Ancient beasts may exist, but their images should have been distorted. Because distant people are confused in thinking, they can't even tell people from animals, let alone how much zoological knowledge is passed from one word to another, which is very easy to be distorted. But it is very dangerous for us to restore its prototype according to this, because his animal characteristics will certainly not be exactly the same as those actually existing today, and there will only be some similar characteristics.
Many ancient wild animals are not much different from those living in modern nature. In other words, to some extent, it is very possible to explore the ancient real world and nature. I worship my ancestors more and more. Let's applaud our ancestors!
This kind of fish is very similar to a kind of fish we have seen when traveling outside, and it is called "hornbox bream". This kind of fish has horns like cattle, and its image is very consistent with the description of "Lingju" in Shan Hai Jing. Living in a coral reef. "Winter goes and summer comes" is not hibernation? Moreover, the horn-box bream also has wings, which is what Nanshan Jing called "wings" and a small tail.
The written description of ancient beasts is not as realistic as travel notes, but is described through legends or word of mouth, so it is inevitable that there are exaggerations when recording. Therefore, the creatures inside are a combination of realism and imagination, such as Kyubi no Youko's three-eyed monkey and fox, which are based on reality and people's imagination. So the creatures in Shan Hai Jing don't exist, but prototypes can still be found in real creatures.