Shuang Yan of Beijing makes a Lord Rabbit sculpture, a popular ornament for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival. Shuang, born in 1958, learned to make clay figures of Lord Rabbit from his father at age 7. Lord Rabbit is a mythical creature said to have been sent down from the moon to bring good health and safety. Many people today still worship Lord Rabbit at the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, or Sept. 15 this year. Shuang said it’s hard to know clearly when the tradition started, but it certainly became popular in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Today many of the materials used to make Lord Rabbit are hard to find, he said. (Photo: China News Service/Fu Tian)
