Why did ancient people worship toads? What does toad symbolize?

It symbolizes many children, longevity and fame. Nowadays, in people's eyes, toad is an ugly animal. Many people just think it is ugly and will bark. Looks ugly. I don't think anyone likes it But in the eyes of the ancients, toad was a magical animal. The ancients worshipped it very much and thought that toad was a symbol of many good omen. The main reasons why the ancients worshipped toads are:

First, the symbol of many children. Toad is a frog, and its reproduction is mainly to lay eggs. Anyone who has seen toads lay eggs knows that toads lay many eggs at a time. After laying eggs, they become tadpoles and then toads. A female toad can give birth to dozens of young toads, which is a symbol of the offspring's growth in the eyes of the ancients. The ancients attached great importance to their children and descendants, and it was normal for them to worship toads with many children.

Second, the symbol of longevity. Toads are amphibians and frogs. They hibernate in winter. Every cold season will find a cave to hibernate. In the eyes of the ancients, this toad was obviously dead. How did it come back to life the next spring? Will toads live forever? Therefore, toads were regarded as long-lived animals by the ancients. Because of various factors, the life span of the ancients was not high, and the illusion of toad's resurrection made the ancients think it was a kind of animal with strong vitality.

Finally, the symbol of fame. The reason why there is a moon is because there is a three-legged toad in the moon palace, so later generations call it the moon. During the period of Emperor Wu of Jin Dynasty, a left prime minister evaluated himself as Gui Zhi in the Moon Palace, which was the earliest source of the laurel of the moon and a metaphor for talents. In the Tang Dynasty, due to the rise of the imperial examination system, the laurel of the moon gradually became the meaning of the senior high school entrance examination. Therefore, the later toad had a symbolic meaning of fame.

To sum up, the worship of toads depends on the significance given by the ancient people's observation of toad habits and the extended significance of myths and legends. Besides, in some places, toads are considered as a symbol of wealth.