While Valentine's Day is celebrated by most in every part of the world, different cultures & countries have developed their own traditions for this particular festival. In China, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month is called ‘Qixi’ and is widely considered as China's Valentine's Day.
The festival ‘Qixi’ often known as Double Seventh is celebrated for over 2000 years & is a Chinese tradition that speaks a lot about the deepest romantic yearnings. It generally falls on the 7th day of the 7th Chinese lunar month and in 2021 the Qixi festival is to be celebrated on August 14 (Saturday).
But are you familiar with the ancient Chinese tales and the facts about this festival?
Let’s dive into the details about the Chinese Valentine’s Day:
Origin of Chinese Valentines Day
1) History: This starts with a legendary romantic tale of the Cowherd (Niú Láng) and Weaver Girl (Zhī Nü). According to Chinese myth, Cowherd spotted one of the seven goddesses who was a skilled weaver. The two fell in love, and she stayed behind in the mortal world. But when the Goddess discovered this, she ordered Zhī Nü to return and resume her duties. Zhī Nü had no choice but to obey and leave, heartbroken. But, the empress was touched by the purity of their love and so allowed them to reunite once a year.
2) Celebrations: During the Qixi festival, people gift their loved ones, flowers, chocolates, ties, bouquets,s, etc. and even go out for dinner dates or movies with their partners, family or friends. In the evening, young women also sit around the table, do their needlework, gazing at the star Vega, and pray for a good husband and a happy life. They’d also play games or read poems until midnight. Sometimes, children pick bunches of wildflowers and hung them on the horns of oxen in honor of the legendary ox.
3) Customs followed: In the evening of Qixi women showcase their custom skills by speedily thread a needle under the moonlight and also carved exotic flowers, animals, birds, usually on melon skin.
4) Worship: The Chinese worship the weaver fairy (star Vega) by offering tea, wine, fruits, red dates, hazelnuts, peanuts, and melon seeds.
5) Eat Qixi Pastry: The custom of eating Qixi pastries is still popular in some areas of China. Some of them are tiny baked pastries in animal or flower shapes while another type is the fried thin twisty pastries.
Closing Thought
Qixi Festival, or Qiqiao Festival, is the most famous of all the traditional Chinese holidays where the Chinese celebrate true love with romantic gestures by gifting flowers, bouquets, boxes of chocolates, dinner dates, etc.
Want to gift a bouquet to your loved one this Chinese Valentine’s day? Rose & Co based in Sydney offers a beautiful range of flowers & customized bouquets for all occasions. With many years of experience in the industry, Rose & Co, the Sydney florist provides same-day delivery for a large choice of fresh flowers.
