Chinese Valentine’s Day Celebration
“中国情人节(Zhōngguó qíngrénjié) Chinese Valentine’s Day” will be on the 14th of August. Nowadays, Chinese people celebrate this special day in various ways.
Many young lovers in China go for a special Chinese Valentine’s Day candlelit dinner. People often float red, pink, and white helium-filled balloons or hang fresh flowers above their dining table. In addition, they like to create a romantic atmosphere with music wafting through the room.
“情人节电影(qíngrénjié diànyǐng) Valentine’s Day movies” are also very popular in China. Lovers go to cinema together to see a moving love story. Moreover, a lot of young Chinese people like to go to Karaoke to enjoy a romantic “情人节(qíngrénjié) Valentine’s Day.”
Chinese Valentine’s Day–七夕节(qīxī jié) The Seventh Eve.
Most young people in China are also keen of Chinese Valentine’s Day. Actually, in China we have a similar holiday dedicated for love, as in the west. In Chinese, it’s called “七夕节(qīxī jié) The Seventh Eve.”It is also known as “中国情人节(zhōngguó qíngrén jiéjié) Chinese Valentine’s Day“and “女儿节(nŭér jié) The Daughter’s Day.” It occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This day was originated from a beautiful love story. The seventh daughter of the Goddess of Heaven, 织女(zhīnŭ) Zhi Nv, fell in love with a cowherd called 牛郎(niúláng) Niu Lang. Regardless of the taboo that an immortal could not marry a mortal, she decided to marry Niu Lang. They lived happily for several years. Eventually, however, the Goddess of Heaven became fed up with her daughter’s absence, and ordered her to return to heaven. However, the mother took pity on the couple and allowed them to reunite once a year. Legend has it that on the seventh night of the seventh moon, magpies form a bridge with their wings for Zhi Nv to cross to meet her husband.
In ancient times, various activities were held to celebrate the festival in different places, but young people nowadays like to release the “孔明灯(kŏngmíngdēng) Hung Ming lanterns”on the Chinese Valentine’s Day, which was invented by Zhuge Kongming at the time of Three Kingdoms. In the evening, lovers make good wishes together and light Hung Ming lanterns with full blessings of faithful love between them, just like the love between Niu Lang and Zhi Nv.
Greetings for Chinese Valentine’s Day
On Chinese Valentine’s Day, you can hear all kinds of Valentine’s Day greetings, such as “情人节快乐(Qíngrénjié kuàilè) Happy Valentine’s Day!” “情(qíng)”represents all kinds of emotion such as “爱情(àiqíng) love,” “亲情(qīnqíng) the feelings between family members,” but here, it means love. “人(rén)” means person or people. So “情人(qíngrén)” means lovers and is the same as another Chinese word “情侣(qínglŭ).” The character “节(jié)” means festival, which comes from the Chinese word “节日(jiérì).” So “情人节(Qíngrénjié)” means the lovers’ festival, namely, Valentine’s Day. “快(kuài)” means fast and “乐(lè)” means happiness. At such a romantic festival, it is a great chance to express yourself to your loved one.
Here we offer you some classic Chinese expressions on this special day:
Hăo xīwàng péizhe nǐ yìzhí dào lăo, ràng nǐ zuò wŏ shŏuxīn lǐ de băo. Wŏ ài nǐ!
好希望陪着你一直到老，让你做我手心里的宝。我爱你！
I hope to accompany you until we are old, and let you become a treasure in my palm. I love you!
Měi yì tiān dōu wèi nǐ xīntiào, měi yí kè dōu bèi nǐ găndòng, měi yì miăo dōu wèi nǐ dānxīn. Yŏu nǐ de gănjué zhēn hăo!
每一天都为你心跳，每一刻都被你感动，每一秒都为你担心。有你的感觉真好！
Every day my heart beats for you; every moment I am moved by you; every second I am concerned about you. I feel so good to be with you!
Chinese Valentine’s Day Gifts
On Chinese Valentine’s Day, people often send “巧克力(qiăokèlì) chocolate” as Valentine’s Day gift. Different chocolates represent different meanings. For instance, the heart-shaped chocolate stands for “My heart belongs to you,” and black chocolate stands for “Stick together through thick and thin.” Meanwhile on the Chinese Valentine’s Day, “玫瑰花(méiguī huā) rose” is an essential gift. What’s more, different numbers also stand for different meanings: one rose means “我的心中只有你(Wŏ de xīnzhōng zhí yŏu nǐ) You are the only one in my heart;” three roses means “我爱你(wŏ ài nǐ) I love you;” nine roses means “永恒(yŏnghéng) forever;” eleven roses means “最爱(zuìài) the dearest;” ninety-nine roses means “天长地久(tiānchángdìjiǔ) Love you forever” and three hundred sixty and five roses means “天天想你(Tiān tiān xiăng nǐ) Miss you everyday!” Oftentimes a Valentine’s Day Card will accompany the roses.
Chinese Valentine’s Day Celebration
甜蜜蜜(tiánmìmì) Sweet
Tiánmìmì
甜蜜蜜
Sweet
Nǐ xiào de tiánmìmì
你笑得甜蜜蜜
You are smiling so sweetly
Hăoxiàng huā’r kāi zài chūnfēng lǐ
好像花儿开在春风里
Like a flower blooming in the wind in Spring
Kāi zài chūnfēng lǐ
开在春风里
Blooming in the wind in Spring
Zài nălǐ
在哪里
Where
Zài nălǐ jiànguò nǐ
在哪里见过你
I must have met you somewhere
Nǐ de xiàoróng zhèyàng shúxī
你的笑容这样熟悉
Your smile is so familiar to me
Wŏ yī shí xiăng bù qǐ
我一时想不起
But I can’t recall right away
Ā~~ zài mèng lǐ
啊~~在梦里
Ah~ in my dreams
Mèng lǐ mèng lǐ jiànguò nǐ
梦里梦里见过你
I have met you in my dreams
Tiánmì xiào dé duō tiánmì
甜蜜笑得多甜蜜
Sweet, you are smiling so sweetly
Shì nǐ
是你
It is you
Shì nǐ
是你
It is you
Mèngjiàn de jiùshì nǐ
梦见的就是你
It is you that I have dreamed of
Zài nălǐ
在哪里
Where
Zài nălǐ jiànguò nǐ
在哪里见过你
I must have met you somewhere
Nǐ de xiàoróng zhèyàng shúxī
你的笑容这样熟悉
Your smile is so familiar to me
Wŏ yī shí xiăng bù qǐ
我一时想不起
But I can’t recall suddenly
Ā~~ zài mèng lǐ
啊~~在梦里
Ah~ in my dreams
Zài nălǐ
在哪里
Where
Zài nălǐ jiànguò nǐ
在哪里见过你
I must have met you somewhere
Nǐ de xiàoróng zhèyàng shúxī
你的笑容这样熟悉
Your smile is so familiar to me
Wŏ yī shí xiăng bù qǐ
我一时想不起
But I can’t recall right away
Ā~~ zài mèng lǐ
啊~~在梦里
Ah~ in my dreams
Mèng lǐ mèng lǐ jiànguò nǐ
梦里梦里见过你
In my dreams, I have met you in my dreams
Tiánmì xiào dé duō tiánmì
甜蜜笑得多甜蜜
Sweet, you are smiling so sweetly
Shì nǐ
是你
It is you
Shì nǐ
是你
It is you
Mèngjiàn de jiùshì nǐ
梦见的就是你
It is you that I have dreamed about
Zài nălǐ
在哪里
Where
Zài nălǐ jiànguò nǐ
在哪里见过你
I must have met you somewhere
Nǐ de xiàoróng zhèyàng shúxī
你的笑容这样熟悉
Your smile is so familiar to me
Wŏ yī shí xiăng bù qǐ
我一时想不起
But I can’t recall right away
Ā~~ zài mèng lǐ
啊~~在梦里
Ah~ in my dreams