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Chinese Festivals - Double Seventh Festival
The Double Seventh Festival, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, is a traditional festival full of romance. It often goes into August in the Gregorian calendar.
This festival is in mid-summer when the
weather is warm and the grass and trees reveal their luxurious
greens. At night when the sky is dotted with stars, and people can
see the Milky Way spanning from the north to the south. On each bank
of it is a bright star, which see each other from afar. They are the
Cowherd and Weaver Maid, and about them there is a beautiful love
story passed down from generation to generation.
Long, long ago, there was an honest and kind-hearted fellow named Niu Lang (Cowhand). His parents died when he was a child. Later he was driven out of his home by his sister-in-law. So he lived by himself herding cattle and farming. One day, a fairy from heaven Zhi Nu (Weaver Maid) fell in love with him and came down secretly to earth and married him. The cowhand farmed in the field and the Weaver Maid wove at home. They lived a happy life and gave birth to a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, the God of Heaven soon found out the fact and ordered the Queen Mother of the Western Heavens to bring the Weaver Maid back.
With the help of celestial cattle, the
Cowhand flew to heaven with his son and daughter. At the time when
he was about to catch up with his wife, the Queen Mother took off
one of her gold hairpins and made a stroke. One billowy river
appeared in front of the Cowhand. The Cowhand and Weaver Maid were
separated on the two banks forever and could only feel their tears.
Their loyalty to love touched magpies, so tens of thousands of
magpies came to build a bridge for the Cowhand and Weaver Maid to
meet each other. The Queen Mother was eventually moved
and allowed them to meet each year on the 7th of the 7th lunar
month. Hence their meeting date has been called "Qi Xi" (Double
Seventh).
Scholars have shown the Double Seventh
Festival originated from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD220). Historical
documents from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD371-420) mention the
festival, while records from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) depict the
grand evening banquet of Emperor Taizong and his concubines. By the
Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties, special articles for
the "Qi Xi" were seen being sold on markets in the capital. The
bustling markets demonstrated the significance of the
festival.
Today some traditional customs are still observed in rural areas of China, but have been weakened or diluted in urban cities. However, the legend of the Cowhand and Weaver Maid has taken root in the hearts of the people. In recent years, in particular, urban youths have celebrated it as Valentine's Day in China. As a result, owners of flower shops, bars and stores are full of joy as they sell more commodities for love.
⇒ Chinese Festivals - Chinese Valentine's Day
⇐ Chinese Festivals - Dragon Boat Festival
✍: China Internet Information
2022-01-02, 2746🔥, 0💬
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