蛇不仅在中华文化里占据重要地位，在世界文明的发展史中，它也是最古老、最常见的神话符号之一。蛇可以是威严庄重的神祇，也可以是邪恶可怖的魔鬼。世人对它爱恨交织，一面膜拜，一面畏惧。
【重生与永恒/Rebirth and eternity】
蛇能蜕皮。对于古代先哲而言，这似乎印证着他们对于重生的信仰。蛇因此常被赋予重生与永恒的象征意义。
一条蛇衔着自己的尾巴，形成一个圆圈，这是一个广为流传的符号。它象征着完整的存在、无穷无尽的万物和无限循环的宇宙。这一符号最早出现在古埃及，之后传承到希腊，当时的哲学家将其称为Ouroboros，意为"噬尾者"。
The serpent (蛇), when forming a ring with its tail in its mouth, is a widespread symbol of the totality of existence, infinity and the cyclical (循环的) nature of the cosmos (宇宙). It can be traced back to ancient <?xml:namespace prefix="st1"></?xml:namespace><st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region>. From there it passed to the Greek philosophers, who gave it the name Ouroboros ("the tail-devourer").
Ouroboros包含着很多象征意义。它象征着宇宙的轮回：毁灭中创造新生，死亡中孕育生命。Ouroboros吃着自己的尾巴来维持生命，交替更新、永不停歇。这一个意象已经包含了整个生命周期的完整过程——自我生产、结合、孕育，最后杀死自己，但一切都在循环往复，而非线性发展。
The ouroboros has several meanings interwoven into it. It symbolizes the cyclical nature of the universe: creation out of destruction, life out of death. The ouroboros eats its own tail to sustain life, in an eternal cycle of renewal. It is a single image with the entire actions of a life cycle - it begets (生产), weds, impregnates, and slays itself, but in a cyclical sense, rather than linear (线
性的).
这种衔尾蛇的形象在多种文化中有迹可循。在挪威神话中，宇宙之蛇Jormungandr咬住自己的尾巴将整个世界环绕起来。在印度神话中，毗湿奴常躺在大蛇舍沙的身上沉睡，而舍沙用身体支撑着整个宇宙。
This image of the serpent appears in many cultures. In Norse mythology, the World Serpent known as Jormungandr encircled the world, biting its own tail. In Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu (毗湿奴) is often portrayed resting on the huge serpent of Sesha, which hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods.
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