The Double Seventh Festival, on the 7th day
of the 7th lunar month, is a traditional festival full of romance. It’s also called
Chinese Valentine’s Day, a romantic day for people to express their loves for
each other.
This festival is in mid-summer when the
weather is warm and the grass and trees reveal their luxurious greens. At night
when the sky is dotted with stars, and people can see the Milky Way spanning
from the north to the south. On each bank of it is a bright star, which see
each other from afar. They are the Cowherd and Weaver Maid, and about them
there is a beautiful love story passed down from generation to generation.
Long, long ago, there was an honest and
kind-hearted fellow named Niu Lang (Cowhand). His parents died when he was a
child. Later he was driven out of his home by his sister-in-law. So he lived by
himself herding cattle and farming. One day, a fairy from heaven Zhi Nu (Weaver
Maid) fell in love with him and came down secretly to earth and married him.
The cowhand farmed in the field and the Weaver Maid wove at home. They lived a
happy life and gave birth to a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, the God of Heaven
soon found out the fact and ordered the Queen Mother of the Western Heavens to
bring the Weaver Maid back.
With the help of celestial cattle, the
Cowhand flew to heaven with his son and daughter. At the time when he was about
to catch up with his wife, the Queen Mother took off one of her gold hairpins
and made a stroke. One billowy river appeared in front of the Cowhand. The
Cowhand and Weaver Maid were separated on the two banks forever and could only
feel their tears. Their loyalty to love touched magpies, so tens of thousands
of magpies came to build a bridge for the Cowhand and Weaver Maid to meet each
other. The Queen Mother was eventually moved and allowed them to meet each year
on the 7th of the 7th lunar month. Hence their meeting date has been called
"Qi Xi" (Double Seventh).
Scholars have shown the Double Seventh
Festival originated from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD220). Historical documents
from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD371-420) mention the festival, while records
from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) depict the grand evening banquet of Emperor
Taizong and his concubines. By the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368)
dynasties, special articles for the "Qi Xi" were seen being sold on
markets in the capital. The bustling markets demonstrated the significance of
the festival.
Today some traditional customs are still
observed in rural areas of China, but have been weakened or diluted in urban
cities. However, the legend of the Cowhand and Weaver Maid has taken root in
the hearts of the people. In recent years, in particular, urban youths have
celebrated it as Valentine's Day in China. As a result, owners of flower shops,
bars and stores are full of joy as they sell more commodities for love.
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