Archaeological finds show that at least 3,000 years ago, the hare was already part of daily life. A jade sculpture of a hare and a hare-shaped bronze zun—an ancient wine vessel—were discovered among the ruins of the late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) in today's Anyang City of central China's Henan Province and in a Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 B.C.) tomb in Quwo County of north China's Shanxi Province.

The legendary Jade Rabbit motif has also appeared on various ancient items, including a silk painting excavated from the Mawangdui tombs of the Western Han Dynasty in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. Similar images have been found on brick reliefs discovered at a late Western Han tomb in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, and a Southern Dynasties (420-589) tomb in Danyang, east China's Jiangsu Province. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Jade Rabbit worship had become a very popular subject of Spring Festival wood block pictures.

The rabbit also has a rich history in literature. For example, among the four most famous 12th-century Southern Opera—a genre first appearing around the city of Wenzhou, south of the Yangtze River, during the early Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279)—two were related to the Moon and the rabbit. Pavilion of Moon-Worshipping tells about the forced separation and reunion of a couple amidst the turmoil of war. Legend of a White Rabbit featured a fantastic plot wherein a white rabbit accidentally brought about the reunion of a family after years of separation.

In addition, rabbit-related proverbs readily spring to people's lips. One of the most popular is: "The fox mourns the death of the rabbit," which means one expresses grief to the death or misfortune of people with similar situations as him or her.

Rabbits have also served as playthings. During the Qing Dynasty, the image of the Rabbit God—an outgrowth of the earlier Jade Rabbit legend—was featured on clay figurines molded as children's toys for the Mid-Autumn Festival in and around Beijing.

According to a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) book, Seasonal Festives in Beijing, clay Rabbit God figurines were sold at shops and stalls in the capital city. Featuring different sizes, the personified rabbit typically wore a suit of armor and rode on the backs of various animals such as the tiger, lion, elephant, peacock or crane.

In the past, such figurines could be found everywhere in Beijing. Nowadays, however, they are only sold occasionally at temple fairs held during the Spring Festival.