Chinese Valentine’s Day

The Story

There’s a very interesting story behind Chinese Valentine’s Day. It’s said that once there was a boy called Niu Lang who had inherited an old ox which was actually an immortal from Paradise.

The ox guided the cowherd which led him to the river where the seven beautiful daughters of the Emperor of Heaven had come for a bath. The beauty of the youngest daughter, Zhi Nu, captivated the cowherd and he hid her fairy clothes. When she couldn’t fly back to heaven, Niu Lang appeared in front of her and promised to give her clothes back if she agreed to marry him. They got married and had two children.

When the Emperor found that his youngest daughter, who was responsible for weaving clouds and rainbows in the sky, was missing, he sent her grandmother to find the girl. The cowherd followed the princess to the sky while she was flying back to heaven with her grandmother. The grandmother made a milky way in the sky to keep the lovers separated. The princess was kept at the star Vega and the cowherd took shelter in the star Altair. That’s how the star Vega is known as the Weaving Maid Star and the Altair as the Cowherd Star in China.

The Magpies felt sorry for them on seeing them so sad and got together to form a bridge between the two stars so that the separated lovers could meet at least for one night. That day is celebrated in China as the Chinese Valentine’s Day.

The Festival

Chinese Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month as per Chinese calendar. On this day, lovers go to the temple of Matchmaker and pray for their love, happiness and marriage. Those who are single pray and ask their luck of love in the temple.

Chinese girls offer fruits, melons and incense to Zhi Nu and pray for acquiring high skills in needlecraft and to find a good husband. Girls also take a test on themselves on this day by putting a needle on the water surface. If the needle doesn’t sink then the girl is eligible enough to find a husband.

This festival of China is known by different names such as The Daughter’s Festival, Qi Xi, The Seventh Sister’s Birthday, The Night of Skills and The Festival to Plead for Skills.

The Myths

• It’s believed that decorating ox’s horn with flowers on that day will save them from misfortune.
  
• Women wash their hair on the night of the festival hoping that it will make them fresh and shining.
  
• Children wash their face the next morning with the water they had kept in the backyard on the night of the festival, hoping to become more beautiful.
  
• Girls throw five – color ropes on the roof for magpies with the belief that magpies will carry the ropes to build the bridge.