A child stands in front of a Lord Rabbit statue at Yuetan Park on September 21, 2010. Photo: CFP

Lord Rabbit, or Tuer Ye, a mythical bunny sent down from the moon to bring good health to Beijing, is making a triumphant comeback as the Chinese capital gears up for the Year of the Rabbit.

Banned during the tumultuous Cultural Revolution (1966-76) when the government sought to stamp out customs seen as superstitious, Lord Rabbit has re-emerged as China once again embraces its ancient traditions.

"Traditionally, Lord Rabbit has nothing to do with the Year of the Rabbit," Tang Yujie, a fifth-generation artisan whose family makes traditional crafts including figurines of the mythical hero.

"But as the government has been sponsoring a resurgence in Chinese folk customs, it is natural that people are making the connection."

Tang, 50, runs Bannerman Tang's Toys and Crafts, a shop in a quiet lane near the Confucius Temple in Beijing. She is hoping to keep traditional arts and crafts alive through her work, some of which is displayed in city museums.

According to legend, Lord Rabbit -- also known as Jade Rabbit -- was sent down by the goddess of the moon, Chang'e, to help Beijing survive a deadly plague more than 500 years ago.

A Lord Rabbit figurine is believed to help ward off disease.

Big and small statues of the stern-looking bunny, mortar and pestle in hand, started cropping up in major commercial centres in the capital weeks ahead of the Lunar New Year, which this year falls on February 3.

According to Wang Lin, a guide at Beijing's 700-year-old Dongyue Taoist Temple that was closed during the Cultural Revolution and only reopened in 2008, Lord Rabbit will be a star at this year's Lunar New Year fairs.

"Of course our temple fair will have a booth selling Lord Rabbit figurines and other kinds of rabbits," Wang said.

Last year, the Lord Rabbit was also officially named the Ambassador of Mid-Autumn Festival of the city by Beijing authorities.

Wang said official support for the renaissance showed a recognition by the government that Marxist-Leninist and Maoist thought had not been enough to satisfy the people's spiritual needs.

"Spiritually, China still has not fully recovered from the [Cultural Revolution] campaign to 'smash the olds'," Wang said, adding that young people now come to the temple to honour their ancestors and pray for good fortune.

AFP - Global Times