Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology
Alternative names: Taotie (饕餮)
Category: Sheep
The Myth
The Taotie is one of the most infamous monsters of Chinese mythology, representing insatiable greed and gluttony. Its name itself reflects this nature: “Tao” means to covet wealth, while “Tie” means to crave food. It is a creature whose hunger can never be satisfied.
Ancient sources describe the Taotie in several different forms. The most common depiction gives it the body of a sheep with the face of a human, eyes beneath its armpits, tiger-like fangs, human-like claws, and the cry of a crying infant. Other traditions describe it as little more than a gigantic devouring head with no body at all, emphasizing its endless appetite.
The Taotie is counted among China’s legendary Four Evils, alongside Hundun, Qiongqi, and Taowu. According to the Zuo Zhuan, it originated from the wicked and greedy son of the Jinyun clan, whose insatiable desire for wealth and excess caused him to become the monstrous Taotie. Afterward, Emperor Shun banished it to the western lands, where it ironically became a guardian against other monsters.
Other ancient texts describe it as a savage creature covered in thick hair that hoards riches without ever using them. It steals from others, bullies the weak, attacks solitary travelers, yet fears large crowds. Its overwhelming greed defines every aspect of its existence.
During the Ming Dynasty, the Taotie also became associated with the Nine Sons of the Dragon, while scholars linked it with the fearsome beast described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, strengthening its image as a man-eating monster.
One of the Taotie’s greatest legacies is artistic rather than literary. The fearsome animal faces decorating ancient Shang and Zhou bronze ritual vessels became known as Taotie masks. Although this name was applied centuries later and it remains uncertain whether the original craftsmen intended to depict the Taotie, the monstrous face became one of the most recognizable symbols of ancient Chinese art.
Throughout Chinese tradition, the Taotie serves as the ultimate embodiment of uncontrolled greed—a creature that endlessly consumes wealth, food, and even human beings, yet can never satisfy its eternal hunger.
Sources
TYZ. (n.d.). Taotie [饕餮]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1018146956.html