Water Vipers, Bloodsuckers (Biè), Do You Remember These Creatures?
Talking about water vipers, many people probably don't know what they are. Saying 'bloodsuckers' might be known by some. Saying 'biè' would likely be known by many, especially those who grew up in rural areas, many of whom have had encounters with 'biè'.
Hirudo, haemopis, and biè all refer to the same type of organism. Here is it.
Biè primarily lives in ponds (water tanks). With abundant weeds in the water, it usually hides on the stems and leaves of the water plants. When the water surface is calm, it is impossible to see it. But when there is any movement in the water, it will immediately appear, searching for its 'prey'.
Many people are afraid of biè. Its scary part is that as soon as a person enters the water, it will attach itself to human skin and suck blood, and it is very stubborn. If livestock such as cattle and sheep enter the water, it will not let it go.
The body of biè is not big, about less than one inch, with a streamlined shape, wider in the middle and narrower at both ends, but both ends have suction cups, at least one of them should be considered its 'mouth' because it sucks human blood through the suction cup.
The stubbornness of biè mainly refers to the fact that it sucks very tightly after attaching to the human body. Although it may not feel much when it first sucks, but when the skin itches or feels slight pain, it has been firmly attached by biè. At that time, brave people will step out of the water and pull the biè attached to the skin with all their might. After the biè is pulled off, there are already slight bleeding marks on the skin.
Moreover, the epidermis of biè is tough and resilient, and it cannot be pinched with a fingernail, even if it is cut with a knife, it is difficult to cut it. Because after receiving external force, its body will immediately shrink into a spherical shape, making it impossible to deal with, so it can only use burning to burn it to death.
Once, after learning about the living habits of biè, I specially came to the pond side and used a small wooden stick to gently stir the water. Suddenly, dozens of biè with different sizes appeared from the water plants. Their movements were quick and they immediately attached themselves to the stick. At that moment, I felt like my scalp was numb. Since then, I would never enter any water with biè.
Now, many ponds have dried up, and the former groups of biè have disappeared. However, now I know that biè is a traditional Chinese medicinal animal, its dried products are processed with water to be used in medicine, which has the effects of treating stroke, high blood pressure, clearing blood stasis, amenorrhea, bruises and sprains. And biè preparations have special effects in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and cancer.
This might be what the saying goes: 'Don't value it when you have it, and only realize its preciousness when you lose it.' Life, isn't it about wandering between loss and gain, and maturing between gain and loss?
