The rabbit is not a special animal, so why does it become a symbol of Easter?

Since ancient times, rabbits have been considered divine in many cultures, while in other cultures they have been associated with deceit, evil, and deception. There are all kinds of strange myths, legends and allusions about rabbits all over the world. Why did the rabbit become a symbol of Easter?

The custom of the Easter Bunny originally originated from a young hare that came from afar. Some people trace it back to the child-seeking ceremony in the pre-Christian period, and some even directly relate it to the Anglo-Saxon god Eo. Eostre linked together. Many people believe that she may be a goddess associated with dawn, spring, rebirth, fertility, and is inextricably linked to the hare.

The only source material that mentions this goddess is "The Calculation of Time" written by Bede in 725 AD. It was still an era when pagans and Christians lived side by side. In his work, this doctor of the church demonstrated the method of calculating the date of Easter, and told us that the Anglo-Saxons once called Easter "Eostur-monath", which is the "month of Eost". This lunar month corresponds to is the Easter month or April in the Gregorian calendar. Bede further added that during this month, the ancient Anglo-Saxons would hold various activities to honor the goddess. In his time, these activities had long been replaced by the new Christian Easter rituals. However, Bede did not mention the hare, which may have been associated with other pre-Christian spring festivals at the time.

Linguist Jacob, one of the Brothers Grimm, believes that Eost is a god related to the rising sun and sunlight, which is easily reminiscent of spring recovery and the Christian concept of resurrection. In 1835, Jacob mentioned in his monograph "German Mythology" on Germanic mythology that in Old High German, the word "Ostara" had the meaning of Easter very early on. Whether it is gods or festivals, their ancient names have derived the German word "Ostern" and the English word "Easter", both of which mean "Easter".

With the spread of Christianity, these pagan holiday customs were also absorbed into Easter, while retaining some of the ancient traditions to welcome the coming of spring. But why has a rabbit become the symbol of Easter? As we mentioned above, rabbits are considered a symbol of fertility and rebirth in a variety of mythologies. Our ancestors may have observed rabbits during their long reproductive season. From around March, they begin to show unusually excited behavior. At this time, the female rabbits have not yet reached the fertile stage, and the male rabbits are already hungry and thirsty. They often suddenly kick up their hind legs, run around, jump up and down... and so on. , it is difficult for people not to notice the hare in estrus in spring, so there is a proverb in English "mad as a March hare", and it is also the three characters in "Alice in Wonderland" The inspiration for the Moon Rabbit.

Back to Christian holiday celebrations, it is said that in the fourth century AD, St. Ambrose discovered that the hare’s fur could change color in spring and autumn, and it looked new every time, so he regarded it as A symbol of rebirth. Evidently the hare mentioned by the holy teacher was the snowshoe hare (Lepus timidus), whose fur is white in winter and grey-brown in summer. With the development of history, domestic rabbits gradually replaced wild rabbits in the Christian symbol system. As a symbol of fertility and prosperity, the Easter bunny may have first appeared in Germany in the fourteenth century. This is quite consistent with the traditional symbol of eggs since ancient times. It also represents fertility, birth and spring resurrection. Latin There is a saying in the Chinese language: "Everything begins with an egg" (Ex ovo omnia).

In the following centuries, German and Dutch immigrants introduced this custom to the United States, hence the name "Easter Bunny". Talking about Christian holiday celebrations, it is said that in the fourth century AD, St. Ambrose discovered that the hare’s fur could change color in spring and autumn, looking new each time, so he regarded it as a symbol of rebirth. Evidently the hare mentioned by the holy teacher was the snowshoe hare (Lepus timidus), whose fur is white in winter and grey-brown in summer. With the development of history, domestic rabbits gradually replaced wild rabbits in the Christian symbol system.