Qi Xi
Encyclopedia
Qixi Festival also known as Magpie
Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar
; thus its name. It inspired Tanabata
(七夕) in Japan
, Chilseok
(칠석) in Korea
, and Thất Tịch in Vietnam
. It has sometimes been called Chinese Valentine's Day
since the late 1990s.
Girls traditionally demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon
carving, on this day and make wishes for a good husband. It is also known by the following names:
In 2012, this festival falls on August 23.
In late summer, the stars Altair and Vega
are high in the night sky, and the Chinese tell the following love story
, of which there are many variations:
A young cowherd, hence Niulang , came across a beautiful girl--Zhinü , the seventh daughter of the Goddess, who just had escaped from boring heaven to look for fun. Zhinü soon fell in love with Niulang, and they got married without the knowledge of the Goddess. Zhinü proved to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang to be a good husband. They lived happily and had two children.
But the Goddess of Heaven
(or in some versions, Zhinü's mother) found out that Zhinü, a fairy girl, had married a mere mortal. The Goddess was furious and ordered Zhinü to return to heaven. (Alternatively, the Goddess forced the fairy back to her former duty of weaving colorful clouds, a task she neglected while living on earth with a mortal.)
On Earth, Niulang was very upset that his wife had disappeared. Suddenly, his ox began to talk, telling him that if he killed it and put on its hide, he would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife.
Crying bitterly, he killed the ox, put on the skin, and carried his two beloved children off to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess discovered this and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way
between Altair and Vega.
Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar while taking care of their two children (his flanking stars β and γ Aquilae or by their Chinese names Hè Gu 1 and Hè Gu 3).
But once a year all the magpie
s in the world would take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge (鵲橋, "the bridge of magpies", Que Qiao) over the star Deneb
in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, which is the seventh night of the seventh moon.
is placed in the yard and single or newly married women in the household makes an offering to Niulang and Zhinü consisting of fruit, flowers, tea, and face powder
. After finishing the offering, half of the face powder is thrown on the roof and the other half divided among the young women of the household. It is believed that by doing this, the women are bound in beauty with Zhinü.
Another tradition is for girls to throw a sewing needle into a bowl full of water on the night of Qixi as a test of embroidery skills. If the needle floats on top of the water instead of sinking, it proves the girl is a skilled embroideress. Single women also pray for finding a good husband in the future. And the newly married women pray to become pregnant quickly.
People say that on this day it will rain, because of the crying in heaven. Others say that if you stand under grapevines on this night, you can hear the lovers talking.
falls on:
, this day is called ngầy "Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ" (Niu Lang Zhi Nu day in Mandarin). The tale is about a pair of lovers: Ngưu Lang, who is the Jade Emperor
's buffalo man and an outstanding bamboo fluter, and Chức Nữ, who is responsible for fabric weaving. They were too passionate for each other to do their work well. Because of this lost productivity, the Jade Emperor became angry and decided that they must live on opposite sides of Ngân Hà (Ngân river aka the Milky Way
). But later the Jade Emperor felt sorry for them and permitted them to meet each other once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar year.
However, they are unable to cross the Milky Way on their own. Thus the Jade Emperor ordered crow
s and racket-tailed treepie
s to build a bridge across the Milky Way. From then on, the bridge has the name cầu Ô Thước ("Crow and Pie Bridge").
Every year, when they meet each other, the lovers weep. Their tears fall from the sky and make a special kind of rain on this day: "mưa ngâu" ("continual rain" — a rain that lasts a long time).
on February 14th, borrowed from the West, and Lantern Festival Day
(元宵節). Lantern Day falls on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, on which unmarried girls were traditionally permitted to appear in public unescorted and thus have a chance to meet eligible bachelors. While in modern Chinese culture, such limitations for females no longer exist, the day, which also marks the end of Lunar New Year celebrations, is still lightly observed in some Chinese regions.
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar
Chinese calendar
The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well...
; thus its name. It inspired Tanabata
Tanabata
is a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi . According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the...
(七夕) in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Chilseok
Chilseok
Chilseok is a Korean traditional festival which falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Korean lunisolar calendar. Chilseok is derived from the Chinese festival, Qi Xi. Chilseok is a period where the heat starts to pass away and the monsoon season begins, and the rain that falls during...
(칠석) in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and Thất Tịch in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. It has sometimes been called Chinese Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
since the late 1990s.
Girls traditionally demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon
Melon
thumb|200px|Various types of melonsThis list of melons includes members of the plant family Cucurbitaceae with edible, fleshy fruit e.g. gourds or cucurbits. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit...
carving, on this day and make wishes for a good husband. It is also known by the following names:
- The Festival to Plead for Skills
- The Seventh Sister's Birthday, especially in CantoneseCantoneseCantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
, - The Night of Skills
In 2012, this festival falls on August 23.
The story of the cowherd and the weaver girl
See also: The Princess and the CowherdIn late summer, the stars Altair and Vega
Vega
Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus...
are high in the night sky, and the Chinese tell the following love story
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, of which there are many variations:
A young cowherd, hence Niulang , came across a beautiful girl--Zhinü , the seventh daughter of the Goddess, who just had escaped from boring heaven to look for fun. Zhinü soon fell in love with Niulang, and they got married without the knowledge of the Goddess. Zhinü proved to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang to be a good husband. They lived happily and had two children.
But the Goddess of Heaven
Xi Wangmu
Xi Wangmu, literally Queen Mother of the West , is an ancient Chinese goddess, also known in Japan and Korea. Her origins can be traced back to oracle bone inscriptions of the 15th century BCE that record sacrifices to a "western mother". Even though these inscriptions illustrate that she predates...
(or in some versions, Zhinü's mother) found out that Zhinü, a fairy girl, had married a mere mortal. The Goddess was furious and ordered Zhinü to return to heaven. (Alternatively, the Goddess forced the fairy back to her former duty of weaving colorful clouds, a task she neglected while living on earth with a mortal.)
On Earth, Niulang was very upset that his wife had disappeared. Suddenly, his ox began to talk, telling him that if he killed it and put on its hide, he would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife.
Crying bitterly, he killed the ox, put on the skin, and carried his two beloved children off to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess discovered this and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
between Altair and Vega.
Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar while taking care of their two children (his flanking stars β and γ Aquilae or by their Chinese names Hè Gu 1 and Hè Gu 3).
But once a year all the magpie
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
s in the world would take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge (鵲橋, "the bridge of magpies", Que Qiao) over the star Deneb
Deneb
Deneb is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus and one of the vertices of the Summer Triangle. It is the 19th brightest star in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of 1.25. A blue-white supergiant, Deneb is also one of the most luminous nearby stars...
in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, which is the seventh night of the seventh moon.
Variations of the story
- It was said that the Goddess of Heaven, out of pity, decided to let them unite once on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month as she was touched by their love for each other.
- In some versions it is the Emperor of Heaven, the cowherd's father, or the cowherd's mother who has the role of separating the lovers for them to focus on their work instead of romance.
- The star Deneb is a fairy who acts as a chaperone when the lovers meet on the magpie bridge.
- Rather than once a year, there is a version where the lovers were permitted to reunite once a month.
- There is a belief that sometime during the night of Qixi, the two stars Altair and Vega will actually unite on the same side of the Milky Way.
- Similar stories are told throughout Asia: in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Laos and Indonesia. In South-east Asia the stories were known as Sudhana Jataka, believed to be one of the stories of the past lives of the BuddhaBuddhaIn Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
, or the jatakaJatakaThe Jātakas refer to a voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births of the Buddha....
.
In popular culture
- Barry HughartBarry HughartBarry Hughart in Peoria, Illinois, is an American author of fantasy novels.- Background :Hughart was born in Peoria, Illinois on March 13, 1934. His father, John Harding Page, served as a naval officer. His mother, Veronica Hughart, was an architect.Hughart was educated at Phillips Academy...
's fantasy novel, Bridge of BirdsBridge of BirdsBridge of Birds is a fantasy novel by Barry Hughart, first published in 1984. It is the first of three novels in the The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox series...
, is loosely based upon this story, though the two figures are switched. The girl is forced to remain on earth, while her male paramour is in the heavens. She is a peasant girl, and he shepherds the stars. - In the 2010 remake of The Karate KidThe Karate Kid (2010 film)The Karate Kid is a 2010 American martial arts film and remake of the 1984 film of the same name. Directed by Harald Zwart, produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan...
, the protagonist attends this festival with his female companion and sees the story reenacted in a shadow playShadow playShadow play or shadow puppetry Shadow puppets have a long history in China, India, Turkey and Java, and as a popular form of entertainment for both children and adults in many countries around the world. A shadow puppet is a cut-out figure held between a source of light and a translucent screen...
. - American post-hardcorePost-hardcorePost-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band La DisputeLa Dispute (band)La Dispute is a five piece band from Grand Rapids, Michigan that formed in 2004. As of 2011, they have released two albums and seven EPs. La Dispute consists of lead vocalist Jordan Dreyer, drummer Brad Vander Lugt, guitarists Chad Sterenberg and Kevin Whittemore and bass guitarist Adam Vass.The...
's song "Four" is written about an alternative version of this story, with a Great King taking the role of separating the lovers, due to her neglecting her duties at the loom. In this version the lovers are a princess and a shepherd, and it replaces all the mythology in the original story. La DisputeLa Dispute (band)La Dispute is a five piece band from Grand Rapids, Michigan that formed in 2004. As of 2011, they have released two albums and seven EPs. La Dispute consists of lead vocalist Jordan Dreyer, drummer Brad Vander Lugt, guitarists Chad Sterenberg and Kevin Whittemore and bass guitarist Adam Vass.The...
's first LP has a recurring theme of this story, including the album title: Somewhere At the Bottom of the River Between Vega and AltairSomewhere At the Bottom of the River Between Vega and AltairSomewhere At the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair is the debut album released by La Dispute. It was released on November 11, 2008 simultaneously along with Here, Hear II. through No Sleep Records on both CD and vinyl. The album's title is derived from an Asian folktale. The vinyl press...
.
Traditions
Qixi originated during the Han Dynasty. It came from people's worship of the stars. On Qixi, a festoonFestoon
Festoon , a wreath or garland, and so in architecture a conventional arrangement of flowers, foliage or fruit bound together and suspended by ribbons, either from a decorated knot, or held in the mouths of lions, or suspended across the back of bulls heads as...
is placed in the yard and single or newly married women in the household makes an offering to Niulang and Zhinü consisting of fruit, flowers, tea, and face powder
Face powder
Face powder is a cosmetic powder applied to the face to set a foundation after application. It can also be reapplied throughout the day to minimize shininess caused by oily skin. There is translucent sheer powder, and there is pigmented powder. Certain types of pigmented facial powders are meant...
. After finishing the offering, half of the face powder is thrown on the roof and the other half divided among the young women of the household. It is believed that by doing this, the women are bound in beauty with Zhinü.
Another tradition is for girls to throw a sewing needle into a bowl full of water on the night of Qixi as a test of embroidery skills. If the needle floats on top of the water instead of sinking, it proves the girl is a skilled embroideress. Single women also pray for finding a good husband in the future. And the newly married women pray to become pregnant quickly.
People say that on this day it will rain, because of the crying in heaven. Others say that if you stand under grapevines on this night, you can hear the lovers talking.
Schedule
The seventh day of the seventh lunar monthLunar month
In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two identical syzygies . There are many variations. In Middle-Eastern and European traditions, the month starts when the young crescent moon becomes first visible at evening after conjunction with the Sun one or two days before that evening...
falls on:
- 6 Aug 2011
- 23 Aug 2012
- 13 Aug 2013
- 2 Aug 2014
- 20 Aug 2015
- 9 Aug 2016
- 28 Aug 2017
- 17 Aug 2018
- 7 Aug 2019
- 25 Aug 2020
Vietnamese version
In VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, this day is called ngầy "Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ" (Niu Lang Zhi Nu day in Mandarin). The tale is about a pair of lovers: Ngưu Lang, who is the Jade Emperor
Jade Emperor
The Jade Emperor in Chinese folk culture, is the ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell, according to a version of Taoist mythology. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese traditional religion pantheon...
's buffalo man and an outstanding bamboo fluter, and Chức Nữ, who is responsible for fabric weaving. They were too passionate for each other to do their work well. Because of this lost productivity, the Jade Emperor became angry and decided that they must live on opposite sides of Ngân Hà (Ngân river aka the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
). But later the Jade Emperor felt sorry for them and permitted them to meet each other once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar year.
However, they are unable to cross the Milky Way on their own. Thus the Jade Emperor ordered crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s and racket-tailed treepie
Black Racket-tailed Treepie
The Black Racket-tailed Treepie is an Asian treepie, a member of the Corvidae family.It has a velvety-black forehead of short, plush black feathers with the rest of the bird being an oily green colour, though appearing black in dim light...
s to build a bridge across the Milky Way. From then on, the bridge has the name cầu Ô Thước ("Crow and Pie Bridge").
Every year, when they meet each other, the lovers weep. Their tears fall from the sky and make a special kind of rain on this day: "mưa ngâu" ("continual rain" — a rain that lasts a long time).
Other romantic days in Chinese culture
Two other days have, or had, romantic associations in Chinese-culture region: Valentine's DayValentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
on February 14th, borrowed from the West, and Lantern Festival Day
Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival ; is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day...
(元宵節). Lantern Day falls on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, on which unmarried girls were traditionally permitted to appear in public unescorted and thus have a chance to meet eligible bachelors. While in modern Chinese culture, such limitations for females no longer exist, the day, which also marks the end of Lunar New Year celebrations, is still lightly observed in some Chinese regions.
See also
- Lantern FestivalLantern FestivalThe Lantern Festival ; is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day...
was a day for love and matchmaking, on which an unmarried girl was traditionally permitted to appear in public unescorted and thus be seen by eligible bachelors. It was one of the few nights in ancient times without a strict curfew. It is sometimes regarded as another Chinese Valentine's Day. Young people were chaperoned in the streets in hopes of finding love. Matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples. - Chinese mythologyChinese mythologyChinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
- Chinese astrologyChinese astrologyChinese astrology is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars. The development of Chinese astrology is tied to that of astronomy, which came to flourish during the Han Dynasty ....
- Summer TriangleSummer TriangleThe Summer Triangle is an astronomical asterism involving an imaginary triangle drawn on the northern hemisphere's celestial sphere, with its defining vertices at Altair, Deneb, and Vega, being the brightest stars in the three constellations of Aquila, Cygnus, and Lyra.The English term was...
- TanabataTanabatais a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi . According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the...
: Japanese Qixi - The Legend of LoveThe Legend of LoveThe Legend of Love is a 20 episode drama by Television Broadcasts Limited, released on 12 July 2003. It is an adaptation of the story of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, with slight changes to the storyline.-External links:*...