| The debate on the link between humans and apes | | | | years. |
| has not yet been completely resolved, according to | | | | Many of the locals believe that the yeren is a |
| many experts. Neanderthals who were evidenced to | | | | carnivore and preys on humans. Their tales narrate |
| have existed in Central and Northern Asia 350,000 | | | | stories of giant beasts that grab captive humans by |
| years ago, provided the scientific community with | | | | the arms and eat their flesh after. Though the |
| information on human evolution. | | | | Chinese scientific community continues to send |
| Compared to the famous Bigfoot and sasquatch of | | | | expeditions to the nature reserve in search of the |
| North America, China has its own version of the | | | | yeren, many of their assumptions remain as theories. |
| creature, called yeren in the native tongue, which | | | | However, the stories of the yeren continue to be |
| translates as wild man. Paleontologists claim that | | | | part of Chinese folklore and myths. |
| possibly 1,000 to 2,000 of the yeren live in Central | | | | According to the journal of Cryptozoology, some |
| China, particularly in Shennongjia Nature Reserve, in | | | | more detailed descriptions of the Chinese wild man |
| Hubei province. Variants of the name are xueren, | | | | are: the hairs covering its body are about three to |
| yiren and yeh ren, which more accurately means wild | | | | four centimeters long, the male genitalia resembles |
| man of Shennongjia. | | | | that of humans, the female yeren has prominent |
| The yeren is described as a large animal, appearing | | | | breasts, and the creature gives a distinctive yell as |
| much like the orangutans of Southeast Asia, but are | | | | part of its language. |
| bipedal and can walk upright. The height of the | | | | Combined theories from accounts and observations |
| creature is estimated between five to seven feet, | | | | of yeren stories claim that these creatures don't live |
| with the entire body covered with red to dark brown | | | | in communities, but males and females move about in |
| fur. The yeren has a large belly, but is reported to be | | | | pairs. Though they walk on two hind legs, the yeren |
| able to move quickly and run fast. The facial region | | | | can use all four limbs when running fast or when |
| resembles a cross between an ape's and a human's. | | | | climbing. As old tales regard the yeren as man-eaters, |
| The yeren can leave a large footprint, about 16 | | | | most accounts claim that they eat fruits such as |
| inches long, displaying five toes like humans, but with | | | | berries and nuts, sometimes insects, and empty corn |
| a structure closer to that of apes. | | | | cobs have been located in areas where the |
| Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences | | | | footprints were sighted. |
| have gathered evidences for the existence of the | | | | There is a website that describes the Yeren and |
| yeren, which is claimed to have been seen by many | | | | numerous other creatures of Cryptozoology in detail, |
| tourists in the Shennongjia Nature Reserve. These | | | | this website is called: Unknown Creatures and it may |
| experts have been able to uncover footprints, and | | | | be found at this url: |
| have even made plaster moldings for further | | | | You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter |
| examination. Most scientists theorize that the yeren | | | | or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its |
| may have been a species of giant ape, called | | | | entirety and without modification except for |
| Gigantopithecus blacki, which lived in Asia but was | | | | formatting needs or grammar corrections. |
| declared to have been extinct for over 500,000 | | | | |