Chinese Mythology: Tao Tie

Tao Tie is a monster told in ancient Chinese mythology, and it is known as one of the Four Great Beasts, along with “Qiong Qi”, “táo wù” and “Hun Dun (Chaos)”.

根Gēn据jù一yī本běn叫jiào 《 山shān海hǎi经jīng 》 的de古gǔ书shū描miáo述shù ： 饕tāo餮tiè的de样yàng子zi就jiù像xiàng是shì羊yáng的de身shēn体tǐ上shàng长zhǎng了le人rén的de脸liǎn ， 它tā的de眼yǎn睛jīng长zhǎng在zài胳gā肢zhī窝wō下xià面miàn ， 长zhǎng着zhe老lǎo虎hǔ的de牙yá齿chǐ和hé人rén的de爪zhuǎ子zi ， 发fā出chū的de声shēng音yīn却què像xiàng小xiǎo宝bǎo宝bǎo哭kū一yī样yàng 。

According to an ancient book called “The Classic of Mountains and Seas”, Tao Tie looks like a goat with a human face on its body, its eyes are under the armpits, it has the teeth of a tiger and the claws of a human being, and the sound it makes is like a little baby crying.

它Tā特tè别bié能néng吃chī ， 看kàn到dào什shén么me就jiù吃chī什shén么me ， 连lián人rén都dōu不bù放fàng过guò 。

It is particularly good at eating, and eats whatever it sees, even human beings.

有Yǒu个gè说shuō法fǎ是shì ， 因yīn为wèi它tā吃chī得de实shí在zài太tài多duō了le ， 最zuì后hòu连lián自zì己jǐ的de身shēn体tǐ都dōu给gěi吃chī光guāng了le ， 就jiù剩shèng下xià一yī个gè大dà大dà的de脑nǎo袋dài和hé一yī张zhāng超chāo级jí大dà的de嘴zuǐ巴bā 。

There is a saying that because it ate so much, it eventually ate up even its own body, leaving a big head and a super-sized mouth.

因Yīn此cǐ ， 人rén们men把bǎ它tā是shì贪tān欲yù的de象xiàng征zhēng ， 常cháng用yòng来lái形xíng容róng贪tān食shí或huò贪tān得dé无wú厌yàn的de人rén 。

Therefore, people take it to be a symbol of greed, and it is often used to describe people who are gluttonous or insatiable.

另Lìng有yǒu传chuán说shuō它tā是shì龙lóng的de九jiǔ个gè孩hái子zi中zhōng的de一yī个gè ， 但dàn这zhè个gè说shuō法fǎ比bǐ较jiào小xiǎo众zhòng 。