The Qixi Festival

Love knows no boundaries, and in China, it is celebrated with great enthusiasm on the Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day. This traditional festival, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, has a rich cultural significance and is deeply rooted in Chinese folklore. In this blog post, we will explore the origins, customs, and significance of the Qixi Festival, a day dedicated to love and romance in Chinese culture.

Legends and Origins

The Qixi Festival is based on the ancient Chinese legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. According to the story, a young cowherd and a fairy weaver girl fell in love but were separated by the Milky Way. They were only allowed to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. This tale symbolizes the longing and devotion of lovers separated by fate. That is also the reason why the Qixi Festival is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

Customs and Traditions

On the Qixi Festival, couples and young people celebrate their love by exchanging gifts, going on romantic dates, and expressing their affection for one another. It is common to see couples writing love poems, giving chocolates or flowers, and enjoying special meals together. Many also visit temples to pray for happiness and everlasting love.

The Festival’s Symbolism

The Qixi Festival is not only a celebration of love but also a time to honor the skills of traditional craftspeople. It is believed that on this day, the Weaver Girl, represented by the star Vega, descends to earth to weave colorful clouds. This symbolism highlights the importance of craftsmanship and creativity in Chinese culture.

Modern Celebrations

In recent years, the Qixi Festival has gained popularity among young people in China. With the rise of social media and e-commerce, couples often exchange virtual gifts and express their love online. Many also take the opportunity to propose or get married on this auspicious day, adding an extra layer of significance to their relationship.

Conclusion

The Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day, is a cherished celebration of love and romance in Chinese culture. With its ancient legends, customs, and symbolism, this festival brings couples closer together and reminds us of the power of love to overcome obstacles. Whether you are in China or simply interested in learning about different cultural celebrations, the Qixi Festival offers a beautiful glimpse into the rich tapestry of Chinese traditions and the universal language of love.

In order to celebrate Chinese Valentine’s Day and furthermore to console lovers from all around the world that are separated in a long distance relationship, let me share with you my favorite folk and fairy tales on the topic:

Most beautiful love tales

Orpheus and Eurydice

In this ancient Greek myth, Orpheus follows his lover Eurydice into the Hades, the Underworld, the realm of death, to get her back to live. By pleading for her live, Orpheus convinced the king and queen of Death to allow his Eurydice to return, but only under one condition. He must never turn around to see if she still follows him. Fatefully, he does. The promise was broken.

“Dawn and Dusk“ (Koit ja Hämarik)

This beautiful Estonian Folk Tale describes how the two lovers, the Sun and the Moon can only ever meet once a year, on the day of the Summer Solstice when days are long and nights are short. 

You can find it here. 

If you are interested in stories about the Summer Solstice and Midsummer, I gathered some here.

The Fox and the Raven (Chinese Fairy Book)

The story of The Fox and the Raven should remind us that flattering is not love and that words are not actions. Are you desperate for praise and love as the raven? Do you fall for falsehood? Be mindful of who you give your heart to. 

Immortals at the magpie bridge

In China the story mentioned above (Cowherd and the Weaver Girl) is also known as Immortals at the magpie bridge. In fact, this ancient Chinese legend goes by various translations, most of them refer to the two protagonists, Niulang, the cowsherd and Zhinü, the seventh daughter of  a goddess and the Jade Emperor.

When Zhinü escapes her boring palace, she meets Niulang. The young couple falls in love and gets married. Soon their marriage is discovered by the goddess (or in some interpretations by the Jade Emporer). The goddess throws her hairpin in the air and creates a river of stars that the lovers can not cross. Only once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar all the magpies in the world gather to form a bridge to let the lovers cross. 

You can find this and a couple more romantic Chinese tales here. Or if you would rather watch it as a video, let me refer you to this short clip reciting the poem and explaining it’s meaning.

Help me gather more stories

The picks presented here, are just the one’s I am aware of or could think about from the top of my head. If you know of any more that would fit, please, write a comment or send me a message, so I can add them here.