Preface:
This summer, I went to Daoxiangcun near Taoranting Park with a good friend from Beijing. By chance, we saw two Tu’er Ye figurines enshrined in a glass case, with a giant mooncake placed in front of them.
I asked my friend, “Do you know what Tu’er Ye represents in old Beijing culture?”
He replied, “I don’t know.”
Jokingly, I said, “Then do you know what the Statue of Liberty represents in American culture?”
He answered, “It represents freedom.”
At that moment, I realized I also didn’t know the meaning behind Tu’er Ye. Later, I asked several other friends of the same age, all of whom were also from Beijing, yet none of them knew either. I suddenly wondered: why is it that everyone knows about the Statue of Liberty and its symbolic meaning, but the traditional cultural icon of our own hometown, Tu’er Ye, has such a weak presence?
So, I wrote this article to introduce Beijing’s Tu’er Ye.
The Tu’er Ye of Beijing
Tu’er Ye is both a mascot of old Beijing and a guardian deity of the city.
Rabbits are naturally gentle and are often considered symbols of wisdom, carrying many of humanity’s beautiful emotions. This is true across different cultures. Especially after becoming an idol in moon worship, the rabbit was endowed with divine power and gained widespread reverence. Today, Tu’er Ye is not only a folk artifact used during the Mid-Autumn Festival but also appears at Spring Festival temple fairs, embodying the warmth of family and reunion that blends into Beijing’s festive New Year atmosphere.
Long ago, there was a popular folk legend about Tu’er Ye. It is said that one August, a plague struck Beijing, and many people fell ill. On the fifteenth day of the month, Chang’e looked down from the moonlight and saw the suffering of Beijing’s people. She sent the Jade Rabbit down to earth to help. The Jade Rabbit transformed into a beautiful young woman and traveled through the city, going door to door to heal the sick. She worked tirelessly through the night, saving many lives, until she finally collapsed from exhaustion. When she awoke, daylight had arrived, and people surrounded her with concern in their eyes. It was then revealed that, upon fainting, she had reverted to her true form. She explained everything to the crowd, bid them farewell, and ascended back into the drifting clouds. From then on, every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the people of Beijing would enshrine Tu’er Ye to express their gratitude for the Jade Rabbit’s mercy.
This legend has been widely passed down among old Beijingers, with many variations, but all versions reflect affection and nostalgia for Tu’er Ye.
The design, colors, and purpose of Tu’er Ye all carry the distinctive marks of old Beijing. Furthermore, Tu’er Ye is unique to Beijing, making it an essential cultural symbol of the city.
Tu’er Ye figurines are made using painted clay sculpture techniques, requiring a complex production process. The clay used is not taken directly from the ground but must be air-dried and soaked for one to two years to remove impurities and plant roots.
Once the clay is ready, it is placed into molds to form clay embryos, which are then dried and fired before being painted.
Painting is the final and most crucial step in the colored clay sculpture process. There is even a saying: “Thirty percent sculpting, seventy percent painting.”
As one of the key representations of old Beijing culture, Tu’er Ye has garnered increasing attention in recent years regarding its preservation and inheritance. In 2004, when Beijing was selecting its Olympic mascot, the renowned calligrapher Qi Gong decisively stated, “If I were to vote now, I would cast my vote for Tu’er Ye.” In 2010, Tu’er Ye was even named the Mid-Autumn Festival Image Ambassador of Beijing. It is not an exaggeration to say that Tu’er Ye is the most representative mascot of Beijing.
Today, Tu’er Ye is not only a festive offering and a source of entertainment but has also become a cultural symbol of Beijing itself.
Epilogue:
Tu’er Ye is not just a clay figurine in the shape of a rabbit. It carries the deep nostalgia and familial bonds of generations, representing the warmth in the hearts of Beijingers and the cultural memories passed down through time.
Even though I am spending this winter far from home, the memories of my hometown still linger in my mind. Whenever I feel lonely or exhausted, that familiar sense of warmth wells up, giving me the strength to carry on.
Tu’er Ye is the embodiment of that warmth. It reminds me that no matter where I am, the feelings rooted in my heart for my hometown have never faded. Tu’er Ye represents more than just a cultural icon—it is a source of warmth and belonging. Like a guiding light, it illuminates the softest parts of my heart, allowing me to feel the embrace of home even when I am far away.