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Call my name, and I’ll hop your way! - About Xiaoqi

Writer: Tommaso Tognotti
Tommaso Tognotti
Sep 27
3 min read

Updated: Sep 30



Call my name, and I'll hop your way!

About Xiaoqi

Xiaoqi (pronounced Hsiaochee), the Romanised transliteration of 小奇, combines the Chinese words for “little” (小, Xiǎo) and “surprised/ remarkable” (奇, Qí). The name captures Virginia Vettori’s lively little bunny: small but unafraid to hop around and be amazed, always ready to leap into new adventures and explore unfamiliar places in the countryside, hoping to make new friends. Relentlessly curious and eager to grow, Xiaoqi faces the unknown without fear as the seasons change the landscape and introduce him to strange new places and animals. It is a challenging yet exciting journey of discovery for a resourceful young bunny.

Yet Xiaoqi’s adventures are neither epic nor dangerous, but simple, everyday experiences in a natural world still unfamiliar to the young rabbit. Meeting a small flock of chickens, leaping into an orchard, listening to the sound of the wind, and watching the falling leaves fill him with wonder and deepen his bond with nature, which is a source of comfort, solace, and renewed curiosity to the little bunny.

In Chinese language, both Xiao and Qi carry rich cultural meanings. Xiao refers not only to a person’s or object’s small size but also serves as a term of endearment. Placed before a friend’s or a child’s name, it creates an affectionate nickname that signals closeness. Qi(i) conveys surprise and can describe something unusual, yet wonderful. Combined with other characters, it appears in words meaning curiosity (好奇, hàoqí) and strangeness (奇怪, qíguài). 小奇 is a common name among Chinese kids. Similarly, Xiaoqi is small and endearing like a young child, while sharing a child’s natural curiosity.

In Chinese folklore, the rabbit bravely leapt into a fire to offer himself as food to a starving beggar, who was the Jade Emperor in disguise. Moved by this selfless act, the Jade Emperor revealed his identity, rescued the rabbit, and carried him to the Moon, where he eternally mixes herbs to make potions of immortality. Known as the Jade Rabbit(ii) (or “Jade Hare”), he is a widely recognised figure in East Asian culture. Today the Jade Rabbit’s iconography is reproduced during the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, Taiwan as well as in Japan, South Korea and some Southeast Asian countries.

Similarly to the Jade Rabbit, Xiaoqi is courageous and unafraid to act, though his actions unfold into a simple, cosy, rural setting reminiscent of the Tuscan countryside. A place the author, Virginia Vettori, holds dear to her heart, as it is where she grew up, spent her childhood and where she briefly helped at her parents’ Bed & Breakfast as a young adult.

Inspired by the author’s vision of her inquisitive little bunny I was led to consider a Chinese name. A name that may also offer a creative bridge between Eastern and Western sensibilities, bringing a touch of Chinese folklore to a rural Tuscany-inspired setting. Ultimately, according to Virginia, Xiaoqi is the embodiment of curiosity turning into bravery. Despite his size, he is unafraid to explore his surroundings. His adventures, however small, still provide awe and a chance for growth. Xiaoqi may be little, but his heart is as big as the world.



About the author

Tommaso Tognotti earned a master’s degree with honours in English Linguistics in 2025 from

the University of Milan, completing a dissertation on China English.(iii)

He also has a background in English Theatre Studies and holds a degree in Professional Acting from the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School He integrates Asian and Western cultures in his academic and creative work, fostering a vision of world culture that transcends national, ethnic and regional boundaries.



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