Qixi Festival in China: Love is an intense feeling of deep affection. It should not be seen as a feeling but as an enacted emotion. Love is pure and when we talk about festive China, it denotes the romantic story behind China’s Valentine. A story of Weaver girl and the Cowherd.
Basically, China’s Valentine day falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month on the Chinese calendar. The festival originated from the romantic legend of two lovers, Zhinü and Niulang, who were the weaver girl and the cowherd, respectively. The story of The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl has been celebrated in the Qixi Festival since the Han dynasty.
Legend has it that the youngest daughter of the Jade Emperor (the ruler of the world as per the legend), the Weaver Girl, became tired of the boring immortal life and decided to descend to the mortal world. She met and fell in love with a cowherd, a union strongly objected by the Jade Emperor who in turn forcibly separated them by the Milky Way, leaving them torn apart by the galaxy and only allowing them to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
The distance did not weaken their affection toward one another, as they still loved each other and looked forward to meeting once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
Chinese people celebrate by adopting the traditions of Westerners such as by exchanging gifts (like flowers, chocolates, ties and watches), making a special date to or have a romantic dinner or watch a movie in the evening, or even by registering their marriage if it falls on a stipulated day.
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On this market can be seen with the sale of chocolates, markets seem busy and the price of gifts, restaurants get higher on that particular day. On the other hand, they strongly feel inauspicious to give Umbrella and shoes to their loved ones. Umbrella in China means (san) which means break-up. Whereas, Shoes denote “packing of your love”. However, if you refund 1 Yuan then it is believed the curse will be broken.
