An early Chinese source called the Chu Ci, a Western Han anthology of Chinese poems from the Warring States period, notes that along with a toad, there is a hare on the Moon who constantly pounds herbs for the immortals. This notion is supported by later texts, including the Song-era Taiping Imperial Reader. As rabbits were not yet introduced to China during Western Han, the original image was not a rabbit but a hare.2
Han dynasty poets call the hare on the Moon the "Jade Hare" (玉兔) or the "Gold Hare" (金兔), and these phrases were used often, in place of the word for the Moon. The famed Tang poet Li Bai, relates how "The rabbit in the moon pounds the medicine in vain" in his poem, "The Old Dust".3
In the Buddhist Jataka tales,4 Tale 316 relates that a monkey, an otter, a jackal, and a rabbit resolved to practice charity on the day of the full moon (Uposatha), believing a demonstration of great virtue would earn a great reward. When an old man begged for food from them, the monkey gathered fruits from the trees and the otter collected fish, while the jackal found a lizard and a pot of milk-curd. Knowing only how to gather grass, the rabbit instead offered its own body by throwing itself into a fire the man had prepared. However, the rabbit was not burnt and the old man revealed that he was Śakra. Touched by the rabbit's virtue, he drew the likeness of the rabbit on the Moon for all to see. It is said the lunar image is still draped in the smoke that rose when the rabbit cast itself into the fire. The rabbit is believed to be a Bodhisattva.
A version of this story may be found in the Japanese anthology, Konjaku Monogatarishū, where the rabbit's companions are instead a fox and a monkey.
The Moon rabbit legend is popular and part of local folklore throughout Asia. It may be found in diverse cultures in China, Japan, India, Korea, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar.567
This legend also gave rise to the Mid-Autumn Festivals of China, Tết Trung Thu of Vietnam, Tsukimi of Japan, and Chuseok of Korea, and Sampeah Preah Khae in Cambodia, all of which celebrate the legend of the Moon rabbit. In Vietnamese mythology, the Jade Rabbit on the Moon is often accompanied by the Moon Lady and Cuội, who sits under a magical banyan. The trio has become the personifications of the holiday, when they descend to the mortal world and give out cellophane lanterns, mooncakes and gifts to children.8
In Journey to the West, when Tang Sanzang passes through India on his journey, a demoness wants to marry him so that she can absorb his yang essence and increase her powers. Sun Wukong sees through her disguise and fights with her. Just as Sun Wukong is about to defeat the demoness, accompanied by the fairy Chang'e, Taiyin Xingjun descends on a colored cloud. The Monkey King hastily puts away his iron rod, saying, "Old Taiyin, where are you going? I, Sun Wukong, have been avoiding you." Taiyin replies, "The demon you are facing is the Jade Rabbit, who guards the mystical frost elixir in my Guanghan Palace. She secretly unlocked the jade gate and escaped from the palace, and it has been a year since then. I foresee she is currently in grave danger, so I have come to save her. I hope the Great Sage will spare her for my sake." Sun Wukong reluctantly agrees, and Taiyin Xingjun takes the Jade Rabbit to the Moon and assigns her duties.910
Presumed to be arising likewise, through lunar pareidolia, legends of Moon rabbits also exist among some indigenous cultures of North and Central America.
In Mayan art, glyphs, hieroglyphics, and inscriptions, a rabbit frequently is shown with the Moon Goddess and another deity related to the Moon.
According to an Aztec legend, the god Quetzalcoatl, then living on Earth as a human, started on a journey and, after walking for a long time, became hungry and tired. With no food or water around, he thought he would die. Then a rabbit grazing nearby offered herself as food to save his life. Quetzalcoatl, moved by the rabbit's noble offering, elevated her to the Moon, then lowered her back to Earth and told her, "You may be just a rabbit, but everyone will remember you; there is your image in light, for all people and for all times."
Another Mesoamerican legend tells of the brave and noble sacrifice of Nanahuatzin during the creation of the fifth sun. Humble Nanahuatzin sacrificed himself in fire to become the new sun, but the wealthy god Tecciztecatl hesitated four times before he finally set himself alight to become the Moon. Due to Tecciztecatl's cowardice, the deities felt that the Moon should not be so bright as the Sun, so one of the deities threw a rabbit at his face to diminish his light.11 Another version of the legend says that Tecciztecatl was in the form of a rabbit when he sacrificed himself to become the Moon, casting his shadow there.
In Canada and the United States, a Cree cultural legend tells a different story, about a young rabbit who wished to ride the Moon. Only the crane was willing to take him there. The trip stretched the crane's legs as the heavy rabbit held them tightly, leaving them elongated as the legs of all cranes are now. When they reached the Moon, the rabbit touched the crane's head with a bleeding paw, leaving the red mark cranes wear to this day. According to the legend, on clear nights, Rabbit still may be seen riding the Moon.
"Why is the Moon Rabbit on the Moon". Moonfestivalblog.com. 3 June 2021. https://moonfestivalblog.com/why-is-the-moon-rabbit-on-the-moon/ ↩
月兔的兔,是什么兔?. 果壳 科技有意思 (in Chinese). 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2019-08-21. 月兔的兔,是什么兔? ↩
"The Old Dust Poem by Li Po - Poem Hunter". PoemHunter.com. 31 December 2002. Retrieved 2019-08-21. https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-old-dust/ ↩
Source: [1] (accessed: Saturday January 23, 2010) http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/j3/j3017.htm ↩
"The Jatakas: Birth Stories of the Bodhisatta". http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/jatakas-birth-stories-of-bodhisatta-IDH502/ ↩
Wickremeratne, Swarna (February 2012). Buddha in Sri Lanka: Remembered Yesterdays. State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780791481141. 9780791481141 ↩
Abbott, Gerry (2000). The Folk-Tales of Burma: An Introduction. BRILL. ISBN 9004118128. 9004118128 ↩
Fairy Tale of Moon Lady in Vietnam https://saigoneer.com/saigon-culture/17395-a-brief-primer-of-asia-s-mid-autumn-mythology-in-3-folk-tales ↩
中华经典小说集·四大名著:西游记 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. 1 April 2015. ISBN 978-7-5015-8442-0. 中华经典小说集·四大名著:西游记978-7-5015-8442-0 ↩
中小学语文新课标推荐阅读名著(彩色插图版):西游记 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. 1 February 2019. ISBN 978-7-5552-7621-0. 中小学语文新课标推荐阅读名著(彩色插图版):西游记978-7-5552-7621-0 ↩
Smith, Michael (2012). The Aztecs (3rd ed.). Chichester, West Sussex; Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons. p. 200. ISBN 978-1-4051-9497-6. 978-1-4051-9497-6 ↩
Ramzy, Austin (26 November 2013). "China to Send 'Jade Rabbit' Rover to the Moon". The New York Times. https://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/china-to-send-jade-rabbit-rover-to-the-moon/#more-3027 ↩
Rivers, Matt (January 3, 2019). "China lunar rover successfully touches down on far side of the moon, state media announces". CNN. Retrieved January 3, 2019. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/02/health/china-lunar-rover-far-moon-landing-intl/index.html ↩
Woods, W. David; MacTaggart, Kenneth D.; O'Brien, Frank. "Day 5: Preparations for Landing". The Apollo 11 Flight Journal. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 9 October 2017 https://history.nasa.gov/afj/ap11fj/14day5-landing-prep.html ↩
NASA transcripts had attributed the response to Aldrin (Apollo 11 Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Page 179), but corrected NASA transcripts attribute it to Collins.[14] https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/a11transcript_tec.pdf ↩
"She wears it well... Supermodel Kate Moss pays tribute to David Bowie in Ziggy Stardust outfit". 20 February 2014. https://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/awards-season/she-wears-it-well-supermodel-kate-moss-pays-tribute-to-david-bowie-in-ziggy-stardust-outfit-30026560.html ↩
"Oldest Brit winner David Bowie enters independence debate". BBC News. 20 February 2014. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-26267726 ↩
"Lorde Assists Clairo On Another New 'Sling' Song, The Gentle 'Reaper'". UPROXX. https://uproxx.com/indie/clairo-lorde-reaper-sling/ ↩
"Theater review: 'South Street' at the Pasadena Playhouse". LA Times. 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2012-07-28. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/09/theater-review-south-street-at-the-pasadena-playhouse.html ↩
Chang'e dances into Smite, brings Jade Rabbit with her. Archived 2013-07-26 at the Wayback Machine http://www.hirezstudios.com/smitegame/home/latest-news/view/smite-blog/2013/07/24/chang'e-dances-into-smite-brings-jade-rabbit-with-her- ↩
ゲームを気に入って頂けたようで光栄です!ストーリーのプロットを作る上でペルソナ3を特に意識してはいません。プロットのヒントになっているのは、日本の昔話なので、あなたがご存知か分かりませんが、「月のうさぎ」という物語です。. Twitter. Retrieved 2023-06-29. ゲームを気に入って頂けたようで光栄です!ストーリーのプロットを作る上でペルソナ3を特に意識してはいません。プロットのヒントになっているのは、日本の昔話なので、あなたがご存知か分かりませんが、「月のうさぎ」という物語です。 ↩
Murray, Sean (Oct 26, 2019). "Destiny 2: Shadowkeep: How To Make The Jade Rabbit Offering". Retrieved 2024-08-10. https://www.thegamer.com/destiny-2-shadowkeep-jade-rabbit-offering-guide/ ↩