Chinese Valentine's Day - The Qixi Festival is Coming!

The traditional Qixi Festival in China is coming soon (will fall on August 16), the Qixi Festival is also called as the Chinese Valentine’s day, the Chinese Valentine's Day falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. In China, this day is also known as "The Begging Festival".



Festival Origin: The seventh daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, the Weaving Maid, and an orphaned cowherd were separated by the Emperor; the girl was forced to move to the star Vega and the cowherd, to the star Altair. They were only allowed to meet on the magpie bridge over the Milky Way once a year on the day of seventh day of seventh lunar month - Chinese Valentine's Day.

The "Begging” custom of Qixi is a time-honored custom in China, on this day young girls will not only beg for wonderful needlework skills, but also begging for a good marriage.

On that night, unmarried girls prayed to the Weaving Maid star (Vega) for the special gift. When the star Vega was high up in the sky, girls performed a small test by placing a needle on the water's surface: If the needle did not sink, the girl was considered to be ready to find a husband. Once a year, on this day, girls could wish for anything their hearts desired.



So I wonder on the day of ‘Qixi’ this year, how many grils will pray silently under the stars?

In truth, as said to praying for a marriage, I wonder that is depends on the predestination, if you two are predestined to be together, so no matter what happened you two will meet, fall in love and been together finally.

Now, here, I wish All shall be well, and Jack shall have Jill!

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China