Chinese Valentine's Day

The Qixi Festival also known as the Qiqiao Festival is a Chinese festival that celebrates the annual meeting of the cowherd and weaver girl in Chinese mythology. Chinese Valentines Day falls on the seventh day of the 7th month on the Chinese calendar. It is sometimes called the Double Seventh Festival, the Night of Sevens, or the Magpie Festival.

The festival originated from the romantic legend of two lovers, Zhinü and Niulang who were the weaver maid and the cowherd, respectively. The tale of The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd has been celebrated in the Qixi Festival since the Han Dynasty. The earliest-known reference to this famous myth dates back to over 2600 years ago, which was told in a poem from the Classic of Poetry. The Qixi festival inspired Tanabata festival in Japan and Chilseok festival in Korea. The general tale is about a love story between Zhinu (the weaver girl, symbolizing Vega) and Niulang (the cowherd, symbolizing Altair). Their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to opposite sides of the Silver River (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, a flock of magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day.

Just another lovely occasion that reminds us to share the love! 

In 2024, Chinese Valentine's Day falls on 10th August.