英语新闻视频 Hu Pengfei and his Rabbit God

Hu Pengfei is from Northwest China’s Baoji of Shaanxi Province, and his family has a tradition of making clay figures that are well-known in the region, but Hu Pengfei, the black sheep of the family, devotes his time to the folk art form widely in Beijing, specializing in Tu’er Ye, or the Rabbit God, a clay rabbit collect in glossy¹ clothes.
“Rabbit God is a symbol of old Beijing. The art craft is usually sold before the Mid-autumn festival in Beijing. Originally it was made as a shrine², but had now evolved to a toy for the kids. Furthermore, it is regarded as part of the folk art of Beijing. ”
As a traditional artwork, the Rabbit God has its own appeal for the young as well as funs to its many outfits⁴ and unusual looks.
“Rabbit God has tigers’ eyes, and the leaf-like eyebrows⁵ are unique in Chinese mythologies⁶. His mouth is different from the rabbits, too. He wears golden armors with a breast protector. However, his coat is the style of the civil official in ancient China. Altogether, it’s like a perfect dress, blending the quintessence of different dressing⁷ styles.”
The uniquely-dressed Rabbit God has an equaling amazing story about regarding how it came about.
“Legend goes that there was an epidemic⁸ in North China long ago, a nd doctors could not do anything about it. So the Moon Goddess sent her rabbit to earth to treat the disease. However, because the rabbit is white and ‘the white color was actually related to death in the past, people did not allow the rabbit to enter their houses to treat the disease. The rabbit realized it and went to the temple to borrow the outfit³ of the saints there. That’s where Rabbit God’s look is from. People began to revere⁹ him after that.”
Nonetheless, there are other legends with all of them holding the same reverence¹⁰ to the Rabbit God. Historical records show it first appeared at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and thrived in the middle of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Almost all the households, the royal family and common citizens alike, were offered sacrifice to Rabbit God during the Mid-autumn Festival.
Of the figures we see today, Rabbit God sits on a variety of things.
“Rabbit God sits on different things ranging from Kylin, tiger, elephant, lotus, to peony. Lotus is typical to Kwan-yin, a Buddhist¹¹ god, making Rabbit God a more sacred figure, while peony symbolizes¹² wealth. Kylin and tiger are typical auspicious¹³ animals in Chinese culture, all embodying¹⁴ the good wishes of the people.”
Since Rabbit God has been personalized throughout the ages, now there is also the Rabbit Goddess, who is supposed to be the spouse¹⁵ of Rabbit God.
“People treat Rabbit God as a person and so they created a wife for him. That is Rabbit Goddess .”
For Beijingers, Rabbit God holds a special place in their hearts with many people still worship it each day. Every mid-autumn festival hundreds of different Rabbit God are exhibited in Dongyue Temple for people to offer their sacrifice as part of the moon festival traditions.
Due to folk art form is less popular than it once was, Hu Pengfei aims to make Tu’er Ye well known once again.
“Rabbit God is from the people, it should prevail in the people. My dream is to revive Rabbit God to the level of its popularity in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and spread the manufacturing technique to as many people as possible.”

1 glossy   

adj.平滑的；有光泽的

参考例句：

• I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。
• She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。

2 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

3 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

4 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

5 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

6 mythologies   

神话学( mythology的名词复数 )； 神话（总称）； 虚构的事实； 错误的观点

参考例句：

• a study of the religions and mythologies of ancient Rome 关于古罗马的宗教和神话的研究
• This realization is enshrined in "Mythologies." 这一看法见诸于他的《神话集》一书。

7 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

8 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

9 revere   

vt.尊崇，崇敬，敬畏

参考例句：

• Students revere the old professors.学生们十分尊敬那些老教授。
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven.中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。

10 reverence   

n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• We reverence tradition but will not be fettered by it.我们尊重传统，但不被传统所束缚。

11 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

12 symbolizes   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. 用光明与黑暗来象征善与恶。
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace. 她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 auspicious   

adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的

参考例句：

• The publication of my first book was an auspicious beginning of my career.我的第一本书的出版是我事业吉祥的开始。
• With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail.风和日丽，正是扬帆出海的黄道吉日。

14 embodying   

v.表现( embody的现在分词 )；象征；包括；包含

参考例句：

• Every instrument constitutes an independent contract embodying a payment obligation. 每张票据都构成一份独立的体现支付义务的合同。 来自口语例句
• Fowth, The aesthetical transcendency and the beauty embodying the man's liberty. \" 第四部分：审美的超越和作为人类自由最终体现的“美”。 来自互联网

15 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？