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The Qixi festival or Double seventh festival of China is well known as Chinese Valentine’s day. It is one of the oldest traditional festivals in China. It is emanated from the romantic legend about a weaver girl and an Ox herd. It is celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th Chinese lunar month. There is not any national holiday for this fest. This is the oldest tradition and it is in significance since the Han dynasty of China.
Facts of Qixi festival
The Chinese name of the fest: chee-sshee-jyeah/’Seventh Evening Festival’.
Date of the commemoration: On the 7th day of the 7th month(August). The date is set according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
Background: Being celebrated for 2000 years.
Way of Celebration: Exchanging gifts, date nights, dinners, movies with the beloved partner.
Chinese Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is celebrated by people to honor the love of their life. It is the day solely devoted to love. Well, in China it is also known as the Double Seven Festival since the colonial age after globalization it became popular as “Chinese Valentine’s Day”. There are a plethora of ways to mark the day most special for your partner.People tend to give gifts and flowers to their companions of love.
Some most desired gifts to get an exchange on the occasion of Valentine’s day are:
1. Greeting Cards
Most people are shy to express their own true feelings in front of their beloved, then this is the most perfect gift to get your partner. Message Cards have an abundance of variety and diversity of feelings poured straight outta heart. One can choose a card identical to their own emotions. The message card will make your partner feel special to have you in their life.
2. Chocolates
The sweets for your sweetest one who turned your life sugary. This gift will surely melt your partner’s heart and will revert back to you with a soothing smile. It will be better if you can get a bar of personalized chocolate for your partner with a heartwarming message and a picture of you as a couple together.
3. Flowers
One can get their partner a bunch of red roses or a bouquet of their comrade’s favorite blossom. It will bloom your partner’s heart, as they have a deep meaning behind them, all one needs is to know how to decrypt it. If one lives far from their beloved then better not to be a worry as they can get fresh and beautiful flowers online getting delivered the same day through flower delivery Singapore.
4. Watches
Time is the most invaluable gift to be given, gift a beautiful watch to your partner and witness a splendid smile on their face.
The story of Qixi
14th February is the day of Love all across the globe but Qixi which falls on the 7th day of the 7th month is valentine’s day of China, it is different but not strange as everything has a history connected to its roots, while the same goes with the Qixi.
It is one of the oldest festivals in China and in tradition since the Han dynasty and has a long story of love between a cowherd and a young goddess linked with it.
This festival is based on the romantic saga of love between Niulang who was a cowherd and Zhinu who was a weaver fairy. The story is that Niulang, the cowherd, saved an ox who was sick, in favor of the ox makes Niulang acquainted with the weaver fairy, who was a daughter of a powerful goddess- the goddess of heaven.
Very soon, Zhinu and Niulang fall head over heels in love with each other and became man and wife by marrying each other. Zhinu kept this marriage a secret from her mother. For a couple of years, they led a healthy and happy life and became a parent of two children, one girl, and one boy. Nonetheless, at one dawn, the goddess of heaven, that is Zhinu’s mother, gets ascertained that her daughter has been married to a mere human being. The goddess became hot under the collar and sent her celestial soldiers to bring her daughter back to heaven. Simultaneously, Niulang became very distressed when he became aware that his wife had been snatched away from him and his children. By being informed of this unfortunate news, his friend the Ox invites Niulang to kill him and wear his skin, so that he would be able to go up in the heaven where the goddess-mother resides and can meet his wife. Mourning bitterly Niulang, takes the life of the Ox, puts on his skin, and with his two beloved children, he leaves for heaven to find his loving wife Zhinu.
A moment before they were able to meet Zhinu, the goddess of heaven created a ruckus and made a huge river between them. They were being separated by the river, which is now known as the Milky Way.
However, hope is what the world strives for, as Niulang and Zhinu love towards each other moved all the magpies in the land to take mercy on them, and they fly up to heaven to make a bridge over the river so that Niulang and Zhinu can get united on the magpie bridge. In due course, the goddess of heaven also got swayed by their love and affection for each other and she allows them to meet on the magpie bridge on that day every year(the seventh day of the seventh lunar month).
This was the epic tale of the Qixi festival. Lately, couples in china celebrate the special day “Qixi” by going on a romantic dinner date and exchanging flowers, and greeting cards full of love messages.
As a tradition on the Qixi day, women of China worship Zhinu (the weaver fairy) by preparing a table of offerings: fruits, wine, peanuts, dates, hazelnuts, and melon seeds. In the evening, young women get seated around the table, and display their needlework, gazing at vega( the second brightest star in the northern hemisphere) and wishing for a good husband and a prosperous life. After that, they tend to play games or read poems until midnight.
In the order to honor the great friend Ox from the epic tale, children in China, hang bunches of fresh wildflowers on the horns of an ox and oxen.
On that day, young women also carve exotic flowers, animals, and birds, usually on melon skin, they show their dexterity skills by threading a needle under the moonlight with full speed.
These are some traditional customs of the Qixi festival of China.
7 Gifts ideas For Qixi Festival
Nowadays, China has also commercialized their traditional festival in the form of Valentine’s day. On the occasion of valentine’s day, couples tend to exchange gifts all across the globe to make their moment memorable. They go on special date nights also.
But choosing a gift for your partner might be a tough task to do for you, don’t be worried here are some unique ideas presented for you to get for your valentine’s perfect gift.
1. Flowers
Who doesn’t like fresh blossoming flowers? Flowers are perfect for your lover. They never fail to get someone amused by their elegance. One can get their lover a bunch of roses, as a rose is the significance of love, handmade bouquets, flower hamper. If you are swamped with your work and don’t have spare time to get your lover their favorite flowers, throw out your stress, gift delivery Singapore delivers a variety of flowers, bouquet, and hamper of flowers in a jiffy.
2. Jewelry
This is the perfect time to show your love and affection towards your partner, and bring you closer as much as you can. Jewelry for your partner can be the perfect idea for your gift on this valentine’s day. In jewelry, especially rings that are most loved by individuals, make your day remarkable by exchanging rings on this festival of love and throw love all around the ambience.
3. A romantic dinner
It is a well-known fact that the way to the heart goes through the stomach, it is the most romantic gift one can give. You can prepare a meal for your partner and can share some quality time by having dinner together. You can also book a seat in your partner’s favorite eatery and can order their favorite stuff which they were longing for a long time. This will surely make your partner’s heart smile and eyes shine.
4. Traveling
There is nothing in this world that is going to last forever, at the end are the moments and memories which we will always cherish. Why not this valentine’s day you capture some unforgettable loving memories for your whale life to be cherished? Plan a tour with your partner and spend some splendid moments by discovering the new place in your city. This will surely make you get some relief from your boring same schedule of life.
5. Footwears
This is what everyone adores, be practical and gift according to your partner’s need, getting a new pair of footwear is a different kind of happiness one can not explain. Gift your dearest one their favorite pair of footwear and watch them grinning and adoring towards you.
6. Bags
For your gentleman, you can gift him a wallet. He will surely love that present and will adore you even more than you have taken care of his consideration. For your girl, you can get her a purse, clutch, handbags, and shoulder bags. All you have to take care of her needs, what kind of bag she is striving for lately, then get her the gift of their need and you both are going to spend some cheerful moments on the special day dedicated to love.
7. Gift hampers
If you are confused and not able to decide what to gift, buy them a set of gift hampers, which includes flowers, chocolates, cards, and soft cuddly toys for your lover. This is the best idea to be presented on the occasion of valentine’s day and this effort is going to be appreciated at any cost. You can also order it online and choose a gift hamper according to you and your partner’s preference.
Amazing celebrations and dishes
While all the globe celebrates valentine’s day as a fashion. China has its own deep ancient roots and history behind celebrating the double seventh festival well known as Chinese Valentine’s day. Chinese couples usually have a date on this day and present gifts to each other. In recent times, more and more lovers choose to get married on this day in ancient Chinese style weddings. People also go on a movie date and watch their favorite movies together and share some quality time. All these activities on the day of love provide nourishment to the relation of love and make the bond even stronger than before. Young women of China also worship Zhinu the weaver fairy and decorate the table with a bunch of exotic flowers and hand-carved birds, animals on the melon skin, and pray for their love to be stronger with time. Chocolates are especially preferred on this day, people of China make dishes with chocolate on the occasion of valentine’s day. People try to make their moments as splendidly as memorable so that it could be cherished forever.
