SISIUTL AND CHINESE DRAGONS - A CONNECTION?

 

Stone carving from Shimao, China. Photograph by Rachel Vaknin, National Geographic.

On Monday, 9 January 2023, I received the following anonymous  comment from Jay (last name unknown). Under the heading “Jay has left a new comment on your post "ANCIENT CHINESE INSCRIPTIONS IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO – REALLY?" Jay wrote “Occurs both ways...What is this stylistically perfect Sisiutl doing deep in China's Shaanxi province around 4000 years ago? (Images just past centre of article)

Central mask from Shimao carved panel. Internet pnotograph, public domain.

Good catch Jay, I really do not know. I would have e-mailed you directly but your comment did not have a return e-mail address. Comments come through Blogger anonymously. I loved your input and find your comparison absolutely fascinating.

On Saturday, 15 August 2020, The National Geographic Channel aired an episode of “Ancient China From Above,” season 1, episode 3, titled “China’s Pompeii.” This program presented the 4,000 year old city of Shimao and, indeed, included some shots of the carving in question with the characteristics of Sisiutl. The program, however, failed to connect that carving with any other cultural influence that would apply to our question.

Sisiutl, the two-headed serpent of the Northwest Coast tribes, North America. Internet photograph, public domain.

I think we can assume some cultural influences passed from groups of people around the North Pacific from China to the cultures of the American Northwest Coast. Of course, I do not actually know if that image from the city of Shimao is meant to be a dragon, or some other creature, but the similarities are striking. Chinese dragons are four-footed creatures and Sisiutl is often described by Northwest Coast cultures as a four-footed creature. The two heads with a central human face in the carving is another obvious similarity. 

Sisiutl from a dance screen by Don Assu, Kwagiulth Museum at Capa Mudge,  We Wa Kai First Nation, British Columbia, 1979.

Given recent advances in knowledge on the time depth of the origins of mythology I really have no problem with assuming that migrating people over many millennia spread the concept of a Sisiutl-like being around the North Pacific. In ancient China it could have evolved into today’s Chinese Dragon. In North America it has spread and evolved into the Unktehi and Uncegilla of the Great Plains, to Michi-Peshu of the Great Lakes region and the horned serpent of the American southwest.

Thank you for your input, and I would encourage you to follow up on the idea. See if you can find two-headed serpent-like creatures from the cultures around the Northern Pacific between Shimao and the Pacific Northwest.

REFERENCE:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mysterious-carvings-evidence-human-sacrifice-uncovered-ancient-city-china#/shimao-carving-face.jpg”