Chinese Rabbit Mythology

Tu’er Ye

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Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: 兔兒爺, Tu’er Ye, Rabbit God, Lord Leveret
Category: Rabbit

The Myth

Tu’er Ye is a rabbit deity from Beijing, closely associated with the Moon and the moon rabbit of the goddess Chang’e. He is traditionally represented as a rabbit-like figure and is often depicted riding a tiger, dragon, or horse, although some sculptures show him standing alone. His name means “Lord Leveret,” and he has become a distinctive figure in Beijing’s folk religious traditions.

Tu’er Ye is associated with a female counterpart called Tu’er Nainai, or “Lady Leveret.” However, the two may actually be the same deity. According to some legends, Tu’er Ye changes his appearance depending on the human clothing donated to him by the people he helps, meaning that Tu’er Nainai might simply be another form of Tu’er Ye. His worship began in Beijing in 1906, later disappeared during the twentieth century, and was revived in the late 2000s. He should not be confused with Tu’er Shen, a different deity who may share some connections with the Rabbit God.

Sources

“Tu’er Ye.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu%27er_Ye

Tokaku

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Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: 龟毛兔角, Turtle Hair and Rabbit Horns, Tortoise-Furred Rabbit Horns
Category: Rabbit

The Myth

Tokaku refers to the expression “turtle hair and rabbit horns,” describing two impossible phenomena: turtles growing hair and rabbits developing horns. According to the Soushen Ji, drawing on works such as the Wuxing Zhi and Jingbo Yi Zhuan, unusual occurrences in nature were sometimes interpreted as ominous signs for the state. During the reign of King Zhou of Shang, a large turtle was said to have grown hair and rabbits were said to have grown horns. These phenomena were regarded as portents of war.

The expression subsequently became a metaphor for things considered impossible or beyond ordinary understanding. A similar expression, “black crow and white horse horns” (烏白馬角), likewise describes unnatural combinations that cannot exist in the ordinary world. Both expressions use extraordinary physical features to represent events that defy common sense.

In Buddhist writings, turtle hair and rabbit horns also serve as examples of things that exist in name but have no actual substance. Texts such as the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Śāstra and Mohe Zhiguan employ the imagery to explain the emptiness of all phenomena, teaching that neither the self nor other things possess a fixed, independently attainable existence. Other Buddhist works similarly list turtle hair, rabbit horns, and other nonexistent things as illustrations of the insubstantial nature of reality.

Sources

“Tokaku.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1084081649.html

Moon Rabbit

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Tradition: Chinese Mythology, Japanese Mythology, Korean Mythology, Vietnamese Mythology, American Mythology
Alternative Names: Jade Rabbit, Yutu, 玉兔, Moon Hare, Lunar Rabbit
Category: Rabbit

The Myth

The Moon Rabbit, also known as the Jade Rabbit or Moon Hare, is a mythical rabbit or hare believed to inhabit the Moon. Its image originates from interpretations of the dark markings on the lunar surface, which resemble a rabbit. The creature appears in traditions across East Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as in some Indigenous American cultures. In East Asian mythology, the Moon Rabbit is commonly depicted pounding ingredients with a mortar and pestle. The substance it prepares varies between traditions: Chinese and Vietnamese accounts often describe it making the elixir of immortality, while Japanese and Korean versions commonly portray it preparing rice cakes, such as mochi or tteok. Some Chinese depictions also show the rabbit making medicine for mortals or preparing mooncakes.

In Chinese tradition, the Moon Rabbit is frequently associated with Chang’e, the goddess of the Moon, for whom it prepares the elixir of life. References to a lunar hare appear in early Chinese literature, including the Chu Ci, a collection of poems compiled during the Western Han period. Later sources also mention the Jade Hare and Gold Hare, names used poetically for the animal on the Moon and, by extension, for the Moon itself. The image of the rabbit preparing medicine remained influential in Chinese poetry and art, including depictions embroidered on imperial robes.

A Buddhist story offers another explanation for the rabbit’s presence on the Moon. In the Jataka tales, a monkey, an otter, a jackal, and a rabbit resolve to practise charity on the full-moon day. When an old man asks them for food, the other animals gather what they can find, but the rabbit can offer only grass. To demonstrate its generosity, it throws itself into a fire so that the man can eat its flesh. The rabbit remains unharmed, and the old man reveals himself to be Śakra, king of the gods. Moved by the rabbit’s selflessness, he places its likeness on the Moon so that its virtue will be remembered. The rabbit is consequently regarded in this story as a Bodhisattva. A Japanese version recorded in the Konjaku Monogatarishū features a fox and a monkey as the rabbit’s companions.

The Moon Rabbit also appears in the Chinese novel Journey to the West. In one episode, a celestial rabbit escapes from the Moon Palace and disguises herself as a woman, intending to marry the monk Tang Sanzang and absorb his vital yang essence. Sun Wukong discovers her identity and battles her. Before he can defeat her, the celestial figure Taiyin Xingjun arrives and reveals that the creature is the Jade Rabbit, a guardian of the mystical elixir in the Moon Palace. Taiyin Xingjun explains that the rabbit secretly escaped from the palace and asks Sun Wukong to spare her. The Monkey King agrees, and the rabbit is returned to the Moon. The Moon Rabbit is also closely connected with lunar festivals across Asia, including China’s Mid-Autumn Festival, Japan’s Tsukimi, Korea’s Chuseok, and Vietnam’s Tết Trung Thu, where it forms part of the imagery and traditions associated with the Moon.

Sources

“Moon Rabbit.” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%88%E5%85%94