原件高10.1厘米,口径2.2厘米。上虞联江乡帐子山窑址出土,现藏浙江省博物馆。
整器呈兔形。兔翘首睁目,吻部前伸,前肢捧钵作饮水状,后肢直立,尾部曳地成三足鼎立之式。背负管状筒口。造型新颖独特。
兔形砚滴是三国西晋常见的青瓷文具。“玉兔”为月中神物,晋人傅玄《拟天问》云“月中何有,白兔捣药。《太平御览》引文中也有“兔者,明月之精”之说。故玉兔亦常喻为月亮,象征着团圆吉祥。
The original object, 10.1cm in height and 2.2cm in calibre, was unearthed from the Zhangzishan kiln site in Lianjiang Township, Shangyu city, and is now in the collection of Zhejiang Provincial Museum.
The whole dropper, in the shape of a rabbit, is novel and unique. The rabbit, with its head raised, eyes open and snout leaned forward, hold the bowl with its forelegs as if it's drinking from it. Its hind legs, which are standing upright, and its tail, trailing to the ground, form the three legs of the dropper. A tube is attached to its back.
Rabbit-shaped water droppers are common celadon devices in the Three Kingdoms period and Western Jin dynasty. "Jade Rabbit" is a mythical animal living on the moon. Fu Xuan, a writer during the Jin dynasty, wrote in his poem that "What is on the moon? A white rabbit pounding medicine". An encyclopedia, Imperial Reader of the Taiping Era, also quoted that "the rabbit is the spirit of the moon". Therefore, the Jade Rabbit is often used as a metaphor of the moon, symbolizing reunion and fortune.