Qixi Jie

Qixi Jie Festival (Double Seventh) takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month. It is known as a lucky time for lovers, so sometimes is called the Chinese Valentine’s Day. Qixi Jia remembers the story of a couple that had great love for each other, but cannot be together. It is said that a cow herder named NIU LAN fell in love with a weaving girl named ZINI who was the daughter of one of the gods. The weaving girl also loved the cow herder and they got married.

While the cow herder tended his cattle, the weaving girl grew silk worms and weaved the silk. They were very happy and had two beautiful children. When the weaving girl’s mother found that her daughter was living on earth and married to this cow herder, she was very angry. She took her daughter back to the home of the gods and she was no longer able to see her husband or children. The father of the weaving girl heard the girl’s story and had pity on her. One day a year (Qixi Jie), he allowed the two to meet together on a bridge of magpies in the sky (they are separated by YinHe, Silver River, or Galaxy).

All around China there are celebrations held on this day. Girls will have weaving and cooking competitions. In other places, young single people will come together for games.