Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, is a traditional Chinese holiday that originated in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – 9 AD). The festival is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, which usually falls in August according to the Gregorian calendar.
The origins of the Qixi Festival are steeped in a romantic legend about a pair of lovers, Zhāo Yùn and Nüchun. According to the story, Zhāo Yùn was a celestial god who fell in love with Nüchun, a mortal woman. Their love was forbidden by the gods, who kept them apart by separating them with the Milky Way. On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, magpies are said to form a bridge across the Milky Way, allowing the lovers to reunite. This night is considered the most romantic night of the year, and young people celebrate by expressing their love and hoping for good marriages.
The Qixi Festival is associated with several customs and traditions:
1. Star Gazing: On the night of the festival, young women would gaze at the stars, especially the stars of Vega and Altair, which are believed to represent the two lovers.
2. Making Paper Lanterns: Young girls would make paper lanterns, hang them outside their homes, and pray for a good marriage.
3. Listening to Love Songs: It is customary for young people to listen to love songs and share romantic stories on the night of the festival.
4. Offering Sacrifices: In ancient times, people would offer sacrifices to the heavens, especially to the goddess of marriage, to pray for a happy marriage.
5. Playing Traditional Games: Traditional games such as "guessing the name of the person you love" and "finding a needle in a haystack" are played to bring luck in finding a spouse.
Today, the Qixi Festival is celebrated not only in China but also among Chinese communities around the world. It has become a day for young people to express their love and hope for a happy marriage, much like Western Valentine's Day.
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