The Taotie is one of the Four Great Fierce Beasts of Ancient Times, also known as the Paoxiao, and is recorded in the “Classic of Mountains and Seas – Northern Mountain Chapter,” where it dwells on Mount Gouwu. It has the body of a sheep with a human face, sharp tiger teeth, and human-like claws; its cry resembles the wailing of an infant. It is fiercely savage and notorious for devouring humans. Renowned for its insatiable gluttony, it devours whatever it sees without restraint—its appetite knows no bounds. Later generations often used the Taotie as a metaphor for those who are endlessly greedy and insatiable. Many bronze ritual vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties were adorned with Taotie motifs, employing its fearsome, menacing appearance to project authority and ward off malevolent spirits, while also serving as a moral reminder to the living: beware of greed and desire. The Taotie thus stands as a quintessential mythical creature that embodies both primal ferocity and profound cultural admonition.