Today is one of those very special days that a lot of people probably don’t know about. Today is Chinese Valentine’s Day. I know you’re excited, but don’t go marking your calendars and look forward to August 25 every year to get romantic in a Chinese restaurant. The date varies — for example, last year August 7 was Chinese Valentine’s Day. In case you’re confused, maybe I should explain…. This Chinese holiday goes by different names, but it was originally known as the Double Seventh Festival (Qixi Festival) and it falls on the 7th day of the 7th Chinese lunar month (this year, that’s today, August 25.) The festival has been celebrated since the Han Dynasty (206 BC — 220 AD.)
Over the years it has been known as the Festival of Seven Daughters, Seventh Sister’s Birthday, Festival of Double Sevens, Night of Sevens, and probably a few other names.
Today it is popularly called Chinese Valentine’s Day. This romantic holiday evolved from an ancient love story from Chinese folklore. Like any story handed down from generation to generation over thousands of years, there are several versions of the story — here’s one….
The Goddess of Heaven (also know as the Queen of Heaven) had seven beautiful, young daughters. The seven daughters came down to Earth. They decided to bathe in a pristine river, leaving their clothes on the shore. Along came an ox herder named Niu Lang. He took their clothes to see what they would do. The daughters decided that the youngest, and most beautiful, named Zhi Nü should go out of the water and recover their clothes. Because Niu Land saw her naked, they had to get married. They fell madly in love, and shared several years of marital bliss.
Finally, her mother became irritated by her absence from Heaven, and ordered her to return. Seeing how much Zhi Nü missed her husband, the Jade Emperor of Heaven brought the couple back together. Ultimately, Zhi Nü was allowed to visit her husband, Niu Lang just once a year. The annual reunion occurs on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Lunar calendar.
I guess whether or not a princess from heaven falling in love with an ox herder is more romantic than a little guy shooting arrows at people is personal preference, but they both seem like good occasions to have some Chinese food and drink plum wine.
The traditional ways of celebrating this special day in China, even though they’re pretty much no longer practiced, are interesting:
“Showing skills” was the most popular custom for women during the festival. The longest standing way was to speedily thread a needle under moonlight. Young women also carved exotic flowers, animals and birds — usually on a melon skin.
Worshiping the weaver fairy (the star Vega) involved a table of offerings: tea, wine, fruits, dates, hazelnuts, peanuts, and melon seeds. In the evening young women sat around the table, displaying their needlework, gazing at Vega, and praying for a good husband and a happy life. They played games or read poems until midnight.
Honoring oxen (in remembrance of the ox herder) — Children picked bunches of wild flowers and hung them on the horns of oxen in honor of the legendary ox.
People made and ate fried, thin pastries of different shapes, known as “skill fruit.”
Sadly, these traditions are lost to history — today, Chinese Valentine’s Day will be celebrated by giving flowers, chocolates, and other presents to lovers and sweethearts.
Still seems like a good day for Chinese food and plum wine to me… Happy Chinese Valentine’s Day!!
— 30 —