China’s postal agency issued the Year of the Rabbit stamp on January 5, 2023, to celebrate the Chinese New Year. It attracted attention due to its unappealing design, and “the fortune-teller rabbit” became viral on China’s Internet.
According to the news, the postal agency in China, China Post, introduced a mascot of the same design as the stamp at the press conference the day the rabbit stamp was released to the public. Parents complained it looked like a scary monster and would bring people bad luck, so it was removed.
The news was spread on the Internet and many left their comments. Some said the blue rabbit was ugly with a demonic look, and worried that it could scare children. Others said it looked like a huge rat with a ferocious face and fangs, and wanted them to bring back the Jade Rabbit (an ancient cultural symbol) instead.
The stamp designer, 99-year-old Huang Yongyu, had no choice but to respond. He explained the purpose of creating this rabbit was “to make everyone happy and to celebrate the New Year.” He said the rabbit held a pen in its right hand and a letter in its left hand. It was supposed to be a wise rabbit. The message on the stamp says: “The Rabbit Sending Blessings,” and it was his hope that everyone would get a sense of joy and happiness from the stamp.
But many netizens said they didn’t feel any happiness or joy, as a different interpretation began to surface ― the right hand of the rabbit held the underworld judge’s pen, and the left held the book of life and death. The three large numbers “120” over the rabbit was the emergency number to call for an ambulance. Putting it all together, the message sounded more like “The King of Hell is coming for you!” And the blue rabbit was a messenger from hell.
Under normal circumstances, most people might get a good laugh and forget about it. However, around the time the stamp was released, COVID-19 infections and deaths increased exponentially. There was a shortage of coffins, and a family had to carry certain privileges to even get a paper coffin at the morgue for a deceased relative. People were panicking, thus the story of “the rabbit from hell” was spread far and wide.
The Year of the Tiger stamp
Someone dug out the Year of the Tiger stamp from 2022 and shared his thoughts — “Drawings of tigers are usually majestic or cute and festive. But the tiger on the 2022 stamp looks small and thin, with a dropping tail, tight lips, and a sad face. Its eyes express so much sadness and sorrow.”
A netizen joked: “What happened to the mighty king of the jungle? With a thin body and a gloomy spirit, no wonder this one is a ‘sick cat!’’’
Interestingly, China Post said the tiger on the stamp symbolized the “prosperity of the country.” After the Year of the Tiger was over, many Chinese looked back and couldn’t help but think that it was another stamp that foretold China’s fate. One only needs to look at the tiger on the stamp to tell how well China did in 2022.
Translated by Elaine
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