Fuxi, the 'snake-bodied, human-headed' mythical figure: Cross-strait figures question his role as Taiwanese ancestor

China's official "2026 Public Sacrifice to the Ancestor Fuxi Ceremony" held in Gansu province featured a political undertone, with Gansu Governor Ren Zhenhe reading a sacrificial text that included calls for "anti-independence and reunification." The event saw former Kuomintang Vice Chairman Hsia Li-yan attend, while Taiwan's Sanxian Temple concurrently hosted a "Cross-Strait Joint Sacrifice to Fuxi Ceremony." The temple's chairman, Lee Chien-lung, stated that people on both sides of the strait share the same culture, ethnicity, and bloodline.

“

People on both sides of the strait share the same culture, ethnicity, and bloodline.

However, this narrative has drawn sharp criticism from various figures in Taiwan. They point to Fuxi's traditional depiction in Chinese mythology as a "snake-bodied, human-headed" deity, questioning how such a figure could be considered an ancestor of the Taiwanese people. A statue of Fuxi at the Fuxi Temple in Tianshui, Gansu, shows him holding the Eight Trigrams, with large eyes. Images from ancient tombs in Xinjiang depicting Fuxi and Nuwa in a mating pose have also been cited.

Taiwanese civic groups argue that China annually holds public sacrifices to figures like the Yellow Emperor and Fuxi to promote the idea that Taiwanese people are descendants of Yan and Huang, thus advancing its religious united front strategy towards Taiwan. Luo Chun-chiu, president of the Taiwan North Society, criticized the use of Fuxi myths by an atheist state to promote a "one-China" narrative, questioning the political motivations behind such ceremonies, especially when attended by prominent figures from Taiwan's opposition party.

“

Fuxi is a mythical figure with a snake body and human head! How can he be an ancestor of the Taiwanese people?

Historical texts describe Fuxi as one of the "Three Sovereigns" of ancient China. The "Book of Changes" attributes the creation of the Eight Trigrams to him. However, the "snake-bodied, human-headed" imagery became prominent in later Han Dynasty accounts, such as in Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian." Critics emphasize that Fuxi originates from the Yellow River basin and his totemic imagery is distinct, making the claim of him being a Taiwanese ancestor unfounded and part of a political agenda.

“

In an atheist country, using Fuxi myths to create an absurd narrative of 'one China' – how much longer will this party cause chaos?