THE JADE RABBIT EXPERIENCE

---

The Jade Rabbit got to the moon

One day, the Jade Emperor decided that he wanted some help preparing the elixir of life for the immortals. Fearing that humans would be too selfish and untrustworthy for such an important role, he thought an animal would be better suited to this responsibility. The Jade Emperor came down to Earth disguised as a beggar and went to search for a worthy animal in a forest. As a famished and frail man, he cried out for help and food, and eventually, three animals came to see if they could help; the monkey, the fox, and the rabbit.

The animals were sympathetic to the old beggar’s plight and went into the forest to search for food. The monkey returned laden with fruits he had gathered from up in the trees. The fox returned with some fish he had caught in a nearby stream.

Despite searching throughout the forest, the rabbit could not find any food for the old man from the woodland floor. When he returned much later and saw the beggar sitting next to the fire eating the fruits and the fish, the rabbit felt sad that he had been unable to find him any food. Realising that he could sacrifice himself so that the man could eat, the rabbit threw himself into the fire in an ultimate act of selflessness.

But at that instant, the beggar turned back into the Jade Emperor and stopped the rabbit from being burned. Having found the most noble of creatures to take on the role of creating the elixirs, the Jade Emperor carried him up to the moon, where he learned to make divine medicines and he could be kept safe from humans wishing to steal the elixir of life.