Mirror with moon goddess and rabbit

China

Not on view

Depicted on the back of this mirror is the goddess Chang’e who, according to Chinese folklore, flees to the moon after stealing the elixir of immortality from her husband, the brave warrior Hou Yi, who saved the earth by shooting down nine of the ten scorching suns. She resides on the moon with a toad and a rabbit who uses a pestle and mortar to grind the magical ingredients of the elixir.

Mirror with moon goddess and rabbit, Bronze, China

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