Culture
About the rabbit on the Moon

The surface of the Moon has long inspired people to imagine and reflect on our world, giving rise to fascinating cultural traditions. One such tradition is the "Moon Rabbit," a cultural motif found in several Asian countries.

The Moon Rabbit has a long and rich history across multiple cultures. This website provides an overview of that history. For more detailed information, please visit our other website (linked below), which explores the history of the Moon Rabbit in greater depth.

Link of our website
History and culture of hare/rabbit on the Moon (Jade rabbit)

The oldest literatures that mention the rabbit on the Moon are Indian texts called the Brahmana, which was edited around 600 BCE (about 2,500 years ago). For example, in the Jaiminiya Brahmana, the Moon Rabbit is introduced as follows:

"He is a hare (sasa-) who is dwelling in the moon. For he controls (sasti) all here. He is Yama who is dwelling in the moon. For he restrains (yamayati) all here. Yama named the one who will devour, forsooth, is Death. Having appeased him with these oblation he wins urj among the worlds and the god Yama among the gods. To union with the god Yama and co-existence in his world he ascends who offers the agnihotra knowing thus. " 

(Cited from Bodewitz, H. W.  "Jaiminiya Brahmana I", Brill Academic Publishers)

The Satapatha Brahmana also says the rabbit on the Moon. Thus, India is one of the most probable origin of the Moon Rabbit culture. 

From the 2nd century BCE, the Moon Rabbit motif began to appear in Chinese culture. After that, China became the main region for this cultural tradition. In Chinese culture, along with the rabbit, the toad is also believed to live on the Moon. Although the relationship between the two is unclear, it appears that the toad has an older history in China than the Moon Rabbit.

In Japan, the Moon Rabbit began to appear from the 7th century. Several ornaments featuring the Moon Rabbit can be found. The exact route by which the Moon Rabbit motif arrived in Japan is not well known, but it is believed to have come from China or Korea. Although the route is unclear, the Moon Rabbit has been embraced in Japanese culture.

In Japanese culture, the Moon Rabbit is believed to pound rice cakes (mochi). In China, the Moon Rabbit is said to make the elixir of immortality. According to our study, the Japanese Moon Rabbit began to be associated with pounding rice cakes from the early 18th century (during the Edo period). Several books published in the 18th century depict the Moon Rabbit pounding rice cakes. Inspired by the lunar surface patterns, the culture of the Moon Rabbit has developed and continued for over 2,500 years.