The Chinese rabbit gods doing justice to people with disability

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Legend has it, a plague broke out in ancient China long time ago. Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the moon, sent the Jade Rabbit that lived on the moon to the mortal world to help cure the people. The Lord Rabbit has since been a traditional lucky mascot in Beijing – immortalized in a sculpture dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and in annual rituals during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

But one man in the Chinese capital has chosen the figurines of the Rabbit God to extend love to people with mental health disorders and do them justice.

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During the Mid-Autumn festival, which falls on the 15th day of the eighth month on lunar Chinese calendar, families make offerings to the Lord Rabbit, thanking it for bringing luck and happiness to people.

Lord Rabbit figurines were children’s toys during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Today, the craftsmanship of making these clay sculptures has been inscribed as an intangible cultural heritage by the Beijing Municipal Government.

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Zhang Zhongqiang was born and bred in Beijing, and he has been crafting these mud statuettes for over three decades. As the fifth inheritor of the “Shuang’s Clay Sculpture”, his hands have made countless figurines over the years. However, each of his creations is special in its own way.

The sculptures are ornaments symbolizing good luck, but they can also bring genuine and true happiness to people.

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Inspired by his father's condition, Zhang took the decision to help people with mental disabilities and teach them the art form he loves the most.

At Sweet Home, sponsored by the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), people with disabilities can undergo rehabilitation and psychological counseling while learning how to make their own figurines.

The activity is a great outlet for them to create, innovate and let their imagination run wild.

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The participants translate their inner thoughts into an array of expressions they paint on the clay statuettes.

“I think the Lord Rabbit should have all sorts of emotions, just like us,” Zhang said.

The end result of each session is a collection of figurines as diverse, unique and special as their creators, with each participant injecting a bit of their own personality in their creation.

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It is no secret that society often infantilizes people with disability, look at them with pitiful eyes and perceive them as incapable individuals. However, Zhang challenges these skewed perceptions by giving those who take part in his workshops a platform for self-expression and a chance to be effective members of society.

Their works are sold at Sweet Home's charity store, and each year, during the Spring Festival, they receive red envelopes that contain the sum their figurines fetched.

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People at the institution treat Zhang like a family member, and share everything with him, even the tiniest aspects of their life. Their bond has gotten stronger through times of happiness and frustration.

Zhang said he cherishes his friendship with his students, and feels like the relationship he built with them has purified him.

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Zhang, his father, the students and those who bought the Lord Rabbit figurines are all connected without knowing.

Love ties them all together – not the kind that warrants sympathy and pity to people with disability, but the genuine feeling that supports equal treatment and opportunity for everyone.

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The story is one in "The 1.3 Billion" series exploring the diverse lives that make up China.