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Tuye (Lord Rabbit figurines)
A unique artwork that depicts a cute rabbit striking a powerful pose, the Lord Rabbit figurine is considered a cultural symbol of Beijing. Once used for worship on Mid-Autumn Day, and later on becoming a children's toy, it is now mostly used as a type of decoration. Often appearing in a warrior's armor, with banners on its back and riding a ferocious animal, the Lord Rabbit almost always bears a calm, serious facial expression that sets an interesting contrast to its long, funny-looking ears. There are also many designs that depict the Lord Rabbit as a true Beijinger with a special profession. In Beijing's local culture, Lord Rabbit is a symbol of happiness and good fortune. Even though it was born out of an ancient Chinese tradition of worshipping the Jade Rabbit on Mid-Autumn Festival, it has a unique Beijing feel to it that has no equivalent in any other place anywhere in China. It is generally believed that the Lord Rabbit first appeared during the late Ming. According to historical accounts, the Beijingers from that period had a tradition of creating clay rabbits for worship. During the Qing dynasty, the Lord Rabbit was used not only as a shrine, but also as a children's toy. Nowadays, in the hands of modern artists, the Lord Rabbit can adopt any shape or form and bear any type of design. |
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