2023 is the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac. Given that the rabbit has been emblematic of prosperity, longevity and wisdom in Korea, 2023 is expected to be a time of fertility as well.
The rabbit is the fourth animal in the Chinese zodiac, representing east on the compass and 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on the clock. The fact that the animal symbolizes February in the lunar calendar ― the month signaling the beginning of farming in an agricultural society ― and that it gives birth to offspring four to six times a year, explain why the rabbit is a beacon of fruitfulness. 메이저사이트
The rabbit also represents the moon and longevity, as evidenced by a Korean folk tale about the moon rabbit. Koreans have long believed that some white rabbits live on the moon that make an elixir of immortality using mortars and pestles, and many paintings and songs, such as Yoon Guk-young’s “Half Moon” (1924), center on these mystical creatures.
Along with the tiger, the rabbit frequently appears in Korean literary works ranging from folk tales to “pansori,” a traditional genre of musical storytelling. Although the rabbit is portrayed sometimes as a victim of its own tricks backfiring, the long-eared animal is often viewed in a more positive light as a creature of wisdom, wit and agility.
One of the most prominent creations featuring the rabbit is “Sugungga,” which is one of the five surviving traditional narrative pansori forms from the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty. In this satirical tale, the rabbit appears as a clever animal symbolizing the powerless people, which manages to outwit a corrupt ruler.
“Sugungga” revolves around a wild rabbit that is lured by a turtle to the palace of the Dragon King of the Southern Sea, who needs a rabbit’s liver to save his life. The rabbit comes close to death after arriving there, but narrowly escapes by lying that it has to return to land to retrieve its liver, which it had taken out to dry under the sun. The Dragon King trusts the rabbit and lets it go, ending up losing his opportunity to cure his illness.
According to Oh A-ran, a curator at the National Folk Museum of Korea, the rabbit’s symbolic meanings and images have changed over time.
“Many records from the Joseon era including ‘Sugungga’ describe the rabbit as a smart animal,” she said. “Our ancestors already knew that it is a creature of high intelligence that digs at least three burrows as its safe havens to increase its chances of survival.”
However, as time went by, people began associating the rabbit with adorable and innocent children, Oh added.