Elf Mommy
Well-Known Member
When I neutered Poe and visited Patti, she lent me a few rabbit books, including ones by Kathy Smith. In one I read a story about the shape of the rabbit on the moon. I had never heard of it nor looked for it before. I do believe it will be inspiring some artwork.
I went looking for the rabbit in the Moon and have found several interpretations.
This man wrote a book, and it even has a video of him reading the book:
Bunny Rabbit on the Moon
There is an Aztec Legend as follows:
The Aztecs had a legend to explain it (see a lovely version on our Aztec Stories page). A very short version in the Florentine Codex (right) reads: âThe myth of the rabbit in the moon goes as follows: The gods, they say, were teasing the moon and flung a rabbit in its face. And the rabbit remained marked on the moonâs face. That is what darkened the face of the moon, as though it had been bruised. Upon which the moon went out to light the world.â
And I like this interpretation of how the rabbit looks, the best!
There is also a Chinese version to this legend:
Jade Rabbit Who Pounds Medicine ï¼çå æ£è¯ : yu4 tu4 dao3 yao4)
Although sad and lonely, Chang Er is not the only one on the moon. She is accompanied by Jade Rabbit and Wu Gang the woodcutter. You can often see on mooncake packaging, drawings of Chang Er and a cute white fluffy rabbit. How the rabbit came to live on the moon also has a story.
There are several versions to the story. One claims that the rabbit is in fact Chang Er herself. One says that Hou Yi transformed into Chang Erâs favourite animal, a white rabbit to keep her company on the moon. And another mentioned a rabbit fairy, sympathizing on Chang Erâs plight, sent his youngest daughter to keep her company. Below is yet another version.
In this legend, three gods descended on earth and disguised themselves as three pitiful old men. They met fox, monkey and rabbit and asked them to spare them some food. Both the fox and monkey did so.
However, the rabbit had no food, hence it told the three old men to eat itself. Shortly after, it jumped into the fire. The gods were greatly moved and made the rabbit live immortally in the moon palace.
No matter what version the story is, the jade rabbitâs task on moon was to pound and create the pills of immortality. It is also sometimes said that Chang Er, missing dearly her husband on Earth, asks Wu Gang the woodcutter (with his wood for fuel or ingredient) and the Jade Rabbit to help create a magical pill to allow her to fly back to earth to reunite with Hou Yi.
I thought it was interesting, and that I would share.
I definitely think the moon and rabbits will be in my future works of art.
I went looking for the rabbit in the Moon and have found several interpretations.
This man wrote a book, and it even has a video of him reading the book:
Bunny Rabbit on the Moon
There is an Aztec Legend as follows:
The Aztecs had a legend to explain it (see a lovely version on our Aztec Stories page). A very short version in the Florentine Codex (right) reads: âThe myth of the rabbit in the moon goes as follows: The gods, they say, were teasing the moon and flung a rabbit in its face. And the rabbit remained marked on the moonâs face. That is what darkened the face of the moon, as though it had been bruised. Upon which the moon went out to light the world.â
And I like this interpretation of how the rabbit looks, the best!
There is also a Chinese version to this legend:
Jade Rabbit Who Pounds Medicine ï¼çå æ£è¯ : yu4 tu4 dao3 yao4)
Although sad and lonely, Chang Er is not the only one on the moon. She is accompanied by Jade Rabbit and Wu Gang the woodcutter. You can often see on mooncake packaging, drawings of Chang Er and a cute white fluffy rabbit. How the rabbit came to live on the moon also has a story.
There are several versions to the story. One claims that the rabbit is in fact Chang Er herself. One says that Hou Yi transformed into Chang Erâs favourite animal, a white rabbit to keep her company on the moon. And another mentioned a rabbit fairy, sympathizing on Chang Erâs plight, sent his youngest daughter to keep her company. Below is yet another version.
In this legend, three gods descended on earth and disguised themselves as three pitiful old men. They met fox, monkey and rabbit and asked them to spare them some food. Both the fox and monkey did so.
However, the rabbit had no food, hence it told the three old men to eat itself. Shortly after, it jumped into the fire. The gods were greatly moved and made the rabbit live immortally in the moon palace.
No matter what version the story is, the jade rabbitâs task on moon was to pound and create the pills of immortality. It is also sometimes said that Chang Er, missing dearly her husband on Earth, asks Wu Gang the woodcutter (with his wood for fuel or ingredient) and the Jade Rabbit to help create a magical pill to allow her to fly back to earth to reunite with Hou Yi.
I thought it was interesting, and that I would share.
I definitely think the moon and rabbits will be in my future works of art.
