It was announced this week that the Chinese are going to land a rover on the moon. The first thing to soft land since 1970. It will land, on Saturday, in the Bay of Rainbows.
Ages ago, I wrote a blog post about Yutu and then, in Beijing, I once more heard about Yutu and even bought a representation of him.
Yutu translates as Jade Rabbit and, of course, the Jade Rabbit is part of a legend. He lives on the moon. Quite ironic that they’re sending him back to where he already lives…still…
I love the way the Chinese call inanimate objects such cool things. Much better than a series of numbered missions preceded by a Greek god.
The rocket that will take Yutu to the moon is called Chang’e, which is the name of the lunar goddess who had Yutu for company when she wound up living there.
Chinese culture is not alone in having a rabbit living on the moon. Japan and Korea also feature one.
And it occurs to me that it’s odd how the west has a Man in the Moon while the Chinese has a woman…and a rabbit.
I really like the rabbit.
2017 UPDATE: Here’s a video of Chang-e landing then Yutu going for a wander:
