What we in America refer to as Bigfoot or Sasquatch may actually have other relatives worldwide. In China, local lore has told for millennia of a hulking cryptid creature roaming deep in the mountainous forest regions. A prehistoric animal known as Gigantopithecus actually did exist in prehistoric times, and Yeren may, in fact, be a living descendant of that species. Standing over 6-8 feet tall with red; black; or brown hair, Yeren is believed to be an enormous ape/human hybrid with absurdly large footprints; facial features much like people; and rounded teeth. These rounded teeth may imply that the creature is an herbivore, eating mainly plants and vegetation. Circa 618-907 CE, the local lore began telling stories of such beasts being witnessed and even revered by the Tang and Ming Dynasties. After the last Ice age, Gigantopithecus supposedly migrated across the Bering Strait from Asia to North America, but it’s not entirely out of the question to think that it may actually still live in the Far East, having somehow adapted to modern times. This animal’s presence seemed so credible that, large-scale expeditions have been funded by Chinese authorities over the past several decades to fully investigate the claims. To date, no scientific proof has been revealed, although work continues to be done. So what is this beast’s true identity? Is it “the missing link” of human evolution, some unclassified species yet to be discovered, mistaken identity, or something else entirely?
Prehistoric Monster May Remain in China
Wow, I had never heard of this!