![]() ![]() The five elements and 12 animals (for a complete cycle of 60 combinations) was designed to map the natural cycle of seasons, days, and stars that the ancients observed moving all around them. But the combination of the two, and the subsequent system for divining a person's character and destiny, came into focus around 200 B.C. Oracle bones describe ancient calendar cycles, and animals have been used as symbols of the human spirit as long as there has been imagination. The rabbit is also prominent in folklore stories and also features alongside Chang’e in Wu Cheng’en’s novel Journey to the West, one of the most popular literary works in East Asia.The roots of the Chinese zodiac go back as far as written history. After a successful landing, the Chang’e spacecraft established China as the third country to soft-land on the Moon. The lunar rover name Yùtù, meaning Jade Rabbit, was also selected as a direct reference to the Moon Goddess’s pet rabbit. The space mission held an online poll in 2013 that decided to name the spacecraft craft after Chang’e. The mythological connection between the rabbit and the Moon was cemented in popular culture in the form of a space exploration project led by the China National Space Administration. “In China, we believe there is a Goddess called Chang’e who has a pet rabbit. The people of China also have an other-worldly relationship to the symbol of the rabbit. “For example, if somebody caught a pure white rabbit, they would be sent to present it to the emperor.” In ancient China, pure-white rabbits were very rare and as a result, they were viewed as a symbol of ostentation. “When we talk about the image of the rabbit, immediately we would think of an image of a pure, white colour rabbit.” Dr Liang told BBC Bitesize. The idiom dòng rú tuō tù (动如脱兔), translates to “as nimble as a rabbit that has broken loose”, whereas the phrase jiǎo tù sān kū (狡兔三窟) means “a cunning rabbit has three burrows a crafty person has more than one means of escape." The character is used in a number of popular Chinese expressions that reference the rabbit and comment upon its intelligence and skilful nature. The pictographic character for rabbit is 兔, which depicts a wild rabbit with short hair and long ears. Unlike the Latin alphabet, the Chinese writing system is pictographic. The rabbit also has a special place in written Chinese language. It may not be the strongest of the 12 animals, but its charm and speed attracts good qualities such as money, partnership and success."Īccording to Chinese tradition this year is “likely to be calm and gentle, bringing an energy that will help those looking for more of a balanced life,” explains Dr Liang. While 2022's Year of the Tiger was decorated as a positive and active energy in Chinese cosmological thought, the Year of the Rabbit embodies a different energy, focusing on relaxation, quietness and contemplation.ĭr Liang noted that, “The rabbit is a very gentle and clever animal. Much like the star signs of the zodiac, the animals of Chinese astrology are thought to dictate different personality traits. This is great for people who can’t be there physically for the celebration.” Similarly to getting presents from Santa at Christmas, in China the older generation gift children with money, which is received inside a red envelope.īut this tradition has also seen some adaptations in recent years: Dr Liang explained, “Nowadays we have digital payments available and the red envelope has gone digital as well. Gifts also play an important role in the Spring Festival. Fish is also essential to the Spring Festival banquet, with the word yú (鱼), meaning ‘fish’, possessing the same pronunciation as the Chinese words for affluence and abundance. Meanwhile, people in the south may have rice cakes, which signify increasing riches with each year. In the north, people tend to eat dumplings, which represent pieces of gold and can symbolise prosperity for the coming year. One of the most important staples of Chinese festivity is food, and the Lunar New Year is no different. This means that the official date changes each year, although it typically takes place in January or February. The traditional agricultural calendar - comprising of both a lunar and solar calendar - is used to determine the first day of the year in Chinese culture. The Lunar New Year is the first day of the Chinese calendar and signals the start of spring.
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