Chinese Valentine's Day started in the Western Han Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. In ancient times, Chinese Valentine's Day was an exclusive festival for pretty girls. Among the numerous folk customs of Tanabata, some have gradually disappeared, but a considerable part has been continued by people. Chinese Valentine's Day originated in China, and it is also celebrated in some Asian countries influenced by Chinese culture, such as Japan, Korean Peninsula and Vietnam.

On May 20th, 2006, Chinese Valentine's Day was listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage by the People's Republic of China and the State Council.

Chinese Valentine's Day, a traditional festival in China, also known as Qiqiao Festival, Qijie Festival, Daughter's Day, Beggar's Day, Qixi Festival, Cow and Bull's Day, Qiaoxi and so on, is a traditional folk festival in China. Chinese Valentine's Day, derived from the worship of the stars, is the birthday of the seventh sister in the traditional sense. Because the worship of the seventh sister was held on the seventh day of July, it was named Tanabata.

It is the traditional custom of Qixi to worship the Seventh Sister, pray for wishes, beg for skillful arts, sit and watch the morning glory and the weaver star, pray for marriage, and store water on Qixi. After historical development, Tanabata has been endowed with the beautiful love legend of "Cowherd and Weaver Girl", making it a festival symbolizing love, thus being regarded as the most romantic traditional festival in China, and it has even produced the cultural meaning of "China Valentine's Day" in contemporary times.