The earliest known depiction of this toad is the "toad in the moon" found in a Han dynasty silk painting that was unearthed in the Mawangdui Tombs. Because of the legend of Liu Hai teasing the golden toad, toads became auspicious symbols revered throughout China ever since the Eastern Han dynasty (AD 25-220).
三足金蟾最早記載在漢代書中，長沙馬王堆出土帛畫上也有個三足金蟾藏在月亮裡，東漢後，拜「劉海戲金蟾」之說，終成中國源遠流長的吉祥物。