#Gate广场七夕心意# Qixi - China's own Valentine's Day

When the golden wind and jade dew meet, they surpass countless encounters in the world. Another year of Qixi arrives, this romantic holiday known as China's Valentine's Day, do you really understand it?

The Romantic Origins of a Millennium Journey
The Qixi Festival, also known as the Qiqiao Festival or Daughters' Festival, originated from people's worship of natural celestial phenomena. The story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl can be traced back to the "Book of Songs, Xiaoya, Daeast": "There is a river in the sky, and it also has light. Look at the Weaver Girl, who works hard day and night. Even though it is hard work, it cannot be repaid. Look at the Cowherd, who does not wear a box as clothing." At this time, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl were merely constellations in the sky. By the Han Dynasty, the love story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl had basically taken shape. During the Eastern Han period, the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meeting on the Magpie Bridge was widely spread, and thus Qixi became a symbol of love.

Eternal Love Above the Galaxy
According to legend, the granddaughter of the Heavenly Emperor, Zhinu, was skilled in weaving and wove beautiful clouds for the sky every day. Tired of the dull life in the heavenly palace, she secretly descended to the mortal realm to marry the cowherd, living a happy life of farming and weaving. Upon discovering this, the Heavenly Emperor became furious and ordered the Queen Mother to bring Zhinu back to the heavenly palace. The cowherd, wearing the skin of an old cow and carrying their two children, chased after them. The Queen Mother used her golden hairpin to draw a Milky Way, separating the two on either side. Moved by their love, magpies build a bridge every year on the seventh day of the seventh month, allowing the lovers to meet. This poignant love story has been passed down for thousands of years, embodying the ancient people's longing for and pursuit of beautiful love.

Colorful traditional customs
Qiqiao Prayer for Blessings: On this night, young girls pray to the Weaver Girl star for wisdom and skill, known as "Qiqi". They will thread needles to test their skill, make small items to compete in craftsmanship, and display fruits to pray for skill, hoping to be as dexterous as the Weaver Girl.
Worshiping the Weaving Maiden: People set up tables under the moon, displaying fruits, fresh flowers, cosmetics, etc. After burning incense for worship, they sit together to eat peanuts and melon seeds, silently praying to the Weaving Maiden star for their wishes.
Nail dyeing: Many young girls in various regions like to dye their nails with leaves during festivals. This custom is closely related to the wish of Qiqiao and is also a way for girls to decorate themselves.
Eat Qiaoguo: The most famous seasonal food for Qixi is Qiaoguo, which comes in many styles. The main ingredients are oil, flour, sugar, and honey, made into various shapes and deep-fried until crispy and sweet.

The modern Qixi Festival that blends the ancient and the contemporary

Modern people regard Qixi as the Chinese Valentine's Day, where couples exchange gifts, have dinner together, and express their love on this day. Major businesses also launch Qixi promotional activities, breathing new life into this traditional festival. At the same time, more and more people are beginning to focus on the traditional connotations of Qixi, not only treating it as Valentine's Day but also valuing the cultural significance of skills praying and blessings contained within, allowing this millennium-old festival to retain its traditional essence while being infused with a modern atmosphere.

The stars twinkle in the sky, and love is strong among people. On this romantic day, may we both cherish the ones before us and not let our longing go to waste.

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