七夕节 (Qīxījié) Double Seven Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day)
Key Learning Points (Preview):
鹊桥 (què qiáo): n. a bridge made up of magpies
七夕节 (Qīxījié): n. Double Seven Festival
中国情人节 (Zhōngguó Qíngrénjié): n. Chinese Valentine’s Day
The Double Seven Festival or Chinese Valentine’s Day is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Below is a story behind the festival:
Zhi Nü was said to be the youngest daughter of the queen of heaven, while Niu Lang was a poor orphan cowherd who lived a poor life with an old magical cow. One day, when the seven fairies slipped out to bathe, Niu Lang met Zhi Nü by the river and asked her to stay with him. Zhi Nü agreed and they lived happily together.
However, the queen of heaven was very angry. So she had Zhi Nü brought back to heaven. Seeing his beloved wife flying in the sky, Niu Lang followed Zhi Nü into heaven with the help of the magic cowhide. Just when he was about to reach Zhi Nü, the queen showed up. She pulled off her hairpin and used it to draw a line between the two. The line became the “银河 (yínhé) Silver River” in heaven.
Zhi Nü went back to the heavenly workshop and continued to weave the clouds. But she was depressed and missed Niu lang very much. Eventually, the queen was moved by their love, and allowed the couple to meet once every year on the Silver River. Since then, Niu Lang and Zhi Nü meet on “鹊桥 (què qiáo) a bridge made up of magpies” spanning the Milky Way on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of every year. It is a love story, so “七夕节 (Qīxījié) Double Seven Festival” is also called “中国情人节 (Zhōngguó Qíngrénjié) Chinese Valentine’s Day.”
Key Learning Points:
鹊桥 (què qiáo): n. a bridge made up of magpies
鹊: n. magpie
桥: n. bridge
Example:
Xiāng chuán Niú Láng hé Zhī Nǚ Qīxī nà tiān zài què qiáo xiāng huì.
相 传 牛 郎 和 织 女 七夕 那 天 在 鹊 桥 相 会。
It is said that Niu Lang and Zhi Nü meet on a bridge made up of magpies on the day of the Double Seven Festival.
七夕节 (Qīxījié): n. Double Seven Festival
七夕: n. the seventh day of the seventh lunar month
Example:
Qīxījié shì Zhōngguó zuì làngmàn de jiérì.
七夕节 是 中国 最 浪漫 的 节日。
Double Seven Festival is the most romantic festival in China.
中国情人节 (Zhōngguó Qíngrénjié): n. Chinese Valentine’s Day
Example:
Nǐ zhīdào Zhōngguó Qíngrénjié shì nǎ yì tiān ma?
A: 你 知道 中国 情人节 是 哪一 天 吗？
Do you know which day Chinese Valentine’s Day falls on?
Dāng rán, nónglì qī yuè qī rì ma!
B: 当 然，农历 七 月 七日 嘛！
Sure, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month!
Read more Chinese stories:
端午节 (Duānwǔ jié) Dragon Boat Festival
清明节 (Qīngmíngjié) Tomb Sweeping Day
Chinese Culture
General Chinese (Beginner Level)
General Chinese (Intermediate Level)
After reading this Chinese story, I want to know whether Chinese people give each other chocolates, flowers and kisses on this day. How do they celebrate the festival anyway?
Unlike Valentine’s Day in western countries, there is not so much emphasis on giving chocolates, flowers, etc. in China. Although some young Chinese nowadays give each other roses and chocolates on that day, it is not the traditional way to celebrate the festival. Actually, on that day, women make exquisite food as well as do needlework to show their ingenuity. Chinese words “七夕节” is also named as “乞巧节(qǐ qiǎo jié)”, which means that women are praying to acquire high skills in needlecraft on that day.
Good story! I want to read more Chinese stories about Chinese culture in the future. Are there any other reading materials about Chinese Double Seven Festival?
蘭月 (lányuè) is the traditional name for the 7th month of the lunar calendar. So its best not to call it July 7 of the lunar calendar, since the lunar calendar doesn’t have a July (and the real July is not in August) so it just confuses things.
That is a very interesting love story. But the true fact is that love is a river of fire and one has to cross it after drowning in the river.