What Is Qi Xi?
Qi Xi is written as 七夕 in Chinese, with 七 meaning “seven” and 夕 meaning “night.” Together, the name of the festival signals when it is being celebrated: on the night of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. The Qi Xi Festival was born from a legend about a lover only being allowed to meet on this night.
The story about Qixi Festival
The Qixi Festival (Double Seventh Festival) is one of Chinese traditional festivals, and also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day. It’s based on a romantic legend about a weaver girl and an ox herd.
The most popular origin and love story of Chinese Qixi Festival is about Zhinu, the Weaver Girl and Niulang, the Cowherd. Their love was banned by Zhinu’s parents and Niulang was exiled to the earth. One day, when Zhinu came down to the earth for a bathing, the two met each other. Zhinu then decided to stay on the earth without permission, got married with Niulang and gave birth to two lovely kids. But happy time did not last long. Zhinu’s mother, Xiwangmu, or known as Heavenly Queen Mother got to know it and sent heavenly soldiers to take Zhinu back by force. Seeing it, Niulang carried their two kids and chased in a hurry. When Niulang was getting more and more closer, the Heavenly Queen Mother hurled her hairpin to create a river, the Milky Way, between them. Sorrowfully, Niulang and Zhinu cried from the bottom of their hearts. This moved magpies and they flew over to form a bridge over the river for the two to meet in the center. The Heavenly Queen Mother was also moved and allowed Niulang and their kids to stay in the heaven. But the family can only reunite once a year on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month with the help of magpies.
Celebrations of Qixi Festival
How to Celebrations:
In the pass:
Dou Qiao (斗巧), a needle threading contests between girls,Girls wishing for a happy marriage, Making a dessert called Qiao Guo (巧果), and Stargazing at Vega and Altair in the Milky Way.
Now:
giving gifts (flowers, chocolates, ties…) to romantic partners, romantic dates – dinners, movies, etc. people usually celebrate Chinese Valentine’s Day by giving flowers, chocolates, and other presents to their sweethearts