Chinese Valentine's Day, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, is a traditional festival full of romance. It often enters August in the solar calendar.
Valentine's Day in China is a traditional festival, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
This festival is in midsummer, when the weather is warm and the grass and trees show their lush green. At night, when the sky is full of stars, people can see the Milky Way extending from north to south. There is a bright star on each side of it, looking at each other from a distance. They are the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, and there is a beautiful love story about them that has been passed down from generation to generation.
There is a beautiful story behind Valentine's Day in China.
Once upon a time, there was an honest and kind man named Cowherd. His parents died when he was a child. Later, he was kicked out of the house by his sister-in-law. So he lives alone, grazing and farming. One day, a fairy weaver from heaven fell in love with him and secretly came to earth to marry him. Cowherd is farming in the field, and Weaver is weaving at home. They lived a happy life and gave birth to a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, the gods soon discovered this fact and ordered the heavenly queen to bring back the Weaver Girl. .
Cowherd and Weaver Girl are in love.
With the help of longicorn beetle, Cowherd flew to heaven with his son and daughter. Just as he was about to catch up with his wife, the Queen Mother took off one of her gold hairpin and had a stroke. A raging river appeared in front of the cowboy. Cowherd and Weaver Girl are separated forever on both sides of the strait, and only their tears can be felt. Their loyalty to love touched the magpies, so thousands of magpies came to build a bridge for the cowherd and the weaver girl to meet them. The Queen Mother was finally moved and allowed them to meet on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month every year. Therefore, the date of their meeting is called "Qi Xi" (Qixi).
Scholars have proved that Chinese Valentine's Day originated from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). The historical documents of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 37 1-420) mentioned this festival, while the records of the Tang Dynasty (AD 6 18-907) described the grand dinner of Emperor Taizong and his concubines. In the Song Dynasty (960- 1279) and the Yuan Dynasty (1279- 1368), goods specially made for "Qi" could be seen in the capital market. The bustling market shows the importance of festivals.
The Qixi story spread.
Today, some traditional customs can still be seen in rural areas of China, but they have been weakened or diluted in cities. However, the legend of Cowherd and Weaver Girl has been deeply rooted in people's hearts. Especially in recent years, urban youth in China celebrate it as Valentine's Day. Therefore, the owners of flower shops, bars and shops are full of joy, because they sell more goods for love.
China traditional festival Tanabata.