The Qixi Festival, widely known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day, is a traditional romantic festival in China, celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month every year. With a history of more than 2,000 years, it carries unique Chinese romantic culture and has been passed down from ancient times to the present.
The festival originates from the touching legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. According to ancient folklore, the Weaver Girl is a celestial fairy talented in weaving, while the Cowherd is a kind and hardworking mortal farmer. They fell in love deeply, married and had two children. However, the Queen Mother of the West separated them cruelly with the Silver River, the Milky Way. Moved by their sincere love, magpies fly from all over the world every year to form a magpie bridge, allowing the couple to meet only once a year on Qixi night.
In ancient times, Qixi was also called the “Qiqiao Festival”, mainly celebrated by young girls. They would hold delicate rituals to pray for dexterous hands and happy marriages, begging for wisdom and good luck. Unlike the Western Valentine’s Day that focuses on romantic gifts, Chinese Qixi emphasizes sincere companionship, loyal love and eternal reunion, reflecting the gentle and persistent love view of the Chinese nation.
Today, the Qixi Festival has regained popularity. Young people celebrate it by accompanying their lovers, making wishes and sharing sweet moments. It is not only a treasure of traditional Chinese culture, but also a special festival that conveys people’s longing for faithful and long-lasting love.