月兔,也叫玉兔,在一些神话传说中是居住在月球上的兔子。目前多认为是因对月球表面的空想性错视而产生。在许多文化中,特别的民间传说中,常塑造成用研杵捣研钵的形象。在中国神话中,月兔在月宫陪伴嫦娥并捣药,而在日本和韩国,月兔则是在上面捣麻糬,在台湾也有月兔捣麻糬之说。
月兔的记载,首见于屈原的《天问》:“夜光何德,死而又育?厥利维何,而顾菟在腹。”在西汉初期的马王堆一号汉墓帛画中月上绘有蟾蜍和玉兔。刘向《五经通义》:“月中有兔与蟾蜍何?月,阴也;蟾蜍,阳也,而与兔并,明阴系于阳也。”古诗中往往以兔指代月,以下是唐代前的例子:
《本生经》中记载:狐、獭、猴、兔每天到修道者处听道。某年天旱,修道者欲迁,四兽欲挽留各自寻找食。兔子自忖无能为力,于是自投火中,把自己作为食物。修道者显露帝释天真身,将兔绘于月上,作为纪念。在日本的《今昔物语集》中也有类似故事,兔子的伙伴变成了狐和猴。朝鲜童谣《小白船》(原名《半月》,谚文:반달)也提到月中有兔。
林顿·约翰逊太空中心: Among the large headlines concerning Apollo this morning, there's one asking that you watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit. An ancient legend says a beautiful Chinese girl called Chang-o has been living there for 4000 years. It seems she was banished to the Moon because she stole the pill of immortality from her husband. You might also look for her companion, a large Chinese rabbit, who is easy to spot since he is always standing on his hind feet in the shade of a cinnamon tree. The name of the rabbit is not reported.
巴兹·奥尔德林: Okay. We'll keep a close eye out for the bunny girl.
马王堆一号汉墓帛画在月上绘有蟾蜍和玉兔(左上角)
月兔捣药,18世纪的刺绣龙袍
兔儿爷
广寒宫,明代刻漆木箱
月兔捣药,唐代铜镜
泰国尖竹汶府府徽
孙悟空战玉兔,选自月冈芳年《月百姿》
一些空想性错视的例子