Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, is a traditional Chinese romantic festival celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. It dates back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 9), and its origins are steeped in mythology and folklore.
**Origin of the Festival:**
The legend of the Qixi Festival is centered around the romantic story of two deities, Zhinu and Niulang. According to the tale, Zhinu was a celestial weaving maiden who fell in love with Niulang, a cowherd. Despite being separated by the Milky Way, their love was so strong that the gods were moved to allow them to meet on the seventh day of the seventh month. Since that time, the Qixi Festival has been associated with love and marriage.
**Folk Customs:**
1. **Star Gazing:** On Qixi, people look up to the sky to find the brightest stars in the sky, particularly the two stars known as the "weaving maid" (织女) and the "cowherd" (牛郎). It is believed that if the stars are particularly bright and close to each other, it indicates a strong and lasting love between couples.
2. **Lanterns:** In some regions, young women would write their wishes or names on lanterns and release them into the sky, hoping to find a suitable match.
3. **Begging for a Good Marriage:** Young women would participate in various activities like making a wish by looking at a water jar or trying to pick up a needle while blindfolded. These activities were believed to be a way of predicting their future marriages.
4. **Qixi Festival Foods:** Certain foods are traditionally associated with the festival. These include seven types of fruits or nuts, which represent the seven grains that Zhinu used to weave in the sky, and rice dumplings or zongzi, which are often eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival and symbolize the happiness of the couple.
5. **Love Letters:** Couples may exchange love letters, which are often kept as a symbol of their love and the promise of their future together.
Today, the Qixi Festival is still celebrated in various ways across China, with a modern twist that blends traditional customs with contemporary romance. It has become a time for couples to express their love and for young people to look forward to finding their perfect match.
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