Hi everyone, my name is April Cook, and along with Robin Su, I am filling the management intern position here at FWFL where learning a language is FUN! We both will be coming to you bi-weekly giving you some great updates on different cultures, fun facts, and great foods!
Now as you all know, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! When we think of Valentines Days, hearts, cupids, flowers, cards, and our significant others come to mind. As we know, Valentine’s Day is a day that came from St. Valentine where lovers express their love for one another with greeting cards and flowers. We always celebrate it the same way every year. Now can you imagine Valentine’s Day in China?
In China, Valentine’s Day is referred to as “Qi Qiao Jie” or the seventh eve. Although we are used to getting gifts here in the U.S on Valentine’s Day, in China they do not exchange gifts on this day. On Chinese Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated in August instead of February, there is a legend about the position of the stars on the seventh day in the Chinese lunar calendar. The legend believes that the seven daughters of the Goddess of Heaven caught the eye of a Cowherd during their visit to earth. While the daughters were bathing in the river the Cowherd, named Niu Lang, decided to run off with their clothes because he thought it would be funny.
The prettiest daughter Zhi Nu, who was also the seventh child born, decided to ask him for their clothes back. Since he had seen her naked, they had to be married and were happy for years. After a while, the Goddess of Heaven didn’t like the fact that her daughter was gone, so she made her come back to Heaven. After she made her daughter, Zhi Nu come back to Heaven, she felt bad for the couple and allowed them to reunite once a year. So on the seventh night of the seventh moon, magpies form a bridge with their wings for Zhi Nu to cross to meet Niu Lang.
Now on Chinese Valentine’s Day, they celebrate by having the Seven Sisters Festival. On this day, along with a bunch of other rituals that are performed, young couples wait for their chance to get married and single girls seek to find their life partner and soul mates.
It’s very interesting how people can celebrate the same holiday, but in very different ways based on their cultures. On Valentine’s Day, both celebrate love and yet one is just to show the other that they love them and one is more on the lines of marriage and finding their soul mates. So spend Valentine’s Day how you would like to, whether it is with a friend or a significant other, show them you love them because you never know the person you take out could be your life partner!
Happy Early Valentine’s Day Everyone!<3