But the reptile is just as rich in symbolism and lore as the mythical beast ... who was ultimately revealed to be a giant white snake. “It originated as a horror story – once you’re ...

A pattern of xuanwu, a Chinese mythical creature depicted as a snake and a tortoise on an eaves tile from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). The symbolic turquoise inlaid bronze plaques unearthed ...