The rabbit on the moon used its mortar and pestle to make the pill of eternal life - it was a task it was assigned as its reward for sacrificing itself for another (a higher purpose, considering the old man was a spiritual teacher).
One of the main ingredients for the ancient alchemists in elixir for immortality is cinnabar. The mineral (zhūshā 朱砂, HgS - common ore for mercury) is used in traditional Chinese medicine despite its toxicity. It was also the pigment used in vermillion / China Red paint.
Synonymous with transformation and longevity, the mercuric sulfide's red colour also represents the fire of transformation from illusion to wisdom in Buddhism. Cinnabar from Phoenix County (凤凰镇), Hunan, China is the pigment used in this series.
INteresting about the transformation from illusion to wisdom. More transformation with fire.
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