The seventh day of July, also known as China Valentine's Day, Begging for Cleverness Festival and the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, is a traditional festival with a long history in China. According to China folklore, magpies bridge the Milky Way on the night of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, so that the cowherd and the weaver girl can meet on the bridge.
Begging custom
First, begging activities
Begging for Qiao is the most traditional folk activity on Valentine's Day in China. Begging for cleverness is begging for cleverness, begging the Weaver Girl to give herself skills and make herself dexterous.
In Jinan, Shandong, people show melons and fruits for begging. If spiders spin webs on melons and fruits, begging is successful. Or catch a spider, put it in a box and open the box the next day. If a spider spins a web, it is called cleverness.
Cao Xian, Plain and other areas have the custom of begging for clever rice, which is also very interesting: seven good girls get together to make jiaozi, food and vegetables, and make a copper coin, a needle and a red date into three jiaozi, and then everyone gets together to eat jiaozi. It is said that eating copper coins is blessed, people who eat red dates are ingenious, and people who eat red dates can find the right husband very early.
There is also an activity for girls in Fujian, called "Qiaosai". Let's compete to see who is good at needlework and fast. The fast runner is called Joey, and the slow runner is called Joey. Losers will give gifts prepared in advance to skilled people.
Second, worship the weaver girl.
On Tanabata night, girls and young women "worship the Weaver Girl". Girls and young women gather their relatives and friends to worship the Weaver Girl. People put tables and offerings under the moonlight, girls and young women fast for a day, and after bathing, everyone goes to the case to burn incense and worship. After the worship, everyone sat around the table, eating melon seeds and peanuts, silently praying for their wishes in the direction of Vega, such as getting more and more beautiful, finding a husband, having a baby early, having a promising husband in the future and so on. , usually until midnight.
Third, eat proper fruits.
In Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, people make all kinds of small objects with flour and fry them in oil pan, which is called "proper fruit". In the evening, people set tables in the yard and put appropriate fruits, fruits and other foods. Relatives and friends sit around, enjoy a beautiful night, eat appropriate fruits and other foods, and hope that they or their relatives and friends can become smart.
Fourth, young crops association.
During the Qixi Festival, it is said that in some places in Urumqi, a 10-day "seedling conference" is held every year. "Young crops meeting" is a blessing activity held by simple and kind farmers, expecting good weather and abundant crops. This activity is very rich in folk culture. On July 7 th, farmers from all directions and villages will put down their work and flock to the venue of the "Little Miao Zi Conference", just like the New Year's Eve, with all kinds of vendors and performances.
Fifth, listen to whispers on Qixi night.
Legend has it that every year until the night of July 7, many girls will secretly hide under the grape trellis or in the melon shed, quietly listening to the whispers of the cowherd and the weaver girl. Any girl who can hear the whispers of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl will win loyal and pure love in the future.
Sixth, send talented people.
On Tanabata, it is popular to send "capable people" to Taizhou, Zhejiang. "Capable person" is a kind of crisp candy with the image of a weaver girl on it, and then dyed with various colors on the head and feet, commonly known as "capable person" and "Su Qiao". When vendors sell, they are called "sending talented people". On this day, elders will buy "capable people" for their children, hoping that they can be as ingenious as the weaver girl.
Seven, worship Kuixing
On Tanabata, women worship Vega and men worship Kuixing. Legend has it that July 7th is Lord Kuixing's birthday. Lord Kuixing is Lord Kuixing. People think that Master Kui Xing is in charge of literature and exams are all your business. Therefore, many scholars who want to be famous will worship Master Kui Xing on Tanabata, praying for him to bless his success in the exam. There is a well-known idiom called "winning the championship in one fell swoop", which also comes from this.