Year of the Rat Bearista (2008)

72nd Edition in the Bearista Bear Series

I've been slacking on posting lately and I have a lot of great pictures of bearistas I have to put up. But, Chinese New Year is coming up on Thursday (Feb 7) and in honor of the upcoming holiday I am posting the Year of the Rat bearista pictures sent in by Jen (Thanks Jen!).

This is the 2008 Chinese year of the Rat Bearista. He is clad in rat costume. He is also wearing a traditional Chinese outfit and is holding a special knot (aka “Yu Yee” in Chinese) that symbolizes happiness and togetherness. His Chinese symbol “the rat” is sewn on the knot in Chinese. He also has a mouse nose that is attached by elastic bands that he can put on and take off.  The Rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac. Traditional stories about the zodiac told of a great race that the little rat and the other 11 animals were participating in. Despite his size, the little rat outran everyone in the race.  That is why he is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac.